Reality September 2016 by Redemptorist Communications

THE JERUSALEM BIBLE 50TH ANNIVERSARY

MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP VISITS A SCHOOL IN BELFAST

WORLD YOUTH DAY 2016 JOY AND PRAYER IN KRAKOW

Informing, Inspiring, Challenging Today’s Catholic

SEPTEMBER 2016

PÁDRAIG PEARSE Was he a pioneering educationalist?

JEAN DONOVAN

and the Women Martyrs of El Salvador

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IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE FEATURES 12 PÁDRAIG PEARSE THE PEDAGOGUE Had he not been executed, would Pease’s reputation have endured as a pioneer educationalist? By Dr John Paul Sheridan

19 JEAN DONOVAN AND THE WOMEN MARTYRS OF EL SALVADOR Jean Donovan died a martyr’s death in El Salvador in 1980 at the age of 27 By Mike Daley

22 OUR LADY’S ICON VISITS A SCHOOL A school chaplain describes the effect of a visit of a “pilgrim icon”on the school community By Sr Anna Byrne DC

26 THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP The Brothers’ special relationship with Mary was forged in a congregational crisis By Br Donal Blake CFC

32 A LETTER FROM ZACCHEUS TO HIS GRANDSONS The man in the sycamore tree tells his story By Fr George Wadding CSsR

36 THE JERUSALEM BIBLE 50 YEARS ON The golden jubilee of the publication of the Jerusalem Bible that made bible reading more accessible for Catholics. By Fr Henry Wansbrough OSB

39 MEMORIES OF WORLD YOUTH DAY 2016 An Irish participant reflects on the joyful days of World Youth Day in Krakow By Seán Hurley

42 DROUGHT IN ETHIOPIA Trócaire has been working with people in Tigray, Ethiopa, to discover new ways to harvest water in time of drought By Éamonn Meehan

OPINION

REGULARS

11 BRENDAN McCONVERY CSsR

04 REALITY BITES

18 DAVID O'DONOGHUE

07 POPE MONITOR

31 CARMEL WYNNE

08 FEAST OF THE MONTH

44 PETER McVERRY SJ

09 REFLECTIONS 45 GOD’S WORD

REALITY BITES KNOCK BASILICA RE-DEDICATED MAYO

A JOYOUS OCCASION

A special ceremony of re-dedication took place at Knock Basilica on July 16th last on the 40th anniversary of its original dedication. The Basilica has been completely modernised and transformed into a warm and welcoming sacred space. The renovation marks a new era in the history of the Basilica which started out as the great wish of Monsignor James Horan to give shelter to the thousands of pilgrims visiting the Marian Shrine. It has since evolved from a one-dimensional, purpose-built, functional building to one that suggests endless possibilities for the Shrine, the wider community and the West of Ireland. Originally called the ‘Church of Our Lady, Queen of Ireland’, it was raised to the status of Basilica by Pope St John Paul during his visit to Ireland in 1979. The rededication coincided with a pilgrimage from the Archdiocese of Boston, led by Cardinal Seán O’Malley and including the city’s mayor, Marty Walsh. It is a fulfilment of Monsignor Horan’s dream that Knock Airport would bring pilgrims to the shrine from all over the world.

DEATH OF BISHOP EDWARD DALY The late Bishop Edward Daly

A photograph of a priest waving a blood stained handkerchief as a group of people struggled to carry the body of a young man through gun fire on Bloody Sunday 1972 became an iconic picture of the Northern Troubles. The priest, Fr REALITY SEPTEMBER 2016

Edward Daly, was named bishop of Derry two years later at the early age of 41. Highly regarded for his outspoken defence of his faithful, he was also straight-forward in his condemnation of violence. Ill health forced his retirement in 1993. In his retirement, he served as chaplain to the Derry hospice and wrote two memoirs of his time as a priest and bishop: Mister, are you a priest (2000) and A Troubled See: Memoirs of a Derry Bishop (2011). He was awarded the Freedom of Derry in 2015

The Late Monsignor James Horan

A CATHOLIC FOR VICE-PRESIDENT? Tim Kaine, Democratic Senator for Virginia, who has been chosen as Hilary Clinton’s running mate makes little secret of his Catholic heritage. He was educated at a Jesuit high-school, and spent a year working with Jesuits in a mission school in Honduras. He and his wife attend a predominantly African-American parish where both are active. Although claiming to be personally opposed to abortion and the death penalty, he has taken different stances in his political life. “I have got a personal feeling about abortion, but the right rule for

government is to let women make their own decisions," he claims, and as governor of Virginia, he oversaw eleven executions. Kaine’s distinction between his private values and his public stance have been challenged by at least one American Catholic bishop. Senator Tim Kaine

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MAJOR THEOLOGICAL CONFERENCE IN DUBLIN DUBLIN

PUBLIC DEBATE ON ROLE OF CHURCH IN MODERN SOCIETY

Ireland’s newest centre for the study of Catholic theology, the Loyola Institute at Trinity College, hosted a major international conference from June 22-24, on the theme of The Role of Church in a Pluralist Society: Good Riddance or Good Influence? The main speaker was Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising, chair of the European Bishops’ Conference and a member of the council of nine cardinals chosen by Pope Francis for the revision of the Roman Curia. Cardinal Marx spoke on ‘The Church and the Challenge of Freedom’. While insisting that modern states should be secular, he said this does not mean that the Church cannot have an influence on society. “I think that the state must be secular. The state is not a Christian state, but the society is not secular. The society is Christian or religious, non-religious, multi-religious, or whatever, and that is necessary,” he said. Cardinal Reinhard Marx

William T Cavanaugh, Fainche Ryan, Hans Joas and Provost Patrick Prendergast at the opening of the © Courtesy of TCD.ie conference

Another speaker at the conference, Professor Gerry Whyte of the Law faculty at Trinity said that the process of secularisation Ireland is undergoing should not be a matter for regret for people of faith. He suggested that the power the Church wielded in Ireland the past had been partly responsible for the scandals that have emerged in recent years. “Lord Acton’s dictum, that power tends to corrupt and that absolute power corrupts absolutely was, of course, directed at the Catholic Church and

one could argue that the Irish experience with clerical sex abuse cases bears out the validity of Acton’s views to a certain extent,” he said. Speakers who delivered formal papers came from Ireland, Great Britain, Germany and the United States. A feature of the conference was the number of young Irish and visiting scholars who delivered short papers in parallel sessions each day on topics related to the conference, a sign of the health of theology as an intellectual discipline.

DEATH OF IRISH THEOLOGIAN DUBLIN

FR SEÁN FAGAN SM Theological Luminary

A MAN OF THE CHURCH

Fr Seán Fagan, a distinguished theologian and member of the Marist congregation, died in Dublin on July 15 last. He was 89 years of age. A native of Mullingar, Fr Fagan taught for many years in Milltown Institute, Dublin. His books were the outcome of his teaching, and were appreciated by students, clergy and laity for making complex theological ideas accessible in non-technical language. Has Sin

Changed? which first appeared in 1978, became a text book familiar to several generations of students of moral theology. Two later books, Whatever Happened to Sin? and Does Morality Change? attracted the interest of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and he was warned in 2010 that if he published anything further, he would be reduced to the lay state. These censures were eventually

removed by Pope Francis. Speaking at his funeral, Fr Declan Marmion, a Marist confrere and fellowtheologian, recalled that “Seán was a man of the church, he loved this church of ours, warts and all, and he knew it had plenty of warts. His critical comments ultimately sprang from a deep love of the church and desire to imagine how things could be different. He paid a high price for proposing a different way, but here he joins a long list of theological luminaries.” continued on page 6

REALITY BITES COUNCIL OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church met in Crete during the Orthodox Pentecost season. His Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, presided at the Council. Patriarch Bartholomew’s ambition to have all the Orthodox Churches come together for the first time in several hundred years was thwarted by the non-participation of several of the larger Churches, notably the Patriarchate of Moscow as well as those of Antioch, Bulgaria, and Georgia. According to a press release issued by the Council Press Office, Patriarch Bartholomew, “expressed his joy for the willing and positive response of the local autocephalous (Independent) Orthodox Churches in attendance.” At the same time, he underlined the immense

efforts, over many years, in preparation of the topics on the Council’s agenda. The primates who participated in the Council stressed its importance, as well as its historical significance, the press release continued. “They also expressed their confidence that the Council opens a new era of conciliarity for the Orthodox Church to express its positions on the contemporary problems of the world.” Issues discussed at the Council included the mission of the Orthodox Church in the modern world, the Orthodox diaspora, regulation of episcopal assemblies, the importance of fasting and its observance today, the sacrament of matrimony and its impediments, and the relations of the Orthodox Church with the rest of the Christian World. The Council’s documents and statements are available on line at https://www.holycouncil.org/

6 REMEMBERING THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME On 1 July, at 14.30hrs, the leaders of the main Irish Christian Churches led three thousand people in an act of worship at the Ulster Memorial Tower, Thiepval, France, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. The previous week, Archbishop Martin and his Church of Ireland counterpart, Archbishop Richard Clarke, led a group of young people from across the island to places linked to the Easter Rising and the First World War. In his address, Archbishop Clarke recalled how in the final scene of Frank McGuinness’s iconic play, Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching towards the Somme, the young Ulster soldiers, about to go ‘over the top’ on the morning of 1st July 1916, start discussing the rival merits of the rivers of Ulster – the Lagan, the Foyle, the Bann. “Then they suddenly realise that they are standing near another REALITY SEPTEMBER 2016

river, the River Somme, and the discussion becomes more excited and excitable. One of the soldiers calls out that now the Somme is the Lagan, the Foyle, the Bann. This river, the Somme, is now theirs. The Somme has somehow become a river of Ulster.” He continued: “One week ago, with my friend and colleague Eamon Martin – the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh – we stood here, at this Ulster Tower, with a group of young people from all parts of Ireland, and representing both our Christian traditions – traditions which for so long have seen themselves as apart, even at enmity with one another. We prayed, we kept silence, and we reflected, all in the sombre realisation that many of those who had died here at the Somme were of an age with the young people who were part of our group.”

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople

NEW COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT FOR THE VATICAN Pope Francis has named the Archbishop of Dublin and an American laywoman as the first members of a newly established Vatican communications department. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Kim Daniels - a media consultant who is the former Director of Catholic Voices USA –will be members of a body of 16-members that includes six cardinals, six bishops and two lay people. Ms Daniels, a lawyer specialising in pro-life and religious freedom

issues, is one of two women appointed to the group, the other is a Mexican-born psychologist Leticia Soberon. They will be members of the Holy See’s Secretariat for Communications, established following a review of the Holy See’s media strategy by Lord Patten and management consultants McKinsey & Co. The new secretariat’s aim is to coordinate the Vatican’s media strategy and output better and to ensure it operates across all digital platforms.

New Faces: Msgr. Dario Vigano will head the new Secretariat for Communications and new member, Kim Daniels

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POPE MONITOR KEEPING UP WITH POPE FRANCIS PAPAL VISIT TO ARMENIA Following in the footsteps of St. John Paul II, who visited the country in 2001, Pope Francis visited Armenia from 24 to 26 June. He was a guest of the Armenian Apostolic Church (Orthodox) at the residence of its head, Catholicos Karekin II. Since the Armenian Church is more unified than the many independent Churches that make up the Orthodox communion of the Byzantine Rite, ecumenical relationships between it and Rome have been easier. On the second day of his visit, Saturday 25 June, Pope Francis flew to Gyumri, the second largest city, where he celebrated an outdoor Mass at which the Catholicos addressed the congregation, recalling how during the Soviet era when many churches were closed by the state, the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral of the Seven Holy Wounds in the city became an ecumenical place of worship, with different areas of the church hosting services for the Armenian Apostolic, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox communities. Following the liturgy, the two went for a drive around the square in the pope-mobile. Later that day, the two leaders held an outdoor ecumenical service in Yerevan. On Sunday, it was the turn of the Catholics to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and preach, and Pope Francis to address a short message to the congregation, at Etchmiadzin, the spiritual centre of the land. Armenia was the first nation to officially adopt Christianity as its official religion, under the guidance of St Gregory the Illuminator. During his visit, Pope Francis condemned the genocide of the Armenians by the Ottoman government of Turkey in 1915. The Turkish government which rejects the use of the term ‘genocide,’ accused the Holy Father of having a ‘mentality of the Crusades” by recognising the Ottoman-era slaughter of Armenians as genocide.

1. 2.

1. Visiting the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan. The icon represents the estimated 1.5 million Armenians killed by Ottoman Turks. 2. With Catholicos Karekin II. 3. The Pope closes his eyes as he reacts to a mention of the June massacre in Orlando from a reporter aboard his flight from Yerevan

JUST DROPPING IN FOR COFFEE

POPE FRANCIS' PERSONAL PILGRIMAGE TO ASSISI

Pope Francis has a habit of surprising his Vatican neighbours by arriving unannounced in their offices. Recently, the members of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America were holding their daily staff meeting when there was a knock at the door. The staff member who opened the door was stunned when, according to the commission’s official website, “she found herself in front of none other than the Vicar of Christ on earth who, nonetheless, seemed to be making a completely natural and routine visit.” The pope spent some time with the commission secretary in his office before joining the other members for an informal cup of coffee and photographs. On his way back to the Vatican from a dental appointment, Pope Francis had asked his security detail if they could stop off at the commission. When they replied that it would be very complicated to arrange a visit at such short notice, the Pope told them: “Don’t worry. I am the Pope. We are in God’s hands!”

To mark the 800th anniversary of the "Pardon of Assisi," an indulgence earned by visiting the Porticuncula Chapel rebuilt by St Francis and in the spirit of the Holy Year, Pope Francis made a personal pilgrimage of a few hours from Rome. Travelling by helicopter, Pope Francis arrived near the church and spent approximately three hours there, praying and visiting the elderly and infirm of the Franciscan community. The small chapel had been abandoned for some time when it was entrusted to Francis as the ‘little portion’ (Portiuncula) a home for his new religious community. It was one of several chapels near Assisi that Francis restored in obedience to the voice of Christ telling him, “Francis, rebuild my church.” Near it, was held the famous “Chapter of Mats” when five thousand friars gathered from all over Europe, a sign of how rapidly the Franciscan order was expanding. Francis died in his cell near the chapel in 1126. In the seventeenth century, the large basilica of St Mary of the Angels was built to enclose the small chapel.

