Faubourg Saint Patrice - ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University

his basis for racial exclusion: "Saint Patrick would want to land again at Ballyknilar and
convert us. . . after allowing things like that [indicating Bloom] to contaminate our
shores" (12.16701-2). Revealing their deep-rooted prejudices and hatred, the Citizen
and his companions deny Bloom's Irishness and ironically accuse him of surreptitiously
collecting a gambling winning when he is actually contributing generously to Paddy
Dignam's family. Thus, while Bloom continues to criticize the structure of organized
religion and the methods it uses to control its practitioners, his actions reflect its
fundamental values of kindness and humanity--a distinct contrast to the conduct of most
other Dubliners who appear in the novel.
Through Bloom's inquisitive eyes, Joyce provides a unique perspective into the
Catholic dogma which is an integral part of Irish culture. During his wanderings, Bloom
questions six of the seven sacraments--rituals which are considered by the Church to be
the "outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for [one's] sanctification"
(Catholic 13:295). As perceived by Bloom, each of the sacraments is either a means
towards temporal power or the Church's method of controlling the Catholic population.
For Bloom, Baptism was a means to marry Molly Tweedie, not a choice to "enter the
door of spiritual life" of Catholicism (Catholic 2:258-9). He perceives Penance as a
"great weapon in [the Church's] hands," a method by which the Church controls the
consciousness of the people through guilt and redemption (5.426). The sacrament of the
Eucharist--the principal sacrament of the Church--is presented as purely a symbolic ritual
which narcotizes the communicants. Nevertheless, it is also a highly efficient system, as
Bloom relates: "Wonderful organisation certainly, goes like clockwork" (3.424-5).
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