Father's Day...
I never know whether the apostrophe goes before the "s" because it is a day for each individual father, or after the "s" because it is for all fathers collectively.
I have previously posted items for earlier Fathers Days, either on the Bytes blog or in its previous life as an email send. To see those items:
1. Go to the blog site by clicking on the words bytes daily on the top of the email or by going to:
http://www.bytesdaily.blogspot.com/
2. Go to the search function, which is the white rectangle at the top left of the Bytes page.
3. Type in Inigo Montoya and hit enter.
4. Then go back and do the same with Blind Rower and hit enter.
When I was thinking about the coming Father’s Day I was reminded of the Banjo Paterson poem, Father Riley's Horse. This in turn started me thinking. Why are priests, who are pledged to celibacy and therefore sans children, called Father? Why are other members of the clergy and holy orders called by family designations – Brother, Sister, Mother? And what of Matthew 23:9? – “And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven..”
Having looked at some commentaries on the issue, I can say that it appears that Catholics address priests as father but so do some Anglicans. It also appears that Catholics call their priests by the first name eg Father John, and the Anglicans by the last name eg Father Smith. Based on Matthew 23:9, Protestants do not call their clergy father, but the Catholic argument in favour is that the ban on the use of the terms father (23:9) and teacher (23:10) is where they are used hypocritically, for self-promotion, to imply that someone is better than someone else or to avoid service. 1 Corinthians 4:15 is relied upon for support that the term “father” can be applied to a Christian leader: “Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.” Addressing priests as father is justified on the basis of their being at the head of the spiritual community and, as the person who baptises the members of the church, in having an important role of the rebirth of the individual into the spirit.
That's Spencer Tracy in the pic above, by the way, from the 1938 flick Boys Town, and I know that I have no apostrophe whatsoever this time but that is how the movie was released...
So a happy Father’s Day to all Byter dads and their families, and to all Byters generally.
Which brings us to Father Riley's Horse. Take a few minutes to sit back with a coffee and read one of Banjo Paterson’s less well known poems, or, if you prefer, listen to a Yank do a good job at reciting it at:
(Click on the above link).
Pro Hart’s sketch “Father Riley’s Horse”
Father Riley's Horse
'Twas the horse thief, Andy Regan, that was hunted like a dog
By the troopers of the Upper Murray side,
They had searched in every gully -- they had looked in every log,
But never sight or track of him they spied,
Till the priest at Kiley's Crossing heard a knocking very late
And a whisper `Father Riley -- come across!'
So his Rev'rence in pyjamas trotted softly to the gate
And admitted Andy Regan -- and a horse!
`Now, it's listen, Father Riley, to the words I've got to say,
For its close upon my death I am to-night.
With the troopers hard behind me I've been hiding all the day
In the gullies keeping close and out of sight.
But they're watching all the ranges till there's not a bird could fly,
And I'm fairly worn to pieces with the strife,
So I'm taking no more trouble, but I'm going home to die,
'Tis the only way I see to save my life.
`Yes, I'm making home to mother's, and I'll die o' Tuesday next
An' be buried on the Thursday -- and, of course,
I'm prepared to meet my penance, but with one thing I'm perplexed
And it's -- Father, it's this jewel of a horse!
He was never bought nor paid for, and there's not a man can swear
To his owner or his breeder, but I know,
That his sire was by Pedantic from the Old Pretender mare
And his dam was close related to The Roe.
`And there's nothing in the district that can race him for a step,
He could canter while they're going at their top:
He's the king of all the leppers that was ever seen to lep,
A five-foot fence -- he'd clear it in a hop!
So I'll leave him with you, Father, till the dead shall rise again,
'Tis yourself that knows a good 'un; and, of course,
You can say he's got by Moonlight out of Paddy Murphy's plain
If you're ever asked the breeding of the horse!
`But it's getting on to daylight and it's time to say good-bye,
For the stars above the East are growing pale.