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FEAST OF THE MONTH Reality

ST CIARÁN September 9

Clonmacnoise is one of the many religious communities that sprang up all over Ireland in the century following the arrival of St Patrick. Ever since its foundation in the mid 6th century, Ciarán’s foundation has never lost its spell-binding lure. Geographically, Clonmacnoise is located a little south of Athlone on the east bank of the Shannon where in olden times the great highway linking the East coast to the wild Atlantic wave was intersected by the north-south flow of the river. The profile of Ciarán as portrayed by the hagiographers of later centuries would have us believe that the saint’s father was a native of Dal nAraide (Co. Down area) and that his mother was from Kerry. The couple met and married while living as refugees in the west of Ireland, and it was here in the Fuerty area, about four or five kilometres south west of Roscommon town, that Ciarán is said to have been born and baptised. His father we are told was a saor, that is, a carpenter/tradesman, a profession held in good standing. Once Ciarán set his heart on Religious Life, the hagiographers have him follow the conventions of the day, namely, a period of training in spirituality at St Enda’s monastic school on the Aran Islands, and another taking theological studies under St. Finian of Clonard, “the teacher of the saints of Ireland”.

Clonmacnoise was not Ciarán’s first choice as ‘the place of his resurrection.’ He had previously settled on Saints Island and Hare Island in Lough Ree. We can only speculate on whether or not the islands were sufficiently accessible. In the construction of his first church, Ciarán had unexpected help from the young Prince Dermot O’Carroll, who at the time was on the run from the reigning High King, but was shortly to become High King himself. Five centuries later the sculptor of the Cross of the Scriptures at Clonmacnoise inserted a panel depicting the saint and the prince sinking the first corner-post for the little church, the Eaglais Beag. Outbreaks of the Buidhe Chonaill, or Yellow Plague, occurred with relative frequency during the 6th and 7th centuries. The plague of 549-50 which cut short the lfe of Ciarán, and an even more severe one in 664-65, were not only responsible for serious loss of life among the monastic communities but they also caused an irreparable break in the monastic oral tradition. As a consequence, chroniclers and historians are often dependent on conjecture regarding events prior to that date. It was also in the early 8th century, just as Clonmacnoise was gaining an impressive reputation at home and abroad, that the Buidhe Chonaill once more wrought havoc in the community. Saint and scholar, student and master succumbed to the fever, and three abbots died in quick succession. Despite the set-back, Clonmacnoise recovered, becoming a light to the world and a centre of excellence in many fields including spirituality, theology, astronomy, art and design, metallurgy and sculpture, and the student population was said to number three thousand. During the following two centuries Clonmacnoise suffered at least ten Viking raids. As the antiquarian, T.J. Westropp put it so graphically: “They did not leave a bell, large or small, an image or an altar, a book or a gem, or even glass in a window, from the wall of the church out, which they did not take.” Yet the monastic school went on the produce such wonders as the Cross of the Scriptures, the Clonmacnoise crosier, the Cross of Cong, the Book of the Dun Cow (Lebor na hUidre), so named because folk tradition has it that the velum for the manuscript was made from the hide of Ciarán’s own cow. And who am I to gainsay it? Of all the Irish saints, Ciarán was perhaps the most loved. His kindness, sensitivity, humility and intellectual brilliance, precipitated profound grief and a sense of personal loss among those who knew him. He is said to have been in his early thirties and had founded Clonmacnoise only a few months or at most a few years previously. Tradition holds that he was laid to rest in the Eaglais Beag. John J. Ó Riordáin, CSsR REALITY SEPTEMBER 2016

Volume 81. No. 7 September 2016 A Redemptorist Publication ISSN 0034-0960 Published by The Irish Redemptorists, Unit A6, Santry Business Park, Swords Road, Dublin 09 X651 Tel: 00353 (0)1 4922488 Web: www.redcoms.org Email: sales@redcoms.org (With permission of C.Ss.R.)

Editor Brendan McConvery CSsR bmcconvery@redcoms.org Design & Layout David Mc Namara CSsR dmcnamara@redcoms.org General Manager Paul Copeland pcopeland@redcoms.org Sales & Marketing Claire Carmichael ccarmichael@redcoms.org Administration & Accounts Michelle McKeon mmckeon@redcoms.org Printed by Nicholson & Bass, Belfast Photo Credits Catholic News Service, Shutterstock, Pearse Museum and the OPW REALITY SUBSCRIPTIONS Through a promoter (Ireland only) €18 or £15 Annual Subscription by post: Ireland €22 or £18 UK £25 Europe €35 Rest of the world €45 Please send all payments to: Redemptorist Communications, Unit A6, Santry Business Park, Swords Road, Dublin D09 X651 ADVERTISING Whilst we take every care to ensure the accuracy and validity of adverts placed in Reality, the information contained in adverts does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Redemptorist Communications. You are therefore advised to verify the accuracy and validity of any information contained in adverts before entering into any commitment based upon them. When you have finished with this magazine, please pass it on or recycle it. Thank you.

Warmest Congratulations! ... to staff member Michelle McKeon who married Joe Byrne on Friday June 24. Best wishes from all at Redemptorist Communications

REFLECTIONS Human beings are so made that the ones who do the crushing feel nothing; it is the person crushed who feels what is happening. Unless one has placed oneself on the side of the oppressed, to feel with them, one cannot understand.

A few years ago, a priest working in a slum section of a European city was asked why he was doing it, and replied, “So that the rumour of God may not completely disappear.”

SIMONE WEIL

But the plain truth about most of us is that we have let our intellects sink into a condition in which they have neither the muscles nor the energy nor the right habits for the job, nor any effective inclination towards it. We must see how they may be made fit.

BERNARD HARING CSSR

FRANK SHEED

The sacred is in the ordinary. It is to be found in one's daily life, in one's neighbours, friends, and family, in one's own backyard. Travel may be a flight from confronting the sacred-- this lesson can be easily lost. To be looking elsewhere for miracles is to me a sure sign of ignorance that everything is miraculous.

After Mass one day, a woman came to me complaining about a priest’s homily. His preaching ability did leave something to be desired, but then it’s the Word you listen to, not the way it’s presented. So this woman was complaining and I asked her, ‘How much did you put in the collection?’ She said, ‘A quarter.’ I said, ‘What do you want for a quarter, Bishop Sheen?’ MOTHER ANGELICA

PETER BERGER

That would be a good thing for them to cut on my tombstone: ‘Wherever she went, including here, it was against her better judgment.’ DOROTHY PARKER

He had the look of one who had drunk the cup of life and found a dead beetle at the bottom. PG WOODHOUSE

To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not healing, not curing: that is a friend who cares. HENRI NOUWEN

MARTIN LUTHER

It belongs to the very substance of nonviolence never to destroy or damage another person's feeling of self worth, even an opponent's. We all need, constantly, an advance of trust and affirmation. Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

ABRAHAM MASLOW

True, God is infinite majesty, but he is also infinite goodness and infinite love. There can be no greater Lord than God; neither can there be a more ardent lover than he. ST ALPHONSUS LIGUORI

People are generally the carpenters of their own crosses.

The modern state no longer has anything but rights; it does not recognize duties any more.

Man is the only animal that can be skinned more than once.

ST PHILIP NERI

GEORGES BERNANOS

JIMMY DURANTE

Kinnoull Centre for Spirituality Home of the Redemptorists in Scotland

After a 14 month refurbishment the Retreat and Pastoral Centre at Saint Mary’s, Kinnoull, Perth is now open. Kinnoull has served as a centre for retreats for clergy since 1870 and became a fully functioning Pastoral Centre in 1979. Extensive work has been carried out, which includes a complete renewal of the heating system, 49 rooms of which 34 en-suite rooms are available. These are newly furnished and available for retreats, conferences, meetings and times of recollection. In addition the monastery is equipped with Wi-Fi throughout, and a good standard of catering is maintained. There is step free access throughout the building with a lift from the basement to the third floor. You are invited to join the community who gather for Morning and Evening Prayer and midday Mass or simply to have a quiet time on your own. Kinnoull is set in beautiful grounds with a panoramic view of the surrounding hills and its own woodland.

SABBATICAL RENEWAL COURSE for Priests, Religious and Lay Leaders in the Church. 17 October—1 December 2016 Our Seven Week Renewal Courses, now in their 35th year, are designed to meet the needs of those who are looking for a shorter sabbatical programme with a clear focus on personal and spiritual renewal through prayer, inner healing and an integrated spirituality.

WEEK 1: Orientation: Setting our Goals

Fr. Gerry Mulligan C.Ss.R. and Miss Marie Hogg

WEEK 2: Transitions in life Fr. Ronnie McAinish C.Ss.R

WEEK 3: Healing in the Spirit: Spirituality of True Self Esteem Fr. Jim McManus C.Ss.R. and Miss Marie Hogg

WEEK 4: Ministry of Healing in the Church today Fr. Jim McManus C.Ss.R. 10-14 November: Celtic Spirituality and Pilgrimage to St. Columba’s Island Monastery of Iona Fr. John J. O’Riordan C.Ss.R.

WEEK 5: God is with us: An introduction to the Gospel according to St. Matthew Fr. Ciarán O’Callaghan C.Ss.R.

WEEK 6: Jonah and Jesus: The Gift of God’s Mercy. Fr. Denis McBride C.Ss.R.

WEEK 7: Integrating our Sabbatical Experience Fr. Gerry Mulligan C.Ss.R. and Miss Marie Hogg

St. Mary’s, Kinnoull

Redemptorist Centre of Spirituality Telephone: 01738 624075 Email: info@kinnoullmonastery.co.uk

www.kinnoullmonastery.co.uk

Our Journey to Wholeness: Embraced by Divine Mercy. 5—9 September 2016

Retreat led by Fr. Jim McManus C.Ss.R, and Miss Marie Hogg

EDI TO R I A L UP FRONT BRENDAN McCONVERY CSsR

WE CHOOSE THIS MAN

During

the liturgy of ordination, a priest of the diocese, or a member of his religious community, presents the candidate to the bishop. In answer to the bishop’s question about the candidate’s suitability, he replies: “After inquiry among the people of Christ and upon recommendation of those concerned with his training, I testify that he has been found worthy.” Then the bishop says: “We rely on the help of the Lord God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and we choose this man, our brother, for priesthood in the presbyteral order.” Only then can a candidate for ordination say he has a vocation, a calling, to the priesthood. He might have dreamed of becoming a priest since his teens. It might have struck him out of the blue after years in a trade or profession. No matter how strong his conviction of being called to priesthood, or how deep his piety, no man can claim ordination as a right. It is a gift for the service of the Church. His decision to go forward is made with teachers, spiritual directors, those responsible for the daily life of the seminary or religious house, those who lived with him and lay people with whom he came into contact during pastoral work. A good formation director will find ways of hearing them all. During the lean summer season, the Irish media have been digging the dirt on St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. I taught there for more than twenty years, so I admit my bias. I have worked with talented men and women I am proud to consider colleagues. Several hundred of our former students minister in parishes throughout Ireland and elsewhere. It is a joy to meet them and the several thousand lay men and women who studied theology in Maynooth, a not inconsiderable number to doctorate level.

Our national broadcaster cited an anonymous seminarian that “the dogs on the street know that Maynooth seminary, in its current state, is not fit for purpose." Dogs in the street may not be the best judges, and such sweeping generalisations cannot be tested. They have been accompanied by allegations of flourishing homoerotic subcultures or excessive drinking on the one hand, and on the other, by claims of devout students being told they were too pious or overly rigid, and recommended to take time out, if not even refused admission to candidacy for orders. What is required in a candidate for ordination? First of all, evidence of a lively and genuine Catholic faith, and love for God and his people, shown through personal prayer, active sharing in the Church’s sacramental life and an outreach of compassion. Along with that goes loyalty to the Church and its teaching. Taking on ordained ministry in the hope that unpalatable things (like celibacy or a male only priesthood) might change in time is a recipe for unhappiness and disillusionment. That does not blind a student to the complex development of priesthood in the Latin Church, or to the awareness that history is not finished yet. I have taught at least one happily married priest of a non-Latin church in Maynooth, whose class-mates attended his wedding before diaconate. The average candidate for priesthood is neither a genius nor a saint. Preaching at his first Chrism Mass in Rome in 2013, Pope Francis reminded his priestly congregation that “it is not in soul-searching or constant introspection that we encounter the Lord ... but the power of grace comes alive and flourishes to the extent that we, in faith, go out and give ourselves and the Gospel to others.” He went on to compare priests who end up as

sad “collectors of antiques or novelties,” with shepherds living with “the odour of the sheep.” The “odour of the sheep” can be masked by too much incense, just as much as by expensive after-shave. Maynooth is not just a seminary. It is a university faculty of theology. Faculties of theology have had a longer life span than seminaries, which appeared only after the Council of Trent. Ireland had no seminaries until Carlow College was founded in 1782 and Maynooth a decade later. Size matters. It is impossible to host an adequate university level school of theology without specialist scholars in major fields like philosophy, theology, ethics, biblical study and history, not to mention pastoral disciplines such as liturgy, canon law and the basics of pastoral counselling. Older seminaries, like Dublin’s Clonliffe, were cut off from the world of the university, and the Irish church needs a credible university faculty of theology if it is to engage in dialogue with the wider culture. Where students live is another matter. Living on campus is just one possibility. One might envisage small groups of students living off campus and with access to a variety of pastoral situations, but that is only viable if their diocese is prepared to invest in people to accompany them in their personal, spiritual and pastoral development. It is not merely a question of how they are to be housed, but of the human investment that goes along with it, and one might ask whether the dioceses have the resources necessary and are ready to pay the cost.

Brendan McConvery CSsR Editor

C OVE R STO RY

PÁDRAIG PE HAD HE NOT BEEN EXECUTED AS A SIGNATORY OF THE PROCLAMATION OF THE IRISH REPUBLIC, WOULD PEASE’S REPUTATION HAVE ENDURED AS A PIONEER EDUCATIONALIST? BY DR. JOHN-PAUL SHERIDAN

St Enda's School, now Pearse Museum

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ARSE T H E

PEDAGOGUE

In a true education system, religion, patriotism, literature, art and science would be brought in such a way into the daily lives of boys and girls as to affect their character and conduct. (The Murder Machine)

Most

people in Ireland are cognisant of the fact that Pádraig Pearse was, by profession, a school teacher, and that he had founded a St. Enda’s which was run on a different philosophy to that of other schools at the time. What they may perhaps not be as aware of are his thoughts regarding the education of the young. This article will look at Pearse’s contribution to

education in a two parts: firstly, his writings on education; and secondly, the founding of St. Enda’s in 1908 where many of these writings could come to fruition. AN CLAIDHEAMH SOLUIS AND THE MURDER MACHINE It was in the pages of An Claidheamh Soluis, of which Pearse was editor from

1902 until 1909, that he outlined his educational ideas. In an editorial in November 1904 he wrote, “the aim of education is not the imparting of knowledge, but the training of the child to be a perfect man or woman…the real education consists in the forming of the child’s character, the drawing out of his faculties, the disciplining of his intellect.”

