SHM June 2018 by Messenger Publications

MESSENGER THE SACRED HEART

JUNE 2018 I €1.75 / £1.60

THE SACRED HEART NOVENA 2018 Thursay 31 May ~ Friday 8 June

SOCIAL NETWORKS I DAVID STEWART SJ ST BRENDAN’S CATHEDRAL I CHRISTOPHER MORIARTY ASSISTED PASSAGE I ALAN HILLIARD UCD CHRISTIANITY WEEK I RUTH BRENNAN

RE:LINK: JUNIOR CERT PREP I FAITH QUILLE

CONTENTS 10

Donal Neary SJ

Peter McVerry SJ

14 MASTERPIECES OF

Pope’s Intention

THE ENTHRONEMENT OF ST ROMOLD

FROM THE EDITOR THE JIGSAW

DAILY OFFERING

6POPE’S INTENTION SOCIAL NETWORKS David Stewart SJ

CHRISTIAN ART

Eileen Kane

ASSISTED PASSAGE

John Scally

A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER

10 THE BOOK OF PSALMS PENITENTIAL PSALMS Martin Hogan

Alan Hilliard

SACRED HEART QUOTATIONS

20 PLACES OF WORSHIP

ST BRENDAN’S CATHEDRAL Christopher Moriarty

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

RICE PRODUCTION Tim Byron SJ

RE:LINK

JUNIOR CERTIFICATE PREPARATION Faith Quille

NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART

38 COOKERY

Charles Davy SJ

RESPONSIBLE COOKING

33 GARDENING

Marie McGuirk

JUNE NOT JEJUNE CROSSWORDS Ciaran Burke

36 THANKSGIVING

THANKSGIVING LETTERS

THANKSGIVING STORY

A KINDNESS I’LL NEVER FORGET Anon

UCD CHRISTIANITY WEEK Ruth Brennan

CHRISTOPHER CLAVIUS SJ Deirdre Powell

YOUNG READERS’ PAGES

44 IN THE MASTER’S FOOTSTEPS

Paul O’Reilly SJ

ST MARGARET, QUEEN OF SCOTLAND John Murray

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

CALENDAR

REFLECTION

FROM THE EDITOR

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEVOTION Someone once described a lady, who got very worked up at a meeting about something local, as having ‘a face as red as the cover of the Messenger!’ For 130 years this year we have published monthly in Ireland with the aim of making known the love of God in the heart of Jesus. These anecdotes, and there are many, point out how much a part of the Irish landscape The Messenger is. In this month of the Sacred Heart, we pray that the work of The Messenger will be blessed by God as we try to reach new generations with the message of God’s great love in the heart of Christ, help us to live ‘the faith that does justice’ and encourage us in doing our best for the future of our Church. For the promotion of the Messenger we are dependent on our 2,200 promoters who distribute about

30,000 copies each month. They have kept the magazine alive in all parts of Ireland, and abroad. Our staff here are very grateful to you, the promoters, who have braved heat and cold to deliver it monthly, bringing some hope and friendship to readers, seeing it as a valuable contribution you can make as a lay person in the Church. I heard of one lady who didn’t like anyone to come into her house except the ‘Messenger lady’! We thank also our readers and subscribers. We are of course very grateful to our staff over these years, and especially our committed staff now. The Messenger has established itself as a help to faith and our relationship with the living God, and some have told me that the sight of it coming each month gives a lift to the heart in faith. Donal Neary SJ

Would you like to be a promoter? We need more promoters and if anyone would like to take this on, please contact us (Elizabeth at 01 7758530 or Frances at 01 7758524). If you have a good Messenger anecdote, send it to us for publication!

DAILY OFFERING Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network APOSTLESHIP OF PRAYER

UNIVERSAL: Social Networks That social networks may work towards that inclusiveness which respects others for their differences.

THE SACRED HEART MESSENGER incorporating the Pope’s Worldwide Network of Prayer (Apostleship of Prayer). ADDRESS: Messenger Publications 37 Lower Leeson Street Dublin D02 W938 Ireland Phone: 01 676 7491 or 01 7758524 Email: sales@messenger.ie Website: www.messenger.ie BUSINESS LETTERS TO: THE MANAGER CHEQUES PAYABLE TO: THE SECRETARY EDITOR: Donal Neary SJ

MORNING PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I start out this day in your presence. May your Spirit guide me in the simple and small things of today, even doing that which will go unnoticed for your glory. Grant me the grace to live the gospel with my whole heart, my whole soul, my whole mind and my whole strength. I offer you this day for the Pope’s monthly intentions. Our Father...

NIGHT PRAYER

At the close of this day, I take a few minutes to review my many actions. Was I faithful to God in all things? Did I treat others with respect? Heal my heart, Lord, and fill me with a renewed vigour to follow the path you have set out before me. Our Father...

LAYOUT: Messenger Publications Design Department NIHIL OBSTAT: Noel Barber SJ, Censor Deputatus IMPRIMI POTEST: † Diarmuid, Archbishop of Dublin PRICES FOR 2018: Price monthly: €1.75/£1.60 Annual subscription 2018 from promoter or newsagent: €21.00/£19.20 Annual subscription by post: Rep of Ireland and NI: €30/£27 Annual subscription to Britain: £30 Annual subscription to EU and ROW: €35/$43 Online subscription: €15.00 Renew at: www.messenger.ie 01 6767491 or 01 7758524 © All rights reserved

POPE’S INTENTION

DAVID STEWART SJ, working in Stamford Hill parish in London, and National Director of the Pope’s Network of Prayer in Britain, reflects on the Pope’s Intention for this month.

SOCIAL NETWORKS

Pope’s Intention: that social networks may work towards that inclusiveness which respects others for their differences. Pope Francis is renowned for breaking new ground in so many ways. He encourages all of us to ‘go to the frontiers’, and he goes there too; in his preaching and teaching, in his travelling, remarkable for an octogenarian, but also in the topics that he raises. He wants the light of the gospel to shine on so many varied areas of human experience. He reminds us that it must. This month’s intention is a great example: he invites the whole people of God, indeed all people of good will, to pray with him that ‘social networks may work towards that inclusiveness which respects others for their differences’. The careful wording of this month’s intention is subtly telling. Put plainly, it’s a reminder that social networks are neither working towards inclusiveness nor respecting others for their differences! We all know something of that. Since the internet came into general use under two decades ago, followed by the rapid spread of interactive social media more recently, dismay has grown about the possibility of its misuse. Better communication that leads to more dialogue would be a wonderful ideal but, sadly, we have

come to see the opposite happen all too often. Many of us have used the easy connectivity of the internet, and the widespread availability of a variety of social media platforms, to do harm to others, attacking those who think differently from us or who simply are different. Online, you can be anonymous. You can pretend to be someone else; you can create an entirely fake persona for yourself. You can hide behind this to degrade or attack others. More sadly, you can spend your entire online time in the digital company of like-minded people, in your own ‘silo’, potentially never hearing a different viewpoint or having your own opinions challenged or tested. And when that happens, our opinions may solidify and turn into prejudices; we will have become prejudiced. A prejudiced person is someone who refuses to respect others for their differences – exactly the opposite of what we pray for, with the Pope, this month! The internet was meant to bring freedom of communication and dialogue. ‘This is for everyone’, its inventor, Tim Berners-Lee, famously pronounced. A recent alarming

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POPE’S INTENTION

example of misuse of that freedom followed the horrifying gun massacre in a US school in February this year. The students, still only teenagers, who had seen their classmates and friends massacred by the gunman, decided that enough was enough and began to campaign to tighten gun laws. Their articulate actions won widespread praise and admiration, yet they suffered online attacks, casting doubts on their authenticity and honesty. These young people had just been shot at, and here they were under attack again, online, for daring to speak out. The Pope’s intention invites us to an examination of conscience with respect to its topic each month. It

prompts us to ask about where this month’s concern might connect with something in our own experience and asks us how we might respond. As we make our daily offering, we unite it to that intention and, this month, that will lead us to reflect on our personal use of social networks. Do we use them to build up others, for dialogue, for the greater common good? Or do we succumb to temptation to be exclusive, interacting only with like-minded others, refusing to respect difference and diversity? Our God-given human freedom is delicate and tender. We can prayerfully commit ourselves to its protection, especially online, this month.

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FEATURE

Regular contributor JOHN SCALLY offers a Sacred Heart story for June, teaching us that it is in giving that we truly receive.

