St. Joseph’s
Advocate Mill Hill Missionaries Autumn 2021
Year of St Joseph (8/12/2020 – 8/12/2021)
Prayer to St Joseph
Advocate Autumn 2021 Volume 61 No. 2
Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; With you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.
ST. JOSEPH’S ADVOCATE Published by: Editor: Printed in Ireland by:
CONTENTS
(Prayer by Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter: “With a father’s Heart”) The Pope wrote: “Every day, for over forty years, I have recited the following prayer to Saint Joseph.” “Glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph, whose power makes the impossible possible, come to my aid in these times of anguish and difficulty. Take under your protection the serious and troubling situations that I commend to you, that they may have a happy outcome. My beloved father, Joseph, all my trust is in you. Let it not be said that I invoked you in vain, and since you can do everything with Jesus and Mary, show me that your goodness is as great as your power. Amen.” (Footnote 10 – “With a Father’s Heart”)
“The aim of the Apostolic Letter is to increase our love for this great saint, to encourage us to implore his intercession and to imitate his virtues and zeal.” (Pope Francis about “With a Father’s Heart.”) 2
Mill Hill Missionaries Fr Jim O’Connell Modern Printers, Kilkenny
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Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 We remember them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Comforting words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Bringing help and hope .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Turn to Mary and Joseph .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 The ‘Year of St Joseph’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Ebukuya Food Programme . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Mission Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Our Wonderful world at risk .. . . . . . . . Pause to ponder .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bringing out the best in us . . . . . . . . . . . . Praying to St Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beyond Words .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New book by Fr Christy Fox . . . . . . . . . Obituary Fr Tom Rafferty . . . . . . . . . . . . Obituary List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Photo credits: Edson Paguntulan, Michael Gannon, Daniel Foley, Fons Eppink, Tony Emeka, Donal Harney.
MISSION OFFERINGS All Postal Orders and Cheques to be sent direct to us at St. Joseph’s Advocate, Mill Hill Missionaries, 50 Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin D06 C535. Bank Giros to be sent directly to our Bank account. Details of the a/c available from our office: 01 412 7707
We are now in a position to accept donations by Credit or Debit Card. You can use this method by phoning our office: 01 412 7707 St. Joseph’s Advocate Mill Hill Missionaries 50 Orwell Park Rathgar, Dublin D06 C535 Tel: (01) 412 7707 Autumn 2021
Email: organisingmhm@gmail.com Website: www.millhillmissionaries.co.uk 1
We Remember Them
From the Editor
by Fr Donie O’Connor, mhm.
Fr Jim O’Connell, mhm
Praying for the Dead There is a story about a lady who went to the parish priest to arrange an anniversary Mass for her husband who had died 20 years earlier. The priest knew her and her husband well and said to her ‘I am sure John is well and truly safely home with God by now’. ‘I know that’ she said, ‘but I still love him, miss him and want to remember him especially on his anniversary. I am also grateful to God for our life together.’ This is surely a great way to explain why we pray for the souls of our dear departed loved ones. It expresses what we believe about this life and the next life, about our loved ones who are now with God and our communion with them. We believe that loved ones are aware of us, interested in us, caring for us, praying for us and loving us as they always did. The experience of losing a loved one is very distressing. Great sadness invades our hearts. Witnessing the death itself can be heart breaking. Death can come suddenly or it can come at the end of a painful journey through a long illness. Either way, there is no escaping pain and suffering. Sudden death brings deep shock together with the profound sense of loss and grief. Death after a long illness has to be coped with by family members already tired and weary, having spent weeks or months 2
at the sick person’s bedside, often feeling exhausted and helpless. The great outpouring of kindness and generosity of family, friends and neighbours supports people and helps them at such times. However, coping with the death of a loved one is still a lonely journey. When the thin veil between time and eternity is torn apart and a parent, husband, wife, brother, sister, relative or close friend is gone forever there is no avoiding great sadness - the deeper the love, the greater the sadness. Even the death of a parent at a good age can leave one very upset. When a person dies by suicide, the shock, pain, sense of loss and even guilt feelings, can be almost unbearable. Time can help and heal but grief and loss often linger in one’s heart for years and perhaps for the rest of one’s life. But the heart does go on and love of departed family and friends does go on. It is expressed and strengthened when we remember them and pray for them. For many people faith and hope in God brings comfort and consolation. In words that you sometimes see on a memoriam card:
In the early morning, we remember them. In the twilight glow, we remember them. In the falling leaves, we remember them In the blue of the sky, we remember them. In the flight of the bird, we remember them. In family and friends, we remember them. In a smile, we remember them. In the lilt of a familiar tune, we remember them. In the finding of a lost coin, we remember them. In laughter and fun, we remember them. In quiet dignity, we remember them. In prayer, we remember them. At Mass, we remember them. In the grace of perseverance, we remember them. In the wrapping of a gift, we remember them. In coming home, we remember them. In the stillness of the night, we remember them. At the dawning of the day, we remember them. At the dimming of the day, we remember them. In separation and celebration, we remember them. As long as we live, we remember them. Amen. (Modelled on ‘A Litany of Remembrance’ by Sylvan Kamens and Jack Riemer.)
“Their memory is our keepsake, with which we will never part. God has them in his keeping, we have them in our hearts.” Autumn 2021
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November: November: honouring honouring the the memory memory of of the the dead dead During the month of November each of our priests throughout the world offers During thefor month of November each of our priests throughout theMill world offers Holy Mass all our deceased members and benefactors. In our Hill St. Holy Mass for all our deceased members and benefactors. our Hill St. Joseph’s House in Dublin, Holy Mass will be celebrated eachIn day ofMill November Joseph’s House in Dublin, Mass willespecially be celebrated each daywhose of November for deceased members andHoly benefactors, for all those names for recorded deceased in members and especially for all thosetowhose names are our ‘List of benefactors, the Dead.’ You are kindly invited send in the are recorded in our ‘List of the Dead.’ You are kindly invited to send in the names of your dear departed loved ones. names of your dear departed loved ones.