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Ruth Dudley Edwards suggests that Pearse’s ideas on education were formed along the philosophy of educational practice on the Continent. The child-centered curriculum would have been well known in Europe through the writings of, among others, Maria Montessori, Friedrich Froebel and Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. At the same time as Pearse was formulating his ideas and working towards the establishment of a school, Montessori was doing likewise in Italy. Her first Casa dei Bambini was opened in Rome in 1907 and Pearse refers to her

in The Murder Machine. In 1905, he had taken a trip to Belgium, gaining first-hand experience of both the system of bilingual education and the use of the Direct Method in language education. This ‘method’ relied on the practice of learning a language through conversation, the use of everyday situations and objects rather than the older grammatical method of memorising tenses and declensions. On his return, he wrote extensively about his experiences and thought that something similar could be possible for Ireland.

The aim of education is not the imparting of knowledge, but the training of the child to be a perfect man or woman…the real education consists in the forming of the child’s character, the drawing out of his faculties, the disciplining of his intellect. 14

Pádraig Pearse © Courtesy of Pearse Museum

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Pearse’s pamphlet, The Murder Machine was published in January 1916. It was a collection of short pieces (some published elsewhere) on education in Ireland and his critique of the system imposed by England. Pearse wrote, Our common parlance has become impressed with the conception of education as some sort of manufacturing process. Our children are the ‘raw material’; we desiderate for their education ‘modern methods’ which must be efficient but cheap; we send them to Clongowes to be ‘finished’; when finished they are ‘turned out’; specialists ‘grind’ them for the English Civil Service and the so-called liberal professions. Irish education was to be about two things – freedom for the individual and adequate inspiration. Freedom from being tied to a particular curriculum and the inspiration which would come from a variety of sources, religious, mythical and most importantly, from the teachers, who in Pearse’s words are

The annual prize giving day at St Enda's with Pearse seated towards the right and Douglas Hyde seated in profile wearing a cloth cap

the ‘heroes, seers and scholars’. The piece is very idealistic, soaked in the myth of the past glories of the ancient sages and the early Christian Church. However, there is a great deal that Pearse was already putting into practice at St. Enda’s.

Pearse in his headmaster's robe

ST. ENDA’S The establishment of St. Enda’s was a huge leap of faith on Pearse’s part. He had very little money to support the venture, but in early 1908 began to write to possible benefactors, I wonder whether I can interest you in a project which, as think you know, I have had at the back of my head for the past two or three years and which, if I can see my way clear, I am now more than ever anxious to proceed with? It is the project of a High School for Boys in Dublin on purely Irish Ireland lines. The arguments in favour of the establishment of such a school are irresistible. There is no Irish High School in Ireland. There is no High School for Catholic boys conducted by laymen in Ireland Many thought the venture unwise, but some did promise to send their sons to the school. Pearse prevailed,and with limited funds and help from some benefactors, he began St. Enda’s in September 1908 in Cullenswood House on Oakley Road, Rathmines in Dublin. It was named for St. Enda, the patron saint of the Aran Islands. Pearse sought the blessing of the Archbishop of Dublin, William Walsh, who was himself passionate about education and not unsympathetic to the Nationalist cause. Walsh was not inclined to lend support but neither did he stand in Pearse’s way either, which in the Ireland of the time would ended the project. The curriculum was clearly outlined in the letter to possible benefactors Among the features of my scheme would be:- (1) an Irish standpoint and “atmosphere”; (2) bilingual teaching as far as possible; (3) all languages teaching on the Direct Method; (4) special attention to science and “modern” subjects generally,

while not neglecting the classical side; (5) association of the pupils with the shaping of the curriculum, cultivation of observation and reasoning, “nature study”, and several other points to which I have devoted a good deal of thought; (6) physical culture, - Irish games etc; and (7) above all, formation of character. The paragraph clearly outlines the practical application of Pearse’s philosophy: bilingualism; the intellectual and physical

challenge; the classical and the modern; Irish culture; and the innovative move of the pupils ‘shaping of the curriculum’. Brendan Walsh writes, “Pearse’s plea for freedom in schooling was most readily demonstrated in the establishment of a student council at St. Enda’s…The council was inspired by a story told to Pearse by his aunt Margaret, whereby the fosterlings of kings in ancient Ireland were allowed to ‘make their own laws and elect their own leaders’.” There is no specific mention here of drama at which

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Pádraig and William Pearse deep in conversation at one of St Enda's events circa 1914. At the time the school was under considerable financial strain

EXPANDING The total number to commence in 1908 was 40 boys and 30 younger children in the preparatory. The school was a family affair, with his mother, his sister Margaret and his brother Willie all part of school life. Con Colbert and Thomas McDonough and were both teachers there. In a letter in 1910, McDonagh said of St. Enda’s, “I am quite assured that, taken as it is, it is the best school for

boys in Ireland and will turn out the best Irish men. It is worthwhile sending boys to it to put them under Pearse who is the noblest man they will ever meet I think”. Many Gaelic literary luminaries, like William Butler Yeats, Douglas Hyde, Pádraig Colum, visited the school. It was decorated with stained glass by Sarah Purser, sculptures by Willie Pearse and paintings by Jack B. Yeats. Mary Maguire, a teacher there who later married Pádraig Colum, wrote, “looking back, it seems incredible that so many young people were eager to devote their lives to the service of causes and ideals rather than to the normal things of youth. That they should take on themselves the arduous task of running a school, of bringing up and educating boys and girls, a task so full of

I am quite assured that, taken as it is, it is the best school for boys in Ireland and will turn out the best Irish men. It is worthwhile sending boys to it to put them under Pearse who is the noblest man they will ever meet I think

Thomas McDonough

the school would excel, and even for a school of a modest size, it gained a reputation for sporting prowess. It is interesting to note that religion is not mentioned here. Pearse was a devout Catholic and a daily mass goer. Mention of religion was unnecessary, as it would have pervaded the timetable. Colm Tóibín states, “Although there was religious teaching in the school, Cúchulainn was the presiding deity; ‘the children in there are being taught according to the commandments of Cúchulainn rather than the ten commandments of God’ visitors remarked. Every day after religious devotions Pearse told a tale from the Cúchulainn cycle of stories to the assembled school.” Furthermore, “words ascribed to the legendary Irish warrior Cúchulainn – ‘I care not though I were to live but one day and one night if only my fame and deeds live after me’ – were written over the entrance to St. Enda’s” REALITY SEPTEMBER 2016

The dormitory at St Enda's

drudgery and routine, seems unbelievable.” When the pupils returned to the school for the second year they found it greatly extended with new buildings and improved facilities. The number of pupils increased to 30 boarders and 100 day pupils. Then Pearse bought a new property, The Hermitage in Rathfarnham, a large property on fifty acres at the foot of the Dublin Mountains. It was said to have been associated with the 19th revolutionary, Robert Emmet who was said to have walked the grounds with his beloved Sarah Curran. It was around this time that Pearse shifted from the pursuit of the pedagogical to that of the political, and there was an increasingly political ideology prevalent at St. Enda’s. The move to St. Enda’s seemed to have been folly, and as time went on and Pearse’s political commitments began to take over, numbers in the school fell. Sisson asserts that by 1912, “the glory days of St. Enda’s were over. The school was still highly regarded in nationalist circles but

the immediacy and freshness of the school’s vision, which had been so apparent to many in 1908, seemed a little jaded some years later and Pearse’s increasing militarism caused disquiet.” PEARSE AND CHILDHOOD It is generally accepted that Pearse’s views on childhood and education came from a very principled point of view and he was not alone in this philosophy. There was an idealisation of childhood in the writings of J.M. Barrie (writer of Peter Pan) and it would be a similar ideology which would lead Robert Baden Powell to the founding of the Scouting Movement on Brownsea Island in 1908. The school at St. Enda’s was before its time and far from conventional in the Irish landscape, but it was not beyond the bounds of possibility in a wider world. In 1919, Pearse’s mother opened the school again and it continued until 1935. It is open to the public and its website will direct people to the pertinent details.

This article has relied heavily on the works of Ruth Dudley Edwards Patrick Pearse: Triumph of Failure; Brendan Walshe’s Boy Republic – Patrick Pearse and Radical Education; Elaine Sisson’s Pearse’s Patriots – St. Enda’s and the Cult of Boyhood; and Colm Toibin’s Essay in the London Review of Books March 2016, “After I am hanged my portrait will be interesting.”

St Enda's School, now Pearse Museum is open to the public daily. For more information, go to www.pearsemuseum.ie Dr. John-Paul Sheridan is a priest of the diocese of Ferns and is Education Programmes Coordinator and Lecturer in Systematic Theology at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth.

COMMENT THE YOUNG VOICE DAVID O’DONOGHUE

WHO CONTROLS THE WEATHER?

IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOUNG PEOPLE IN CONTEMPORARY IRELAND ARE KEEPING THEIR DISTANCE FROM THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THE CHURCH’S FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM ITS ENLIGHTENED HISTORY ON ISSUES THEY CONSIDER TO BE “SECULAR” VALUES, INCLUDING SOCIAL JUSTICE, SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT?

While Danny Healy-Rae’s Dáil comments about climate change being bunk since God controlled of the weather were made some time ago, they have been stewing in my brain ever since. As a fellow Kerryman of faith, but on the other side of the issue, I felt the need to articulate the alternative argument. And yet, although I could harp on about scientific studies and extreme weather and all kinds of other things that plaster the newspapers and make one’s eyes glaze over, I’d actually rather not. Firstly, because I believe Danny’s comments may have more to do with political opportunism than any strongly held conviction on his part. Secondly I feel the whole case actually illustrates a very noticeable disconnect between Catholicism and its flock (or potential flock) that rises up to bother me all the time. Some of my closest friends, who are very fine people, have no love for religion: it is an issue on which we simply agree to disagree, gaining much from our respective points of view and thereby enriching our own arguments and beliefs. I often find I meet people my own age, however, whose anger about the Catholic Church is palpable, yet, when they voice their complaints, I find something awfully jarring about them. They have little to do with Catholicism.

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And I don’t mean this in my ordinary “We can separate the faith from some elements of the organised religion” way, but rather in the way that some of the things I hear my liberal, irreligious friends say about Catholicism have absolutely nothing to do with the doctrines of or positions espoused by the Church. The false dichotomy between religion and science is one that I encounter time and time again. In this view of the world, I was apparently, as far as I can tell, supposed at some point in the enormous juvenile food fight that is the debate to pick a side between “loony faith” and cold, hard, rational scientific progress. I’ve often heard college friends bemoan my interest in world religions, or my admiration for Catholic thinkers as they are all “anti-science”. Of course, I imagine this line of thinking would be rather alien to our current Pope, himself a chemist by training. It would also be probably quite bizarre to the Catholic priest who first theorised about “the Big Bang.” Gregor Mendel, father of modern genetics and also a monk, would probably get a laugh out of this school of thought. This is to say nothing of the generations of early Muslim scientists who saw the pursuit of scientific progress merely as the uncovering of the beauty which God sows into the world.

Although my generation has , to a large exetent, abandoned Catholicism, often for understandable reasons, it seems now that the inability of the Church to interface with younger people has led to an outside colonisation of their understanding of Catholicism. When I hear people my age rejecting Catholic ideas, it appears they are often opposed to a view of Catholicism that accurately resembles an ultra-conservative factions of American Evangelicalism we see so much of in our media. I am sometimes asked how I can have such admiration for an organisation that denies evolution and climate change and all other scientific common sense. They are gob-smacked when I point them to that there was a papal encyclical on evolution in 1950 and the most recent one by Pope Francis was actually on climate change Where a disconnect exists between the Church and the community, it may be that both those who reject the Church and those who include it as part of their lived experience have not quite understand what they are rejecting or accepting. The Church has often failed to engage with young people on issues which resonate with them and on which the Church can boast a history of commitment. This

would include issues like climate change or social justice. In the gap where meaningful dialogue and factual documentation should exist, can form a shadowy space for untruths that scare off those who cannot possibly themselves on the side of those they believe to be not only misguided or naive but in fact totally irrational. The Church, in its struggle to articulate a new and more socially conscious image, while still retaining consistency in its values, has allowed itself to be defeated in an argument in which it isn’t even having. While I could head down the road and pore over comments from the Pope with Danny HealyRae all day long, I understand that it would miss the point. The national community and the Church are failing to meet in the middle, where the Church can make its positions clear and the people their grievances clear, and until an intelligent and compassionate dialogue can be achieved people will continue to be turned off by a Church that does not even exist.

David O'Donoghue is a freelance journalist from Co. Kerry. His work has appeared in the Irish Catholic, The Irish Independent, and the Kerryman. He is the former political editor of campus.ie and holds an abiding interest in all things literary, political and spiritual.

