Reality October 2022

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. 00353 (0)1

REALITY BITES

TRIBUTES PAID TO QUEEN’S “STEADFAST WITNESS OF FAITH”

Church leaders around the world have expressed their condolences at the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The UK’s longest-serving monarch died at the age of 96 on September 9, at her Balmoral home, surrounded by her family.

In a telegram to offer his condolences to her son Charles, now King Charles III, Pope Francis joined all who mourned her loss “in praying for the late Queen’s eternal rest, and in paying tribute to her life of unstinting service to the good of the Nation and the Commonwealth, her example of devotion to duty, her steadfast witness of faith in Jesus Christ and her firm hope in his promises”.

Catholic Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, said he admired her dedication to faith, family, and to peace and reconciliation.

“Above all, Queen Elizabeth was a person of deep faith and love for Jesus Christ,” he said. “I have always admired Queen Elizabeth’s quiet dignity and calm nature despite living through very difficult times with much political, economic, social and family upheaval. That was why ordinary people of all backgrounds

and faiths could relate to her and held her in such affection.”

He also paid tribute to her “commitment to promoting better understanding and relationships between the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church”, noting that she had met with five popes during her reign, including a warm meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican in 2014.

The Church of Ireland Primate of All Ireland, the Most Rev John McDowell, recalled her historic visit to St Michael’s Church in Enniskillen in 2012. “I was privileged to be there when, on her Diamond Jubilee visit to Enniskillen, she walked the twenty yards from the Church of Ireland Cathedral of St Macartin and into St Michael’s Roman Catholic church. Barely a hundred paces, but a walk which covered countless miles in the long and unfinished journey of peace on these islands,” heArchbishopnoted.

of Canterbury Justin Welby recalled how, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Queen spoke powerfully of the light that

no darkness can overcome. “She reminded us of a deep truth about ourselves – we are a people of hope who care for one another. Even as the Late Queen mourned the loss of her beloved husband, Prince Philip, we saw once again evidence of her courage, resilience and instinct for putting the needs of others first –all signs of a deeply rooted Christian faith… we saw what it means to receive the gift of life we have been given by God and – through patient, humble, selfless service – share it as a gift to others.”

NEW FILM TO TELL STORY OF MOTHER TERESA

A new documentary film produced by the Knights of Columbanus aims to place St Teresa of Kolkata “back in the spotlight”.

Mother Teresa: No Greater Love had its premiere on August 31 in the Vatican and is due to be released to cinemas on October 3 and 4.

The documentary, by Emmy award-winning filmmaker, David Naglieri, features archival footage and interviews with commentators who knew St Teresa – known popularly as Mother Teresa – as well as interviews with many Missionaries of Charity who follow in

Mother Teresa’s footsteps.

Patrick Kelly of the Knights of Colambanus said at a news conference hosted at Vatican Radio that they had made this film “to reach a new generation with the witness and example of Mother Teresa” and to inspire them.Itwill highlight the work Mother Teresa inspired: “When she was feeding the hungry or holding the hands of someone as they lay dying, she was treating them as she would the most important person in her life, Jesus Christ himself,” said Kelly.

In a letter following the premiere, Pope Francis thanked all involved in the film for the efforts made to capture the life of this saint, whose life and testimony have borne much

“Thankfruit.you for promoting this type of initiative that helps, in a creative manner, to make accessible the zeal for evangelisation, especially for the young generations promoting the desire to follow the Lord who loved us first,” he added.

Born in Macedonia in 1910, Mother Teresa died on September 5, 1997 at the age of 86.

Photograph by Julian Calder via Wikimedia Commons

JULIEANN APPOINTED GENERAL SECRETARY OF SYNODAL PATHWAY

Julieann Moran

Julieann Moran has been appointed general secretary of the Synodal Pathway in Ireland. Julieann was formerly the national secretary for the Society of Missionary Children at Missio Ireland, where she worked since 2016 to raise mission awareness and develop evangelisation resources for dioceses, parishes and Catholic primary schools across the island of Ireland.

The position of general secretary is a new appointment, and its purpose will be to

promote synodality in the Irish Catholic Church, coordinating the work of the national Synodal Pathway and supporting Ireland’s contribution to the Synod on Synodality initiated by Pope Francis for 2021-2023 with the theme ‘For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission’. The post includes responsibility for consultation, planning, communications and administration.Welcomingthe appointment, Dr Nicola Brady, chair of the Synodal Steering Committee, said, “Julieann comes to this role having already made a significant contribution to the work of promoting synodality in the Irish Church at all levels – local, national and universal. In particular, Julieann’s experience in connecting the local Church in Ireland to wider global realities will be invaluable as the synodal process develops. On behalf of the Steering Committee I wish Julieann every success as GeneralJulieannSecretary.”said,“Iam delighted to be appointed to this very significant role, and grateful for the opportunity to help shape the next steps taken on this synodal journey. As we continue to

reflect upon our preparations for the Universal Synod, and what we have learnt so far in Ireland about who we are as a people of God, I look forward to working with as many people as possible in further outreach, consultations, and spiritual conversations for the Synodal Pathway. This will be a demanding task but a synodal Church is a Church that reaches out and listens: listens to God and listens to one another. With prayer, patience, and the Holy Spirit, I am convinced that synodality is essential in a Church that nurtures and renews the Gospel message of Jesus Christ today.” Bishop Brendan Leahy, vice-chair of the Synodal Steering Committee, said, “I believe that on the basis of Julieann’s vast experience of Church on so many levels – pastoral, cultural and missionary – she will contribute much to our Synodal Pathway in Ireland. In particular, I believe she will be able to engender a vibrant networking of individuals, parishes and dioceses, as well as congregations, movements and organisations, as we delve into the key Synod question: ‘What does God want from the Church in Ireland at this time?’”

Ukrainian bishops have welcomed efforts to restart classes for a new school year and have offered church basements as emergency air raid shelters for children.

Auxiliary Bishop Jan Sobilo of KharkivZaporizhzhia told Catholic News Service that “everything is being done to get youngsters back to school, even while our soldiers are fighting at the front.

“The Ukrainian authorities know education is vital for the country’s future… Although the war drags on, there are basic things

we must provide them with, including the possibility of being educated. Children can best help Ukraine and their families by studying for their homeland’s future.”

Classes restarted across Ukraine on September 1 after months of disruption caused by Russia’s invasion, amid warnings that children needed protection against shells and bombs.

Bishop Sobilo added that Ukraine’s Education Ministry had asked churches and convents to make cellars available as

“certified bomb shelters” for schoolchildren.

“We are very happy to do this, and I’ve invited school principals to see what we have, so they can think how best to equip these basements for children to study in safety,” the archbishop said.

Bishop Sobilo said he had taken refuge in a church basement with his congregation during a Russian bombing raid in July, adding that many older church buildings with large cellars were now listed as municipal shelters.

REALITY BITES

CHURCH LEADERS CALL FOR COST OF LIVING CRISIS ACTION

With projections for the autumn pointing to a worsening situation for many households across the island of Ireland due to the unfolding cost of living crisis, the leaders of Ireland’s main churches have said that they are deeply concerned particularly for those who are already vulnerable and living inInpoverty.ajoint statement issued on August 25, they called “for more practical support to be delivered urgently through direct government initiatives…and also via grassroots charity and community partnerships.”

The Church Leaders Group (Ireland),

which includes the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Archbishops of Armagh, the Presbyterian Moderator, and the Presidents of the Methodist Church and Irish Council of Churches, also said that they are “deeply concerned regarding the government response in both jurisdictions, in meeting immediate needs and also in relation to longer term strategy”. They stressed that practical support “must go hand in hand with a longer term refocusing of government policies to deliver real and meaningful social justice and eliminate poverty across this island.”

“Followers of Christ have always been called to serve the poor, not just through acts of charity, though these continue every day in ways large and small, but through the pursuit of justice and mercy,” they said.

The church leaders concluded by saying, “It is our shared vocation to witness to Christ and to protect the dignity of those made in God’s image, and so we are compelled to speak up in this moment, out of concern and in hope, for the good and flourishing of everyone in our communities.”

SPAIN

BISHOP PRAYER IN OF DROUGHT

As Spain continues to experience its worst drought on record, a Spanish bishop has called on the faithful to “lift up prayers to God asking for rain”.

In his weekly letter, Bishop Demetrio Fernández González of Córdoba in southern Spain said, “We need water and it is a tradition of believers for centuries and centuries that when this drought reaches its extremes, we turn to God with community prayers to ask him for the gift of rain.” He said that while “meteorologists know how to explain and predict”, they cannot produce rain.

“Jesus in the prayer of Our Father taught us to ask for daily bread among other petitions. That is, to ask for the food we need to survive. Right now we need the water from the clouds to fertilise the fields,” he said.

The bishop highlighted that a lot of rain is needed in order for water reserves to be replenished. The volume of reservoir water in Spain is currently at 35 per cent capacity, which is approximately 20 points below the

average for this time of year. Scientists have stated that parts of Spain are at their driest in more than 1,000 years, and winter rains are expected to diminish further.

One side effect of the drought has been the re-emergence of underwater historic and religious monuments. At Buendia reservoir near Madrid, the ruins of a village and

bathhouses have reappeared, while at a dam near Barcelona a 9th-century Romanesque church has re-emerged intact. In Catalonia, receding waters have exposed the ruins of an 11th-century church in the usually submerged village of Sant Roma de Sau, which was flooded in the 1960s when a dam was built.

Pope Francis has paid tribute to former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who died at age 91 on August 30 after a long illness.

In a telegram sent to Gorbachev’s daughter Irina Virganskaya, the pope offered his “heartfelt condolences” to his family.

“Spiritually close at this moment of grief at the death of your father, the Honorable Mikhail, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to you, all family members, and those who saw him as a respected statesman,” he“Recallingwrote.

with gratitude his far-sighted commitment to harmony and fraternity

among people, as well as to the progress of his own country during an era of important changes,” the pope offered his prayers for his repose, “invoking from God, good and merciful, eternal peace for his soul.”

Gorbachev was known for his policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) that paved the way for the breakup of the Soviet Union.

He played a central role in ending the long Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the fall of the Iron Curtain that divided Europe into two political worlds of East and West.

Mikhail Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for his leading role in promoting peace, negotiation, and slowing down the arms race. He led the Soviet Union from 1985 until its dissolution in 1991.

In a ceremony to create 20 new cardinals, Pope Francis encouraged them to have “spiritual fire” in their interactions with others.

“A cardinal loves the church, always with that same spiritual fire, whether dealing with great questions or handling everyday problems, with the powerful of this world or those ordinary people who are great in God’s eyes,” the pope said during the consistory, the prayer service during which he personally welcomed 20 men into the College of Cardinals.

In his homily during the August 20 ceremony,

Pope Francis reflected on Jesus’ words to his disciples: “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled.”

He said that the “flame of the spirit of God” represents God’s love “that purifies, regenerates and transfigures all things.”

Jesus’ words, he added, are emblematic of the “fiery mission” entrusted to the newly created cardinals.“Todaytoo, Jesus wants to bring this fire to the earth. He wants to light it anew on the shores of our daily lives. Jesus calls us by name;

POPE FRANCIS APPEALS FOR AID FOR SOMALIA

Pope Francis has called on the international community to help the people of Somalia, who are at risk of famine due to severe drought.

Speaking during his Sunday Angelus address the pope said: The populations of this region, who already live in very precarious conditions, now find themselves in mortal danger due to drought.“Ihope that international solidarity can respond effectively to this emergency. Unfortunately, war diverts attention and

resources, but these are the objectives that demand the utmost commitment: the fight against hunger; health; and education.”

A recent report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlighted that the rise in food insecurity brought on by the drought has caused more than 900,000 people to flee their homes in search of humanitarian assistance since January last year.

As conditions worsen, people living in eight different areas of the country are at risk of

he looks us in the eye and he asks: ‘Can I count on you?’” the pope said.

Recalling the life of St Charles de Foucauld, the pope praised those Christians, both consecrated and lay, who live in secular environments, yet still are true Christian witnesses who keep the flame of God’s love alive through their lives and actions.

The consistory brought to 226 the total number of cardinals in the world; 132 cardinals are under the age of 80 and eligible to vote in a conclave.

famine, the organisation said.

“We cannot wait for famine to be declared; we must act now to safeguard livelihoods and lives,” said Rein Paulsen, director of the FAO. “We are deeply concerned about the drought situation and how vulnerable households are being affected.”

The risk of famine has been exacerbated due to a fragile government and repeated attacks across Somalia by the al-Shabab terrorist group.

POPE PRAISES PEACE LEGACY OF MIKHAIL GORBACHEV MISSION” ENTRUSTED TO 20 NEW CARDINALS

Mikhail Gorbachev

Commons:RIA Novosti

SAINTS IN THE CELTIC TRADITION

While early biographical details are vague, Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy, son of Lord Muskerry, is thought to have been born in the Innishannon area of County Cork around 1455. It is likely that he received his early education either at the nearby Franciscan friaries of Timoleague or Kilcrea and continued his studies in Paris. After ordination by Bishop Roche in Cork, he returned to the Continent, this time to study in Rome. The pope, Sixtus IV, was so impressed by the all-round goodness of this 27-year-old priest that in 1482 he appointed him to the bishopric of Ross in West Cork. The future for Thaddeus was already looking bright. By the mid-15th century however, the struggle between Irish and Norman had long reached stalemate and in consequence assassination and counter-assassination was an all-too-familiar feature of regime change in both church and state. For their own tribal reasons, the O’Driscoll clan in West Cork bad-mouthed Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy, the newly appointed Bishop of Ross. His enemies denounced him to Rome as a fraud and impostor and had him excommunicated by the pope. To clear his good name Thaddeus returned to Rome, and having apprised the pope of the situation, the excommunication was lifted and all charges against him were dropped.

