Reality Magazine Summer 2021 Edition.

A BETTER KIND OF POLITICS

DRUG DEALERS ARE GETTING YOUNGER

OLYMPIC HOPEFUL ELENA TICE ON FAMILY AND FAITH

r e m m u S

JULY/AUGUST 2021

Informing, Inspiring, Challenging Today’s Catholic

Wishing you a safe and healthy

CONFESSION

CAN THIS SACRAMENT SURVIVE THE PANDEMIC?

JOHN McGAHERN HIS SPIRITUAL LEGACY

SYNOD OF TIPPERARY WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS SYNOD OF ����?

www.redcoms.org Redemptorist-Communications @RedComsIreland �2.50 �2.00

Redemptorist Communications are proud to present this new book from Jim Deeds, A Look of Love – Witnesses to Jesus.

Deeds brings the stories of Jesus and his early followers to life. Through a series of imagined conversations, stories and poems, he invites the reader to experience familiar Gospel stories through the lens of various characters who witnessed Jesus’ ministry first-hand.

Jim’s love of the Gospels shines through, while his gift for storytelling imbues each of these unique stories with emotion and gentle humour. With questions to encourage further reflection and prayer, this book is the ideal companion for anyone looking for a fresh approach to the Gospels.

€9.95 (plus P+P)

To order, contact Redemptorist Communications St Joseph’s Monastery, St Alphonsus Road Dundalk, County Louth A91 F3FC

Telephone: 00353 (0)1 4922 488 Email: sales@redcoms.org www.redcoms.org

IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE FEATURES �� WHAT FUTURE FOR CONFESSION? Post-Covid, what are we going to do about confession?

By Tríona Doherty

�� WHAT TO DO ABOUT CONFESSION? Thinking outside the box will be needed to rescue the sacrament of confession

By Fr Raphael Gallagher CSsR

�� SAINTS OF THE ROMAN CANON The First Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass lists some early heroes of the faith

By Maria Hall

�� DANCE, WHEREVER YOU MAY BE The rich heritage found in folk dance

By Fr Colm Meaney CSsR

��

�� A BETTER KIND OF POLITICS Politics that is at the service of the good of all

By Michael Daley

�� ME AND MY GOD After years of struggle, I found a definition of God that made sense

By Fr John J. Ó Ríordáin, CSsR

�� MY FAITH MEANS EVERYTHING Olympic hopeful Elena Tice talks about her faith

By John Scally

�� JOHN McGAHERN’S SPIRITUAL LEGACY You don’t have to be Irish to relate to the characters and religious environment McGahern evokes in his writings

By Eamon Maher

�� IDENTIFYING A SYNODAL PATHWAY: LESSONS FROM THE SYNOD OF THURLES What might we learn from the last synod of 1850?

By Salvador Ryan

�� MEMORIES OF A SYNODAL CHURCH – PUEBLA 79 The Brazilian bishops’ planning for that synod offers a template for how synods should be conducted

By Pat O’Sullivan

28

��

OPINION

REGULARS

11 EDITORIAL

04 REALITY BITES 07 POPE MONITOR 08 FOREVER YOUNG 09 REFLECTIONS 40 TRÓCAIRE 43 GOD’S WORD

19 JIM DEEDS 31 CARMEL WYNNE 42 PETER McVERRY SJ

REALITY BITES NEW JERSEY

CARDINAL TOBIN HIGHLIGHTS TECHNOLOGY AS A CHALLENGE TO SOCIAL JUSTICE

Cardinal Joseph Tobin CSsR

4

As Cardinal Joseph Tobin CSsR of Newark spoke from in front of his computer to virtual attendees on day two of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development 50th anniversary celebration, his office windows were closed to limit the outside noise. It was unusual for the 69-year-old Redemptorist prelate, who, in the spirit of St John XXIII, prefers the windows of the church open.

"If I open them, you're going to hear all sorts

of stuff," Tobin explained. "From boom boxes, to samba, salsa, maybe even the occasional fight, but the church needs that window open to listen."

Invoking Pope Francis' Fratelli Tutti, Tobin was making the point that listening to people from all walks of life is paramount for the church to help address the many "cracks and fissures" in our society displayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tobin spoke about those societal "cracks and fissures" that were brought to light over the past year, and what is most important to address going forward. In addition to listening, a renewal of human interaction and the future of employment were at the top of the list.

In both cases, he considers technology a present and future challenge.

Tobin acknowledged that technology has its perks in allowing people to connect when it otherwise wouldn't be possible (for example, during a global pandemic), but said it's still no replacement for in-person contact between people that he deems a "necessity."

The cardinal also noted the fear that exists in his and other dioceses that "people will just get used to being liturgical couch potatoes and watch the Mass every Sunday on video."

As for his concern about the future of employment, he fears that technology, and artificial intelligence, in particular, does more harm than good.

"The technology is taking away jobs and not creating them except for a very elite cohort in society and this is going to continue," the cardinal said.

OHIO

ARCHBISHOP BASHAR MATTI WARDA CSsR RECEIVES AN HONORARY DOCTORATE At a ceremony at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, USA, on Friday May 14, Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda CSsR, archbishop of Erbil, Iraq, received an honorary doctorate for his dedication to nourishing the faith amid the heightened persecution, terrorism, and unrest in Iraq in recent decades.

Born in Baghdad, Archbishop Bashar

REALITY SUMMER 2021

made his novitiate in Dundalk, Co Louth and was ordained a priest in 1993. He was consecrated as Archbishop of Erbil in 2010.

Archbishop Warda provided aid to Christians who fled to Erbil, in Northern Iraq, before the defeat of ISIS in 2017.

In 2015, he founded the Catholic University of Erbil, the country's only Catholic university.

Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda CSsR receives his degree

N E WS

SOUTH AFRICA

KEVIN DOWLING CSsR RETIRES AFTER �� YEARS AS BISHOP OF RUSTENBURG Bishop Kevin Dowling CSsR has retired after 30 years as Bishop of Rustenburg, South Africa. Having completed his novitiate in Cape Town, Kevin Dowling made his first profession as a Redemptorist in 1962.

Ordained priest at his home parish in Pretoria, he worked as assistant parish priest in the poor and gang-infested 'Cape Flats' around Cape Town.

Even as a young Redemptorist, it was clear that Dowling had extraordinary leadership

gifts. At the age of 32, he was elected ViceProvincial of South Africa. Before completing his final term as vice provincial, he was elected to the general government of the Redemptorists in Rome, a position he held for five years before his election as Bishop of Rustenburg in 1991. Bishop Dowling established a reputation throughout the church in Africa and beyond for his prophetic and compassionate ministry to the people of a diocese that suffered from extreme poverty.

Bishop Kevin Dowling CSsR

VATICAN CITY

POPE CALLS FOR BETTER EU IMMIGRATION POLICIES

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich

As the remains of a rickety boat, pulled from the floor of the Mediterranean Sea, were enshrined as a memorial to the hundreds of migrants who died when it sank, Pope Francis prayed that such tragedies would "challenge everyone's conscience and foster the growth of a more supportive humanity that tears down the wall of indifference."

"The Mediterranean has become Europe's largest cemetery," the pope told visitors gathered in St Peter's Square on June 13 to pray the Angelus with him.

In Augusta, on the island of Sicily, local government officials and representatives of humanitarian organisations were about to

inaugurate the memorial to the migrants who drowned when the boat sank in April 2015.

Only 28 of the estimated 1,000 people on board survived.

Father Bruno Ciceri, the Vatican-based international director of Stella Maris, was present at the ceremony and told Vatican News that the remains of the boat "belong to the whole world as a symbol" as "a question mark for everyone" about how to help people enjoy the right to remain in their homelands safely and with a dignified existence and how to improve

safeguards for those forced to flee.

When Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg, president of the Commission of Bishops' Conferences of the European Union, and other officers of the commission met Pope Francis on June 11, the continent's immigration policies were on the top of the agenda.

The EU policies must be reconsidered, the cardinal told reporters. "Countries like Italy, Spain, Malta and Greece are left on their own" in rescuing, welcoming, verifying and trying to integrate migrants. "This is a shame."

The wreck of a fishing vessel exhibited by Christoph Büchel as Barca Nostra

5

REALITY BITES SOUTH KOREA

GERMANY

SEX ABUSE SCANDAL ROCKS GERMAN CHURCH Agreeing with German Cardinal Reinhard Marx that Catholic leaders cannot adopt an "ostrich policy" in the face of the clerical sexual abuse crisis, Pope Francis still told the cardinal that he would not accept his resignation as head of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising.

"If you are tempted to think that by confirming your mission and not accepting your resignation, this bishop of Rome — your brother who loves you — does not understand you, think of what Peter felt before the Lord when, in his own way, he presented him with his resignation: 'Depart from me, for I am a sinner.' And listen to the answer: 'Shepherd my sheep,'" the pope wrote to Cardinal Marx.

The 67-year-old German cardinal announced on June 4 that he had submitted his resignation to Pope Francis because he believed bishops must begin to accept responsibility for the institutional failures of the church in handling the clerical sexual abuse crisis.

Pope Francis wrote a long reply to the cardinal on June 10, published by the Vatican press office on the same day.

"I agree with you in describing as a catastrophe the sad history of sexual abuse and the way the church dealt with it until recently," the pope wrote. "To realise this hypocrisy in our way of living the faith is a grace; it is a first step that we must take.

"We must take on this history, both personally and communally," Pope Francis said. "We cannot remain indifferent before this crime."

6

Cardinal Reinhard Marx

POPE NAMES SOUTH KOREA BISHOP PREFECT FOR CLERGY Pope Francis has appointed South Korean Bishop Lazarus You Heungsik of Daejeon as the new prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Clergy.

The Vatican made the announcement on June 11, adding that the outgoing prefect, Italian Cardinal Beniamino Stella, 79, would remain at the congregation until the new prefect could assume his role.

The appointment comes just a few days after Pope Francis announced he had asked Bishop Egidio Miragoli of Mondovì, Italy, to conduct an official visit of the Congregation for Clergy, a move he had also made before naming a new prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

Cardinal Stella will reach the mandatory retirement age of 80 on August 18. He was appointed prefect

by Pope Francis in September 2013.

AFRICA

THE CLUAIN MHUIRE BELL RINGS AGAIN IN MOZAMBIQUE More than 30 years ago, the Cluain Mhuire bell rang in the Redemptorist seminary in Galway. It is now ringing in the new Redemptorist church in Furancungo, Mozambique.

Nine Redemptorists are currently working in Mozambique, six from Argentina, two from Ireland and one from Brazil in three large and challenging parishes.

REALITY SUMMER 2021

Though from diverse cultures, they are making serious efforts to collaborate more closely and strengthen the Redemptorist mission in Mozambique. They are convinced that the future of the mission depends on developing the local church and fostering local vocations to the Redemptorists.

Our Irish confrères, along with Fr Eridian from Brazil,

co ntinu e to minister in Furancungo parish. Since taking responsibility for the large rural parish in 2012, they have established strong ties with the local people. Thanks to the support and generosity of so many people in Ireland, the building of the new church was a significant achievement, and it is now the centre of a vibrant and lively faith community.

The Cluain Mhuire bell in Furancungo

N E WS

POPE MONITOR KEEPING UP WITH POPE FRANCIS PERSEVERANCE IS NECESSARY FOR PRAYER, POPE SAYS Those who overcome distractions or obstacles when praying learn the value of perseverance in times of trial, Pope Francis has said.

"True progress in spiritual life does not consist in multiplying ecstasies, but in being able to persevere in difficult times," the pope said on May 19 during his weekly general audience.

"Walk, walk, walk on and if you are tired, stop a little and then start walking again; but with perseverance," he said.

Arriving by car to the San Damaso Courtyard of the Apostolic Palace, the pope was warmly welcomed by those in attendance, including a group of pilgrims from Mexico.

"Francisco, hermano, ya eres Mexicano" ("Francis, brother, you are already Mexican"), the pilgrims cried out as he made his way to his seat.

While the pope greeted the pilgrims from a safe distance, many ignored social distancing rules and crowded near the barricades in the hopes of seeing the pope up close.

In his main talk, the pope reflected on the difficulties that people may face when trying to pray, including "distractions, aridity and sloth," as well as the importance of recognising and overcoming them.

Both in prayer and in everyday life, he said, the mind often "wanders all over the place," and some find it "hard to dwell for long on a single thought."

"Distractions are not a fault, but they must be fought," he said. "In the heritage of our faith, there is a virtue that is often forgotten, but which is very present in the Gospel. It is called 'vigilance.'"

Citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the pope said aridity occurs when one's heart "is separated from God" and leaves him or her "with no taste for thoughts, memories and feelings, even spiritual ones."

While the reasons for that sense of aridity may range from physical ailments to inner turmoil, the pope said that often, "we do not really know the reason."

While life is often filled with "gray days," the pope said the danger lies in "having a grey heart; when this 'feeling down' reaches the heart and sickens it.

"This is terrible: one cannot pray, one cannot feel consolation with a gray heart! Or one cannot emerge from spiritual aridity with a gray heart," he said. "The heart must be open and luminous, so that the light of the Lord can enter. And if it does not enter, wait for it, with hope. But do not close it up in grayness."

Lastly, the pope warned that sloth is not only one of the seven deadly sins but also "a real temptation against prayer and, more generally, against Christian life" that can "lead to the death of the soul."

Pope Francis said that at some point in their lives, "all the saints have passed through this 'dark valley'" and would often recount "evenings of listless prayer, lived without enthusiasm."

Nevertheless, believers, like the biblical figure Job, "never stop praying" even when their prayers may seem like protests to God. "Very often, even protesting before God is a way of praying," Pope Francis said. "And we, who are far less holy and patient than Job, also know that in the end, at the end of this time of desolation, during which we have raised to heaven silent cries and asked, 'Why?' many times, God will answer us."

VERIFY BEFORE SHARING 'NEWS,' POPE SAYS IN COMMUNICATIONS DAY MESSAGE In the age of instant communications and fake news, journalists — like everyone else — need to recover the practice of going out and verifying information before they share it, Pope Francis has said. "'Come and see' is the simplest method to get to know a situation. It is the most honest test of every message, because, in order to know, we need to encounter, to let the person in front of me speak, to let his or her testimony reach me," the pope wrote in his message for the Catholic Church's celebration of World Communications Day. Pope Francis chose "'Come and See' — Communicating by Encountering People as They Are" as the theme for the 2021 celebration, explaining that "Come and see" is the invitation Jesus gave to his first disciples and the invitation they gave to others as faith in Jesus spread.

The pope paid homage to journalists who have risked their lives going into the field to cover, verify and share stories the world needed to know, especially "about the hardships endured by persecuted minorities in various parts of the world, numerous cases of oppression and injustice inflicted on the poor and on the environment, and many wars that otherwise would be overlooked."

"It would be a loss not only for news reporting, but for society and for democracy as a whole, were those voices to fade away," he said. "Our entire human family would be impoverished."

7

FOREVER YOUNG SAINTS WHO DIED YOUNG

8

FRANCISCO (1908-1919) AND JACINTA (1910-1920) MARTO

Reality

Francisco and Jacinta Marto were only nine and seven years old when they witnessed a series of apparitions along with their ten-year-old cousin, Lucia dos Santos, in 1917.

The Marto family were so poor they couldn't afford to send the children to school.

Instead, they herded the family's flock of sheep around the fields of Fatima.

In 1916, the children believed they had several visits from an angel. The following year, on the 13th of every month from May to October, except for August, when they were prevented from going, they said they had witnessed an apparition of the Mother of God. She told them to say the rosary to bring peace to the world and to make sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. Lucia said that Our Lady told her to learn to read and write so she could spread the news of the apparitions and especially promote devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Even their own families didn't believe the children at first. Portugal was a secular republic with a strongly anti-clerical tinge. Reports of the visions attracted large crowds. A crowd of between 30,000 and 100,000 gathered on October 13, where many claimed to witness an extraordinary event, later called 'the miracle of the sun.'

Francisco and Jacinta were typical peasant children of their age. But from the time of the apparitions, they grew more serious. One of the visions they witnessed was of hell. As a result, the children became very conscious of sin and the need to atone for it. Francisco liked to pray alone, saying this would "console Jesus for the sins of the world." It is said that he often skipped school in order to spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The three children continued to look after the sheep but found time to pray, especially to say the rosary together. They often practised penance by either giving their lunch to other children or even feeding it to the sheep.

Jacinta seems to have had a presentiment that they would die young. In October 1918, she told Lucia that Our Lady had appeared to her and promised to take them to heaven. The entire Marto family, except their father, had fallen ill with the virulent form of flu that ravaged Europe after World War I. Despite their illness, the children continued to pray, often walking to the parish church to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament.

