Parish Newsletter

Masses Today

6.30: O'Donnell & Walsh families, (Anniv).
12.00: Monica Duggan & Patrick Cahalan, (Anniv).
6.30: George Geraghty, (Anniv).

AS I WAS SAYING.....

Christmas seems to creep up on us with more silence and stealth every year. The commercial season begins in mid-November. Some Christians will have very deep reservations about what they see as an over-commercialisation of the feast and season. However, we should acknowledge the positive side too: there is a lot of fun; there is a great spirit about the place; and, generally, people go out of their way to imitate the generosity of their God at this time. So let's not be too dismissive of 'the ways of the world!'

The Church, however, kept her powder dry until today. Advent is based on two related notions: 'Watching and Waiting'. The Advent liturgical imperatives are: 'be alert' and to 'be patient'. Yet no other time of the year so strains our patience or so dulls our senses. Just walk up Shop Street today and see for yourselves! People are so busy that they are bumping blindly into one another! Far from being alert now, most seem to be oblivious to their immediate surroundings. Their minds are addled and their bags full. Understandably then, the Liturgical injunctions to 'be patient' and to 'be alert' will not settle easily into this scene.

On the face of it, the atmosphere advocated by the Church's Liturgy would seem to be out of kilter with the rhythms of life today. The two realities are decidedly at odds. The Church is, in this matter as in many other areas, 'swimming against the tide', or, some would contend, 'hopelessly out of touch' with reality. Here we encounter a rather interesting question: whose reality have we in mind? Who is actually 'out of touch'? The people sitting peacefully in the Church, reflecting on whatever blessings or blights that may have descended upon their lives? Or the manic droves on Shop Street, dancing compulsively to the tunes of consumerism? Who has lost touch with reality?

The core question is this: is the Church 'keeping abreast of the times' or 'being led by the nose'? How can we distinguish between the Church 'acting in an outdated fashion' or behaving in an 'authentic, prophetic and counter-cultural manner'? It is a major issue. Anything which clouds our human perception or diminishes our real freedom is hostile to the general health of humanity. The prevailing culture, which is without doubt consumerism, has greed as its cornerstone. It presupposes a degree of mindlessness, and promotes the notion of 'instant gratification'. "My needs must be met, and they must be met now!" The author, David Leonhardt, has written:

"I'm searching for modern happiness. The old-fashioned kind takes just too long. That happiness requires patience and I don't want to wait. I want upgraded happiness, the 'new and improved' version."

Advent insists that we wait. Instant gratification has traditionally been associated with the infancy stage of human development. 'Be patient' and 'Be alert' are appropriate warnings in a consumerist culture. Otherwise, Christmas will make infants of us all!

-Dick Lyng

Incidentally....

Bishop James McLoughlin, R.I.P.

The sad new of the sudden death of the former bishop, Dr. James McLoughlin, has just come through. Bishop McLoughlin was born in Cross Street on 9th April 1929. He was ordained priest on 20 June 1954 and ordained Bishop of Galway on 28 March 1993, succeeding Bishop Casey at a most difficult time. He had served for 11 years when he tendered his resignation on 9th April 2004. Unfortunately, he was not to enjoy the lengthy retirement he richly deserved. R.I.P.

Katrina's Ark

This project was set up in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, by Elisabeth Doehring from Alabama - a journalist who visited Galway last Summer. She has been collecting pairs of stuffed toy animals for child victims of the hurricane. She writes:

I am personally hand-delivering these toys to refugee children in Alabama, Mississipi and Louisiana. Something wondrous is happening to the children (and their parents) when they are handed these animals - HEALING!......If you have friends in other states and countries that might like to make a direct difference in these Gulf Coast children's lives, they can send A PAIR of stuffed animals to me at:

Elisabeth A. Doehring, e-mail: suppressed

'SONG OF MARK' by Marty Haugen,

A Christian Musical based on Mark's Gospel. To be staged in March 2006 in the Black Box Theatre.

Rehearsals begin Sun. Nov. 27th, 2.30 - 5pm, in the Jesuit Residence, Sea Rd. Galway. All ages welcome from 12 years upwards. No audition or previous experience necessary.

Dee Newell, 087-2050577, email deenewell@hotmail.com
Fr. Frankie Lee, 086-8308865, email franklee1@eircom.net

Project Journal

The 'The Augustinian Project Journal' will be distributed to all today. It aims to keep you informed on the progress of the church renovations. It has some interesting information in this issue on the church organ, which is 100 years old this week! Since matters are now developing rapidly, the Journal will be produced at regular intervals.