In 1492, the next pope, Innocent VIII, appointed Thaddeus bishop of the combined dioceses of Cork and Cloyne. This time on reaching Cork, Thaddeus found that the Fitzgerald faction of the Normans had installed their own candidate and put an armed guard on the cathedral to prevent ingress by the pope’s appointee. Convinced of the rightness of his cause, Thaddeus headed once more for Rome, and having secured all necessary paperwork and insignia of office, set out on the homeward journey travelling not in bishops’ regalia but in the traditional garb of a pilgrim – broadbrimmed hat, staff and satchel. He stayed in pilgrim hostels along the way and on reaching Ivrea in Northern Italy on October 24 he found pilgrim accommodation for the night.

At daybreak, we are told, his room was filled with unearthly light and the rumour of having a saint in their midst spread through the countryside. On investigation, the local bishop discovered that this 37-year-old pilgrim was indeed the new bishop of Cork and Cloyne. It is said that miracles followed, and that Thaddeus McCarthy’s body was taken in solemn procession to the cathedral where it was entombed beneath the high altar. Cork’s Catholic Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne is the chief guardian of his relics in Ireland. Thaddeus was beatified by pope Leo XIII in 1896. Discredited and derided not only by his enemies but latterly by elements of his own people, Thaddeus McCarthy, without rancour or vindictiveness, stoutly bore ridicule and ongoing persecution in the cause of righteousness to the point of martyrdom. Rightly has he been called ‘The White Martyr of Munster’.

Volume 88. No. 8 October 2022

A Redemptorist Publication ISSN 0034-0960

Published by The Irish Redemptorists, St Joseph's Monastery, St Alphonsus Road, Dundalk County Louth A91 F3FC

Tel: 00353 (0)1 4922488

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REFLECTIONS

Autumn leaves don’t fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar.

DELIA OWENS

How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and colour are their last days.

JOHN BURROUGHS

He loved October. Had always loved it. There was something sad and beautiful about it—the ending and beginning of things.

JACQUELINE WOODSON

The story of life is quicker than the wink of an eye, the story of love is hello and goodbye... until we meet again.

JIMI HENDRIX

Light precedes every transition. Whether at the end of a tunnel, through a crack in the door or the flash of an idea, it is always there, heralding a new beginning.

TERESA TSALAKY

It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

When you get your ‘Who am I?‘ question right, all of your ‘What should I do?’ questions tend to take care of themselves.

RICHARD ROHR

It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.

ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

We need a movement of people who know we need each other, who have a sense of responsibility to others and to the world. We need to proclaim that being kind, having faith, and working for the common good are great life goals that need courage and vigour.

POPE FRANCIS

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.

DOROTHY PARKER

Don’t wait until you’ve reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching that goal.

SIMONE BILES

Decide in your heart of hearts what really excites and challenges you, and start moving your life in that direction. Every decision you make, from what you eat to what you do with your time tonight, turns you into who you are

tomorrow, and the day after that. Look at who you want to be, and start sculpting yourself into that person. You may not get exactly where you thought you’d be, but you will be doing things that suit you in a profession you believe in. Don’t let life randomly kick you into the adult you don’t want to become.

CHRIS HADFIELD

Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.

ST THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX

Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s mighty oak is yesterday’s nut that held its ground.

ROSA PARKS

The opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty. Certainty is missing the point entirely. Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness and discomfort, and letting it be there until some light returns.

ANNE LAMOTT

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.

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.

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

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.

Beautiful prayers and reflections based on the life of this wonderful saint, the patron of expectant mothers and babies. Ideal for family prayer. do not include postage & packaging.

UP FRONT DAN BARAGRY CSSR

FOND FAREWELLS

Situated

just five kilometres from Athenry in Co. Galway, St Patrick’s Monastery Esker is a special and unique place – indeed it is regarded by many as a holy place. It has a long religious tradition; for 200 years it was home to a Dominican community and was the seminary of Clonfert Diocese for a short period before the Redemptorists arrived in 1901.Earlier this year, the Provincial Council of the Irish Redemptorists, after years of reflection, debate and discernment, decided to end the Redemptorist mission in Esker, to move the community and vacate the complex by the end of November. This was a painful and difficult decision for us; you don’t walk away from a 121-year presence and tradition easily. Since our arrival in 1901, Esker has played a significant role in the life of the Irish Province. Many of our confrères began their Redemptorist journey there, either as students or novices. It was the base of our missionary outreach to the west of Ireland, with thousands of parish missions and retreats conducted from there. Indeed, it was the closeness to the railway station in Athenry which attracted the Redemptorists to Esker, opening the west to them. On the home front, the retreat house, youth village and church ministry, especially the annual Novena to our Mother of Perpetual Help, have been a source of spiritual support and encouragement for so many people. While it would have to be admitted that not all Redemptorists fell in love with Esker – its rural, isolated location was a challenge for some – the majority of us who lived and worked there have a special place for Esker in our hearts.

As sad as this decision is for us, it is however a necessary and realistic one. I am sure that most of you have an awareness of the vulnerabilities being experienced not just by Redemptorists but by all religious orders and

congregations, and indeed by the church in Ireland at this time. Our numbers have declined significantly in recent years and our average age is now 75. As a result, we cannot continue to maintain all our current commitments.ThoughRedemptorists may no longer be physically present in Esker, we will always remain connected to the place, a connection symbolised for me by the 94 confrères buried in the lovely cemetery there, ranging in age from 20 to 92. Many of them spent years of their lives and ministries abroad in the Redemptorist missions in Australia, the Philippines, India or Brazil; others travelled the length and breadth of Ireland conducting parish missions, while others, particularly the Brothers amongst them, lived quiet lives of service in our monasteries and communities. It is our intention to continue to maintain and care for the cemetery, ensuring that Esker will always remain a part of the Redemptorist story. It is our hope that we can find, if possible, a successor that will continue the values and traditions of this place in a meaningful way. Esker has, in the past, survived a number of transitions and with God’s help it will survive this new transition also.

An unexpected but happy consequence of our decision to move from Esker has been the opportunity to offer it for the housing of refugees from Ukraine. Already around 140 are in residence in the retreat house and youth village and more are expected once we have vacated the monastery. Hopefully they will find in Esker a place of welcome, sanctuary and safety and be uplifted by the spiritual life and tradition of this special and holyAnotherplace.difficult decision for us has been the decision to cease publication of Reality magazine at the end of this year. After 85 years in existence, initially as the Redemptorist

Record and later as Reality, the magazine has been a significant element in our efforts to share the Good News of the Gospels, one that had been much appreciated by many over the years. However, with decreasing subscriptions and readership and a growing move from print to digital communication, we feel that now is the time for such a move.

I am conscious that many may be disappointed by this decision, but I assure you that Redemptorist Communications will continue to seek new ways of spreading the Good News. I take the opportunity of thanking all associated with the magazine over the years, particularly our current editor Tríona Doherty and past editors Frs Gerry Moloney and Brendan McConvery.

These are changing and challenging times, but we continue to move forward in hope, trusting in the Lord who walks with us.

Dan Baragry CSsR Provincial Superior

ESKER: MUCH

Esker had a cold beginning –20,000 years ago.

At that time, Ireland was in the grip of an ice age. Thick layers of ice covered the whole country. It took 5,000 years for a slow global warming to set in and begin to melt the glaciers, and another 5,000 before the ice was all gone, leaving the landscape much as we know it now.

A feature of the new landscape was a series of high ridges of

sand and gravel that had formed under glaciers and were now left exposed. These ridges were mostly in the west and across the midlands. The old Irish word for ridge is eiscir, from which our Esker – and others – takes its name.

Over the centuries most of the eiscirs of Ireland have been levelled – their sand and gravel were handily accessible for building and road making. But portions of them still remain. OF IN THE PEOPLE WHO PASSED MADE IT

Two such portions, parallel to each other and over 100 metres long, constitute our garden. Today they are covered by mature trees and bushes and traversed by pleasant paths. Between them lies a sizeable field. Sheep now placidly graze it, but for many of the 120 years we Redemptorists have lived here it was a football pitch for generations of students andAcrossnovices.the road is another

inheritance from the melting ice, a 200-feet high gravel hill known as Dominic’s Hill. It is almost the only bump in this flat part of County Galway. Fifty years ago we were offered a million pounds for it – its gravel was invaluable for road-making – but selling it was unthinkable, even though we were hard up at the time. Its name, Dominic’s Hill, brings us to the beginnings of Esker as an especially religious place.

HEROIC DOMINICANS

Nearly 800 years ago, in 1241, the Dominican Friars came to Athenry, then a newly founded town about five kilometres from Esker. They built a priory and church there. For the next 300 years they flourished, ministering to the people of Connacht.

Then came Henry VIII, one of whose hobbies was suppressing monasteries, and later his daughter Elizabeth, who

indulged in more vicious antiCatholic activities. The Athenry Dominicans managed to avoid suppression by Henry, but under Elizabeth their house and church were confiscated. Most of the friars fled into exile in Europe. A handful took refuge in the woods and bogs around Esker. There they survived in great hardship and poverty, in huts “of clay and wattles made”. In time some of the exiled friars returned

Rev. Fr Corbett preaching at a profession ceremony in September 1960/61

Novices at work on the square in 1963

to join them and they pursued their apostolate of preaching and teaching among the poor people around, all the time in danger of being captured and put to death. Amazingly, in spite of all the dangers, many young men were drawn to join them.

Once or twice during these years, they returned to Athenry only to be driven out again. Finally, in 1652, Cromwell’s soldiers wrecked the place and

further return was impossible. Six of the community were put to death. The survivors continued their courageous work in the woods and bogs three miles away.

For one period of 30 years they ran a school which at times had hundreds of students living among the trees. While it lasted, about 2,000 boys and young men were given a thorough education in this school. It was forced to close after the Irish defeat at the

Battle of Aughrim in 1691.

To glance back at Cromwell, a remarkable report of his survives, written to his superiors in England, in which he says,

All is not well with Ireland yet. You gave us the money, you gave us the guns. But let me tell you that every house in Ireland is a house of prayer, and when I bring these fanatical Irish before the muzzles of my guns, they hold up in their hands a string of beads, and they never surrender.

The Dominican teaching of the Rosary had taken root.

EISCIR NA MBRAHAR

Eventually the Penal Laws began to slacken and, after nearly 200 years of uncertain existence ‘on the run’, the Friars were able to settle in Esker and build a

substantial house and, much later, a church. Life still had its precarious moments though, and at one point they had to sell several chalices in order to keep going. In spite of this, Esker became known as a place of grace and hospitality. Eiscir na mBrahar, it was called, Esker of the Friars. The poet Raftery, Raifteirí an File as he called himself, wrote a poem about it after being warmly welcomed here for a stay of three or four weeks. During the Famine, Esker fed great numbers of starving people. Bás insan spéir, as the song says – death in the air – but at the same time, so muchNevertheless,life…! the Friars found they could not continue, and in 1893 they had to leave Esker for good. Some 652 years after

In 1901, seven priests and three brothers took up residence. The place was in dire straits, rat-infested, cold and draughty, with broken windows, and doors that had to be tied shut with twine. After initial dismay, the ten pioneers set to work and the ruin became a home.

their first arrival in Athenry, they handed Esker over to the Diocese of Clonfert. The diocese ran it as a seminary for a few years and then closed it down. It became derelict.

CAME THE REDEMPTORISTS

We had been looking for a place to be a centre for our mission work west of the Shannon. Athenry was a railway junction for trains going north, south, east and west. In 1901 the train was our normal way of travel, so Esker was purchased. Seven priests and three brothers took up residence. The place was in dire straits, rat-infested, cold and draughty, with broken windows, and doors that had to be tied shut with twine. After initial dismay, the ten pioneers set to work and the ruin became a home. A new wing was built for our students who were at that time in Belfast. They transferred in 1904 and were welcomed with bonfires along the road from the station in Athenry to Esker. Esker was to be our seminary for the next 36 years, until 1940 when a new and larger seminary was opened in Galway.

For some of those years in Esker there were as many as 40 students. One photo in the archives shows a total of 50 men, students and professors together. At the same time, in the monastery, there was a community of priests who were engaged in missions and retreats all over the west, and a team of brothers who looked after everyone and everything –cooking, maintenance, farming, gardening – the place was buzzing with life and activity. So much life…!

LIVING STILL

As I write this account, a novena is going on here in Esker, as it has done for many years. People come from miles around for nine days of prayer and devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Five times each day the church and the ground floor of the monastery are filled with devout

and eager people, all of them with their troubles and needs but joyful and uplifted by these festive days together.

This event epitomises what Redemptorists have been doing here for the past 121 years. In parish missions, retreats and novenas throughout the west, we have gathered the people to stir

up the faith that is in them and refresh them to continue their pilgrimage through life. It has been a noble and adventurous enterprise.Peoplefrom all parts of Ireland, and many from abroad, have come to our retreat house to enjoy the peace and beauty and to gather their resources

for living more fully.

Most of our work involved travelling and spending weeks away from home, living out of a suitcase. In recent years we travelled by car; in earlier times it was the train. In the very early days, the pony and trap brought us the three miles to the station in Athenry.

On one occasion, the trap arrived just as the train was pulling out. “Well,” said Brother Peter, the driver, consoling his passengers, “we didn’t miss it by much.”

There is no end to the stories and adventures that have been lived out here. Some are recorded in our chronicles; most are gone with the good men who lived and died here. All of them are known to God.

LAST DAYS

A global warming brought Esker – the place – into being. The warmth of God’s love in generations of Dominicans, Redemptorists and the good people around has made Esker a place of grace and prayer and hospitality. So much life has been lived here – intense life, generous life, adventurous life. Here “prayer has been valid”, as the poet T.S. Eliot says of another holy place. And that will last, gathered into the very landscape, and gathered into the heart of God.

So this autumn, as the leaves begin to fall, we say goodbye to Esker. We will be lonely leaving, and there will be a new loneliness around the fields of Athenry. But, please God, as in years past, not for long. Life goes on.

Five times each day the church and the ground floor of the monastery are filled with devout and eager people, all of them with their troubles and needs but joyful and uplifted by these festive days together.

