IV
The master says its time to prepare for First Confession and First
Communion, to know and remember all the questions and answers
in the catechism, to become good Catholics, to know the difference
between right and wrong, to die for the Faith if called on.
The master says its a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad
says its a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if theres any-
one in the world who would like us to live. My brothers are dead and
my sister is dead and I wonder if they died for Ireland or the Faith. Dad
says they were too young to die for anything. Mam says it was disease
and starvation and him never having a job. Dad says, Och,Angela, puts
on his cap and goes for a long walk.
The master says were each to bring threepence for the First Com-
munion catechism with the green cover. The catechism has all
the questions and answers we have to know by heart before we can
receive First Communion. Older boys in the fifth class have the thick
Confirmation catechism with the red cover and that costs sixpence. Id
love to be big and important and parade around with the red Confir-
mation catechism but I dont think Ill live that long the way Im
expected to die for this or that. I want to ask why there are so many big
people who havent died for Ireland or the Faith but I know if you ask
a question like that you get you the thump on the head or youre told
go out and play.
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