Sensing he was close to death, Francisco asked to be allowed to make his First Communion on April 3, 1919. He died the following morning. He was just two months short of his eleventh birthday.

Little Jacinta lingered for almost a year longer. She was hospitalised and had an operation, but she could not have a full anaesthetic because of her heart condition.

She said she hoped her pain would help to convert many sinners. On February 19, 1920, she asked the chaplain for communion and the sacrament of the sick. He said he would come back the following day to check on her, but Jacinta had died before he returned.

Rome believed the children were too young to be canonised, but devotion to them was widespread, with many children taking their names at baptism or confirmation.

Eventually, over 300 bishops petitioned the pope. They were beatified on May 13, 2000, and canonised on May 13, 2017, the centenary of the first apparition. Their feast day is February 20.

Brendan McConvery CSsR

Volume 86. No. 6 July/August 2021 A Redemptorist Publication ISSN 0034-0960

REALITY SUMMER 2021

Published by The Irish Redemptorists, St Joseph's Monastery, St Alphonsus Road, Dundalk County Louth A91 F3FC Tel: 00353 (0)1 4922488 Web: www.redcoms.org Email: sales@redcoms.org (With permission of C.Ss.R.)

Acting-Editor Gerard Moloney CSsR editor@redcoms.org Design & Layout David Mc Namara CSsR Sales & Marketing Claire Carmichael ccarmichael@redcoms.org Accounts Dearbhla Cooney accounts@redcoms.org Printed by W&G Baird Printers, Belfast Photo Credits Shutterstock, Catholic News Agency, Trócaire,

REALITY SUBSCRIPTIONS Through a promoter (Ireland only) €20 or £18 Annual Subscription by post: Ireland €25 or £20 UK £30 Europe €40 Rest of the world €50 Please send all payments to: Redemptorist Communications, St Joseph's Monastery, St Alphonsus Road, Dundalk County Louth A91 F3FC ADVERTISING Whilst we take every care to ensure the accuracy and validity of adverts placed in Reality, the information contained in adverts does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Redemptorist Communications. You are therefore advised to verify the accuracy and validity of any information contained in adverts before entering into any commitment based upon them.

When you have finished with this magazine, please pass it on or recycle it. Thank you.

REDEMPTORIST COMMUNICATIONS St Joseph's Monastery, Dundalk, County Louth A91 F3FC Tel: 00353 (0)1 4922488 Email: sales@redcoms.org Web: www.redcoms.org

Promoters: We keep all of our promoters in our prayers and thank them for their loyal service in selling Reality.

We remember in our prayers sick and deceased promoters and their families.

REFLECTIONS Allow me to anticipate the argument that the priesthood cannot be open to people the Eastern religions call “imbalanced” and our church calls “disordered.” Find me a priest who doesn’t have some sort of disorder, whether it’s an eating disorder, or an attentionseeking disorder, or a disorder of social ineptness, a hearing disorder, or even a learning disorder. Our priests are human, imperfect, faulty and sometimes broken, just like the rest of us. I think as a church we do ourselves and our dear priests a disservice by pretending that one particular disorder is not represented among them — and we do our gay brothers and sisters a disservice, too, by rendering them only partly visible.

THE ANCHORESS

The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavour to be what you desire to appear.

SOCRATES

The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.

FLANNERY O'CONNOR

Catholic God; there is no Catholic God. There is God, and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. This is my Being.

POPE FRANCIS

There is no limit to what can be accomplished when no one cares who gets credit.

JOHN WOODEN

My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.

HENRY FORD

To be blind is bad, but worse is to have eyes and not see.

voice shakes.

MAGGIE KUHN

A woman went to the doctor and said, "When I looked in the mirror this morning, I saw my hair was frizzy, my skin wrinkly, my eyes bloodshot – what is wrong with me?" The doctor replied, "Well, the good news is that your eyesight is fine."

Everything looks impossible for the people who never try anything.

JEAN-LOUIS ETIENNE

My brother is a terrible musician.

The other day he asked my sister if she had heard his last recital.

She replied, "I certainly hope so.”

HELEN KELLER

Deja pew: the feeling you've sat in this spot in church before.

Fear grows out of the things we think; it lives in our minds.

Compassion grows out of the things we are, and lives in our hearts.

BARBARA GARRISON

A good Catholic meddles in politics, offering the best of himself, so that those who govern can govern. But what is the best that we can offer to those who govern? Prayer!

POPE FRANCIS

The only edition of the Gospels most people are likely to see – is you.

THE CHRISTOPHERS

Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me.

If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that.

A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just.

The parts of the New Testament which I don’t understand don’t worry me too much; it’s the parts I do understand which worry me.

JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE

POPE FRANCIS

MARK TWAIN

I believe in God – not in a

Speak your mind, even if your

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

9

Planning A

Wedding This Year?

Then this book is for you!

Your Wedding –

A guide to getting married in the Catholic Church

This popular book will answer all your questions as you plan your church wedding.

It provides an ideal starter to planning that special day and your marriage in the years that follow.

64 pages of guidelines and useful information — in full colour — for just €4.50 or £3.95 plus p&p

Redemptorist Communications

To Order: Just call us at 01 492 2488 to place your order or Buy online at any time using your credit card when you visit us at www.redcoms.org

EDI TO R I A L UP FRONT GERARD MOLONEY CSsR

GOD'S SILENCE AND THE DEATH OF VOCATIONS

One

of the upsides of Pope John Paul II's historic visit to Ireland in 1979 was a significant spike in religious vocations. The enthusiasm generated by the visit reversed a decline in vocations that had been gathering momentum since the 1960s.

But it didn't take long for the excitement to wear off and for vocations to wane once more. Today, the number of Irish in religious formation is at an all-time low, while every month, another convent or monastery is forced to close.

Some hoped that Pope Francis' visit to Ireland in 2018 would lead to another surge in vocations, but that didn’t happen. Instead, the disappointing numbers at the papal events demonstrated just how much the country has changed in the last four decades.

Ireland is a vastly different country now compared to 1979. In the past, vocations were nurtured in the home, school and parish. Schools actively promoted religious life as an attractive career option, alongside pensionable professions like the civil service and the bank. Pupils were accustomed to teachers and chaplains in religious garb.

Today, nuns and brothers are missing from the classroom, and religious life scarcely features on any list of career options.

A tremendous cultural shift has taken place in society’s attitude towards the church and religion. In the past, most young people grew up in a deeply religious environment that encouraged vocations.

Religious paraphernalia dominated homes and was displayed in many public settings.

Households prayed the rosary daily. Religion was vital to people’s identity, the prism through which they viewed the world.

Now, in the words of sociologist Dr Tom Inglis, the institutional church and Catholic language, beliefs and rituals are no longer significant webs of meaning in people’s lives.

In a short period, the Irish have moved from

being orthodox to being cultural in the way they use Catholic beliefs and values. Except for Christmas, Easter and special occasions, younger people are absent from church.

Empty churches do not foster religious vocations. The extended lockdown of the past 18 months will have encouraged even more people to abandon regular church attendance finally.

The public’s attitude towards religious authority has also changed dramatically.

In the past, the prevailing mood, even by many who had abandoned the church, was docility. People doffed their hats to clergy and religious. People listened when a bishop spoke, even if they didn’t always heed him.

Governments knew the importance of keeping the hierarchy onside. Priests and religious enjoyed significant social standing.

Now, after years of secularisation, scandal and negative publicity, many young – and not so young – regard the church with outright hostility. They have not merely drifted away from the church; they have actively rejected it. Churchmen’s pronouncements are ignored or derided. Church teaching, especially on sexuality, is dismissed as outmoded. The church is seen as an anachronism, on the wrong side of the major issues of the day.

Many prominent commentators, writers and influencers reject even the very notion of God. A militant atheism has become fashionable.

Being 'woke' is understood to mean leaving childish religious notions behind.

Religious education in the schools is failing.

Two or three generations ago, school-leavers knew at least the rudiments of the faith.

They could recite the catechism, even if they couldn’t comprehend much of it. Now, despite teachers’ best efforts, most graduates of Catholic schools are unable to explain even the basic tenets of what the church teaches.

Poor religious knowledge produces few vocations.

As does poor liturgy. When people went to Mass out of obligation, it didn’t matter too much whether the liturgy was good or bad. Today, when people no longer feel obliged to go, the quality matters a great deal.

Unfortunately, many liturgies are poor, with bad preaching, substandard or no music, and little active participation by the congregation.

Bad liturgies do not entice people to attend.

They certainly do not encourage religious vocations.

Meanwhile, religious leaders continue to ask for prayers for vocations, even though it seems clear by now that God is not listening.

Perhaps God’s silence is sending a message.

The old clerical model of church is dying.

Priesthood and religious life as we knew it are coming to an end. We need to imagine a radical new way of being church in the 21st century. Even though it may seem like we are peering through a glass darkly, we need to trust that God will show us a way forward.

Gerard Molonry CSsR Acting Editor

11

C OVE R STO RY

12

THERE IS NO DOUBTING THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION. IN MANY PLACES, CONFESSIONS HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD SINCE BEFORE THE FIRST LOCKDOWN LAST YEAR. CONFESSION BOXES WILL BE OUT OF USE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, AND THE CHURCH MAY ALSO HAVE TO RECONSIDER THE APPROPRIATENESS OF FACE-TO-FACE CONFESSION. BUT THE NUMBERS AVAILING OF THIS SACRAMENT HAVE BEEN DWINDLING FOR DECADES, AND FOR MANY PEOPLE, CONFESSION HAS LOST ITS MEANING. WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THIS 'FORGOTTEN SACRAMENT'?

BY TRÍONA DOHERTY REALITY SUMMER 2021

WHAT FUTURE FOR CONFESSION?

“When

we enrolled our daughter for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, I was excited. We ticked the boxes, making sure we would participate in the parish preparation, and that it's our responsibility as parents to hand on the faith.

For me, these are moments of celebration, as she is going to become an even closer friend to Jesus and the community of followers.

"After registering, I heard nothing for months. Then I spotted an announcement on the parish Facebook page. The parish team was still hoping to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation and First Holy Communion before the summer, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation was to be organised in the school. I nearly fell off my chair. I contacted the parish team and was offered kind words like, 'It will be dignified in the school.'

"It might sound selfish but, I thought, what about me? What about the promise I made on the day of her baptism? I have been doing my best to pass on my love for God, and now I cannot be there on the day she is to receive her second sacrament? A sacrament should be celebrated as a family."

The above reflection is from the parent of a child in second class in Ireland. Christina and her husband made the difficult call earlier this year to take their daughter out of school on the day the children were to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The decision came after "many tears, endless discussion and sleepless nights." Still, Christina says they did what they believed was right.

"How often have I heard church leaders challenging parents to be involved? If a pandemic is not a time to evangelise rather than play the numbers game, then what is? As someone who wants to belong and engage, I am tired – the empty talks about collaboration, that we are all baptised with the same Spirit, about the importance of young families."

The questions around how we celebrate First Confession, such as those raised above, cast a spotlight on our relationship with the sacrament as a whole. Has it become, as many now claim, the 'forgotten sacrament'?

Monthly, or even weekly, confession may have been the norm for previous generations, but that is not the case anymore. Many Catholics now confine their attendance to once or twice a year, while others have abandoned the sacrament altogether. Priests and parish workers report a lack of engagement with the sacrament after First Confession. Sometimes it is also a child's 'last confession.'

After a year during which opportunities to celebrate it have been few and far between, is it time the Irish church re-examined how to talk about and celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

AN EVOLVING SACRAMENT It's interesting to note that frequent, individual confession was not always the norm. In the early church, publicly known sins were often confessed openly in church.

The beginning of individual confession dates back to the 11th century. By the 13th century,

canon law decreed that every Catholic must go to confession at least once a year.

The practice of regular confession was introduced as recently as 1905 when Pope Pius X recommended that confession should be made more frequently than monthly, and weekly if possible. The latter half of the 20th century saw a major shift in focus from guilt and penance to love and forgiveness, but by that stage, many Catholics were encountering 'stumbling blocks' with church teaching and starting to drift away from the sacrament. In 1978, the late moral theologian Bernard Häring CSsR wrote that adult Catholics ceased to confess because so many were using artificial contraception and saw nothing wrong with it. Disagreement on other issues such as sex before marriage, gay relationships, divorce and remarriage, also caused people to leave the church or simply ignore church teaching. For Irish Catholics, the experience of the confession box was often negative, and the revelations of the extent of sexual abuse by clergy and religious destroyed the trust people had previously placed in the church.

In recent years, Pope Francis has spoken repeatedly about the Sacrament of Reconciliation, encouraging Catholics to avail of the opportunity to experience "the forgiveness and infinite mercy of God." "When I go to confession, it is in order to be healed, to heal my soul. To leave with greater spiritual health. To pass from misery to mercy," he said in March this year. "The centre of confession is not the sins we declare,

13

C OVE R STO RY

I have question marks over getting children to say 'Bless me, Father, for I have sinned…' Their first real introduction to clergy is the idea that they have failed and that we as priests are sitting to judge them.

Fr Paddy Byrne but the divine love we receive, of which we are always in need. The centre of confession is Jesus who waits for us, who listens to us and forgives us. Remember this: in the heart of God, we come before our mistakes."

14

TIME TO REFLECT Bishop Paul Dempsey of Achonry, who was ordained bishop in August 2020, feels now is the perfect time to reflect on the future of the sacrament.

"Pope Francis has been very encouraging of people working together, looking at structures and not being afraid to do things differently," he says. "The pandemic has raised big questions about our celebration of the sacraments, and confession is a sacrament many people have struggled with. In 'normal times' not a lot of people avail of it, and there weren't many people seeking it during the lockdowns. For many, it wasn't missed at all, and that's a pity, as it's a beautiful sacrament."

According to Bishop Dempsey, part of the difficulty with confession is people's past experience – the sense of having to "come up with sins" every Saturday morning for the priest in the confession box. "It didn't make sense," he suggests. "There was an overemphasis on sin and not enough emphasis on the celebration of God's love and mercy. Reconciliation is a sacrament of new beginnings."

When he reflects on the sacrament, it is both as priest and penitent. "I heard a lovely description of confession: it is one beggar REALITY SUMMER 2021

Bishop Fintan Monahan hearing confession at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre

telling another beggar where to find a bit of bread. Some of my most special moments as a priest have been in the context of confession. To be able to unburden what's holding us back, to know we are loved, that we can't change the past, but we can move on – it is very humbling. When it's not tied up with the confession box, maybe sitting in a room or going for a walk with someone, there is a sense of being with that person in a sacred space.

"As a confessor I try to remember I'm representing the person of Christ. People are sharing very sacred stuff from their lives and it's important to be compassionate and caring. We are all in need of conversion and of God's love and mercy. God loves us where we are, but loves us so much he doesn't want to leave us where we are. We have to find ways to encourage a new understanding of the sacrament."

NEED FOR CHANGE Parish priest of Abbeyleix and Raheen in Co Laois, Fr Paddy Byrne, agrees that there needs to a change in how we celebrate the sacrament.

"Reconciliation or Penance is a sacrament that's dying on its feet," he says. "I'm 20 years a priest and confession has been dead for the last 20 years. I think the day of walking into the confession box is over. People need to have the sense of being heard and listened to and loved, and for wounds to be healed takes time. The moments of reconciliation I've

been inspired by have been accompanied by listening, time and ritual. That's what makes Lough Derg or the Camino, for example, so attractive – there is pilgrimage involved, the sense of walking a new pathway."

Fr Paddy believes there is a huge thirst for reconciliation in society and that the church must embrace this need in a new way. "There are many families where there is silence and division, relationships that have wounded people. There needs to be a way to ritualise this, allowing the Spirit to guide us. We have locked it up in a dark box and this has caused pain in the past."

FIRST BUT NOT LAST? Christina Malone, the parent quoted at the beginning of this article, is also a parish pastoral worker in the Dublin archdiocese. Having previously helped children prepare for the sacraments in the parish, her recent experience as a parent gave her a new perspective.

"I was really challenged in my role as a pastoral worker as well as a mother," says Christina. "If we went ahead with First Confession for our daughter in the school, how would I feel facing 250 parents in the parish? It was important for us as a family to do what we believed was right, and I was also aware as a pastoral worker that I'm representing the church and I have to practise what I preach."

She points out that no other sacrament would take place without family members and the community present. "How would it feel if this happened with the Sacrament of Baptism, if

someone took your baby to be baptised and said the family could not attend? What does this say about where the Sacrament of Reconciliation stands?"

Bishop Dempsey also believes it is vital to include parents in the celebration of the First Confession. "First Confession is a lovely ceremony and very special. But I often found that children were sent up and parents stayed in the pews, so I asked the parents, 'How do you think this looks to your child?' I started to invite parents to come forward too, and many of them would.

