Daily Lenten Thought March 18th
It’s about two minutes to midnight. I’m just back from Co. Clare where I was involved in a Lenten Liturgy. If I don’t do this now, I’ll have missed a day.
The thought – don’t leave things to the last minute!!
Daily Lenten Thought March 17th
Happy St Patrick’s Day!
Earlier today I had a Wedding Mass. Shortly before the Mass I met a couple whose Wedding Mass I celebrated just over two years ago. I asked them what I should say to the couple. The wife said I should tell them to “Never loose the spark. To talk always and to arrange a DATE NIGHT, once a month, where they can go out together, be alone with no mobiles or distractions and just be together”. I looked at the husband, “Well?” I asked. “Tell him to get a good pair of ear plugs! And don’t ever talk about the in-laws, it always ends up badly!”
I told them I’d share this with the couple getting married. I don’t think they believed me but share it I did. As I hoped, people laughed but, in fairness there was something in it I suppose. The need to keep communication and excitement alive in the relationship and also, maybe at times, to close your ears to things that might lead to conflict or difficulty.
I went on to say that I also wanted to share a second thought. I called to a house where an elderly lady had dropped dead. Her husband was devastated. He told me that he’d never forget her and though he had great neighbours and family, nobody would ever replace his wife. “We were great friends”, he told me “and we knew each others’ ways.” I have never forgotten this nor the look in his eyes as he spoke these words to me. She died on their 42nd Wedding Anniversary and to be able to say after four and more decades that your wife is “your best friend” has to be as good as it gets.
Between the advice of the two year couple and the witness of the 42 year couple, I think there was something for my wedding couple today.
Maybe there’s something for us all. That’s the thought …. be grateful for the friend who knows your ways and is still your friend.
Daily Lenten Thought March 16th
If it’s okay, I’m going to revisit and old post from a few years ago. It was a reflection on priesthood. At present we have no student for the priesthood in our diocese and have had one ordination, for the diocese, in thirteen years. On the eve of St Patrick’s Day, I’m wondering will the “voice (and ears) of the Irish” hear the “VOICE OF GOD” and respond to His call. Anyway, what follows hopefully says a bit around my own thoughts. Thanks for your patience. Stats tell me over 100 people a day are visiting this site, fewer than that, looking at the reflections so I’m not sure who’s reading or why but I am thankful to you …. God Bless! V
I was ordained in St. Patrick’s Church, Gurteen. From time to time I look at a video taken that day. Such changes have taken place. Many of them irreversible. People close to me who attended that day have died. Others for one reason or another weren’t there and it can never happen again. Certainly there are people I wish were there. (My parents have both died since I wrote this piece, R.I.P.) The video reminds me of how happy my mother was that day. Like me, with me and for me, she looked forward to it. My father said, with deep emotion welled in his throat “this is my happiest day ever”. I’m glad I gave him that. Certainly he always did his best for me. My brothers too, and family were with me and still are. Don’t always have the contact I’d like with all my nephews and nieces who were just babes in arms that day. Some of them weren’t born the day I was ordained but are a very central part of my life.
The video brought back faces of priests in our parish at the time – all dead now – Canon Paddy Towey, Fr James Flannery, Fr Charlie Doherty. Other men who were part of my life and regular visitors to the garage and kitchen at home, where coming to get the car serviced was often more social than mechanical! Dudley Filan, Martin McManus, Bishop Fergus, Michael Giblin, Gerry Horan (knew him first as a solicitor and then as a classmate in Maynooth – ordained Easter Sunday 2007), Francy Cawley, Dermot Nash – they, and so many more, gone to their Eternal Reward.
Gone too my Godfather and uncle John who said he was there for my baptism, Communion and Confirmation – seeing to it they were all properly done “You’ll agree”, he said “he’s now properly ordained too”. Mai Callaghan – my Godmother. Alfie and Mel Gallagher. My cousin Kathleen “Feather” Gallagher, Gerry Dwyer and so many others. May they rest in peace.