Prayer for a happy death Prayer for a happy death ❑❑
“Lord, “Lord,for foryour yourfaithful faithfulpeople, people,at at death, death,life lifeisischanged, changed,not notended. ended. When When the the body body of of our our earthly earthly dwelling dwellinglies liesin indeath, death,we wegain gainan an everlasting everlasting dwelling dwelling place place in in Heaven.” Heaven.”(Preface (Prefaceof ofthe theMass Massfor for the thedead) dead)
❑❑ “I“Iam amthe theResurrection Resurrectionand andthe thelife. life. Those Those who who believe believe in in me, me, even even ❑❑ though though they they die, die, will will live, live, and and everyone everyonewho whobelieves believesin inme mewill will never neverdie.” die.”(Jn. (Jn.11:25-26) 11:25-26) ❑❑ Jesus Jesussaid saidto tothe theman manon onthe thecross cross beside besidehim: him:“This “Thisday dayyou youwill willbe be with withme mein inparadise.” paradise.” ❑❑ “Keep “Keepyour yourgaze gazefixed fixedon onthe thecrucru- ❑❑ cified cifiedand andRisen RisenChrist: Christ:“He “Hegives gives us ushope hopeand andlife. life.With Withhim himevil, evil,sufsuffering feringand anddeath deathdo donot nothave havethe the last lastword. word.The TheCross Crossisisnow nowaasign sign ❑❑ of oflove, love,hope hopeand andlife.” life.” (Pope (PopeFrancis) Francis) ❑❑ “Through “Throughdeath, death,we wego gointo intothe theininvisible visiblekingdom kingdomwhere wherethere thereisisno no 4
May God support us all day long, MaytillGod all day long, the support shadowsuslengthen tilland theevening shadowscomes lengthen and evening and the busy worldcomes is hushed and the busy feverworld of lifeisishushed over and is over andthe ourfever workofislife done. and our work is done. Then in his mercy mercy May heThen give in us his a safe lodging May he give And a holy rest us anda safe peacelodging at last. And a holy rest and peace at last. Amen. Amen.
more more darkness, darkness, suffering suffering or or sadsadness, ness,and andwhere wherewe weare areone onewith withall all those those that that we we love love in in the the seen seen world world and and in in the the unseen unseen world. world. Death Death in in that that sense sense isis aa time time of of great greathomecoming, homecoming,and andthere thereisisno no need needto tobe beafraid.” afraid.”(The (Thelate lateJohn John O’ O’Donoghue) Donoghue) “O, “O, you you are are not not lying lying in in the the wet wet clay. clay.For Forititisisaaharvest harvestevening eveningnow now And Andwe weare arepiling pilingup upthe thericks ricksof of hay hayagainst againstthe themoonlight moonlight And And you you smile smile at at us us eternally” eternally”(From (From Patrick Patrick Kavanagh’s Kavanagh’s poem poemabout abouthis hismother) mother) “Fold “Foldour ourloved lovedones, ones,OOJesus, Jesus,in in your yourarms, arms,and andlet letthem themhenceforth henceforth be be messengers messengers of of love love between between our ourhuman humanhearts heartsand andthee. thee.Amen” Amen” “May “Mayyou youdiscover discoverthat thatyour yourloved loved one one has has not not really really left left you, you, that that there thereisisaaquiet quietpresence presencethat thatsussustains tains you, you, that that there there isis aa hidden hidden strength strengththat thatwill willhelp helpyou. you.Amen.” Amen.” Autumn 2021
The photos show two sections of a stained glass window. The text at the base The show two‘St. sections of aPatron stained window. The textfor at the base of thephotos window reads: Joseph, ofglass a Happy Death, pray us’ The of the window ‘St.on Joseph, Patron of Jesus a Happy Death, pray for us’and The window depictsreads: Joseph his deathbed. is holding his hand window depicts Joseph on his deathbed. Jesus is holding his hand blessing him. Mary is praying and grieving close by. You may wantand to blessing Mary is enter praying grieving close by. You to reflect on him. the scene and intoand it with hope and prayer. Themay samewant gentle reflectJesus on theisscene into withfinal hopejourney and prayer. gentle loving with and eachenter person onitthat fromThe thissame life to the loving Jesus is with each person that ‘life finalisjourney from life toThe the heavenly peace that awaits us. Aton death changed, notthis ended.’ heavenly peaceinthat At bring deathmuch ‘life iscomfort, changed, not ended.’ scene depicted the awaits windowus.can when we haveThe to sceneour depicted in the window can bring much comfort, when the we have to turn thoughts to death or perhaps find ourselves grieving loss of turn ones. our thoughts to death or perhaps find ourselves grieving the loss of loved loved ones. Autumn 2021
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BRINGING HELP AND HOPE TO MANY
The doctor’s visit to a remote village
Community Healthcare Project Tando Allahyar, Sindh, Pakistan
Providing healthcare for women and children - and men - in Sindh
On behalf of all our Missionaries, we want to express our gratitude to you, our readers, for your financial support for Mill Hill Missionaries in their work on the missions. As a result of your generosity, our members are able to bring help and hope to communities that struggle with poverty, disease, conflict, insecurity, and in more recent times the terrible consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Every year, the Irish Region of Mill Hill sends half a million Euros to the missions through the Mission Office at Mill Hill Headquarters in Maidenhead, England. In addition, the Irish Region also sends special donations directly to projects run by Mill Hill priests and the people they work with in many parts of the world. These donations are sent to us by benefactors who specify a particular need that has been highlighted in articles in St Joseph’s Advocate. In what follows, you can read the details of one project and expressions of gratitude for financial help received. This is just one of many such projects. (The Editor) 6
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In 2020, Fr Bernie Luna, mhm, wrote: “This project is helping Kutchi Koli people to access healthcare at the village level. It also seeks to address issues such as safe drinking water, proper nutrition, personal hygiene, sanitation, education of children, improvement of the health status of men, women and children, and empowerment of women and young girls so that they can learn the causes of common health problems. On behalf of the Kutchi Koli men, women, girls, children, and the elderly people who all benefit greatly from the Healthcare Project, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Irish Region of Mill Hill for continued financial support of this Project in our missionary apostolate in Sindh, Pakistan. Thank you and all your generous supporters very much.” Autumn 2021
In 2021, Fr. Edson Paguntalan, mhm, wrote: “We are indeed very grateful for the financial support that we get from the Irish Region of Mill Hill; special thanks for the most recent 11,000 Euros (2/2/2021) for our Community Healthcare Project. I am happy to tell you that we started new medical work; the Doctor visits one of the remote villages every Sunday and in each place he has been treating 60 to 70 patients who could never access a doctor’s consultation and medicine without his visit. According to a study conducted by The Lancet Medical Journal, healthcare in Pakistan currently ranks 154th out of 195 countries in the world; we certainly see this. So tackling health issues is always one of the important priorities in our Mill Hill mission in Sindh. It is distressing to see that many of our Kutchi Kholi people die of preventable 7
and treatable diseases due to lack of awareness and access to healthcare. Most of the time, they go to traditional quack doctors who take advantage of their situation. Serious health issues of patients that can be dealt with in proper healthcare facilities are being treated through rituals that can worsen the illness and bring false hope to patients.” Words of gratitude from Fr Edson: “As you are aware, we are totally dependent on your donations for our work and since the mission is still rather new, we need to do more programmes for healthcare, faith formation, and literacy programmes. Once again, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the readers of St Joseph’s Advocate for your financial support, prayers and encouragement. Rest assured that with your help, we will continue to serve our unfortunate sisters and brothers in this part of the world. Let us remain united in prayer for each other.”
