Young people apparently love Buckfast – the wine, that is, not the monastic life of prayer and hard work. They meditate, all right, but only on where and when they will get their next drink.
Click here to read an article on the subject and ask yourself if these monks are the kind of shining examples of self-sacrificing men that our ever more selfish and sensual world craves – or are they making things worse? Living in Glasgow, where the rottweillers go around in pairs, especially after the pubs close, I know what I think. What do you think?
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I hear the Benedictines are thinking of renaming their abbey ‘Fastbuck’ in keeping with record sales of their toxic wine product.
For reasons of religion, however, the monks themselves rigorously restrict tasting amongst the brethern, preferring instead the intoxication they experience from the exuberance of their own verbosity when playing down their role in the destruction of a whole generation of Britain’s youth.
In typical “We merely supply the guns; We don’t pull the trigger” type language, and with a few charities and local employment figures thrown in to show just how benevolent these Benedictines are towards the wider community, they truly believe they can admonish themselves from the guilt of having turned their monastery into a money-from-mayhem enterprise.
Not so, for even a hint that their produce is aiding in the destruction of morals amongst the youth of this country should suffice to make them renounce any further part in its manufacture, no matter what worldly consequences such a renunciation entails.
So the old ‘blame the marketers not the monks’ line simply doesn’t wash with the greater majority of decent citizens up and down this land, many of whom are holed up in terror in their houses every weekend as nocturnal mobs of boozebag youths ransack their Council estates.
Nor will it wash with God, Who blames as much the knowledgable accomplace as the perpetrator(s) of the crime.
Now we all know that Buckfast is not the only ingredient in today’s yob culture, but it is a major player. Consequently, it is incumbent upon these so-called men of God to learn once more to imbibe the Holy Spirit and pour the other one down the nearest drain.
Incidentally, I hear in the ‘grapevine’ that the Benedictines may be the holders of the patent for the ‘hoodie’ design. If so, then they can truly congratulate themselves on having fostered a ‘grape-full’ youth. Cheap plonk and a cheap muggers suit to roam the dark streets with. It’s a mind-blowing combination bargain!
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Athanasius,
Just plonked myself down on the sofa and read your entry.
Benedictines making beer is nothing new. They are renown for it and have been providing this ‘service’ for centuries.
I visited Andech’s Monastery in Bavaria a few years ago and their beer was excellent. In fact they hade a very good reputation of serving the best porknuckel, snitzels and beer in Southern Germany. The community was rather small and it took me a bit of searching to find the church and an area of peace as there were thousands of ‘pilgrims’ sampling their fare. Apparently such large numbers are a daily occurence. Buckfast seems to be trying to play catchup here. These places may be lacking vocations but they are definately rolling in the money; that no doubt will be the de-cider.
Whether a bar should be placed on them continuing this practice and whether they should engage in less elbow bending and more knee bending is another matter. No doubt they will just ‘laager’ down until the froth has blown away.
Sorry but just couldn’t resist them!
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Spoken like a true man of “the spirit”, Benedict. I’m not at all against the monks making beers and tonic wines, but I think in the case of Buckfast Abbey they should draw a line under it. The youth in Europe don’t seem to have the same yob culture and substance abuse as in Britain. This country surely ranks in the world’s top three for a youth which is poorly educated, slothfull, aggressive, unmannerable and self-indulgent. Anyway, off now to slurp out of my barrel of home brew. It tastes really good if fermented in the drum of an old washing machine. Kicks like a mule!
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It should be pointed out that todays liturgy included reference to “wine that gladdens the heart” and it isnt what the monks are doing that is sinful but how as usual humanity abuses God’s gifts to it. Same goes for sex, food, financial wealth, etc.
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catholicteuchtar – No one denies that the monks are entitled to make wine or beer to gladden the hearts of mature people. Fact is, though, that the Buckfast monks are making a wine that they know full well is being sold primarily to the young, whose hearts are certainly not gladdened by it. They cannot escape responsibility for their actions.
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Well, now THIS is a turn up for the book (or should that be “wine-bottles”!)
Welcome, catholicteuchtar, welcome to our (newish) blog – I am delighted to welcome you aboard. I’ve noted your charitable bits and pieces about Catholic Truth elsewhere on the internet from time to time, so nice to be able to thank you “in person” so to speak. Could I offer you a drink..?
Why should Benedict get to make all the jokes!I think we would all agree that wine, per se, is not the problem or even monks gladdening the human heart with their popular product (although I’m a Diet Coke-Lemonade-Irn Bru person myself). One might have reservations about monks earning a living through encouraging alcohol consumption but, generally speaking, that is not the core issue on this occasion and at this point in time.
Athansius, as ever, hits a lot of nails on the heads and I agree with every word. I would simply add the following thought, for your perusal.
Just think, catholicteuchter, of the impact it would have had if, instead of reading reports in a national newspaper about the Benedictines expanding their drinks business, they had issued a statement of non-expansion (if not an outright closing down) of the Buckfast product in view of the rising drink problem among the young, with its attendant violence and even resultant deaths. If they had acknowledged their moral responsibility, given that Buckfast is a favourite with teens, think of the impact that would have had on our society in general and the business world in particular. Would not that have been something to make the Catholic heart beat with joy! Correct answer: yes.
Sure, the shock of it might have sent the average Glaswegian off to the pub for a drop of the hard stuff, but, overall, would not such a moral statement have been infinitely preferable to the news that, despite all the problems related to youth-drinking, the most popular tipple being Buckfast, the monks were going to expand their enterprise?
If this is not as clear as it should be, forgive me, but I have just had lunch. No, I deny it, absolutely…. I am NOT so think as you drunk I am.
Renewed welcome, catholicteuchter. Keep bogging.
