Sunday Newsletter

Masses Today

6.30: Willie Conneely (Month's Mind).
11.00: Pascal Ayres, Merchant's Road, (Anniv).

As I Was Saying...

Seán Brady has been archbishop of Armagh for ten years. He is said to be a shy, personable and pastoral priest with a low profile. The reasons for his low profile were not of his making. His predecessor, Cardinal Cathal Daly, had a very high media profile. He was an articulate academic with strong views. He was trenchant in his opposition to the IRA and indeed to all men of violence. Since atrocities were so prevalent on his watch, he was never far from the headlines. Even after his retirement, Daly's views on a wide range of subjects were eagerly canvassed. Consequently, Brady's first few years as archbishop were overshadowed.

Rome didn't help his cause. In 2001, Rome bypassed Armagh and favoured Dublin with the Red Hat. This had not happened since 1882. Some argued that Armagh already had a Red Hat. But perhaps the real reasons were to be found in Dublin. Desmond Connell was going through a torrid time in Dublin with the sex abuse scandals. The Red Hat was a clear signal of Roman support for the beleaguered prelate.

However, as Dr. Brady was slowly finding his Episcopal 'sea-legs', a Vatican 'big-hitter' was appointed to Dublin. Diarmuid Martin (58) was Permanent Observer of the Holy See in Geneva, at the United Nations Office and Specialised Agencies and at the World Trade Organisation. Here was a man with serious ecclesiastical form! With his appointment to Dublin in 2003, the pendulum of attention would swing from Armagh to Dublin once more. And, once again, Seán Brady found himself in the shade.

He did, however, hit the headlines this week. He delivered a well-crafted homily at the closing of the annual Novena at Knock. Among other things he said

"We inhabit a culture of insecurity and fear. You see this in our fascination with property and wealth; in the anxiety about house prices, in our fascination with fast cars and the consumption of the latest and the best; in our obsession with image and sexual fulfillment. Yet we now live with the consequences in terms of stress and strain, an alarming increase in substance abuse and eating disorders, and most tragically of all, suicide among the young. The truth is that more and more people are becoming trapped by the illusion of being able to control the future completely. They have put their trust in an illusion that will not satisfy."

Another symptom of this insecurity, he stated almost as an aside, was our growing fascination with astrology and clairvoyants. The media seized upon this minor ingredient and used it to trivialise the entire homily. The otherwise excellent content was buried beneath such trivial headlines as 'Crystal Balls!' The media is an ambiguous fickle friend. But, ironically, we may never have heard of the homily but for the 'astrology' reference. Unlike the clairvoyant, Archbishop Brady probably saw it coming!

-Dick Lyng

Items of Some Interest

Thank You

I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who attended, organised and contributed to the success of my Simple Profession.

For me it was a deeply moving experience which I was honoured to share with my family, friends, the Augustinians and the Parish here in Galway.

Special thanks to the choir who, on short notice, did such a fantastic job. Also, thank you to the Galway Community for hosting my Simple Profession and for their continuing support.

God Bless,
Bro. Colm O'Mahony, OSA.

Religious Knowledge

Those optimists who discern a growth of interest in things religious and theological will find support in some statistics released this week in the UK. More students than ever have taken Religious Studies A level this year, as the subject continues to enjoy a revival in popularity in the UK. More than 19,000 candidates sat the exam, 1,000 more than 2006, and more than double the figure from 10 years ago. This year 98.7 per cent of students passed the exam.

Oona Stannard, chief executive of the Catholic Education Service, has praised the trend, saying: "An understanding of religion remains as vital in contemporary society as it ever has and the excellent results are a marker of how students engage with the highly relevant subject matter." She went on to commend the overall A level scores among Catholic schools as "a clear indication of the quality of the students and their educational experience in the Catholic sector."

In London, Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School in Kensington was the topachieving Catholic comprehensive. Christ the King Sixth Form College in Lewisham, which is among 20 per cent of the most deprived local authorities in the country, achieved a 98.4 per cent pass rate.

Interested in Matters of Faith?

This course begins in October 2007 at the Sligo Campus. St. Angela's College are offering a two-year part time Diploma in Applied Theology (Pastoral Ministry).

Graduates from this course have ranged in age from 18 to 70 and have come from a variety of professions and backgrounds. They have given this particular programme a resounding endorsement. It is recommended in particular to those who would like to know the basic teachings of the faith, enhance their personal and faith life, and to help the church at this time of change.

The programme runs three Tuesday nights each month and a few Saturday's during the academic year. Classes take place in a relaxed interactive atmosphere with field trips, guest lecturers and personal tuition.

For further information, contact St. Angela's College at (071) 9143580 or (087) 6894467 Closing date for applications is September 7th, 2007.

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