18 minute read
EDITORIAL
UP FRONT
GERARD MOLONEY CSsR
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FACING THE FUTURE WITH HOPE
Looking at the state of the church in Ireland today, it can be easy to feel downcast. We know the grim statistics. They don't need repeating. But no matter how bleak the outlook may seem, resignation or defeatism must never supplant our hope. Teilhard de Chardin said, "joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God," something we can experience even in the most challenging of situations.
One of the striking features of Pope Francis' letters is his frequent use of the word ‘joy.' When our faith is lived from a place of joyful hope, Francis is saying, it will animate everything we do. It will be authentic and life-giving. We need at least three qualities as the people of God if we are to face the future with joyful hope. Each begins with the letter 'c'.
The first is conversion. The church exists to bear witness to the Gospel. This means having an aptitude for self-criticism at both the personal and ecclesial levels. "Conversion requires unlearning, learning and relearning," says Fr Richard Lennan, professor of systematic theology at Boston College. "These three elements will act as a framework in the ongoing reform and renewal of the Christian community. Since the church in history will never be a flawless and unfailingly consistent symbol of grace, there is need for regular conversion."
The Holy Spirit orients and re-orients the Christian community to the right side of history, Lennan says. "Only a church aligned in the Spirit can fulfil Pope Francis's vision for a community whose members form a field hospital for the world's wounded."
All conversion, all learning, all conscienceforming must begin with listening, attentiveness, humility. For conversion to happen in the church, says Lennan, it's essential to be attentive to the voices of the "invisible" or those Pope Francis regularly refers to as the "fringes" that church people tend to avoid. "The movement that is a necessary part of listening to the Spirit follows from such encounters." Conversion means being attentive to the signs of the times, in tune with the Spirit’s whisperings. It means a willingness to change, to adapt, to grow.
The second quality is compassion. Compassion defines true Catholicism and is central to Pope Francis' ministry. Speaking at a consistory to create new cardinals, he emphasised its importance. "So many disloyal actions on the part of ecclesiastics are born of the lack of a sense of having been shown compassion, and by the habit of averting one's gaze, the habit of indifference," he said. He suggested the cardinals ask themselves: "Am I compassionate towards this or that brother or sister, that bishop, that priest? Or do I constantly tear them down by my attitude of condemnation, of indifference?" "The church is not a fortress," Francis says, "but a tent capable of expanding and offering access to everyone. The church is 'going out' or it is not church, either it is walking, always widening its room so that all may enter, or else it is not church."
Our church doors must always be open, he says, "because this is a symbol of what a church is – always open so that anytime someone feels moved by the Holy Spirit and seeks God out, they do not find the coldness of a closed door."
Too often, our preaching and our actions have tended to exclude rather than include. Without compassion, we will not be effective witnesses to the Gospel.
The third quality is courage. Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister says that as church, our model must be both Jesus the healer and Jesus the prophet. The popular embrace of Jesus the healer has obscured the more radical Jesus, who challenged the status quo and religious leaders of his time. "We live in an era that accepts half of what it means to follow Jesus," she argues. "We want our religion in a spiritual Jacuzzi, a feel-good spiritual world."
Chittister wrote her book, The Time is Now, she says, "because I could not bear the roar of the silence any longer." She warns that we are at a time when huge choices must be made that will determine the future of the world.
Choice takes three forms, she says. The first is avoidance and withdrawing from the fray. The second is submission and passive acceptance, not talking about religion or politics and "becoming part of the great enabling silence." The third is to be prophetic, to refuse to accept the status quo. "This prophetic choice says 'no' to anything that ignores the will of God or God's creation."
If we are to be authentically Christian, we have no choice but to be prophetic, by our words and our example. It isn’t for the fainthearted, Chittister continues, but Christianity was never meant for the faint-hearted. It demands that we be bold.
If we are to face the future with hope, we must be compassionate and courageous, constantly aware of our need for conversion. Live by these three 'c's, and we can hope for a new dawn for the church.