WITH EYES WIDE OPEN JIM DEEDS

COURAGE AND COMMITMENT IN THE FACE OF CHANGE

WE MUST EMBRACE THIS TIME OF TRANSITION AND RESPOND WHOLEHEARTEDLY TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Irememberbeing told that the difference between change and transition is that change involves events, whereas transition is the process of dealing with them and finding a way forward. It has been a time of both change and transition in the Deeds house. Our events were the deaths of two of our beloved dogs, Jenny and Mac. The period since has been a transition to a new reality of having fewer dogs and grieving our two canine pals. In amongst the sadness of their passing, there has been a bit of joy – we have added a new puppy to our pack. His name is Freddie and he is a Newfoundland dog.

When Freddie arrived, he too faced change and transition. He was away from his old life and in a new life with new people and new dogs. As a sort of outward sign of his wrestling with this transition, he found it difficult to transition across door thresholds when he first came. He would stop at an open door, unsure and unwilling to go any further. As time went on, we found a way of encouraging him and showing him that this transition was not to be feared, but to be embraced. We got Freddie not long after returning from our holiday in Portugal. While there, we were witness to a huge change being faced not only there, but all over the world. We have been visiting Portugal for years now and are familiar with the climate and landscape. Long story short, it’s hot! This year was no exception. We had temperatures of 30-plus degrees daily. However, speaking

to the local people in the town where we stay, we heard very worrying reports. Again and again, people talked about a shortage of water, a winter with no rain at all, and fears for another dry winter. It is hard for us here in Ireland to imagine a dry winter or to see it as particularly worrying. In Portugal, this is a real worry.

Like many countries in Europe, Portugal recorded their highest ever temperature this summer.

if there is no rain this winter, there will be no wine next year. So this year, a shortage of ice. Next year, high-alcohol wine. The year after, no wine at all. These are ‘first world problems’ to a degree but serious enough for the people in Portugal. What happens if the rain doesn’t come the year after? What happens if the temperatures keep up at this high rate, as we are told they will? We are facing a climate crisis,

option other than to accept the changes which are happening –we see them all around us. And we have no option to turn away in fear or cynicism from this time of transition which we must embrace in response to these climate

We heard of, and saw, areas of dry land where only a few years ago stood lush forests and majestic lakes. In the local bars and restaurants we saw that there was a shortage of ice. On a visit to a vineyard, my wife Nuala and I were told by the farmer that some of her grapes were burnt on the vine. She showed us these burnt grapes with a look of sadness and concern. The implication of the dry winter and extremely hot summer is that her wine will be very high in alcohol this year. This is not very concerning but, she told us with an air of resignation,

and while my head had processed that to a degree, being in Portugal this year gave me first-hand experience of the situation in a way that has moved me deeply. Pope Francis, moved by this “cry of the earth”, wrote his encyclical Laudato Si’ in 2015. It is subtitled ‘On care for our common home’. This phrase invites us all to know that we share a common home and have a shared responsibility for caring for it. Indeed, the pope writes that concern for the natural world is no longer ‘optional’ but is an integral part of church teaching. We have no

Octoberchanges.4marks not only the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, but also the closing day of the church’s Season of Creation, during which we are called to pray for the common good in our world and for inspiration in caring for the earth. As this season ends we are called to go forth in action, to face into the transition we must make to conserve energy, renew the earth and take care of the most vulnerable amongst us. Freddie the dog, in facing the worry of the threshold of an open door, often could not face going through it alone. He needed me to lift him and carry him through. We cannot, and are not meant to, do everything on our own either. We need to be lifted and carried at times. We are called to support each other in doing what we can to be more caring towards the earth. And the earth herself needs us to cross the threshold into more sustainable ways of living. God stands with us, ready to carry us through all that we face. In this we must find courage, consolation and a desire to make commitments.

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

ESKER IN THREE SEASONS

BY BRENDAN O’ROURKE CSsR

IDYLLIC SETTING

It is 56 years this August since 11 of us, young men, arrived in Esker to begin our novitiate, our spiritual year. For the first month we had the companionship of six novices who were due to take vows in mid-September. The 11 of us in my year bonded quickly. Most of us knew each other from the Redemptorist boarding school in Limerick. Four of our group were new to us. The adjustment to the novitiate way of life probably was smoother for those of us who had been in Limerick. It didn’t seem to be very different from what we were used to. We even had as our novice master a man who had taught us history for our Inter Cert. He was an easy man to like.

Soon we were praying, gardening in the extensive Esker grounds, walking the countryside, attending Mass and singing at all the country church services. A real plus was that there was a swimming pool down the forest, and we made good use of it! We all received assignments for keeping the house in good shape. I was appointed sacristan. We were given old working clothes, all raggedy, and I loved gearing up and heading out to work in the eskers, cutting back the laurel bushes, weeding and tending to the flower beds.Asthe evenings closed in we would walk around the eskers in the dark, and our novice master loved instructing us in the constellation of stars up in the beautiful clear skies, skies unaffected by any other lighting.

One of the brothers in the community taught me how to extend the life of the flowers which adorned the church. There was a furnace in the basement and if you held the end of the flower stalks to the door of the roasting furnace you sealed the stalks

and so got an extra week or even ten days from the flowers.

Five of our companions left us during the year. The first to leave told me the day before his departure; he spoke of how he had struggled to stay but it had become clear to him that the life wasn’t for him. He was a very impressive young man and I remember thinking that he was so good that maybe it was me, not him, who should be leaving! With the other four who left, we did not know until the morning of their departure. That would happen on a Thursday morning just before they were brought to the train station in Athenry. Before we headed out for our morning walk, they’d come into

someone leaving. We gradually realised that he found the departures very hard to deal with. He would hide his upset from us.

We didn’t have TV, radio or newspapers. Someone gave us a record of the Beatles’ album, Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. We had it nearly worn away by the end of the 12 months!

We were allowed a total of two phone calls to family during the whole year. Due to a family business, I had grown up with a phone in our home, so phones were very familiar to me, yet, because of the restriction in the novitiate, by the end of the year the phone had become almost alien to me. It took me years to stop seeing a phone call as an emergency or crisis.

our community room, shake hands and say goodbye to each of us. Each time it was sad to see them leave. One in particular was a livewire, full of fun and mischief. I still remember the day he came into the community room to say goodbye. I was sure he was only messing. But gradually it dawned on me that Seán was really leaving. Imagine, I still remember that day, all these years later! He left a big hole in our group.

Over time we noticed that our novice master would disappear for the day after

Christmas was very simple. Very few decorations. No gifts. Some extra food treats, and some free time to spend as we wished. We had cards and letters from home, and while we missed home and friends, somehow the simplicity of that Christmas celebration brought many of us closer to the mystery and deeper meaning of the Incarnation.

Most days were fully scheduled with activities but now and then we were allowed to choose what we spent our time at. A skill I learned during these times was touchtyping. It is a skill that has served me very well throughout the years. Teach Yourself Typing was my manual and teacher, from the ‘Teach Yourself’ series.

A PERSONAL REFLECTION ON LIFE IN ESKER DURING THREE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS OF LIFE – AS NOVICE, PRIEST AND RECTOR

We didn’t have TV, radio or newspapers. Someone gave us a record of the Beatles’ album, Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. We had it nearly worn away by the end of the 12 months!

Fr Brendan with his parents on his profession day, September 15, 1968

As far as I can tell, we may have been the first group of novices who went away from the novitiate for ten days. It was like a summer holiday. We spent it in a summer house of the Redemptorists in Clifden, Co. Galway. Days of sunshine, cycling, swimming, tennis, sailing, praying, walking! We finished off by climbing Croagh Patrick. We went up in the afternoon, spent the night there, had Mass as dawn was lighting up Clew Bay, climbed back down and then walked into Westport to get a bus back toWhileClifden.in

Clifden we were allowed to listen to the news on the radio. This exception was made because some days beforehand Pope Paul Vl had promulgated the encyclical Humane Vitae. There has been a lot of fallout from this. Our novice master was increasingly distressed by the criticisms being made of the pope. It would be some years later before we came to understand the significance of both the encyclical itself and the fallout. Soon our profession day arrived, September 15, a celebration with our Redemptorist community and our families. Six of us took vows for three years. We were not to know that before the three years were up, we would no longer be six but three, and then, a year after that, we were reduced to two. On September 16, the six of us headed into Cluain Mhuire in Galway to study philosophy.

PARISH MISSIONS

The years passed and in September 1977, some months after ordination on June 5 (the first ordination in the chapel in Marianella, Dublin), I arrived back in Esker as a member of the community for 12 months, prior to returning to the Philippine Islands.

It was 12 months of parish missions, school retreats, and novenas. We were a strong team of missioners and I loved every minute of the very busy year. Most months we only got back to Esker once or twice for an overnight or two – time to do our laundry and write letters – and then off on the road again. The year passed very quickly, and I said goodbye once again to Esker, not to return to live there for another 33 years!

CARING COMMUNITY

In July 2011, I took up my appointment as Rector of Esker. This time my stay in Esker lasted eight years, two four-year terms as rector. For the first four years, I was also the youngest in the community. Age was showing in all our houses. However, one of the blessings was the staff of men and women employed by our Esker community. Then, within months of my starting in Esker, the Redemptorists employed an Esker manager. His responsibility covered staff and the whole Esker site: monastery, church, retreat house, youth village, the extensive Esker grounds, maintenance and security. This gave my Redemptorist team the time to focus on care for our priests and brothers, many of whom had health issues, while at the same time we could attend to the pastoral care of the people coming to church and to the people coming to activities in the retreat house and youth village.

I remember those eight years fondly and with gratitude. The community was a happy one, a prayerful one, and a caring one. It was a community that was close to the people ofOverGod.the eight years, we buried six of our members. Our beautiful cemetery was filling up with our friends. One unusual addition to our community in the summer of 2013 was the arrival of my mother! With the goahead of the community, I was able to invite my mother, then going on 91, to move from Wexford to live with us in Esker. It was a way of combining being rector and son. While it meant Mam losing the independence of her own home, the plus was that she felt warmly welcomed by the community and staff and came to love her time there. I have to admit that I did remind Mam every so often that I had the paper to show that I was the boss. That cut very little ice with her!

A strange thing was that during those years, of all the Redemptorist priests and brothers who died, for various reasons, each and every one of them ended up dying in hospital rather than at home in the monastery. The only one to die in Esker, in her own bed, surrounded by Redemptorists, family and Esker staff, was

my mother. We waked Mam in the monastery for some hours and then brought her to be waked and buried back in Wexford.

As I look back on the illnesses and deaths of our priests and brothers, I remember how they were so fully cared for by our staff of nurses, carers, community members, members of their own families and their many friends. The Redemptorist community in Esker was a very open and welcoming community. Family and friends were welcomed to visit, to stay and to join us for Eucharist and meals. And it was not a welcome of duty. It was heartfelt.

The author’s mother trying out her driving in the grounds at CelebratingEsker!anoutdoor

Mass at Esker with the Cana community, assisted by a deacon from France

The first man to die during my eight years had a very close bond with his many nieces. So, we had the inspiration to invite them to wheel his coffin from the church along the Esker pathways over to the cemetery. They were delighted and honoured. That family involvement became the practice for all subsequent burials. It never ceased to move usEskerall. had many celebrations and events throughout each year. There were the buses of young people arriving for retreats in the youth village. Early summer signalled the Solemn Novena when not only the church but the monastery corridors, and everywhere else, were filled with young and old for the nine days. Often there wasn’t a spare chair to be found! It was a time of prayer, of petitions and thanksgivings, the Mass, Our Lady, the late Brigid Corrigan doing magic on the old Esker organ, and it was a time of a community gathering, chatting, laughing and catching up on the news since last year.

Then there was the bake sale followed swiftly by the family fun day. Later in the summer neighbours, families and friends of our priests and brothers buried in our cemetery arrived for Cemetery Sunday. In mid-December each year a healing mission, a week of prayer and reflection, saying goodbye to the old year, preparing for Christmas and welcoming the new. The last day of the mission, the Esker priests and brothers serenaded the congregation with a Christmas hymn, ‘Tu scendi dalle stelle’, composed by our founder St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, a hymn still sung in Italy today.

Eight years pass swiftly! In the early months of 2019, I began to prepare to leave Esker. A new rector had been appointed. I left Esker with a deep fondness for the place, for the community, the staff, and the good people of Esker. I have been blessed to return many times since then, to meet everyone and to walk the eskers!