A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER Oliver was ten years old and was the biggest Arsenal fan in history. He had washed cars all summer to buy himself a new Arsenal jersey. It was his pride and joy. Oliver noticed one day that his mother was looking sad and tired. He decided he would buy her something nice for her birthday, which was on the same day as his own. This year their birthday coincided with his mother’s favourite feastday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart. But he had no money. The day before their birthdays he decided to go to Mr Mannion’s second hand shop and sell his Arsenal jersey. Mr Mannion explained he didn’t sell second hand clothes, but when Oliver told him the reason he agreed to make an exception. As Mr Mannion was a kind man he paid Oliver a high price for it. Oliver rushed out to the clothes shop nearby and bought a beautiful new blouse for his mother. Her greatest treasure was a beautiful silver locket his father had bought for her a few weeks before he died but she was too poor to afford a new blouse to show it off properly. That same evening Mr Mannion was shocked to find Oliver’s mother walking into the shop. She wanted to

sell her locket. Mr Mannion refused to take it at first but then she explained that she needed the money to buy Arsenal shorts for Oliver. After he left the chapel for the Mass to mark the Feast of the Sacred Heart, rain fell softly on Mr Mannion’s car. He had never married and was always lonely on feast days. As he ate a cheese sandwich, he could not put Oliver and his mother out of his mind, so he decided there would be no better way to mark the Feast of the Sacred Heart than to visit them and show them a hint of the love of God. As he drove that evening to Oliver’s house, night had fallen early, but the shroud of hailstones reflected some light. Only the purring car engine shattered the spell of silence. When he got to Oliver’s house he plodded up the pathway, through the thickening thunderstorm, causing waves and splashes in the fresh puddles of water. A few tattered leaves made a flimsy blanket on the frozen earth. Excitement was written all over Oliver’s face when Mr Mannion went inside. He was making plans about the birthday cake he would soon be devouring with his mum as he gazed dreamily at the lively candle

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FEATURE

flames licking the edges of the coffee sponge. Mr Mannion handed Oliver back his jersey and his mother her locket and a basket of chocolate and biscuits. Their eyes nearly burst with the shock. Oliver’s mother said to their guest: ‘Life without kind people like you would be like letters without poetry; thought without imagination or flowers without perfume. Happiness comes to those who cherish others. There is no life without love.’ Mr Mannion replied: ‘None worth having anyway.’ Oliver’s mum insisted on cooking

Mr Mannion a good hot supper and he stayed for hours talking and playing board games with the family. A special tablecloth was taken out from its hiding place and the best china and delph were rescued from the top shelf in the cupboard. Unusually for the summer, a fire was put in the parlour. Although the light was off, the crickle crackle fire provided leaping flames, dancing shadows and a rosy glow. As he left, Oliver asked Mr Mannion why he had been so generous. Their guest paused before answering, ‘It’s in giving that we receive’.

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THE BOOK OF PSALMS

MARTIN HOGAN continues his series on The Book of Psalms, exploring the problem of evil from within and how, with respect to it, we are all at the mercy of God.

PENITENTIAL PSALMS These psalms are a particular type of psalm of lament. They are the cries of individuals out of the depths to God. However, the distress in these psalms is caused not by external circumstances, but by the realisation of personal sins. The person praying is not simply confronted with evil as an external force. These psalms internalise the problem of evil. Evil is not just ‘out there’ in society, but is also present in the depths of one’s being. We will reflect upon Psalms 130 and 51 as examples of this group. Psalm 130 is popularly known as the ‘De Profundis’ from the Latin translation of the opening words, ‘Out of the depths’. The ‘depths’ out of which the psalmist prays are the depths of distress which their sin causes. There are several images of sin at play in this psalm: sin as the watery depths, sin as the dark night, sin as slavery. In keeping with these images, the psalmist prays to be brought up from the depths, to be enabled to see the dawn and to be freed from slavery. The psalm can be divided into four parts. In the first part, the psalmist petitions God (Ps.130:1–2). There follows an expression of confidence in God (Ps.130:3–4). The psalmist acknowledges that the human person could never earn, merit or deserve

God’s favour. Yet, God does not ask us to merit his favour. His forgiveness is assured to all who ask for it. There is an emphasis here on the sheer giftedness of God’s favour, which evokes our reverence (Ps.130:4). The Lord forgives and the response is reverence for the Lord. In the third part of the psalm (Ps.130:5–6), the psalmist expresses firm hope in God, knowing God to be gracious. Watchmen wait for dawn to put darkness to flight. The psalmist knows that the coming of God’s forgiveness is as reliable as the coming of the dawn. In the fourth and final section of the psalm (Ps.130:7–8), the psalmist addresses his co-worshippers. All of Israel is invited to share in the hope of the psalmist. Hope in the Lord is grounded in his steadfast love. The language of redemption is used here with reference to sin. God who rescued his people in the past from the slavery of Egypt will rescue them in the present from the slavery of sin. Psalm 51 is one of the best known of the penitential psalms. In the opening two verses, a sharp contrast is drawn between the character of God, steadfast love and mercy, and the character of the psalmist, transgressions, iniquity and sin (Ps.51:1–2). The solution to the psalmist’s predicament involves washing and cleansing,

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THE BOOK OF PSALMS

The confession of sin leads to the prayer for forgiveness

which only God can do. Only God can remedy the psalmist’s profound moral defilement. The psalmist confesses his sin and rebellion before God (Ps.51:3– 5). There is an acknowledgement that all sin is properly a sin against God, even if it is committed against another human being (Ps.51:4). The psalmist implies that he has been touched by sin since his birth, and even from the first moment of his personal existence in the womb. He is totally sinful;

he has been wrong from the start (Ps.51:5). The confession of sin leads to the prayer for forgiveness (Ps.51:6–9). There is a recognition that what God desires is truth and wisdom (Ps.51:6). That divine desiring begins to be seen by the psalmist as an opening for a new beginning beyond the failure already acknowledged. The psalmist acknowledges that sin has taken away their joy, which only God can restore.

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THE BOOK OF PSALMS

12 Life against God or apart from God is a joyless existence. The psalmist looks for more from God than forgiveness of sin. The psalmist recognises the need for God to create a clean heart and a new spirit within (Ps.51:10). The psalmist needs renewal of inward being, a new self that can live freely and gladly before God. The psalmist looks to God to give them the inner strength of character that will enable them to live a better life. The psalmist asks that the divine spirit transform their own human spirit so that it embraces God’s will (Ps.51:12). If God will do all that the psalmist asks, the psalmist agrees to teach other sinners God’s ways (Ps.51:13) and will praise God aloud in the congregation (Ps.51:14–15). There is an acknowledgement that even the praise of the community is made possible by

the action of God. In conclusion, the psalmist is at the mercy of God (Ps.51:16–17). All the psalmist can do is offer up to God a broken and contrite heart and hope for God’s mercy. It is the offering of self that God requires, rather than the offering of material goods. The last two verses (Ps.51:18–19) are generally regarded as a later addition to the psalm, from sometime after 587 BC, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians. These verses may suggest that if God accepts the leader’s repentance, it will have implications for good for the city of Jerusalem. The psalmist requests a restoration of Jerusalem and a resumption of the usual Temple worship. There may be a recognition here that the gift of one’s heart to God requires a concrete and public articulation in worship.

Please remember

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FEATURE

PETER MCVERRY SJ, social activist and Jesuit priest, shares this vision of the building of the kingdom of God. Peter, a frequent contributor to The Messenger, lives in Ballymun, Dublin.

THE JIGSAW

In making a jigsaw, there is a great sense of satisfaction when the last piece is put in place and a beautiful picture emerges. However, there is nothing more frustrating than spending hours putting the pieces together only to find that one piece is missing and the picture is ruined. Each jigsaw has a name which describes the picture it will become, perhaps ‘A Sunset’ or ‘Birds in Flight’. When we first get a jigsaw, hundreds, sometimes thousands of pieces fall out in a heap on to the table. It is difficult to imagine that this apparent mess can become a beautiful picture. We try to put the pieces together because we believe that we can create something beautiful out of this chaotic mass of pieces. We know that each piece is completely different from every other piece, and each has its own unique place in the final picture. This world is like one big jigsaw, with the name ‘the Kingdom of God’. It consists of billions of pieces, the seven billion people now on this planet, and those billions who have gone before and who are yet to come. Out

of this mass of humanity, God is building something beautiful. Every one of these billions of people, different from every other person, has a unique place in the final, completed Kingdom of God. The pieces that make up this jigsaw, ‘the Kingdom of God’, are made of love, kindness and compassion. Every act of love and compassion that we do during our lifetime is moulded by God into that unique piece for which each one of us has been created, and been given the responsibility of sharing with God in this vast enterprise. The millions of acts of kindness carried out each day in our world, by countless human beings, create the beautiful, multi-coloured, complex picture which God is forming in this world. No other human being can substitute for that piece for which I am responsible. Sometimes we fail, doing the opposite of acts of love and kindness. The Church reassures us that, when Jesus returns, he will transform this Kingdom and hand it over to the Father in all the glory that God, from the very beginning, had intended it to be.

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MASTERPIECES OF CHRISTIAN ART

This month EILEEN KANE turns her astute eye to The Enthronement of St Romold, an anonymous painting depicting a major event in the life of the saint who, like many Irish saints, left Ireland to spread the Good News throughout Europe.