Gone too, my hair! Added weight and years make me wonder who’s the man in the video?? Gone too, perhaps saddest of all – some of the joy that was around priesthood. It’s not that I’m not joyful but things have changed so much. Paddy Towey spoke of there being more rejoicing in Heaven over ninety-nine ordinations than one and hoped there would be others. John Geelan was ordained a year later – my Cloonloo neighbour – Oliver McDonagh, another Cloonloo man was ordained the week before me. (Sadly Oliver died in January 2010 after a brave battle with illness, may he rest in peace.) Gerry Horan – the retired solicitor and widower from Mullaghroe was ordained a few months before us both. Four men from within a stone’s throw of each other ordained within months and none since. There was rejoicing in Gurteen, Cloonloo, Mullaghroe and Moygara – not ninety-nine admittedly but four. Why did the rejoicing stop? Paddy Towey’s prayer – what happened it?
I became a priest because I thought it was the best I could do with my life and somewhere, though there was never a dazzling light or booming voice, I felt God wanted me to do this. There were priests I admired who seemed to be good and decent people, well rounded, balanced, focused and at ease. To be like them seemed a not unattractive life choice. People like Charlie Doherty in Cloonloo, Tommy Johnston, Greg Hannan, Pat Lynch, Martin Jennings, Jimmy Colleran, Jim Finan – all in St. Nathy’s – Michael Giblin, Dudley Filan, John Walsh, John Doherty, Frank Gallagher and many more spoke to me of priesthood without ever saying a word. There was much to look up to and much to imitate. Didn’t Jesus say “do this in memory of me”?
Have I encouraged anyone to become a priest? Seemingly not. What am I missing? I really don’t know. Priesthood isn’t that attractive to most people now. There has been so much change through the years and of course priesthood became tragically and undeniably entangled in scandal and betrayal. Yet there were all the while, mighty priests – good men, decent men, rounded men. Good priests.
Have I been a good priest? I’ve tried. Not without failure or uncertainty and I know I’ve hurt people along the way. Never intentionally. I can honestly say that. I remember once visiting a dying priest who asked me for my blessing and I felt so guilty blessing him since, even in illness, he was a stronger and better priest than I and yet I blessed him. It was my calling to offer a blessing to a dying man. Even if worthiness wasn’t uppermost in my mind, God, I believe, would have wanted me to make the Sign of Calvary and offer the fullness of Paradise to one nearing his end.
I’ve tried to be a good priest – tried with varying degrees of success and failure but I’m glad to be a priest, even if I don’t always fully understand what it’s all about. Like I wish my mother and father hadn’t aged (and died) – like I wish I could talk to them both today, like I wish many of the absent friends weren’t absent with the passing of time, I wish I had done some things better, left others undone, prayed more, learned more, being more – but that’s all wishful thinking, reality is reality. There are many things in life – in priesthood – over which we are powerless. There are things we’d love to be different but their moment for being different may well have passed. Acceptance of reality, even flawed and frail reality may be as good as it can get.
I have met many people through priesthood and the vast majority of them enriched my life so much. Thankfully many of them became and remain my friends. I’ve had the chance to laugh with people and cry with people. The chance to celebrate and sympathise. The opportunity to teach and to learn. To heal and be healed. To forgive and be forgiven.
For now, almost twenty-nine years on, I’m glad to be a priest. I’d love if my gladness were evident enough to encourage someone to make Paddy Towey’s prayer – his wish and the need of our time – come through!
Daily Lenten Thought March 15th
Today I visited two of the three schools in the parish. Fr John visited the third.
Like many others, we attended Flag Raising Ceremonies in the schools for today had been designated as the day when the Tri Colour would be raised in our schools. Some months ago, members of the Defence Forces visited every school in Ireland and presented a copy of the Proclamation and our National Flag.
