AN UPDATE AND A MEDITATION: ARE OUR BISHOPS WARTIME BISHOPS?

It being nearly a month since I last posted I feel obliged to give an update. I am in limbo awaiting the results of a process that will hopefully open the door to the post I have been sent to Cork to fill. This process is outside the control of myself and my Order. There may be 'politics' involved. My future co-workers await my arrival and are seriously under-staffed. In the meantime I say Mass, hear a few confessions and help out where I am asked. My prayerlife is getting a bit more attention but there is more free time than I was expecting. I may go back to painting if only to give me something to do that has measureable results. I wish I could be more concrete about my situation but I can't. I am growing tired of friars asking me how I am getting on in x. I am in limbo.

In the wider world the news that the Mater and St. Vincent's hospital, both in Dublin, have decided to comply with the Government's abortion legislation (by exstension any liberalization of that law) raises questions about the role of the Catholic Church in these institutions. The silence of our bishops is deafening. Perhaps they are busy working the back channels, hoping that networking will still find a compromise. I am beginning to think of them as ecclesiastical Chamberlains searching for a peace, a way of compromise that ultimately only feeds into the war that is here.

I mean it when I say war. The Government has declared war on the Catholic faith by naming and obliging Catholic institutions to provide abortions. I read somewhere that when war begins it takes time to find wartime commanders. Peacetime encourages the careers of managers, networkers and diplomats. Wartime demands commanders who can not only manage but sacrifice, who can strategize and command, who have the courage to engage with the enemy in deadly combat. Are any of our bishops wartime leaders? Have any the backbone to stand up and take action? What would happen if the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin were to withdraw from the hospitals, instruct the other Catholic bodies to do likewise and sell any interest, if has any, in them? These institutions would no longer be Catholic but any future evil would no longer be done under the auspices of a Catholic institution. The bishops have dithered enough. The message needs to be sent to the politicians. It is not the Church that is 'politicizing the Eucharist' but the politicians who voted for abortion and then attempting to receive communion. Those who support the killing of the innocent have no place in God's house let alone in receiving communion.

CONVENTUAL FRANCISCANS MAKE OFFICIAL VISIT TO MOUNT ATHOS

Over at the website of our General Curia in Rome one can download the latest edition of BICI an international internal Capuchin publication. On page three there is a report of an official visit by a number of Conventual Franciscans to Mount Athos with the blessing of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch. This was in response to an invitation from the Monastic Republic after two of its monks visited Assisi. The friars attended the Divine Liturgy, and engaged in discussions and meetings with the monks. The friars visited a number of monasteries and sketes (Monastic villages) in particular Simonospetros and Vatopediou as well as the capital Karyes. You can read the full story here.

Above are the friars with one of the monks. It brings back memories of my own visits back in 2005. Perhaps those days contributed in some way to this day?

I was taking the photo! I add here a few pics of Athos in celebration of these developments:

May these meetings flourish and the breach between East and West be healed. May our Holy Church breath again with both lungs!

AN UPDATE ON MY ADVENTURES

I keep promising to blog (even to myself) and then I find I don't! Tonight I start again. A lot has happened since I last put fingerS to keyboard. My Provincial and his council have decided I am of better use in Cork which is down at the bottom of Ireland. They hope I will be able to take on a post that is about to become available but I haven't got it yet so I can't say what it is. At the moment I am at something of a loose end, almost unpacked (but with quite a bit of stuff in storage in Dublin) and waiting for things to happen. This weekend I was acting as temporary chaplain to a local hospital which was interesting - school chaplains do not get to do many anointings. It will take a while to get used to the accent but at least when the Fota Liturgical conference comes around next Summer I will be nearby! It also means that I must abandon my twelve year ministry in Coolmine Community School, Blanchardstown. I will miss the staff and students. Still there is only so much one can do in a ministry before one goes stale and over the last year or two I felt that it was time to move on.