Visit of the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help to the Esker community in April 2016. (L-r) Patrick O’Keeffe, Brendan O’Rourke, Mike Heagney, Denis Luddy, Adrian Egan, Seamus Enright, Tommy Byrne, Clem MacManus, Phil Hearty, Mike O’Flynn, James Casey, Jimmy Buckley, Dermie O’Connor, Seamus Devitt

Fr Brendan on the steps of Esker Monastery on the first day of his novitiate with his classmates Leonard Martin (RIP) and Jimmy Doyle, Fr Paddy O’Donnell (the novice master) and Fr Paddy McGowan, director of the Redemptorist Boarding School in Limerick

IN MEMORIAM

REMEMBERING THE REDEMPTORISTS BURIED IN ESKER CEMETERY

1. Fr Thomas O’Farrell 27/10/1912 Age 66 Br Francis Reynolds 20/02/1915 Age 23 Br Casimir O’Gorman 05/03/1919 Age 42 Fr Patrick Hartigan 11/06/1924 Age 51 Fr Henry O’Donnell 25/09/1925 Age 61 Fr John McNamara 23/02/1929 Age 68 Fr Patrick Sampson 14/05/1929 Age 86 Fr Laurence Hayes 10/02/1930 Age 74 Fr Vincent Bourke 18/04/1931 Age 72 Fr Patrick Carroll 10/01/1932 Age 42 Br Matthias O’Brien 29/03/1932 Age 52 Br Richard McCall 20/08/1933 Age 22 Fr Terence Browne 18/04/1937 Age 58 Br Colman Malone 28/01/1940 Age 20 Fr Peter Carthy 27/01/1941 Age 73 Br Malachy McTernan 16/12/1943 Age 79 Fr Patrick Leo 20/05/1944 Age 78 Br Brendan Hannigan 22/03/1950 Age 85 Fr John B Coyle 12/06/1950 Age 81 Fr James McLoughlin 08/07/1950 Age 61 Br Aidan (John) Lavery 01/05/1951 Age 80 Fr John Harty 22/01/1953 Age 71 Br Kevin Griffin 08/02/1953 Age 23 Fr Tadhg O’Twomey 06/01/1955 Age 86 Br Mel (John) Cusack 11/04/1955 Age 79 Fr Eugene O’Donnell 29/05/1955 Age 80 Br Henry Reynolds 07/05/1958 Age 23 Fr John Kell 26/04/1961 Age 83 Br George Hayden 16/11/1962 Age 77 Fr Anthony Kieran 13/01/1963 Age 74 Fr Thomas (Tom) Cassin 27/03/1963 Age 83 Br Benignus Gavey 18/05/1963 Age 77 Fr Dermot Mulligan 22/06/1965 Age 40 Fr Joseph Wright 17/08/1965 Age 69 Fr John O’Brien 13/09/1965 Age 77 Fr John Doyle 18/11/1965 Age 89 Fr James Coogan 19/01/1966 Age 81 Br Gerard Fahy 07/05/1966 Age 73 Fr Joseph O’Regan 15/12/1968 Age 68 Br Hugh King 23/12/1968 Age 81 Fr John DeCourcy 15/07/1969 Age 88 Fr John J McDonnell 21/03/1970 Age 65 Fr Peadar Duffy 28/07/1970 Age 59 Fr James Molloy 16/10/1970 Age 55 Fr John Fitzgerald 17/01/1971 Age 87 Fr Joseph Murphy 15/01/1972 Age 74 Br Clement Clifford 20/01/1972 Age 74 Fr Thomas McDonnell 12/02/1972 Age 51

Memorial plaque to Fr Leonard Martin (age 53) who died in Fortaleza, Brazil on 16/03/2004 and is buried with his family in Wexford.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

A PLACE OF REFUGE

BY BRENDAN CALLANAN CSsR

Within weeks of the Redemptorists deciding to bring their presence in Esker to an end, the plight of the people of Ukraine became headline news. The shocking scenes reported in the media underlined the need to support people displaced from their homeland because of foreign aggression.Inthis context, the Redemptorist Provincial Council decided to make the facilities in Esker available to accommodate Ukrainian refugees. Contact was made with the relevant government department and, so, from mid-July the retreat house and the youth village were made available. At the end of the year, the monastery, where the Redemptorists currently live, will also be made available.

While the Redemptorists made the buildings available, the Government nominated a local firm to manage the undertaking, for example providing meals, ensuring there are facilities for washing clothes, etc.

On July 15, 96 Ukrainian refugees arrived in Esker. By the end of July, the number had increased to approximately 140. Though they were arriving into a very strange environment, a sense of relief was evident amongst them. One could also get a sense of the anxiety which they were experiencing. After all, they had left loved ones behind and were being informed of the ongoing atrocities in their homeland. Communication with family and friends in Ukraine is vitally important. Unfortunately, the rollout of the national

broadband plan has not reached this area yet, but hopefully it will sooner rather than later. The people who arrived in Esker are from several different places in Ukraine, but certainly some from Odessa and Mariupol, placenames already familiar to us. Apart from their own family members the arrivals did not know one another. There are some very good English speakers in the group, and this has been hugely important as they act as translators in many different situations.Representatives of several government departments/ agencies have been to Esker to facilitate the inclusion of these people into Irish society. More specifically, this means providing PPS numbers in order to access social welfare benefits; making arrangements for the children to go to school; providing opportunities, for those who are interested, to learn English; facilitating access to medical assistance; exploring possibilities of employment in the area.

The local community in the Esker area has been very supportive from the beginning. A committee of locals has been put in place to act as an interface between the community and

the Ukrainians. The committee liaises with them to discern appropriate ways of providing help. An early example of this was the provision of toys for the children. The support of local people is hugely important and is greatly appreciated by the Ukrainians.Onecannot lose sight of the fact that these people have been through severe trauma. Even though we may not know the details of it, we can be certain that their suffering has been immense, and it is not over yet. This context serves to underline the importance of local community support on an ongoing basis.

ACCOMMODATION IS BEING PROVIDED AT ESKER FOR UKRAINIANS FLEEING THE WAR IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY

LIVING IN A ‘PC’ SOCIETY AS A CATHOLIC

BY AOIFE M cGRATH AND RAPHAEL GALLAGHER CSsR

What does it mean to be ‘politically correct’ in Ireland today? Is it even desirable to be ‘politically correct’? What should I do if my opinion about what is ‘socially acceptable’ differs from others’? These are questions that any citizen might ask. Another question that holds particular interest for us here: if the questioner were Catholic, should that make any difference to their stance on political correctness?

HOW MIGHT WE UNDERSTAND THE TERM?

Today, the term ‘politically correct,’ and its abbreviated form ‘PC’, have both positive and negative connotations.

On the one hand, they are used to set a (new) standard or benchmark for socially acceptable language, behaviour, customs and human relations, redressing historical injustices. By implication they distinguish and designate what is ‘politically incorrect’: PC proponents ‘call out’ words and actions that are insensitive, cause injury or exclude particular individuals and groups in society. By drawing attention to inappropriate attitudes and behaviours, proponents seek to challenge the status quo and bring about positive social change.

In popular culture, another term used in this context is ‘being woke’. This means being up-to-date, well-informed and alert

to discrimination and injustice within society. Once someone has found such a level of awareness, going back to sleep is not an option. A genuinely ‘woke’ person must explicitly act to oppose and eradicate injustice and discrimination, to create a better future.

On the other hand, ‘political correctness’ can be viewed disapprovingly and used in an ironic way, as an insult for ‘progressive’ movements or ideologies that are perceived as superficial, insincere, self-serving, or officious. Advocates of political correctness (or wokeness) may be suspected of signalling support for some issue or situation as a substitute for genuine reform. They may be perceived as standing in judgement over others, criticising and finding fault, even with those who are well-meaning. Online, they may be seen as the ‘keyboard warriors’ who will only disparage, rather than engage.

In this light, at best, what is socially acceptable might seem unstable; keeping up with the latest changes, being alert to discrimination and ready to counteract injustice all the time, might seem impossible. At worst, politically correct agendas are perceived as being destructive. Engaging in activities which proliferate PC ideas or approaches that violate deeply held values are viewed as objectionable.

Tensions about what is politically correct

or socially acceptable are most acute in the spheres of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and ecology. Each of these areas of social concern is rooted in the individual’s experience of identity, even their existence and survival. When one party feels silenced by another, they appeal to the right of ‘free speech’ to bolster their own interest. When the stakes are high, tolerance of opposing positions is low.

WHAT IS AT STAKE?

Personal and social values are intimately related. The individual decides what is important in life – how one thinks, speaks, and behaves – while being influenced by family and friends, the surrounding culture and day-to-day life experience. For some, education and faith tradition also play a part. Through interacting with one another, we learn what is important for us to live well together. Social values are the group’s shared perspective about how they desire to live collectively. They provide the goals or standards for which people in the group should

Arguably,aim.this framework serves the will of the majority. We might ask: what happens to the few who do not subscribe to the common perspective of the majority? In previous generations, such individuals were certainly marginalised, ostracised or

IN THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF ARTICLES REFLECTING ON MODERN MORAL DILEMMAS, OUR AUTHORS DISCUSS THE IDEA OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND THE CHALLENGES POSED FOR CATHOLICS

THINKING IT THROUGH

worse from ‘mainstream culture’. While our society has changed in many ways, discrimination and injustice still linger. Today, ‘marginalised communities’ are adapting and reorganising. Such communities are no longer simply comprised of those on the periphery or margins. More accurately, they are communities of identity, formed through kinship or belief, in common experiences and sharedThesevision.communities are becoming more fluid in our internet world. I can find ‘my tribe’ anywhere in the world or spread throughout the world. I may never meet someone in person and communicate exclusively online. I may never know the people in this tribe or community, and yet I can still feel I belong. Social identity groups thus offer ‘safer spaces’ within which otherwise marginalised individuals can be themselves and still be accepted.

The era of social media, and the impact of a global pandemic in particular, has facilitated the growth of communities of identity. Commentators suggest that social media has come increasingly tribal, since it leads users to gravitate to like-minded peers and separate along identity divisions. Online users often prefer information in keeping with their view of the world and ignore information that does not fit in with this. Groups become polarised. There is a real risk of ending up in an echo-chamber and of the whole group moving to more extreme positions. Social media has become a volatile space. Misinformation, verbal aggression and threats mushroom. Individuals believed to have offended, harmed or excluded others are ‘cancelled’.

In such spaces, neither the ‘majority’ or the ‘minority’ will prevail; both suffer. In September 2006, an article on ‘Rethinking Political Correctness’ in the Harvard Business Review noted:

In cultures regulated by political correctness, people feel judged and fear being blamed. They worry about how others view them as representatives of their social identity groups. They feel inhibited and afraid to address even

the most banal issues directly. People draw private conclusions; untested, their conclusions become immutable. Resentments build, relationships fray….

Where political correctness is weaponised like this or used to silence and effect change in ‘them’ but not ‘us’, tension builds and relations deteriorate. Mutual trust and understanding becomes impossible, and the notion of social cohesion in the wider community seems fanciful. Hate crime increases. An Garda Síochána now have an online portal for reporting hate incidents which are perceived to be motivated, in whole or in part, “by hostility or prejudice, based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender”. The Irish Department of Justice is developing new legislation to deal with hate crime.

HOW MIGHT A CATHOLIC VIEW THE SITUATION?

Some Catholics passionately seek to eradicate injustice and unequivocally support the transformation of everyday language and behaviour to safeguard the dignity and welfare of disadvantaged and marginalised

persons. They try to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and contribute to a more equitable society.

Other Catholics just as passionately seek to defend the values and the teachings of the faith tradition that we have inherited. To their minds these are incompatible with the cultural mores of the present day. They believe they should challenge the cultural context with the content of the faith tradition. Perhaps, too, they are seeking the right words to translate the Gospel message in a manner that will be intelligible to people today.Paradoxical

though these positions may seem, they are quite understandable. The mission given by Christ to the People of God is to proclaim and spread God’s kingdom throughout the world. They are to be the new seeds of that kingdom, spreading and defending the faith, in word and deed, as witnesses of Christ. Catholics are also called to work for the transformation of the world from within, each one playing our own part in the mission of Christ. But how are we to do this? What happens when some emphasise the need for right action, and others stress right belief or understanding? Which should

THINKING IT THROUGH

come first? Can the two really be separated? Always, our goal is to effect real conversion in the society around us. If it is a question of which approach is most effective for the sake of mission, which should we choose? In moral and pastoral theology, we understand the importance of healthy relationships and dialogue for effective learning and growth. Respect, trust, open communication and humility are fundamental elements. These relationships need to transcend personal preferences and initial perceptions. Obvious differences between parties are recognised, while seeking to reach a shared understanding that allows space to learn from one another. Learning by doing, through action with reflection, opens us to new horizons of learning. Such reflection consciously engages with the riches of the Catholic vision, as these relate to building a practice of faithful, responsible action.Forinstance, it is a central principle of the Catholic faith – and the foundation of Catholic Social Teaching – that the human person is created in the image and likeness of

a Triune God. Consequently, human persons have an inherent dignity which ought to be respected. As God is a communion of threepersons-in-one, so too are humans social beings. We are called to live in communion with others, with all of creation, and with God. In reality, we struggle in the face of so much difference. Pope Francis wrote the following in 2013:

Differences between persons and communities can sometimes prove uncomfortable, but the Holy Spirit, who is the source of that diversity, can bring forth something good from all things and turn it into an attractive means of evangelisation. Diversity must always be reconciled by the help of the Holy Spirit; he alone can raise up diversity, plurality and multiplicity while at the same time bringing about unity. When we, for our part, aspire to diversity, we become self-enclosed, exclusive and divisive; similarly, whenever we attempt to create unity on the basis of our human calculations, we end up imposing a monolithic uniformity. This is not helpful for the Church’s mission. ( Evangelii Gaudium: The Joy of the Gospel, 131)

For Catholics carrying out their own part in the mission of the church in the world, to be humble is essential. As agents of Christ’s peace, we need “to devise a means for building consensus and agreement while seeking the goal of a just, responsive and inclusive society” (EG, 239). Constant social dialogue with everyone in society – and not just the majority, elite, or outspoken minority – is integral for lasting peace.

SHOULD A CATHOLIC BE PC THEN?

Certainly, the challenge of the Catholic faith to respect the dignity of the person, to prioritise the needs of the poor and marginalised, and to love our neighbour as ourselves suggests that we should strive for sound relationships with all others. Far from causing injury or harm through our words and actions, we are called to promote the other’s good. Likewise, it seems prudent to strive to participate in social dialogue from a position of humility, acting as committed and responsible citizens, for the sake of agreeing how to live well together. We do this because we are called to contribute to the common good and promote peace in society. We need to reflect on what really motivates us when we attempt to be PC and to discern the consequences (intended or otherwise) when we do not follow the protocols of political correctness.

Aoife McGrath is director of pastoral theology in St Patrick’s Pontifical University Maynooth.

Raphael Gallagher CSsR is a Redemptorist who taught moral theology in Rome for twenty years. He now lives in Limerick.

We are called to live in communion with others, with all of creation, and with God. In reality, we struggle in the face of so much difference

FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS CARMEL WYNNE

SELF-EFFICACY

plays a major role in how we perceive situations and how we react in response to issues over which we have no control. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to global uncertainties about how predicted food and fuel shortages will affect our lives. Rising inflation is taking away most people’s ability to plan for even their short-term future.

Self-efficacy

Most of us know incredibly selfreliant people who are skilled in finding ingenious ways to cope with everything life puts in their path. For the general population, increases in the cost of living and the fall in the purchasing power of money have a huge impact.