THE ENTHRONEMENT OF ST ROMOLD AS (ARCH)BISHOP OF DUBLIN (Anonymous Master c1490)

This painting is one of the most fascinating masterpieces in the National Gallery of Ireland. It immediately draws attention by its colours, especially the strong, solid green that occupies much of the upper part of the composition, and the red and gold that contrast with it in the lower half. When we explore the details of the scene, questions arise in our minds. The painting’s title tells us that the young man, on whose head a bishop’s mitre is being placed, is St Romold. But who was St Romold, and when and where did this event take place? Romold is one of those early Irish saints who left their native land to preach the gospel in mainland Europe. His story is set in the eighth century, and the salient points of it are that he was the son of an Irish king, but chose to become a monk and a priest, was ordained Bishop of Dublin, went on pilgrimage to Rome and preached the gospel everywhere he went. On his homeward journey he eventually arrived in present-day Belgium, at the marshlands around the town of Mechelen/ Malines. There, he was welcomed by

the local nobleman, who prevailed upon him to stay in that area, and began to construct a monastery for him. While the monastery was being built, Romold reproached some of the builders for the sinful lives they were living, and, in revenge, two of them set upon him, killed him and threw his body into the nearby river. Though the body sank it is said that a heavenly light hovering over the water revealed the place where it lay, and so it was recovered, and Romold was given a Christian burial. When the monastery was complete he was buried there, but eventually a great cathedral replaced the monastery, and Romold’s remains, enshrined in a splendid reliquary, were placed in its sanctuary.They are still venerated there, and Romold, known in Belgium as St Rombaut, is patron both of the cathedral and of the archdiocese of Mechelen/Malines. The scene illustrates the episcopal ordination of Romold. The artist depicts the moment in the ceremony when the new bishop receives the mitre. Three ordaining bishops, are together placing the mitre on Romold’s head. One of these stands

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MASTERPIECES OF CHRISTIAN ART

at his right, a second at his left, each touching the rim of the mitre, and behind him, the third, standing higher than the others, holds the mitre with both his hands above Romold’s head. Romold himself is seated, his white-gloved hands joined prayerfully together. In front of him kneels an acolyte, holding open a ceremonial

book, steadying it against his head. An inscription in Dutch under the painting reads: ‘He was blessed and consecrated in Dublin in Ireland’ – in other words, Romold was ordained bishop not just of Dublin but in Dublin. He is therefore shown as a young man, before he set out for Rome, and the well-dressed laymen

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MASTERPIECES OF CHRISTIAN ART

16 on the right, in the scene, are probably intended to represent members of his family. The bishop, seen to the right of Romold, vested in a deep blue, damask cope, is also young but the other two, wearing red vestments, are older. The identity of the painter of this picture is not known. He is called, simply, ‘The Master of the Youth of St Romold’. Clearly, he was careful to ensure that all the liturgical details of the scene were accurate. On the question of history, however, he was faced with a conundrum, namely, whether Romold should be shown as Bishop or as Archbishop of Dublin. Dublin has been an archdiocese since 1152, its patron saint Laurence O’Toole (1162–80) being its second archbishop. In the eighth century, Romold would therefore have been Bishop, not Archbishop of Dublin. In the painting, he is vested in an alb, a dalmatic and a chasuble. An archbishop would be wearing a pallium, a stole-like vestment of white wool, in the shape of the letter ‘Y’, with black crosses on it, conferred by the pope

only on archbishops. The artist did, however, paint on the canopy from which the green cloth is hanging, the crossed keys symbolic of the Holy See and, in the centre, a blue shield with a white pallium: the heraldic arms of the Archdiocese of Dublin and Glendalough. The architectural setting, too, is interesting. It is a cathedral interior, with large, high windows, such as are seen in gothic buildings but the arches are round-headed, as in the earlier, romanesque style. This is another way of indicating that the event took place in the distant past, and not in ‘modern’ times. The composition is really skilful. Romold is seated at an angle, facing towards the right. The kneeling figure in red creates an upward-moving diagonal that concentrates attention on Romold’s face and head. In fact, if we were to draw lines connecting the heads of the three figures in red to Romold’s head, we would have the outline of a tau-shaped cross, seen sideways on. St Romold’s death is remembered as 24 June 775. His feastday, however, is kept on July 3 .

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FEATURE

FR ALAN HILLIARD, coordinator of chaplaincy services in DIT Bolton St, Dublin, notes how the experience of the Irish who emmigrated to Australia was so utterly different to that of migrants and refugees today.

Photograph © Fishman64 / Shutterstock

ASSISTED PASSAGE

I remember it clearly, I was about eight years of age and as our car pulled into the driveway I saw a blackboard on its easel and a lawnmower with a bright red handle and big orange wheels against the garage door, left there by an uncle and aunt who were heading off to Australia

with their five children. I don’t know where the blackboard disappeared to over the years, but we still have the lawnmower. I found it hard to believe that I’d never see them again … that they were gone and that they’d never appear on a Sunday ever again; that

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FEATURE

18 we’d never all pile into the big estate car again and head to St Anne’s Park to play football together, or that we’d never meet up in the aunt’s place in Wicklow where we’d chase chickens and draw water from the well at the corner. I just couldn’t get that ‘never again’ bit. Ironically, this reality is probably very hard to understand today . . . though for different reasons. Social media has reduced distance somewhat. You can even skype or whats app from the plane and keep people in touch with how your journey is going. In the 1960s those, like my uncle and aunt, who emigrated to Australia travelled on what was called ‘the ten pound assisted passage’. If you were deemed acceptable, the government paid your travel expenses and you committed to staying in the country for several years. Some left directly by boat from Ireland. Others who travelled there were known as second-wave emigrants. They were living in the likes of London or Birmingham and then sailed onward to Australia, New Zealand or Canada. Many families, when they arrived, saved hard to bring over other members of their families, or even of their towns and villages. Years later my cousin, who was the only girl in the family, told me that she shared a bed with her mother on the journey. She said her mother cried herself to sleep every night. I think my

aunt understood the word ‘forever’; the one I couldn’t get my wee mind around. Though the passage was difficult they held on to one another and together they held on to hope. They were the ones who left fathers, mothers, children, grandparents and extended families to give those they loved a better life. Many were attracted to the Assisted Passage scheme in the 1960s with the aid of advertising that told of great opportunities, wonderful warm climates, great job opportunities and accessible housing. Today people can peer into their phones to see the opportunities that others, in other countries, have. Opportunities that, through the magic of the phone screen, seem accessible to them. So, they move forward with hope. If there are no forms of official assisted passage available to them, perhaps others will provide unofficial assisted passage. Relatives who might take them in, for example. Those who can avail of that unofficial assistance are probably lucky! There are many others who cannot, and are forced to take desperate measures. They lie at the bottom of the Mediterranean or sit in migrant detention centres facing abuse and fear. Their family and friends don’t know if they are dead or alive. The word ‘forever’ brings endless discomfort for them. As people of faith we stand strong for those for whom the word ‘forever’ holds no hope.

THOUGH THE PASSAGE WAS DIFFICULT THEY HELD ON TO ONE ANOTHER AND TOGETHER THEY HELD ON TO HOPE.

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Sacred Heart Quotations Do not let the past disturb you, just leave everything in the Sacred Heart and begin again with joy. St Teresa of Calcutta

l In the Sacred Heart every treasure of wisdom and knowledge is hidden. In that Divine Heart beats God’s infinite love for everyone, for each one of us individually. St John Paul II

l The Heart of Christ at the heart of matter…the Golden Glow… gleaming at the heart of matter. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

l “Tenderness! But the Lord loves us tenderly. The Lord knows that beautiful science of caresses, the tenderness of God. He does not love us with words. He comes close - closeness - and gives us His love with tenderness. Closeness and tenderness! The Lord loves us in these two ways, He draws near and gives all His love even in the smallest things: with tenderness. And this is a powerful love, because closeness and tenderness reveal the strength of God’s love.” Pope Francis, Homily, 13 June, 2013 Feast of the Sacred Heart: 8th June

PLACES OF WORSHIP

Regular contributor CHRISTOPHER MORIARTY takes us on a journey to Saint Brendan’s Cathedral, Loughrea, a very special church to which some of Ireland’s finest sculptors and stained glass artists contributed.

ST BRENDAN’S CATHEDRAL, LOUGHREA

Every church is special, but some are more special than others. Fifty years after its foundation, Thomas McGreevy, a Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, described St Brendan’s as ‘the most comprehensively beautiful expression in terms of art of the religion of the people of modern Ireland’. Such a treasure deserves not just one long visit but a great many, because it contains so much exquisite and inspiring detail. The diocese of Clonfert, since the twelfth century, has had a cathedral known to the world for the beauty

of its decoration, in particular the entrance with its fantastic sculptured heads and seven arches. It was taken over by the Reformed Church however and by the nineteenth century its site by the River Shannon was no longer a hub of population, in contrast to the growing town of Loughrea on the main road from Dublin to Galway. So a new cathedral was built, close to the northern shore of the beautiful lake that gives Loughrea its name and just beside a remnant of the ancient town wall. Designed by the Dublin architect William Henry Byrne, it is a graceful Gothic revival building with a bell-tower surmounted by a tall spire. A decision was taken to do without a choir in its traditional position so the sanctuary is attached directly to the transepts and the building is shorter than originally planned. Talented local individuals, who were deeply involved in the early years of the Gaelic Revival, not only commissioned the cathedral, but insisted that the best of Irish artists should be engaged in its decoration. The Bishop of Clonfert at the time was Dr John Healy, a former Professor of Theology at Maynooth and a distinguished academic. A neighbouring landlord was Edward Martyn, whose passion for religion, music and the arts had led

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PLACES OF WORSHIP

him to endow the Palestrina Choir in the Pro-cathedral in Dublin. As well as providing generous funding towards the project in Loughrea, Martyn was in a position to find the best sculptors and stained glass workers and, in collaboration and sometimes argument with the Bishop, commission them to decorate the new cathedral. The foundation stone was laid on 10 October 1897 and construction finished in 1902. While the building, seen from outside, is a fine one, it conforms to basic Gothic revival style and is very much like many other churches. The shape of the interior, too, is simple with a long aisle, side aisles separated off by arcades, transepts with paired windows and a short sanctuary. The wonder of St Brendanâ€™s lies in the detail: on the large scale, the many magnificent stained glass windows and, on a smaller scale, the sculptures in stone and wood. Both of the two entrance lobbies

have small stained glass windows. To the east is St Brigid, the work of Patrick Pye who died earlier this year, having spent half a century as one of the leaders in church art. To the west is St Brendan as navigator standing at the prow of his currach. The artist was Sarah Purser, one of the founders of An TĂşr Gloinne, the company of artists who, in 1903, were the pioneers of the amazing development of Irish stained glass that flourished in the first half of the twentieth century, and which still lives on. Wonderful windows appear on either side as you progress down the aisle towards the sanctuary. They follow the pattern of a life-size figure filling the greater part of the opening, with a small scene below of two or more figures illustrating an incident in the story of the main subject. The work was commissioned over a long period and the artists represented range from Alfred Ernest Child, who

