by Vincent | Nov 19, 2018 | Reflections, Photography
This morning, when I opened the blinds I was pleased to see the sun rising through the bared branches of Winter trees. It was not the first time I had seen this but it never fails to take me by surprise for there is something very reassuring about the sun and its ability to bring warmth to the day. So often we waken to grey and dull skies so I am more than happy to welcome the sun when it makes such a glorious appearance.
From the rising of the sun
I had Masses in Kilmovee and Kilkelly and was mindful of the starkness of today’s Gospel that speaks to the final day. It is a day that cannot be avoided and one that calls us to be prepared.
I decided to share a story that I heard during the week. I got it one of those WhatsApp messages that sometimes you delete but sometimes too find thought-provoking! This one fell into that category.
THE STORY
A small boy named Roger lived in the local village. None of his classmates liked him because of his stupidity, especially his teacher, who was always yelling at him “You are driving me crazy Roger!”
One day Roger’s mother came into school to check on how he was doing. The teacher told his mother honestly, that her son is simply a disaster, getting very low marks and even she had never seen such a difficult boy to teach in her entire teaching career.
The mother was shocked at the feedback and withdrew her son from the school and even moved to another town.
Twenty-five years later, the teacher was diagnosed with an incurable cardio disease! All the doctors strongly advised her to have open heart surgery, which only one surgeon could perform. Left with no other options, the teacher decided to have the operation, which was successful.
When she opened her eyes after the surgery she saw a handsome doctor smiling down at her. She wanted to thank him, but could not talk. Her face started to turn blue, she raised her hand, trying to tell him something but eventually died!
The doctor was shocked and was trying to work out what went wrong, when he turned around he saw Roger, working as a cleaner in the clinic, who had unplugged the oxygen equipment to connect his Hoover!
Don’t tell me you thought that Roger became a doctor!
Part of me realises that this story is, in so many ways, politically incorrect but the part of me that switches that button marked “laughter” kicked in and I laughed. The story stayed with me and I shared it at the Masses this weekend. Thankfully my switch was not on its own and people laughed. I so love the sound of laughter because it is the anti-dote to so much negativity and pain.
I told them that I was happy they laughed because I believe in laughter and, that as we hear the bleakness of the Gospel message that so desperately needs to call us to attentiveness, that if we could leave this world feeling we had helped people laugh and find a tune to hum or a song to sing, we would leave it in a good place and could happily face that call “home”. On the other hand, should it be the case that we have made life difficult for people and, in any way added to their pain or made life difficult for them we may well need to reassess our attitudes and approach to life.
I know it’s not as simple as telling a joke but life need not be overly complicated either. There is a balance there that can be found and utilised.
Later in the day I prayed the Rosary with people in two of our Parish Cemeteries and, in between that was present for the turning of the sod at the local GAA pitch for the building of a new stand. I was struck by the need to break ground to build and make something new and felt the link there with the graves around which we prayed today. Earth had to be broken there too, that something new might be built for those in whose memory we gathered.
I watched a few episodes of a show on Netflix and later this evening saw the sun on the other side of my house as it prepared to say goodbye to our day. I remembered some of the people I had met and spoken with during the day, recalled the new Altar Servers at Mass in Kilkelly and was glad they chose to be there. I met good people and realised that sunshine is a wonderful backdrop to the day – even if we only remember it!
Do you know something? I felt happy that it had been a good day – between sunrise and sunset.
To its setting
by Vincent | Aug 8, 2015 | Reflections, Religion
This was a busy week in our parish. Cemetery Masses, Kilkelly Festival, Concert and the Urlaur Pattern. It was heart-warming to see so many people gather to remember, pray, shed a tear as well as to laugh, dance a step, whistle a tune or sing a song. A very balanced mix of emotions and a fine display of talent. We can be proud of our week in the parish.
One of the moments that stays very much with me this day, is the “Naming of Religious” from the parish that was a central part of our Pattern Mass this year. The Mass, celebrated in St Joseph’s Church, saw the church filled to capacity. The “calling by name” took place after the homily and before the presentation of the gifts of bread and wine. Four people from our community, took their turn to read from a prepared list that bore the name of 108 men and women from the parish who said “Yes” to the Lord’s call to serve Him and His Church as a priest, brother or sister. Perhaps some found another path later in life but the call, nonetheless was heard and responded to in Faith, Hope and Love. There were names missed too, of course, but there was a space for them in the sacred silence of St Joseph’s and it’s not too late to add any omitted names to a future list. For the moment, the Pattern Moment, we allowed those names be heard. As each list concluded, we sounded a bell, the great call to prayer, and after a little space for silence, said together words adapted from the Ceremony of Ordination; “May God, who begun the good work in them, bring it to fulfilment”.