People are struggling with mortgage payments and rising rent prices. Expensive food and energy prices have put such pressure on households that people who once donated to charity are now approaching them for help. It has become increasingly difficult for young families to keep up with debt repayments for school expenses, car loans, credit card payments and sometimes even gambling debts.People who are dependent on social welfare payments have difficulty putting food on the table and cannot afford to heat their homes. Families dealing with addiction issues have the most difficulty. Recent research found that there are believed to be 40,000 people in Ireland who have a gambling addiction. The

‘magic thinking’ of a gambler who exudes boundless optimism that good things will happen, without supporting evidence, brings unnecessary deprivation on a Feelingfamily.powerless and hopeless is understandable when families on a limited income are faced with mounting bills. There is a noteworthy difference in how men and women deal with financial stress. In her book The Female Brain, psychiatrist Louann Brizendine said, “A modern woman can view unpaid bills as a catastrophe, as they seem a threat to a family’s survival. The female brain experiences greater stress over the same event than a man’s and this stress is a way of taking account of all possible risks to her children and family unit.”Finding an agreed solution is difficult for men and women who view the same event from very different perspectives. Even though they have the same number of brain cells, Brizendine found that men get angry more quickly because their brains have more processors in the amygdala. This is the part of the brain regulating fear and aggression. It’s challenging for couples whose brains work very differently to find amicable solutions to money problems.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

Self-efficacy or self-reliance comes from a belief that you have the determination, power

and perseverance to overcome obstacles and find ways to deal with setbacks. If life becomes difficult and challenging, you have confidence that you will cope. Psychologist Albert Bandura said. “Once people develop a mind-set about their efficacy in certain situations, they act on their established selfbeliefs without reappraising their capabilities.”Ifafamily have to make cutbacks, it is desirable to involve young people as much as possible in decision-making. Taking part in discussions about budgetary restraints gives a sense of ownership and personal power. People who feel their contribution to a decision is valued feel a sense of personal accomplishment which makes adapting to change less stressful.

It’s widely accepted that all emotions are generated by thoughts. We know that when you choose to think differently about the situation you are in, that change of thought will change how you feel emotionally. A good practice is to pay attention to your own internal dialogue, what you say to yourself. Question if what you say is uplifting or undermining the belief that you can cope.

Our brains create an interpretation of reality and mostly we accept what we think without question.

The person with a positive outlook might say, “Wouldn’t it be fantastic if…?” anticipating a

future event that may never happen. The question of a fearful person who catastrophises about negative events in the future, that also may never happen, could be, “Wouldn’t it be terrible if…?”The ability to imagine both positive and negative scenarios as you go through life is a blessing. You might choose to imagine how bad it would feel if your worst nightmares came true, or you could give yourself a pleasant surprise by imagining how people, situations or events that you anticipated would turn out badly, turn out well. Remember that feelings aren’t facts. They are like mirrors that reflect what you think. When you make the choice to change what you think, you are empowered to change how you feel.As psychiatrist, philosopher and Holocaust survivor Victor Frankel said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Carmel Wynne is a life coach, crossprofessional supervisor and author based in Dublin. For more information go to www.carmelwynne.org

A POSITIVE OUTLOOK CAN DETERMINE HOW WE OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND FIND WAYS TO DEAL WITH SETBACKS

WHERE HEAVEN AND EARTH MEET

BY MARIA HALL

Incense is an integral part of Catholic ritual, but its use dates back over 4,000 years. It originates from natural gum resin found in a variety of trees in Arabia and the East (olibanum, benzoin, cassia bark and sandalwood are commonly used). The word itself means ‘to burn’ and this action is a wonderfully powerful use of a sacramental which enriches our liturgy in a unique way. It is used to bless and to sanctify, to symbolise our prayers rising to God, and to make tangible God’s presence amongst us. It adds a richness and solemnity that lifts the soul and brings us a step closer to experiencing a foretaste of the heavenly kingdom.

ANCIENT ROOTS

From the earliest times incense was a highly valued product. It was used by the Egyptians 2,500 years before Christ. Egyptian kings offered incense in the temples; during his 32year reign, Rameses III offered 368,000 jars of incense as well as honey and oil. Ovid, Pliny and Herodotus all write about its uses. By the 3rd century BC, the famous Middle Eastern Incense Route had developed as a result of the popularity in trading in incense and spices. The route stretched 2,000 km from Arabia to the Mediterranean and into the Roman Empire.

Its rarity and beautiful aroma made it highly sought after; a gift of incense was something very special.

“INCENSE IS THE SYMBOL OF PRAYER. LIKE PURE PRAYER IT HAS IN VIEW NO OBJECT OF ITS OWN; IT ASKS NOTHING FOR ITSELF. IT RISES LIKE THE GLORIA PATRI AT THE END OF A PSALM IN ADORATION AND THANKSGIVING TO GOD FOR HIS GREAT GLORY.” – ROMANO GUARDINI

Ancient Egyptian engraving in Mortuary Temple of Seti I, Egypt: Seti burning incense over an offering

OLD TESTAMENT

“Let my prayer be incense before you; my uplifted hands an evening offering.” (Psalm 141:2)

Incense became a major feature of temple worship (though modern Jewish worship no longer uses it) and there are 170 references to incense the Old Testament. On Mount Sinai, God gave Moses instructions as to how the people of Israel should worship him. God invited his fallen people to offer sacrifice and worship in atonement for their sins. The Tabernacle was to be the place of worship, but only a single priest was allowed in, showing the divide that still stood between God and his people. Outside the Holy of Holies was the Altar of Incense. Exodus 31 gives detailed instructions for its construction and use: “Aaron shall burn sweet smelling incense upon it in the morning… he shall burn an everlasting incense before the Lord throughout your generations.”

Incense had other uses too. Its fragrance masked the odours of the animals being sacrificed. The great clouds of incense also symbolised prayer, the meeting of heaven and earth, which all those in the temple could see burning. Numbers 16 gives an account of Aaron using incense to save his people. Upon Moses’ instruction, he took a censer, added hot coals followed by incense, then went amongst the people. “And behold the plague had already begun among the people. He put on the incense and made atonement for the people. He stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stopped.”

The most prophetic and significant account of incense comes in Isaiah:

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with

Thensmoke…one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’

(Isaiah 6:1-6)

Isaiah was in the court of King Uzziah who was punished by the Lord for attempting to offer incense when only priests were permitted to do so. Isaiah, a layman, grieving the death of the king, was being shown a vision of heavenly glories. The seraph followed temple law and took a coal using tongs, but he did not place incense on it, but instead placed it directly onto the lips of Isaiah. The message was that God is

for everyone, not merely kings, and the glories of heaven are for everyone too – a profound message!

INCENSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT Luke’s Gospel begins with a reference to incense in his account of the story of Zechariah. A priest would only be invited once in his life to make the offering of incense in the temple. Chosen by lot, it was Zechariah’s turn and he got far more than he had bargained for: “So, he went into the temple of the Lord, while the crowd of people outside prayed during the hour when the incense was burned. An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar where the incense was burnt.” (Lk 1:9-12)

The incense was a holy sign of the presence of God and standing before him was a messenger from God. Heaven and earth meeting amidst incense! In spite of all this magnificent symbolism, Zechariah still doubted the angel’s message that Elizabeth was pregnant, and he was struck dumb.

We all suffer from a lack of trust, and Zechariah’s experience is a lesson for us; Paul Egerton says, “He should know by the steadfast love of Yahweh his God. He should know by the billowing sacramental presence round him. He should know by the appearance of the angel. He should know by faith.” So should we!

Visiting the infant Christ, the magi present frankincense (a specific form of incense

By the 3rd century BC, the famous Middle Eastern Incense Route had developed as a result of the popularity in trading in incense and spices. The route stretched 2,000 km from Arabia to the Mediterranean and into the Roman Empire.

originating from the Boswellia tree) as one of their gifts. Incense was often burned at the arrival of someone very important, like a king. Myrrh and gold were the possessions of powerful rulers, not their subjects. These gifts make a strong statement. Maybe these learned men were surprised to see the humble surroundings in which they gave their gifts. But their gift of frankincense did indeed mark the arrival of the most important king of all. The Book of Revelation gives us a foretaste of worship in heaven: “…another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer;

Visiting the infant Christ, the magi present frankincense (a specific form of incense originating from the Boswellia tree) as one of their gifts. Incense was often burned at the arrival of someone very important, like a king. Myrrh and gold were the possessions of powerful rulers, not their subjects. These gifts make a strong statement.

and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God.” (Rev 8:3-4)

EARLY CHURCH

There are very few references to the use of incense in the early church. It’s possible that the early Christians didn’t adopt it because of its association with pagan and Jewish worship.

During times of persecution, Christians were forced to offer incense to the gods in return for their lives, another reason for it not being used.

But during later persecutions, as the bodies of martyrs were being caried in the catacombs for burial, incense was burned in small niches along the processional way. This may be the reason for the custom of placing a few grains of incense in an altar along with the relic of a saint. Later these urns would be suspended from chains, leading the way to the thuribles we know today.

Incense appears in the 4th century when Egeria records the liturgical events of Sundays in Jerusalem. At Morning Prayer, “After three psalms and prayers, they take the censers into the cave of the Anastasis so that the whole basilica is filled with the smell.” Given there is clearly more than one censer, there must have been great clouds of aromatic incense giving glory to God at the beginning of the Lord’s Day.

In the Eastern Church, liturgies use incense from the 5th century. In the West, there is a record of incense being used in the 7th century during the procession of a bishop on Good Friday, and in the 11th century there is mention of it being used over the Book of Gospels.

INCENSE IN TODAY’S LITURGY

The Catechism reminds us that we meet the Lord through signs and symbols perceptible to the senses. It leads us to what we can’t see, and together with art, music and architecture, it gives us a foretaste of the heavenly glory which is our ultimate goal.

It’s not an optional extra! It’s not about whether we like the smell or not. Sunday Mass needs incense. We need that symbolic link between earth and heaven as much as our ancestors did.

There are practical issues to be considered in parish (thurible control is a skill!) but they should be overcome, for we are giving glory to God. Through time and history, incense has led us closer to God and it must continue to do so.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place, incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

(Malachi 1:1)

FURTHER READING

• General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 276/277

• What Goes Up Must Come Down, Paul C. Edgerton

• Sacred Signs, Romano Guardini

• ‘The Use of Incense During the Entrance Rite and Liturgy of the Word’ (www. adoremus.org)

• ‘The Use of Incense during the Liturgy of the Eucharist’ (www.adoremus.org)

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

Advent Resources

ADVENT EXTRA 2022 Your Journey to Christmas

Advent Extra 2022 has the joint theme of promise and hope because they are inseparable. We follow a promise, hoping for better times ahead. We all need hope. Quoting the late Archbish op Desmond Tutu: “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the Withdarkness”.it’sinsightful articles and 28 daily reflections Advent Extra is the perfect companion this season.

JOURNEYING WITH JESUS IN ADVENT

Fr Denis Mc Bride CSsR

In this insightful and inspiring book, Fr. Denis Mc Bride guides us through the Advent season towards the celebration of the birth of Christ. Suitable for private reading or for use in groups, this book invites us to journey together towards a deeper appreciation of the true meaning of Christmas.

DIARY 2023 Through the Year with 12 Values of Jesus

Fr. Denis Mc Bride CSsR

What are the core values that guide you through life? Our core values are qualities in our heart, shaping the choices we make, the way we relate with other people and the roads we decide to travel in life. What about Jesus’ values? What shaped the choices he made and the roads he decided to take?

A magazine for Catholic kids full of cool activities and fun quizzes, Perfect for 7-12 year olds it will encourage them to think about and grow in their faith while they have loads of fun! Twenty-two pages jam-packed with puzzles and facts – adults might learn something too!

Celebrate: Advent comes with our bestselling Advent calendar and activity sheet for even more things to do. This year there’s an easy way to refocus on the real meaning of Christmas as we Celebrate: Advent.

In this 2023 Diary, Through the Year with 12 Values of Jesus, Fr Denis Mc Bride C.Ss.R. tries to answer those questions by sharing and reflecting on what he considers to be the twelve core values of Jesus. Our 2023 diary is A5 in size and has practical full week to view across a double page spread. It includes an introduction from Fr. Denis, year planners for both 2023 and 2024, key dates and feast days, notes pages, and a ribbon marker. All of these features make it the ideal faith companion, appointment organiser and thoughtful gift.

CELEBRATE: ADVENT Follow the Star to Christmas

CHRISTMAS

MISSIONARY ZEAL COMES IN MANY FORMS

BY COLM MEANEY CSsR

Being zealous for the Lord might sound like a good thing, but the line between being zealous and being a zealot is a thin one. Just a few verses before his pious profession of loyalty to the Lord, the prophet Elijah had been instrumental in the killing of some 450 prophets of another god (1 Kings 18:40). Another self-admitted zealot began life as Saul but after his conversion he changed his name to Paul. From being one of the fiercest persecutors of the nascent Christian movement, he received a vision of the risen Lord, and even though he always remained a man of truculent, headstrong nature, this time his zeal was directed to bringing people to the wondrous freedom of the Good News. Over the centuries, monstrous schemes and dastardly deeds have been perpetrated by those ‘zealous for the Lord’: in fact, the ‘for the Lord’ bit may contribute to their performing their atrocities; after all, a supposed divine approval can cover a multitude of sins.

But zeal in moderation is surely an attractive attribute, and I have witnessed it many times over the years; I offer a few examples.