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PLACES OF WORSHIP

22 established the school of stained glass in Dublin in 1902, to Evie Hone, who in 1942 was just embarking on an international career. Perhaps the most remarkable of all the contributors was Michael Healy whose works, with their dazzling colours, range from some of his earliest in 1903 to his last and possibly greatest, of the Last Judgement, which he completed not long before his death in 1941. The great events in the life of Christ and his Virgin Mother are represented by the work of Healy and others in the glass of the transepts and the apse. There is more to the cathedral than its glass, however. Creation is represented by Michael Shortallâ€™s carvings of foliage, birds and beasts high up on the corbels. Incidents in the life of St Brendan adorn the capitals of every column. Less conspicuous are the carvings in wood of animal or human heads that finish the armrests on every pew. Then there are individual sculptures of the highest order, perhaps

the outstanding one is the Virgin and Child by John Hughes in the Lady Chapel. Besides the details in glass and stone, the overall design of the cathedral is rich in the work of skilled craftsmen, most of them local people. The altars and altar rails are all things of beauty, while remarkable colour has been added to the apse, below the windows, in the form of panels of different marbles. While these may be enjoyed simply as works of twentieth century art, many of them are inspired by the central tenets of Christian faith, and use familiar images that appeal to the faith of Christians. An additional joy comes from examining the detail of less familiar stories, but that demands an element of scholarship. Happily this is provided in a beautiful booklet by Patrick K Egan which is on sale at the entrance. An online search for Loughrea Cathedral leads quickly to Thomas McGreevyâ€™s study.

In Loving Memory

The names sent to us of all those who have died are entered on our

List of the Dead

They are placed on the Sacred Heart Altar in our oratory and remain there for two months. Every Wednesday Mass is offered especially for them, that they may have eternal rest with the Lord, and that their families and friends may be consoled in their loss. www.messenger.ie

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Messenger Publications is busy producing and finding new books of interest to the readers of The Sacred Heart Messenger for our Ignatian Bookshop. This page is intended to keep you up-to-date on new releases. Books can be purchased on www.messenger.ie, by phoning (01)7758522, or from your local bookshop. The Life and Times of Daniel Murray: Archbishop of Dublin 1823-1852 Thomas J Morrissey SJ €29.95 Hardback

Sacred Space: A Little Book of Encouragement The Irish Jesuits, edited by Vinita Hampton Wright €9.95 Paperback

Seventy short chapters to comfort us with God’s presence in the midst of life’s challenges and to remind us that Jesus journeys with us step-by-step. Each entry is given a descriptive title so that readers can easily find the encouragement they need depending on their situation at the time. Ignatian Spirituality from A-Z Jim Manney €14.95 Paperback

A brief, informative, and entertaining guide to key concepts of Ignatian spirituality and essential characters and events in Jesuit history. From Pedro Arrupe to Francis Xavier, from Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam to Zeal, this book uncovers the rich language of the Jesuits. An indispensable tool for anyone interested in Ignatian spirituality.

A comprehensive biography of this forgotten figure in Irish history. The first study of its kind, it is not only an important contribution to the study of the history of the Irish Church, but an account of the value of political moderation that speaks to our our own polarised time. Wisdom at the Crossroads: The Life and Thought of Michael Paul Gallagher SJ Thomas G Casey SJ €12.95 Paperback

This study illuminates Fr Michael Paul’s rare gift of helping people to move from a detached consideration of faith to an awareness of what was deepest in their own hearts, for it was from that hidden layer of wonder that he believed the journey of faith could unfold.

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FEATURE

TIM BYRON SJ, ministering in Stamford Hill parish in London, brings to life an agricultural initiative in Madagascar; an example of ‘the faith that does justice’.

RICE PRODUCTION Henri de Laulanié SJ worked as a missionary in Madagascar for over thirty years. Not long into his time there he realised how important rice was and how people’s lives were linked to the success or the failure of the rice harvest. Now, twelve years after his death, the system he pioneered for growing rice is critical to anti-hunger strategies in various parts of the world. Nepal and Indonesia have announced success in pilot projects using the system – called SRI (System of Rice Intensification) – developed by the French Jesuit. Nepal has run the project with the NGO ‘World Neighbors’, whereas in Indonesia the project has been funded by the Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund (ICCTF). Henri died in 1995 at the age of seventy-five, but in an era of climate change, his system has become more influential. Norman Uphoff of Cornell University introduced the system outside of Madagascar in the late 1990s and now it is used in more than fifty countries. In 2013, Forbes described it as ‘possibly one of the most important,

and most controversial, advances in modern agriculture.’ The system is controversial because innovative ideas are often resisted by the establishment; and also because it involves very little use of pesticides resulting in some opposition from chemical companies with vested interests. It encourages less use of water – which has made the system attractive in a time of increasing extreme weather events. Farmers in Bihar, northern India (population 99 million) recently broke records for the world’s highest rice yields using SRI techniques, and farmers in Goa last year found they spent seventy per cent less on seed with SRI to grow up to twice as much rice. In his encyclical Laudato Si Pope Francis talks about ‘hearing both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’. The encyclical encourages a strategy which links a true ecological approach with a social approach (LS 49), he observes that often opinion formers and power brokers live in affluent urban areas and are out of touch with the majority of the world’s poor. Laulanié worked on SRI in Madagascar for thirty-four years and wrote a book about it before he died called Rice in Madagascar.

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re:link

Juneâ€™18

Resource for Religion Studies

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Junior Certificate Preparation Tackling the Essay Question

On the fourteenth of this month at 2pm, all over the country, Junior Certificate students will begin their Religious Education exam at both ordinary and higher level. The two hour exam covers all areas of the RE course, with both short and long answer questions. However, what distinguishes the ordinary level and higher level papers is the essay, which higher level students will find looming ominously at the back of the exam paper! The essay question is not something to worry about at all, as a well-rounded knowledge of the course, and some essay

writing practice will give you confidence to tackle this question. In this monthâ€™s RE:LINK, we will provide some pointers for approaching the essay question, as well as a past exam question sample essay, which may assist your revision and hopefully put you at ease, as you enter the final days of preparation. Best of luck to all students sitting their Junior Certificate, from everybody on the RE:LINK team!

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General Tips

This is not the English exam essay Look at the amount of space that you are given to write this answer, in size alone (approximately fifty-five lines) it does not allow for in-depth analysis of a topic, or writing flair so be clear and concise. Choose your question carefully Every paper will have a selection of six essay questions to choose from, one to correspond with each section on the Religious Education course (Communities of Faith/Foundations of Religion:Christianity/Foundations of Religion:World Religion/The Question of Faith/The Celebration of Faith/The Moral Challenge). Donâ€™t necessarily choose the topic which you are most comfortable with, as the question may not suit you. Read each question on the list and donâ€™t have a topic picked before you enter the exam, as you may be disappointed. Highlight and underline When you are reading the selection of essay questions, have a highlighter marker or a pen and underline/highlight keywords in the question for later. This will mean that when you are reading over the questions again to choose one, you will be faster and more productive.

from year to year, and if you depend on a certain topic coming up, you may loose out on a seventy mark opportunity. Plan Again, you do not have the luxury of time (or space) in this exam to create elaborate paragraph plans or pretty spider diagrams, but it is important to have a general idea of what you will discuss in each paragraph, which you could jot down in the margin, or beside the question itself. This could be as simple as single words, numbered which will be your main points of each paragraph or keywords that you do not want to leave out or forget, that you can tick off as you go along. LABEL the question It is ESSENTIAL that you clearly number which question that you have chosen in the space provided. If you fail to do so, the examiner cannot tell which one you have chosen and you may loose many/all marks, even if you have written a brilliant answer. If you label your question, you do not need to write out the essay question title, as this only takes up vital space and will not gain you any additional marks.

Avoid learned-off essay answers It is not advisable in the RE exam to write out a learned off essay answer. As mentioned above, the wording and focus of the questions change

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A Novena prepares us over nine days to receive the graces of God special to a feast. In this Sacred Heart Novena, the grace we ask is to know personally the love of God in the heart of Christ.

The Sacred Heart Novena 31 May â€“ 8 June 2018 BY CHARLES DAVY SJ The Novena to the Sacred Heart takes place from Thursday 31 May until Friday 8 June, 2018. Many churches celebrate this novena, or at least pray the novena prayer. During the nine days we renew our love of the heart of Jesus, who loved us first. This Novena presents a short piece of scripture followed by a meditation, a reflection and a prayer.

Pull-out your free Novena Leaflet

The Sacred Heart Novena 2018 How to pray the Novena

n Give yourself about ten minutes to

slowly read the content for each day. n Repeat the Scripture to yourself a few times, and allow it to centre you on the love of God. n Mull over the meditation, ending with the short prayer. n In the Novena prayer, there is the opportunity to pray for the grace of God’s love in your life, and to mention any special concern or intention you are bringing to the Novena. Feel free to do so. The theme this year is the call and invitation of Jesus to come to know, love and follow him in our Christian lives. Real prayer is always to be understood as a personal meeting with our risen Lord, who invites us to enter into a loving relationship with him. In our own words we speak to him from our hearts, communicating whatever thoughts come to mind from the gospel quotations and reflections.

