Sunday Newsletter

Masses Today

6.30: Susan Coyne, late of Whitehall Close, (Anniv).
11.00: Joe Dolan, late of Bowling Green, (Anniv).
6.30: Sabina & Coleman Cooke, (Anniv).

As I Was Saying...

A terminally ill woman has begun a legal battle to end her own life. The case has far-reaching implications. Kelly Taylor, 30, has been given less than a year to live. She will argue that doctors are breaching human rights laws by refusing to provide 'treatment' which will lead to her death. She is attempting to compel doctors to increase her morphine dose to sedate her into a coma-like state. This is a very different to the traditional Christian position of 'letting nature take its course'.

Doctors have refused to provide the treatment, claiming it amounts to euthanasia, and is illegal. The High Court in London heard this week that Mrs Taylor would also be seeking damages under the Human Rights Act. She said: "Enough is enough. My illness is now at the point where I don't want to deal with it any more."

What makes Kelly's plea more poignant is the fact that she comes across as a person who's very much alive - smiling, determined, and radiating the courage which has carried her through a lifetime of illness. And it can be too easy to ignore the desperation which has brought her to this point.

At the risk of appearing insensitive or condescending, I'd want to say to Kelly Taylor and people like her: I believe you're here as an inspiration. In the strange economy of God, no life is without purpose, but you have the power to inject new heart into other sufferers - not in your desire to die, but in your willingness to fight. With that courageous smile, you have the ability to make the rest of us count our blessings, put our minor niggles in perspective, get on with doing something useful with opportunities you've been denied.

We need such inspiration, and it would be sad to lose it by some premature medical intervention.

Mrs Taylor has the support of a loving family, who know the particular agony of looking on in helplessness. Some others who will be affected by decisions made in this most difficult of areas are in a less happy position. They're made to feel a burden on those around them, a drain on resources, a hindrance to people with real lives to lead. They might have no desire to give up the struggle, but sense a duty, an obligation to get out of the way. In short, this is the kernel of the Christian position: NO law should make it easier for the strong to convince the weak that they should simply move over.

The Christian understanding is that life is a gift of God, to be cherished, protected, never wilfully destroyed. That's as true of our own lives as of other people's. 'My body is my own and what I do with it is my own business' is a claim we often hear today. It has been popularised in particular by the 'Woman's right to choose' group. But this is a dangerous stance, as families traumatised by suicide well know. We don't have absolute rights over our lives or our bodies. There are others to be considered.

'You do not belong to yourselves,' says St. Paul, 'You were bought with a price.' And his conclusion? 'Then honour God in your bodies.' From even the most wasted, pain-wracked body, God can still be honoured, and others inspired.

-Dick Lyng

Items of Some Interest

Towards Clarity....

Various journals and radio programmes are in the habit of running competitions to find the undisputed King of Gobbledegook. The following local gem, quoted in last Thursday's Irish Times, will take some beating:

On August 28th, 2005, Prof Barry [Professor of English, NUIG] sent an e-mail to heads of departments and centres in which he said he had been asked to

"organise a process whereby disciplines of the faculty, to assist in the determination of the particular area of expertise to be designated in filling the permanent academic posts in women's studies, be invited to suggest areas which would complement areas of existing expertise with a view to strengthening that expertise and further developing the research strengths of the university".

Now, figure that one out!

Our Lenten Programme

You will recall that, for Lent last year, we joined forces with St. Nicholas' parishioners and we shared five Lenten Session in the Church here. We chose a sacrament for each session and explored its development in both traditions. We will attempt a similar Programme this year.

I had asked you to submit topics for possible discussion. While quite a few suggestions were received, no noticeable consensus emerged. Rev'd Patrick Towers conducted a similar (though less scientific) exploration among his crowd, resulting in a similarly unhelpful outcome!

So we were faced with those dilemma: what Lenten Topic (loosely understood!) would be of interest to both traditions? A history of the whole Lenten phenomenon might well be of interest. But for five weeks? Hardly. The Holy Week Ceremonies in both Churches? How do they compare? What are the specific emphases peculiar to the Catholic and Protestant traditions, respectively? How about exploring the Jewish roots of Easter? The Paschal Meal, and so on.

Having talked ourselves to a standstill (well, Patrick talked me to a standstill!) we came up with the following programme:

(You will notice that we missed out on one Tuesday, March 27th. The reason for this 'skip' is that the Seder Meal cannot be celebrated before April 2nd or after April 8th this year). This is the night on which the Jewish People throughout the world will celebrate the Seder Meal. It will give the people of both our traditions, Catholic and Protestant, a good practical insight into our common Jewish origins. I will provide you with a more detailed break-down of the Seder Meal closer to the event itself.

We would appreciate your giving us a bit of notice if you intend to take part in these sessions. But this is not absolutely essential. However, we must prepare materials and it would be great if we had some idea of how many people we had to cater for. We would aim to have a printed copy of reading material available for each individual.

The Sessions, lasting no more than an hour-and-a-half each, will begin at 8.00pm. They will follow the pattern set last year: (1) a brief hand-out to aid personal reflection; (2) short discussion; (3) a 20- minute presentation, shared by Dick Lyng and Patrick Towers; (4) a 20-minute small-group discussion; (5) and a general Open Forum where questions and observations will be explored. Please bring these sessions to the attention of your friends (but especially of your enemies!).

Ash Wednesday, 2004

Blacked again with ash of palm
smudged as one remembering death
dust thou art and dust you're from
soon, too soon, the final breath!

Contrite, humble, feel your sin!
millions sick and millions dead.
Repent! and once again begin;
leave heart of stone and feet of lead.

If you would know the truth for me
Lent can last the whole year long!
It's AIDs, the flu or H-I-V -
each night to misery belongs.

This time I shall make others work,
finance their staffs
and let the lengthening Lent
light up life's little laughs.

-Harold Macdonald.

The late Lisebet Eliot

Lisebet Eliot, who was a regular here at the 11.00 Mass (and especially at tea afterwards) on Sunday morning, died in Sweden this week. She returned to Sweden a few years ago but always kept in touch with what was happening here. May she rest in peace.

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