Parish Newsletter

Masses Today

6.30 Emily & Louise Struben, (Anniv).
11.00 , Stephen Concannon, (Anniv) (Annemarie Gavin, RIP)
6.30 Joe Dolan, Bowling Green (Anniv).

AS I WAS SAYING.....

Lent is not as serious as it used be. Unlike death, it has lost some of its sting since the Second Vatican Council. In fact Lent has had a very important place in the Catholic tradition. The mandatory laws of fast and abstinence were observed. But that was not all. Lent was also regarded as a time for personal sacrifice. The individual Christian, with the help of the scriptures and the Liturgy, indulged in a bit of soul-searching, and took whatever corrective action he or she deemed to be necessary for the good of the body and soul. For many people, this involved 'giving up' something. There were real sacrifices involved. It was very common for people to give up cigarettes, drink, sugar, sweets, and similar 'luxuries'. Only those who never smoked or drank could underestimate that sacrifice! I don't think any other season or religious festival was 'personalised' to the same extent.

I do believe that the Church (by which I mean ourselves) lost out on something when the significance of Lent diminished for us (or was diminished by us!). I have pointed out here before that, as soon as the Church dropped many of the 'traditional practice', 'the world' took them up with even greater enthusiasm. 'Discipling the body' is now a very lucrative growth industry, with very elaborate and expensive gyms springing up all over the place. Most 'secular' diets are more demanding that the religious fasts of old ever were. And of course there has been an entire sea-change in society's attitude to smoking and drinking. The state has actually intervened to enforce this sea-change socially. What was once the wisdom of the Church has now become the wisdom of the world.

This personalisation of Lent was of course admirable. Those who embraced it were patently sincere. But this approach does not exhaust the possibilities of the Lenten message. Over the last few years, Irish society has been groaning under the burdens of excess. (And we are talking about social problems, not an aggregate of individual problems). Hard drugs have destroyed lives, and have blighted entire communities. Binge drinking is an ever-increasing problem among our young people; obesity is now a real cause for concern among schoolchildren; sexually transmitted diseases have increased by a factor of over 80% in the last four years. Every available scrap of evidence screams out 'excess'! And then we are surprised when suicide among our young people increases dramatically! Never before was the Lenten message of restraint so sorely needed in Irish society. There is a real crisis of meaning here. It has never been so obvious that 'man does not live on bread alone!'

Patently, Lent has much to say to the individual, and to society. But it also has much to say to the institutional Church. Lent should be a learning time for the Catholic Church. The Master withdrawing to the desert, with nothing to lean on but God, should catch our attention. The temptation confronting him was power. He rejects the blandishments of the devil because he sees the proffered power as an illusion. The lesson was lost on the Church. The Church is suffering now precisely because she chose to behave as a power-monger in the past. Power-mongers tend to leave wounded people in their wake. But wounded people have long memories. The wounded chickens are now coming home to roost, and the Church today has been banished to the desert. This time round, we hope it will be a learning experience!

-Dick Lyng

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Correction (Again)!

Dear Editor,

I noticed that the old canard about the priests roaming the streets in search of heretics to hang after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake made its way into your Newsletter (9 Jan. 05). I did a google search after first reading this 'tall tale' in a Washington Post article. This search in fact led me to your website. You quoted from an article by a Jeff O'Connell in 'The Galway Advertiser'. I was glad you gave your source. I haven't yet read O' Connell' s article, but you should know that there is no evidence whatsoever to support this highly inflammatory allegation. The website 'Catholic Exchange' investigated this charge following the Washington Post article and could find nothing to corroborate it. One likely source is 'Wikipedia' , the free online encyclopaedia, which carried this allegation for some time. But I notice that it has since been removed from their website.

Dr. Martin Marty of the University of Chicago has also been cited as a source, but he denies ever making such a claim. I just thought you, and your readers, should know the truth. It' s a pity that such esteemed publications as The Washington Post and The Galway Advertiser can print such allegations without citing sources, and so misleading so many people. I would appreciate it very much if you would put the record straight.

Thank you for your time.

Yours faithfully
JOSEPH POSAVAC

LETTER FROM ROME

For years now, the ghoulish papal death-watch has meant that the major international TV networks (BBC, CNN, etc) have put extensive "papal death event" plans in place. Some of them have been paying a monthly fee for years to hotels, religious institutions and private individuals fortunate enough to have a "terrazzo" that offers a good televisual view of the Basilica of St Peter's (at €500 per month and upwards).

When, by Wednesday evening, the papal "scare" was all but over, the media giant was left with an awkward story to cover. Understandably, given the Pope's overall frail condition, nobody felt it was safe to strike tent and move on. So there they stayed, with only a daily four-line Vatican communiqué to work on.

There was, too, much talk about the likely successors to John Paul II. In this regard, one Irish newspaper (not The Irish Times, of course) distinguished itself by naming Brazilian Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, a former Prefect of the Congregation of Bishops, as someone that the Pope is "reported to favour" as a successor. However, very few will take this claim too seriously, since, unfortunately, Cardinal Moreira Neves died on September 8th, 2002!

-Paddy Agnew in The Irish Times.

TSUNAMI: PROGRESS REPORT

The Diocese of Galway contributed €380,232 to date to the Tsunami Disaster fund. St. Augustine's gave €9015.00. (See notice board in church porch for contributions from other parishes). Bishop John Kirby, Trócaire's Chairman, visited Sri Lanka in mid January to inspect, supervise and report back! In his report back to Trócaire, he stated the following:

"The immediate problem of food and water is now largely solved. The next priority is to get temporary accommodation for the people rendered homeless so that they can get back to earning a livelihood. In addition there is the question of counselling and making provision for the welfare of families that have been shattered by multiple deaths. In dioceses along the western coast, the repair and restoration of churches and schools is a huge problem. There will be a need for orphanages to care for children who have lost both their parents."

From his report it is obvious that rehabilitation will be a long term process. Much progress, however, has already being made and the victims of the disaster are finding renewed hope and strength in the generosity of your response. Thank you!

A Lenten Poem: What to do in the darkness

Go slowly
Consent to it
But don't wallow in it
Know it as a place of
germination
And growth
Remember the light
Take an outstretched hand if
you find one
Exercise unused senses
Find the path by walking it
Practice trust
Watch for dawn

-Marilyn Chandler McEntyre.