Closing prayer each day

Lord Jesus, your Sacred Heart is always open in love to each of us, especially when we are suffering. To all who come to you seeking your help, you show your compassion and healing power. You care for us when we are lost, sympathise with us in loneliness and comfort us in mourning; you are closest to us when we are weakest. You reach out your hand to us when we stumble and have most need of your help. I ask you to listen to my prayer during this Novena, and grant what I ask. If what I ask is not for my own or others’ good, grant me always what is best, that I may build your kingdom of love in our world. Amen

Day 1: Thursday May 31 A Humble Heart

SCRIPTURE: ‘Among the pagans the rulers lord it over them and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be first among you must be your servant . . . just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve . . .’ (Mt.20:25–28). REFLECTION: there is a part of us that likes to be the boss! Some have great gifts of leadership or organisation. Jesus reminds his disciples, and also ourselves, that leadership and authority are a service, not an ego trip. PRAYER: give the grace of even-handedness to all who have authority be it at home, at work, in Church or state. Forgive us, Lord, for the times we were heavy handed when dealing with those in our care.

Day 2: Friday 1 June Much Loved Son

SCRIPTURE: ‘Now when all the people had been baptised and while Jesus after his own baptism was at prayer, heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily shape, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.”’ (Mt.3:21–22). REFLECTION: at the turning point of his life, having left home and about to start his public ministry, Jesus is affirmed by his Father and the Holy Spirit. ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’ Jesus is ever the Father’s beloved Son. This is his identity, his strength and consolation. Everything he does is done with and for the Father.

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The Sacred Heart Novena 2018 PRAYER: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in you we live and have our being. Help us live out our baptism which made us your children. Father, keep drawing us to the heart of your Son.

Day 3: Saturday 2 June A Tested Heart

SCRIPTURE: ‘. . . the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. “I will give you all these” he said, “if you fall at my feet and worship me.” Jesus replied, “Be off, Satan! For scripture says: You must worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.”’ (Mt.4:8–10). REFLECTION: part of the wonder of the incarnation – Jesus becoming one of us – is that Jesus is tried and tested as we are. Jesus responds with firmness and clarity: ‘you must worship the Lord your God and serve him alone’. Jesus lives with and for his Father guided by the Spirit. PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we often lack clarity about what influences our decisions. We can be swayed by what others say, our ego can get in the way of making a good decision, free of pressure from others. Help us Lord Jesus, to put you and your kingdom first and so enable all else find its proper place.

Day 4: Sunday 3 June Generous Hearts

SCRIPTURE: ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of people.’ (Mt.4:17). REFLECTION: Jesus needs men and women who are willing to be witnesses of his love and his truth. To their credit, Peter and Andrew responded immediately, ‘they left their nets at once and followed him.’ They were ordinary weak individuals to whom Jesus made a promise. ‘I will make you fishers of

people.’ With his grace they followed him to martyrdom. PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we are often afraid to follow you closely. Afraid of where our ‘yes’ might lead us: loss of status, ridicule, suffering. Help us to believe that in becoming more like you, we will become our true selves.

Day 5: Monday 4 June A Heart Given For Us

SCRIPTURE: ‘Then he took some bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it and gave it to them saying, “this is my body which will be given for you . . .”’ (Lk.22:19). REFLECTION: his body refers not just to his physical body but to his whole person: soul, heart and mind. ‘For us and our salvation he came down from heaven.’ These words are the lens to understand the death of Jesus who died that we might have life. Today the risen Lord is labouring for us, as St Ignatius used say, continually interceding before his Father for us. PRAYER: Father, your Son’s final act of love is almost beyond our comprehension. Help us to receive his life-giving love and with your grace become men and women with and for others.

Day 6: Tuesday 5 June A Heart United With The Father

SCRIPTURE: ‘Then Jesus withdrew from them, about a stone’s throw away, and knelt down and prayed. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, let your will be done, not mine.”’ (Lk.22:41–43). REFLECTION: this was surely Jesus’ hardest prayer. Yet, doing his Father’s will was his deepest desire and the key to all he did.

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The Sacred Heart Novena 2018 PRAYER: Lord, there are times I want to get my own way instead of thinking of what others need. Help me to tune into my deepest desire and say, ‘your will be done’ and so learn to be mindful of others’ needs.

Day 7: Wednesday 6 June A Forgiving Heart

SCRIPTURE: ‘. . . they crucified him there and two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.”’ (Lk.23:33). REFLECTION: even in his agony Jesus’ mind and heart reaches out to those who have planned and carried out his death: Judas, Pilate, the Jewish leaders, the fickle crowd who cried out, ‘crucify him, crucify him’. Indeed, he seems to excuse them. As the years passed perhaps they remembered these words and opened their hearts to receive his forgiveness. PRAYER: Jesus, you know how a harsh word or an unjust deed can bring out our anger and desire to get even. Heal us from things that were done to us and give us the grace to seek your blessing on those who hurt or harmed us.

Day 8: Thursday 7 June United Hearts

SCRIPTURE: ‘Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother . . . Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus, said to his mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then to the disciple he said, “This is your mother”. And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.’ (Jn.19:25–27). REFLECTION: the hearts of Jesus and

Mary were united; united in intimacy, united in mission. Now as Jesus is about to die, he entrusts his mother to John to look after her and entrusts John and all future disciples to Mary’s maternal care. PRAYER: Jesus, thank you for the gift of your mother as our mother. Mary, thank you for your ‘yes’ which gave us your Son as our saviour. Watch over us and all belonging to us. In spite of our weakness, help us again and again to walk in his ways.

Day 9: Friday 8 June Feast Of The Sacred Heart Of Jesus

SCRIPTURE: ‘In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them. “Peace be with you” and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, “Peace be with you.”’ (Jn.21:19–21). REFLECTION: what a gift for the disciples, laden down with guilt and grief from Jesus who was not only their teacher but the one who knew and understood them like no one else before. Now the risen Jesus offers them his peace: a peace that healed them because it included his forgiveness. PRAYER: Risen Jesus, I renew my faith in your risen presence ever working on my behalf. You bring good out of all the twists and turns in my life, ever drawing me to be reconciled with you and everyone. I praise and thank you.

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Sample Question:

2014, Higher Level, Section 5, Question 4. Imagine you have been asked to write an article for a local magazine about religious practice in Ireland over the last hundred years. Outline what you would write in your article making reference to each of the following: i. Changes in religious practice. ii. Influences on religious practice. POINTER FOR SUCCESS: This question is divided into two, which means that each half carries 35 marks. This means that you should balance your answer and have an equal/similar amount of points for each part of the question. SAMPLE PLAN i. 1. Drop in church attendance 2. Vatican II ii. 1. Influence of home, school, etc 2. Media influence 3. Non-religious views

*Sample Answer: The Changing Face of Religious Practice in Ireland Over the last hundred years, Ireland has seen many changes occur in our culture, our eating habits, our style, our travel habits and of course in our religious practice. The multicultural environment that we now live in has had many positive influences on Irish culture. As we learn and adapt and to welcome our neighbours, our traditions also change and adapt to create an inclusive society for all. Our recent census results show clear movement in Irish habits, as like all things, they change over time. One religious practice which has changed in Ireland is attendance at religious services. Ireland has always been a predominantly Roman Catholic country, and so when I refer to

changes in church practice, I mean the Roman Catholic Church. Over the last hundred years, Ireland and many other countries have witnessed a noticable drop in attendance at churches. Mass on a Sunday and all holy days was an absolute must for our parents and especially our grandparentsâ€™ generations. However nowadays the general population attend weekly religious services far less often, other than for sacramental occasions such as weddings, baptisms, funerals, first communions and confirmations. Following the Second Vatican Council from 1962â€“65, huge changes began to occur in Catholic churches worldwide, including Ireland. One of the more noticeable changes in religious practices following the

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32 Second Vatican Council was the change of the language of the Mass. Traditionally, all Masses were said in Latin. However, although Latin was taught in schools, many people couldn’t fully comprehend the Mass and so participation in the Mass was minimal. People instead often chose to say their own private prayers or read their bible. After the Second Vatican Council, the Mass could be said in the vernacular (local) language of each country, which invited greater participation from the congregation. The priest would now face the congregation and new church seating layouts invited responses and participation. In fact greater involvement from the laity in the Mass, was another huge change in religious practice brought about by the Second Vatican Council, as ministers of the word and ministers

of the eucharist no longer had to be members of the clergy. What influenced these changes, other than the Second Vatican Council? The first notable influence may be the effect of technology and media on religious practice in the last hundred years. Due to technological advances, people can now listen to Mass at home on their radio, or watch it on television. Although Mass broadcasts meant that congregations were smaller, religious belief remains strong. Unlike one hundred years ago, where usually the father worked and the mother was the caregiver at home, now in many families both parents work fulltime and new media plays a greater part in many people’s lives, to allow for more hectic lifestyles... *Sample answer continued on : relink.messenger.ie

C ompetition ! Create a logo for our Young Reader’s pages (p42-43). The logo should include a name as well as any image or design you like. €40 voucher to winner! Send your entry via email to relink@messenger.ie or post to RE:LINK, The Sacred Heart Messenger, 37 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2. Please include your name, age & school. Closing date: 24th of the month. Winner receives a voucher wor th €40!

MARCH 2018 RE:LINK WINNER:

Rachel O’Donovan Maria Immaculata Community College, Co Cork

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GARDENING

CIARAN BURKE tells of long summer days and nights, and the magic, dream-like quality the garden can take on at this warm time of year. He describes his love of standing watching the lupins as bees ingratiate themselves into the bloom to harvest nectar.