And I'm making home to mother -- and it's hard for me to die!
But it's harder still, is keeping out of gaol!
You can ride the old horse over to my grave across the dip
Where the wattle bloom is waving overhead.
Sure he'll jump them fences easy -- you must never raise the whip
Or he'll rush 'em! -- now, good-bye!' and he had fled!
So they buried Andy Regan, and they buried him to rights,
In the graveyard at the back of Kiley's Hill;
There were five-and-twenty mourners who had five-and-twenty fights
Till the very boldest fighters had their fill.
There were fifty horses racing from the graveyard to the pub,
And their riders flogged each other all the while.
And the lashins of the liquor! And the lavins of the grub!
Oh, poor Andy went to rest in proper style.
Then the races came to Kiley's -- with a steeplechase and all,
For the folk were mostly Irish round about,
And it takes an Irish rider to be fearless of a fall,
They were training morning in and morning out.
But they never started training till the sun was on the course
For a superstitious story kept 'em back,
That the ghost of Andy Regan on a slashing chestnut horse,
Had been training by the starlight on the track.
And they read the nominations for the races with surprise
And amusement at the Father's little joke,
For a novice had been entered for the steeplechasing prize,
And they found that it was Father Riley's moke!
He was neat enough to gallop, he was strong enough to stay!
But his owner's views of training were immense,
For the Reverend Father Riley used to ride him every day,
And he never saw a hurdle nor a fence.
And the priest would join the laughter; `Oh,' said he, `I put him in,
For there's five and twenty sovereigns to be won.
And the poor would find it useful, if the chestnut chanced to win,
And he'll maybe win when all is said and done!'
He had called him Faugh-a-ballagh, which is French for clear the course,
And his colours were a vivid shade of green:
All the Dooleys and O'Donnells were on Father Riley's horse,
While the Orangemen were backing Mandarin!
It was Hogan, the dog poisoner -- aged man and very wise,
Who was camping in the racecourse with his swag,
And who ventured the opinion, to the township's great surprise,
That the race would go to Father Riley's nag.
`You can talk about your riders -- and the horse has not been schooled,
And the fences is terrific, and the rest!
When the field is fairly going, then ye'll see ye've all been fooled,
And the chestnut horse will battle with the best.
`For there's some has got condition, and they think the race is sure,
And the chestnut horse will fall beneath the weight,
But the hopes of all the helpless, and the prayers of all the poor,
Will be running by his side to keep him straight.
And it's what's the need of schoolin' or of workin' on the track,
Whin the saints are there to guide him round the course!
I've prayed him over every fence -- I've prayed him out and back!
And I'll bet my cash on Father Riley's horse!'
. . . . .
Oh, the steeple was a caution! They went tearin' round and round,
And the fences rang and rattled where they struck.
There was some that cleared the water -- there was more fell in and drowned,
Some blamed the men and others blamed the luck!
But the whips were flying freely when the field came into view,
For the finish down the long green stretch of course,
And in front of all the flyers -- jumpin' like a kangaroo,
Came the rank outsider -- Father Riley's horse!
Oh, the shouting and the cheering as he rattled past the post!
For he left the others standing, in the straight;
And the rider -- well they reckoned it was Andy Regan's ghost,
And it beat 'em how a ghost would draw the weight!
But he weighed it, nine stone seven, then he laughed and disappeared,
Like a Banshee (which is Spanish for an elf),
And old Hogan muttered sagely, `If it wasn't for the beard
They'd be thinking it was Andy Regan's self!'
And the poor of Kiley's Crossing drank the health at Christmastide
Of the chestnut and his rider dressed in green.
There was never such a rider, not since Andy Regan died,
And they wondered who on earth he could have been.
But they settled it among 'em, for the story got about,
'Mongst the bushmen and the people on the course,
That the Devil had been ordered to let Andy Regan out
For the steeplechase on Father Riley's horse!
happy father day apostrophe
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