"I would also say to parents: if you have drifted away, perhaps now is an opportunity to reflect on the bigger questions of faith. You're always welcome back to the church community. This is part of the journey for you too."

Fr Paddy Byrne feels there needs to be a reimagining of First Confession if we are to change our perception of the sacrament as a whole. "I have question marks over getting children to say 'Bless me, Father, for I have sinned…' Their first real introduction to clergy is the idea that they have failed and that we as priests are sitting to judge them. We expect children to jump over this hurdle before First Communion and then never be seen again at confession. We have failed to bring new pastoral practice around confession.

"The Gospel message is hugely relevant and people are very open to it. I minister in some of the most fragile moments in people's lives, as a hospital chaplain, in the nursing homes, with young people. We need to change our sacramentality. We need to almost pre-evangelise. Having communion and reconciliation are the icing on the cake, but we need to go back to the baking, to the elements."

OTHER FORMS In recent years, there has been a move towards penitential services, particularly during Lent and Advent. These are generally well attended, suggesting that people are more comfortable speaking to a priest in a less formal setting than the confession box. They are often very meaningful events that offer an opportunity to examine our relationships with our loved ones and with the local and global community.

The recent pandemic led to an increase in

'general absolution,' which the church says can be used when there is an "imminent danger of death, not enough time to listen to confessions of individual penitents, or a grave need." The Vatican said it was acceptable for clergy to offer general absolution to groups of people, for example, when a priest was unable to enter a hospital. However, individual confession is the "ordinary way" to celebrate the sacrament, and there is no indication that this is likely to change.

Catholics were also reminded that if they should find themselves with "the painful impossibility of receiving sacramental absolution," they can make an act of contrition directly to God in prayer. If they are sincere and promise to go to confession as soon as possible, they "obtain the forgiveness of sins, even mortal sins."

REACHING OUT At parish level, steps are being taken to capture people's imagination and encourage them back to confession. For example, during the lockdowns, a 'carpark confession' initiative in Tallaght attracted widespread attention, even featuring on Vatican News.

In pre-pandemic times, the parishes of the Maynooth deanery brought the sacrament 'to the streets' by taking over a unit in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre to offer confession. Volunteers chatted to passers-by, and a steady stream of people poured into the 'pop-up confessional.'

Some people laughed when they saw the signs, while others posted photos on social media.

For Christina, the experience was a fine example of the church moving out of its comfort zone. "We wanted to show we were not hiding," she says. "We put ourselves out there, and we had to be ready to be told to get lost and to understand that people are coming from a place of anger or hurt. Young people were really challenging us. Some people just wanted to have a conversation. If it helps just one person to reconnect, it is worth it."

Christina feels people have a lot of valid questions about confession. "As a church, we have done a lot of things wrong, and people ask who are we to judge. When it comes to First Confession, many people wonder if a child can really be a sinner – and then to have to confess to a priest, this person representing the church, when we know what the church has done.

"A lot of people haven't experienced what reconciliation really means. They didn't hear about a God of mercy and forgiveness. Love was not the language used when we were growing up. It's not about ticking a box. God created us in God's image and wants to be in a relationship with us.

In my family, someone will have said sorry before we leave the house every morning – our home would not survive without apologising! God loves us so much that God invites us to come back and try again.

"The important thing is reaching out and connecting with people where they're at, hearing their stories and experiences. Confession is the sacrament that is least availed of, and we must change the communication around it."

NATIONAL SYNOD As the Irish church enters into a preparation process for a national synod, our engagement with the sacraments will be one of the topics up for discussion. Bishop Dempsey feels it's time to get creative. "Synodality is about walking together. The question of evangelisation has to be reflected on, and how we celebrate the sacraments is part of that journey. The task of the church is to preach the Gospel. How are we reaching out to young people, single people, married people, people in other relationships?

"We are in an opportune moment to respond to the challenge. This will involve change and entering into the realm of the unknown. But if it is a reflective, prayerful process and we are open to the Spirit, we can be optimistic. The life of the church is messy; we are reminded of the message that the church is a field hospital. If you read the Acts of the Apostles about the challenges the early church faced and the efforts they made, how the Spirit was with them, I think there is that same sense now. We have to be radical and go back to our roots."

Tríona Doherty is a freelance journalist and editor who lives in Athlone. She is a regular contributor to Reality.

Tríona is co-author, with Jane Mellett, of The Deep End: A Journey with the Sunday Gospels in the Year of Luke, available to preorder on www.messenger.ie.

15

C OVE R STO RY

WHAT TO DO ABOUT CONFESSION?

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX WILL BE NEEDED TO RESCUE THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION. WHY NOT START EMPHASISING THE SACRAMENT AS A SIMPLE CALL TO ONGOING CONVERSION?

BY RAPHAEL GALLAGHER CSsR

Children 16

makingtheirFirst Confession this year will not experience anything like Jackie in Frank O'Connor's my 'First Confession'. The dark confession box and the fear-provoking language of hell were part of that era. This year's First Confession children will not have to cope with those.

The practice of going to confession has been declining for 50 years. The hygiene regulations of COVID-19 make it doubtful that confession boxes will be used again.

Instead, they will become museum pieces, a relic from a forgotten age.

Good riddance will be the response of many. But will the baby be thrown out with the bathwater, and would it be healthier to forget altogether about confessing sins?

OLD SINS AND NEW SINS John McGahern puts it memorably in his Memoir: “A young priest replaced Father Glynn for a few months when the old priest fell ill. His sermons were short and delivered quietly in plain language. They related Christianity to the lives of people and stated that reflection on the mystery of life was itself a form of prayer, superior to the mouthing of empty formulas:

REALITY SUMMER 2021

he touched on character assassination, backbiting, marital violence, childbeating, dishonesty, hypocrisy: he claimed a primary place for personal humility and love of others and charity of mind. My father in the front seat was incensed …. he did not lack support.

The criticism took the form of a deep and troubled censoriousness of what the modern church was coming to.

They rejoiced when Father Glynn returned. What they wanted was hell and damnation which they could apply, like death, to other people."

WHAT HAPPENED? What has happened to confession? This is a complex question. The usual suspects are paraded: the decline in the sense of sin, the banishment of religious experience to private life, the collapse of public deference to priests, a general sense that morality is relative and there are no sins anymore.

The sacrament of confession did indeed have a very legalistic feel to it. We were told to confess our sins according to their number, kind and species, and to do so often. That the sacrament was celebrated in a dark box contributed to this legalistic feel. We were on trial before a one-man tribunal. The priest-

judge gave his verdict and actually imposed a penance – a sort of fine for bad behaviour.

Many people got off with a ritual "three Hail Marys", but you might get a few rosaries to say or the seven penitential psalms to recite for the big sins.

The decline in confessional practice coincides with the period after the Second Vatican Council that ended in 1965. Vatican II is not to blame, though there are some who claim that all the recent ills of the church are due to what happened at the council.

If there is a church reason for the decline in the sacrament of confession, it is because we did not take the positive renewal of the church seriously enough here in Ireland. It is not because Vatican II wanted a renewed church. We were the laggards.

A BIT OF HISTORY Confession boxes are a late arrival in Catholic churches. The number of different ways for celebrating confession in the history of the church is surprising. A type of public penance service in the early centuries, a cloistered celebration with rather fierce penances promoted by Celtic monks in the early Middle Ages. The start of what became the Easter Duty came in the high Middle Ages. Catholics had to confess their sins within a specified time limit

to a local priest. As the rules became stricter, people's ingenuity became more inventive.

Fearful that telling all the sins to one clergyman might be too much for a sensitive parish priest, some developed a strategy of going to a number of different priests and telling them separate bits of the story. This was not tolerated by the authorities, and the fear of making a bad confession hung heavy on Catholics. Control by church authorities was the priority.

LAW AND LIFE Authoritarian legal control of confessions by the church is proving hard to shake off, and COVID-19 will raise further reservations. At stake is a serious matter: how does the church justify its power to absolve sins? Understanding the traditional explanation could help us.

Christ died for our sins, and the merits of his redemption have been reserved in the treasuries of grace in the church. Priests had control over the keys to that treasury.

This is not the only way to understand the church's relationship to the absolution of sin.

There is a more personal way. Christ died for us so that we might live in communion with the Holy Spirit through continuing conversion from our sins. This is the type of language you will find Pope Francis using.

Life is a journey, and we need to have

nourishment when life gets complicated.

Having sinned creates a serious dilemma for a Christian. We need a personal conviction of the need to confess our sins. It is not enough to do it because we were told to do so. The fact that we realise that we will sin again is an encouragement for thinking outside the box.

BACK TO HISTORY The practical collapse of the sacrament of confession is a significant challenge for a church that supports us to live as a community of disciples. History lessons will not do much good on their own. History can, however, be a great teacher about the different ways that have been used to celebrate the sacrament of confession. What changed before can change again.

Changes in the Catholic Church are often developments of what was there before but had become overlooked. There have been several emphases. This is reflected in the five names given to the sacrament in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: it can be called the sacrament of conversion, penance, confession, forgiveness, reconciliation. We have done our best with hearing confessions, having penance services and reconciliation rites. Why not start emphasising the sacrament as a simple call to ongoing conversion? We remain sinners even

after confession. Conversion is never a once and for all moment.

BACK TO THE CHILDREN I was a parish priest in France nearly 30 years ago. The parents organised children's preparation for their First Confession. I came in near the end. The children were actually looking forward to their First Confession. They had one request: that they confess their sins in public before each other. I thought they might be wanting general absolution, which would have created problems with the bishop.

It wasn't that. They made the point that there was no sense in telling their sins only to me.

The other children were the ones who would remind them if they became backsliders. I gave each of them an individual absolution blessing.

I would not expect that practice to work with adults. It is a sign that thinking outside the box will be needed to rescue the sacrament of confession. We risk becoming a church with no sacrament of confession. Would it still be the Catholic Church without a liturgical form to confess our sins? I think not.

Fr Raphael Gallagher taught moral theology in Ireland and at the Alphonsian Academy in Rome, a specialist institute for postgraduate study in moral theology. He is currently a member of the Mount St Alphonsus Community, Limerick

17

Our Pocket Prayer books are designed to be used in a wide range of occasions.

Their compact size makes them ideal for use at any time and in any place, whenever you need a little bit of prayerful inspiration. Great prayer resources for church bookstands and repositories. Generous discounts on bulk purchases.

A wonderful companion for all who take part in Eucharistic Devotion and for those who like to visit to the Blessed Sacrament.

Meditations on the messages contained in the icon of the Mother of Perpetual Help and simple prayers after each meditation.

Prayers, scripture and quotations offering support for women moving through diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer.

Beautiful prayers and reflections based on the life of this wonderful saint, the patron of expectant mothers and babies.

Ideal for family prayer.

St Gerard is the patron of expectant mothers and those who long to conceive.

This booklet includes a variety of prayers, psalms and hymns.

A popular collection of prayers and reflections for moments in the day and moments in life.

An updated version of the prayer and hymn booklet widely used at Redemptorist missions and novenas. Perfect for personal and communal prayer

Beautifully illustrated book which helps those praying the Rosary to reflect more deeply and meaningfully.

Ideal for individual, family or group prayer.

*Prices do not include postage & packaging.

COM M E N T WITH EYES WIDE OPEN JIM DEEDS

TIME TO SHOW COMPASSION

AFTER THE TRAUMAS OF THE LAST 18 MONTHS, WE NEED TO BE COMPASSIONATE WITH OTHERS AND WITH OURSELVES.

For

a couple of decades, I worked as a social worker. I spent much of that period working with young people and families who had experienced trauma. It was a privileged time. I got to meet, talk with and help some remarkable people who had been through remarkably difficult times. I worked as a member of teams in different settings.

My colleagues were good and experienced people. Many were highly committed to those they tried to help and went above and beyond in order to be a healing presence for them.

I reflected recently on the teams I worked with, particularly on how we were with each other in the face of the trauma we were all dealing with daily. When we were all working with very sad or complex life stories or with particularly disturbing examples of how bad people can be to each other, there was an extra pressure on the staff team. We became irritable. Arguments broke out, friendships and working relationships became strained, at times to breaking point.

In the heat of the busy times, people were focused on getting the work done and getting by. And so it was often only when things were quieter or more settled that these fractures appeared. We dealt with them by talking to each other and having outside people come in and help us realise that the work was not easy and could, in fact, place a heavy burden on us. Small as that burden was compared to those of the clients we helped, it was no less a reality. Both in the

staff team and when working directly with our clients, what was needed was compassion.

BEAUTIFUL WORD Compassion is a beautiful word.

It means, literally, 'to suffer with.' When we recognise the suffering in each other, we tend to be able to do what St Paul told the community in Ephesus to do when he implored them to "bear with one another with patience." Having compassion and recognising that we all know suffering in life helps us be patient, kind, and gentle towards others.

The same might also be said of ourselves. When we recognise our own suffering and hold ourselves in compassion, we can be more patient and accepting of ourselves.

The whole of our country, indeed the whole world, has experienced great difficulties and traumas of various kinds through the pandemic. We think of those who have died or have been very ill as well as their families and friends.

We think of those who have lost jobs. We think of those who have developed mental health issues or whose underlying issues have worsened. We think of the general worry and anxiety most of society has experienced.

Now society is beginning to open up again. Some of the restrictions are being lifted even as I write.

How will we emerge from the trauma? Might we be like some of those teams I used to work with and see a rise in irritability, arguments and relationship breakdowns? Or will we be able to hold ourselves and others

in compassion and be like the community in Ephesus, bearing with each other with patience, gentleness and selflessness? I pray it is the latter, and I believe that God is drawing us to hold each other in compassion. As Jesus said in Luke 6:36, "Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate."

SHORT MEDITATION In order to encourage and support myself and all who read this in developing a sense of what it is to be compassionate, I have written a short meditation.

I invite you to take a few minutes to relax and meditate. Prepare by going to a spot where you can have some quiet and alone time. Perhaps you could find a comfortable chair or somewhere to lie down. You might read this through a few times and then practice the meditation with your eyes closed. Or you might meditate as you read through these words. If that's how you're going to do it, read slowly, pausing often.

Take some deliberate and deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose. Feel the air fill your lungs. Hold each breath for a few seconds. Then let your breath out by pursing your lips and blowing.

Empty your lungs completely before breathing in deeply again.

Repeat for a while until you feel your body and mind relax.

Bring to mind an area of your life in which you know suffering.

Name it without getting too caught up in the emotion of it for now. Once named, I invite you to know that you are not alone in

that suffering. God is in it with you. Take a moment to talk to God about this area of suffering.

And then listen. In your heart, your soul, your spirit, what do you sense, feel, or hear? Who might you talk to about this who could be a compassionate companion for you?

Now call to mind one situation to which you could bring compassion for another or others in their suffering. Think about how you could express this compassion.

Is it by saying something? Or doing something? Or listening?

Commit now to being the face of compassion in that situation.

Finally, call to mind one way in which you could be more compassionate with yourself.

Perhaps you're very tough on yourself over something/s.

Perhaps you could do with some rest. Perhaps you could make an empowering decision about your life that you have put off for a while. Commit to some work of compassion for yourself.

Return now to your breath. Feel it once more. On your in-breath, you could say, "I am not alone. God suffers with me in my suffering."

On your out-breath, you could say, "I am the face of compassion to myself and others."

Continue to breathe and repeat these phrases for as long as you wish. When you're ready, end the meditation and be the expression of God's compassion in and for the world.

Belfast man Jim Deeds is a poet, author, pastoral worker and retreat-giver working across Ireland.

19

CLEMENT

CLETUS

LINUS 20

SAINTS OF THE R THE FIRST EUCHARISTIC PRAYER OF THE MASS LISTS SOME EARLY HEROES OF THE FAITH WHOSE LIVES WERE SO SIGNIFICANT THEY WERE INCLUDED BY NAME AT THE VERY HEART OF THE LITURGY.

BY MARIA HALL

The

Roman Canon (the First Eucharistic Prayer) is the oldest of the Eucharistic Prayers, dating back to the fourth century. When prayers for the liturgy were developed, the church remembered those who were significant in its growth and included them by name at the very heart of the Mass. These early martyrs were heroes.

Their relics were revered, and churches built in their honour. The lives of the apostles are familiar, but unfortunately, many details of

REALITY SUMMER 2021

the martyrs' lives have been lost in the mists of time or exist only in legend. Here are some of their stories.

LINUS St Linus was St Peter's successor, selected by Peter himself. He was ordained by Paul and was Bishop of Rome for 12 years. He is one of the only popes to be mentioned in the Bible (Claudia may have been his mother): Eubulus, Pudens, Linus and Claudia send

their greetings, and so do the other Christians. The Lord be with your Spirit.

