5 minute read
Mission Sunday
Beyond Words
by Fr Denis C Hartnett, MHM
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(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 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 and help, - accepting his love and sharing it quietly in our daily living it in a way that is often beyond words.
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.
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
The Mosaic in the Basilica Knock Basilica
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.
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