By Mike Daley THE NAMES OF AMERICAN POLITICIANS, FILM ACTORS, ATHLETES AND WRITERS ARE FAMILIAR IN IRELAND. LESS FAMILIAR ARE THE NAMES OF AMERICAN CATHOLIC MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE MADE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY. IN THIS NEW SERIES, MICHAEL DALEY OFFERS US PEN PORTRAITS OF SOME OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN. WE BEGIN WITH THE STORY OF JEAN DONOVAN, WHOSE ROOTS WERE IN CO CORK AND WHO DIED A MARTYRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DEATH IN EL SALVADOR IN 1980 AT THE AGE OF 27

Everything about Jean Donovan was comfortably American, suburban, and middle-class. But she was searching for a deeper meaning continued on page 20

A ME R I CA N CAT H OL ICS

Recently,

while on a mission trip in Detroit, Michigan, I visited the Solanus Casey Center there. Though it primarily celebrates the life and ministry of its venerable, Capuchin friar namesake, the shrine also highlights other notable holy men and women of God. On the left, right when you walk in, are the Beatitudes (“Blessed are…”—Mt 5:1-12) statues. Amongst eight luminaries of faith such as Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King, Jr, there is one person who may be unfamiliar to many. She is represented as smiling and crouched over a young child. Her name is Jean Donovan. A brief description follows: “hard-living, fun-loving joker, she was always laughing. She was planning her wedding and wanted to have many children. She was a loyal Republican and was just beginning a career as a bookkeeper. Everything about Jean Donovan was comfortably American, suburban, and middle-class. But she was searching for a deeper meaning.” LEGION OF MARY IN CORK Jean was born in 1953, outside New York City, in Westport, Connecticut. Her privileged life seemed to be planned out for success—good education, good job, good family—the good life. That was until she spent her junior year at Mary Washington College (Virginia) abroad

Sr. Dorothy Kazel

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in Ireland at University College Cork. At the invitation of a friend, rather than spend her free time riding horses and golfing, she joined the Legion of Mary and met Fr. Michael Crowley, the person who would challenge the course of her life. Fr. Crowley had recently returned from missionary work in Peru. Now back home in Ireland, he sought to connect what was seemingly impossible: the first world privilege of Jean with the destitution of people suffering in the third world. A favourite line of Fr. Crowley’s was, “It is a terrible tragedy to see the world’s superpowers reading as communism what is in fact nothing more than the cry of the poor for justice.” When Jean’s faith-expanding year in Ireland was over, she returned home and graduated from college. Shortly thereafter she earned an MBA from Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio which enabled her to take an enviable job as a management consultant with a major accounting firm. At this point Jean appeared to have everything going for her, yet something was still missing. This search for something more led her to volunteer with the Diocese of Cleveland Youth Ministry Program working with inner city children. Known for once pouring scotch instead of milk on her morning

cereal, this motorcycle riding woman cut an interesting image for others to see. One day a spiritual mentor of sorts, Fr. Ralph Wiatrowski, handed her a pamphlet about their diocesan mission project in El Salvador. Though discouraged by friends and family, Jean had a gut feeling about applying. As she said, “I want to get closer to him, and that’s the only way I think I can.”

I don't know how the poor survive. People in our positions really have to die to ourselves and our wealth to gain the spirituality of the poor and oppressed

Sr Ita Ford

GETTING CLOSER TO JESUS Jean’s parents were surprised by their daughter’s decision to quit her job and make a two-year commitment with the Maryknoll lay missionary program. It seemed rash and fanciful. Like many Americans at the time, they didn’t even know where the Central American country was. Despite their protests, she followed through on her decision which involved four months of intensive cultural, language, and theological studies. At a going away party, in the face of friends’ concern, Jean lightheartedly responded, “Look, it’s a ‘can’t lose’ situation for me! Either

Sr Maureen Clarke

The entrance procession of a mass to commerate to mark the anniversary of thir deaths

I will get three years of great experiences out of it or I will die—and then you’ll have to pray to St. Jean the Playful for the rest of your life!.” Jean’s arrival in El Salvador coincided with the beginning of its civil war which, ultimately, would lead to 75,000 deaths and 1 million refugees and internally displaced persons. Ironically, the United States was heavily involved and assisting a repressive government. By the end, the United States would donate 6 billion dollars in military and security aid. Joining Jean in her ministry at the parish of La Libertad was Sr. Dorothy Kazel. She was an Ursuline sister from Cleveland. In the words of a friend and eventual worker in El Salvador, Ursuline Sister, Sheila Marie Tobbe,

Jean and Dorothy “went to El Salvador, a country named after the Savior of the World, to preach the good news to the poor. They trained catechists, assisted in the formation of Basic Christian Communities, carried out sacramental preparation programmes, and oversaw the distribution of Catholic Relief and Caritas food supplies.” In the midst of their ministry, the cycle of violence continued. Though Jean once commented to friends that “they don’t kill blond-haired, blue-eyed North Americans,” she wasn’t naïve to the danger. This was brought home by the assassination of Oscar Romero, the archbishop of San Salvador, on March 24, 1980 while he was celebrating Mass.

GATHERING CLOUDS Several weeks prior to her death, she wrote to a friend: “The Peace Corps left today and my heart sank low. The danger is extreme and they were right to leave…. Now I must assess my own position, because I am not up for suicide. Several times I have decided to leave El Salvador. I almost could except for the children, the poor bruised victims of this insanity. Who would care for them? Whose heart would be so staunch as to favour the reasonable thing in a sea of their tears and helplessness? Not mine, dear friend, not mine.” Toward the end Jean was beginning to see the hard truth that the problems in El Salvador were as much structural evils as they were the sins of any one person. Again writing to a friend: “I don't know how the poor survive. People in our positions really have to die to ourselves and our wealth to gain the spirituality of the poor and oppressed. I have a long way to go on that score. They can teach you so much with their patience and their wanting eyes. We are all so inadequate in our help. I am trying now more and more to deal with the social sin of the First World." On the evening of Dec. 2, 1980 Jean and Dorothy drove to the airport to pick up Ita Ford and Maura Clarke. They were returning from a regional assembly of Maryknoll sisters meeting in Managua. Tragically the raped, brutalized and shot bodies of all four of them would be discovered four days later in a shallow grave. Jean was 27. Though denied for years, the murders were committed by members of El Salvador’s National Guard. Jean and the other three women religious’ witness to justice touched people around the world almost immediately. The struggle for human dignity continues today however. How will we carry on in the spirit of Jean Donovan and serve the countless unnamed and forgotten victims of injustice?

Mike Daley is a teacher and writer from Cincinnati, OH where he lives with his wife June, and their three children. He is a frequent contributor to Reality. His latest book is Vatican II: Fifty Personal Stories (Orbis).

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OUR LADY’S ICON VISITS A SCHOOL

Pupils of St Louise's College praying in front of the Icon

BY SR ANNA BYRNE DC

“Every expression of true beauty can be acknowledged as a path leading to an encounter with the Lord Jesus” POPE FRANCIS , THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL

opportunity to expand the prayer experience of the wider school community was availed of in St Louise’s College on the Falls Road, Belfast. This came about as part of the Year of Mercy and the mission of the Redemptorists’ to make Our Mother of Perpetual Help more widely known. A beautiful copy of the icon was made available on loan and placed in the College oratory during the school day, thanks to the initiative of Mrs M. Robb, head of the Art department. Groups of students and staff came in turn for a short prayer service. Each evening, the icon was taken home by a member of the wider College community, and formed a focus for prayer for family and friends.

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ICONS AND THE FACEBOOK GENERATION Focusing on icons as a form of prayer has been part of the Christian tradition for centuries, but perhaps not for the modern media savvy teenager. In the age of ‘Facebook’, ‘Instagram’ and ‘Selfies’, tapping into the sense of sight, as a vehicle for prayer, was opportune for our staff and students. In welcoming the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help to the college, we attempted to tap into the value placed by our students on visual images and to engage in ‘gazing’ as a method of prayer. Using this appealing icon, we were in line with Pope Francis who said: “Every expression of true beauty can be acknowledged as a path leading to an encounter with the Lord Jesus” (Pope Francis,

Cliodhna Doyle (13) and Cora Rose Corry (13) put their petitions into the basket at the icon

WHAT THEY SAID... The Students I went to see the icon with my class and I had the chance to go in my own time. I felt that it was a brilliant time because I had the chance to pray and gaze at the beautiful icon. (Sarah, 17) We were introduced to a new type of prayer. I found it very special. It gave me a break from my subjects and more importantly I had a chance to write a petition. (Maria, 17) I was involved in a simple service consisting of gazing at the icon of our Mother of Perpetual Help. I found it very refreshing and peaceful. (Jonathan, 17) I was very happy to have had the opportunity of this prayer experience.’ (Emma, 14) If I were invited to engage in this again, I would be happy to do so. (Sarah, 15) Praying at the icon made me feel like I was talking to God. I felt really relaxed and happy. (Sophia, 12) The icon was colourful and beautiful. As we sat and prayed, it became more special: it felt as if she was really with us in person. (Emma, 13) During the time I felt that God was really speaking to me and telling me to continue to do good things and to be myself. (Naomi, 13) Prayer is not all about asking. I was reminded that I must listen to God and ask Him what he wants me to do” (Rhonnagh, 13) It made me feel warm and safe like Jesus is always with me and to me that is a great feeling. (Caoimhe, 11) Gazing at the icon was special. We were praying with our eyes -something new for me but really outstanding. (Megan, 12) The prayer time helped me to feel like it was just Jesus, Mary and me in the oratory. (Sarah, 12)

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The Joy of the Gospel). Icons can be said to serve as a window into heaven, connecting us with God, and when the icon is blessed, it is considered that the persons represented in the icon are spiritually present with us. A short prayer service using the material in the ‘schools pack’ provided was prepared, and used with both staff and students. Times of silence, with background music were integral to the prayer time. Each group was led in prayer, a gospel passage was read and participants were guided in gazing on relevant aspects of the icon. After the short service there was an invitation to write a petition and/or thanksgiving, and place them in the basket at the foot of the icon. Many

participants returned after the service to pray privately and place their petition in the basket: they formed part of successive prayer sessions. Some petitions were heart breaking in their honesty, and in the way Our Lady was asked to support in dealing mainly with family issues from illness to alcohol problems. Success in examinations was as expected high on the request list too.

The poster that explains the icon

A group of 13 year old girls from St Louise's college at prayer

BEYOND THE SCHOOL As part of the outreach to the wider St Louise’s community the icon was used for prayer by two groups in Corpus Christi Parish. On Thursday evening the Marian Association met to pray with the icon. Comments from this group include:

Katie Marie Downey, Rachel Kerr and Emma Carson went to Clonard to receive the icon with Anna Byrne DC (Chaplain) and Emma Dallat (RE teacher)

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‘The icon was just out of this world’ I loved the time of silence where I was totally transfixed on the icon I have looked at and prayed so often with the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help without fully understanding the significance of the various parts. Thank you for helping me to look at it again with an open heart and seeing eyes It was good to have the printout to study what the icon meant The following Tuesday, it was taken to Blessed John Paul II Primary School. One of my most memorable images of the week was going to collect the icon on the Wednesday morning and seeing a group of junior primary pupils sitting in the school foyer prayer space. engrossed with their teacher in ‘icon gazing’. Using the icon an ‘expression of true beauty’ and as a means of helping others to develop a relationship with Jesus was an invaluable opportunity for me as chaplain. I was astounded at the interest and response of our young people and affirmed in my conviction that every possible avenue needs to be explored to give a variety of experiences of prayer in order to enrich their faith development. My task was undoubtedly facilitated by the fact that devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help seems to be part of the DNA of the people of West Belfast, thanks to the Solemn Novena in Clonard Monastery. Sister Anna Byrne is a Daughter of Charity and chaplain of St Louise’s Comprehensive College, Belfast.

WHAT THEY SAID... The Principal, M. McHenry said: As a Principal, it is an honour and privilege to lead this wonderful Catholic, Vincentian, Comprehensive School which is rooted in the core values which defined the work of St Louise de Marillac and St Vincent de Paul. As a Catholic educator it is my core mission with a team of outstanding staff to ensure that all students are nurtured and developed within a value system based on truth, justice, respect, compassion, equality of opportunity underpinned by a deep commitment to God and to our Lady. When invited to receive the Icon to Our Lady of Perpetual Help into our school it was with a great sense of jubilation that this very special grace was granted to our school and indeed it gave us an outstanding opportunity to help continue to build the community of faith that is St Louise’s. Throughout the week of gazing on the icon of Our Lady many children and staff reflected on the graces they had received during this time and are continuing to receive as they reflect on the work of our Mother of Perpetual Help. On a personal note, Our Lady of Perpetual Help has always played a key role in my life and that of my family having gone to the Novena in Clonard from the age of 3. To accept the Icon into the heart of the school community that I am blessed to lead was one of the greatest privileges any leader of a school could ask for. I hope and pray that Our Lady will continue to walk in the lives of our present and future generation of St Louise’s staff and students.

The R.E. Teacher, Emma Dallat said: ‘I accompanied 3 year 8 students to Clonard to the Thursday Novena Mass, the girls were invited to receive the icon at the end …. the congregation communicated with the girls and emphasised to them the privilege it was to have the icon in school for a week. During this week I particularly enjoyed the visit to the oratory with my A’level students because of the prayerful atmosphere they created.’

Comment from a family member of a teacher who took the icon home: “When invited to bring the icon to my home, I felt honoured. I gazed on that image that I knew so well. It hung above my mother’s bed until she died three years ago, aged ninety – it was given as a wedding present. I took the icon to each of my rooms and said the novena prayer that was taught to me many years ago.”

Head of Art and Design, Mairead Robb said: Having the icon of the Mother of Perpetual Help in my classroom, school and home was an honour and privilege. Having the icon in my Art class room and experiencing the children grow closer to their faith through their love of art was both beautiful and enlightening. Listening to the children speak of love and respect through their response to the icon painting was spreading the word and “Making her known” I also had the privilege of having the painting in my home over a weekend. Family and friends from other faiths came to show their respect, pray and reflect. The power of prayer brings people together and can make you connect on many other levels.