Timothy 2:21-22 Linus was given the tremendous responsibility of continuing the growth of the new Christian church at a time when persecution, and therefore martyrdom, was always a threat. He lived through the Great Fire of Rome and the subsequent persecutions of Nero, during which Peter and Paul were martyred.

CHRYSOGONUS

LAWRENCE

LI T U R GY

ROMAN CANON PART 1

The Book of the Popes records that Linus "by direction of the blessed Peter decreed that a woman must veil her head to come into the church." His words and actions would shape the direction of Christianity, so he must have had great qualities of faith and leadership.

Some records say that Linus died a martyr, though there is no evidence for this. In 1615 a tomb was discovered in St Peter's Basilica that appeared to show his name engraved on it, but later experts think it was the surname of another man. Given that he succeeded Peter, he is likely buried somewhere close, though the tomb hasn't yet been found.

CLETUS St Cletus is also known as Anacletus. His name means 'one who has been called.'

Some early records had these names as two separate men, and Pope John XXIII only amalgamated their feast days in 1960.

Anacletus was probably called Cletus for short! The second successor to St Peter was either a Roman or Athenian, depending on which account you read. He knew Peter and was ordained by him. He continued the work of his predecessor, establishing the boundaries of 25 parishes in Rome, all governed by bishops whom he ordained.

The church was growing rapidly, and there must have been huge amounts of planning, organising and coordinating of people and buildings. Cletus established the training and structuring of bishops. He also purchased burial sites for the Christian martyrs, believing that their resting place was

important and bought space for those who would be martyred in the future. He died a martyr around 91 AD. CLEMENT Pope Clement also had a direct link to the apostles, having been ordained by St Peter.

He was the last pope of the first century. His letter to the Christians in Corinth is one of the earliest writings outside the New Testament. It is comforting to know that disputes arose even in those early days, showing that even church leaders back then were human! Clement had to assert the authority of the church elders (presbyters). He reminded the faithful that the elders were descended from the apostles and used many scripture references to back this up.

He cites Peter and Paul as examples to follow: continued on page 22

21

LIT U RGY

22

"Let us come to the most recent spiritual heroes. Let us take the noble examples furnished in our own generation. Through envy and jealousy, the greatest and most righteous pillars [of the church] have been persecuted and put to death. Let us set before our eyes the illustrious apostles. Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two but numerous labours; and when he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of glory due to him. Owing to envy, Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity, compelled to flee, and stoned."

In times of persecution, uncertainty and growth, such steadfast leadership was essential. To the early church, Clement encouraged virtues such as humility, faith, hospitality, obedience, and peace. He also encouraged believers to have hope, speaking of the joy of the resurrection: "Let us consider, beloved, how the Lord continually proves to us that there shall be a future resurrection, of which He has rendered the Lord Jesus Christ the first-fruits by raising Him from the dead. Let us contemplate, beloved, the resurrection which is at all times taking place. Day and night declare to us a resurrection. The night sinks to sleep, and the day arises; the day [again] departs, and the night comes on."

Clement was eventually imprisoned and exiled to the Crimea by Emperor Trajan. But even as a prisoner, he inspired and converted hundreds of Christians. One story says that upon his arrival, he was appalled to find the prisoners had little water and were dying.

Clement saw a small lamb standing on a hill. He followed it, and where it stopped, he dug a hole in the ground. Clear drinking water flowed forth! Clement's popularity annoyed the emperor, who had him taken out onto the Black Sea, where he was thrown overboard attached to a heavy anchor.

Seven hundred years later, Saints Cyril and Methodius were credited with discovering the relics of Clement (his body was still attached to the anchor). Cyril returned some to Rome, where they still rest at the Basilica of San Clemente.

REALITY SUMMER 2021

LAWRENCE By the time Lawrence served as a deacon in Rome, the church was in its third century.

There were an estimated seven million Christians, many of whom endured periods of persecution. Lawrence, too, would give his life for the faith.

From the days of the early popes, the church had grown into a structured, established religion. It had ordained ministers, feast days, written liturgies, vessels, vestments and property. It wasn't just attracting the poor and those from the lower classes; Christianity appealed to wealthy and educated people, too.

As a deacon, Lawrence was charged with looking after the material property of the church and giving alms to the widows, orphans, and the poor. This was a key feature of the early church. Pope Sixtus had already been arrested, and Lawrence wasn't happy that he had been left behind. By order of the prefect, Lawrence had been instructed to hand over all the riches of the church to the emperor. Instead, he distributed as much of it as he could to the poor! Then he presented the poor to the emperor, saying, "These are the real treasures of the church."

His martyrdom came only four days after that of Sixtus in 258 AD. He had angered the prefect so much that a gridiron, filled with hot coals, was prepared. Lawrence suffered tremendously but retained his sense of humour (according to legend), saying, "My flesh is roasted; turn me over and eat!"

Lawrence's life and death would leave a lasting impression on believers, and he quickly became a hugely popular saint.

Lawrence is the patron saint of chefs and comedians.

CHRYSOGONUS We know little about the life of Chrysogonus.

He was a Greek who spent his life in Rome.

He was so highly esteemed in the early church that within one hundred years of his death (around 304 AD), a church in Rome was dedicated to him. He was deemed so inspirational that his name was included in the Roman Canon, the text of the Mass itself!

So he must have done amazing things.

Different accounts record Chrysogonus as a priest, a civil servant and a Roman soldier.

But he was undoubtedly a teacher and a spiritual guide, particularly to Anastasia (also mentioned in the Roman Canon), the daughter of a Roman nobleman, married to a pagan, who was under house arrest for helping Christians. He continued to send her letters of consolation even when he was imprisoned in the great persecution of Diocletian.

Many Christians were put to death in Rome, but the emperor took Chrysogonus to Aquileia in the north of Italy and offered him a job in high public office if he renounced his faith. He didn't, and after two years in prison, he was condemned to death and beheaded.

An old priest called Zoilus retrieved his body (some accounts say he was thrown in the sea) and buried it at Zara in Dalmatia.

His remains are still venerated there though his head is in Rome.

With so few details, we may find it difficult to relate to the lives of these ancient saints.

Their names are optional in the Roman Canon and often missed out, like the women saints we have looked at before. So how can we make their inclusion meaningful?

The fact that they are named is significant.

They are real people, members of the Body of Christ, just like us. We are charged with the same duties as they were; to live good Christian lives, bear witness, and grow the Kingdom of God. In hearing their names, our prayers are joined to theirs in praising God. We could try to give faces to these names and ask their help as we follow in their footsteps.

Maria Hall is music director at St Wilfrid's Church, Preston, England. A qualified teacher, she has a Master’s from the Liturgy Centre, Maynooth and is a consultant on matters liturgical for schools and parishes. www.mariahall.org

Dance, dance wherever you may be WE MAY DELIGHT IN TRADITIONAL IRISH DANCE, NOW KNOWN WORLDWIDE THROUGH SHOWS LIKE RIVERDANCE AND LORD OF THE DANCE, BUT THE PHILIPPINES ALSO HAS WONDERFUL FOLK DANCES WHICH CELEBRATE ITS RICH HERITAGE

BY COLM MEANEY CSsR

23

The

Philippines has a wonderful heritage of folk dances, some with a Spanish flavour, others entirely indigenous (The Philippines was a 'colony' of Spain for more than 300 years, and in 2021 celebrates the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Christian faith here; the Muslim religion was in the Philippines before that). One dance is called the Tinikling (after a bird of that name). The bird has a somewhat raucous call and an unusual and ungainly gait, as it hops and skips along. And such fancy footwork is precisely what's required to dance the Tinikling. Dancers take turns hopping and twirling as, under them, four long bamboo poles are rhythmically beaten together at ankle height.

One false step, any mistimed move, would result in very bruised feet.

But the Filipinos are experts at the Tinikling and dance with a sureness of step and fluid litheness that is a joy to behold.

The Fandango of Light is an altogether unusual dance. Individual dancers carry lighted candles laced in holders on the back of their hands. Another candle is on their head. These lighted candles are exchanged with their partners as the dance proceeds. It is an exquisite display of controlled beauty and suppleness, as the dancer keeps in a delicate balance her steps and the fragile flame in her hands and atop her crown. The Fandango of Light simulates the light and flight of fireflies at dusk and dawn. It depicts the courtship of a young man to a maiden who has captured his interest.

But when it comes to courting, I think my favourite dance is the Cariñosa, probably of pre-Spanish origin. It is a lovely, touching, sometimes humorous dance-duet as the starry-eyed suitor seeks to woo the girl of his dreams. It is a delightful display of courtship choreography as the hopes and dreams, doubts and trials of love's adventure are on display. The steps, the poses, the postures, the flourishes are intriguing, and, as you watch the performance, you ride along on a veritable emotional rollercoaster.

The man looks longingly into the eyes of his beloved. She turns sideways in a (real or feigned) rebuff, not missing a beat. He flourishes his scented kerchief as the chase continues. She remains aloof, looking insouciantly into the distance as if he is not present. He pirouettes and ends on bended knee in front of her. Surely by now, her resistance has been overcome.

No, not quite yet! She opens her fan and calmly cools herself in an act of seeming disdain. This only inspires our heroic lover to even greater efforts to win his long-sought-after. The dance continues, and it's an altogether splendid portrayal of the power of love and the lengths and efforts to which we will go for its fulfilment.

A native of Limerick city where he went to school in St Clement’s College, Fr Colm Meaney first went to the Philippines as a student and has spent most of his priestly life there.

F R AT E LLI T UT TI

A BETTER KIND OF POLITICS IN CHAPTER 5 OF FRATELLI TUTTI, POPE FRANCIS ENVISIONS A POLITICS THAT IS TRULY AT THE SERVICE OF THE COMMON GOOD.

BY MICHAEL DALEY

In

24

the play A Man for All Seasons, King Henry VIII grows increasingly tired of Sir Thomas More's "silence" on the matter of his desired divorce from Queen Catherine. So, he visits More's estate in Chelsea.

As they talk, regal voices rise, and theological disputes begin.

All the while, King Henry presses More for a public statement of support to which More, in conscience, refuses.

Incensed, the king replies, "I'll have no opposition." He goes so far as to describe those politicians and priests who deny his grounds for divorce as "traitors." Then, King Henry, in an exasperated voice, shouts out my all-time favourite line from the play: "It is a deadly canker in the body politic, and I will have it out!"

King Henry is England. His whims and will are what are best for God and country. How could anyone else dare think otherwise?

Thankfully, today we live in a different political world. One person's demagogic desire for his own way – the truth be damned – always falls in the face of justice. Demonising words never change sincerely held positions.

Irrational beliefs and fears break under the weight of reason.

If only.

REALITY SUMMER 2021

YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING Going against the current and rather cynical assessment of politics as polarised, partisan, and even toxic, Pope Francis' new encyclical Fratelli Tutti (Chapter 5) envisions a better kind of politics or, as he says, "one truly at the service of the common good."

What threatens this goal are distortions of populism and liberalism. Populism is nothing new. There have been historical expressions of it, but also current ones as well. Francis laments that today, "popular" and "people" have been separated, making collective aspirations difficult to voice and even harder to achieve. For Francis, populism and popular leaders can lead and unite people offering "an enduring vision of transformation and growth that would also include making room for others in the pursuit of the common good."

But, unfortunately, far too often, preying on peoples' fears and anxieties, populist leaders have manipulated and exploited "a people's culture, under whatever ideological banner, for their own personal advantage or continuing grip on power.

Or when, at other times, they seek popularity by appealing to the basest and most selfish

inclinations of certain sectors of the population" (#159).

In the process, the word "people" is distorted. Rather than unify, it becomes exclusive and divisive, leading to a focus on narrow, short-term goals. For Francis, "A living and dynamic people, a people with a future, is one constantly open to a new synthesis through its ability to welcome differences. In this way, it does not deny its proper identity, but is open to being mobilised, challenged, broadened and enriched by others, and thus to further growth and development" (#160).

Likewise, Francis expresses an appreciation for liberalism with its emphasis on freedom, human rights, personal autonomy, and education. However, he is concerned about the loss of a shared narrative honouring the dignity of all persons. In its absence, pride of place is given to the technocratic paradigm and the market. Francis warns: "The marketplace, by itself, cannot resolve every problem, however much we believe this dogma of neoliberal faith. Whatever the challenge, this impoverished and repetitive school of thought always offers the same recipes.

Neoliberalism simply reproduces itself by resorting to the magic

theories of 'spillover' or 'trickle'– without using the name–as the only solution to societal problems" (#168).

INTERDEPENDENT AWARENESS AND INTERNATIONAL OPENNESS Rather than respond more collectively, creatively, and justly to the financial crisis of 2007-08, many nations and persons sought refuge in "greater individualism, less integration and increased freedom for the truly powerful" (#170).

In response, Georgetown University professor and author of the recent book Humanity in Crisis: Ethical and Religious Response to Refugees, Fr David Hollenbach SJ, stresses that "We need to recognise that we are deeply interdependent on each other–economically, environmentally, and for our health. This means that the good of each person is shared with others–a common good."

Here Pope Francis speaks out strongly in favour of international institutions– specifically the United Nations– as instruments advocating for and protecting global fraternity and solidarity. Continuing this line of thinking, Hollenbach affirms: "Global instiutions are needed to respond to the global interdependence that is a fact of our time. Without such international institutions we will not be able to respond adequately to the international challenges that we face."

CHARITY: THE POLITICS WE NEED When it comes to politics, Pope Francis is no naïve idealist

unaware of the real world. He admits that for many people, "politics is a distasteful word, often due to mistakes, corruption and inefficiency. There are also attempts to discredit politics, to replace it with economics or to twist it to one ideology or another" (#176).

Francis offers a vision of politics that focuses on the long-term common go o d, fo cusing especially on those who will come after us. Quoting from his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, Francis appeals "for a renewed appreciation of politics as a 'lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity, inasmuch as it seeks the common good'" (#180).

In this regard, there can be no real separation between personal and political charity. Francis illustrates this with an example: Helping an elderly person cross

a river is a fine act of personal charity. Similarly, the politician can build a bridge. That is an act of political charity. Francis links the two: "While one person can help another by providing something to eat, the politician creates a job for that other person, and thus practices a lofty form of charity that ennobles his or her political activity" (#186).

Whatever the form of charity, it should be mindful first and foremost of those in greatest need. Here, Francis twins solidarity–concern for the dignity and unity of all persons– with subsidiarity–allowing those at the most local and immediate levels of concern a voice and participatory role in society.

Finally, there is no such thing as politics without politicians.

As caricatured as they may be, Pope Francis conveys a deep appreciation for politicians and

the constructive role they play in society. Indeed, their greatest role may be that of mediating conversation: "Even as forms of fanaticism, closemindedness and social and cultural fragmentation proliferate in present-day society, a good politician will take the first step and insist that different voices be heard" (#191).

In the "dog eat dog," "winner take all" world of politics, Francis closes his consideration of politics with a word often not spoken or allowed–tenderness.

Going against the advice of political consultants and analysts, Francis suggests that "politics is something more noble than posturing, marketing and media spin. These sow nothing but division, conflict and a bleak cynicism incapable of mobilising people to pursue a common goal" (#197). Tenderness allows for the recognition of each

person's holiness, which makes them deserving of love.

Ultimately, fruitfulness is to be valued over results. Programmes may fail, but relationships will linger, which over time will allow risks to be taken on behalf of others. Hollenbach echoes this sentiment when he remarks, "The good of each person is increasingly the good of 'us' rather than just 'me.' Helping young people see this will be essential to the renewal of public service. We also need to create new ways for young people to pursue public service when they seek to do so."

Michael Daley is a teacher and writer from Cincinnati, Ohio, where he lives with his wife June and their three children. His latest book, co-authored with scripture scholar, Sr Diane Bergant, is Take and Read: Christian Writers Reflect on Life’s Most Influential Books (Apocryphile Press).

25

ME A N D MY G O D

ME AND MY GOD In a new series, contributors reflect on their understanding of God and how it has evolved.

AFTER YEARS OF STRUGGLING IN THE WILDERNESS, I CAME ACROSS A DEFINITION OF GOD THAT MADE SENSE TO ME, MUCH SENSE.

BY JOHN J. Ó RÍORDÁIN CSsR

Pádraig

26

Ó hIcí was a friend and neighbour whom I knew to be a good, honourable man and a committed Catholic.

Over the years when we occasionally met, Pádraig had a question or two relating to church affairs, and rarely off the agenda was his obsession with "the hairy old man with the beard" – a reference to an image of God the Father that overarched the Holy Family in a picture that hung in Cullen National School. Despite urging Pádraig to upgrade his religious iconography, I can't say that I disagreed with his sentiments, for the truth is that a similar image in Kiskeam school had embedded itself in my own subconscious.