JUNE NOT JEJUNE

Lupinus polyphyllus

As we approach the zenith of daylight, the summer solstice, the long days allow us so much time to enjoy the garden and nature. When Whit-weekend has passed, usually the frost has also gone; bedding plants, hanging baskets and other containers filled with tender

perennials and half-hardy annuals can be planted and placed outside with little risk of damage from the low temperatures. Early June can be a time where a lull of flowering can occur, the newly-planted bedding plants are still settling in, while spring colour provided by tulips and other bulbs has

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GARDENING

34 faded. But fear not, there are a host of easy to grow, reliable and long-flowering hardy perennial plants that can fill that gap for June and in some cases continue flowering beyond St John’s Eve and even until Michaelmas. Lupins are old favourites of gardeners, and in recent times have had a resurgence in popularity. Their luxuriant spires of densely-clustered blooms come in a range of colours, and sometimes have a delicious peppery scent. Lupinus ‘Russell Hybrids’ are tall, up to one metre high and come in a rainbow of colours. For smaller gardens the dwarf varieties such as Lupinus ‘Gallery Series’ only grow fifty to sixty centimetres in height. The variety Lupinus ‘Manhattan Nights’, combines purple and yellow in its blooms and grows tall. My favourite at the moment, however, is a lupinus which is considered to be a bit of a bad boy; Lupinus polyphyllus. It is a species that is native to Alaska and Canada as well as a few of the other US states as far south as California. It is a big boy too, reaching one point five metres high. The reason for its bad reputation is that in some parts of the world, such as Scandinavia, it has gone wild and is considered an invasive alien species. Here in Ireland, it does not show any such tendencies. The tall spikes of blooms are commonly blue or pink, and less often, white. I have it planted at the base of a wall where the soil is poor and gravelly. Here it thrives and flowers for weeks on end. I often stand and watch it for ages on a warm June evening, and observe

the bumble bees busy at work as they bungle their way into the claspshaped blooms in search of nectar. As the blooms of lupins fade, you will see pods develop up along the flowering stems, from the base upwards. These are the fruits and like peas and beans to which lupins are related, they will have seeds inside; not to be eaten as they are poisonous. As the final flowers at the top start to fade, chop away the portion where the flowering has finished down as far as where the next flowers are emerging. This will ensure a better second flush of blooms. Other June bloomers, that will be gracing our gardens for Bloomsday and beyond, include Anthemis tinctoria ‘E C Buxton’ with large daisies of a soft yellow, and its longnamed relative, Anthemis punctata subsp. cupaniana. Don’t be put off by the mouthful of a name, the softtextured silver foliage is covered with big white daisies over the summer. Both like a sunny position in soil that is not too wet. Hardy cranesbills also provide lots of June blooms; Geranium ‘Roxanne’ has blue discs with white centres that will last until October, while the native deep pink Geranium sanguineum is more subtle but equally rewarding. I love the long evenings as they so slowly ease into darkness, the colours of blue flowers are amplified and distorted into dreamy magical tones, and white blooms glow in the long sunsets. The air is alive with the buzz of insects and the swallows dip and dive. Mid-summer nights are magic, like a dream.

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Prepare your children & grandchildren for the arrival of

pope francis!

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THANKSGIVING LETTERS

Every month we publish a selection of thanksgiving letters from our readers. Please be assured that receipt of a letter is fulfilment of a promise to publish. A longer ‘letter’ – a story of thanksgiving – is on the facing page, and our readers are invited to submit their own ‘A Kindness I’ll never Forget’.

BE LENIENT Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, many thanks for favours and graces granted to me and my family. I asked for more work for my daughter and she got it through your intercession. Now she is having an inspection on her premises, and I pray that the inspector will be lenient, and that her bill will not be too great. A grateful Mam

PRAYER AND PATIENCE Thank you Sacred Heart of Jesus – my best friend – especially for my daughter’s return to health after a brain haemorrhage. Not only has she recovered but she has also given birth to two beautiful children. Something we couldn’t have dreamt of a number of years ago. We are so grateful to the Sacred Heart, Our Lady and Padre Pio. Nothing is impossible with prayer and patience. Anon

IN SAN DIEGO Back in the mid-1950s I had an operation in San Diego. Afterwards good friends gave my sister and I room in their house. We were there for three months. In the evening we used to walk around a block of houses and I got to meet several of the neighbours.

Christmas was coming and the children where we were staying were due home. We were arranging to hire an apartment for the Christmas period. One evening we met one of the neighbours called Kay and told her of our situation. She told us that they were going to Florida for Christmas and that we could have their house, and so it happened. This generosity has remained with me for many years. Thank you Kay in La Mesa and again, may God bless your family. San Diego

LOOKING FORWARD

Dear Father, This letter of thanks to the Sacred Heart is long overdue. I have been receiving The Messenger for a few years now from my cousin in Ireland. I look forward to it coming each month. I have a great devotion to the Sacred Heart and he has granted me many favours. I am a Franciscan sister of Atonement, stationed here in Washington DC. My home is in Louth. I go home every year to visit my family. I would like to ask prayers for a very special intention and also good health for my three brothers. I give thanks to the Sacred Heart for all the blessings I have received. USA

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THANKSGIVING STORY

In this month’s ‘A Kindness I’ll Never Forget’, our contributor, who has chosen to remain anonymous, tells of a time when she was distraught, and left everything up to God. What happened? In a way, God left a message for her on her answering machine . . .

A KINDNESS I’LL NEVER FORGET

he year 2008 was one of the worst of my life, yet it gave rise to an unbelievable act of kindness. My husband had left me for someone else and as a result I was also embroiled in a long-running and hideously expensive legal action to try to save my home. At the time I was living in a very small, remote farm house with no access to public transport. I was working as a clerk in a small rural hospital some fifteen miles away from where I lived. At the time I owned a twenty-yearold car, somehow kept on the road with the help of my friendly local garage. Although loved I could not afford to give it regular servicing, just getting through its yearly MOT and carrying out essential repairs as they occurred. The day came when the car could no longer keep going. It made its final slow and painful journey up the steep two-mile lane to the house with prayers and exhortations for it to reach home and not strand us both in the narrow winding lane which led

up the mountain. However, it was clear that this was a major failure and the end of the road. I had no money for repairs or replacement and no way of getting to my work on time, which was my sole means of support. I stepped out of the car that night and simply gave the whole thing to Our Lord. I had no solution left. Later that evening I noticed a message on my answering machine. It was from some old friends with whom I had still kept in touch. The message said that while looking for a car for their daughter they had come across one which they thought might be a temporary replacement for my own, which they knew to be very old, and if I wanted I could have it as a gift. I spent that night in complete overwhelming gratitude to God and my friends. I drove that car for nearly seven years and I will never cease to be grateful for that spontaneous act of kindness. Forever grateful, Anon

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COOKERY

It can be difficult to avoid throwing out food when you are cooking for one. For June MARIE McGUIRK offers some advice on how to avoid waste, putting together dishes that use similar ingredients, allowing you to get the most out of your meals!

RESPONSIBLE COOKING OATMEAL MACKEREL FILLETS (1 PORTION)

2 fresh mackerel fillets skin and bone removed 1 heaped tablespoon medium oatmeal ¾ teaspoon crushed peppercorns 1 tablespoon oil

METHOD

n Place the fish skin side down on a chopping board and using a tweezers make sure to remove any fine bones that the fishmonger may have left in. n Place the oatmeal on to a plate and mix with the crushed peppercorns. n Dip the fish in the oatmeal covering both sides liberally and press in well. n Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the skin side of fish first then turn over and fry flesh side. You should cook over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes each side. n Since new potatoes are in season now serve with freshly boiled new potatoes and a fresh salad.

VEGETABLE SALAD (1 PORTION) 2oz (50g) shredded Chinese cabbage 2 spring onions finely sliced 1 small stalk celery finely sliced ½ carrot grated ½ red apple chopped with skin on Squeeze of lemon juice 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 tablespoon crème fraiche or natural yogurt

METHOD

n Combine the mayonnaise and natural yogurt in a medium sized bowl. n Toss the chopped apple in lemon juice and add to the mayonnaise. n Add the remainder of the prepared ingredients and stir the mixture thoroughly. Serve at once.

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COOKERY

CHINESE STYLE BEEF STIR FRY (1 PORTION)

4–6oz (100–175g) sirloin or rib steak cut into bite size strips ½ carrot cut into matchsticks 1 stick celery cut into matchsticks 4 mushrooms wiped and sliced 1 shallot chopped 1 clove garlic crushed A small piece of grated ginger 2–3oz (50–75g) Chinese leaves or pak choi shredded 1 tablespoon soy sauce A dash of Worcester sauce 1 tablespoon water or stock 1 tablespoon sunflower oil

METHOD

n Heat the oil in a wok and toss the strips of beef stirring continuously

for 3 minutes. Remove on to a plate. Add a little more oil if necessary and add the carrot and celery next. Continue cooking and tossing the vegetables for a further three minutes and then add the garlic, ginger, shallot and mushrooms. Stir the vegetable combination for a further minute and then add the soy sauce Worcester and stock. Bring mixture to boil and steam the contents of pan for 1 minute. Return the meat to the pan along with the Chinese leaves and heat through. Serve with boiled rice, noodles or wraps.

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CROSSWORDS

WIN €100! ADULT CROSSWORD Send to: Adult Crossword 806, Messenger Publications, 37 Lr Leeson St, Dublin 2, Ireland

_________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________

Name: ____________________________________________

ACROSS The prize is €100 for the first correct solution opened. Judge’s decision is final.