A question ofSPORT
THE CHURCH IS INTERESTED IN SPORT BECAUSE SHE RECOGNISES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GIVING OUR VERY BEST IN SPORTS AND LIVING THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE
BY TRÍONA DOHERTY
The European soccer championship (Euro 2020) earlier this summer cast a spotlight on some of the best and worst aspects of the sporting world. The standout moment in the early stages of the tournament was in the match between Denmark and Finland when Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field having suffered a cardiac arrest. The Danish captain Simon Kjaer was widely praised for his actions, tending to Eriksen, starting chest compressions and, once the medics arrived, arranging Eriksen's teammates around him to shield him from the glare of the TV cameras.
The incident brought out the best in the spectators, too. United in shock, Finnish supporters began to chant "Christian! Christian!" while the Danish contingent responded with "Eriksen! Eriksen!" Minutes later, the entire crowd erupted in a roar when the stadium announcer confirmed that Eriksen was "stable and awake." It was a frightening incident that united football fans worldwide in disbelief and then in hope and prayer.
In contrast, the final between Italy and England was marred by violence and racism. There were ugly scenes as some fans tried to barge their way into Wembley Stadium. Arrests were made, and police officers were injured. In another nasty development, three England players were targeted with racist abuse on social media after missing penalties in the deciding shootout.
But a ray of hope shone through when a mural of Marcus Rashford, which had been vandalised following the defeat, was covered in hundreds of messages of support for the player. One read: "We stand with you. Love will always win. We are so proud of you." Rashford responded on Twitter: "The communities that always wrapped their arms around me continue to hold me up."
Sport can also offer moments of great courage, both on and off the pitch or track. The Tokyo Olympics of July-August brought a much-anticipated buzz as fans from all over the world celebrated their athletes. One of the legacies of this year's Games was the prominent focus placed on mental health. US gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from the final, citing the tremendous pressure she was under. A few months previously, tennis player Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open and Wimbledon, also to prioritise her mental health. The actions of these young athletes placed a spotlight on the often taboo subject of mental health in sport, in particular, the pressures of highlevel competition.
Closer to home, RTÉ recently aired a two-part documentary titled Why Girls Quit Sport, in which coach and camogie player Anna Geary examined how teenage girls might be encouraged to embrace the life-enhancing benefits of sport. So conversations are taking place at all levels of society about the value of sport and how it must develop in a way that promotes the wellbeing of athletes and celebrates all that positive in human nature.
"GIVING THE BEST OF YOURSELF"
The health benefits of participation in sport are widely documented, and research has also confirmed its positive contribution to mental health. While we might not readily connect sport with our faith or spiritual life, there is growing awareness of and reflection on this link. In 2018, the Vatican published its first major document about sport, Giving the best of yourself: a document on the Christian perspective on sport and the human person. The document
Distraught teammates of Christian Eriksen shield him from the glare of media and spectators English supporters stampede Wembley Stadium
examines how sport can contribute to the integral development of the human person, outlining the relationship between giving our very best in sports and living the Christian faith in every aspect of life. "The church is interested in sport because the person is at her heart, the whole person, and she recognises that sports activity affects the formation, relations and spirituality of a
person," it states. One of the refreshing aspects of the document is its focus on the value of play and recreation, for its own sake, not just as a means to an end. Pondering the question of why people run marathons, for example, it concludes, "They must enjoy the challenge. Reaching for improvement step by step, mile by mile, evokes a sense of satisfaction that brings joy to the challenge."
Sport offers us a chance to take part in beautiful moments or to witness them taking place. One such example was the decision by friends Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Barshim of Qatar to share the gold medal for the high jump at the Tokyo Olympics. Given the option to settle the tie with a jump-off, they decided, with a nod, on joint first place, celebrating with a jubilant hug. "Sharing with a friend is even more beautiful. It was just magical," Tamberi said afterwards. Speaking of beautiful moments, few were left unmoved by the joyful reaction of boxer Kellie Harrington to winning gold in Tokyo, not to mention the celebrations of her family and friends in Dublin who described her as "a beacon of light" for the community.