Growing up in the 1940s and 50s, Catholic life was guided mainly by 'rule morality.' That system categorised behavioural transgressions into mortal and venial sins, major and minor infringements of the rule.

It operated fairly smoothly during childhood – stealing a biscuit was one thing; stealing the whole box was something else. But rule morality became more problematic with the onset

REALITY SUMMER 2021

of puberty, particularly since a very learned Spanish theologian propounded the idea that in sexual transgressions, there were no great or small categories; every infringement was 'mortal'.

While rule morality was important, it took second place to the rich faith-life of the community expressed in Sunday Mass, sacramental life, family rosary, and an ever-ready helping hand for the neighbour in need. The parish priest would occasionally invite strange priests called missioners to shake up the community through a week of preaching. These missioners were no grá mo chroí chat over the half-door clergy, but hard-line, no-nonsense professionals. They were engaging preachers, strict in the confessional, and enjoyed a reputation for holiness. In the providence of God, in the year 1950, I became a recruit of these hard-line missioners and signed up as a 13-year-old first-year boarder at the Redemptorist Juniorate in Limerick.

UNQUESTIONING CERTAINTY My mother died four years after my ordination, eternal life to her.

At that time, I was 30 years of age and still comfortable in my

childhood faith. I shed tears at her all-too-sudden passing but rejoiced at her entry into glory.

She was a saint surely, and I lived in the unquestioning certainty of being reunited with her in that wonderful assembly we call the Communion of Saints.

All that was in April 1967, and at the time, I was a member of the Redemptorist community at Mt St Alphonsus, Limerick, tasked with teaching catechetics (disguised as sociology) in the electrical engineering school in the city.

One day in the catechetics class, I was treating of Moses in the desert and how God spoke to him from the burning bush.

A student raised his hand and inquired if God had actually spoken to Moses and in what language. A doubt suddenly flashed across my mind as I hesitatingly answered, "Yes, God

did actually speak to Moses in human language." And with that hesitant 'yes', my whole fundamentalist childhood faith came crashing down around me.

Although I did not realise it at the time, it was now my turn for a desert experience.

Fortunately, I had heard somewhere that in the event of having difficulty with the faith, the received wisdom was that rather than giving up on practice, it would be better to let oneself be carried on the shoulders of the believing community, so to speak. And that is how I lived for a couple of decades in the wilderness: a confused agnostic hitching a lift from the faith-full community, borne along by a 'cloud of witnesses.'

True, I envied people that had no doubts about the faith, but not to the extent of wishing to change places with them. I felt

their own search for meaning and doing so in language that engaged them.

that they, too, were missing out on something. The journey back from the desert was not by any road to Damascus. It is a journey in process, frequently pausing along the way to pray Neuman's 'Lead Kindly Light'.

Lonergan spoke not of God but of "that which we call God." The expression made sense to me, much sense. I felt that I could now speak to people with some confidence about 'that which we call God.'

In the event of having difficulty with the faith, the received wisdom was that rather than giving up on practice, it would be better to let oneself be carried on the shoulders of the believing community, so to speak.

The question of meaning repeatedly surfaced in my mind.

I am not a speculative thinker by any manner of means, but as my father used to say reflectively, "I do be pondering." In addressing the Mystery of God, the Canadian theologian Bernard

Shortly afterwards, at a hotel wedding reception, as I expounded a little on Lonergan's phrase, out of the corner of my eye I noticed several men slip in from the bar to listen more attentively. It seems that the phrase was connecting with

HEALING BALM In my wilderness experience, so to speak, I never parted company with the prayers and practices of earlier years, ragged and all as they often were. Nor did I cease to pray the language of praise and thanksgiving.

I remember bringing my bundle of contradictions to Fr Seán O'Riordan, a wise and wonderful Redemptorist confrère. I told him that I had no problems with Jesus or the church, nor even with Pádraig Ó hIcí's "hairy old man with the beard." My concern was the very existence of God, cleanshaven or otherwise. Even after asking him the silliest of questions, Fr Seán's response always contained healing balm, and from that, I was not excluded. He emphasised that we Christians live in joyful hope rather than on tangible certainties, or words to that effect.

Attempting to describe the Mystery of God in human language is beyond us, even beyond Jesus in his humanity, as Saunders Lewis, the Welsh poet, reminds us: How poor is man, how childish his imagination, 'In my father's house are many mansions, As poor as ourselves, his genius as limited in the days of his selfemptying.

As my life with the Mystery of God evolves, I find myself relating more directly to Jesus, who is Lord. From him, I seek

mercy and forgiveness through sl owly and thoughtf ully reciting the Jesus Prayer: "Lord – Jesus – Christ – Son of God – have mercy on me, a sinner."

That prayer, and other short invocations such as "Oh God, come to our aid; O Lord make haste to help me," or Kyrie Eleison or the Sign of the Cross, or the Glory Be, are so full of richness, and their brevity keeps pace with my short-term memory. I also find nourishment, particularly in the Christological hymns, the Passion Narratives, Matthew's Beatitudes, and selected poems, music, and readings.

Since “love drives out fear,” my desire is to love rather than fear God – with or without the hirsute appendages. I pray that the love of the Lord Jesus will heal those of God's people smitten by the abruptness or intolerance of a sometimes arrogant or hardline missioner.

St Patrick, the national apostle, is quoted as saying that the Irish should have two expressions on their lips, Kyrie Eleison and Deo Gratias, 'Lord have Mercy' and 'Thanks be to God'. May the God of mercy and forgiveness unite us in the Mystery of Love. Amen.

John J. Ó Ríordáin CSsR is a member of the Redemptorist Community in Limerick and has written extensively on early Irish and Scottish Christianity. He is also author of a memoir Before the Night Grows Late.

27

F E AT U R E

MY FAITH MEANS

EVERYTHING AS SHE PREPARES FOR THIS SUMMER'S OLYMPICS IN TOKYO, IRELAND'S ELENA TICE SPEAKS ABOUT THE CENTRAL ROLE GOD PLAYS IN HER LIFE.

BY JOHN SCALLY

Across 28

the sporting world, excitement is mounting about the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo. Interest is heightened because the Games were originally scheduled for last year but were one of the many casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For one young Irish woman, the Olympics will be the fulfilment of a life-long dream. Elena Tice was a prodigy. By age five, she was out the back with her father and older brothers hitting, kicking and playing cricket, soccer and then hockey. At 13, she became the second-youngest player in the history of cricket, male or female, to play in a oneday international. Four years later, Elena made her senior international debut for Ireland's women's hockey team. She has also excelled academically, winning a scholarship to study economics at UCD.

“They feel every high and low with me, especially my Mum. She goes through all the emotions with me because she would be the first person I call when it’s tough and probably the first person I call when it’s great as well. They've taught me a lot and ultimately just say they don't care about success or what happens on the pitch. They're more concerned about my character, and that's obviously a wonderful encouragement.”

Elena's successes have only been possible because of great sacrifice.

“You don’t just miss out on weddings or holidays with your best friends without even thinking about it. They're sacrifices. I have been doing this for a long time, and thinking about all the years I've played international sport does make me feel tired.

"But I wouldn't change it — missing out on

My faith is a massive part of my life. It’s the biggest part of my life. It’s more important than hockey and more important than Tokyo or World Cups.

It's lasting, and it doesn't change.

Elena grew up in a very supportive family.

“I was fortunate as well because my Dad just treated me like one of my brothers. He put so much time into my sport and not in a pushy way, but just being incredibly attentive and committed.

My brothers, as well. They are as big a part of it as anyone. We just spent hours and hours and hours outside playing. I have an amazingly supportive family.

REALITY SUMMER 2021

stuff — because I know every single one of those sacrifices, when I was training or in the gym and wasn't on holiday or doing whatever everyone else my age was doing, have led me to where I am today. I don't deny it's difficult, but no way would I change it because it's what I've chosen to do. It's what I've wanted to do.

“And then you achieve something that is beyond everything you've ever dreamt of, when

we reached the World Cup final in 2018. At that moment, everything seems worth it. It kind of justifies it. I'll never forget it. I was just hugging my Mum and Dad and crying inconsolably. It was just such a blessing, and I have to be thankful to the Lord I got to experience it. So many people worked hard to make that happen, and I was just fortunate to be there.”

OLYMPIC HOPES Elena's main preoccupation is not looking back at past glories but creating new memories. The Tokyo Olympics are currently monopolising her attention.

“This is the biggest tournament in my life, in our lives," Elena stresses. ”You reach the peak of your dreams, like the World Cup in London was obviously more than we could have ever asked for or imagined, but it does come and go very quickly, and you have to move on.

All you can think about is the next thing.

“I was probably five years old when I said I wanted to go to an Olympics, and that hasn't changed. When I was in school and watched

the team miss out on Rio qualification on one-v-ones against China, I remember thinking I can't even imagine what those girls are feeling right now, but that put the fire in my belly. I just thought, I want to be part of that team. That dream.”

She finds it hard to stop thinking about Tokyo.

“I would be lying if I said I didn't think about Tokyo every day. It's such a massive goal. We have to make sure we nail this in Tokyo and give ourselves the best possible chance to perform. I'm hungrier than ever.

It's so incredible to be one small cog in this Irish women's hockey wheel moving towards Tokyo and being part of that. I won't stop now, not until we get there.”

Elena is dreaming big.

“I've big aspirations with this amazing team I play for. One day I'll have to move on but I have a lot left in me. Hopefully it all – the harder days, the setbacks and the experiences – have made me a bit stronger and a bit tougher. I'd like to think I can push

on through the next set of barriers and push on with this team. That's why we do it."

IMPORTANCE OF FAITH Playing in the World Cup final was a joyous experience for Elena. Her reaction to reaching the final wasn’t typical. She tweeted: All the 5:30 alarms, all the freezing nights, all the blood, sweat and tears.

All of it. And now, tomorrow, we will play in the World Cup final #GreenArmy #Phillipians4:13. ('I can do all this through him who gives me strength.')

On the morning of each game, Elena drew a cross on her left forearm and, for the final, she wore a white wristband with a black cross as a representation of her faith, a reminder of her biggest motivator and a source of reassurance in the biggest game of her young career.

“My faith is a massive part of my life. It’s the biggest part of my life. It’s more important than hockey and more important than Tokyo or World Cups. It's lasting, and it doesn't

change. God’s love for me doesn't change if I do well or I don't do well, and that's what's amazing about it.

“It gives you a different perspective, I suppose. I try and think about how I can honour God in the way I play instead of just thinking about competing with people around me. It's the biggest motivator to work hard. I feel like I've been given these gifts to be able to play sport. It's a blessing to have all these opportunities, and therefore I want to work as hard as I can to use these gifts to glorify God. Unlike hockey, which will come and go, my faith will sustain me and is lasting.”

Her religious faith helps Elena through her dark days.

“Through the tough days, through the peaks and troughs, through the moments of self-doubt, I can lean on my faith. I feel connected to something larger than myself, not just through my Christianity, but being part of a dressing room with an enviable bond.

“I spend a lot of time praying before games and not just for myself but my teammates as well. It's a reassurance that you're not alone out there on the field, that the Lord has you in his hands, and he's guiding you too. I don't know if I call it an edge, but it gives you a sense of peace and takes a bit of the anxiety away. I get quite nervous around games, so I lean on my faith at those times.

“It allows you to have joy even when it's not going well. My family are really strong Christians, and they give me a lot of guidance and support. When I say really difficult times, it's still enjoyable. We love what we do, but I always have my faith and can always just lean on the Lord and turn to my Bible when times are difficult. With God by my side, I can face the future with confidence both on and off the field.”

John Scally teaches theology at Trinity College, Dublin. He has a special interest in the areas of ethics and history.

29

Are you enjoying this issue of Reality?

Would you like to receive Reality on a regular basis?

L ANNUATION* IP SUBSCR ONLY

€25/£20

Taking a subscription ensures Reality magazine is delivered to your door every month instead of calling to a church or a shop in the hope that you will find it there.

Each issue is packed with articles to inform, inspire and challenge you as a Catholic today.

A one year subscription to REALITY magazine is just €25 or £20 No extra charge for postage and packing HOW TO ORDER: Phone 01 492 2488 • Email sales@redcoms.org • Online www.redcoms.org Post Complete the order form below and return it to: Redemptorist Communications, St Joseph’s Monastery, Dundalk, Co Louth, A91 F3FC

ORDER FORM:

Yes, I would like to subscribe to REALITY.Please send me a copy of ‘VISITS TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT’ PAYMENT DETAILS | Please tick

OPTION A:

I wish to pay by credit card

FREE!

With every subscription

one of the following options:

VISA

MASTERCARD

Valid from:

LASER

Valid to: CVC

OPTION B:

I wish to pay by cheque

OPTION C:

Existing account holders only:

PLEASE NOTE THAT CHEQUES MUST BE MADE PAYABLE TO “REDEMPTORIST COMMUNICATIONS”

I enclose a cheque for:

Please bill my account at the address below.

My account number is:

Name

Phone

Address

Email Signed

*SUBSCRIPTION RATES ARE: • €25 (ROI) • £20 (NI) • £30 (UK) • €40 (Europe) • €50 (International)

COM M E N T FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS CARMEL WYNNE

ARE YOU DESENSITISED TO EMOTIONAL ABUSE?

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THE SNIDE REMARK, THE CRITICAL COMMENT, OR DEMEANING JOKES THAT LEAVE ANOTHER PERSON FEELING DISRESPECTED AND ABUSED. On the day of his inauguration, President Joe Biden told his staff, "If you're ever working with me and I hear you treat another with disrespect, talking down to someone, I will fire you on the spot.

No ifs, ands, or buts."

Contrast his approach with the acceptance in Irish society of the 'put down,' which is often experienced as verbally or emotionally abusive.

Of course, there are differences in communication styles, but those differences should never be an excuse for the snide remark, the critical comment, the name-calling and demeaning jokes that leave a person feeling disrespected and verbally or emotionally abused.

The signs of emotional abuse are subtle and more difficult to detect than physical abuse. Some scars from domestic abuse are visible.

Bruising, broken bones, cuts and other physical injuries leave marks on bodies. Victims of 'put downs' and verbal abuse suffer emotional scars that are not visible to the eye but cause trauma such as sleepless nights and diminished self-confidence, eroded self-esteem and a loss of a sense of self-worth.

There is a subtlety to emotional abuse, which is one reason why it often goes undetected even by the victims themselves. Hurtful words and ridicule, disguised as jokes or banter, can be a form of emotionally abusive behaviour.

No form of abuse should ever be tolerated.

Say, for example, that everyone in the family thinks Alex is a funny man. It's well known that there are

times when he goes too far. He has a way of poking fun at his wife Jenny, and initially, it's hilarious. It's not so funny when Jenny tells Alex that he is hurting her feelings.

The general ignorance of the traumatic effects of verbal and emotional abuse may explain why Jenny's family members laugh or remain silent rather than challenge her abuser. The wrong belief that it is 'fun' may explain why people who love them both remain silent.

Alex did what abusers do to their victims. He ignored the plea to stop, and he cleverly manipulated the situation to make Jenny look as if she were at fault. He made her believe that she lacked a sense of humour and was far too serious for her own good. In social situations, it's not possible for her to avoid Alex. To create a safe distance between them, she has become skilled at evasive manoeuvres such as acting busy, tuning out and withdrawing from the interaction.

'Funny guys' like Alex need to face reality. To ignore someone's request is at best being insensitive,

at worst abusive. Jenny may not think of herself as a victim. Alex may deny that he engaged in abusive behaviour. What cannot be challenged is that Alex did what perpetrators of abuse do – manipulate the victim into believing it's their fault.

Some perpetrators of verbal and emotional abuse act out of ignorance, unaware of the hurt they cause. They genuinely believe that the way they poke fun at others is simply a bit of harmless banter; that people who fail to see it that way have no sense of humour. The fear of being the 'butt of the next joke' silences others into accepting unacceptable behaviour.

A lack of insight into how 'put downs', name-calling and 'hilarious jokes' are experienced as demeaning, hurtful and toxic is not an acceptable excuse. There is a wrong belief that if you and I speak the same language, then we will both attach the identical meaning to the words we use. We don't. Body language, eye contact,

facial expressions and tone of voice play a major role in the non-verbal communication that delivers the whole communication.

People in loving families can be desensitised to verbal abuse and the emotional pain it inflicts. They can truthfully state that it was never their intention to inflict any type of pain and feel validated in becoming defensive if they are accused of causing hurt. Perception is reality.

Tears can be perceived as a sign of hurt, a genuine outpouring of grief or a manipulation to achieve an outcome.