She was enough to bring a twinkle to the eye of a middle-aged celibate, even to suggest that the long-dormant testosterone might consider trickling through the ageing veins once again. Because for the four-hour bus journey to Cebu, the only vacant seat was beside a pretty young Filipina. Well, I fairly bounded down the aisle of the bus, anticipating her gushing compliments about my macho figure or the irresistible scent of my discount-store cologne. Alas, my fantasies were to remain merely dashed hopes: she continued chatting with her companions, and so, ruefully accepting harsh reality, I took

out my reading material and began a not-soexciting verse-by-verse commentary on the book of HalfwayExodus.through the journey, however, the fates intervened in the person of a vendor selling rice cakes. I was feeling peckish so I asked the price and bought the goods, hardly a dozen words being spoken. My erstwhile somewhat shy seatmate perked up (in Cebuano): “So, you speak the language well.” I demurred, saying that I just tried my best. From there, she became more effusive and chatty. I mentioned earlier that she was a pretty Filipina, and that much I had ascertained solely from her face; together with her female companions, they were all wearing loose-fitting blouses and skirts that reached well below the knee. And now I noticed that they all, men and women, had the give-away badge: ‘Bro/Sis (name), Latter Day Saints’. I was sitting beside a pretty Filipina Mormon, in the midst of a Mormon enclave.

ON A MISSION

Well, for the next two hours they tried every trick in the book to convert me to their creed. As usual, I didn’t reveal my credentials, apart from my being a dyed-in-the-wool bachelor. I was then admonished to get married ASAP and to produce numerous offspring – all this from a rather esoteric interpretation of a single Gospel verse. The eight or nine Mormons in the group were all in their mid20s. Every remark of theirs ended with “the heavenly Father” and their quoting of Bible verses was somewhat wooden: no sense of various possible meanings, just the blackand-white of fundamentalists. My impression was that they were kind-of half brainwashed; they had all the answers by rote, chapter

and verse – whether it was from the Bible or the Book of Mormon. But even if they seemed rather robotic, those long-skirted ladies were still able to send me on my way with a Mormon booklet. I learned that they volunteer for 18 months in the Mormon mission, and all expenses are their own (or donors’). There was a real sense of ‘being sent’ and an atmosphere of camaraderie among them. I admired their palpable sense of being people on a mission.

Over the years, during my missions, I have also experienced such zeal. Some instances are whimsical, some more weighty. With my guides, we visit one home after another in the upland villages where the houses are scattered around the hills, and in the lowland villages where they are in rows and clusters. Well, there were times when, for days on end, the rain fell as in the time of Noah. I was sorely tempted to stay indoors and read my book or do a crossword, or even say my prayers. But always, without fail, my guides would turn up at the appointed time (8 a.m.) complete with umbrella, oilskin, plastic cape or, if the rain was light, banana leaf! And we’d set off, wading through the ankle-deep water if we were going along the road, or squelching through the mud if crossing the narrow pathways along the edges of the rice fields.

I’m full of admiration for these people: their dedication, their no-nonsense down-tobusiness approach, bunching up their skirts or rolling up their trousers knee-high to cross the streams; their sense of being on a mission as we go from house to house, talking with parents or families. We chat for a while, pray a little, practise the new mission songs and invite all to a gathering later in the evening in a neighbour’s house.

“I HAVE BEEN VERY ZEALOUS FOR THE LORD” (1 KINGS 19:10)

MEMORABLE EVENTS

In Mambaling (Cebu city), my first urban mission in 2007, the Bahandi was something of a best-seller (the word means ‘treasure’ and is the title of the booklet I use on missions which was the subject of an earlier Reality article). A few months after the mission, the members of a very active family said that when their elderly father had a stroke, in order to comfort both him and themselves they had sung every single song in the book, and when they had reached the last page, they had returned to page one and started again! Incidentally, during the evaluation of that mission, I had asked a group of leaders what the memorable events were, hoping that what would be highlighted were my brilliant sermons or how life-changing someone had experienced the mission. In fact, to my chagrin and great amusement, one of the married daughters of the stroke victim, whose husband was the guitarist, said that the thing she’d never forget was how I’d inform her husband what key a song was played in: “C, as in carabao” [water buffalo], or “D, as in dalugdug” [thunder]. So much for my lofty ambitions.Ievenexperienced zeal in unusual circumstances, thanks to the teachers and catechists in a remote place. On the eastern island of Samar, we conducted a mission; this was the area where there were mighty clashes between the Japanese and the Americans during World War II, famously during the Battle of Leyte Gulf (the islands of Samar and Leyte are adjacent). During the mission the following ensued: I could see a group of people gathered at the jetty of the mission village, clearly a welcome committee. We had arrived by boat, about 45 minutes from the parish house. I was the first out of the boat, carrying a bottle of Mass wine, with a knapsack on my back, and wearing short pants and a t-shirt –clearly not VIP attire. But there was more than the group of well-wishers. As we climbed the steps, we saw all the schoolchildren, lined up in two rows, forming a guard of honour, complete with flaglets in their hands: a beautiful sight! I had to think fast – what to do now, how to respond to their kindness and acknowledge their effort? I thought, “Amerikano coming

ashore in the eastern Philippines. What name comes to mind?” Of course: Gen. Douglas MacArthur (the American general of World War II fame in the Philippines, who, having been initially routed by the Japanese, uttered the historic words “I shall return”, and he duly did, and eventually bested the Japanese). I immediately executed a crisp military salute and then, as one, in perfect synchronicity, the two rows of students saluted back, grinning like Cheshire cats. We were off to a good start.

expensive new car! But still, there are always individuals of decent character who, time and again, produce good results.

At the Operation, they have various daily routines, with different goals in mind:

(1) Educating the youngsters about the real murky world of drugs, wherein a few at the top may live exciting lives, making astronomical profits very quickly, but where the majority live, if not in constant fear, at least in uncertainty: when will their luck run out? Who might squeal on them?

SECOND CHANCE

Operation Second Chance is a programme of the Department of Social Welfare in the Philippines. As the name suggests, it is aimed at those who have been at variance with the law, but who have not offended seriously enough to warrant jail time. They stay in a low-security facility and the staff are there to try to prepare them to make a second chance of their lives.

The youngsters, all in their teens and early 20s, are from very unpromising family backgrounds: often one or both parents will already be behind bars for drug offences. The youngsters have been caught up in the insidious web of allurement, where shiny promises soon turn rusty, and where, one after another, innocent lives become damaged. But not all is lost, especially if they can make their way to Operation Second Chance. Being part of the Philippine government, it is fair to say that, like all such departments, it is tainted with the presence of corruption: for example, funds go mysteriously missing, and lo and behold, the department head buys an

(2) Efforts are made, through discussions, retreats and so on, to help the youngsters to ponder their own life stories: even if they have come from broken backgrounds, if they have gotten involved in dead-end practices and run foul of the law, even if there are other debilitating factors in their personal equations – nevertheless, they should always bear in mind the famous quote of the Black girl in a New York slum who was asked by a researcher what it was like to be living in such unpropitious circumstances, and who expected her to answer with a lengthy harangue about racism, injustice, and the like. Yet her memorable response was: “I am somebody, and God don’t make no junk”: ungrammatical it may be, but profound nonetheless.

None of the work at the Operation is glamorous. It never makes the headlines. And yet, I have tremendous respect for all those involved in this effort at rehabilitating young lives endangered and damaged far too early. Progress is slow and there are many obstacles: not only corruption and mediocrity among some of the staff, but also occasional unrest among the youngsters. And yet the stalwarts persevere, sometimes feeling somewhat disconsolate to be sure, as the odds against them are enormous. But still, they are even more convinced of the rightness of their cause: to rescue even a few of the youngsters from the ever-encroaching jaws of hopelessness and despair. Now that’s real zeal for you.

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

‘MacArthur’s Landing’ by Anastacio Caedo, depicting the landing of General Douglas MacArthur and his forces in Leyte

‘I’D RATHER NOT LIVE LIKE THERE ISN’T A GOD…’

BY MICHAEL SHERMAN

Endings matter. While a good start is half the battle, nothing beats a ‘mic-drop’ finish. The American rapper and songwriter, Kendrick Lamar, brought his headlining performance at the Glastonbury Festival in June to a dramatic climax which put the crucifixion of Jesus front and centre across the entertainment world. Lamar concluded his last song ‘Savior’ at the festival by repeating the phrase “Godspeed for women’s rights. They judge you, they judge Christ!” He could be accused of politicising religion or even reducing it to mere entertainment. However, his performance had a serious intention that exhibits both his commitment to his faith and to socialWritingjustice.about the experience of being black in America, the Womanist and Black Catholic theologian, M. Shawn Copeland, maintains that “incarnate spirit refuses to be bound.” By this she means that the human being is a spirit enthroned in a body that experiences and lives a life. For Copeland, if you are a black person living in America, your experience as an ‘incarnate

spirit’ is a very different one to that of a white person’s. Many black people struggle to live a life fit for their spirit as they resist and refuse to be bound by the prejudiced perceptions of their world. And yet many live lives that acknowledge the existence of God even in a racist, materialist society. The songs of Kendrick Lamar reflect many such

Lamar’sexperiences.workis

fused with both spiritual and social justice questions, and it has earned him numerous awards. In 2018, he won the Pulitzer Prize for his album Damn. The LP, which won Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards the same year, was the first non-jazz or classical work to ever win a Pulitzer Prize. Lamar, born and raised in California, was deeply humbled by the award

and, yet, at the same time, felt it was long overdue for the hip-hop genre. “It took a long time for people to embrace us – people outside of our community, our culture – to see this not just as vocal lyrics, but to see that this is really pain, this is really hurt, this is really true stories of our lives.” Damn, which has remained in the Billboard 200 Album Charts for the past four

STREET SCRIPTURE

Lamar raps, like a modern-day prophet, about his fractured and faithful relationship with God in fresh and honest ways. For example, in his song ‘Faith’ he writes about his mind drifting while at church which leads him back to question God about his life.

I found myself losing focus at a Sunday Embarrassedserviceso I start questioning God, ‘What is my purpose?’

He said to live the way he did, that’s all he want from me

Spread the word and witness, he rose on the first Sunday

I said alright, enthused that my Lord gave a listen

years, was described by the Pulitzer Board as “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern AfricanAmerican life.” He is a gifted storyteller who manages to creatively and strikingly convey his experiences of what it was like to grow up as a black American.

I opened my Bible in search to be a better Christian And this from a person that never believed in religion.

Despite his doubt about religion, Lamar is drawn closer to God and Christianity through the scriptures and through the art form of rap. In the chorus that follows, it is as if he is reassuring himself to trust in his own faith.

What am I gonna do Gotta have faith

SPIRITUAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE QUESTIONS TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN LAMAR’S MUSIC

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO KENDRICK LAMAR

KendrickLamar

“It took a long time for people to embrace us – people outside of our community, our culture – to see this not just as vocal lyrics, but to see that this is really pain, this is really hurt, this is really true stories of our lives.”

Life is too much I’m just through Where is your faith?

(Don’t you give up, don’t you give AllFaithin)you

need is the size of a mustard seed.

There is a scriptural quality to Lamar’s lyrics that call for a re-listening and re-reading of his work. (Two other examples of this style are Lauryn Hill’s song ‘Final Hour’ and Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America’. Both artists creatively and sometimes shockingly represent their lived experiences as black Americans.)

In his latest book, Street Scriptures: Between God and Hip-Hop, Alejandro Nava notes that besides the fact that in the ancient world scripture would have been delivered in a lyrical and rap-like manner – chanted, declared and sung in ways that set it apart from ordinary speech – the way in which the scriptures were originally composed “bears a resemblance to the making of hip-hop, the two of them sharing a composite and collagist aesthetic.” Listening to Lamar sing about his own struggles in

life one can’t help but hear the prophetic tone in his works. He reminds his listeners that when they are struggling with their own faith, particularly in times of suffering and stress, they are not on their own:

Just know when you feeling that way His Spirit’s in the room I watched people I know pray and catch the Holy Ghost And wonder why I ain’t ever caught that feeling before Maybe they know Him better, or I don’t know no better

But what I do know, is that He’s real and He lives forever So the next time you feel like your world’s about to end I hope you studied because He’s testing your faith again

I’d rather not live like there isn’t a ThanGod die and find out there really is Think about it.

Lamar is saying that it is good to explore faith and to enquire about God in our lives rather than living a life disconnected from God. Human experiences are tests from God. And Lamar feels that life in all its messiness and pain is still better lived with a belief in God.

SOCIAL JUSTICE

At the 58 th Annual Grammy Awards in 2016 Lamar performed on stage shackled in chains. His stage dancers were also in chains and wearing prisoner uniforms. He performed his hit single ‘The Blacker the Berry’. The song calls out and highlights the racist attitudes Lamar has experienced and witnessed growing up in America. The possibility of racism is as bad as the racist act itself. On the biggest night for celebrating music (in the western world), Lamar’s song shames everyone who thinks badly of his people.

‘The Blacker the Berry’ is a tough and sobering song. It shares its

title with the 1929 novel by Wallace Thurman. In the song, Lamar laments about the trouble black people go through simply because of their race. The song begins with him outlining how African Americans continue to struggle even in modern American society because of institutionalised racism which hinders most of them from achieving what they ought.

Church me with your fake prophesizing that I’mma be just another slave in my head

Institutionalized manipulation and Reciprocationlies of freedom only live in your eyes

You hate me don’t you?

I know you hate me just as much as you hate yourself

Jealous of my wisdom and cards

I Watchin’dealt

me as I pull up, fill up my tank, then peel out

Muscle cars like pull ups, show you what these big wheels ‘bout, ah Black and successful, this black man meant to be special

The song talks about how white American society enjoys the creativity of black people, yet tries to tone down the reality of racism evident in their communities. He makes several references to police brutality, gun violence and mass incarcerations while suggesting

that these events are akin to modern slavery. Lamar provokes and challenges his audience to rethink their assumptions and reconsider what they take for granted. As we see in the first two lines above, Lamar challenges the racist myths –and any other prejudices – that are propagated through the institutions of his society.

BLESSED ARE THE BULLIES

Another example of this relationship between the religious and the political can be seen in the song he wrote with U2 entitled ‘American Soul’. In this song, they rewrite the Beatitudes, the sayings attributed to Jesus. In their

rewording of these sayings they offer an inverted blessing not to the weak but to those who weaken.