I am stationed now in Holy Trinity which is in Cork City centre and handy for almost everything. The house is old and feels like a 'real' friary. This brings its own adjustments. I've gone from a modern building where I was the first occupant of my (two) rooms to an old house that has many friars. Here there is no under floor heating but it has got atmosphere. Here the lights do not come on automatically if you walk down the corridor (for which I am thankful - I always found that annoying) but almost everything seems worn and old. Here there is need of a big injection of cash and energy to bring the house up to a standard that will serve the Province for the next fifty years. I guess there will be lots of things for us to discuss at our community meetings.Four of us are new to this house but myself and another friar came together from Raheny. So far it has proved to a community of genuine prayer and hospitality. If my job comes through though I will spend much of my time elsewhere.

One thing I failed to blog about was our visit to the new Benedictine foundaiton at Silverstream. I though know why I forgot to mention it. Perhaps I was embarassed and annoyed at myself for not taking more than one photo (my camera is on the blink anyway). Br.s Richard, Jeremy and myself took our free time out from the Chapter in Gormanstown to pop over and visit. Dom Mark and brother Benedict (if I remember correctly) gave us a warm welcome and kindly showed us around their home. Francis of Assisi would've rejoiced over their poverty and simplicity of their life. He would've said that here were monks who truely lived as the friars of his day. They have great plans though not only for their monastery but for their ministry. Apart from celebrating the Mass and Divine Office in the pre-1962 form in a devout and worthy way they hope to offer support and healing to priests struggling with various difficulties. I think Bishop Michael Smith of Meath has shown great wisdom and foresight in welcoming this foundation. With the help of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Our Lady and the Saints great work may be done there for the healing and reform of the Irish Church. If you are passing by or are inspired to visit they are not far from the M1 - coming from Dublin you take the junction 7 turnoff for Gormanstown (Google Earth will tell you junction 6 but 7 is better). Once on the local road look out for the Huntman Inn where you turn right and just down the road turn right again to go past Gormanstown College and back over the M1 to Stamullen. On the far side of Stamullen you will come to crossroads where five roads/lanes meet where the main road splits but you will need to turn sharp right. Continue until you find a large stone wall and follow this to the end where the you will find the entrance gate to the Monastery. Dom Mark blogs here.

AT LAST I GET BACK TO BLOGGING

It has been quite a while since I blogged anything. It's not that I have been particularly busy but sometimes I just do not know what to blog about. I am also trying to get back painting. As a school chaplain I am on 'holidays' that is almost three months off from school (yes!) but I have some minor duties here in the house: Mass, confession etc. In June I took eight days away in a hermitage in Glendalough, Co. Wicklow which is about an hour and a half drive from where I live. Glendalough is famous for it's round tower and lakes but not many know about the hermitages near to the Parish church. They are in fact in the parish priest's garden. Each has a large bedroom-cum-sitting room, an en-suite bathroom and a kitchenette. The hermitages are self-catering. There is a prayer room with the Blessed Sacrament reserved, a small library of spiritual books and it's only about fifteen minutes walk to the monastic site. The National Park and a stretch of the Wicklow Way are nearby. I found it really quite (apart from the sheep) and a truly prayerful place. If one wants to be alone to pray I highly recommend it - it's where I will go in future.

In early July we had our Provincial Chapter. It was good to get together with the friars from around the Province and catch up. We elected our new Provincial and his four Definitors (I think the new term is counsellors). They are meeting at present to decide the placement and ministries of the brethren, an anxious time for all of us even those who are immovable. I have ideas about where I would to be and what I would like to do and I hope that is what God and our leadership want that too. It won't be easy for them for we have very few 'younger men' and a lot of posts to be filled. Please pray for them and us.