I'm making an educated guess that Joe Biden refrained from using terms like 'verbally or emotionally abusive' because he had a clear and unambiguous message: you will be sacked if you speak in a way that makes a member of staff feel disrespected.

Perhaps you mean no harm with a 'put down' or joke. What if you wrongly believe someone is over-sensitive, but they are not?

Wouldn't it be awful to discover that you are the one who lacks sensitivity, that you have failed to pick up on a reaction rather than a response? Making wrong assumptions is easier than most of us recognise.

Carmel Wynne is a life and work skills coach and lives in Dublin. For more information, visit www.carmelwynne.org

31

FE AT U R E

THE SPIRITUAL LEGACY OF

32

John McGahern ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE FROM THE NORTHWEST MIDLANDS OF IRELAND, OR INDEED EVEN TO BE IRISH, TO RELATE TO THE CHARACTERS, PLACES AND RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENT THAT JOHN McGAHERN EVOKES IN HIS WRITINGS.

BY EAMON MAHER

Readers

of John McGahern’s Memoir, published in 2005, the year before his death, if they had not read his novels and the accounts of what he suffered at the hands of the Catholic Church, especially after the banning of his second novel, The Dark, in 1965, which led to

REALITY SUMMER 2021

his losing his job as a primary school teacher in Belgrove, Clontarf, could be excused for thinking that he had a relatively benign view of the role that religion played in his life. It is true that the strong spirituality of his mother, a devout Catholic who spoke movingly of an all-loving God and whose faith sustained her

when she contracted cancer, left a lasting imprint on her firstborn, John, who was just ten at the time she died. He retained fond memories of the stories she would tell him as they walked hand in hand to the primary school where she worked, and he was a pupil.

She used to name the birds, plants and other

elements of the natural environment to her enthralled son, who only felt true happiness when he was in her company. She shared her zest for life with her children: "At Easter my mother always showed us the sun. 'Look at how the molten globe and all the glittering rays are dancing! The whole of heaven is dancing in its joy that Christ has risen.'''

Therefore, one can imagine how great an uprooting it was when, shortly before their mother's death, McGahern and his siblings had to move from the family home in Leitrim to the Garda barracks in Cootehall, where Francis, their father, was stationed at the time. The transition could not have been much more traumatic: in the barracks, they had to endure the authoritarian, selfobsessed father whose violent outbursts left psychological scars that were worse than any physical pain inflicted on them. McGahern was of the view that the beatings that he and others were exposed to at home and in school were somehow condoned by the church and Irish society at the time: Authority's writ ran from God the Father down and could not be questioned.

Violence reigned as often as not in the homes as well. One of the compounds at its base was sexual sickness and frustration, as sex was seen, officially, as unclean and sinful, allowable only when it too was licensed.

PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY A recurring trope in McGahern's work is the sexual excitement that men like his father got from inflicting pain on children. Ireland in the 1930s and 40s was a patriarchal society, controlled to a high degree by the church, with able assistance from politicians, the Garda Síochána, teachers and fathers – the vast majority of whom were male. We know how this led to the incarceration of girls and young women in mother and baby homes and the Magdalene Laundries, and to boys being sent to industrial schools, which were run by the Catholic Church and where terrible trauma was visited on thousands of inmates, most of whom had not committed any real crime. This was the unsavoury side of church

and state in Ireland at that time, embodied in the person of Francis McGahern, who was almost the complete opposite of his wife: His upbringing was as an only child. He was religious too, but his religion was of outward show, of pomp and power, edicts and strictures, enforcements and observances and all the exactions they demanded. In his shining uniform, he always walked with slow steps to the head of the church to kneel in the front seat. She would slip quietly into one of the seats at the back.

The contrast is stark between a man who used religion to emphasise his social and moral superiority and a woman who truly loved religious rituals and often visited the church to be in the presence of God. There is no doubt as to which form of religion appealed more to McGahern.

In a wide-ranging interview he did with me over two decades ago, the writer explained his attachment to the Catholic faith.

He described the church as being his 'first book' and his most important book. By this he meant that the stories of the Gospel, the smell of incense in the church, the ornate vestments worn by the priests, the beautifully decorated altars, with flowers specially picked for various feasts, the pictures on the stain glass windows or the Stations of the Cross, all appealed to the budding writer's aesthetic sensibility. He also had fond memories of the fire and brimstone sermons given by the Redemptorists during parish missions. They offered diversion from the daily grind of life in rural Ireland and were enjoyed as colourful, dramatic interludes.

In a sense, McGahern immortalises the customs and practices of his native Leitrim/ Roscommon at a time when religion played an extremely important role in the lives of the inhabitants of that area. His evocation of place is particularly impressive: Aughawillan church is small and plain and was built in 1869. All around it is a gravel walk and the graves and

headstones of the parishioners. The bell had fallen and rested on the grass beside the main door. The church was about a mile from Corramahon, and we walked to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day, past Brady's pool, across the railway bridge, up the hill past Mahon's shop, and the same distance again beyond the school.

SPECIAL ATMOSPHERE Aughawillan cemetery is where McGahern now rests alongside his beloved mother. I have visited it on two occasions, and it has a special atmosphere. The references to local landmarks like Corramahon, Brady's pool, the railway bridge, Mahon's shop, enable the reader to follow the footsteps of mother and son on their way to Mass. Some of the backdrop has undoubtedly changed, but much is still as it would have been seven or eight decades ago, when religious practice gave people a taste of the transcendent.

He described the church as being his 'first book' and his most important book In McGahern's first novel, The Barracks, published in 1963, the middle-aged main character Elizabeth Reegan discovers that she has cancer, which, as a trained nurse, she fears may well be fatal. Her husband, a sergeant in the Garda Síochána, is horrified at the thought of losing a second wife and being left to look after the children from his first marriage on his own. Elizabeth knows she will have to face death without any great support from those around her, including her husband. Although not particularly religious, she occasionally drops into the church for moments of quiet meditation. She knows better than to pray for her problems to disappear: "There were no answers … She'd no business to be in the church except she loved it and it was quiet."

Early in her marriage, she resisted the attempts of the parish priest to enlist her services for the local branch of the Legion of Mary – as the sergeant's wife, it would have

33

34

been considered normal for her to accede to the priest's request – which gained for her a certain notoriety in the local community.

Whereas she was occasionally reluctant to defer to priests, she also had a rich spiritual

many of us, Catholicism was the language of our youth, and it remains embedded in our souls even when doubts about doctrine and faith may cause us to abandon formal religious practice.

Elizabeth undergoes an epiphany one wintry morning when she raises the blinds and truly sees the beauty of the landscape for the first time.

"Jesus Christ" is all she can mutter to express her amazement at never having noticed the wonder that was in front of her eyes during all the years she had lived in the barracks. Her appreciation is heightened by the knowledge of her upcoming death and the wistfulness that the thought of leaving all this behind instils in her.

There is a gentleness and authenticity to his writing that give his words a universal resonance life which is seen in her appreciation of religious ceremonies: She'd been brought up in the fear of God but what remained most powerful in the memory was the church services, always beautiful, especially in Holy Week; witnessed so often in the same unchanging pattern that they didn't come in broken collections, but flowed before the mind with the calm and grace and reassurance of all ritual…

McGahern captures in these lines feelings that those among us of a certain age can identify with: the timeless, repeated, lived experience that Catholicism imbues in those born and bred into that belief system. For REALITY SUMMER 2021

UNIVERSAL RESONANCE Every time I read John McGahern's work, I feel as though he is not just recounting his own truth but also what is most personal to me. There is a gentleness and authenticity to his writing that give his words a universal resonance. One does not have to be from the northwest midlands of Ireland, or indeed even to be Irish, to relate to the characters, places and religious environment that he evokes.

In Memoir, written at a time when he, like Elizabeth Reegan, knew that he had not long to live, he wrote these immortal lines: "We grow into a love of the world, a love that is all the more precious and poignant because the great glory of which we are but a particle is lost almost as soon as it is gathered."

It is important to seize the moment, to appreciate what we have before it is taken from us. The Gospel tells us that we know neither the day nor the hour, and hence we should be in a state of constant attentiveness to the wonder that is nature, people, life, and, for some of us, God. McGahern knew that, and we should all learn from the insights he provides in his inimitable writing.

Eamon Maher is director of the National Centre for Franco-Irish Studies in TU Dublin and a regular contributor to Reality.

F E AT U R E

35

IDENTIFYING A SYNODAL PATHWAY LESSONS FROM THE SYNOD OF THURLES AS WE PREPARE FOR THE NATIONAL SYNOD WHICH LIES AHEAD, WHAT MIGHT WE LEARN FROM THE LAST GREAT SYNOD OF THE IRISH CHURCH WHICH TOOK PLACE IN 1850?

BY SALVADOR RYAN

On

March 10 last, the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference announced their intention to convene a National Synodal Assembly within the next five years, to be preceded by a period of consultation called a Synodal Pathway. This will involve the calling of parish and diocesan meetings, the completion of questionnaires, consultation with focus groups, the use of deep-listening sessions,

among other means of surveying the most pressing issues facing the church in Ireland today.

As we prepare for the national synod which lies ahead, it is always useful to look to the past and to see how previous national synods operated, the kinds of questions they raised, and the reforms they implemented. Last year marked the 170th anniversary of one of the most famous of these, the Synod

of Thurles, which met in 1850, and which, for some historians at least, is shorthand for the transformation of Irish Catholicism in what has become most commonly known as the 'Devotional Revolution.'

The term itself comes from an important article written in 1972 by the American historian Emmet Larkin, which argued that this transformation of Irish Catholicism, beginning in the years immediately

after the Famine, would, by the later part of the century, turn the Irish into 'practicing Catholics.' For Larkin, this was very much a topdown development, being in large part attributable to the leadership of Paul Cullen, archbishop of Armagh from 1849, and Dublin from 1852, and later Ireland's first cardinal. Central to Cullen's vision was the re-appropriation of space, accompanied by a flurry of church continued on page 36

F E AT U R E

36

building, to wean people away from domestic religious practices whose more proper location was the church and, in turn, to reverse a worrying trend among Ireland's pre-Famine population, which involved the practice of many forms of traditional religion outside of church settings and beyond the supervision of the clergy. On the face of it, it seemed that Cullen's efforts bore fruit. One of the most remarkable elements of religious change, according to Larkin, was an increase in Mass attendance, from about 40 per cent on the eve of the Famine to over 90 per cent some 50 years later.

It was Cullen who would call the Synod of Thurles in 1850. While some efforts had been made to call a national synod in the earlier part of the century, Rome had been unsupportive of the idea. However, this time, they had their own man leading the way; Cullen was not just Archbishop of Armagh, he was also a legate, or representative, of the Holy See to the Irish church. The Synod of Thurles would be the first national synod in Ireland since the 17th century.

FRAUGHT PERIOD The synod convened at a particularly fraught period for the Irish church, with a hierarchy bitterly divided over whether approval should be given for Catholics to attend the newly established Queen's Colleges, dismissed by some as the 'Godless colleges' because of their non-denominational status. In fact, it seems that Cullen chose Thurles as a location for the synod because he was impressed by Archbishop Michael Slattery of Cashel, who had recently criticised some priests who had gathered for the opening of Cork's Queen's College. While Cullen REALITY SUMMER 2021

would push for the condemnation of the colleges, other influential members of the hierarchy, such as Archbishop Daniel Murray of Dublin, vigorously defended them, arguing that they offered the only opportunity for Catholics to enter higher education, and pointing to the very definitely denominational Trinity College Dublin, which was a bastion of Protestantism, as a far less attractive alternative. The bishops were so divided on the issue that the condemnation of the colleges passed by only a single vote at the synod. The reality, of course, was that some 400 Irish Catholics were already attending the colleges and would continue to be supported in doing so by a number of bishops.

In attendance at the synod were the four archbishops and 20 out of 23 of the other bishops. There were also six provincials of the regular clergy, the visitor of the congregation of the missions (Vincentians), and the abbot of Mount Mellary; and each had one vote. Two sessions were held each day (morning and afternoon), except Sundays.

Decisions were made by majority vote in the afternoons.

Proselytism was one of the burning issues of the day when the synod met. To counteract this, it was decreed that good preachers were to be sent into areas where the proselytisers were at work. Missions

by Jesuits or Vincentians were to be established as well as sodalities to shore up the defences of the Catholic laity. Good Catholic books were also to be circulated among the laity, and approved, orthodox popular devotions encouraged.

Various classes of people were seen to be at particular risk: Catholic servants in Protestant households, Catholics in the army or the navy, and also Catholics about to

Archbishop of Armagh, Paul Cullen

Cullen was not just Archbishop of Armagh, he was also a legate, or representative, of the Holy See to the Irish church emigrate. Furthermore, Catholics were forbidden to assist at the sermons or services of so-called 'heretics.'

ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS Regarding the sacraments, the synod ruled that their administration should take place in churches and not private houses, as had become the practice for many of the sacraments during the days of persecution – especially baptism, penance and matrimony. There was some resistance to outlawing the celebration of sacraments in private homes. Archbishop Slattery of Cashel, for one, was not in favour

of the complete proscription of this practice. Cullen became quite frustrated with Slattery and, in one letter, stated that "he is almost the only bishop ... who has done nothing about what was prescribed in the Synod of Thurles ... Baptisms and confessions remain as they formerly were, and they also celebrate marriages in private houses."

The Irish practice of the 'station' Masses was also subject to special scrutiny, especially as it routinely involved the hearing of confessions of men and women without use of a confessional. In particular, the synod was gravely concerned about the hearing of women's confessions in private houses. Confessions were

to be heard in churches, or at least in places where the doors were left open in fitting fashion. Archbishop Cullen was not satisfied with this and pressed for confessions of women to be heard solely in the confessional.

It was finally agreed that this would be the norm, except in cases of great necessity.

Rome, too, was worried about priests hearing women's confessions in domestic settings and eventually asked that, if it were absolutely necessary to do so, a fairly bulky portable screen should be carried to the houses in question. Cullen was tasked with 'selling' this idea to the other bishops and priests, many of whom considered it an extreme measure. Indeed, when the newly appointed coadjutor in Kerry, David Moriarty, presented the idea to his priests, there were some choice comments about the prospect of transporting bulky confessional screens to some of the areas they routinely visited for station Masses.

There were other reasons for discouraging the practice of Mass in private houses. These concerned abuses associated with the practice, such as clergy seeking large offerings of money and sometimes receiving as much as £40 in a single collection from those gathered at the event.

The synod emphasised that sacraments were never to be denied to people who could not make an offering for them. Above all, no offerings were to be accepted on the occasion of the administration of the last rites.

The synod also made a significant intervention on the issue of mixed marriages, stating that in future a dispensation from the Holy See was needed, and guarantees had to be given that the Catholic party could continue to practise the faith, that the children would be

brought up in the Catholic faith, and that the ceremony would be performed without any sacred rites.

A dispensation from the Holy See was not required in England (the first provincial synod of Westminster in 1852 thought it sufficient for a priest to grant the dispensation), and wealthier Irish Catholics, seeking to avail themselves of the less harsh discipline, often travelled to England if they wished to marry a Protestant. The legislation laid down at the Synod of Thurles anticipated by more than 50 years the universal teaching of the church as laid down in the Ne Temere decree of 1908 issued by Pope Pius X. In practice, though, the legislation passed at Thurles was regularly ignored. It was not uncommon for boys to be brought up in the faith of their fathers and girls in the faith of their mothers.

CONDUCT OF PRIESTS The lives and conduct of priests would also come under the Synod of Thurles' spotlight. It was decreed that clergy should avoid secular company, intemperance, public dances, race meetings, card-playing, public theatres, and should have great care for the preservation of their chastity. No parish priest was allowed to hold more than 15 acres, and curates were forbidden to hold any land. This was to counteract the tendency among many Irish priests to double-job as farmers from which they often made a considerable amount of money. In addition, priests were ordered to wear their clerical collars at all times to distinguish themselves from their parishioners sufficiently.

Emmet Larkin's 'Devotional Revolution' thesis has been widely critiqued by more recent historians, and even Larkin himself modified

his views somewhat in later years.

One of the chief criticisms was the idea that this transformation of Irish Catholicism was, in the main, a postFamine phenomenon and, secondly, that it was largely driven by Cullen himself. Historians have pointed out that many of the reform features associated with the 'Devotional Revolution' were in place much earlier, certainly in notable pockets of the country. They have suggested that bishops, such as Daniel Murray of Dublin (1823-52) and James Doyle of Kildare and Leighlin (181934), whose reforming measures predated those of Cullen, should not be forgotten. What Cullen and the Synod of Thurles did, then, was simply further implement reforms already underway, and to build on a tightening of lay and clerical discipline that was already in motion – at least in some dioceses.

