Cloonloo Re-visited!!

Cloonloo Re-visited!!

by | Jun 30, 2012 | General Interest, Parish and Diocese, Photography

Just home from a lovely evening in Cloonloo. Some of the neighbours and the Parish Priest, Fr Joe Caulfield, had the idea of a Mass there to mark the Silver Jubilee. I was very happy to go home for the evening and am very grateful to all who were there. The liturgy was enhanced very much by the music and singing of a young parishioner, Hannah Clohessy, and the prayers and reflection used in the Mass were very special. I am grateful to Martina who composed them and to members of my family and our neighbour, John Crummy, who added voice to the printed word.

No more than the day in Kilmovee I was humbled to see many people this evening from Killaraght, Gurteen and Cloonloo, neighbours from Moygara and old parish friends from Monasteraden.

We remembered Frs Gerry Horan and Oliver McDonagh my classmates from Maynooth, both of whom have died. May they rest in peace. It was lovely to see Oliver’s family there.  I was very happy to see my neighbour and co-diocesan Fr John Geelan this evening and glad he con-celebrated Mass with Joe and I.

Joined by John Geelan and Joe Caulfield

We gathered in the local hall after Mass for some very welcome refreshments. Again I am thankful to all who prepared so much for the evening. I truly felt at home.

A picture received
With Fr Joe Caulfield and Joseph Cryan

I was given a lovely framed photograph of the Stained Glass window that weaves its wonder on the Sanctuary of Cloonloo Church. It’s a window I’ve admired all my life. I mentioned this at my mother’s funeral and was touched that Joe Caulfield remembered this and made the connection. Joseph Cryan presented me with the picture and it is assured a special place in my home and heart.

20120630-014245 a.m..jpg

The Sanctuary Stained Glass Window
St Joseph’s Church, Cloonloo

Hannah ended the Mass with an Imelda May tune!   It’s one of Imelda’s own compositions called “Proud and Humble” and certainly speaks to the Spiritual in us all.  There are a few versions of it on YouTube but I like this one because it’s a very natural recording.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7L4dhkY-mM&rel=0]

PROUD AND HUMBLE LYRICS

I said Lord here’s the total of what I done
Sometimes I did good, sometimes I done wrong
But I did the best I could from where I come from
And I keep on trying till my day is done

So I’m proud and humble, humble and proud
Yeah I’m proud and humble, humble and proud
I’ll be proud and humble, humble and proud
When I come, Yeah when I’m done…. Yeah yeah yeah

Oh I made the most from what I knew then
But if I lived it over, I’d do the same again
I try, I try for You to please, but You know I’m only human
You created me

And so I’m proud and humble, humble and proud
Yeah I’m proud and humble, humble and proud
I’ll be proud and humble, humble and proud
When I come, Yeah when I’m done….
Yeah yeah yeah Yeah eh Oh yeah

Ooh Ooh yeah Mmm Mmm

Oh I’m humbled by You and thankful O Lord
I studied Your life and Your holy word
But I hold my head just a little high
Cause I’m proud that I got on with this given life

And so I’m proud and humble, humble and proud
Yeah I’m proud and humble, humble and proud
I’ll be proud and humble, humble and proud
When I come, Yeah when I’m done….

Oh oh I’m proud and humble, humble and proud
Yeah I’m proud and humble, humble and proud
Oh yeah, proud and humble, humble and proud
When I come, Yeah, when I’m done….
When I come, Said when I’m done

Lord I’ll be coming, yeah yeah
Oh I’ll be coming yeah yeah

When I come, yeah,
Said when I’m done, yeah

Should go home more often ….

by | Oct 4, 2011 | General Interest, Parish and Diocese, Religion

I celebrated Mass in my home parish on Sunday.  The parish priest was away and asked if I could help.  I was in Killaraght and Gurteen for Sunday Masses.  It’s obviously been a while since I was there.  I walked into the church in Killaraght and there was a man there, saying his prayers before Mass, and when he saw me he got up, shook my hand and told me I was welcome – then he added “I thought we were having Fr Sherlock today”!!!  How much have I changed?????? 🙂

It was lovely to be there and to be in Gurteen as well.  It was good to see people that I’ve known most of my life – some who have grown old now and some whom I knew in their childhood – there yesterday with their own children.  It’s amazing how time marches on.

There has been a change in our parish at home insofar as there is now only one resident priest in the parish.  He looks after the three churches – Gurteen, Cloonloo and Killaraght.  It’s quite a change.  There were three priests there when I was young and up to a few years ago – then two and now one.  A definite sign of the times.

The churches in the parish look so good – a lot of work has been done on them all in recent years and now I think that was absolutely the right thing to do.  Particularly so in Cloonloo and Killaraght since the people have two churches that would do any community proud.  I think that will rally the people around the churches and they will be kept alive as places of worship.  A decision could have been taken that since the time would come there would not be a resident priest in the area that the churches should be, in some way, wound down – maybe not to spend too much on painting, decorating etc but this would have been such a pity.

We live in hope that vocations might re-surface and that a priest might live locally again but, in the meantime, there is much to be proud of at home and two churches to be kept alive and warm so that worship may continue.

I was glad to be there yesterday ……………

                                      _________________________________________________

Speaking of vocations, I was in Maynooth today (October 3rd) and was glad to meet three young men from the diocese who are studying there for the priesthood.  Two of them are students for our diocese and the third for a Religious Order.  “Hope springs eternal” ……

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