Kenyan orphans holiday at Manresa

The Tertianship building in Manresa was the venue this August for a holiday for fifteen orphan children from Kenya who are HIV positive. It was organised by Kenya Orphan Aid, an Irish charity set up to support the work begun by a Jesuit priest in Kenya, Fr D’Angelo D’Agostino. In 1992 he founded a home for these children in Nairobi, and through its outreach programme it now assists thousands of other children in surrounding slums. The Manresa holiday was a huge success, with the children enjoying a wide range of sports and excursions. Below is the account of Geraldine Martin of Kenya Orphan Aid.

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Zimbabwean Jesuit completes internship with JRS Ireland

Ignatius Makumborenga SJ, a Zimbabwean scholastic, completed an internship with JRS Ireland in August. He is currently studying theology at Centres Sevres in Paris. He has a long-standing interest in the plight of refugees, having completed a Masters in Forced Migration in the University of Witwatersrand (South Africa) in 2005. Previously he worked with JRS Rwanda-Burundi during his regency (2002-2003, 2005-2006) and with JRS Zambia during his novitiate. In his future ministry he hopes to work in the social apostolate.

Ignatian Lutherans

Fr Brian O’Leary SJ has just returned from directing (together with two sister directors) a group of Lutheran pastors in an Ignatian retreat in Gothenburg, Sweden. The initiative came from an ecumenical Ignatian association named Kompass, whose guiding spirit is Sister Adelheid (82), a German Sacred Heart sister (pictured here on the right of Brian and his fellow-director Sr Helen McLaughlin). Over the years they have organised several Ignatian retreats in Gothenburg, and this year’s followed the pattern: eight full days of silence, no general talks apart from the homily at Mass, but a daily period of direction for each retreatant, many of them experienced directors themselves. Read more »

The Pope and Lonergan

Gerry Whelan SJ, who teaches theology at the Gregorian University, has just published an article in ‘La Civiltà Cattolica’ entitled: “The Continuing Significance of Bernard Lonergan”. It takes as its starting-point a photograph, from Osservatore Romano in May 2008, of Frederico Lombardi SJ, the director of the Vatican press office and the head of Vatican Radio, presenting Pope Benedict with a copy of a new Italian translation of Insight by Bernard Lonergan SJ. “Who is this Bernard Lonergan,” Gerry asks, “and why is he important enough to spark the interest of Pope Benedict?” Read the full article below.

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Pilgrims ponder

Last week’s AMDG Express carried an account by Fergus O’Donoghue SJ of the Ignatian Journey which he helped to lead in Spain this August. Based on the story of St Ignatius’ life, this pilgrimage made a strong impact on the thirty-four Irish people who undertook it. One of them – Deirdre Soffe, Director of the Partnership in Mission office – writes here of the terrific camaraderie and of the profound insights they gained into the life and mind of St Ignatius Loyola. Click on ‘Read more’ below. Read more »

First Profession

Irish Jesuit Maurice King (front right in photo) took his First Vows at a ceremony in the Noviciate in Birmingham on Monday, 8 September. There was a strong Irish presence at the event – Frs John Looby, Conall Ó Cuinn, Edmond Grace, and John Dardis, Provincial (back row in photo). The Profession ceremony had an international flavour. Eddie Cosgrave read the second reading in Irish with a Conamara blas; Wauter Blesgraaf from the Netherlands took vows in Dutch; and they sang a new setting of “Take and receive” composed by a South African novice, Grant Tunday. Pictured in the front row with Maurice are (left to right) Eddie Cosgrave, who is entering second year, and Shane Daly, who is starting his noviciate along with five others from different provinces.

Sporting Jesuit boys and girls

Former pupils from Jesuit schools were pioneers of carbon-neutral rugby this summer. They were on the panel of Leinster who, in association with Ecocem & Emission Zero, agreed to offset a certain tonnage of carbon emissions for every try, penalty, drop goal and conversion scored by either team. On the panel were Cian Healy, Paul O’Donohoe and Owen O’Malley from Belvedere, Robert Kearney and Fergus McFadden (pictured) from Clongowes, and Kevin McLaughlin from Gonzaga. Leinster beat top Australian rugby touring side Queensland Reds: 48-19. Jesuit girls also starred recently. Zoe Mannion, Clare Howley, Georgina Rushe and Jane Foley, from the Colaiste Iognáid Rowing Club, were on the Irish women’s Junior 8 team which won gold at the Home Countries International Regatta in Cardiff, beating England, Scotland and Wales.

Short notices

• After a summer of refurbishment, Campion House in Hatch Street is opening its doors again this week to a community of three: John Dardis, Patrick Hume (pictured right, in a window in Campion House) and John O’Keeffe.
• The Gardiner St Gospel Choir will recommence on Sunday 14 Sept at 7.30pm.  It will be led by the new musical director, Mr Aidan Greene. All are welcome.
• Dermot Brangan reports from Tokyo: “Bill Johnston has now spent two months in a hospital bed. His doctor detected some irregularity in Bill’s heart and has asked for and been given leave to insert a pacemaker. It’s a small operation and the doctor anticipates no complications. Frankly, I can see no change in Bill’s condition.”
• Number 44 Sandford Road (almost opposite Loyola), known as The Annex for accommodating Jesuit visitors to Dublin this summer, has served its purpose and we have moved out of it.
• As the Milltown Institute starts lectures this week, after orientation last week, it rejoices in a new acting president. Fr Conn Casey, former Vincentian Provincial, has just taken over from Finbarr Clancy.
• