Met some cousins earlier for dinner. Their dog wandered into the other room and later we found him like this!! He seems at home so thought if he decided to check my blog he might enjoy seeing himself!! Welcome anytime, Marley:)
Not a mouse in sight …
A few images to celebrate the feast day of a Saint who loved animals!! I think he’d approve …. The first batch seem to home in on the idea that dogs begin to look like their owners or vice versa :}
We cannot display this gallery
The second, okay St Francis might not totally approve but it made me smile!!
Again, I’m smiling – hope you are too ……
I think St Francis would approve of this one – well the helping out bit anyway …
I met my aunt Mary Margaret during the week. As ever, good to see her and hear many of her stories – admittedly not all for the first time but, like the Gospel, they stand well the test of time and repetition!! Always something new to learn!!
“Did I ever tell you about ……?
Edmond Molloy, Los Angeles and Mullaghroe!
I was talking to this man recently. He lives in Los Angeles but is a native of Mullaghroe. He’s lived away from Ireland for very many years and has come home to visit as often as he can – making contact with old friends and places. As the years passed, the places changed a little and many of the friends had passed to their Eternal reward. The result is that he hasn’t been home in a while but the interest in home and its people is central to his life. He loves to hear bits and pieces from home, reads the Sligo Champion on-line, checks the Irish Independent, tunes into Mid West Radio, listens to the obituaries and recognises there, some of the names he knew and is able to offer a prayer for them (well done Mid West Radio) and, he told me, every night he checks into this blog. I was so pleased to hear that and pleased to know that occasionally when he visits there might be something to do with home there that brings him close to the people and place he so obviously loves. He knew Alpha better than I know him myself, read about Felicity MacDermot’s Funeral, enquired about Philip Corcoran and was able to personalise him in making the link with his mother, Mary Corcoran (McHugh) whom he knew years ago. He enjoyed the call from the man offering to fix my computer and said he has had many similar calls.
It was strange to talk with him since, earlier in the day, I had an email from a woman in England wondering if James McDonagh had treated me badly in Ballymote since there had been no update from the night I attended his installation as Parish Priest there! She too, told me she checks the blog almost daily to see what’s happening.
All this reminds me that I’m doing okay here! This means something to people and I’m glad of that. In fact I just looked at the visits count and see that the blog has been visited 111611 times up to today. That’s a lot of ramblers!! So please let me know, from time to time, what you would like to see here. There’s an option to comment on a post (click on the little word bubble on top right hand side of post) so if you ever want to to do that, please do and you might make contact with another rambler … who knows!!
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And, as if meant to be a bookmark, I see this is the 300th post I’ve put on this blog
Went to Ballymote last night for the installation of James McDonagh as new Parish Priest.
Bishop Brendan entrusts James with the Book of The Gospels and a key symbolising his care of the parish and its people
Bishop Brendan Kelly was the Principal Celebrant at the Parish’s Vigil Mass and spoke around the Gospel Passage of the healing of the man who could not see or hear. He focused on the idea of people bringing this man to Jesus “they brought to him a man ….” and the role of “they” as Community. He said that without a community around him a priest’s life is lacking and that it is the community that gives fullest meaning to priestly ministry. He commended James to such a community – the people of Ballymote and Doo.
Where will we make the divide?? James with Greg Hannan, former Parish Priest of Ballymote who is to be James’ co-worker in the parish – sharing “the cake” after Mass.
Following Mass there was a gathering in the local Pastoral Centre and it was lovely to see so many people assemble there to wish James well. So also to see, so clearly evident, their good wishes for and appreciation of Greg Hannan who had been Parish Priest and is now to be the curate in Ballymote. People were happy that though the roles had changed, those fulfilling the roles remain as were.
I was reminded last night of James telling me a number of years ago that when he was appointed to Swinford Parish he called to see his mother, (since deceased, R.I.P.) on his way to Swinford for his first Mass there. “What will I say to them?” he asked her. His mother’s response was direct – “Tell them they’re lucky to be getting you”!!! She wasn’t far off the mark and, though James laughed about this, there was truth in it. I felt that last night for the people in Ballymote – I didn’t say it though – in fairness, I think they know 🙂
Best wishes to James and Greg for the next chapter in their ministry in Ballymote and the diocese.
At around 6pm this evening I was putting some stuff into the boot of my car. I left the boot open as I went inside for some more bits and pieces and there was an unmerciful downpour of rain. By the time I got to the car, the bits I had put in were soaked and so also the boot itself. The “curse”!! I wasn’t happy with the rain.
A short while later I was on my way to Monasteraden for a wedding rehearsal. The rain had stopped but the evening remained very overcast and then, from nowhere, the most amazing rainbow appeared in the sky. It was perfectly formed and you’d think you could walk to either end of it. I pulled in the car on the roadside and took this photo. The “blessing”!! Without the rain there would be no rainbow …
Beneath the rainbow on the road from Ballaghaderreen to Monasteraden
The boot dried out, the rainbow disappeared but only one photo – one memory – is worth keeping!!