Blessed are the arrogant

For there’s the kingdom of their own

Blessedcompanyarethe superstars

For the magnificence in their light We understand better our own

Blessedinsignificancearethe

filthy rich

For you can only truly own what you give away

Like your pain

Blessed are the bullies

For one day they will have to stand up To themselves

Blessed are the liars For the truth can be awkward.

In these lines, as is the case in many of Lamar’s songs, the prayerful and political acts are in conversation with each other, forcing the listener to rethink their conscience and the role they play in the institutional racism of their society.

Michael Sherman teaches theology at Carlow College, St Patrick’s.

A LITTLE PATH ON THE GREATEST MISSION

BY JULIEANN MORAN

Synod on Synodality, 2.1). But could we have engaged with them more, and are we missing an opportunity to recognise a synodal pathway that the Spirit of God might be guiding us towards?

GOD CALLS CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TOO

In a homily at the Basilica of St Thérèse of Lisieux in 1980, St Pope John Paul II said, “to have trust in God like Thérèse of Lisieux means to follow the ‘little path’ along which the Spirit of God guides us.” It seems very apt to be writing about paths and pathways at a time when the National Synthesis from the Catholic Church in Ireland is being submitted to Rome; when themes of walking with God and each other, journeying, and being on mission together were shared and discerned in many parishes, religious congregations, associations, and movements. It was also uplifting to see that some children and young people participated in the spiritual conversations during the diocesan phase of the Synod too, and that creative means were found to involve them (Vademecum for the

So often, I hear the phrase that “our children are the church of the future” and I must disagree. Our children are not simply the church of the future. They are the church today. Our goal, as Christians, should be the movement of everyone, young and old, from being passive recipients of the church’s missionary activity to actively engaged agents in the work God has for them. Involving children and young people in God’s mission is not new. God has called many young people as his prophets, servants and leaders. Some examples include David, Daniel, Samuel, Jeremiah, Ruth, and Mary of Nazareth. Indeed, Jesus himself, as an adolescent child, revealed his filial mystery to his mother when she found her son among the doctors of the Law in the Temple. He replied, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house? (Luke 2:49)

CHILDREN HELPING CHILDREN Awakening children to the needs of other children is one of many pathways to encourage them to hear God’s call today. This can be done through the pope’s official children’s charity for overseas mission, Children helping Children. The charity is one

of the four Pontifical Mission Societies under the patronage of the Holy Father. It is known by several names throughout the world (Association of Holy Childhood, Society of Missionary Children, Mission Together) and is probably the most widespread of the pope’s charitable instruments, operating in more than 150 countries. It would take an in-depth study of the society to better understand its spirituality, educational content and its role in God’s mission, but this missionary society for children is as relevant today as it was when it was instituted by Charles de Forbin-Janson almost 180 years ago.

Celebrating 100 years of Pope Pius XI’s motu proprio Romanorum Pontificum, which designated the society as pontifical, Children Helping Children is a society “for children, with children, and of children”. Essentially the first worldwide initiative in favour of children, the society was founded in 1843, more than 80 years before the first declaration of children’s rights (Declaration of Geneva,

CHILDREN HELPING CHILDREN, THE CHILDREN’S CHARITY FOR OVERSEAS MISSION, SEEKS TO AWAKEN OUR YOUNGEST CHURCH MEMBERS TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD

St Thérèse of Lisieux

So often, I hear the phrase that “our children are the church of the future” and I must disagree. Our children are not simply the church of the future. They are the church today.

1924) and more than a century before the creation of UNICEF (1946). Uniquely, children are not simply supporters or recipients in this society. They are agents of mission. This is done through the solidarity and hope they offer by their prayers and donations for other children. Encouraging children to say a short prayer and to offer a small sacrifice from their own spending money is participation in the church’s missionary activity. It is missional, and results in thousands of children’s projects, led by missionaries, being supported. While children here in Ireland pray and fundraise for children overseas, the children they support also share in the mission by keeping Irish children in their prayers too. So, Children Helping Children is also a beautiful exchange of friendship, as well as discipleship and faith.

FROM HOLY CHILDHOOD TO SAINTHOOD

On October 1, we will celebrate the feast of St Thérèse of Lisieux, popularly known as the Little Flower and patroness of the missions. On January 12, 1882 Thérèse Martin joined the Association of the Holy Childhood when she was just nine years old. As a member of the society, she grew in both her faith and admiration of the work of missionaries and dreamed of becoming a missionary herself. She later understood that very few are called to make big or radical gestures, but through small loving actions – little paths and little ways – we can all deliver God’s love to the world. We know from her writings that Thérèse developed a passion for overseas mission and treasured the work of Holy Childhood in her heart. She wrote:

Ah, in spite of my littleness, I would like to enlighten souls as did the Prophets and the Doctors. I have the vocation of the Apostle. I would like to travel over the whole earth to preach Your Name and to plant Your Glorious Cross on infidel soil. But O my beloved, one mission alone would not be sufficient for me. I would want to preach the Gospel on all the five continents simultaneously and even to the most remote isles. I would be a missionary, not for a few years only, but from the beginning of creation until the consummation of the ages.

- St Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul

Unfortunately, due to ill health, this would not be possible for St Thérèse. However, her little way of spiritual childhood became so central to Christian living, her holiness was recognised by the church very soon after her death in 1897. In 1914 her cause for beatification was introduced. She was proclaimed blessed in 1923 and was canonised on May 17, 1925.

WALKING THE PATHS OF SPIRITUAL CHILDHOOD

In proclaiming St Thérèse a Doctor of the Church in 1997, St Pope John Paul II acknowledged that “shining brightly among the little ones to whom the secrets of the kingdom were revealed in a most special way is Thérèse of the Child Jesus.” The Holy Father tell us that in the writings of St Thérèse we may not find a scholarly presentation of the things of God, but they offer “the world a precise message, indicating an evangelical way, the ‘little way,’ which everyone can take, because everyone is called to holiness.” St Thérèse knew very well that to enter into the very heart of the greatest mission of all, the little way of spiritual childhood was required. She wasn’t writing about adults becoming childish or regressing to child-like behaviours, though. She was writing about experiencing the divine love of God as the Father’s adoptive children in Jesus Christ; the experience of “divine filiation, under the movement of the Holy Spirit.” For St Thérèse, grounding ourselves firstly in who the Father is, and then responding with love and trust as a child would their parent, is how we walk the paths of spiritual childhood; how we walk with God. This littleness that she loved so much, the littleness of a child, is what opened St Thérèse to the greatest mission we are all called to by Christ – the divine mission of salvation.

WALKING THE PATH AND BRINGING MISSION TO LIFE

Irish children support several missionary projects worldwide each year. Last year, in Benin, financial support from children in Ireland provided food, healthcare and

Thérèse understood that very few are called to make big or radical gestures, but through small loving actions –little paths and little ways – we can all deliver God’s love to the world.

education for children in the care of the Little Servants of the Poor who were abandoned, rejected or had run away from difficult situations. Funds also provided food and health supports to a school in the parish of Les Saints Martyrs de L’Ouganda that welcomes, accommodates and educates blind and visually impaired children. Children Helping Children also received prayers and financial support for the pope’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund. This supported thousands of children in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, the Republic of Congo and

Mali. It provided protective equipment, hand washing materials, sanitising tools, medicine boxes, food, and healthcare programmes for the prevention of COVID-19. It even included the broadcasting of radio programmes for children without TVs so they could learn about the virus and how to protect themselves.

CONTINUING THE SYNODAL JOURNEY

As the Catholic Church in Ireland continues its synodal journey over the next four years, creative means of engaging with our youngest

Christians should continue, but also increase. If not, we may be missing an opportunity to recognise a pathway that the Spirit of God is guiding us towards. A synodal church is a church that goes forth on mission along many pathways after all, so may we remember as we journey together that the little paths taken by children also lead to the greatest mission.

Sr Stan Therese Mumuni with Precious in the Nazareth Home for God’s Children, Ghana

Julieann Moran is former national secretary of Children Helping Children, Missio Ireland.

TRÓCAIRE SUPPORTING SYRIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON

BY CATHERINE DEVINE

When war broke out in Syria in 2011, Hiba Almhammad was suddenly left widowed with a six-month old infant after her husband was killed in the conflict. Like many others, she expected the war to last a few months, and to be safe she relocated temporarily from Damascus to Lebanon with her son and elderly parents.

But more than ten years later, Hiba finds herself still in Lebanon, away from her homeland, along with millions of other Syrians who are struggling to survive and yearning to rebuild their lives. She dreams her now 11-year-old son will be able to stay in school and make a better life for himself in Lebanon.

Lebanon today hosts 1.5 million of the 6.6 million Syrians who have fled the conflict since 2011. The Syrian refugee population in Lebanon remains one of the largest concentrations of refugees per capita in the world. In total more than half the Syrian population of over 22 million have been forced to flee their homes, and over half of these are in need of humanitarian assistance. Through the conflict more than 500,000 people have been killed. Almost five million children have been born in Syria in the last decade knowing only war. Some 73 per cent of Syrian refugees in Lebanon live below the poverty

Addingline.tothis humanitarian crisis, Lebanon is facing overlapping crises on the political, economic, and social fronts, all compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. The capital Beirut is also still recovering from the effects

of the devastating blast in the port of Beirut in August 2020.

Trócaire has been responding to the Syria crisis since the conflict began. It provides humanitarian aid in Syria and also to Syrian refugees living in Lebanon, providing food, shelter, and basic household items. Trócaire works in more than 20 camps in the Bar Elias and Saadnayel area of Lebanon. In 2022, Trócaire is providing Community Resilience and Preparedness training, Emergency Cash Assistance and Cash for Protection as well as Psychological Support Services and Digital Literacy for Youth in refugee camps.

Trauma from the conflict is also a huge issue and Trócaire provides counselling and psychosocial support to affected families and helps people with life skills and vocational training.

HARSH WINTER

Hiba is seeing the suffering of people at first hand. In 2018 she started working with a Lebanese charity SAWA, a partner of Trócaire.

She says: “The situation for Syrian refugees in camps in Lebanon remains especially dire. Last year, temperatures in the camp dropped to –4C and I saw the devastating impact of this on families.

“In one camp, a two-month-old baby girl died from the cold; in another, a young girl was seriously injured when the water tank in her tent collapsed. Many Syrian refugees live in tarpaulin makeshift tents and are facing another harsh winter without fuel or warm clothes.“AsaSyrian refugee, it is very hard to watch my community suffer.”

Lebanon has also been hit by the conflict in Ukraine with the availability and costs of food and fuel being impacted. Syrian refugees are unable to afford bread, and many are left begging outside bakeries for scraps, or forced to go hungry. As the cost of living soars, families are no longer able to send their children to school – often the only source of hope for young families.

With the generous support of the Irish

Hiba Almhammad is a humanitarian support officer with Trócaire partner, SAWA for Development and Aid in Lebanon. Photo: Hazar Al Zahr

THE SYRIAN REFUGEE POPULATION IN LEBANON IS FACING INTO ANOTHER HARSH WINTER AND NEEDS SUPPORT MORE THAN EVER

Hiba said: “We provide humanitarian support to Syrian refugees in camps from food to medical treatment as well as psychological support for families who have experienced trauma. We also work with Syrian women to empower them to become leaders in their communities. We train and work with these community leaders to gain the skills needed to speak publicly and represent their community. A lot of these women in the camps have gone through traumatic experiences fleeing the war. This is why it is important to also provide psychological support.

“Once I started working with Trócaire/ SAWA and saw the impact on the ground, I couldn’t stop. In spite of everything that is going on, we are able to support families. It makes it very special that as a Syrian refugee, I am able to support other Syrians. We are all from the same community, we have the same challenges. When you know you are helping families who are really in need, it makes me very happy, because I know firsthand how valuable this support is.”

SUPPORT

Hiba says: People think that the Syria conflict has gone away because they don’t hear any more about huge violence and bombings of cities. But while it might not be on your screens in Ireland, it is still far from safe. People cannot return home to Syria where there are no hospitals, schools – where your sons might be forced to fight with the military, against their will, to fight their own people.“Thisis

why it is so important not to forget us. The community in Ireland have shown a huge generosity towards Syrians and towards refugees. We are very, very grateful for what the people in Ireland have done for us and the support we have received through Trócaire.”Samah

Ghamrawi, Trócaire’s project manager in Beirut, said that families in Lebanon need Trócaire’s support more than ever.“Last winter was the worst winter we’ve ever seen in Lebanon and we saw the impact of this in the camps. Children are wearing clothes that are too small for them and aren’t protecting them from the cold. Families can’t get wood or fuel to keep them warm. They

have no bread to eat. Trócaire and SAWA are on the ground doing everything we can to support them, but we need your help. Please continue to support us in any way you can. Your donations provide families with a little hope that they can make it through the winter,” Samah said.

FIND OUT MORE

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

Heavy snow in the refugee camp in Lebanon. Photo: SAWA

A damaged tent in the refugee camp in Lebanon during storms earlier this year. Photo: SAWA

REALITY CHECK McVERRY SJ

WE MUST TAKE SIDES

When I went to live and work in the inner city of Dublin in 1974, two things shocked me:

First, the conditions in which some people there had to live. Some of the houses were old tenement buildings from the 1800s, divided into flats for families. There was no soundproofing between flats – I could listen to the news on the television in the flat below me. Some of the houses had one outside toilet for eight families. The place was crawling with rats, the size of little kittens. The unemployment rate was about 80 per cent, as most people traditionally had worked on the nearby docks, loading and unloading ships. But containerisation took their jobs away. So most young people growing up there never expected to ever have a job. Hence, they saw no point in staying in school. Many left school early, often by the age of 12. They hung around the streets all day, with no money in their pockets, so they started stealing. And they soon realised that the only way out of the life of poverty in which they were trapped was crime. Some turned to drugs to dull the pain of their meaningless lives. Our prisons then, as still today, were full of people from deprived areas, who left school early, had low levels of literacy, and no history of employment, but a long history ofSecondly,addiction.what shocked me even more was that I had been living in Dublin but had no idea of the conditions in which some people

had to live. I had lived a privileged life, growing up in a family that was financially secure, went to a fee-paying school, on to college and could have had a well-paid job if I hadn’t joined the Jesuits (the Jesuits don’t pay very well!)