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Comment by Fr Michael Corcoran (Mill Hill Superior General): “My visits to Sindh over the years have allowed me to see at first hand the great missionary work going on especially amongst the landless peoples. A true sign of hope for the future. It is always good to see the reality on the ground of the help given and be able to say a big thank you to all who support us in mission.” (At present, there are 12 Mill Hill Missionaries in Pakistan. There is one Irishman among them; Fr Denis Hartnett from Ballyhooly, Co. Cork, is in Tando Adam mission, also in the Sind area. The late Fr Tom Rafferty, who died on May 7, 2021, had spent over 50 years in Pakistan - in a very difficult and dangerous area. You can read his obituary on page 30. Tom wrote last year that he was very grateful for the aid that in all times of disaster came from the generosity of the Irish people: “It has helped us rise again and build back people’s lives.”)
Worried mother and her sick child with doctor
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Turn to Mary and Joseph During his live-streamed general audience March 13, 2020, Pope Francis said: “I make my own the appeal of the Italian bishops who in this health emergency have promoted a moment of prayer for the whole country. Every family, every person, every religious community is asked to unite spiritually tomorrow (March 19 - Feast of St Joseph) at 9 p.m. for the recitation of the rosary, with the Mysteries of Light. I will accompany you from here. He continued: “Mary, Mother of God, Health of the Sick, leads us to the face of Jesus Christ and to his Heart. We turn to her with the prayer of the rosary under the loving gaze of St. Joseph, Custodian of the Holy Family and of our families. And we ask him to guard our families, in a special way, in particular the sick and the persons taking care of the sick: the doctors, the men and women nurses, all the healthcare workers and volunteers. May he guard all who risk their lives in this service.”
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The ‘Year of St Joseph’ (8/12/2020 – 8/12/2021) By Fr Jim O’Connell, mhm As a reader of St Joseph’s Advocate, you will be familiar with the statue in the photograph. It features each year with the Novena to St Joseph in the Spring Advocate. The statue stands in front of our Mill Hill St Joseph’s House in Dublin. It is a lovely statue that conveys beautifully the great bond between the child Jesus and St Joseph. Joseph is a strong young man and is thoughtful looking as he holds Jesus by the hand. The child Jesus is looking up at Joseph, probably asking a question, perhaps wanting to get something. They seem to be very much at ease with each other. Things are calm and peaceful, as they stand close together, with a sense of presence and feeling between them. We can see that Joseph is looking lovingly at Jesus ‘with a father’s heart.’ ‘With a Fathers Heart’ is the title of the Apostolic Letter of Pope Francis about Joseph. It was published on December 8, 2020, when the Pope also announced the ‘Year of St Joseph.’ The Pope notes: “The aim of the Apostolic Letter is to increase our love for this great saint, to encourage us to implore his intercession and to imitate his virtues and zeal.” The opening sentence of the Letter is: “With a Father’s Heart - that 10
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is how Joseph loved Jesus, whom all four Gospels refer to as ‘the son of Joseph’.” The Pope goes on to write about Saint Joseph under the following headings: a beloved father, a tender and loving father, an obedient father, an accepting father, a father who is creatively courageous, a working father, a father in the shadows. Here, I can only give a few short quotes from what the Pope says about two of these. I will add what he says about St Joseph being close to ordinary human experience.
“A tender, loving father”
“Joseph saw Jesus grow daily in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favour. As the Lord had done with Israel, so Joseph did with Jesus, taking him by the hand; he was for him like a father who raises an infant to his cheek, bending down to him and feeding him. In Joseph, Jesus saw the tender love of God. Even through Joseph’s fears, God’s will and his plan were at work. Joseph, then, teaches us that faith in God includes believing that he can work even through our fears, our frailties and our weaknesses. He also teaches us that amid the tempests of life, we must never be afraid to let the Lord steer our course. At times, we want to be in complete control, yet God always sees the bigger picture.”
“A father in the shadows”
“In his relationship to Jesus, Joseph was the earthly shadow of the heavenly Father; he watched over Jesus and protected him. Being a father entails introducing children to life and reality.
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‘Joseph focused on the lives of Mary and Jesus’ Not holding them back, being overprotective or possessive, but rather making them capable of deciding for themselves, enjoying freedom and exploring new possibilities. The logic of love is always the logic of freedom, and Joseph knew how to love with extraordinary freedom. He never made himself the centre of things. He did not think of himself, but focused instead on the lives of Mary and Jesus. In him, we never see frustration but only trust. His patient silence was the prelude to expressions of trust. Our world today needs fathers.” 11
Ebukuya School Food Programme
So close to our ordinary human experience
In a footnote to the Letter, Pope Francis notes that St Joseph is “so close to our ordinary human experience.” He says he became more aware of this “during the months of pandemic, when we experienced how we are sustained by ordinary people, people often overlooked. They do not appear in newspaper and magazine headlines, - Doctors, nurses, storekeepers and supermarket workers, cleaning personnel, caregivers, transport workers, men and women working to provide essential services and public safety, volunteers, priests, men and women religious, and so very many others. How many people daily exercise patience and offer hope, taking care to spread not panic, but shared responsibility? How many fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers are showing our children, in small everyday ways, how to accept and deal with a crisis? How many are praying,
It is time to say a big ‘Thank You’ to our readers who sent in money for the Ebukuya School Food Programme in Western Kenya. There was a great response to the article about the Programme in the Autumn 2020 Advocate; it was written by Sister Anne Moore, fmsj. The school is in Luanda parish which is staffed by Mill Hill priests and the Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph - Sister Anne’s Congregation The Food Programme was started 17 years ago to provide food for the pupils at certain times of the year when food is scarce. It costs around 3000 Euros a year to run the Programme. There are close to 1000 pupils in the school.
