Joe Palmisano’s ordination

Irish School of Ecumenics student, Joe Palmisano SJ, had his priesthood ordination in Fairfield Connecticut on Saturday 14th June 2008. Joe was joined by his Superior, Fergus O’Keeffe, SJ and two other companions from Ireland, who were warmly welcomed by the New England Provincial, Tom Regan. Over 100 Jesuit priests attended, as well as Bishop Lori of Bridgeport, Connecticut and Archbishop Larry Burke, SJ, former bishop of Kingston, Jamaica. See the Fairfield University Press release: Fairfield; for photos of the event, see: PicasaWeb.

Novices in Galway

Two Jesuit novices from Birmingham, Grant Tungay in first year and Wouter Blesgraaf in second year, are on work experience in Galway until Saturday, July 19th. They are working with Sr. Margaret McFadden, LSA, who organizes activities for children in Bohermore/Rahoon area – a disadvantaged area of Galway- and subsequently organizes holidays for the same families. In their spare time they have worked with St Vincent De Paul Society here in Galway, helping out in the running of the shop. [Photo: Wouter, left, and Grant, right]

Morrissey book ready

Fr. Todd Morrissey SJ has completed his latest book on “Irish Jesuits in Hong Kong, China, Macau, and Singapore, 1926-2006.” A long work with over 100 photos, it is being published by the Jesuit Francis Xavier Press and will be launched in 2009, to mark the 90 years since the foundation of Wah Yan College. It is hoped to have a minor launch in Ireland later in 2009.

Whelan on Kenya

Gerry Whelan SJ is back from Rome to spend the summer in Dublin. He attended the Province retreat last week and is currently helping out in two parishes in Dublin. Although currently teaching fundamental theology in Rome’s Gregorian University, he spent the last six years as pastor of a poor parish in Nairobi, Kenya. In the last year Gerry has had two articles published in La Civiltà Cattolica, on his reflections on the situation in Kenya and the role of small Christian communities. Click on ‘Read more’ below to see the first of the two articles: ‘Christian Hope and the African City’. We will publish the second article next week. Read more »

End of the line for Slí Eile pilgrims

Over the past five years young adults involved in Slí Eile have been walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in stages. This year the pilgrimage reached its climax. A ten-strong Slí Eile group made their great entrance into the city of Santiago in the company of many hundreds of other pilgrims. Below are the personal stories of two of the group. If you’d like to know more about Slí Eile pilgrimages, email Slí Eile Ballymun or call them at 01-8625345. Read more »

Critics applaud Jesuit’s literary debut

Nigerian Jesuit Uwem Akpan has garnered considerable critical acclaim for his book of short stories, Say you’re one of them, published this week. He first attracted attention three years ago, when a lengthy short story of his was published in the New Yorker. That story, ‘An Ex-mas Feast’, opens his current collection, and it establishes the themes and sets the tone for the rest. The stories are powerful but disturbing insights into the perilous lives of the dispossessed children of Africa – lives of homelessness, begging, prostitution, glue-sniffing, HIV/AIDs – all narrated by the children themselves. For more about Akpan, see the book’s website, an interview and an essay in the New Yorker, and the Amazon.co.uk page.

Letter of Provincial concerning GC35 decrees

John Dardis SJ, Irish Jesuit Provincial, writes to the Province on the occasion of the official release of the decrees of General Congregation 35. For a useful summary of the decrees, see the Australian Province Express.

Father General has now officially issued the documents of General Congregation 35 and they are available on the Society’s website: www.sjweb.info/35/index.cfm. The delay in making them available was because of the difficulty in harmonising the three official texts (English, French and Spanish). Read more »

Refurbishing the Gardiner Street organ

Kenneth Jones & Co. are refurbishing the organ in St Francis Xavier’s church, Gardiner Street, to ensure that it will be in good condition for generations to come. It was renewed in 1976, but it suffered damage not merely from age but from dust during repairs to the church. The parish is grateful to the Jesuit Province, which is shouldering 50% of the cost.

Clongowes farm on show

In the 1931 Clongownian, Editor Arthur Little pictured a well-endowed shorthorn bull in his editorial, over the caption: “The only prize-winner in the community”. His flippancy seems to have cost him his editorial job, and the farm, 400 acres of prime Kildare land, learned to keep a low profile in Clongowes publications. In 1976 it began to establish a commercial dairy herd. Now, under the management of Pat Fanning, it boasts an outstanding milking herd of 550 cows, heifers and calves, and supplies milk to Glanbia all the year round, with an average of 8990 litres. The Irish Farmers Journal for 21 June gives a glowing write-up of the farm, which will be hosting the Open Day of the IFHA on 26 June.

Reflecting on the riches of GC35

Ron Mercier SJ, a US Jesuit, is leading the Irish Province retreat that takes place this week in Manresa Spirituality Centre, Dublin. The retreat is based on the documents of the recent GC35, and looks at its implications for Jesuit life as an “affirmation and a transition”. A moral theologian by training, Ron was the Dean of Theology at the University of Toronto’s Regis College for many years, before returning to his native New England province to coordinate their spirituality apostolate.

Lecture on canon law anniversary

On 25 June at 7.30pm, Professor Emeritus Frank Morrisey, OMI of St Paul’s University, Ottawa will speak on The Code of Canon Law – Twenty Five Years on. Father Frank Morrissey is an Ottawa-based Oblate priest, a professor of Canon Law at the Roman Catholic University of Saint Paul, who has gained international renown. This public lecture, under the auspices of the Milltown Institute, will be given in Milltown Park. For more information: (00353) 1-2776300. info@milltown-institute.ie www.milltown-institute.ie

Remembering Tom McCarthy SJ

Fr. Tom McCathy SJ was born in Co. Cork in 1915 and he entered the Society at Emo in 1937. He studied Arts at UCD before his philosophy and theology, and was ordained in Milltown Park in 1949. He taught in Clongowes Wood College for 8 years before going to St. Ignatius, Galway as Minister. Over the years, he also taught in the Crescent College and Gonzaga College, gave the Spiritual Exercises, and worked with the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Limerick. He went to Cherryfield Lodge in 2004 and despite deteriorating health, he enjoyed being out in the garden. He died peacefully on Wednesday, 18 June 2008, aged 92 years.

New Jesuit General debunks ‘black pope’ myth

In an exclusive interview given recently to the editors of Jesuit journals, Father Adolfo Nicolás, the new Superior General of the Society of Jesus, was questioned about the challenges now facing the Church, the Society and him personally. In this first of three parts published in the British Jesuit journal, Thinking Faith, Fr Nicolás talks of his surprise at his election and the change of perspective this has brought about in him. He outlines his desire – and the Church’s call – for the Society to be both loyal and creative, ruling out any ‘black pope’ implications. See: Thinking Faith.