May 10, 2012
You’d be hard pressed to find a country which has been traditionally more Catholic than Spain. It’s been at the centre of the story of the Church for hundreds of years, but in recent times it has faced many of the same challenges we have in Ireland and England. There has been a falling off in attendance, an aging of the parish congregations and of course a dramatic drop in vocations. Times however seem to be changing, most especially on the last issue.
A still from one of the Bishops’ campaigns
The bishops of Spain have launched themselves into the world of social media and their work around vocations has gone viral. They’ve posted a number of videos on Youtube to mark the country’s Seminary Day on May 19th. Faces of different men appear on screen saying things like, “I can’t promise you a life of adventure, but I can promise you one that will be exciting.” As the camera pulls back we see that the men are priests. This year in Spain there has been a 4.2% increase in men coming forward for the priesthood. A modest increase, but when placed in the context of an almost continuous freefall over the past years it’s a significant result.
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Parishioners from our MSC Parish in England at WYD in Madrid
But where is this shift coming from. Is it a result of the economic downturn in Spain at the moment? Is it part of a wider spiritual awakening that may have been prompted by events like World Youth Day in Madrid last year? What is clear is that there is a need for people to come forward to devote themselves in a special way to following Christ. There is a need for people who have a passion of the Gospel message, a heart sustained by faith and compassion and courage to go out to the whole world.
For more information on the situation in Spain check out this week’s edition of The Tablet.
Apr 27, 2012
A modern take on Caravaggio's Call of St. Matthew
“God encounters us ever anew, in the men and women who reflect His presence, in His Word, in the Sacraments and in the Eucharist“. Pope Benedict XVI
This coming Sunday is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. It’s an annual event where the universal Church comes together to pray in a united way that men and women will be raised up by their communities to serve God in a special way as priests, sisters and brothers. It’s about a life of service, compassion and love. It’s about being open to hearing God’s call and resonding as best we can, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”
On Sunday I’ll be part of a group celebrating a vocations event in Killarney ( You’ll find all the details below of this and a number of other events around Ireland ). We’re planning an afternoon based on the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. It’s perhaps one of the best stories in the Bible to illustrate the call of God in our lives. It begins with two disciples leaving Jerusalem, after the events of Holy Week. They’re on their way home, but in reality they are truly lost. All their dreams, their hopes had come to nothing, ending in a violent and inexplicable death on a cross. It’s not long before they Jesus himself catches up to them and continues to journey with them. He listens to their story, he hears the pain of their loss, but he challenges them to open their heart to the real meaning of His life and death. It’s only when they stop for the night at Emmaus and during the breaking of the bread that they realise who He is. The two disciples who return to Jerusalem are fundamentally different from the ones who left it earlier that day.
A number of things strike me about that story. Firstly when the disciples meet Jesus on the road He has caught up with them and slows to their pace to hear their story. His revelation is gradual. He listens to what they have to say. He doesn’t reveal himself immediately, but using their experience he shows them how His life, death and resurrection were inextricably bound together. We’re told that their hearts burned within them as they walked along the road. How often has Christ journeyed at your side, particularly when you’ve felt lost, guiding you and watching over you? More often than not we haven’t been able to discern His presence until afterwards.
Next when they reach Emmaus Jesus makes as if to travel on, but at their invitation he stays for a meal. When we speak of vocation we are really talking about invitation. God first extends the invitation to us as His children, calling us to serve Him and one another in love. But this can only take effect when we accept it. God will never force us or coerce us in how we choose to live our lives, however in responding generously to Him we have the opportunity to make a real difference in our world. The Gospel message of compassion, forgiveness and faith has never been more relevant.
Finally we have that wonderful moment of revelation in the breaking of bread. Because of their openness to God, even in spite of their doubts, the two disciples finally recognise that Jesus had been with them all along. As soon as they realise it though He leaves them, because He has achieved what He set out to do. Their eyes have been opened and their faith has been restored. At the beginning of the story they didn’t know where they were going, but now the direction is clear and they immediately return to the other disciples to share the good news. As the disciples recognised Jesus in the breaking of the bread maybe we can open our eyes to recognising Him in one another. Maybe we can look at those around us with new eyes, seeing people who are called, who are beloved, who are touched by the divine.
Killarney Vocations Event
Join with us on this World Day of Prayer for Vocations for an Emmaus pilgrimage through the ground of the beautiful Muckross Park. We’ll begin at Muckross Abbey, at 1.00pm, with a short prayer service. We’ll then walk the three miles to the Franciscan Friary for Mass led by Fr. Alan Neville MSC. This will be followed by refreshements. (transport available from Railway Station car park to Muckross from 12.15 pm)
All are welcome
Enquiries: 086 7857955
Dublin Vocations Event – Clontarf
WHERE: Â At the statue of Our Lady of the Port of Dublin, Dollymount, Clontarf for an hour of prayer for vocations. All are welcome.
WHEN: Sunday  29th April 2012     3.00pm -4.00 pm
Dublin Vocations Event – Blackrock
On the 29th of April 2012 at 5pm, you are invited for a Hour of Prayer for Vocations in the Chapel of Adoration, Disciples of the Divine Master,White’s Cross, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
Limerick Vocations Event
A Eucharistic celebration to mark World Day of Prayer for Vocations will take place in St. Michael’s Church Limerick at 4pm. All are welcome to attend.
Armagh Vocations Event – Mellifont Parish
There will be an hour of Eucharistic adoration from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Church of the Assumption, Tullyallen on this special day of prayer for vocations, Sunday April 29th.
Mar 20, 2012
BHA's Atheist Bus Campaign
I remember living in our parish in St. Albans when the British Humanist Association’s bus advertising campaign came out. Eight hundred buses ran throughout the UK for a number of weeks with the slogan, ‘There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.’ As usual the ensuing debate, stirred up by the media, generated more heat than light. What struck me though was not BHA’s claim that there was no God, but that I should stop worrying and start to enjoy my life. This bit of hyperbole caused me some concern. It implied those of us who believed in God were a worrisome, scrupulous, miserable bunch. It was a fascinating observation, staggering in the extent of its arrogance. Perhaps as a priest I would have to be particularly overwhelmed with the burdens of faith, incapable of wringing the smallest atom of enjoyment out of life. Many people today believe that the life of a priest is too challenging and difficult. Traditionally parents would have encouraged their son to explore a vocation to priesthood and religious life. These days it seems they actively discourage it because they fear their child would be unhappy. (more…)
Mar 14, 2012
What do the vows offer to our world today?
Very often I’m asked “Should priests be allowed to marry.” “Only if they really love each other,” I reply. It’s an old joke in response to an increasingly popular question. The evangelical counsels or the vows, as they are popularly known, are seen by society at large as increasingly anachronistic. We live in a world that values money, sex and power above all, so we must ask do the vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience have anything to offer? (more…)
Mar 12, 2012
Flash Mob Outside Notre Dame de Paris in January
‘Flash mobs,’ said Fr. Jim, our resident artist and proud Kerryman. Thus started another lunchtime conversation in the community of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. We tend to follow a stream of consciousness approach to mealtime discussions, which is a polite way of saying that we go all over the place. Over mashed potato and bacon we could end up talking about how Ireland and Wales ( in deference to Fr. Roger – our resident Welshman by way of Australia ) are doing the Six Nations, the Republican primaries or just about anything really. (more…)