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When I first read the introduction to this thread, I must confess that I was on the side of the monks. After all, their production of this fortified wine pre-dates by several decades the alcohol abuse crisis among Britain’s youth. And if they were, as Athanasius suggests, to draw a line under its production, the nature of the market is such that the gap left by their product would be filled very quickly by commerical producers.
But the point here is surely that the monks are fully aware that a large percentage of the production of their wine is destined to be consumed by young people who frequently drink themselves to oblivion. By which it follows that a large proportion of the funds generated by this activity are derived from human misery, albeit self-inflicted. It is surely time for the monks of Buckfast to turn off the tap or organise things so that their product is not so readily available to young people who will abuse it.
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Mons Meg,
A bit of a conundrum really. How does one organise sales to ensure less or minimal abuse from anyone; especially the young. I think this is a dilemma all organisations face and all governments are equally helpless. You can provide all the education you wish but without a Christian based social infrastructure and this includes responsible parenting I have my doubts.
A quick, and I believe a positive action, would be to double the price. Yes, it will badly affect their sales but a small price to pay surely to remedy a sorry situation. Perhaps Buckfast would then not need planning permission to disrupt their “peaceful and tranquil” setting and permit them to refocus on their true calling.
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Benedict, it is all right saying this is a dilemma all organisations face, but monks in a monaster are not just another business organisation.
I agree with those who think the monks should draw a line or turn off the tap on Buckfast and make a public statement saying they do not want to be part of an industry that leads to such human misery, not to say violence. As you say yourself, they should be focused on their true calling.
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I’ve just posted a welcome to you, Faithful, on the evolution thread, so a renewed welcome here.
There’s not a lot more really anyone can say on this thread except that the monks would have set a great example by closing down production or at least announcing a limit on the production of Buckfast, due to the links with youth bad behaviour etc.
Anyway, whatever the topc – keep blogging Faithful! Welcome aboard!
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Benedict,
I do agree that it is not easy, but I refuse to believe that technically speaking it is not possible for the monks to devise a system of distrubtion which discriminates between the consumer interested in an occasional glass of tonic wine and off-licence chains hell bent on selling it to young people. (Whether or not such as system would make economic ense is, of course, another question.
I do think that there is a lot to be said for raising the price of alcohol which, in real terms, seems to cost less than it did a decade ago.
But the real cause of why young people should desire so strongly to drink themselves to oblivion is ulitmately spiritual and speaks volumes about a Scotland which has lost its soul. Television, popular music, designer clothers, sex, etc. can only function as temporary distractions for human beings who are unable to confer meaning on their existence. When the pain of meaningless existence become too strong, then the recourse to products like Buckfast.
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To side-step the issue of the spiritual for one moment, I can perhaps from personal experience shed some light on the attraction of Buckfast to acquaintances of mine in past years. Apparently its popularity took off since, sold as a tonic wine, one could acquire it from chemists outwith licensed hours and on Sundays in the past. This led to it being a cult hit with heavy drinkers.
Young people are drinking to get drunk these days, not necessarily to be sociable. Therefore the considerations they make move to convenience, cost and taste/effect.
Convenience – underage drinkers tend to drink outdoors and on the move therefore are more likely to choose a beverage such as Buckfast for its compact and concealable size relative to alcohol content, 8 cans of lager or 2 three litre bottles of cider being likely comparisons for a carry out. If one were to be in contact with the police, the Buckfast is less noticeable and, if chased, need not be jettisoned like the alternatives. Also, drinking outdoors lacks facilities, therefore drinking 350ml or 700ml of Buckfast versus 6 litres of cider or a similar volume of lager will lead to far less need to risk being caught urinating in public. This convenience is also the reason why Buckfast is also popular among football fans, who drink on the move in a short time before the game in heavily policed areas and do not want to be going to the toilet throughout the match.
Cost – to get drunk, the young drinker need only around £5 for a bottle of Buckfast, this could also purchase 2 three litre bottles of cider or 8 cans of lager.
Taste – most young people would probably rather drink lager etc. but for convenience as mentioned often choose something more compact. Buckfast is easy to drink, sweet and inoffensive, more palatable than trying to drink a bottle of Chianti quickly. Also the high caffeine content give a buzz and adrenalin boost in addition to the drunkenness.
In summary, Buckfast is appealing because it ticks all of the boxes required for young drinkers intent on having a solid drink in a limited timeframe. I do not believe it is marketed towards youths as such, but is appealing on a number of levels, causing youngsters to pay a premium over the cheapest of wines (as little as £3) of similar volume.
Spiritually, can the Benedictines justify the continued, indeed increased production, based on their firm knowledge that the vast majority of the market is youngsters and alcoholics? On one hand, I can see why they may wash their hands of responsibility however were they to see the manner in which well over 90% of their produce is consumed and the after effects, it would be difficult to see anything worthy in their enterprise at all. One trip to the east of Glasgow would surely render it unacceptable for them to continue to produce what is now the ASBO drink of the west of Scotland.
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Crossraguel
You were not, by chance, a drinks salesman before opting for a spirit of a different sort, were you?
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Athanasius,
Not a salesman, but I have a reasonable awareness of the drinking habits of young people and alcoholics in the west of Scotland through other experience. Possibly strayed somewhere away from the point in my post, before reaching my legitimate conclusion. (Not due to drinking Buckfast, I hasten to add!)
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I was only having you on Crossraguel, but I guess you knew that.
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Cheers Athanasius, have a bottle of tonic wine on me.
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Somebody throwing a party and not inviting moi?
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My sincere apologies editor, I reserve a bottle of Buckfast Abbey’s finest tonic for you too.
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Thanks Crossraguel – just seen this generous offer. Mind you, I prefer Diet Lemonade, but never mind. It’s the thought that counts.
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