ENTRIES MUST REACH US BEFORE THE 24th OF THE MONTH.

8 No right in indiscretion to show cheek (9) 9 Bend a tobacco-pipe (5) 10 Learned it differently from someone coming last (4-5) 11 Have nice experience in French transport (5) 12 Where the best footballers might be positioned? (3,2,3,6) 15 Man from Gondwanaland! (4) 17 Dog footballer from Doncaster? (5) 19 Most of layered rock forming thin strip (4) 21 Arachnid disrupting crop dispersion (8-6) 23 Head zookeeper had performing bear or another animal (5) 24 To do this, astronaut needs room to take steps (9) 26 No insane wanderer (5) 27 Shelter despatched by railway before fight (6-3)

DOWN

1 Two dots over letter in mutual exchange (6) 2 Old writer (5-3) 3 Foolishly infer said information first came from a lady (8) 4 A creditable bit of land (4) 5 Had taken hive Ted ordered (7) 6 It’s to do with marriage of Constance with cooler Albert (8) 7 Infant gnashers? (4,5) 13 Own northern refuge (5) 14 Overturning and removing zip casing (9) 16 A mob, misguided, going round grave for explosive device (4-4) 18 Greed hit a large town (8) 19 Obliquely towards the right or to the left (8) 20 Draws up circulation from lower to higher (7) 22 Go round and round less than one undergarment (4-2) 25 Look up and down (4)

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CHILDREN’S CROSSWORD: WIN €30! Name: _____________________________________Age:__________

Address: _________________________________________________

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1 After the volcano erupted, Pompeii was very ____ (4) 3 A nice game of ping ____ (4) 7 A scary time of year (9) 8 Someone who keeps an eye out for trouble (7) 12 A natural disaster (9) 14 To fool or trick someone (4) 15 A musical instrument of the ancient world (4)

_______________________________________________________

Send to: June Children’s Crossword, Messenger Publications, 37 Lr Leeson St, Dublin 2, Ireland, by 24th of the month.

ACROSS

DOWN 1 2 4 5

A throbbing pain (4) Hi! (5) Singular (3) Large metallic object you might strike to make a grand entrance (4) 9 To bring together (5) 10 Ride this in the snow (4) 11 Passes information from generation to generation (4) 13 I take one when tired but never at work! (3)

MARCH 2018 CROSSWORD SOLUTIONS AND WINNERS

CHILDREN’S CROSSWORD: ACROSS: 1 Lava; 3 Oboe; 7 Indolence; 8 Houdini; 12 Unclipped; 14 Tutu; 15 Glue. DOWN: 1 Lair; 2 Video; 4 Bin; 5 Eden; 6 Aladdin; 9 Nepal; 10 Aunt; 11 Idle. CHILDREN’S CROSSWORD WINNER: Caoimhe Toland, age 11, Castleknock. MARCH CHILDREN’S POETRY WINNER: Sophie Smith, age 8, Galway. ADULT CROSSWORD: ACROSS: 1 Above water; 7 Joss; 9 Giftwrap; 10 Facial; 11 At the wheel; 14 Trencher; 15 Tomcat; 16 Stress; 18 Relieved; 20 Acquitting; 23 Mexico; 24 Bracelet; 25 Envy; 26 New Zealand. DOWN: 2 Boil; 3 Veto; 4 Warpath;5 Tipster; 6 Reflect; 7 Jackhammer; 8 Shamefaced ;12 Arctic tern; 13 Insecurity; 17 Sit-down; 18 Rainbow; 19 Luggage 21 Fell; 22 Keen. ADULT CROSSWORD WINNER: M. Hyndman, Rathfarnham.

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page 42

Sarah’sWordsearch F R U S T R A T I N G V X B T R A N S F O R M W M X E Y E L Z I N E M Y I O M A A U S Y R O L G S M D N U S Q U M J V D S P I G A T T I I Z Y Q I F I P N C I G N V L B N W M E I I S F Y U N B G O V P C A K W U Y X W C T W V W E T R W L G L

In his article ‘Jigsaw’ noted activist Peter McVerry SJ wrote about how the Kingdom of God can be thought of as like a jigsaw puzzle. Can you find these words from his article? Jigsaw Compassion Kingdom Beautiful Picture Frustrating

Colour-in Time

Unique Final Missing Piece Transform Glory

page 43

5 1

3 4 6

6 3

Sarah’s Numbers Complete the grid so that each row, each column and each 3x2 box has the numbers 1-6

Poetry Competition

Test your talents and submit your own poem for a chance to win €30! This month’s poem should be written on the theme of:-

SUMMER TIME

Competition Information: Please include your name, age and address with your entry and send to: JUNE Competition, Young Readers’ Pages, The Sacred Heart Messenger, 37 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2, Ireland OR by email to competitions@messenger.ie by the 24th of the month.

IN THE MASTER’S FOOTSTEPS

FR JOHN MURRAY, parish priest of Downpatrick, reminds us this month of the life of Margaret, Queen of Scotland, whose feast is kept in Scotland on 16 June.

ST MARGARET, QUEEN OF SCOTLAND Wife, mother, queen, liturgist, scripture scholar, reconciler of enemies, friend of the poor; all of these and more describe the woman who became patron saint of Scotland. The monk Turgot, bishop of St Andrew’s, would later write about the King Malcolm’s love for Margaret in these words: ‘He saw that Christ truly dwelt in her heart . . . what she rejected he rejected . . . what she loved, he for love of her loved too.’ William the Conqueror (1028–87) defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and there began a new phase in the history of England – the end of the Anglo-Saxon royal family and the beginning of a new dynasty. Margaret was the granddaughter of Edmund Ironside, the English king, and was one of the last of the old line. After the Battle of Hastings she felt it best to flee north to Northumbria and then to Scotland. Malcolm, the young Scottish king, initially out of charity, gave her refuge and in time a lot of attention! Margaret had set her heart on living a life of piety as a virgin and possibly a nun, but Malcolm was persistent and soon love blossomed and the couple were married and had a family of eight children. Their marriage was also a bless-

ed event for the nation of Scotland. Malcolm seems to have been a good man but relatively uneducated and rather insular in his vision. The young Queen brought a sense of European culture and ceremony to the Scottish court. She herself had been reared in the court of Hungary and had imbibed the lessons and the graces of a wider European education. Stories abound of how she passed on an element of justice and charity to the affairs of the kingdom. Whenever guests would come to dine, she would wash their feet before they would eat. Often she invited several dozen beggars to join her at the evening meal. This was particularly true during Advent and Lent when the royal dining hall would be full of hundreds of poor men and women. Again Turgot – her biographer – wrote: ‘not only would she have given to the poor all that she possessed, but if she could have done so, she would have given her very self away.’ No doubt it was a headache for court attendants more used to royal splendour and privacy! Margaret also brought her gifts to the administration of the Church in Scotland. This involvement was unheard of at this time. In ways – as a lay person and woman – she was centuries ahead of her time. The

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IN THE MASTER’S FOOTSTEPS

Malcolm and Margaret at Queensferry. Mural by William Hole, Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Scottish Church still clung to the old Celtic ways and Margaret worked tirelessly to reform it. At her instigation the Church held its first synod. Its purpose was to examine abuses and indifference among the clergy and to reconcile discrepancies between the liturgical calendar in Scotland and the rest of the Western Church. Margaret

herself played a key part in the discussions, sharing her interpretation of scripture as well as principles of faith. In addition through her encouragement of Church councils she promoted Easter Communion – sadly people did not go to Communion often at that time. She also encouraged the idea of ‘honouring the sabbath day’

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Image: Kim Traynor / Wikimedia Commons

IN THE MASTER’S FOOTSTEPS

46 though despite some reports there is no hard evidence that the laity from her time were no longer obliged to work on a Sunday. Under Margaret the language of the Mass was changed from the many dialects of Gaelic spoken at that time in Scotland to the unifying Latin. Margaret hoped thereby to unite the faith of the Scots with the faith and practice of other Christians on the mainland of Europe. Some, however, felt that she was trying ultimately to unite the two nations of Scotland and England which were constantly feuding. As a measure of reconciliation the Queen had worked hard to curb the feuding and warlike tendencies of her people. Scotland was for centuries known for its clan conflicts. Here she had limited success. Often too

there was conflict between Scotland and England and sadly her husband and son were killed in the Battle of Alnwick (1093),which took place in Northumbria. Margaret was already on her deathbed at the time and saw this moment as a grace. ‘I thank you, Almighty God, that in sending me so great an affliction in the last hour of my life, you would purify me from my sins, as I hope, by your mercy.’ She died soon afterwards on November 16 worn out by her regular fasting and hard work, and was buried with her husband in Dunfermline Abbey. Her feastday was long kept to June 10 when her relics were translated after her canonisation which took place in 1250 under Pope Innocent IV (1195–1254). In 1673 she was named Patron of Scotland.

D on ation s gratef ully r ecei v ed For the spread of devotion to the love of God in the Sacred Heart and other Messenger charities. For the work of the Jesuit Mission in ASSAM, NORTH INDIA, for the payment of teachers’ salaries in the new Jesuit third-level college at Tezpur. St Joseph’s Penny Dinners, c/o St Francis Xavier’s, Gardiner St, funding food for the hungry in Ireland and abroad. For the promotion of The Sacred Heart Messenger.

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FEATURE

RUTH BRENNAN writes of a university initiative for faith in our youth Church. This may help us in our preparation for the Synod on Youth in October 2018 in Rome.