Joseph and Jesus in the carpentry shop making sacrifices and interceding for the good of all?” “Each of us can discover in Joseph – the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence – an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble. Saint Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation. A word of recognition and of gratitude is due to them all.” (Pope Francis)
The School Principal explained: “The majority of the children attending the school arrive each morning not having had a breakfast of any description, while others arrive with nothing more than pieces of sugar cane. The pupils, parents and school staff are all very grateful for the funds for the Food Programme that are generously sent to us from Ireland.” With the generous donations that we received, the funding for the programme is secure for the coming years. We are also in a position to help the cook Penina, who is a widow with 6 children. She needed money to pay the secondary school fees for her daughter who had done very well in primary school. We were also able to help fund work done on her house. (Fr Jim O’Connell, mhm.)
Please Remember the Missions in your will I bequeath to St Joseph’s Society for the Missions Inc, (Mill Hill Missionaries), 50 Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin D06 C535, the sum of e..................................................................... free of duty
to be applied for the general purpose of the said Society, and I declare that the receipt of the Rev. Director shall be a sufficient discharge of the same. 12
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Urgent Need for Mission of Compassion WORLD MISSION DAY OCTOBER 24, 2021.
its need for redemption, and calls us to become actively engaged in this mission (Evangelisation).” “Experiencing the Lord’s friendship, compassion and teaching left an indelible mark on the Apostles, awakening amazement, expansive joy and a profound sense of gratitude.” The Pope points out that “With Jesus, we too have seen, heard and experienced that things can be different and we recall with gratitude that the Lord loves us first.”
‘Mission is not a thing of the past’ - Mill Hill students, The Philippines
The theme for World Mission Day 2021 is: “We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts of the Apostles). In his Message to mark the Day, the Pope emphasizes that “Once we experience the power of God’s love, and recognize his fatherly presence in our personal and community life, we cannot help but proclaim and share what we have seen and heard.”
“We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” 14
This is a call to each of us to bring to others what we bear in our hearts. “I like to think that ‘even those who are most frail, limited and troubled can be missionaries in their own way, for goodness can always be shared, even if it exists alongside many limitations.” Pope Francis explains that Jesus’ relationship with his disciples and his humanity, “shows us the extent to which God loves our humanity and makes his own our joys and sufferings, our hopes and our concerns.” He notes that “Everything about Christ reminds us that he knows our world well and Autumn 2021
‘Urgent need for the mission of compassion’ Referring to the current Coronavirus pandemic, the Pope writes that the virus has “brought to the fore and amplified the pain, the solitude, the poverty and the injustices experienced by so many people.” He goes on to say that we have experienced discouragement, disillusionment and fatigue; nor have we been immune from a growing negativity that stifles hope.” Yet, Pope Francis says, “we can hear the powerful message of life that echoes in our hearts and proclaims: ‘Christ is risen’.” This message is one of hope to those who let themselves be touched by it; it helps people to rise up and seek every possible way to show compassion. There is urgent need for the mission of compassion”
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‘Mission is not a thing of the past’ Pope Francis observes that World Mission Day is an opportunity to “recall with gratitude all those men and women who by their testimony of life help us to renew our baptismal commitment to be generous and joyful apostles of the Gospel, and of compassion. Let us remember especially all those who resolutely set out, leaving home and family behind, to bring the Gospel to all those places and people a thirst for its saving message.” He also points out that “the call to mission is not a thing of the past, or a romantic leftover from earlier times.” Today too, Jesus needs “messengers and agents of compassion.” he says. Concluding his message, Pope Francis stresses that “Always, but especially in these times of pandemic, it is important to grow in our daily ability to widen our circle, to reach out to others.” “To be on mission, is to be willing to think as Christ does, to believe with him that those around us are our brothers and sisters.”
Symbols of compassion (to suffer with) - Mill Hill Sashes and Crosses 15
Our Wonderful World at Risk
Many species of birds and insects are at risk of extinction in the coming decades. Frogs have suffered a horrendous 40 per cent decline since 1990, and it is estimated that one third of certain species of bees in Ireland are threatened with extinction.
by Fr Donie O’Connor, mhm I will never forget the final words of David Attenborough as he leaned into the camera from his BBC studio chair; the unscripted integrity of his message was transfixing, as he spelt out the harrowing repercussions for our planet and our children if we continue to live unsustainably. His final words were: “it’s not about saving whales at this stage, it’s about saving ourselves.” He spoke those words in a BBC documentary. It was a passionate but disturbing ‘Cry for help’ from this great prophet of our time; he has spent his life making films about the natural world - planet earth. He says: “our world is in real danger of destruction because of climate change and environmental damage caused by ruthless greed.” 16
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If we do not take responsibility with urgency now and protect our planet, the consequences are serious. The situation will threaten our ability to feed ourselves and control our climate. It also puts us at greater risk of pandemic diseases. David Attenborough states bluntly “that all of us have a moral responsibility to rescue our planet; it is not an option.” We have an obligation to act swiftly, to take care of planet earth. We must begin again to coexist in harmony, respect and friendship with the natural world, knowing that all creation communicates the glory of God. We are blessed and nourished “to see a leaping squirrel in a tree. Or a red lady-bird upon a stalk. Or little rabbits in a field at evening, lit by a slanting sun.” (Padraig Pearse - The Wayfarer). The wonder of nature pours on us God’s healing and redemption.
“Earth’s crammed with heaven” The poet Elizabeth Barret Browning expresses beautifully how creation is soaked in the Divine and the eternal voice of God that feeds and elevates us. ”Earth’s crammed with heaven, and every common bush is afire with God, but only he who sees takes off his shoes.” We fail God when we fail to cherish his presence in all creation. God loves all things by uniting them not by excluding them. The Divine presence seeks cooperation and connection, Pope Francis writes in Laudato Si: “the natural world is our common home; it is hurting; do we hear its cry?” The Pope affirms that all pain, cosmic, animal or human are the same - a cry for help! We have a duty of care to listen for that cry and respond. For so long, we have viewed creation as a giant resource to be exploited. We diminished and
“that all of us have a moral responsibility to rescue our planet; it is not an option.” Autumn 2021
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humiliated it; we failed to glimpse that it was made by God with the same loving care and devotion as we are. The loving, liberating and life giving expression of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is breaking in if only we pay attention and allow ourselves to be caught up in the awesome rapture of this holy mystery.
“And I say to myself — what a wonderful world” (Louis Armstrong) How we take care of God’s wonderful world will decide its future. The fact is if we continue to mistreat it. it can become our crucifixion: if we care for it, it will be our resurrection. If we protect it, it will be faithful to us, evolve, flourish and bring joy. If neglected, it will fragment and die. To live fully in God, we live in dialogue with each other and with all created things. We are not apart from creation - We are one with it. We are called to enjoy its produce, appreciate its beauty and generosity without hurting or possessing it.