In Kilkelly school, I was very taken by the Principal’s referencing the fact that though the school numbers are small, there are children there born in many different countries. I think he said that in one class there is one child who was born in Kilkelly, one in Egypt, another in Dubai, one in Poland and two in England. He made the point that such diversity was not the norm 100 years ago. How right he is. It is to this diversity we look for the shaping of the Ireland of 2016 and beyond.
In Kilmovee the children read the Proclamation and I was very taken by their delivery of that solemn and far reaching message. They read it in parts and I thought that so appropriate as its message may well be too much for any one person. The variety of voices, the passing from one to the other seems so appropriate.
I could not help but reflect the Proclamation began and ended with reference to God and the invocation of His name and assistance. Could not help but wonder how many political statements would be so encircled today? Closeness to God, not least in the face of uncertainty seems well placed.
We had lovely music and poetry in both places and the point was made that three of those who died in 1916 were poets. Out of their minds and hearts were born lyrics that have endured.
That we may search for the poet within ….
Daily Lenten Thought March 14th
This morning’s Scripture Passage at Mass (Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62) could find its place in any TV Soap plot line. A young and beautiful woman is attacked by two “judges” and when she rejects them and screams for help, they concoct a story that she was with a young man and though they chased him, he was too strong for them and escaped. They then sat in judgement over the young woman and, since she was married, sentenced her to death on the grounds of infidelity. (At this stage the theme tune would play and we’d have to wait another twenty-four hours or, God forbid, a week to see what happens next ….)
Enter Daniel. He is moved by the Spirit as the woman is led away for execution and he shouts that he is innocent of her blood. His cry is noticed and when questioned what he means, he says he has his doubts about the evidence given and the trustworthiness of the “elders”. It took courage to do this but it was courage rewarded and he was given the chance to question the two and explore his assumption.
He divides the two and asks each in turn what tree the young woman was lying under with the man, they each name a different tree in the garden and consequently their story falls flat and their dishonesty is exposed.
No … no theme tune yet ….. they are then sentenced to the same fate to which they had falsely sentenced the young woman. The story concludes: “An innocent woman’s life was saved that day …..”
We have changed very little through the ages. There are still those who seek to manipulate the truth (perhaps all of us, if we’re honest) and sometimes the manipulation brings heavy consequences. We need people, need to be people, of courage like Daniel who call out when we see wrong being done. Chances are that’s as much as we can do but, in the face of injustice, silence can never be an option.
Who knows how many lives – how many reputations – we might save?
Daily Lenten Thought March 12th
The idea of going on “pilgrimage” to Ballaghaderreen is not something we’d normally speak about!
We associate pilgrimage with Religious sites like Knock, Croagh Patrick or Lough Derg. Maybe even more-so with The Holy Land, Lourdes etc. The word “pilgrimage” is accurate in the setting of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. In the past when Holy Years were called people were invited to make “pilgrimage” to Rome and enter the Holy Door at St Peter’s or perhaps another Basilica in Rome.
Pope Francis however, believed such journeys unnecessary and though people are welcome to go to Rome, he decided that every diocese should have its own “HOLY DOOR” for the Jubilee of Mercy. With that in mind, one of the doors in our Cathedral has been so designated and there’s an invitation to us all to visit and pray around this Holy Door.
As a diocese we are invited to do this on Sunday. People can of course visit any time they want but there’s a special effort being made to do so as “diocese” on this Sunday. The time set aside is 3pm-7pm and our own Parish Cluster (Bohola, Carracastle, Charlestown, Kilmovee, Kiltimagh and Swinford) are especially invited during the final hour, 6pm-7pm.
Ten “STATIONS” have been identified, each with a call to prayer and a bit of reflection. A booklet will be made available for use during the time and the hope is that as many as possible will attend. Stations of The Cross will be prayed and reflected upon during the final half hour. Please consider making the “pilgrimage” on Sunday. It would be great to see many people, families too, from our parish gather at the “HOLY DOOR OF MERCY”. Priests of the diocese will be available throughout the afternoon to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Further details on www.achonrydiocese.org
