Did you hear the one about two “nones” walking into a bar?

Trinity College of Hartford, Connecticut, is out with a new study of “Nones” in America.

Nones are adults with no religious affiliation. Apparently most of them, at least in America, are young, politically independent men of…and it hurts to type this…Irish ancestry.

As they say in the Vatican, “Oy!”

In my youth, “Irish” and “Catholic” rarely appeared more than two or three words from each other. It makes me sad to think that so many American families of Irish descent have managed to so completely screw up their catechetical responsibilities.

I realize the less-than-charitable tone I’m taking. There are other factors in play, such as so-called “progressive” elementary education, the inexplicably un-Catholic teachings of supposedly Catholic colleges, and a little thing called "free will." But I still feel that stronger, sincere parent-champions for the faith, especially among fathers, could help stem the tide that leads one professor associated with the study to say that Nones could make up 25% of the U.S. population in about twenty years.

Perhaps the Irish-ness of so many Nones shouldn’t surprise us. There’s an interesting story that continues to unfold in the land of saints and scholars that points to the legendary Irish propensity for paradox.

I’m not familiar enough with the story to offer an opinion, but I find the situation interesting.

You can read the latest and find links to the broader story here.