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“More than 450 scientists worked on the ‘Global Assessment Report’ (published 2016). It is the largest and most comprehensive assessment on the health of nature ever published. It spells out the appalling damage humans have caused during the past four decades. It also tells us the kind of world we are leaving for future generations… The authors believe that one million (out of around 8 million) species are at risk of extinction in the next two to three decades. The abundance of native species has fallen by a fifth since 1990. For example, frogs and amphibians have suffered a horrendous 40 per cent decline.” (Sean McDonagh, SSC, Article in the Irish Times, May 28, 2019).
Pause to ponder - quiet, be still The Wonder of God’s Creation “Some people, in order to discover God, read books. But there is a great book: the very nature of created things. Look above you. Look below you. Note it. Read it. God sets before your eyes things he has made. Can you ask for a louder voice than that? Heaven and earth shout to you: God made us!” (St. Augustine) “God has written a precious book whose letters are the multitude of created things. From panoramic views to the tiniest living form, nature is a constant source of wonder and awe. It is a continuing revelation of the divine. The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, God’s boundless affection for us.” (Pope Francis: Laudato Si’) “I thank you, O lord, for the wonder of my being and the wonder of all your creation” (Ps. 139)
“And I say to myself — what a wonderful world” (Louis Armstrong)
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Bringing Out the Best in Us By Fr Michael Corcoran, mhm, Mill Hill Superior General
During the Covid-19 pandemic, I wrote to all our missionaries throughout the world to encourage them and stress that as missionaries the capacity for being bearers of hope is part and parcel of our ministry today. Indeed, we were all caught off guard by the unexpected and turbulent storm of the pandemic. As missionaries, we are ‘sent’ in a special way to be alongside those who suffer, all the more with the impact of this global crisis. In the midst of all this, we continue to do what we do best, mission.
Bringing help and hope to many In communication with our missionaries worldwide and in collaboration with Missio UK, our partners in mission, we as Mill Hill Society were able to reach out in a very practical way to people in need of help and assistance. Alongside this practical help, our missionaries found themselves in situations of significant spiritual and pastoral challenge, not immune to the difficulties, hardships and pain of this time. I have received reports for funds sent out and used during the pandemic 20
Philippines - Families in Turda parish got help
and can assure you that many people have been helped. I could give many examples but will focus on just two: 1. Funds were sent to Turda parish in the Philippines. Thanks to the money received, parish volunteers were able to deliver rice to hundreds of hungry families. Fr John Paul Bangsi (Mill Hill) wrote from Turda: ‘Missio UK and Mill Hill has shown us that God does not fail and that the Church reaches out to her children in times of distress. The people of Turda Parish know that the world has not abandoned them’. 2. Funds were sent to Cameroon to assist poor missions in handling the terrible consequences of the pandemic. With the funds received, the Mill Hill priests in parishes were able to organise vital food supplies, and other necessities, for families across 21 parishes. Fr Richard Njoroge (Mill Hill) wrote from Cameroon: “I bring Autumn 2021
Cameroon - Kembong parish got help
to you hearts of gratitude for this great gesture of solidarity, when the whole world is locked down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. May the good Lord increase your store.”
Blessed with generosity cultivators of hope
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I have expressed my gratitude to all our missionaries on the ‘frontline’ for their dedication and the sacrifices they were making as the crisis continued to impact on how we relate to each other, how we work and pray together. Notwithstanding fear, tiredness and grief, they have endeavoured to stand with those bereaved and suffering even in the midst of many restrictions and limitations imposed by governments to curtail the spread of the virus. We are blessed with their generosity and that of the people here at home who support us with their prayers and donations.
one means of reaching out to the people. Among Christians in Cambodia, village blessings (accompanied by dancing) for the end of the harvest season are warmly accepted by the villagers. The idea actually originates from the Cambodian tradition of thanksgiving after harvest season. Hope grows in new Mill Hill missionary apostolates begun in Douala, Cameroon, in Busaana, Uganda, and among the Maasai in Kenya. Our young Mill Hill Missionaries in India and Pakistan and the Philippines continue to witness to Christ with great faith and courage in very challenging areas. In all of this we move forward with enthusiasm as there is much to do on the journey that awaits us. Cambodia - Village Blessing dance
As missionaries, we are cultivators of hope amongst the people we live and work with every day. The Good News continues to be ‘cultivated’ in different parts of the world. In Cambodia our young missionaries participate in a unique Khmer-Christian Festival as Spring Autumn2021 2021
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PRAYING TO ST JOSEPH Entering the study of Pope Francis to conduct an interview, an Italian journalist happened to see an unusual statue of Saint Joseph. “I noticed” he records “that this is not the usual Saint Joseph with staff in hand, looking thoughtful. No, here Joseph is lying on his side, asleep.” Pope Francis explained to the surprised journalist: “The statue comes from South America, I don’t remember if it’s from Argentina, Chile or some other country. I like it very much, because Joseph received the most important and decisive messages -- for Jesus and for the whole Holy Family – in dreams. The journalist goes on: “I looked more closely and I saw that under the statue there were a lot of folded papers with phrases in tiny handwriting. “These are”, Pope Francis explained, “my prayer intentions. I put them all here. I write my requests on them, and Joseph thinks about them; he can sleep on them! My gesture means: pray about this problem!” See, the statue now begins to rise up. No, not by some miracle, but because of the intentions I slip underneath it. I would like to tell you something very personal. I love Saint Joseph a lot, because he is a strong silent 22
man. Like any carpenter, Joseph is a bit slow to hear the requests, but sooner or later the grace will arrive, always!”
in the small petition envelope and seals it - see envelope in photo. When we receive the petition envelopes, we place them in the baskets and put them in front of the statue of Saint Joseph.