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THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP 26

FORMER PUPILS OF THE IRISH CHRISTIAN BROTHERS WILL REMEMBER THAT DEVOTION TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP WAS A FEATURE OF DAILY LIFE IN THE BROTHERS’ SCHOOLS AND HER PICTURE APPEARED IN EVERY CLASS ROOM. THE BROTHERS’ SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH MARY WAS FORGED IN A MOMENT OF CRISIS FOR THEIR YOUNG CONGREGATION. BY BR DONAL BLAKE CFC

This

year the Redemptorists are celebrating 150 years of their guardianship of the original image of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in their Generalate on Via Merulana in Rome. Ever since 1866, they have spread devotion to Our Blessed Mother under that title wherever they are established, and the Perpetual or Solemn Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, or Our Lady of Perpetual Help as the title is more commonly translated today, still REALITY SEPTEMBER 2016

draws huge crowds wherever it is publicly celebrated each year. But are you aware that the Christian Brothers also share great devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help in their many foundations worldwide? If you have had any connection with the Irish Christian Brothers over the years as a pupil or merely as a visitor you may recall that, prominent in the entrance hall of either school or monastery, was a shrine or picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. In

fact, the Feast of Our Lady, under this title, is a congregational feast for the brothers celebrated on 27 June each year. THE BROTHERS AND DEVOTION TO MARY As a young candidate in our novitiate in Dublin in 1958, I recall that once a week we celebrated the Perpetual Novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, and one of the first hymn tunes I learned as an amateur

organist was the one that begins: “Mary from thy sacred image With those eyes so sadly sweet; Mother of Perpetual Succour, See us kneeling at thy feet.” Blessed Edmund Rice (1762-1844), the Founder of the Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers, was noted for his Marian devotion. The Rosary beads were never very far from his hands, and he installed a chiming clock in each of the early classrooms so that the pupils could stand and recite the Hail Mary on the hour. Each school day ended with the recitation of the Litany of Loreto and each year there was the May Altar. We are told that the Memorare (‘Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary’) of St Bernard, was Edmund's favourite Marian prayer. Out of regard for his brother, Father John Rice OS, Assistant General of the Augustinian Order, Edmund and the early Brothers cultivated a special devotion to the image of Our Lady of Good Counsel, of which the Augustinians were guardians in their monastery in Genazzano in Italy. To this day, Edmund’s second congregation, the Presentation Brothers, continue to honour Mary under this title. THE BROTHERS AND THE REDEMPTORISTS Whence then sprung the custom among the Christian Brothers of honouring Mary under the title of Our Lady of Perpetual Help? The Christian Brothers in Limerick were very welcoming when the Redemptorists arrived to take up their home there in 1853. Br Welsh, Superior at Sexton Street CBS, a member of a well-known Limerick family, was instrumental in helping the newly-arrived Redemptorists procure the site for Mount St Alphonsus. Initially the Redemptorists resided with the Christian Brothers who also provided English lessons for the foreigners among them. Thus was established an abiding friendship between the two Orders. In time Christian Brothers’ schools across Ireland provided many vocations to the Redemptorist congregation.

The Redemptorists, for their part, provided many a preacher for the Brothers’ annual Eight and Six-Day Retreats and for school retreats.

two communities, that elected their own Superior General, performed the visitation of their own communities, like the Dominicans and Franciscans, and were directly under

The Rosary beads were never very far from [Edmund Rice's] hands, and he installed a chiming clock in each of the early classrooms so that the pupils could stand and recite the Hail Mary on the hour.

CRISIS FOR THE BROTHERS But the crisis that caused the Christian Brothers to have re cours e to the intercession of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1878 is an intriguing story that deserves retelling. It all centred on clerical control. There had been tension for many years between some Irish diocesan bishops and priests, and members of religious orders, especially the larger international orders that had their own Superior Generals. At various times, both sides had appealed to Rome for a just solution. In the year 1875, a National Synod of the Irish Bishops was held in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. It was only two years later that the Christian Brothers became aware of some new decrees made binding on ‘Brothers who conduct schools’. There had been no prior consultation. The Irish Christian Brothers were the only congregation of Brothers in Ireland, apart from the Marists who had only An early sketch of Mount Saint Alphonsus, Limerick, the first home of the Redemptorists in Ireland. The Christian Brothers helped the Redemptorists in acquiring the land.

Rome rather than under the local bishops. This arrangement, on the advice of Fr Peter Kenny SJ and Archbishop Daniel Murray of Dublin, was the best way forward for the fledging congregation to remain united. It had been approved by Rome in the founding Brief issued in September 1820, on the model of the De La Salle Brothers who only came to Ireland in the 1880s. In 1827, Bishop John Murphy of Cork, jealous of his own Episcopal authority, had caused the Brothers there to splinter into two groups, the majority (Christian Brothers) who accepted Edmund Rice as their Founder and Superior General, and the minority (Presentation Brothers) who accepted Edmund as their Founder but regarded Bishop Murphy as their Higher Superior. Now half a century later, the Maynooth

M OT HE R O F P E R PE TUAL H E L P

Decrees, without any consultation, appeared to be reinstalling the local bishops as the Brothers’ Higher Superiors and setting aside the Brothers’ Rome-given Constitutions. The Brothers were appalled at this highhandedness, and many wrote letters of protest, stating that they had taken their vows to their own Superior General and not to individual bishops. Many of the young men under temporary vows threatened not to make their perpetual vows under the proposed Decrees. It was a time of crisis for the very survival of the congregation.

LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION Cardinal Cullen of Dublin, who had presided at the Maynooth Synod and had always appeared friendly to the Brothers, stated that he couldn’t set aside the decisions of a National Synod, and that, in essence, the Brothers would have to grin and bear it! The Brothers felt this was an injustice and Br Louis Hoare, Superior General, on the advice of his Council, had no option but to appeal to Rome. Cardinal Cullen agreed that any group had a right to appeal to the Holy Father, but held out very little hope that anything would come of it. Brother Anthony Maxwell, Second Assistant to the General, and Br Austin Grace, Superior at O’Connell Schools, North Richmond Street, Dublin, set out for Rome in October 1877 as the Brothers’ delegates. To their pleasant surprise, they found many friends among the religious orders in Rome, especially the Dominican Fathers Mullooly and O’Callaghan, subsequently Bishop of Cork, and the Redemptorist Fathers Douglas and Morgan. ENTER OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP Fr Morgan was very active in helping the

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two Brothers in the prosecution of their case before the Congregation for Religious. Both he and Fr Douglas were insistent in asking that the whole case should be placed under the protection of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The Redemptorists had become guardians of the ancient icon in 1866, and already there were reports of marvellous answers to prayer. The two Brothers were only too glad to avail of this powerful auxiliary, and, in August 1878, their Superior General, Br Hoare, sent a circular letter to all the Houses of the congregation directing that in addition to prayers already requested, a special novena should be made for the Feast of the Assumption, the prayers to conclude with the words, “Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, pray that Our Lord may hear and grant our petition.” In a letter of Fr Morgan to Br Maxwell, this passage occurs: “Have great confidence in Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and, if you think well to do so, make her a promise to put one of her pictures in every one of your schools, and to propagate devotion to her amongst your pupils if you win your cause – and it will succeed.” The Brothers’ delegates welcomed the proposal, and made the promise which was ratified by their Superior General. The pictures were sent to every school of the congregation. Meanwhile Cardinal Cullen died in Dublin. On 3rd December 1878, Rome decided the appeal in favour of the Christian Brothers, much to the annoyance and embarrassment of the Irish Bishops! NEW TROUBLES Br Jerome Hennessy, a future Superior General, who was a young Brother in 1878, reminisced in 1918:

“We now thought that our troubles were ended, but alas, troubles, like the poor, are always with us. The whole case was re-opened in 1879 at the requests of the Irish Hierarchy. Fr Morgan learned of this fact, and in his letter of March ’79, the following passages occur: “Our Lady of Perpetual Succour will take care that you won’t lose. She will protect the good cause, so confidence.” Again, “Try to weather the storm bravely under the mantle of Our Lady of Perpetual succour; she will protect you, and bring all things right.” Despite a very determined effort being made in Rome under the personal direction of Bishop Moran of Ossory to have the decisions already given set aside, once again Our Lady of Perpetual Succour spread her shield over the Congregation, and on 14th March, all the former decisions were reconfirmed. In a letter of the Superior General to Br Maxwell, after receipt of a telegram announcing the result, we read: “Glory be to God in the Highest, and everlasting thanks to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour.” In some senses, this was a pyrrhic victory. Authority had been offended, and authority did not forget! For the next fifty or so years, there was scarcely a new foundation of the Christian Brothers made in Ireland! Providentially, however, Irish Brothers were now available for foreign missions and, in Australia and America in particular, a large number of Christian Brothers’ schools were established in these vast continents. Maybe the time has come once again, in this age of scarce vocations that we place our needs under the patronage of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. “Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us, your children.” Br Donal Blake CFC is an Irish Christian Brother who has a special interest in the history of the Congregation.

! BOOK NOW Register now for the 2016 Religious Education Congress! Saturday, 1 October 2016

St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, Co. Kildare Connect! Communicate! Celebrate! Keynote Address: Dr Patricia Kieran Dialogue with Diversity: Supporting Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Learning from a Christian Perspective Workshops in the areas of IT; Laudato Si’; Pilgrim Paths; Sacred Spaces in Schools; Sacramental Preparation and Celebration; Christian Meditation; Spirituality of Children; Social Justice; Peer Ministry and more! For further information contact: Patricia O’Sullivan, Conference Secretary Email: patricia.osullivan@veritas.ie or call (01) 878 8177

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Ceangail! Cumarsáid! Ceiliúradh!

1 Deireadh Fómhair 2016 Coláiste Phádraig, Maigh Nuad, Co. Chill Dara

Reality 205x137.5.indd 1

26/07/2016 14:50

Surprised by Fire: A transformative journey towards wholeness by Martina Lehane Sheehan

Interweaving psychology, mythology and spirituality, this book is truly unique. It will delight and excite anyone who has ever asked ‘Is this all there is’? It draws on solid research around happiness and wellbeing, and more importantly, it offers a compelling invitation for you to discover, and follow your ‘soul voice’, your own unique path. It addresses the longing for meaning and purpose that is in every human heart. This is not just another self- help book, it will take its readers on a powerful journey towards transforming and healing the blocks that hold us back from living the dream, and how we can unleash our creativity and ignite the Divine Indwelling Spark. Martina draws on over twenty-five years’ experience in her work in psychology and spirituality, and the book is filled with real life stories and honest accounts of her own learning experiences. Sr Stan, renowned author, says of Martina’s writing … ‘I could not put it down’! Martina is an accredited psychotherapist, counsellor, life coach and spiritual director. She has had two recently published bestsellers ‘Seeing Anew; Awakening to life’s lessons’ and her more recent ‘Whispers in the Stillness; Mindfulness and Spiritual Awakening’, both published by Veritas Publications.

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COM M E N T FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS CARMEL WYNNE

THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATION

HAVING AN HONEST CONVERSATION CAN BE A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THE FIRST HURDLE TO BE FACED IS BEING HONEST WITH OURSELVES Isn’t it difficult to have that honest conversation when an uncomfortable issue needs to be addressed? Fear of causing offence and concern at being labelled cranky or demanding are often obstacles to taking the right action. We teach people how to treat us. Many people complain to others about the inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour of someone who upsets them, but they don’t talk to that person. When we remain silent about an issue that upsets us, we contribute to our own emotional distress. Think about what will be achieved when the issue is addressed. Family therapist Virginia Satir used to tell her students that they had it made when they could say straight out to someone that he had a bad smell about him, in such a way that he received the information as a gift. She found that contrary to expectations when people found they could talk honestly, their relationships stood on firmer and more nurturing and trusting ground. An issue that creates a real problem for one person may seem too unimportant to bother discussing for another. The perfectionist, who likes everything to be orderly, may find it incredibly stressful to find mugs on the counter top, and gets upset if the toilet roll is not put in the “right way” according to her criteria. Her easy-going brother could be oblivious to the stress his natural untidiness creates. Lack of tidiness may seem unimportant when there are real problems in our world. But seemingly small and insignificant

Tom was enquiring if his Dad wanted to watch him play basketball, and his father thought he was hinting that he wanted to borrow the car. He didn’t ask his father directly because he was afraid he would refuse, so he hinted and the subsequent miscommunication ended up with them both feeling angry, and each thinking the other didn’t care.

issues can have an enormous impact on the quality of a person’s life. Issues that are not dealt with build resentments that make life unnecessarily miserable. People who blame others for hurting their feelings are often unaware of how they contribute to their own emotional upset. We can only deal effectively with issues about behaviour that we find upsetting when we are clear about what we feel, expect and want changed. It’s easy to recognise that people have different levels of emotional awareness. If you ask the question, “How are you?” there are people who can tell you exactly how they feel; some do so in great detail. You or I might feel tired. They feel lethargic, demotivated, bored, exhausted, or de-energised. It’s amazing how some people can make distinctions between different feelings, while others have such limited awareness of their emotions that they only recognise the difference between feeling in a good or a bad mood.

Most of us are hostages to our own emotional responses to the way people meet our expectations. Our standards are mostly based on the values and beliefs we inherited from our family. If people don’t measure up to our criteria of what they should do and how they should do it we blame them for making our lives difficult. Gestalt therapist John O. Stevens says, “Many difficulties are caused not by the actual differences between people, but by the imagined differences that result from misunderstanding.” In her book Peoplemaking, family therapist Virginia Satir has a lovely example of the kind of confusion that can occur when a parent and child assume they are having a discussion, but they are talking about different things. “A sixteen year-old- son at 5.30 pm on a Friday night asks, “What are you doing tonight Dad?” Ted, his father, replies, “You can have it!” Tom the son answers, “I don’t want it now”. With irritation, Ted snaps, “Why did you ask?” To which Tom responds angrily, “What’s the use?”

To have an honest conversation is challenging, because the first step is being honest with oneself. What specifically is your issue? What emotional impact has this on you? What benefits will be gained from dealing with the situation? How will the other person benefit if the difficult conversation happens? What could go wrong? The answers to these questions will offer insights that bring clarity for you. Imagine how the issue looks from the other person’s perception. The final step is to act. How difficult is it to say, “Something is bothering me. I would like to explain what it is and make a suggestion that you may or may not agree to, when can we talk?” I’m making an educated guess that most people will be pleasantly surprised that with this amount of thought and preparation they are likely to achieve a good outcome.

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

PRAYE R

prayer corner In this new series, Fr George Wadding invites us to take an imaginative look at some familiar Gospel stories, imagining how the characters might have told their story if were they alive today. Using the imagination can be a powerful way of entering into reflective contemplative prayer. Find a quite corner, read the article slowly a few times, think about and pray as the spirit leads you. You may also find it helpful to read the biblical text in the Gospel of St Luke, 19:1-9.

A letter from Zacchaeus

have left you all my earthly goods. Now I want to leave you my story in the hope that it may point you on the road to true happiness and success. Long before either of you was born I had a life-changing experience that I shall never forget. But let me begin at the beginning... I wasn't always the pious old codger that you make fun of nowadays. Don't deny it. I hear your whispers and sniggers when you think I am dozing. But that's OK - I know you mean no harm. Anyhow, I was once probably the most hated man in Jericho. When I was young, I was good at figures and

REALITY SEPTEMBER 2016

got myself a good job in the Roman civil service in revenue. Nobody likes paying taxes. So, even if I had been collecting taxes for the Jewish nation, I would still have been unpopular. But because I collected them for the Romans I was branded a traitor and an apostate. Everyone despised me. I was boycotted by my fellow Jews and treated like a leper. They'd be more inclined to spit on me than talk to me. As a group, we tax-men were anything but fair and just. Maybe it was our sweet revenge on the hostile people, but we did screw them for tax - unjustly, let it be said.