Historians have also questioned the top-down approach of Larkin.

Indeed, more recent scholars prefer to emphasise the effectiveness of movements, and indeed devotions, whose energy sprung from grassroots level, and thus both were, and became, truly 'popular.'

LESSONS FOR TODAY So what is there to be learned from the experience of the Synod of Thurles and the reforms it enacted and encouraged, and how might these apply to the planned national synod in five years' time?

First, no synod, or any church council for that matter, occurs in a vacuum. Neither do the reforms it enacts suddenly appear, as if by magic. They are usually the fruit of a much longer process of reflection and experimentation, sometimes over several decades. This was certainly the case for the Second Vatican Council and, if more recent

historians of 19h-century Ireland are correct, it was also the case for the Synod of Thurles. In this way, then, Cullen may have, at least to some extent, reaped what others sowed.

There was some resistance to outlawing the celebration of sacraments in private homes What this means is that if we are looking for green shoots around 1850 alone, we are probably missing several stages of experimentation in the previous decades (at least in some parts of the country).

Sometimes the 'signs of the times' are more a slow burn than a sudden flash. If this is the case, then if we are to look for green shoots at the time of our planned national synod in five years' time, we shouldn't start by looking at the church in 2026. If past experience has taught us anything, those green shoots are already here.

Not everywhere, for sure, but they are to be found in many pockets of pastoral experimentation, and often where we least care to look. If we can find and identify these green shoots, and then carefully and quietly nurture them to maturity, perhaps our planned national synod will see them fully bloom into a pathway towards renewal.

Salvador Ryan is professor of ecclesiastical history at St Patrick's College Maynooth.

37

F E AT U R E

38

MEMORIES OF A SYNODAL CHURCH –

PUEBLA 79

IN 1979 A HISTORIC SYNOD OF THE LATIN AMERICAN CHURCH TOOK PLACE IN PUEBLA, MEXICO. THE BRAZILIAN BISHOPS’ PLANNING FOR THAT SYNOD OFFERS A TEMPLATE FOR HOW NATIONAL AND UNIVERSAL SYNODS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED.

BY PAT O’SULLIVAN

In

May, Pope Francis announced he was postponing the next Synod of Bishops in Rome. And for a brilliant reason. He wishes to widen the scope of the synod to allow for participation of all the faithful. Francis said the synod will now take place over three phases: the diocesan phase from April 2021 to March 2022, followed by the intercontinental phase from September 2022 to March 2023, culminating with the Synod of Bishops in Rome in October 2023. This tight timeline poses a challenge for the Irish Bishops' Conference, which had given

REALITY SUMMER 2021

itself the generous timeline of five years to hold a national synod here. Will they be able to meet Rome's deadline to hold diocesan synods before March 2022?

News of the postponement reminded me of another momentous postponement of a church assembly in 1978. That year, the Latin American church was due to hold its third intercontinental meeting in Puebla, Mexico, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of its historic meeting at Medellin in 1968. Medellin had been called to apply the teaching of

Vatican II to the church in Latin America. The meeting was historic for the great emphasis it placed on people's struggle for justice and human dignity. But participation at Medellin had been limited to a small group made up mainly of theologians.

The Brazilian church was determined that Puebla would be different. Participation would be from the ground up – from the local communities, parishes, the different pastoral teams (education, health, land, housing, etc). Everyone would have their say.

We were already sending in our suggestions when suddenly, with Paul VI's death in August 1978, the meeting was postponed. A disappointment for all of us. Then, in January 1979, Pope John Paul II re-convoked the synod for September 1979.

My memories of those heady days are somewhat hazy now. Sometimes, the years and events run together. But one feature that stands out is that in 1979 the Brazilian National Bishops' Conference (CNBB) was a powerful and unifying body that did not hesitate to respond to the critical social questions of the day. While the local bishop of course

The divide between rich and poor; immediately behind the majestic skyscrapers of Rio De Janero is Brazil's biggest favela, Rocinha on the Hill.

made his own decisions, the CNBB spoke for all the dioceses and all the pastoral groups in Brazil. This unity had been developing over the years, strengthened by the military dictatorship's attacks on leaders around the country, with torture and disappearings in the early 70s, and reinforced by the church's commitment to Basic Christian Communities, the recognition of the dignity of the poor. By 1978, few bishops contested the right of the CNBB to give guidance and leadership. In our local communities, we looked as much to the Bishops' Conference as to our local bishop, especially on social questions.

ANNUAL LENTEN CAMPAIGN Another factor that strengthened the collegiality of the CNBB was its annual Lenten Fraternity Campaign. The theme was always 'Fraternity' – sisterhood and brotherhood – but with a different slogan each year focusing on a specific problem facing the people. Experts on the topic usually prepared a 20-page study. Mass hymns with catchy tunes were prepared for use throughout the Lenten period. Catechists provided weekly reflections on the theme for

family groups and primary and secondary schools. In 1978, for example, with the slogan 'Work and Justice for All,' reflections centred on the dignity of work, the need for justice and for workers' organisations.

In 1979, the slogan was 'Preserve what Belongs to All.' Here, the campaign reflected on ecology, the right to land and water, and the preservation of all life. Reflections on these themes unified the focus of communities, parishes and dioceses throughout the country.

During Easter week 1979, the Brazilian bishops met and drew up their plans for Puebla. Dom Jaime Collins, Redemptorist Bishop of Miracema, returned from a CNBB meeting and immediately set about organising a diocesan assembly to respond to the challenges. A coordinating committee adapted some leading questions to our rural situation and its problems and facilitated debate in the parishes, communities and pastoral teams.

Assemblies were usually three-to-four-day events, but this assembly needed to be more flexible and ongoing with Puebla looming so close.

We used the Acao Catholique dynamic of See-Judge-Act and added Celebrate. That is, we analysed the situation of our people and communities, looked at where the word of God threw light on this reality, discussed how we could act in response to these challenges, and celebrated the small victories. The pastoral teams responsible for health, youth and education, land, housing, etc, joined the parish representatives for an initial one-day meeting, returned to their parishes, and brought back their suggestions for discussion at a three-day assembly two months later. A sociologist accompanied the ongoing process.

I don't remember much about what was said or decided at that diocesan assembly, but I do know that our deliberations were forwarded to the CNBB, where they were collated and became part of the submissions to Puebla. Our meagre participation was crucial to our claiming and owning the final result. When the Puebla documents reached us, we knew that we had contributed. The documents were speaking about our church, and we could embrace them because they were ours.

TENSION Theologians who analysed the Puebla document pointed out the ambiguity and internal tensions which appear in the text. It was well known that Archbishop Oscar Romero and the religious women and men of Latin America led the smaller representative group at Puebla committed to liberation theology in their reading of the Gospels. The larger Dom Trujillo group of delegates represented the conservative wing of the Latin American church. But the Spirit breathes where it wills, and the poor of Latin America were clearly identified as: "the faces of the Indians and AfroAmericans living on the fringes in subhuman conditions... the poor within the poor... peasants, outcast and lacking land, the workers who are badly paid and unable to organise themselves, overcrowded citydwellers, lacking material goods in the face of the flashy riches of the other social classes... the underemployed and unemployed losing their jobs through the cold calculations of the economy... the disorientated and frustrated youth lacking opportunities for qualifications and training... children wounded by poverty even before they are born... the elderly pushed to the edges of society as unproductive."

That put paid to the frequently touted notion of the 'spiritually' poor. Puebla told us who the real poor are, and the Latin American church irreversibly committed itself to them.

Irish Times journalist Derek Scally has noted how "recent citizens' assemblies have, in a calm and mature fashion, transformed Ireland beyond recognition."* Here's hoping that diocesan assemblies can transform our church, and above all, its understanding of the role of women in the mission of the church. * (Derek Scally, The Best Catholics in the World, page 290)

Pat O’Sullivan is a former Redemptorist missionary in Brazil.

39

WHAT HOPE FOR DISPLACED PEOPLE? JUNE 20 WAS WORLD REFUGEE DAY, AND TRÓCAIRE MARKED THE DAY BY SPEAKING TO FADI HALLISSO OF THEIR LEBANESE PARTNER ORGANISATION BASMEH & ZEITOONEH ABOUT THE ONGOING CHALLENGES FACING THE PEOPLE HE WORKS WITH.

Four

40

BY DAVID O'HARE

years ago, talented tailor and keen footballer Ahmad's dreams were dashed when he was injured in the Syrian war and became a wheelchair user.

As the civil war continued to rage through Syria, Ahmad sought refuge in Lebanon but lost all hope of pursuing his past dreams. He remained in his room until he heard about a local charity called Basmeh & Zeitooneh, one of Trócaire's partners, that was offering training and small grants to future business owners.

Ahmad attended one of the sessions in a community centre in the Bar-Elias region of Lebanon. He signed up for management and finance training, after which he received a small grant to launch his own tailor business. His talents were quickly recognised, and today, Ahmad is one of the most popular tailors in the region and has a small business within his home. He continues to work hard to fulfil his dreams and help his fellow

people who have suffered from the war.

Ahmad is just one of the 82.4 million people in the world who have had to flee their homes due to persecution, conflict, violence and human rights violations. Every day around the world, 30,000 people – more than the population of Kilkenny city – are forced from their homes, abandoning their entire lives in search of safety. World Refugee Day provides an important opportunity to reflect on the refugee crisis and our responsibility to support and protect these people – many of whom live in refugee camps and face the spread of COVID-19 Fadi Hallisso, co-founder and CEO of Basmeh & Zeitooneh, is a former civil engineer who was studying to be a Jesuit priest in Lebanon when the conflict in his home country of Syria escalated.

Seeing the increasing Syrian death toll drove Fadi to action. In 2012, he left the Jesuits to co-found Basmeh & Zeitooneh (B&Z), which supports

Thanks to Trócaire partner B&Z, Syrian refugee children have been able to learn from home in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic.

REALITY SUMMER 2021

Syrian refugees and vulnerable populations living in Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Iraq.

BASMEH & ZEITOONEH'S IMPACT Since 2012, working in partnership with Trócaire, B&Z has provided these communities with education, protection, relief services, and ways to earn an income.

"One of our main priorities is ensuring that families can sustain their livelihoods," Fadi says.

"People can't survive on aid alone. They need to work and provide for themselves. We offer people training on entering the labour market and funding to start their own businesses and projects.

"In our schools, we support 2,400 Syrian refugees to continue their education by offering retention support and removing barriers to their education.

In our learning centres, we teach Syrian refugees Arabic, English, math, science, literacy and Turkish to prepare them to re-enrol in formal education."

In addition to forced displacement and economic insecurity, COVID-19 is now also a threat to people living in crowded camps that often lack basic sanitation.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE Fadi says the biggest problem his organisation faces is ensuring funding continues to those most in need.

"The next year will be a fight for survival. When COVID-19 first hit, we mobilised our resources quickly to respond to the lockdown. In Lebanon, a lot of people work in the informal sector, so they are counting on daily wages to survive.

Lockdown means that they might be left to starve.

We supported some 20,000 families with food packages, cash and hygiene kits.

"We also urged donors to donate money to get devices for our students to continue their schoolwork. Our teachers adapted quickly to doing lessons on WhatsApp, and we developed an online platform for students to work with their teachers.

"Unfortunately, as always, those with the least resources are most affected by COVID-19 Many people around the world are able to sit at home and wait for the pandemic to pass, but Syrian refugees didn't have that luxury because their livelihoods depend on them reporting to work daily. Fortunately, we were able to respond quickly to families' needs because of the support of our donors.

"However, with the effects of COVID-19, 2022 will be a grim year for us because there are no new cycles of funding being announced, and it is becoming harder to secure any available funding, as we have to compete with international organisations.

"Thankfully, Trócaire have been a very good partnership for us. They are always very understanding of our needs and difficulties and we have a say in the decision-making."

To find out more about Trócaire's work, visit www.trocaire.org

SIX KEY FACTS ABOUT DISPLACEMENT * 85 per cent of the world's refugees are hosted in low-income countries, which are already struggling with high levels of poverty. * UNHCR identified 1.4 million refugees as particularly vulnerable and in need of resettlement, yet only 22,800 refugees were resettled in 2020. * Forced displacement has almost doubled in the decade since 2010. * As many children are among the displaced as the populations of Australia, Denmark and Mongolia combined. * 77 per cent of refugees are in long-term displacement situations. * A sixth of the world's displaced people come from Syria alone.

A Redemptorist Pilgrimage Visiting the sites associated with St. Alphonsus & St. Gerard in Southern Italy Saturday May 14th to Saturday May21st 2022.

Based at the Caravel Hotel in Sant’Agnello, Sorrento (Half Board) Cost: €1,120.00 per person sharing.

Places are limited so early booking is advised.

Group Leaders Fr Seamus Enright CSsR and Fr Dan Baragry CSsR For further details contact Claire Carmichael at ccarmichael@redcoms.org Tel: 00 353 (0)1 4922488

Beautiful Sorrento

COMMENT REALITY CHECK PETER McVERRY SJ

THE ��-YEAR-OLD DRUG DEALER

ENSURING THAT EVERY CHILD FEELS VALUED AND HAS EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED IN LIFE IS NECESSARY FOR REDUCING DRUG VIOLENCE.

42

In many parts of our cities, you can order any illegal drug of choice, and it will be delivered to your door quicker than a pizza. And it may be delivered by a 13-year-old boy on a bicycle. In a few years, this boy will be a major drug dealer, involved in violent crime if he is not already dead or in prison.

What makes a 13-year-old football-mad boy become a major drug dealer? He is almost certainly living in a deprived area of the city, characterised by high unemployment. His parent(s), in all likelihood, are surviving on social welfare. He does not expect much from life and sees little point in going to school. The people he looks up to are older drug dealers, who have lots of money, nice cars and frequently go on foreign holidays. Like most people in our consumer-addicted society, he wants money and what money can buy. But what makes his want different from everyone else's is the context. He wants it now because he doesn't expect to get it later in life. And he knows how to get

REALITY SUMMER 2021

it now. He doesn't need career guidance counsellors!

Most of us have a 'social contract' with society – we believe that it is ultimately in our interest to have a supportive relationship with society.

There is a reasonable expectation that if we do what society asks of us, namely go to school, study hard, and go on to further education, we will be rewarded with a job, a reasonable income and a place in society.

But this 13-year-old boy has no 'social contract' with society, no expectations for his future. He has the same needs, dreams, and desires as the rest of us, but, for him, the path to achieving them appears blocked. Society may want to 'rehabilitate' him, which means to control him, to reduce the likelihood that he will continue to cause problems for society. But that is, in itself, a problem. It reinforces his belief that society cares, not about him, but only about protecting itself from him. He doesn't need rehabilitation; it is the relationship between him and society that needs rehabilitation.

As a young teenager, he is at an age when both the need to belong and peer group pressure is particularly strong. The peer group to which he belongs defines the boundaries of his behaviour. To retain the approval of this group, he may engage in activities that are not of his choosing (such as using drugs or robbing) or fail to engage in activities he might have chosen (such as staying in school).

His 'social contract' is not with the broader society but with the peer group to which he belongs.

This peer group defines the limits of his behaviour and the limits of his thinking. To be a 'rat', or express any appreciation of the role of the Gardaí, will draw down instant condemnation and ridicule. I used to find it utterly inexplicable that someone who had been shot and seriously injured would refuse to cooperate with the Gardaí and identify the would-be killer. But the need to belong to a peer group that requires such behaviour is just as strong as the desire to live.

Most young offenders eventually

grow out of crime. They fall in love, or they have a child. Now, for the first time, they realise that there is something they want and can realistically achieve. To avoid putting that relationship in jeopardy by going in and out of jail, they make the social contract with society.

But if you are embedded in a drug gang, your only social contract is with the gang; your loyalty in return for lots of money. Any indication that your loyalty is suspect is to sign your death warrant. You cannot get out. You know too much about the workings of the gang.

Our society, then, has to make a 'social contract' with every child.

Ensuring that every child feels valued and has equal opportunity to succeed in life is necessary for reducing drug violence. Is that too much to ask?

For more information or to support the Peter McVerry Trust: www.pmvtrust.ie info@pmvtrust.ie +353 (0)1 823 0776

GOD’S WORD THIS MONTH REJECTED BY HIS OWN In today’s Gospel Jesus visits his hometown of Nazareth with his new family of disciples. Much 14th SUNDAY IN has happened since he ORDINARY TIME last was at home. He has shown his authority over demons, illness and death. Many have come to faith in him, especially in Capernaum where he now lives. However, it was in Nazareth that members of his own natural family had believed he was insane and had tried to stop his mission. Has anything changed? Will they and the other Nazarenes now believe in him?

As is his practice, he goes to the synagogue to preach. But the locals aren’t impressed.