Our Mill Hill Novena to St Joseph The journalist might also be surprised if he happened to visit the chapel here at our Mill Hill St Joseph’s House during the month of March. He would see (as in photo) three large baskets of small envelopes in front of the statue of Saint Joseph with the child Jesus in his arms. The envelopes, around 5,500 of them this year, are the petition envelopes that people send in for the Novena to St Joseph and the special Masses that are celebrated all through the month of March. The envelopes come from all parts of Ireland and beyond, revealing great devotion to Saint Joseph. What is being done is not very different from what Pope Francis does, as described above. But with our statue, St Joseph is standing up and looking down lovingly on all the petition envelopes and on the people who sent them to us. Someone jokingly remarked that if St Joseph was sleeping, he would have a very comfortable bed with all the envelopes! You, our readers, are familiar with what happens, as many of you have been doing it faithfully year after year. A person writes the petitions on a piece of paper and places the paper Autumn 2021
During the Novena, we are very much aware that you are ‘making’ the Novena with us and for us, as we ‘make’ it with and for you. Every day during the Novena and in the Masses all through the month of March, we pray to St Joseph for all your intentions with great trust in the power of his intercession. The petition envelopes are shredded unopened at the end of March.
Masses during the 9 day Novena and also the rest of March
“The envelopes come from all parts of Ireland and beyond, revealing great devotion to Saint Joseph” Autumn 2021
Gratitude We are very grateful for the donations that people send when they send their petition envelopes for the Novena. We also want to say thanks for the donations that you send with the names to be remembered in November Masses for the holy souls. And finally, we need to mention the donations sent during the month of December for the Christmas Triduum of Masses. We are full of gratitude for your faithful support year after year.
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and help, - accepting his love and sharing it quietly in our daily living it in a way that is often beyond words.
Beyond Words by Fr Denis C Hartnett, MHM
Saint Joseph, our Mill Hill patron, was also present in the Knock Apparition. We could say that he is the first witness to mission and ministry beyond words. There is not a single word recorded in the Gospels of what he said, but he was open to the guidance of the Spirit; this enabled him to undertake his mission beyond words. Saint Joseph listened to the Spirit and was guided by the Spirit. He was and is the example of love and service, two realities that stand beyond words, as they find their meaning in being love and in being service. Our Mill Hill Missionary motto is “To Love and To Serve” and if we really, really believe this and live this in our daily lives, then we shall participate in mission and ministry beyond words. The Mosaic in the Basilica
Mission and Ministry - Beyond Words I find it fascinating that Mary did not speak at Knock; we could say she ushered in a mission and ministry beyond words. This image led me to focus on ministry beyond words as our ministry here in Knock is largely one of listening, being accessible, as Jesus was, to people who are seeking help spiritually, socially, mentally and emotionally. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is central to our ministry. It is the sacrament of listening, the sacrament of empathy and the sacrament of revealing the love of God. The process of personal outpouring within the confines of the sacrament allows people to begin to glimmer the possibility of peace as they experience the forgiveness and healing love of Christ. As a Mill Hill Missionary, it is a privilege and also a huge responsibility, to accompany Knock Basilica
(Fr Denis is a Mill Hill Missionary who worked for many years in South Sudan and in Northern Uganda. He is now a chaplain at Knock Shrine.) Knock Apparition – Beyond Words Ireland’s national Marian Shrine at Knock is where the apparition of Our Lady took place in 1879. Our Lady appeared with Saint Joseph and Saint John the Evangelist, together with the Lamb on the Altar representing Christ. It is the only major apparition where our Lady did not give a message. When Mary appeared at Knock she did not speak; she did not do anything. She just gave witness by being there for the people of Ireland at an awful time in their history. Mary didn’t say to the people that they must pray more. She didn’t say to the people that they should seek 24
forgiveness for their sins. She encouraged the people of Ireland by being with them. The Apparition at Knock was in silence, an apparition beyond words. Mary spoke through the revelation of God’s love for a downtrodden people. Christ, represented by the Lamb on the Altar, was there with Mary at Knock as a concrete witness to God’s love, the love that led him to lay down his life for us his people. The Lamb symbolises the love and gentleness with which Christ suffered and died for us, so that we can experience forgiveness, healing Autumn 2021
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people in their spiritual search. It is an immense grace to feel another’s pain, another’s brokenness, to gently bandage the open wounds of years of brokenness through the grace of God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Healing. “Intizaar - Waiting” I am very conscious of living here at the Shrine and being currently engaged in mission and ministry that is largely beyond words; it is all about being open to the Spirit as we minister to people, sincerely inviting them to share their stories. This is mission beyond words because our focus is beyond us on Christ and on the life stories of people who want to experience new life and peace in abundance. Mission beyond words involves being accessible, being there for the other person.
As a missionary in South Sudan and Northern Uganda, I can recall many times being on mission beyond words. I remember writing an article years ago called “Intizaar - Waiting”, because that is all I did at the time. I waited for security clearance; I waited for war; I waited for food; I waited for peace; my mission was waiting beyond words. This waiting was characterised by powerlessness and lack of control over how long the waiting would last. I muse now on Covid as the latest chapter in enforced waiting as our mission beyond words – which is the ability to live the reality of love and service. Saint Joseph our patron we ask you to help us to imitate your mission which was beyond words; help us to be open to the Holy Spirit for guidance in living our lives as missionaries.
Knock Basilica
Looking Back – Approaching My Ninetieth Birthday By Fr. Christopher Fox mhm (Fr. Christy, well known to readers of the Advocate, has published a new book: ‘The Miracle of the Universe’. The subtitle of the book is: Where do I stand…? This tells us what to expect; we get a collection of personal reflections that reveals where he stands on a number of issues. He has two previous publications: ‘Painted Butterflies: Memories of a Missionary’ (2015) and ‘Our Lady’s Apron: A collection of articles on spiritual topics’ (2016). The following is the Introduction to his new book.) “The Greek philosopher Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living. As I approach my ninetieth birthday, it is a good time to look back over the years and the changes in my own life and in the Church and how these affect one’s journey through life.