It was, in truth, a very moving ceremony and locating it in the Eucharistic gathering of the Urlaur Pattern seemed so fitting. The Dominicans, who came as strangers to the lakeshore at Urlaur and built stone on stone to create “God’s House” must have rejoiced to hear this moment too. From a historic place of Faith to the newest Church in our diocese, the journey continues.
It’s remarkable to think we know of at least 108 men and women from our parish who, in living memory, found in their Souls, the willingness to say “yes” to God’s call. They served His Church in a variety of ministries at home and abroad. They truly made a difference.
That call remains a true need of our day too. How can we allow it be heard more clearly?
by Vincent | Feb 6, 2015 | General Interest, Reflections, Religion, Photography
This is the Sanctuary in St Joseph’s Church, Urlaur (Parish of Kilmovee). St Joseph’s is the newest church in Achonry Diocese – blessed and opened, by Bishop James Fergus, in 1969. There’s a great story to go with this church so might share a bit of it here …
In the early 1960’s there was no church in Urlaur. There had been an Abbey that ceased being used in the late 1800’s. People from Urlaur went to Mass in nearby Kilmovee, Glann, Kilkelly and some (I’m told) even went to the neighbouring parish of Tooreen!! There was a priest in the parish at the time who didn’t altogether like the idea of people leaving the parish for Mass so he started to celebrate Mass in the local primary school. He also, in fairness, was deeply aware of the role of the Abbey in Urlaur and felt the Faith of the people would be enriched through the presence of a church in the locality. This idea caught on and, from it, people looked at the possibility of building a new church for the Urlaur area of our parish. This was a massive undertaking since the population was relatively small but the project commenced.
Locals got behind it with full enthusiasm and many fundraising ideas were put to work. These included door to door collections locally and in neigbouring towns. People worked very hard to make the dream of a church come through.
Move the story about three thousand miles. Many years earlier a young fifteen year old girl left Urlaur and went to the United States. Later she entered an order of enclosed Sisters in New Jersey. She received word from home that a new church was going to be built. She was happy about this and decided to share the news with, wait for it the “New York Times”. Her letter wound its way to the desk of Nat Goldstein. As the name suggests he was not a native of East Mayo!! He was a Jew but was nonetheless impressed by the letter received and asked two journalists to go and visit the sister.
They reported back to him the outcome of their visit and said it was quite an experience. They spoke through a little meshed opening to Sister Mary of The Blessed Trinity (formerly Margaret Cafferkey from Aughadeffin) who shared with them her lifelong dream that there be a church in which her neighbours and family could pray. Towards the end of the interview, Sister Mary told the reporters she had been quite nervous about meeting them since she had been fifty-five years in the convent and they were her first visitors in fifty years!!
Goldstein impressed by the report and still conscious of Margaret’s letter and, in particular, one line which said her people wanted to build a “place of worship” took up the cause. Shortly afterwards, at a function marking his forty years service to the New York Times, he was prsented with $1000 and sent half of it to Sr Mary for the work on St Joseph’s.
He didn’t stop at that. He wrote to friends and presumably used the New York Times asking people to send him $5.00 to “help make and Irish Fairytale come true”! As a result more than $10,000.00 was collected (this was about £6000 of the £16,000.00 it took to build the church). All from one letter from a sister in an enclosed order. (Ironically some feel that enclosed orders don’t influence life beyond their walls ……. )
Goldstein later said that he liked the line about the “place of worship” and felt the world would be a better place if it had more “places of worship”. He said her letter was “full of faith and deserved more than a little notice”. He together with his wife attended the opening of Urlaur Church on Ascension Thursday, May 15th 1969. So also, the Commissioner of the New York Police Department (Howard Leary), his wife and two other visitors from New York – Irving Taubkin of the New York Times and his wife). The “place of worship” in a small part of East Mayo captured the imaginations of many.
Today that church is open. Its invitation to worship is as real and intense as it was on that Ascension Day in 1969. Its call is as sure. Chances are there’s a church open near enough to wherever you are right now … a quick visit might be no bad thing ….