Once the Romans got their estimated tax returns, they weren't too interested in how we collected them and they never bothered to investigate. So the tax-men screwed the people to fill their own pockets, and the chief tax-collectors screwed the rank and file tax-men in the same way. I was a chief taxcollector. I wasn't the worst of them. I tried to be fair. But the pickings in a border town like Jericho were very good, and backhanders were the order of the day. RICH AND LONELY So, I got very rich, very rich indeed. I was

to his grandsons greedy - I must have been to take on such a despised job. And I was also full of guilt. My Jewish conscience gave me no peace. Above all, I was desperately lonely. I had chosen a way of life that made me an outcast among my own people. The only people I could safely socialise with were other revenue personnel, but I hated their nasty little minds, their greedy, grasping appetite for wealth and recognition. In hating them, of course, I was hating myself, because I was one of them. In my pride, I avoided them the way people avoided me. I was unwelcome in the synagogue, and even when I went shopping

or attended a public function, I experienced their hostility. I am a small and slight man, as you can see, and could easily be elbowed off the footpath, or in a crush end up with a broken rib. That's how bad it was. Being rich was no comfort to me. In my young days Palestine was awash with rumours of the imminent establishment of the Kingdom of God. At first, there was an odd sort of man baptising in the Jordan just across the river from here. King Herod put a stop to him.

Almost immediately another "prophet" rose up from the ashes of the poor old Baptiser. He was from up north in Galilee - from

I wasn't always the pious old codger that you make fun of nowadays. Don't deny it. I hear your whispers and sniggers when you think I am dozing Nazareth, God help us! Still, any bit of good news was welcome. We soon heard that this

P RAYE R C O R N E R

new "prophet" was called Jesus and that he welcomed tax-collectors and sinners. He even had a tax-man among his inner circle.

JESUS COMES TO JERICHO One day, this Jesus arrived in Jericho. The day before, he had restored sight to a local blind man, so the excitement was at fever pitch. Maybe, if I met him he might have a word of human comfort for me. God knows, I needed it. It was too dangerous to mingle with the crowd and anyhow, I was too small to see over their heads. So I climbed a sycamore tree along the road. I was lucky none of the local boys had got there before me. I thought I was hidden by the leaves, but as Jesus passed nearby he spotted me and called me - by name. He actually knew my name. Imagine that! He knew my name. "Zacchaeus," he said, "hurry down. I'm looking for some lodgings for today." Quicker than you can say 'Jericho' I was standing beside him, and we walked together to my house. There was a lot of mumbling and grumbling but the people weren't going to harm me while I was with Jesus. I had hoped for a word of comfort, maybe, but I was given the prophet's undivided attention for a day. I had to admire his courage. Just by coming to dine at my place he was putting at risk his own reputation and mission. Your granny prepared a lovely meal for him and his disciples, and I opened a few bottles of my best vintage. We sat talking into the small hours. He spoke of many things - forgiveness, love, his Father in heaven, the poor, justice - our conversation was wideranging, but not a word about politics. No respectable Jew had ever shown me such courtesy, such respect. His brave gesture of inclusion, of friendship, changed me forever. As he spoke, my mind raced back over my life: Was there anyone I cheated on? Was I generous or stingy to the poor? It was as though the words burst loose from my mouth, "Sir," I said, "I swear: I will give half my possessions to the poor and if I have cheated anyone I will pay them back four times as much." I meant it. Every word of it. Jesus smiled and gave a little chuckle, REALITY SEPTEMBER 2016

No respectable Jew had ever shown me such courtesy, such respect. His brave gesture of inclusion, of friendship, changed me forever "Salvation has come to this house today," he said. "Yes," I thought, "salvation, forgiveness, peace of mind, happiness and friendship. What more could I ever want!" Then to the curious, self-righteous listeners at the door Jesus raised his voice a little and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This man also is a son of Abraham; you cannot despise a fellow Israelite. The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost." LOOKING BACK As I write this I am sitting in the very chair that Jesus sat in on that unforgettable night. Children, why am I telling you all this? I am hoping that I may be able to leave you something that is far more precious than material possessions. Even if I did not have

a penny to leave you, you would be rich beyond words if you learned the lesson I learned that night listening to Jesus. I had sought happiness in the accumulation of wealth and found it in generosity, friendship and communion. I fulfilled my promise to Jesus, made restitution and gave half my wealth to the poor. I stayed at my job in revenue and have done some good in restraining the greed and avarice of my fellow civil servants. But above all else, I have known happiness and peace. May the Lord be praised!

Father George Wadding is a member of the new Redemptorist Community, Dun Mhuire, Griffith Avenue, Dublin D09 P9H9

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Missionary Extraordinaire by John J. Ó Ríordáin C.Ss.R.

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Loss of Memory can affect nations as well as individuals. Through the publication of his attractive booklets Fr John J. Ó Ríordáin, CSsR nourishes the ‘nation’s memory’, his latest contribution being St Columban, missionary extraordinaire Ireland’s greatest missionary. Columban made such an impact on Continental Europe in the 6th century that he is still remembered there with admiration and wonder. He died at Bobbio near Milan in 615 AD, and next year, his 1400th anniversary, is being celebrated widely on the Continent. We are invited to celebrate at home too; not only for personal reasons but also for the sake of national health! Ó Ríordáin’s booklet is well within people’s reading range; and at €3 it is probably within their financial range as well. Available from Redemptorist Communications www.redcoms.org sales@redcoms.org 00353-1-4922 488

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A RESOURCE FOR THE YEAR OF MERCY JOURNEYING WITH JONAH –THE STRUGGLE TO FIND YOURSELF By Fr Denis McBride CSsR In this new book Fr Denis has chosen to explore the character of Jonah – a somewhat unlikely hero. The prophet Jonah is a sympathetic partner, albeit a curious one, to help us review our lives. Although a believer in God, Jonah struggles to come to terms with the awful strangeness of God’s choices, particularly God’s mercy; he grapples to find his true self and purpose in life; he tries to flee from the presence of God; he is angry when he finds that God is not angry but all-merciful. Jonah is offered to us as an unusual teacher – awkward, reluctant, disobedient, opinionated, fearful, flighty: the prophet who remains stubborn to the end. But his story celebrates the beauty of the indiscriminate mercy of God, a message for our time.“ There is one constant in the book of Jonah: Jonah’s belief that God’s indiscriminate mercy extended to the pagans of Nineveh is not only inappropriate but incomprehensible: Jonah is scandalised by God’s mercy. Our minor prophet has to learn as we all do, that mercy is indivisible: we cannot plead for mercy for ourselves and then deny it to others.”

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F E AT U R E

The Jerusalem Bible, first edition

THE JERUSALEM BIBLE 50 YEARS ON

36 THIS YEAR MARKS THE GOLDEN JUBILEE OF THE PUBLICATION OF THE JERUSALEM BIBLE THAT MADE BIBLE READING MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR CATHOLICS. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF FR ALEXANDER JONES, ITS COLLABORATORS INCLUDED SOME OF THE FOREMOST ENGLISH-SPEAKING CATHOLICS LIKE JRR TOLKIEN AND ROBERT SPEAIGHT. BY FR HENRY WANSBROUGH OSB

the past few years the church has been celebrating the half-centenary of various events of Vatican II, the Council which took place 1962-1965, such as the publication of the two great documents on the Church as the Light of the World (Lumen Gentium, 1964) and on the Scriptures as the Word of God (Dei Verbum, 1965). These were part of the great movement which was taking place: the windows of the Church were being thrown open for new light. But behind the scenes another movement was quietly going on, which saw the light of day only in the year after the Council closed, the publication of the Jerusalem Bible. This was motivated by the same currents in the Church

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which had nurtured the decrees on the Church and the Scriptures. A BIBLE TO BE READ There were two important aspects to the publication of the Jerusalem Bible fifty years ago, the translation of the text and the explanation of it. The Jerusalem Bible provided the first translation of the whole Bible into modern English. Until then the most up-to-date translation of the Bible had been in the English tradition of the King James Version, a brilliant but heavily dated translation, made in 1611 to be the Authorized Version by order of King James I. Yes, it had been revised in several different ways, the latest being the Revised Standard Version,

but this was still in heavily biblical language, laced with ‘thee’ and ‘thou’. In any case, none of these versions were available to Catholics. At that time no Catholics were allowed to read religious books which lacked the ‘Imprimatur’ (‘let it be printed’) of the bishop, for fear of being swept into heresy unawares. Catholics therefore had to be content with the Rheims-Douai Version, produced by the Catholic exiles in 1582-1610 in a deliberately literal style and latinised language (revised by Bishop Challoner in 1750). Alternatively, they might use the brilliant but stylised version produced by Monsignor Ronald Knox in the 1940s. It was, therefore, an eye-opening experience to read the Bible in the fresh modern idiom of

J.R.R. Tolkien

the 1960s. The King James Version had lasted so well because it was produced at a time of literary excellence in England, the age of Shakespeare, John Donne and Ben Jonson. The initiator and editor of the Jerusalem Bible had similarly enrolled in his team a number of distinguished literary figures, such as J.R.R.Tolkien, Victoria Sackville-West, and the celebrated actor and biographer Robert Speaight (the first actor to play the role of Thomas Becket in Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral). It is impossible to say how much Alexander Jones did himself. Theoretically these distinguished literary figures were translating from the original languages – but in fact several of them knew neither the Hebrew nor the Greek of the Bible. Jones must himself have filled many gaps in knowledge, and in fact there are continuous small traces of the same style throughout the book, which can stem only from him. The better one knows the book, the more one admires the monumental work he put into it. THE YAHWEH BIBLE The presentation also was highly readable, in full pages instead of the usual double-column biblical format, and conveniently divided up into separate units with titles as sub-headings. There were other interesting features, such as the rendering of the personal divine name – out of reverence never pronounced by the Jews – as ‘Yahweh’. Some nicknamed the version ‘the Yahweh Bible’; some complained that it made God sound like some primitive tribal god; but many were delighted by the warmth of addressing God by an affectionate, personal name. But it was above all the accessibility of the language that made the book so attractive:

it was no longer a fusty old volume which did not really make much sense. At last this was just like reading a modern novel or story-book, which brought the biblical events of both Old and New Testament to life. There was another element which was particularly important at this time of opening-up ushered in by the Council – and that on two levels. The Jerusalem Bible was widely accepted also by nonCatholics, both for private reading and prayer and for Church services. The shared Bible was a significant step in advancing ecumenism, especially the recognition that Catholics and Protestants really did share the same Bible. Furthermore, it was an important step in empowering the laity, assuring them that the Church consists of clergy and laity together, by the discovery that laity could profitably read the Bible as intelligible for themselves, without having to be led through an unintelligible text by their pastors.

archaeological and literary studies of the nineteenth century. Within half-a-dozen years disaster ensued. The Catholic Modernist Movement, led by the French priest Alfred Loisy, advanced so speedily

The initiator and editor of the Jerusalem Bible had similarly enrolled in his team a number of distinguished literary figures, such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Victoria Sackville-West, and the celebrated actor and biographer Robert Speaight and recklessly that they embraced positions which seemed at the time outrageous and incompatible with the Catholic faith. There followed a flurry of condemnations from Rome and the imposition of an oath – to be sworn by all priests and Catholic teachers in advanced studies – outlawing such positions. Most of the condemnations concerned the Old Testament: it was prescribed to teach that Adam and Eve were real, historical people; it could not be questioned that Moses was the full author of the first five books of the Bible. But some of Loisy’s most provocative statements concerned also the New Testament, among them, ‘Jesus preached the Kingdom, but it was the Church that came’. After these condemnations Catholic biblical studies stagnated for half a century, with only a few brave

A DANGEROUS TIME FOR THEOLOGIANS After this, it might come as a surprise that for Alexander Jones the translation was a secondary element: the primary element was the explanatory introductions and notes. To begin with, the translation was no more than a peg on which to hang the notes, which were the original quarry. These first caught his attention in the French Bible de Jérusalem. In order to understand this fully, it is necessary to look back at An early picture of École Biblique Catholic biblical studies since the beginning of the twentieth century. The century had opened with hope and enthusiasm, after Leo XIII’s 1893 encyclical, cautiously encouraging Catholic biblical scholars to make use of the great

F E AT U R E

pioneers daring cautiously to stir the very surface of the pond. A TIME OF HOPE Deep down, however, some study was developing. Also in 1893, a great and faithful French scholar, Marie-Joseph Lagrange, had founded the French Ecole Biblique et Archaeologique in Jerusalem, providing a steady and solid stream of well-trained biblical scholars. At the time of the Modernist crisis, as a result of a misunderstanding, Lagrange himself was forbidden to write on the Old Testament, but he continuedtoteachandwriteontheNewTestament, winning by his gospel commentaries the fervent admiration of Alexander Jones. Eventually a certain impetus was given to biblical studies by Pius XII’s encyclical Divino afflante Spiritu in 1943. After the Second World War, the scholars of the Ecole biblique began to produce a series of amply annotated editions of the individual books of the Bible (1946-1956), which were eventually issued as the French Bible de Jérusalem. It was this research Jones wanted to lay before English-speaking readers

of the Bible, even before the single-volume edition appeared in 1962. From the beginning of Vatican II in 1962 the Bible was central to the agenda. For instance, the Constitution Lumen Gentium, instead of defining the Church in legalistic terms, described it in biblical images as a sheepfold, a field to be cultivated, a growing olive-tree, a holy temple built of living stones. Partly with an eye to the non-Catholic observers, care was taken to show the biblical basis of all Church teaching, and especially of every document of the Council. Furthermore, it insisted on the part which the Bible should play in the Christian life, in public and private prayer, in education and theological training as well as meditation. In 1996, the year after the end of the Council, when the Jerusalem Bible appeared, with its careful copious introductions and notes, the timing was perfect. It was just what the Catholic reader, inspired by the teaching of the Council, required. DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES That was not quite the end of the story. A gardener’s

job is never complete; nor is a biblical editor’s, for things just go on growing and developing! Language and emphases change. New discoveries, like that of the Dead Sea Scrolls, affect our understanding of the text of the Bible itself. By the time the New Jerusalem Bible came to be published in 1985, the new emphasis on the equality of women in all spheres demanded inclusive language: ‘the heart of man’ had to give way to ‘the human heart’, with many similar adjustments. A greater emphasis on the individual theology of each of the evangelists required more careful attention to the detailed similarities and differences between the presentations of the Good News in each of the Gospels. To be loyal to the initiative, foresight and persevering industry of Alexander Jones, a further edition of the Jerusalem Bible after fifty years would doubtless demand further developments.

