Listen  
Yourself, the Fool 
Words and music: © 1995, Cáit Finnegan 

Get up now dear 
and leave me here 
Me and the child within 
You can run 
from your own son 
but one day he'll know your sin. 

We both must know 
before you go 
this child deserves much more 
for the true sin 
will just begin 
when you walk out the door. 

You will miss 
his tender kiss 
and never know his touch 
or hear him say 
on one sweet day 
"I love you Dad, so much." 

Your whole life long 
you'll regret this wrong 
as you try to serve your God. 
You'll say your Mass 
but time will pass 
then you'll grow old and nod. 

And remember when 
our priests were men 
before this Roman rule. 
When you grow old 
with heart so cold 
you'll think yourself the fool! 

For you lived your life 
without your wife 
because of a Roman law 
and you gave your heart 
then fell apart 
because of the child I bore. 

So think this through 
and as you do 
consider this child we made. 
Love your son 
or the day will come 
you'll wish that you had stayed, 
you'll wish that you had stayed. 

Get up now dear 
and leave us here 
me and this child within. 
You can run 
from your own son 
but one day you'll know your sin, 
one day you'll know your sin. 
 

Holy Innocents 
Words and music:  Copyright 1995 Cáit Finnegan 

Daddy's preaching this week dear, 
He cannot be with us here 
But Jesus and His mother are our friends. 
And they know just how we feel 
When we pray that Daddy's love was real 
For Scripture tells us real love never ends. 

Daddy serves two masters, love. 
One's a serpent, One's a Dove. 
And the serpent tells him love is really sin. 
And if he gives in to this love 
That comes to him from God above 
Then the serpent says he'll lose his life within. 

Holy Innocent child of mine 
You're being punished for our crime 
Against a Roman law forbidding priests to wed 
You are among the little ones 
Many daughters, many sons 
Whose need for father's love is heaven fed. 

There's no room in the Roman Inn. 
Pope Herod's codes say you're a sin 
But there's a loving Christ outside the door. 
And the stable doors of His Church are wide 
Inviting us to come inside 
And dream the dream with Christ Whom we adore. 

Where Charity and Love prevail 
We know we will find God 
'tho laws forbidding Love all fail 
Those laws have left you scarred. 
But while your Daddy's soul's in jail 
And from his heart you're barred 
Know that Mommy loves you, you're her gift from God. 
 
 

The following song was inspired by the play "All That I Am" by Sister Irene Mahoney. The unsung heroines of Christianity, the unnoticed wives and lovers of the male clerics. 

God's Holy Woman 
Words and music: Copyright 1996, Cáit Finnegan 

Introduction: 

Oh God's holy woman tell us your name 
You who love God and serve without fame 
If your man succeeds then you're only his dame 
But if he should fail then you'd be to blame. 

Sarah: 

Oh God's holy woman who stands by the shore 
Your fisherman husband is fishing no more 
He follows this Jesus Who says to ignore 
The labors of this world, His God to adore. 

Oh God's holy woman, the balance he needs, 
You also love God as you ponder such creeds 
That lure a man's heart and dictate his deeds 
In your own way hearing the call that he heeds. 

Augustine's Mistress: 

Oh God's holy woman the child of your womb 
Is taken from you on this day of your gloom 
And the Saint who had loved you and shared your bedroom 
Now leaves your heart barren, your home like a tomb. 

Oh God's holy woman, the common law wife 
As sinner turned saint begins a new  life 
The pain in your heart like the pierce of a knife 
As this day begins centuries of strife. 

Hildegard: 

Oh God's holy woman this priest that you know 
In biblical terms now says you must go. 
The years of your married love end with this blow 
O the grief in your heart as you sway to and fro 

Oh God's holy woman, alone in your tears 
Your cries go ignored and only God hears 
For men have passed laws that flow from their fears 
O wife of the priest!  This demon it nears! 

John Donne's wife... 

Oh God's holy woman with children you're blessed. 
Yet never, it seems, are you given rest. 
Your husband a good man, one of the best! 
But your only role - to fill up his nest. 

Oh God's holy woman, with womb ever-full 
Your life sacrifice with each child that you lull 
Before death will claim you your child they will pull 
What other dreams you might have all shall be null. 
 

Fiancee of Dietrich Bonnhoeffer... 

Oh God's holy woman, how faithful you are 
Your lover looks out from behind prison bar 
The God of the cross and the Hebrew star 
Giving you strength to live through this war. 

Oh God's holy woman, how deeply you grieve 
As you try to untangle these webs that we weave 
Your lover, in faith, from this world takes his leave, 
Powerless woman, you try to believe 

Conclusion: 

Oh God's holy woman from the rib of a man 
His backbone today as you hold his hand 
You're thoughts and your words and your love he may ban 
Yet without your strength he knows he can't stand. 

"Trespasses" 
© 1996, Cáit Finnegan  

You know I forgive you,  I've told you so. 
It's more than emotion, it's Love, you know. 
Oh each of us broken, each in our way, 
Each of us longing to hear someone say 
The words of Love, so infrequently said, 
Those words that we keep until all are dead. 
O God, not to die without having heard 
That loving sweet sound, of that precious word, 
That word which we worship, that we adore! 
O God!  That we say it, say it and more! 
For God is but Love and Love is our life, 
Not merely reserved for husband and wife, 
But it is for all who walk upon Earth 
For it is but Love that gives second birth. 

Yes, I forgive you as God forgives me, 
Freely I love you, not hesitantly. 
I do not excuse the wrong that you've done. 
I cannot forget, I still want to run 
From mem'ries burned in me, scarring my soul. 
Yet, I also see that you were not whole. 
Your free-will was scarred, the will of a child. 
What benefit me when you are reviled? 
The cycle ends here, with our daily Bread. 
Not hatred from me, I give Love instead. 
And one day, in good time, God's time, I guess, 
Love will bring healing, Love cannot do less. 
If not hearing Love has caused you to sin 
Hear this: I love you.   Let healing begin.