Being privileged in Ireland doesn’t mean being wealthy, just having secure and affordable housing, not having to worry about paying the

studied hard in school and so got good jobs. They are the winners, they succeeded through their own efforts and deserve their privileged lifestyle. Similarly, it tries to persuade us that those who are poor and marginalised are the losers, they made bad choices, failed to take the opportunities offered to them. By and large, they live in deprived areas, with few

privileges at the expense of the poor. It means opposing those who oppose social housing or Traveller accommodation. It means opposing those who oppose paying higher taxes so that poverty can be reduced. It means opposing policies, resource allocations and structures which favour those who are privileged and consequently, and often unintentionally, keep those who are poor marginalised.

Jesus took sides: “How happy are you who are poor, yours is the Kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20). In the Kingdom of God in Heaven, the poor have a privileged place. So it should be in the Kingdom of God which we are building here on earth.

bills, or being on waiting lists for hospital treatment. I only realised how privileged I was when I saw how others had to live. And, if I wanted to retain my privileged lifestyle, I needed not to know how they lived. Knowing changed me from a young conservative into an old radical.

We live in a society where accumulating resources to provide security for our families is considered common sense, the responsible thing to do. In such a model there are winners and losers. Our culture tries to persuade us that Irish society provides a level playing field, that those who succeed are the ones who made good choices,

resources, and struggle financially. Some of them, of course, deserve ourButcharity.theplaying field is far from level. In fact, the game is rigged. Through fee-paying schools or grinds (62 per cent of children from higher socio-economic groups pay for grinds), those of us who are privileged can give our children a substantial advantage in this competitive struggle, thus improving their access to good employment opportunities.

To take sides with the poor is not to be against those who are privileged. It is to take sides with the cause of the poor and against the cause of those who seek to preserve their

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

WE ONLY REALISE HOW PRIVILEGED WE ARE WHEN WE SEE HOW OTHERS HAVE TO LIVE

GOD’S WORD THIS MONTH

DUTY CALLS

Doing our duty is a central theme of today’s Gospel. Jesus tells a parable about what is expected of servants. The situation he describes would have been familiar to his audience, that of a medium-sized farmer who can afford to employ a single worker as a jackof-all-trades. The job spec would have been agreed upon when the servant was taken on and included working in the fields and helping around the house.

It would be unthinkable for the employer of such a servant to prepare the servant’s dinner and wait on the servant at table. It would always be the other way around.

Jesus applies the parable directly to the disciples. They are servants of the Kingdom of God; therefore, they shouldn’t expect to be thanked simply for doing what is required of them. They have no right to expect special treatment for doing what they are supposed

to do Today’sanyway.Gospel

reminds us of the importance of duty in our lives and the need to honour it. Duty is a dull word. It speaks of routine, obligation, reliability, monotony, having to do something. And yet there’s a beautiful nobility about being dutiful. Family life and society could not function if people were not dutiful, if they did not fulfil the monotonous everyday tasks expected of them – cook dinner, do the shopping, take the children to the creche or school, iron clothes, put out the rubbish, help with homework, head out to work every morning whatever the weather. At its heart, duty is a practical expression of love in action. There are countless people who think of themselves as ordinary and do mundane but heroic, loving things every day.

Today’s Gospel also reminds us of another form of duty: that of witnessing to our Christian faith and handing it on. To live the faith as best we can is to do our duty. It is returning the love that God has shown us.

That means not only the routine things like going to Mass, but more heroic things, too, like standing up for the Gospel in a culture that is increasingly anti-religious, and sacrificing your time and money out of love for neighbour or in service to the poor. As people of faith, doing all of this is doing no more than our duty.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples they should never expect a pat on the back to do what they are called to do anyway as disciples. He is saying the same to us too. We should not expect to be congratulated for witnessing to our baptismal calling. We do it out of love. We do it out of gratitude for what God has done for us. And we know that when our hour of judgement comes, it will be sufficient reward.

TODAY’S READINGS

Hab 1:2-3, 2:2-4; Ps 94; 2 Tim 1:6-8. 13-14; Lk 17:5-10

THANKS A MILLION!

Christians are a Eucharistic people, which means we are thankful people, and today’s Gospel account of the healing of ten lepers is about the necessity of giving thanks.

In the time of Jesus, skin diseases frightened people to death. They were seen as highly contagious, and the Bible has detailed rules for dealing with them. It sees them not just as a medical condition but as one with religious implications. People believed that such diseases were God’s punishment for sin. That is why the Bible gives a priest the responsibility for assessing the disease, as we see in today’s Gospel.

People with skin diseases were obliged to live away from their families and community. The Book of Leviticus says: “The person who has the leprous disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head be dishevelled; and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the village.”

And so, victims suffered in two ways: from the physical effects of the disease but, even worse, from the heartbreak of being cut off from their families and ostracised by the community.Thelepers in today’s Gospel are probably living together in an isolated settlement. But when Jesus passes nearby, instead of keeping their distance as they are required to do, they pluck up the courage to ask him to take pity on them. Jesus tells them to go to the priests as the law requires. On the way, they realise they are cured.

They are thrilled, over the moon. Their lives have been restored to them. Their isolation is lifted. They can go back to their families.

No wonder the first thing they do is rush home, completely neglecting to thank Jesus. It wasn’t bad manners – simply that they couldn’t wait to meet their loved ones. The extraordinary thing is that one of them had the presence of mind to thank Jesus in person.Inrestoring the ten to health, Jesus overcomes ‘dis-ease’ – the distancing of suffering people from the community where they should be loved and cherished – every bit as much as he overcomes physical illness. It’s a lesson for how we should treat the sick and those on the margins.

TODAY’S READINGS

Kgs 5:14-17; Ps 97; 2 Tim 2:8-13; Lk 17:11-19

OCTOBER

GOD’S WORD THIS MONTH

NEVER GIVE UP

The opening line of today’s Gospel makes it clear that this parable is about persevering in prayer. The parable involves a conflict between two stock characters. The widow stands for the most vulnerable kind of people in Israelite society. With no husband to ensure their rights, widows were at the mercy of others, including even male family members. We don’t know what this woman’s case is, except that she wants justice against her enemies. The rather self-important judge, who neither fears God nor listens to public opinion, isn’t going to allow a defenceless woman like her to get the better of him. At least, that’s what he thinks. For a time, he ignores all her demands for justice.

29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

At this point, Jesus includes some humour that gets lost in most of our translations. As

is often the case in his parables, Luke lets us into a character’s inner world. Here he shows us the judge’s innermost thoughts. Unbending he may be, he realises he will have to yield to this defenceless woman. Why? Our translations usually say something like “because she will persist in coming and worry me to death.” The original word in the parable can be translated as something close to “she will slap me in the face” or even “she will give me an uppercut.” The judge fears that this powerless woman’s exasperation will know no bounds, and her persistence will finally spill over into violence. So a judge who doesn’t fear God or care about public opinion is brought to his knees by the most defenceless of women, a poor widow!

Jesus applies the parable to how God deals with persistent prayer. God will reply to those who cry day and night, even though it may look as if their prayer is unanswered. The riddle of unanswered prayer is one of the

great tests of faith and something the Bible does not ignore. When the Israelites cry out under the burdens of slavery, God “hears” but does not immediately answer. The Book of Job is built around the problem of a good man who suddenly loses everything he has, to whom God seems deaf until God and Job finally become locked in a dramatic argument.Inthelast

line of today’s Gospel, something of a reverse takes place. The main character of the parable was an earthly judge and not a very good one at that. Another judge is coming, the Son of Man, who will be even more searching than the most stringent earthly judge.

TODAY’S READINGS

Ex 17:8-13; Ps 120; 2 Tim 3:14-4:2; Lk 18:1-8

OCTOBER

HUMBLY SPEAKING

You could say that this Gospel is asking a question: who prays best? Is it the professional, who knows all the techniques, or the amateur, who doesn’t even trust himself to get it right? The opening words make it clear that it is addressed to those who pride themselves on being virtuous and look down on everyone else. The characters represent the two extremes of Jewish society in the time of Jesus.

30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

The Pharisee was the totally dedicated religious professional. Strictly speaking, the Pharisees didn’t have any place in the religious hierarchy. They were a fellowship of likeminded Jews that included priests and laity but their influence came from the popular esteem they enjoyed. The Pharisee’s prayer could be described as a commercial for the movement.

Tax collectors, or publicans, were at the other end of the social scale. They bought the rights to collect the taxes of their own people from the Roman occupying power. If that wasn’t bad enough in a strongly nationalist society like Palestine, they made their profit by adding a percentage to the taxes for themselves.

Throughout the Gospels, tax collectors are presented as outsiders, who had long ago abandoned any loyalty to their own, so that ‘tax collector’ and ‘sinner’ effectively means the same thing.

One might imagine Jesus’ audience waiting in expectation to hear what such a person would pray for. The surprise is that, quite unconsciously, it is this person rather than the religious one who knows instinctively how to pray. He is not there to overwhelm God with a catalogue of his good deeds. Even his demeanour speaks of a humble heart: he stands barely inside the area of the

temple reserved for prayer, he keeps his eyes downcast, he strikes his breast as a sign of penitence and pleads for mercy. After his prayer, he returns home “at rights with God”. Why was the prayer of the Pharisee without effect? It was because he made the fatal mistake of comparing himself favourably with others and judging that God would not hear the prayer of the tax collector. In other words, he was playing God. Luke rounds off the parable with yet another reference to one of his favourite themes: “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

TODAY’S READINGS

Ecc 35:12-14. 16-19; Ps 32; 2 Tim 4:6-8. 16-18; Lk 18:9-14

OCTOBER IN

CALLED TO BE SAINTS

Today’s Gospel is a beautiful story about conversion and how it can happen even to the most unlikely people.Zacchaeus is one of the chief tax collectors in Jericho for the hated Roman occupiers. His occupation has made him rich, but it has also made him an outcast. To his people, he is a traitor and public sinner.

Zacchaeus hears that Jesus is coming to town and is anxious to see him. He climbs a sycamore tree to get a better view.

As he sits there watching, he nearly dies of shock when Jesus stops right under his tree and asks to spend the night in his house. The crowd is shocked, too – and outraged. “He’s gone to a sinner’s house as a guest,” they

Butmurmur.Jesusignores them. He looks Zacchaeus in the eye, sees the good that’s in him, and invites him to change. And Zacchaeus changes. Feeling loved and accepted by a fellow Jew for the first time in years makes him a new person. He joyfully receives Jesus and opens his house, heart, and coffers. He will not cheat anybody anymore; instead, he will pay back those he has cheated four times the amount. And he will give half his possessions to the poor.

Now that he is a follower of Jesus, Zacchaeus becomes a new person. He is aware that he has ripped off people in the past and that such behaviour does not correspond with Jesus’ way. Because Jesus looked on him with love, Zacchaeus can now look on others and himself with love. His life and manner of living are transformed.

SOLUTIONS CROSSWORD No. 6

Across: 1. Abacus, 5. Nimbus, 10. Pasteur, 11. Trouser, 12. Iron, 13. Caver, 15. Bald, 17. Dig, 19. Gospel, 21. Rustle, 22. Novices, 23. Sphinx, 25. Xanadu, 28. TNT, 30. Logo, 31. Resin, 32. Soar, 35. Chapati, 36. Ishmael, 37. Chrism, 38. Nimrod.

Down: 2. Bishops, 3. Crew, 4. Spread, 5. Nutmeg, 6. Moon, 7. Upstart, 8. Spring, 9. Bridge, 14. Visions, 16. Henna, 18. Susan, 20. Lox, 21. Rex, 23. Solace, 24. Hogwash, 26. Avocado, 27. Unruly, 28. Tedium, 29. Titian, 33. Magi, 34. Sham.

Winner of Crossword No. 6 Maura Hannon, Tuan, Co. Galway

ACROSS

1. Brooded sullenly. (6) The only South American nation with English as the official language. (6) Knotty problem solved by Alexander the Great. (7) Birds of prey. (7) An accompanied elaborate song for a solo voice in an opera. (4) A course of treatment for drug dependence or disability. (5) Napoleon’s 300 day island home. (4) A line of seats in a theatre. (3) A business providing services for another business. (6) Container and large boat. (6) A vehicle equipped for living in. (7) Marker for a comment. (6) Berber person with a nomadic lifestyle. (6) An offence against God. (3) A grape plant. (4) Dwell on with malevolent smugness. (5) So be it at the end of a prayer. (4) A vain act in Rome. (7) The day of worship and rest. (7) Wading birds and lifting devices. (6) Countries bound together by treaties. (6)

DOWN 2. Divided country on the Black Sea. (7)

3. Make a garment with wool and long needles. (4)

4. Potential harm in the garden. (6)

5. A crude and boisterous laugh. (6)

6. A sharp of high-pitched bark. (4)

7. Ribbon-like strips of pasta. (7)

8. American arboreal lizard. (6)

9. Country where the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew. (6)

14. Hamlet’s most trusted friend. (7)

16. The capital of Ghana. (5)

18. The second planet from the Sun. (5)

20. Himalayan beat of burden. (3)

21. A barrel and a tax. (3)

23. Restore to life. (6)

24. A province in sternum. (7)

26. A period of violent behaviour by a group of people. (7)

27. The leader of India’s drive for independence. (6)

28. Ancient weapons for throwing stones. (6)

29. A feeling of sickness or of disgust. (6)

33. Look at all parts carefully to detect some feature. (4)

34. The second son and the first to die. (4)

Entry Form for Crossword No.8, October 2022

AllTelephone:Address:Name:entries

must reach us by Friday October 30, 2022

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.8, Redemptorist Communications, St Joseph's Monastery, Dundalk, County Louth A91 F3FC