Uganda days - Fr Christy spent over 20 years in Uganda
I grew up in the thirties and forties in rural Ireland. My parents were devout Catholics and obviously their influence was paramount in shaping my formation. We got by on a modest farm but we had to play our part in the many chores entailed. I still have vivid memories of picking potatoes on Fr Christy’s new book 26
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a cold morning with numbing fingers. There was a good community spirit. Neighbours would drop by in the evening and exchange local gossip. Newspapers were rarely seen. The family rosary was routine. There was no crime. We never locked the door of the house when we went to Mass on Sunday. Religion came to us clothed in the garments of penance. Preparation for First Holy Communion and for Confirmation was not a joyful experience with too much emphasis on obligation rather than celebration, with fear of God more stressed than love of God. Later on, when studying moral theology in the Seminary, sin and obligation were also dominant factors. The multiplication of mortal and venial sins would do justice to any rigid Pharisee. Welcome changes As a young priest, I greatly welcomed the changes that took place after the Second Vatican Council. We discovered the spirituality of Easter, the goodness of all creation and the importance of secular values. We added the 15th station, the Resurrection, to the Way of the Cross. Black vestments were left in the drawer. Dies Irae, a hymn about the wrathful judgement of God, was heard no more. Many imposed penances were removed to give people more responsibility about what was suitable for them. The Good News of the 28
Gospel was emphasised. In prayer we were encouraged to make the longest journey, from the head to the heart. Revelation was seen not just as God revealing to us what to believe and how to act, but rather as communion with a loving God sharing divine life with us. Faith was understood not just as intellectual belief in God but should be experienced as a loving trust in God whom we dare to call Abba, Father. As I write these words early in 2021, with corona-virus dominant the future looks challenging for society as a whole and for the Church. What is God saying to us by this epidemic? For some it is a sign that God does not exist. For many it is a reminder how dependent we are on circumstances beyond our control. Thank God medical science is making good progress fighting the disease but it will take a long time. How will the Church fare when it is all over? It is very hard to predict. In addition to facing up to the challenge of getting people to attend church regularly, it has to bear the burden of past scandals, such as clerical sexual abuse and more recently the mother and child revelations when unmarried mothers and their babies were treated in a most unchristian way and so many babies were left to die without care and buried in unmarked graves. Unmarried mothers were denounced from the altar. Reading about that Autumn 2021
whole scandal now fills me with anger and revulsion. Yet I believe that the Church will be saved by good lay women and men, by dedicated priests and religious and by courageous leadership. It will be purified and chastened by this desert experience and we should remember that it was in the desert that God revealed Himself to the Israelites, purified them and made them His people.” (Introduction to Fr Christy’s book: ‘The Miracle of the Universe’) “The love of God for us symbolised by the Sacred Heart of Jesus must be revealed by us in our daily lives by our love for others. It is expressed in a thousand different ways, by caring, sharing, forgiving and helping. Mercy and kindness are at the heart of the Christian Gospel. Love lights up the world and makes it beautiful. The absence of love means darkness and despair.” (Closing paragraph of Fr Christy’s book) (The book (costing 12 Euros) is available from Fr Christy Fox at our Mill Hill address. Fr Christy’s phone number is: 01 412 7718.)
Diamond Jubilee Card
Fr Christy with his family - Celebrating his Golden Jubilee Autumn 2021
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OBITUARY LIST
In memory of
(Up until 24/06/2021)
Fr Tom Rafferty, mhm Fr Tom Rafferty, mhm, died on May 7, 2021. Tom was born on June 8, 1945, at Milltown, Ashbourne, Co. Meath, one of a family of seven; he had three brothers and three sisters. Tom followed the usual route to ordination for Irish Mill Hill priests - secondary education at St Joseph’s College, Freshford, Co. Kilkenny; philosophy at University College Dublin; theology at St Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London. He was ordained in 1970 in St. Patrick’s Church, Donaghmore – his home parish. Tom went on to spend over 50 years as a Mill Hill Missionary in Pakistan, working in the Diocese of Islamabad/ Rawalpindi. He ministered in a very difficult and dangerous area; last year he wrote: “the police, who stand guard over our church in Nowshera since 2001, are the first people I greet every morning. The parish is roughly the size of Ireland, with the Himalaya mountain range running through the greater part of it.” Tom published two books: ‘Never Easy’ and ‘The Crimson Lily in Our Midst’. In ‘Never Easy’, he gives a detailed account of his ministry in the Nowshera area through the terrible floods in 1973, and the massive earthquake in 2005 that left hundreds of thousands dead. Then there was another terrible time with the invasion from Afghanistan of Al-Quida in 2007 - this brought destruction and death to the beautiful valleys. 30
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on the souls of:
In 1987, Tom spent weeks on end roaming in the foothills of the Himalayas searching for, and finding pockets of Christians. His experience convinced him of the need to promote the missionary spirit of the local church. So on July 3, 1988, the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, Patron of Pakistan, Tom together with Sister Iris Gill founded the Missionary Sisters of St Thomas the Apostle (MST). On the occasion of his Golden Jubilee last year, Tom wrote: “Aid in all the times of disaster came from the generosity of the Irish People, from Mill Hill and from Church Organizations. It has helped us rise again, build back people’s lives, build back their houses, drag them through dark winters, bind up their wounds, cloth and feed them. Through it all, we thank God for his Divine Mercy and constant protection from violence, bomb and bullet, danger where you live and danger when you travel in search of the needy and isolated. Amen.” On May 10, 2021, Tom’s funeral Mass was celebrated in St Joseph’s Cathedral, Rawalpindi. There was also a Mass in Nowshera on May 11 and in Donaghmore, his home parish, on May 12. His family, his Mill Hill colleagues and the people in Pakistan where he spent so much of his life, remember Tom with deep affection. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis Autumn 2021