I had read Romano Amerio's Iota Unum during my retreat and I am reading Michael Davies' Liturgical Revolution series at the moment. I am now on the second volume 'Pope John's Council'. Iota Unum is a great read but it helps if one has some background in philosophy and theology. It complements the work of Davies as it charts and analyses the statements and decisions of Popes John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II, the Roman curia and the bishops (mainly European) before, during and after the Council. It can make for a shocking read. Davies' series begins with 'Cranmer's Godly Order', concerning the Reformation in England. It lays the groundwork for the final book 'Pope Paul's New Mass'. Pope John's Council charts the events and effects of the Second Vatican Council. Davies was a convert to Catholicism who devoted himself to defending the Church's Tradition against those who would wipe our history away. Some of his talks are on Youtube e.g. here. As a speaker he has a humorous and easy-going manner despite the seriousness of his topic. I liked what he had to say and his balanced approach in saying it - that lead me to read his books. I recommend you consider doing the same.

THE PROPER PROCEDURE FOR MAKING ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AGAINST CAPUCHIN FRIARS OF THE IRISH PROVINCE

A certain person has attempted to make allegations against Irish Capuchin friars by means of this blog. This is not the place to make any such charges. From the Irish Capuchin website:

"By signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Board for Safeguarding of Children in the Catholic Church in April 2009, the Capuchin Order in Ireland has adopted the Board’s policy and procedures document Safeguarding Children : Standards and Guidance document for the Catholic Church in Ireland (2009), and the documents that may be added to it from time to time, as its basic regulation in all matters pertaining to the protection of children. Furthermore, in implementing of that document, we accept the auditing role of officials of the Board’s National Office and pledge our cooperation with them in their work.

Conscious of its grave responsibility to prevent the sexual, physical and emotional abuse of children and their neglect, the Capuchin Order undertakes to report all allegations made to it of such abuse to the civil and Church authorities without delay; we also urge all who disclose allegations of abuse against its members, or anyone else, to do likewise. Anyone making an allegation of abuse will be received with respect and listened to, will be informed of actions taken as a result of their disclosure and will have their need for counseling met, if required. Those against whom allegations of abuse have been made will be given every opportunity to vindicate their good name, but, without prejudice, will be asked to stand aside from all ministry, not wear the habit or clerical garb, until the civil authorities have completed their investigations. However, should a Garda investigation find that an allegation is false everything shall be done to restore the good name of the accused. Otherwise, the Order undertakes to cooperate fully with the HSE and An Gárda Síochána in assisting those who have abused children to live offense free lives."

The Child Safeguarding Designated Officer for the Capuchin Order in Ireland is:

Br. Paul Murphy OFM Cap
Capuchin Friary
Church Street
Dublin 7.
Telephone: 086 0610985

Anyone who wishes to allege abuse ought to contact Br. Paul Murphy at the address above or via the phone number provided.

AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR HOLY FATHER FRANCIS

An interesting and moving little interview made only six months ago. It gives a valuable insight into our new pope's spirituality.

THE COAT OF ARMS OF THE CARDINAL BERGOGLIO

Firstly Rome Report's translation of the Holy Father's moto is wrong.  It means, according to CNS,   "because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him" and which comes from St. Bede the Venerable's commentary on Matthew. 

The Holy Father's coat of arms: a blue shield with the emblem of the Jesuits (the Holy Name of Jesus within a radiant disk) above a white five-pointed star and a white bunch of grapes.  The explanation given by Rome Reports is that apart from the emblem of the Jesuits, the white star on the blue shield refers to the Mother of God and the grapes to Jesus as the grower of the faith.  I was wondering about that interpretation.  The first three letters of Jesus' name in Greek is familiar to all Catholics and that image surrounded by rays goes back at least to the Franciscan St. Bernardine of Sienna promoter of devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus.  But it can also represent the Eucharist as can the bunch of grapes.  A Jesuit pope who has devotion to St. Francis who himself promoted devotion to the Eucharist and Our Lady  - that made me think some more.   This pope has on his shield symbols of  Christ and Our Lady, symbols that are also eucharistic.  Could this be the pope St. John Bosco saw in his vision?  Just thinking....