They ask pointed questions. They want to know the source of his words and deeds.

JULY

04

MISSION POSSIBLE Today’s Gospel points to JULY something fundamental about the church: it is the new family of Jesus which has been 15th SUNDAY IN entrusted by him to ORDINARY TIME preach the Gospel. It is only successful when it travels light and discards any baggage which gets in the way of its mission.

Since the time of Jesus there have been periods when the church has travelled 'light' and has been truly prophetic in proclaiming the Gospel. There have been other times when, weighed down with wealth, power and preoccupation with status, it has failed the Gospel.

The same positive and negative patterns can be seen in the history of the church in this country. We can only hope that the deep crisis our church is going through will lead it to discard anything that gets in the way of Jesus’ mission so that the Gospel may be proclaimed anew with prophetic courage and integrity.

They question the wisdom that has been given to him.

Jesus’ townspeople are limited by their own narrow experience and fixed ideas. They know his family and where he came from and simply cannot believe there is anything significant about him. They describe him using the Greek word téktōn, which is traditionally translated as 'carpenter.' The word means a craftsman who works with wood or metal. Jesus and his family would probably have been well to do, but would have been regarded as socially inferior to the educated class of religious leaders. In simple terms, the local people think that Jesus is getting above his station with all the recent publicity and that there is really nothing to it or to him. He is no different to themselves.

They believe that in trying to move beyond his social standing he is bringing dishonour

to his family, and so they take offence at him.

The effect of their rejection is that Jesus isn’t able to work any significant miracle in Nazareth. Jesus’ miracles require faith and this is lacking in Nazareth. Mark is refreshingly direct. He says that Jesus “could not” work miracles in Nazareth. Yet, once said, Mark softens this conclusion and says that Jesus touched some people and brought wholeness into their lives. The overall effect on Jesus is that he is “amazed” at the Nazarenes’ lack of faith. “Amazement” is often people’s faith response to Jesus’ miracles. Now Jesus is “amazed” at unbelief in Nazareth.

Today’s Readings Ezk 2:2-5; Ps 122; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Mk 6:1-6

43

11

Today’s Readings Am 7:12-15; Ps 84; Eph 1:3-14; Mk 6:7-13

God’s Word continues on page 44

GOD’S WORD THIS MONTH GUT INSTINCT Today’s Gospel describes the return of the Twelve whom Jesus sent out on mission. Mark calls them 16th SUNDAY IN 'apostles.' The word comes ORDINARY TIME from the Greek verb apostéllō, which means 'to send.' They have been sent by Jesus and now are reporting back. But they seem not to have fully understood what has happened. Notice that they tell Jesus about “all that they had done and taught.” They have conveniently forgotten that they had gone on mission equipped with Jesus’ authority, not their own. They simply haven’t understood what it means to be sent by Jesus on a mission. Acting on the basis of their own authority, they have not operated as followers.

This may seem harsh, but it is part of Mark’s hypercritical assessment of their discipleship.

Yet he reports them as enthusiastic about the 44 huge response they have received from the people.

Jesus’ response to this popular enthusiasm is to invite them away to a deserted place.

Jesus is always cautious about popular demonstrations of enthusiasm for his message, because they have the capacity to take his mission in the wrong direction.

Time apart in a deserted place will help the disciples to understand more fully the mission they now share with him.

So Jesus and his disciples set out across the Sea of Galilee by boat. But the plan fails spectacularly. Seeing the boat, people recognise the passengers and race around the lake to meet Jesus and the disciples when they reach land. Mark says that the people came “from all the towns” around the lake.

This is his way of letting us know just how popular Jesus was.

Mark says that Jesus “had compassion on them.” In Greek the text reads that “he was moved with compassion for them in his inward parts.” In the Hebrew way of associating feelings to parts of the body,

compassion was always associated with the womb. In the case of men, it was the intestine. It means that when Jesus sees the people, he has such compassion for them that he feels it in the pit of his stomach. It’s a really strong statement of the degree of feeling Jesus has for the people.

His reason for such a strong feeling is that the people “were like sheep without a shepherd.” This phrase is used in the Old Testament to describe the people of Israel whenever they suffered from failed or negligent leadership. But Jesus will not fail and he will not neglect God’s people. He will be the true shepherd.

GIFT FOR THE HUNGRY For the next four Sundays JULY we read from the famous 'Bread of Life' chapter in the Gospel of John (Jn 17th SUNDAY IN 6:1-69). Today’s text is ORDINARY TIME John’s account of the feeding of at least 5,000 people in the wilderness.

Jesus is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

The people have gathered because they have seen him work a healing miracle or “sign,” as John likes to call such miracles. Jesus retreats with his disciples to a mountain.

John then adds that the Feast of Passover is near. As you will recall, Passover is the Jewish liturgical celebration of the Exodus event when God liberated the Hebrew slaves from Egypt. Exodus themes dominate much of John Chapter 6.

When Jesus sees the crowd approaching, he knows that they are hungry and asks Philip where they could buy food. He is testing

Philip. Jesus knows exactly what he is going to do, but he wants to see if Philip does. Philip does not and neither does the other disciple, Andrew. They fail to understand that Jesus is the one who will satisfy the people’s hunger.

Philip and Andrew try to come up with practical but conventional solutions. There are 5,000 men present, not counting women and children. According to Philip there is not enough money to feed such a crowd.

According to Andrew, there is insufficient food in the five loaves and two small fish that are offered by a little boy. Conventional solutions will not feed the people; only Jesus can. Jesus then works the miracle.

Notice something very important. It is Jesus himself who shares the food with the people, not the disciples. He is the source of the gift for these hungry people. The miracle produces so much food that 12 baskets of leftovers are gathered. Jesus’ command to gather up the leftovers and to waste nothing echoes the Exodus story. On the Exodus trek

Moses had commanded the people to do the same with the manna or miraculous bread from heaven given by God in the wilderness.

As always the people are ecstatic about the miracle. They identify Jesus as a prophet and want to make him king. As we have seen before, Jesus is cautious about such enthusiasm based on his miracles or “signs.”

He is truly a king, but not in the way the people think. His response is to withdraw by himself to the mountain. He will not be their kind of king.

JULY

18

25

REALITY SUMMER 2021

Today’s Readings Jr 23:1-6; Ps 22; Eph 2:13-18; Mk 6:30-34

Today’s Readings 2 Kg 4:42-44; Ps 114; Eph 4:1-6; Jn 6:1-15

THE BREAD OF LIFE The people do not know where Jesus has gone. They think he might have returned 18th SUNDAY IN to Capernaum and ORDINARY TIME so they head there.

They find him and ask when he had arrived in the village. He doesn’t answer their question, but talks about why they had been looking for him in the first place. Whenever he works a miracle it is always a “sign” of his power and authority which invites people to believe in him. The crowd have followed him to Capernaum because they witnessed the miraculous feeding told in last Sunday’s reading. But it has not resulted in faith – only in full stomachs. The problem is that the people seek ordinary food that “perishes.” Jesus, the Son of Man, offers food that “endures for eternal life.”

AUGUST

01

Jesus tells the crowd that he will give food that endures for eternal life. It is Jesus’ gift and as such it is to be received. But the crowd have missed the point, because they ask what they have to do. In replying, Jesus picks up on their words and uses them in a very different way. The people tell Jesus that they will only do God’s work if Jesus first does so by working a miracle. This is an amazing statement! He has just fed at least 5,000 people and the crowd now want another miracle if they are going to believe in him. They want a manna-miracle. God had given their ancestors bread in the wilderness.

Could Jesus not do something similar? This is hugely ironic as their request follows on from Jesus’ feeding miracle!

The people have chosen to use the manna story to make their point; now Jesus uses it to make his point, directly and assertively.

It is not Moses who gives the gift of bread; it is Jesus’ Father in heaven. The bread that

he has been speaking of is not some kind of manna-substitute; it is the “true bread from heaven” that God gives to them. The bread that Jesus is talking about is bread which “comes down from heaven” and “gives life to the world.” This is exactly the same kind of language used in the Fourth Gospel to describe Jesus. He is the Word of God who has come down from heaven and who gives life to the world. We now know what Jesus is talking about. He is talking about himself as the true bread which God the Father is giving the world from heaven. But the crowd still do not understand. They are still thinking about full stomachs! So Jesus has to state it boldly: “I am the bread of life.”

Today’s Readings Ezk 16: 2-4,12-15; Ps 77; Eph 4:17.20-24; Jn 6:24-35

LIVING BREAD The Gospel readings on AUGUST these Sundays are from Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel.

The text is a rich tapestry of highly complex theological 19th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME concepts and biblical allusions. It is challenging to understand.

Yet when we get past the conceptual complexity and the wealth of biblical allusion, the text says something that is both simple and profound. God, whom we have never seen, loves us. The consequence of the Father’s love is his desire that we live forever in his presence. It was out of this amazing love for us that God sent Jesus into the world.

All we have to do is come to Jesus in faith and receive what he offers with trust, and that which God desires for us will happen.

08

Today’s Readings 1 Kg 19:4-8; Ps 33; Eph 4:30-5:2; Jn 6:41-51

God’s Word continues on page 46

45

GOD’S WORD THIS MONTH MARY’S RADICAL YES In today’s Gospel we hear Mary’s Magnificat. It is a joyful hymn of praise to God who has not forgotten his lowly handmaid and has done such great FEAST OF THE things for her. But it is also a subversive ASSUMPTION hymn, and it shows Mary to be a radical woman who hungers for justice for the poor and the little ones. Mary presents an image of God as one who pulls the mighty from their thrones and raises up the lowly, as one who fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty. She voices God’s opposition to oppression, injustice and inequality of whatever kind.

Mary’s Magnificat hymn shows that she is no gentle, passive, silent woman. She is, rather, a voice of the voiceless, and mother of all who are oppressed and overlooked and weak. Mary’s preferences and her hopes for our world are our preferences and our hopes too.

AUGUST

15

Today’s Readings Apoc 11:19;12:1-6.10; Ps 44; 1 Cor 15:20-26; Lk 1:3956

46

DEAL OR NO DEAL In today’s first reading, Joshua puts a direct AUGUST challenge to the people of Israel. Make up your minds once and for all, he says. “If you will not serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve.” It’s decision time.

21st SUNDAY IN In today’s Gospel, Jesus puts a similar ORDINARY TIME direct challenge to his followers. Because of his teaching about the Living Bread, many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. They found his teaching too difficult to live by, too hard to stomach. So Jesus asks the Twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?”

Jesus puts the challenge directly to each of us too: Do you also wish to go away? Or do you wish to stay? Either way, why?

Before you answer, listen to the answers of the Israelites to Joshua and of the twelve apostles to Jesus. The Israelites say: “There is no way that we will forsake the Lord to serve other gods. Look at all God has done for us.” And Simon Peter takes it on himself to answer for the Twelve: “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

22

Today’s Readings Jos 24:1-2.15-18; Ps 33; Eph 5:25-32; Jn 6:60-69

REALITY SUMMER 2021

THE REALITY CROSSWORD NUMBER 6 JULY/AUGUST ����

IT’S WHAT’S IN THE HEART THAT COUNTS The Pharisees and scribes gather around Jesus and his disciples. The mood is ominous and conflict is not far away. The Pharisees were a group of very devout Jews who observed relentlessly all 22nd SUNDAY IN the commandments of the Law in the Book of ORDINARY TIME Leviticus where the laws on what is clean and unclean are to be found, and the scribes were the Jewish theologians or scripture scholars. They get into an argument about the fact that some of Jesus’ disciples eat with unwashed hands.

Because of its special relationship with God, Israel considered itself to be holy and should therefore keep away from that which was unclean or profane. The Pharisees were extremely concerned that all Jews would remain holy, especially since Palestine in the first century AD was a mixed society of Jew and Gentile and contamination by 'uncleanness' was always possible. The Pharisees based their practice not just on Leviticus but also on an ancient unwritten tradition called the 'tradition of the elders.' In effect, the Pharisees are checking out the attitude of Jesus and his disciples to these ancient practices.

Jesus’ response is highly confrontational as he questions the ancient traditions by quoting from the Old Testament (Isaiah 29:13). Jesus is highlighting what is most important in a person’s relationship with God. It is the person’s “heart” (or moral centre from which everything comes) that is important – more important than mere “human traditions.” Jesus also uses the quotation from Isaiah to declare that the Pharisees have turned God’s commandments into mere human rules and regulations. In doing so, they have reduced the Jewish religion to vain worship of God. Now Jesus gathers the people together who have been following the confrontation. It is almost like he is offering them a parable as he begins with “listen to me, all of you and understand.” He gives them his own teaching on what is “clean” and “unclean.” Nothing that goes into a person (food) creates uncleanness.

The Pharisees and scribes most certainly hear this as a provocation as Jesus seems to be setting aside their traditions around kosher (ritually fit) food. For Jesus, it is what comes out of a person’s heart (evil intentions) that makes a person unclean.

It is moral impurity that defiles a person, not ritual impurity. Jesus is not rejecting the Jewish scriptures. Rather, in the best tradition of the prophets, he argues that holiness is a matter of the “heart.”

If you want to know if people are holy, then check out what comes out of their hearts.

AUGUST

29

SOLUTIONS CROSSWORD No. 4 ACROSS: 1. Venial, 5. Medici, 10. Peeling, 11. Resolve, 12. Grit, 13. Torah, 15. Roux, 17. Nun, 19.

Tallow, 21. Ushers, 22. Wonders, 23. Temple, 25. Naiads, 28. Ark, 30. Role, 31. Jesus, 32. Talc, 35.

Netsuke, 36. Amended, 37. Hazard, 38. Tokens.

DOWN: 2. Ezekiel, 3. Iris, 4. Legion, 5. Marian, 6. Dusk, 7. Calzone, 8. Spigot, 9. Xerxes, 14. Rudders, 16. Cowls, 18. Assam, 20. Woe, 21. Urn, 23. Tyrant, 24. Militia, 26. Abandon, 27. Secede, 28.

Aeneid, 29. Kuwait, 33. Cuba, 34. Teak

Winner of Crossword No. 4 Herman Mullers, County Galway.

ACROSS 1. Economise, be frugal and thrifty. (6) 5. Take great enjoyment from a savoury sauce. (6) 10. Common medium-sized mammal of North America. (7) 11. Beet soup of Ukrainian origin. (7) 12. Profoundly immoral and wicked. (4) 13. Biblical character with a dreamy ladder. (5) 15. The evangelist Apostle. (4) 17. Nervous or timid in the company of other people. (3) 19. Carrying something substantial, a gun perhaps. (6) 21. Prejudice and discrimination based on colour or ethnicity. (6) 22. French town where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubiros (7) 23. Dirty, stained. (6) 25. City best known for Kublai Khan. (6) 28. Machine for bank withdrawals. (3) 30. Major Empire of pre-Columbian America. (4) 31. In Greek mythology she is a nymph who lives in a tree. (5) 32. The overthrow of an existing government by a small group. (4) 35. Country in a suit. (7) 36. A person who verifies the accuracy of financial records. (7) 37. Winged female with snakes instead of hair. (6)

38. Organised military forces. (6) DOWN 2. One who rides a bike. (7) 3. A painting of Jesus or other people considered holy, especially in Russia and Greece. (4) 4. Chinese bears with black-and-white coats. (6) 5. Famous Scottish outlaw and folk hero. (3,3) 6. Traditional knowledge or belief. (4) 7. Female demons. (7) 8. An ordained minister of the Catholic Church. (6) 9. A small, narrow river. (6) 14. The voluntary giving of help to those in need. (7) 16. A small arm of a lake or river. (5) 18. Pastoral and hunting people of Kenya and Tanzania. (5) 20. The supreme being. (3) 21. A Roman king. (3) 23. Persons recognised as having an exceptional degree of holiness. (6) 24. Perfumed substance burned in a thurible. (7) 26. Each of the twelve chief disciples of Jesus Christ. (7) 27. When you are on these you are broke. (6) 28. A fleet of warships. (6) 29. Ancient fortress where the first JewishRoman War ended. (6) 33. He sold his birthright in the Bible. (4) 34. The original man. (4)

Entry Form for Crossword No.6, July/August 2021 Name:

Today’s Readings Dt 4:1-2.6-8; Ps 14; Jm 1:17-18.21-22.27; Mk 7:1-8.14-15.21-23

Address: Telephone:

All entries must reach us by Tuesday, August 31, 2021 One €35 prize is offered for the first correct solutions opened. The Editor’s decision on all matters concerning this competition will be final. Do not include correspondence on any other subject with your entry which should be addressed to: Reality Crossword No.6, Redemptorist Communications, St Joseph's Monastery, Dundalk, County Louth A91 F3FC