Fr. Tom Rafferty, MHM Margaret Doyle, aunt of Fr. Gerald Doyle MHM Padraig Jordan, brother of the late Fr. Brendan Jordan, MHM Séan Daly, brother of Fr. Bart Daly, MHM Breda Corbett, sister of the late Fr. John Wrenn, MHM Maureen McCarthy, sister of Sr. Ursula McCarthy FMSJ MEMBERS Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Cooney, Rev. James Dollard, Rev. Cannon John Fallon, Very Rev. Fr. Peter Canon Grant, Sr. Bridget Blewitt, Isa Brennan, Sr. Alphonsus Mary Corry, Sr. Cora Ferriter, Sr. Xavier Garavan, Sr. Pius Keane, Sr. Carmel Scanlon. Claude H. Bailey, Elizabeth Barrett, Bill Beausang, Edith Marie Boggan Adamonicz, Mary Bowe, Francis Brady, Margaret Brannigan, Teresa Browne, Annie Burns, Joe Burns, Tom Byrne, Philomena Byrne, Richard Byrne, Kathleen Caffrey, Aileen Cahalan, Betty Campbell, Nora Campbell, John Campbell Snr., Breeda Carroll, Jim Carroll, Margaret Carroll, Rita Carroll, Michael Casey, James Clancy, Loretta Clarke, Sally Clarke, Michael Cleary, Madge Conlon, Mary Conlon, Collette Connolly, Agnes Conroy, Joan Conway, Rose Conway, William Cornally, Catherine Cosgrave, Anna Costigan, Gerald Cotter, Michael Cotter, Esther Coughlan, Peggy Coughlan, Annette Creaney, Mary Creedon, Nora Creedon, Ann Cronin, Patrick Crosby, Patrick Autumn 2021
Cullinan, John Joe Cunningham, Monica Curran, Myrrid Curran, Pat Curran, Bridget Cusack. Brigid Daly, John Daly, Thomas Daly, Madeline Mary Davis, Maureen Deane, Bill Devlin, Eddie Dillon, Kathleen Dineen, Mamie Dineen, Mary Dolan, Bridie Doherty, Ellen Doherty, Sheila Doherty, Margaret Donnelly, Mary Donnelly, Monica Donnelly, Sheila Donoghue and her sons, John and Joseph Donoghue, Rose Donovan, Rita Dooley, Phil Doyle, Sheila Doyle, Marie Dunican, Kathleen Dunleavy, J.J. Dunne, Samuel Dunne, Maura Egan, Maureen Egan, Philip Egan, Tony Egan, Breda English, Bridie Enright, Margaret Farrell, Mary Farrell, Eileen Fitzgerald, Esther Flynn, Mary Flynn, Patricia Friel, Vincent Fullam, James Gallagher, Syl Gannon, Annie Gaughan, Angela Gleeson, Sally Glennon, Maura Goldrick, Carmel Gorman, John Gormley, Mary Graham, Robert Graham, Marian Greene, Mary Griffin, Nora Griffin, Timothy Guiney. 31
Michael Hall, Ann Hanna, Mary Hanna, Mary Hayes, Myra Healy, Kathleen Heelan, Josephine Hegarty, Ellen Helferty, Frances Hennessy, John J. Herlihy, Marie Herlihy, Billy Hogan, Mary Holland, Mary Hollingsworth, Sarah Holohan, Martha Horan, Tom Hughes, Margaret Jones, Benedicta Jordan, Michael Jordan, Padraig Jordan, Stephen Joyce. Mr and Mrs Pierce Kavanagh, Breda Kealy, Monica Kearney, Sheila Kearney, John Keenaghan, Gabriel Kelly, Margaret Kelly, Michael Kelly, Nora Kelly, Mary Rose Kelly, Peter Kelly, Josie Kenehan, Maureen Kenneally, Mary Kennedy, Phyllis Kenny, Mary Keogh, Mary Kilkenny, Patricia Lacomber, May Lambert, Mary Lane, N. Lawton, Tony Leahy, Kathleen Leslie, Owen Linehan, James Lonergan, Mary Looney, Eileen Lucey, Mary Lynam, John Lyne, Mary Lyons. Ellen and James Gerard Maguire, Teresa Maguire, Bridget Maher, Mary Maher, Rosemary Mangan, Josie Manning, Katie Martin, Angela Mason, Nora Meenaghan, Helen Moloney, Michael Mohan, Michael Moore, Mary Mulgrew, Cecily Murphy, Mick Murphy, James Murray, Colette McAnee, Olive McCarthy, P. McCluskey, Benny McDonnell, Ita McDonnell, Loughlin McEvoy, Kathleen McGarrigle, Kathleen McGarvey, Patrick McGeough, Kathleen McGrath, Patrick Joseph McGrath, Annie McGoldrick, Martin McMahon, Vera McManus, Denis McNulty, Mary McPolin, William McQuaid, Kitty Moloney, Mary J Moran, Margaret (Peggy) Morgan, Marian Moylan, Mary Mulgrew, Louise
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Murray, James Nicholls, Christina Normoyle. Margaret O’Boyle, Eileen O’Brien, Joan O’Brien, Mary O’Brien, Veronica O’Brien, Sadie O’Callaghan, Christina O’Connell, Margaret Ann O’Connell, Joan O’Connell, John O’Connor, Jim O’Connor, Peggy O’Connor, Mary K. O’Donnell. Berni O’Donoghue, Kathleen O’Donoghue, Margaret O’Donoghue, Michael O’Driscoll, Pat O’Driscoll, Frances O’Dwyer, Dermot O’Grady, Mary O’Grady, Ursula O’Halloran, Margaret O’Hara, Bridget O’Leary, Jer O’Leary, Eileen O’Loughlin, Theresa O’Mahony, Peggy O’Neill, Tom O’Reilly, Timothy O’Riordan, Mary O’Rourke, Eileen O’Shea, Mary O’Shea, Maura O’Shea, Connie O’Sullivan, Joan (Hannah) O’Sullivan, Joe O’Sullivan, Margaret O’Sullivan. Joan Philbin, Henry J Place, Nuala Power, Teresa Prendergast, Eileen Prior, Joan Purcell, Tommy Purcell. Tony Quigley, Sean Hugh Quigley, Anne Quinn, Bernie Quinn, Brigid Reynolds, Larry Rogers, Molly (Mary) Rohan, Agnes Ryan, Brigid Ryan, Philomena Ryan, John Salmon, Mary Sargent, Peter Sherry, Veronica Sloan, Maura Smith, Sheila Smith, Olive Smyth, Aine Somers, Dora Soraghan, Margaret St John, Kathleen Stack, Pauline Stack, Margaret Staunton, Sean Sullivan, Moira Sweeney, Nan Sweeney, Rosie Sweeney. Donal Twomey, Eibhlín Uí Dhonnchadha, Lizzy Veale, Gloria Walsh, Helen Walsh, Myra Walsh, T Walsh, Bernadette Ward, Isobel Watterson, Bridie Woods, Ellen Young.
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It keeps our friends and supporters in touch with our missionary work.
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It promotes devotion to St. Joseph - our patron and protector
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There are three issues per year plus a Calendar at Christmas. It is sent to all our members.
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Membership is e10.00 per year, £7.00 for those in the sterling area, $12 for the U.S.
Important Notice about Data Protection All your personal data that we hold is being stored and protected in accordance with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) that became law in Ireland on 25/5/2018. This covers your name and address, as well as information about your donations for the missions, for Masses and for our Magazine (St. Joseph’s Advocate)
Renewal of Membership We have regular contact with most people on our mailing list but we have not heard from some people for some time. If you are in this group, please fill in your name/address below to renew your membership and continue to receive St. Joseph’s Advocate. If you do not wish to renew, please tick the cancel box.
Post the slip to: St. Joseph’s Advocate, Mill Hill Missionaries, 50 Orwell Park, Rathgar, Dublin D06 C535.
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Fr. Michael Gemanga, mhm. Read his story on page 22.
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ST. JOSEPH’S ADVOCATE MILL HILL MISSIONARIES 50 Orwell Park Rathgar, Dublin D06 C535 Tel: (01) 412 7707 Email: organisingmhm@gmail.com www.millhillmissionaries.co.uk 34
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