Sunday Newsletter

Masses Today

6.30: Bridie McKinley, (Anniv).
11.00: Deceased members of the Choir, (Anniv).
6.30: Michael John O'Connor, (Anniv).

As I Was Saying...

Thirty eight years ago this week, on July 20, 1969, history was unmistakably made. A man set foot on the moon. The myth of 'The Man in the Moon' had exercised the human imagination. Now reality had caught up with the myth. With his measured remark, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" Neil Armstrong did his best to put words on the moment. That morning was filled with optimism. Even the Irish Summer was sunny that year! The future was a flower for picking!

In the 38 years since, space exploration has not exactly progressed along a straight line. There were many spectacular and tragic failures. The optimistic euphoria of 1969 has long vanished. However, only a few days ago NASA unveiled a space probe to explore the planet Mars in search of some signs of life. When one of the scientists was asked why he wanted to explore Mars, he said, 'Because it is there,' echoing the immortal reply given by the mountaineer concerning Mount Everest.

Now I think that's a really crazy reason for doing anything: 'Why did you put your hand in the fire?' 'Because it's there.' Without doubt the urge to push back the limits of the possible has produced amazing advances in science and discovery. But carried too far it encourages a kind of determinism: whatever is possible, we must do it. Hence, Mars is there, so we must put someone on it. That's the scientific challenge.

The moral question is quite different: rather than 'can we put someone on Mars?' Why not: 'Should we be spending vast sums on trying to put someone on Mars while a large section of humanity still lives without the bare necessities of life?' Should we not first conquer this planet, using our technical expertise to make it totally habitable before we go wandering off to others? Is not this our moral challenge?

'Is there intelligent life elsewhere in the universe?' The answer to this question has fascinating religious implications. The chances are that we are not alone. So what about Christianity which says that God became man in a particular place here on earth? Would we then we be talking about many Christs for many worlds? One day that question might keep theology professors awake at night, and a welcome distraction from the greater questions concerning the Latin Mass and Protestants!

We will probably never know whether we are alone in the universe. But suppose that the twelve thousand million years of cosmic uproar eventually produced just us. Then this earth must be a thing of infinite preciousness. How crazy we are then in our systematic despoliation of Mother Earth, hastening the day when we render it uninhabitable.

And if we human beings have unique rarity value in the universe, why are we busy killing and oppressing one another? It would be tragic, if the final judgment, assuming there is anyone out there to make it, should be that planet earth is the madhouse of the universe. From this particular point on our long but incomplete journey, that judgment would find much evidence to support it. Can this generation modify that evidence? This is now our challenge.

-Dick Lyng

Items of Some Interest

Care & Repair

Age Action is the national organisation which works to improve the quality of life of all older people. They have now established a very interesting 'Care & Repair' Programme. This has been put in place to carry out 'odd jobs' for the older person (over 65). The pilot phase of the programme is being run in the Dublin Docklands area and Galway City. It is intended to roll out the programme nationally over the next 3 years.

Volunteers are of all ages and both sexes. Some offer specialist skills (e.g. electrical or joinery expertise), whilst others are interested in DIY generally and are willing to give advice and support.

Jobs range from replacing light bulbs to fitting door chains and spy-holes or smoke alarms, putting up shelves, moving light pieces of furniture across a room, and taking down and putting up curtains. Volunteers in effect provide a willing pair of helping hands to do a variety of small tasks that an older person may find difficult to do.

A 'job' is expected to take no longer than an hour, though many small tasks may be undertaken during a visit. Our Service is free of charge, as the client only pays for materials used. For further information, contact Age Action West 3 Lower Abbeygate Street, Galway Tel: 091 539 887

One Man's Brush with The Latin Mass

I don't think there need be too much consternation concerning the 'reintroduction' of the Latin Mass. Some years ago, the late Cardinal Hume designated certain churches in the Archdiocese of Westminster as places where the old rite could be used on Sundays.

St Dominic's Priory here was one of these churches. When it began, it was fairly well attended, but after a few years was phased out through lack of numbers. We were fortunate here as several of the brethren knew how to celebrate it. But there were difficulties.

We managed a Missa cantata every Sunday and at Easter a Solemn High Mass. There were complaints because we did not wear birettas and we were told that members of the Latin Mass Society stayed away because we did not use the old liturgical calendar. Had we done so, there would have been serious difficulties. For instance, on the Solemnity of the Assumption, the old calendar celebrated the 'Mass of the Dedication of a Church'. There is, however, in the 1962 Missal a Mass for the Assumption -Missa Signum Magnum in Coelo. Even so, when we used this, the server left in protest.

Can it seriously be thought that at a time when people are staying away from Mass, they will come to Church to listen to a priest whispering Latin with his back to the people? When the novelty has worn off, the numbers are likely to drop, though doubtless there will be a solid core who prefer it.

(Fr) Denis Geraghty OP London NW5

Music Fusion

This is a two week music course in Oranmore Girl's School. Its aim is to promote music performance for second level students and support music development in the more general community. For more information, phone 087 6959212 or visit www.musicfusiongalway.com.

The Rainy Day

(Again, in honour of the Summer we're having!)

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the moldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the moldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

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