Pope Francis notes that sport is an activity of great value with the ability to enrich people's lives. It is enjoyed by people of every nation, ethnic group and religious persuasion. "When we see athletes giving their very best, sport fills us with enthusiasm, with a sense of marvel, and it makes us almost feel proud," he has said. Speaking to a delegation of Italian football teams, he expressed his desire that football and other sports retain their element of celebration: "Today football also operates within the world of business, marketing, television, etc. But the economic aspect must not prevail over that of the sport; it risks contaminating everything on the international, national and even local level. It is important that sports remain a game! Only by remaining a game will it do good for the body and spirit."
Gerard Hartmann, a physical therapist based in Limerick, believes there is a definite link between sport and spirituality, arguing that faith can give athletes an 'edge' when dealing with the ups and downs of competitive sport. "I deal with a lot of top-class athletes who are very mature and who have spirituality, whatever their faith, but I'm also seeing the 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds who are very naive and insecure," he said "How can I help someone get over an injury if they don't have belief? They need to believe in something greater, if they have a pillar, a faith, they really have a greater chance of getting over it." (Irish Independent, March 27, 2016)
"COMMON JOY"
Retired Bishop of Killaloe, Willie Walsh, is a familiar figure to GAA fans. A native of Tipperary, he played hurling throughout childhood and secondary school at St Flannan's College in Ennis, later returning to coach college teams there. The high point of his sporting career was his time as a selector with the Clare senior hurling team. "Sport has always been part of my life and I'm thankful for that; overall it has been a very rewarding experience. I was an average hurler – let's just say no county selectors ever came looking – but I got great enjoyment out of it. My biggest achievement was being involved in the county senior hurling team as a selector. They got rid of me from the backroom team in 1994, and Clare won the next All-Ireland in 1995, so I don't know what that says," he laughs.
Bishop Walsh believes sport contributes significantly to health and wellbeing, as well as to building character. "Sport teaches us about
Reaction to the racist remarks made against Marcus Rashford Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi share the gold medal
winning and losing. Losing at times can be devastating but we have to remind ourselves and others that losing is part of sport. If we accept it in the right way, it develops character. There is something life-giving about sport; it breaks down barriers and unites people and families," he says. He feels that coaches have a particular responsibility to build up young people's confidence and encourage them in their endeavours. "I often asked myself the question when coaching younger people, 'Am I using these people to satisfy my own desire for success or my ego?' I think coaches have a specific responsibility to ensure that they are not using young people, and are treating them with the respect to which they are entitled. There is no problem with taking them aside to talk about how they can improve their skills or behaviour, but there is a problem with diminishing a young person publicly in front of their peers."
Above all, the bishop says sport offers a sense of belonging and community. "Sport produces lasting friendships. I'm conscious that there have been battles on the hurling field that have gone over the top, but when the game is over the same players are friends. Some of the closest friends I have to this day are people who were involved in the GAA with me, both players and backroom teams. My experience of sport has been that it promotes friendship and brings people closer together. It contributes to community spirit, particularly in rural parishes."
This aspect is highlighted in the Vatican document, which argues that sports sets higher goals beyond victory by encouraging the development of the person in a community of teammates and competitors. Participants work together to achieve a common goal, with the gifts and talents of each individual placed at the service of the team: "Sporting activity must be an unavoidable occasion to practice human and Christian virtues of solidarity, loyalty, good behaviour and respect for others … Sport only makes sense as long as it promotes a space of common joy."
Sport has also been instrumental in promoting equality and peace, breaking down racial, cultural and religious barriers. Many popular sports have campaigned against racism and homophobia. There have been powerful drives such as the GAA's 'Bring It On' campaign highlighting the need for diversity and inclusion. A survey found that the majority (85 per cent) of respondents would like to see more players from diverse backgrounds on inter-county teams. The GAA has committed to increasing participation among people of diverse backgrounds by 30 per cent by 2025.
"FAMILY OF SPORT"
In his introductory letter to the 2018 document, Pope Francis said: "The need for others includes not only teammates but also managers, coaches, supporters, the family. All this makes sports a catalyst for experiences of community, of the human family... We reach great results, in sports as in life, together, as a team."