Fr Henry Wansbrough OSB is a monk of Ampleforth. A distinguished biblical scholar, he is editor of the revision of the Jerusalem Bible, The New Jerusalem Bible, first published in 1985.

WORLD YOU T H DAY

MEMORIES OF WORLD YOUTH DAY

2016

MORE THAT 2 MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE GATHERED TO CELEBRATE THE FINAL EUCHARIST OF WORLD YOUTH DAY WITH POPE FRANCIS. ONE OF THE IRISH PARTICIPANTS REFLECTS ON THE JOY OF THOSE DAYS OF PRAYER AND SHARING. BY SEÁN HURLEY

you have been keeping up to date with the news in the Irish media in recent weeks, one would be tempted into believing the Catholic Church is on the brink. Allegations of improper conduct among seminarians and staff in Maynooth would be enough to sap the energy of the most ardent believers. This controversy, coupled with the dwindling number of vocations in Ireland, has stirred the blood lust of the media. In the eyes of most religious correspondents,

the once powerful Catholic Church is now no more than “a tattered coat upon a stick,” and without immediate and drastic reform its extinction is imminent. The purpose of this article is to set the record straight. Having attended World Youth Day in Krakow recently, I witnessed a very different Church than the image that the media would like to perpetuate. In Krakow, I saw approximately 2.4 million young people come together to celebrate the faith, shout

to the world that the Church is alive and bear witness to the Pope’s words that God is not dead, but that “Jesus is truly living in our midst!” ON THE WAY TO KRAKOW While over a thousand Irish people were estimated to have attended World Youth Day, I departed from Dublin airport with a group of around fifteen lads. We arrived in Warsaw that night, and dined in a typical

WO RL D YO U T H DAY

Polish restaurant. Having tended to our physical nourishment, our focus turned to the spiritual. Ezekiel, one of the leaders of our group asked us what we expected to get out of World

We arrived in Krakow the following day, and our priest Fr Gavan pulled no punches in the first meditation he gave us. He told us we have been given a fantastic opportunity to see the Church at its best as “one, holy, catholic, apostolic church”. It wasn’t long before I saw this in action. As I walked around the streets of Krakow, which was beginning to be inundated by young people, I could not avoid seeing the “unity” or “oneness” of the Church. Whereas in Ireland you’ll see rival factions in the Church arguing over this and that, all the young people I saw seemed to be completely behind the Pope. This was realised musically by the intermittent chants of “Papa Francesco, Papa Francesco!” The next element of the Church that I noticed was its “holiness” or “goodness”. Normally when vast crowds of young people gather in one place trouble is expected. Not so at World Youth Day. The police of the cities that host World Youth Days are frequently gobsmacked that, despite the big crowds, there is rarely any trouble. It was amazing, being able to see young people come

I harboured dreams of World Youth Day being an eclectic mix between a pilgrimage and a jam with the Pope! Youth Day. “Find the meaning of life!” bellowed one. “Attend the world’s biggest party!” yelled another. As I crawled into my sleeping bag that night, I fell fast asleep, and harboured dreams of World Youth Day being an eclectic mix between a pilgrimage and a jam with the Pope!

40 Viewing the bedroom the Pope will use during WYD

The message is plain and simple

Pope Francis arrives in a tram for the welcoming ceremony

REALITY SEPTEMBER 2016

A sea of sleeping bags after the vigil

Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela poses with pilgrims of WYD. The next meeting will take place in Panama in 2019

together to celebrate and have fun without the need to get drunk off their heads, pick a fight, harass other people or smash windows! The “catholicity” or “universality” of the Church was evident everywhere we went. It was difficult to turn a corner without encountering a new flag! Virtually every country was represented, and over the duration of the trip, I saw flags from places as far flung as the Ivory Coast, Iceland, Syria and Iraq. The diversity of World Youth Day struck me especially as we rode the trams around the city. In the tight confines of the trams, patriotic fervour was at its highest. Bewildered locals were treated to renditions of different national anthems, whether it was the “Fields of Athenry” sung by the Irish, or the “La Marseillaise” sung by the French. One of the most memorable tram rides we had was when an Italian, with a love for Irish music, rattled off a range of Irish classics including “Molly Malone”, “Whiskey in the Jar” and “The Wild Rover”. The apostolic nature of World Youth Day wasn’t neglected as people took out their smartphones and posted to social media all the craic that was happening!

Passing time and making friends

COMING TOGETHER The welcoming ceremony was one of the highlights of the trip. Due to its being held at a smaller venue than was planned for the final Mass, our group was unable to secure tickets, but due to the kindness of a Canadian group that passed us by on the sidewalk, they managed to sneak us in. We couldn’t believe our luck, as we secured a spot very close to the main stage. One of the highlights of the trip then occurred as the Pope mobile passed by the outside of our sector. I felt like Zacchaeus struggling to get a look as we all scrambled over to the barrier. I managed to catch a brief glimpse of him as he went by. Once the fanfare was over, the Pope gave his opening address. Pope Francis is a man who does not mince his words, and this was evident in his challenging speech. He lamented meeting young people who have opted for “early retirement” in their twenties, “who have thrown in the towel before the game had even begun.” He mentioned that he was saddened by the fact that he met so many young people who were squandering the best years of their lives looking for cheap thrills or chasing “sellers of smoke,” as he called them. It was a very powerful talk, and he encouraged us to pray for our friends at home who “walk around glumly as if life had no meaning.” HIKING TO A VIGIL The other highlight of World Youth Day was the Vigil on the Saturday. We left our accommodation on Saturday morning to trek to the campsite, and there was a hint of All Ireland Final Day in the air. Having slept on a sports hall floor, and now having to

Getting in line for confession

Pope Francis walking with World Youth Day volunteers

It was a truly poignant experience to kneel in front of the exposed Blessed Sacrament and to pray into the early hours of the morning. make a cross city journey in nearly 30 degree heat, the tough aspects of the pilgrimage were really coming to the fore. There were brief moments of respite, as when some locals elected to spray us with the garden hose to cool us down. Those people for me embodied the Year of Mercy! Not long after we had set up camp, Pope Francis delivered another brilliant speech at the Vigil. He spoke of the paralysis that young people suffer, “confusing happiness with having a good sofa.” He bemoaned the fact that a life of comfort can make us “dull and drowsy,” instead of trying to be alert and searching to do the will of God.

After a few hours of walking around and socialising with people from all over the world, we stumbled across one of the Eucharistic adoration tents that Pope Benedict XVI instituted at World Youth Day in Cologne. It was a truly poignant experience to kneel in front of the exposed Blessed Sacrament and to pray into the early hours of the morning. With the stars shining in the sky and with the singing and laughter still going on around us, the sofa seemed far away indeed! Seán Hurley, a native of Kerry, is a student at University College, Dublin and a regular contributor to Reality.

D E V E LO P M E N T I N ACTION

DROUGHT IN ETHIOPIA HARVESTING WATER CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THRIVING COMMUNITIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE CONDEMNED TO SEEK A FUTURE BY TAKING TO ROAD AND SEA AS MIGRANT LABOURERS. TRÓCAIRE IS WORKING WITH PEOPLE IN TIGRAY, ETHIOPA, TO DISCOVER NEW WAYS TO HARVEST WATER IN TIME OF DROUGHT BY ÉAMONN MEEHAN

The

people of Ethiopia are resilient and hard-working, but right now more than ten million of them are facing a very serious drought which has ruined harvests and people’s access to water. Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Tigray in northern Ethiopia to see how communities there are coping. I visited alongside Mary Robinson, who was recently appointed UN Special Envoy for the current El Nino drought that has affected 60 million people throughout the developing world. The most important commodity in northern Ethiopia is water; without it life

itself becomes impossible. One elderly woman said to me: “Every drop of water is like a drop of blood from my own body”. Most small farms rely on rainfall for household and farm use: when it doesn’t rain, they can’t grow crops. That is why the current drought crisis has had such a devastating impact, and why Trócaire has launched an emergency appeal to get aid to people affected. In Ethiopia alone, Trócaire is helping to support 600,000 people. But in many communities, vulnerability to drought is changing for the better. Trócaire and our partners are working with local

communities to improve how they capture and manage water. By building terraces into the hillsides, for example, soil can be stabilised and water is captured instead of running off. Likewise, micro-dams control the flow of water, so there is some water available even in the dry season. They also build dams around springs in the hillsides, which are then turned into small lakes. They then build channels into the fields to irrigate them: the combination of sunshine and water means that several crops of vegetables can be grown every year, and much of the produce can be sold. Where

Mary Robinson and Trócaire's Éamonn Meehan at the Trócaire project in Adigrat in north Ethiopia. This project is supporting 30,000 people with emergency aid during the current drought, as well as building long-term irrigation projects to stop people being plunged into crisis again. (Photo: Eoghan Rice / Trócaire)

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electricity is available, it can be used to pump water from the dams to concrete tanks on hilltops, from where it can be directed into the terraced fields and into the villages. Essentially what they do is manage every drop of water, so that it can be used for the household, for animals and irrigation for the fields. It is very time-consuming and physically demanding work. The way these communities are working to capture and manage water, however, is truly inspiring, innovative and wonderful to see. Trócaire supports the work of the Catholic diocese of Adigrat in the Tigray region. On our recent visit, members of the diocesan team took us to see work in progress, terracing, dam-building and pipe-laying. All around looked brown and dry. They then took us to the other side of the hill to see work completed last year. What a revelation! The hills were green; the terraces looked amazing with all the crops almost ready for harvesting.

These people are making the desert bloom; they are restoring degraded land and building sustainable futures for themselves and their children. In fact, all the terraces which are currently under construction will be given to landless young men and women who, if they didn’t get land, would end up migrating. The mothers and fathers of the region told us tragic stories of their young people who have migrated to Saudi Arabia, or tried to get to Europe via Libya and the Mediterranean Sea. Some never make it, while others end up trafficked or in camps. Very little money is coming back to these communities from migrants, yet many see it as their only option. Managing the water and creating new fields provides an alternative for some. So, every drop of water is precious. Like the blood in the people’s veins. As we left, the rainclouds were building into giant thunderheads on the horizon. Everyone hoped that it would rain this season (unlike the last two) and make their task that bit easier.

An hour later, as we climbed the hills, the rain came down and the road became slippery and muddy. The 22,000 households who received seeds paid for by Trócaire might just have a harvest this year after all. This is a difficult place in which to live off the land. There are few alternatives; these Ethiopian communities are transforming their landscape and their future. By your financial support for Trócaire you are beside them on their journey. It is not an exaggeration to say that without your help much of this progress would not be happening.

Éamonn Meehan is executive director of Trócaire and directs its programmes to reduce poverty and fight injustice in over 20 countries. He first joined Trócaire in 1991 as Programme Manager for the Southern Africa Region. You can support Trócaire’s emergency drought appeal by visiting trocaire.org.

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ST DOMINIC’S

An inspiring call to contemplation and action. Fr Donal Dorr 25th-27th November Advent Retreat €165 (Res) €100 (Non-Res) “Endings and Beginnings” Fr. Joe Kavanagh OP 30th November 7.30pm-9.30pm Cost: €10/Donation Advent evening of Reflection with Martina Lehane Sheehan

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2017 Programme now available.

REALITY CHECK PETER McVERRY SJ

EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW?

Laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps and hornets break through – JONATHAN SWIFT, “A CRITICAL ESSAY UPON THE FACULTIES OF THE MIND”, 1707 .

THE SMALL FLIES CAUGHT BY IRISH LAW OFTEN COST AN ASTONISHING AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PROSECUTE WHILE THE WASP AND HORNETS OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME SEEMINGLY GO UNPUNISHED.

Last year, a landlord was discovered to have evaded income tax to the value of €1.14 million. He settled with the Revenue for €3.08 million, including interest and penalties. He was not prosecuted or jailed. He has a clean criminal record. Last year, a father of three who committed €25,000 worth of social welfare fraud appeared before the courts. The judge described it as a serious offence, but accepted that the defendant was “highly unlikely to do it again”. He acknowledged that the defendant lives in “pretty poor conditions and lives a pretty miserable life”, that he only has minor previous convictions and had co-operated with the Garda investigation. Nevertheless “the court must give a message to the general population that you will pay a price if you are caught committing social welfare fraud,” said the Judge. He was jailed for 18 months. Last year, a company director was discovered to have evaded tax to the value of €1.11 million. He settled with the Revenue for €2.30 million, including interest and penalties. He was not prosecuted or jailed. He has a clean criminal record. Software used by the Department of Social Protection to analyse profile pictures and signatures helped to uncover REALITY SEPTEMBER 2016

a bus ticket back to Donegal. Last year, 27 people were committed to prison every single day of the year for non-payment of fines. One in four were women. Many of those committed to prison for non-payment of fines were unable to pay.

the theft of €16,000 in welfare benefits by a Ukrainian man, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told. The man, who had no previous convictions, was jailed for 18 months. In 2015, The Revenue Commissioners’ list of tax defaulters showed that over €70.5 million was collected from 385 individuals or companies in respect of evasion of taxes, 13 of whom settled for over €1 million each. In fact, far more was collected, as settlements with the Revenue are only published when voluntary disclosure options are not availed of. None of the 385 were prosecuted or sent to jail. In November 2015, the Department of Social Protection confirmed that almost 600 people were before the courts on social welfare fraud charges. These figures do not include cases of welfare fraud that have been brought by Gardaí under the

Criminal Justice and Theft Acts. A department spokeswoman said: “It is the department’s policy to consider for prosecution cases of fraud against the social welfare system.” “All are equal before the law, but some are more equal than others” (with apologies to George Orwell). As of March 10th, €4,000 was owed to the Oireachtas bar, with 20 TDs and 13 Senators among the debtors. One individual owed €802. There is no mechanism for enforcing repayment of these debts – the taxpayer has to pick up the tab. A single mother from Donegal who had been fined €450 for failing to pay a TV licence was woken at 7am by Gardai. She was brought by two Gardai from Donegal to Mounjoy Prison in Dublin by taxi. She was held in prison for three hours and given

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to ... steal bread (Anatole France, French novelist, The Red Lily, 1894). A young homeless man came into me one morning in January and showed me his charge sheet. He had been charged with theft of four bars of chocolate from a shop to the value of €3. He was granted free legal aid, which cost the tax payer at least €400, as well as the cost of Garda time involved in arresting him, processing him in a Garda station and attending court. The taxpayer also had to pay for court administrative costs. I do not know the outcome of that case. Another formerly homeless man received a summons in February to appear in court, charged with the theft of two packets of Silk Cut cigarettes, value €20, from a shop, twelve months previously. He pleaded not guilty on the grounds that he doesn’t smoke Silk Cut! The case was dismissed, at a cost to the taxpayer of about €1,000.

