Maurice Keogh, the uncle of novice Maurice King, has been tragically killed in a motor accident – a tree fell on his car – in England. Maurice’s son, the father of three young children, was critically injured. Please remember them in your prayers.
In this holiday month of August, people are planning all sorts of missions. Simon Deasy has been accepted for a two-year placement with the JRS in Sri Lanka. He will prepare for it with an orientation course in Rome in September. Josephine Keogh from Gorey and Dermot Bradley from Rochfortbridge are readying themselves for a spell as volunteers in Africa by observing a pig farm in Kilkenny. Finally a community newspaper called “Northside People West” features three young people who will be living together in a Jesuit Volunteers community through the coming year.
On Tuesday 5th August Seán O’Connor, an Irish friend of Fr Bill Johnston, visited him in his Tokyo hospital and found him significantly improved. He was able to converse quite fluently even though his speech was not completely coherent. He had good movement in both arms. He had been moved from intensive care to a high dependency unit, and was going on to a general ward the following day. He spoke only in English, even though his nurses were using Japanese. His eyes lit up when told how his friends in Ireland remember him in prayer. Overall he has shown a remarkable recovery from a critical state four weeks ago, and that even before he has physio- or speech therapy.
Trócaire, 15.7.08: The Loyola School in Wau, South Sudan, was forced to close over twenty years ago during the on-going civil war. Many of its students fled Sudan and the army soon took over the building. The building, now picturesque and tranquil on the side of a hill overlooking the town, was the site of many horrific events including torture, rape and the slaughter of civilians. But after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, the army moved out, and the school was handed back to the Jesuits, who in July 2008 reopened for the first time since 1987.
Fr Seamus Dunican, parish priest of Rahan-Killina in Co. Offaly, is keen to maintain the memory of the Jesuit presence in Tullabeg. He extends an invitation to all Jesuits to attend the annual blessing of the graves in the parish on Tuesday, 12 August at 6.30pm and to a meal in his house beforehand, at 5.00pm. As well as being an occasion of prayer and remembrance, it is an opportumity to meet old friends. Anyone interested in attending should contact Stephen Redmond SJ at 01-8693374.