This sense of community was experienced in a concrete way by Olive Foley after her husband Anthony passed away in October 2016 at the age of 42. Anthony was a former Irish rugby captain and head coach of Munster, and was in Paris with the Munster squad when he died. In the days and weeks that followed, Olive and their two young sons Dan and Tony were supported not only by
their family, friends and church community but also by their "family of sport." "The rugby community is very much a family," says Olive. "Anthony was in team sport for years and the partners of the players and coaching staff were my close friends and were right beside me. The players were so supportive and kind. To the young lads in their early 20s, Anthony was like a father figure and they came in groups to visit. He was very close friends with a lot of players, and they are here for the kids now too. There was always a lovely family of support, and it's still propping me up today."
At the World Meeting of Families in August 2018, Olive spoke of how this support in the midst of her grief was a true celebration. "It was a celebration of Anthony's life and it was a celebration of sport and it was a celebration of the family of sport because in those darkest hours, the arms of that family wrapped themselves around me and my family in a way that was quite remarkable," she said. "Anthony would be very proud and happy today that all those he soldiered with, those he coached, and those he played with and played against were joined together as one great family to help us, his family, in a blanket of support." She recalls, in particular, her two sons being included in the Munster team huddle before their game in Thomond Park on the day Anthony was buried. Olive found comfort in her faith and was amazed at the thousands of Mass cards and letters she received from the sporting community around the world. In the days after Anthony's death, Tony came up with the idea of inviting people to attend Mass every Sunday from October to Christmas – eight Masses to honour the number 8 jersey his Dad had worn. The tribute reached 160,000 people in more than 40 countries. "It still brings
joy to my heart – I still get letters from people who went back to Mass because of it," says Olive. "I believe that God has put all these people in my path. We were propped up with support from around the world joining us in prayer."
"THE SOUL OF SOCIETY"
The sporting world has changed beyond recognition in the past year and a half, with the pandemic forcing the cancellation of sporting events at all levels and the closure of clubs and fitness centres. While online training is readily available, the loss of the social interaction that normally comes with training and competitions has had considerable effects on physical and mental wellbeing. According to a UN report, "Young people are particularly affected by social and physical distancing, considering sport is commonly used as a tool to foster cooperation and sportsmanship, promote respectful competition, and learn to manage conflict. Without sport, many young people are losing the support system that such participation provided." Thankfully, training has now resumed, and stadiums and venues are cautiously increasing their spectator numbers.
As the world begins to 'reopen' post-Covid, we face the challenge of reshaping our vision of community, and sport can undoubtedly play a role in this. Bishop Walsh points to the prominent role that sports clubs, particular the GAA, played in supporting people through the various lockdowns. "I live alone, and straight away in lockdown members of my local club came to make sure I was managing. These things are precious in a world where it is possible to live in isolation," he says.
Fr Harry Bohan, a sociologist and former manager of the Clare senior hurling team, says sport has always been at the heart of Ireland's community and voluntary activity and can help us now to 'reinvent' our sense of belonging and community. "COVID-19 has taught us a hard lesson in that it has forced people, organisations and government to reflect on what is truly important to them. We have been challenged in all walks of life to reflect on what is fundamentally required to achieve peace and contentment," he says. "We are now being reminded that this could be a time of vision and of hope, and sport could play a major part in this. In a consumer culture where unconstrained individual freedom tends to be nourished, sport can protect the need for balance between the mind, heart and spirit of society. It can help to take stock of the soul of society, of the non-material attributes that distinguish community from the economy … a sense of place, a sense of belonging, a sense of relating to others."
Pope Francis encourages us all to give the very best of ourselves, not only in sport but in the rest of our lives: "I invite you not only to play, but [to] challenge yourself in the game of life like you do in the game of sports. Challenge yourself in the quest for good, in both church and society, without fear, with courage and enthusiasm. Get involved with others and with God; give it your best, spend your life on what really matters and lasts forever."
Olive Foley
