Sunday Newsletter

Masses Today

6.30 (Vigil) Sean Cooke, (Anniv).
11.00: Joseph Kelly (Bowling Green), (Anniv).
6.30: Carter Brothers, (Anniv).

As I Was Saying...

Of all the tragic characters in Greek mythology, the most threatening was Cassandra. The god Apollo gave her a wonderful gift - the ability to foretell the future - then followed it up with a terrible curse - no one would ever believe her!

Can't you imagine Cassandra standing there inside the walls of Troy, yelling, "No, no, whatever you do, don't haul that bloody horse in here!" But would they listen?

We usually associate pessimists with Cassandra: always forecasting doom and gloom! But, in doing so, we are placing ourselves firmly in the camp of that pessimist, because Cassandra was always right! It is the optimists who collude in the curse of Cassandra - through ignoring her. If no one listens to warnings, the prophets of doom will be right. But if people listen, they will see the train coming down the line and step off the track in time. We still have a chance to lift the curse of Cassandra!

But our own home-grown Cassandras have had a busy few weeks. According to them, disasters in abundance lie ahead. There's a story doing the rounds concerning a man shipwrecked on a desert island. He had been there for months before a boat sailed into the bay. It put down a dinghy and a sailor made his way to the shore. When the sailor got there, he handed the man a copy of the Irish Times, the Irish Independent and The Examiner. "The captain thought you might like to read these before you decided to be rescued", he said.

It's fatal of course to analyse a joke, but there are obviously two elements to this one. The first is the idea that a solitary life living on coconuts and water would be better than life in post- Celtic Tiger Ireland. The second is the baleful influence of the media, with their insatiable appetite for bad news.

Of course, in many ways the news isn't good. But, as always, those destined to suffer most from static incomes and rising prices are those already living on the edge. But for many of us, doom and disaster, financially speaking, seem low on the realistic agenda. If 'hardship' means no overseas holiday this year, then that word has lost its sting.

Nevertheless, recent events induce in us not so much panic, as helplessness. We can't see what we can do to improve matters. Yet there are two things we should try. We must first recognise that the situation we are now in is not the product of blind chance or an 'act of God'. It is simply another demonstration of the biblical principle: 'As you sow, so shall you reap'. Or, to paraphrase our own Cassandra, George Lee, 'You've had your fun; now you must pay for it'.

The second approach requires of us a generous concern for those now most at risk: those on welfare, or low wages, and with minimal bargaining power. This is about concern for the most vulnerable among us. If belts must be tightened, we should not look first to those who are on the last notch already. In this way, perhaps, we may avoid the more dire predictions of Cassandra, leaving her with some egg on her face instead!

-Dick Lyng

The 'And' Syndrome

And it hath come to pass, in these latter times, that a plague of 'ands' hath descended on the priests of our land. And at Mass the disease strikes. And the Lord be with you. And this is the Word of the Lord. And let us pray. And may almighty God bless you ... And it seems as if the text of the Mass has become, like this paragraph, one long sentence linked by ampersands. And few priests, whether of high or low degree, seem to be immune from this plague. And it seems to take away from the strength and meaning of the text by attaching everything to that which immediately precedes it. 'And this is the word of the Lord' comes across as both doubtful grammar - and nonsense. And priests might examine themselves to see if they have caught the disease. And pay attention to the humble period which ends sentences, giving structured meaning to the sacred texts. And the Lord be with you. And also with you.

Enna Condon, St. Mary's, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

Language and Literature

LONDON - A British student who scribbled an expletive on an English Language exam paper was awarded 7.5 per cent for accurate spelling and effective communication, The Times newspaper reported yesterday.

The pupil, who wrote "f--k off" after being asked in an English exam to "describe the room you are sitting in", got two marks out of 27 and would have got more if he had 'observed the proper rules of punctuation', chief examiner Peter Buckroyd told The Times.

- (Reuters)

The late Noreen Duncan

Noreen Carr was born in Galway 95 years ago. (Her father was a brother of Eileen Carr's late husband, Roddy). She was a true Galwegian, with burial rights in Forthill cemetery. But she forfeited those rights when she permitted an east Galway native to lure her from the comforts of city life. She married Cyril Duncan from Kilconnell, near Ballinasloe in the late 1930s. They had two sons, Brian and Dermot. Both opted for law as a career, the former in Dublin and the latter in Galway. Understandably, Noreen was enormously proud of both.

Cyril Duncan died in 1976 and Noreen reconnected with her early life when she returned to her native city in 1986. She became part of the city landscape once again. A diminutive figure, she seemed to be staring at the ground as she rushed around the city. But that downward glance was deceptive: she missed nothing! And, for a woman who always appeared to be in a perpetual hurry, she could talk all day. And she often did! She was endlessly curious and, like most curious people, she was very well informed. She made friends easily and retained them faithfully. Her chats around the city kept her up to speed on local matters, while her regular trips to the library kept her keen mind alert and her horizons broad.

I will always associate Noreen with faithfulness and energetic chat. Both traits often coincided outside the door of the Augustinian at an early hour. At one time it fell to the priest who said the 8.30 Mass to open the Church. This duty slot was known as 'Dawn Patrol'. Some are liable to show up at 7.40 for 8.30 Mass. They expect to find the Church open.

This was not always so. I distinctly remember waking up at ten past eight and realising that it was my turn on 'dawn patrol'. I rushed down as hastily as nature permits at that hour. I was about to pull the bolt on the door when I suddenly realised that there was a mighty conversation going on outside. The topic for discussion was 'Who do you think is on duty'. Then I heard an unmistakable voice say, "It must be Father Lyng. I have yet to see him in time for anything!" The voice of course belonged to Noreen. In fact this opened up a whole new world to me. There is far more to be learned about the parish in those final few minutes before opening than can be gleaned from years of parish visitation!

Noreen saw the funny side of the incident, as only an inveterate talker would. But it neither stopped her talking or attending the 8.30 Mass.

It was sad to see this active, busy woman decline so quickly. The body faded as the mind dimmed. However, in many ways she had lived a blessed 95 years. She had enjoyed great health. She reared a loving family and had made many faithful friends along the road. To paraphrase St. Paul, 'she had fought the good fight, she had run the race, she had kept the faith.' She will be greatly missed by Brian and Dermot and their families.

She will also be missed in the Augustinian. She was almost part of the furniture here. She was an outstanding example of Christian faithfulness. May she rest in peace.

Summer Festival Review

Thanks to all the volunteers who showed up on Wednesday night last for our Summer Festival Review. All found it a productive and worthwhile exercise. Unfortunately, there is one important element that we are unable to control: the Irish weather! We agreed that, having conceded that we are unable to control it, we should resolve to 'draw its sting'. We agreed to explore the possibility of investing in another couple of big tents. Thanks to all who helped and attended.

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