GOD’S WORD THIS MONTH COUNTING THE COST Today’s Gospel is addressed to the ‘great crowds’ that followed Jesus along the way, so it is a message intended for all those 23RD SUNDAY IN who wish to become disciples. ORDINARY TIME The first part is a strong and uncompromising statement of the cost of discipleship. It is followed by two parable-type stories about the need to count the cost before embarking on a costly project. Becoming a disciple will involve ‘hating’ your nearest and dearest, and even your own life. This is a difficult statement that needs some further reflection. First of all, how are we to understand ‘hate’ here? Probably the best way is to take it as that it is another way of stating a preference. Disciples are to prefer Jesus to everything else, including family members or even their own life. People who have grown up in Christian families will seldom be called to make such a choice. Jesus and Luke, however, have their eyes rather on people on the verge of making a decision to become Christians, but who are meeting opposition from their families. If you belonged to a Jewish family, following Jesus meant breaking with ways and the values that had been

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hard won by your ancestors. If you were a pagan trying to decide whether or not to follow this ‘new way,’ could be just as demanding. Christians were regarded as a foreign group, whose ways ran against the grain of Greek and Roman society. Their members included people on the margins – poor workers, even slaves and foreign emigrants. They did not take part in the public worship of the gods of the state, leaving themselves open to the suspicion that they were unreliable. Some might have tried to cover up by conforming outwardly to their family’s demands. That meant constantly looking over their shoulders, but they would never be free enough to be whole-hearted Christians. The only way to find that freedom was through a definitive break with their families, giving fathers and mothers the impression that these dearly loved children ‘hated’ them. That kind of detachment can seem like a painful death. That is why Jesus compares it to the most shameful and painful death known at the time, crucifixion. Genuine disciples must be prepared to take up the cross as Jesus did, for it is the way that leads to the new life of Resurrection. The two short parables about counting the cost envisage two different situations. The tower builder

was not thinking of a sky-scraper! What he had in mind was small stone structure for his vineyard or olive grove from which to watch over his crops at harvest time. Such towers were common in Palestine (e.g. Isaiah 5:2, Matthew 21:33). Neighbours would follow the building operations attentively, probably speculating on the cost. If the builder were forced to suspend operations for want of money, it might take him years to live down the shame and ridicule in a small closely-knit community. In the second parable, the king going to war, we move to a larger stage but it is also a story of risk. The rash decision of a moment can lead to years of pain and can never be undone. By putting the parable of the tower builder and the king going to war immediately after the saying about taking up the cross, would-be converts are being warned to calculate carefully the cost involved in the radical following of Jesus. It will demand total freedom from everything we hold dear.

45 Today’s Readings Wis 9:13-19, Psalm 89, Philemon 9-10, Luke 14:25-33

God’s Word continues on page 46

GOD’S WORD THIS MONTH THE ELDER BROTHER’S LOSS Today’s Gospel reflects a situation common among families in Galilee in Jesus’ time. There were few opportunities 24TH SUNDAY IN for a young man who was not ORDINARY TIME in line to inherit the major share of the family land. Rather than wait around for his father to die and inherit a third of the land in contrast to his elder brother’s double share, he might take off and seek fame and fortune elsewhere. A well-intentioned father might be happy to make an arrangement for his lad to have his money now, if it helped him get on. Luke’s picture of the youngest son is, unfortunately, also true to life: a wallet full of money in the big city can spell the end to carefully laid plans and resolutions. This boy’s life is further upset by another calamity: an unexpected famine and an empty wallet. Luke is a very skilful storyteller. He does not just tell what happened, but he gives us access to the mind of the 46 characters by having them speak aloud. We hear the lad’s musings as he sits in the pigsty (no place

for a well brought-up Jewish boy!). We hear the careful rehearsing of the home-coming speech – ‘I have sinned … I do not deserve to be called your son…just give me a job as one of the hired hands.’ The scene shifts at this point. The long journey home is nearly over, but now we see the arrival from the father’s point of view who has spotted the boy trudging down the road and runs to welcome him home. He calls for all the signs of sonship to be lavished on him – best clothes, gold signet ring, fine shoes and orders a feast to be prepared, for this boy who has been restored to life. Commentators and readers sometimes stop the parable here. True, it has made its principal point – that no matter how far we wander from home, God is still a loving father. But Jesus continues the story because he wants to make an even more telling point. A new character enters the scene, the elder brother. We know of his existence, but we have not yet heard him speak, and boy, does he deliver a tirade of angry complaints! He rakes over his brother’s faults (and adds a few more for good measure, suggesting for example that he has been

living a wildly immoral sex life). Then he turns on his father – years of slaving, and for what? Never as much as a young goat to celebrate with the lads! The father listens quietly, but just as determinedly, shows he is not for budging on the way he has treated the prodigal. The elder brother has a choice – to come into the party, or sulk in the barn – and good story teller that he is, Luke leaves us to work that one out. The application of the parable is clear. The sinners are the younger son: the Pharisees are the elder brother. They have nothing to lose by welcoming the lost sheep, except their rigid formal religion, with its stress on avoiding contact with anything that might contaminate them, but which has made them miss out on many other aspects of life. So anxious have they been to please by rigid obedience that they have missed the joy, the risk and the sense of adventure that genuine faith brings with it.

THE CUTE MANAGER This is a rather unusual parable SEPTEMBER that looks as though Jesus is laughing at a bit of sharp practise on the part of the steward. It might help to understand the 25TH SUNDAY IN parable to look first at the social ORDINARY TIME world behind it. In Palestine, much of the land was owned by absentee landlords, who left the daily running of the estate to an administrator or steward. Provided the owner got a regular income, he was probably not tooconcernedabouthowthestewardrantheestate. This landowner has heard that his steward has gone too far in his shady dealings and fires him. Faced with ruin, the steward has to consider his options. Luke uses his usual technique of having a character in a parable think aloud to give us an insight into how their mind is working. The steward runs through his options: hard work is out of the question, so is begging. Both would entail a loss of status in a community where it was essential not to lose face. The only option left him is to call a debtors’ meeting. Jewish law forbade lending at interest, but the

rabbis realised that unless the lender could foresee some return on his money, he was unlikely to tie it up by lending it to the poor. This entailed further hardship for the poor: unless they could borrow, how could they survive hard times such as failure of harvest? The rabbis’ humane solution went something like this: when someone wanted to borrow something, they agreed to the amount to be repaid, but a smaller amount was handed over. The difference between the two constituted the interest. There are a number of examples in the parable. The person who was given fifty measures of oil, for example, had agreed to repay one hundred, the borrower of eighty measures of wheat agreed to repay one hundred and so on. The extra fifty or twenty was the steward’s ‘commission’ for negotiating the deals. By inviting the borrowers to write smaller sums, he is doing them a favour but at the cost of his commission. He is calculating that favours done demand to be repaid. Known in the past for driving a hard bargain, he is now winning a reputation for fair play and generosity. If the borrowers have made a little money, they will

also look out for him when he us in need. He is probably too cute a fellow not to have other plans up his sleeve but his conduct has earned him instant good will for whatever he turns his hand to. Instead of feeling cheated, the landowner is forced to smile at his steward’s ingenuity. This in turn draws from Jesus the comment that ‘the children of this world’ are much more astute business people than ‘the children of light’. He advises wealthy Christians to make the best use of their wealth for the sake of the kingdom. Jesus is no champion of money. He regards it as ‘that tainted thing.’ Some older translations use an unusual phrase here, ‘the mammon of iniquity.’ Mammon means something like possessions. On the only other occasion on which the Gospel uses this word is Matthew 6:24, where it also points up a tension between serving God and making wealth the centre of one’s care.

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REALITY SEPTEMBER 2016

Today’s Readings Ex 32:7-11,13,14 Ps 50 1Tim 1:12-17 Luke 15:1-32

Today’s Readings Amos 8:4-7 Ps 112 1 Tim 2:1-8 Luke 16:1-13

THE REALITY CROSSWORD NUMBER 7, SEPTEMBER 2016

RICH MAN, POOR MAN This parable is often called ‘Dives and Lazarus.’ The poor man is certainly called Lazarus. Jesus’ audience would probably have caught the significance of his name, ‘my God helps,’ but there is precious little evidence that God 26TH SUNDAY IN is his helper. The rich man is nameless. ‘Dives’ is simply the ORDINARY TIME Latin word for a rich person. He represents the anonymous rich people. If the parable of the unjust steward is set in rural Galilee, then this one is set in a large city of the Empire. An immediate contrast is drawn between the two main characters. The rich man’s showy wealth is manifest in his extravagant dress and sumptuous meals. The rich did not dine out at expensive restaurants in those days: they entertained at home, with slaves and servants to cater to their every whim. Purple garments were coloured with an expensive dye culled from small shell-fish. In contrast to the rich man, Lazarus is covered with sores, and has not even the energy or the will to chase away the dogs that lick them. He would consider himself lucky even to get a few scraps from the rich man’s bin, but even those are denied him. Both die within a short time of one another. Only now do we discover that the significance of his name: God proves to be his helper by commanding the angels to bring him to paradise. The rich man goes to join other anonymous rich in the shadowy underworld. The world of the parable now shifts to a realm beyond this world. In keeping with one of Luke’s favourite themes, it overturns the accepted values of the world. Mary, at the beginning of the Gospel for example, had praised God for putting down the powerful and raising the lowly, for filling the starving with good things and sending the rich away empty. That is exactly what is happening here. The rich man in the underworld sees the despised beggar sitting at the heavenly table alongside Abraham. Luke respects Jewish sensitivities by not picturing God directly but allowing Abraham to speak as his representative. The rich man, still thinking he is in charge, demands Abraham to order Lazarus to come and cool his tongue in the burning flames of hell. Abraham replies that it cannot be done. The great gulf between the two realms is even more solid than the social gulf that separated the two during their earthly life. It was a gulf the rich man did nothing to bridge during his lifetime. The second exchange is slightly less selfish. He remembers his five brothers and wants them to avoid the torment that has befallen him, so perhaps Lazarus might be sent as a ghost to warn them of what faces them. Even that is impossible. They have the teaching of Moses, the Law, and the prophets that commanded respect for the poorest of the community. They failed to listen to that, so why should they heed a ghost? This reference to the Law might be purposely intended for Jesus’ critics who prided themselves on their knowledge of scripture. Jesus, like Lazarus, will be rejected. He will undergo a death even more shameful than that of the beggar who dies in the street at the gate of a rich man.

SEPTEMBER

SOLUTIONS CROSSWORD No. 5 ACROSS: Across: 1. Glower, 5. Bisect, 10. Regroup, 11. Neptune, 12. Icon, 13. Midas, 15. Wigs, 17. Rex, 19. Summit, 21. Faulty, 22. Vatican, 23. Chopin, 25. Napkin, 28. Fad, 30. Ruts, 31. Yahoo, 32. Once, 35. Samovar, 36. Gabriel, 37. Clinic, 38. Mashie. DOWN: 2. Legroom, 3. Wood, 4. Repair, 5. Banjax, 6. Sept, 7. Crucial, 8. Druids, 9. Jersey, 14. Delilah, 16. Vivid, 18. Banal, 20. Tan, 21. Fan, 23. Christ, 24. Optimal, 26. Kon Tiki, 27. Needle, 28. Fabric, 29. Dodgem, 33. Avon, 34. Ibis.

Winner of Crossword No. 5 Caitríona Ní Dhúnáin, Dublin

ACROSS 1. Bible book which does not mention 'God'. (6) 5. European cured sausage. (6) 10. Vegetable usually used as a fruit. (7) 11. Ancient Greek city which gave its name to a book in the Bible. (7) 12. Walk or run with a long bounding stride. (4) 13. Used only gesture and movement to act out a role. (5) 15. The youngest of the Apostles. (4) 17. Affected by unhappiness or grief. (3) 19. Ring around the sun visible during an eclipse. (6) 21. Treated with cruelty or violence, regularly or repeatedly. (6) 22. "... as it is in heaven." (2,5) 23. Take someone away illegally. (6) 25. Unassuming in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements. (6) 28. Nervous or timid in the company of others. (3) 30. Flowing garment worn by the ancient citizens of Rome. (4) 31. Homes of pigs and eye inflammations. (5) 32. Fixed luminous point in the sky. (4) 35. Keep from being seen, conceal. (7) 36. Stands around with apparent purpose. (7) 37. The longest book of the Bible. (6) 38. Evil or morally wrong. (6)

DOWN 2. Sink your own ship on purpose. (7) 3. A humorous or malicious deception. (4) 4. Jewish religious leaders. (6) 5. Considered to be holy and deserving respect. (6) 6. Traditional knowledge. (4) 7. People led by Genghis Khan. (7) 8. Play in a cheerful and lively way. (6) 9. Made a long, high-pitched complaining sound. (6) 14. The 'youngest' book of the Old Testament. (7) 16. He walked with God and was no more. (5) 18. Regard with disgust and hatred. (5) 20. Insect. (3) 21. A short cash dispenser. (3) 23. Instruction to start shooting film. (6) 24. Breaks down food into substances that can be used by the body. (7) 26. Exert me to a high or highest degree. (7) 27. Common Irish songbird. (6) 28. Directs male beef-cattle in America. (6) 29. The colour between green and orange in the spectrum. (6) 33. The main body of a ship. (4) 34. Silvery-white metal used in brass. (4)

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Amos 6:1,4-7, Ps 145 1Tim 6:11-16 Luke 16: 19-31 All entries must reach us by September 30, 2016 One €35 prize is offered for the first correct solutions opened. The Editor’s decision on all matters concerning this competition will be final. Do not include correspondence on any other subject with your entry which should be addressed to: Reality Crossword No. 7, Redemptorist Communications, Unit A6, Santry Business Park, Swords Road, Dublin 09 X651

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