UCD CHRISTIANITY WEEK 2018

Martha Kennedy-Ralph and Grace Oladipo at UCD Christianity Week

UCD Christianity Week ran from 5-8 February, 2018. The week began with a commissioning ceremony, held in the church in UCD. Philip McKinley, DCU Chaplain, was guest speaker. Philip spoke about how great it was that all of us young people could come together to bear witness to Christian unity in UCD during the week and that it was an opportunity to show our Christian faith to the

wider student body. He said that our common belief in Christ is what unites us. Each day we had CafĂŠ Koinonia â€“ serving free tea, coffee and homemade cookies to students in our student centre. There was bonding here between us as Christians and it was a witness to all who came by; we are here together as Christians, showing our unity by working

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FEATURE

Cookies at the Café Koinonia

together, and by our openness to one another. It was also an opportunity to be among the general student population and talk to some about our faith. Our next guest speaker was John McAreavey. His talk was entitled ‘Living with God’s Grace’. John spoke about how he always had faith in God; it was something constant and something that helped him through his grief after the loss of his first wife, Michaela. He wondered why he didn’t feel angry, why he couldn’t feel vengeance. He felt that God was saying to him – ‘there is no room for that in your heart, I’m here’. His heart was so filled with God’s love that there was no room left for hatred. He said that he felt blessed, not cursed. We also featured the first Irish cinema screening of Footprints – The Path of Your Life. This is a beautiful

film about the Camino de Santiago. It vividly brought back to mind my experience of the Camino and it is filled with God’s presence. The film also very much tied in with the idea of unity: the group of ten young men learn that the journey is much better when they stay together. Following Footprints was a Christianity Q&A with a panel comprising Scott Evans (UCD Chaplain), Prof. Stephen Gardiner (UCD Lecturer in Mathematics) and myself (UCD Chemistry student). Each of us brought a different and important dimension to the discussion. Questions were gathered from the general student body. When asked about what the main obstacles to Christian unity are, the panel responded by saying that we should look rather at what we can do to achieve Christian unity, and that praying for each other as Christians is

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FEATURE

John McAreavey speaking at Christianity Week in UCD.

the way forward towards unity. Our final speaker, Gerard Hanley, former professional soccer player and now working full-time with NET ministry, gave a talk on ‘Faith and Sport’. Gerard spoke about making the choice to leave behind his own personal dream and passion of professional soccer to follow God’s call into faith ministry. Ignatian spirituality was key for him in his decision making. He asked us to think about what we feel truly comfortable with, and to distinguish between this and that which makes us feel uncomfortable deep down, and to use this to guide us in our choices in life. Leon Ó Giollain SJ, one of the UCD chaplains commented: “Christianity Week is an attempt to bring together all Christian denominations on campus at UCD in order to speak with one strong voice

of the truth, goodness and beauty of the Christian message. We took our inspiration from Jesus’ own words: ‘that all may be one…so that the world may believe’.” (Jn.17). One of the major fruits of the week was growth in unity between Christians of different traditions. The cooperation of students in providing a steady supply of delicious cookies for our Café Koinonia, being available to approach and chat with the wave of students passing by daily, handing out flyers and inviting students to our various talks, all this in a spirit of joyful celebration, won the hearts and minds of many. We hope to continue year on year this modest effort, in the words of Pope Francis, to go out to the peripheries – in our case to those who, in a largely secular environment, remain alienated from God and Church.

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FEATURE

DEIRDRE POWELL contributes to ‘A Thought for the Day’ on the web site catholicireland.net and here introduces readers to a seventeenth-century Jesuit who was responsible for the calendar we still use today. Jesuits have always been involved in the world of secular learning and culture.

CHRISTOPHER CLAVIUS SJ The calendar that we use today is the Gregorian calendar that was recommended by Pope Gregory XIII in the mid-1570s. Did you know that a young Jesuit called Christopher Clavius served as the technical expert to the commission responsible for reforming the Julian calendar to the current Gregorian one? Fr Clavius was responsible for explaining the various aspects of the proposed reform schemes. He also specified the reform’s technical terms that were ultimately decided upon by the commission. He went on to write and publish further work that publicised and explained the new Gregorian calendar, together with explaining the transition from the old Julian calendar to the new one. There were many critics of the reform, such as French scholar Joseph Scaliger and German astronomer and mathematician Michael Maestlin, and Fr Clavius had the responsibility of responding to them in print. So, what were the reforms that were instituted by Pope Gregory XIII and his commission? On February 24, 1582, a papal bull entitled ‘Inter gravissimas’ was issued detailing the changes that were to be made to the calendar. It was decided that October 5 (which is the day after the Feast

of St Francis of Assisi) was to become October 15, thereby omitting ten days. This change was made in order to bring the spring or vernal equinox back to March 21. The second reform involved an acceptance of a value of 365.2422 days per year, in order to bring the calendar year closer to the true tropical year. It was also decreed that no centennial years should be leap years unless exactly divisible by 400, thereby rendering the year 2000 a leap year, but not 1700, 1800 and 1900 (In the Julian calendar, they would have been leap years). These reforms became known as the Gregorian calendar and were well received by astronomers such as Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe. Eventually, all of Europe adopted the Gregorian calendar, though Russia did not adopt it until 1918. So what can be said about the life of Christopher Clavius SJ, the man responsible for promulgating and explaining the new Gregorian calendar? He was born in Bamberg, Germany, circa March 25, 1538. Not much is known about his early life, but on April 12, 1555, he entered the Society of Jesus. In 1556, he was sent to study at the University of Coimbra in Portugal; it was at Coimbra that his first recorded astro-

Image: Cresi / Wikimedia Commons

FEATURE

nomical observation took place – he observed the total solar eclipse of August 21, 1560. He subsequently returned to the Jesuit Collegio Romano to begin advanced studies in theology and other subjects. He was ordained in 1564. Fr Clavius taught mathematics at the Collegio Romano for nearly all his career. He began teaching the subject as early as 1563. In 1574, he worked for a brief period in Messina (Sicily) with the Sicilian-born mathematician Francesco Maurolico, where he acquired many unpublished mathematical treatises. In 1596, he spent another period at the Jesuit College in Naples, but, apart from these two episodes, he remained in Rome, where he died on

February 6, 1612. Fr Clavius collaborated with his students in authenticating Galileo’s early telescopic discoveries. He also published a widely used textbook of elementary astronomy in which he recognised the significance of Galileo’s early telescopic work. In 1574, he published Euclid’s Elements, a commentary that achieved great popularity and influence. He devoted much of his career to the establishment of mathematical studies in Jesuit schools and influenced the Jesuit system of studies in all their schools. In addition to his work on the Gregorian calendar, his greatest impact and legacy may be found in his work as a teacher and builder of educational institutions.

FEATURE

PAUL O’REILLY SJ is a doctor living and working in London. Paul is a frequent contributor to The Sacred Heart Messenger, and this month he ponders on the real treasures, and the meaing of wealth in all senses of the word, and how we might spend what we have more wisely.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

Diamond in bedrock

You will have heard it said, you may even know the song,‘diamonds are forever’. That is why people like them: to put in engagement rings, wedding rings and other things as symbols of what they hope will also last forever. That is why they are so expensive! People take great risks to go and get them. Some even fight and kill for them. I am told that the biggest civil war in Africa – in the Congo – which killed over three million people was maintained almost entirely by the price of diamonds. They called them ‘blood diamonds’. Well, most of what I know about diamonds I learned from a man who used to mine diamonds. I’ll call him Rohan. Rohan spent five years going up and down the Mazaruni River in South America, looking for diamonds. He was a diver – they get the best pay

and they take the biggest risks. And he took enormous risks diving in the river. He saw many friends killed and seriously injured. He himself got malaria twenty-six times, as well as bush yaws, typhoid, dysentery and all sorts of other diseases. But he did make good money. Just occasionally, he would go back up to his home village of Moruka where his brother has a farm. And one day, after about four or five years of this, his brother asked him very simply: ‘Rohan, why is it that you earn so much money and you never have any; while I earn so little and I always have a little?’ That question really troubled Rohan. And it took him a very long time to find the answer. When he found it, the answer was that his brother was working for his wife and his family.

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FEATURE

last, or do you only work for diaThat was why his little money had to monds?’ last. Rohan was working only to get It is a question I try to ask myself money for himself. And that is why his now and again, every few money never lasted longer months or so, just to keep than his most immediate Right then he myself honest. Because pleasures. Right then he made himself diamonds are a metaphor made himself promise that promise that for many different ways of from now on he would only from now on he living, perhaps a comfortwork for things that endure would only work able lifestyle in one of the – for the things in life that for things that richest countries of the are ultimately important – endure – for the world, perhaps popularfor the food that lasts. He ity with friends and colhad learned that diamonds things in life that leagues, or the approval of may be for a long time, but are ultimately important… patients and parishioners; only God is forever. all of the nice things in life Just after Rohan told me can be compared to diamonds. Yet all this, he looked me very straight in the of that means nothing unless it means eyes, pointed his finger hard at me something in the eternity that is God’s and asked me his own question: Kingdom. ‘Father, do you work for things that

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. Jn 14:27

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Nativity of St John the Baptist

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St kevin

The Body and Blood of Christ

SUNDAY

MONDAY

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TUESDAY

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WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

JUNE 2018

FirstFriday Friday uuFirst

Hopes for sunshine and warmth As we enjoy summer places. Refreshment and holiday; A gift from the Creator.

Text and photograph: Donal Neary SJ ISSN 1649-4450

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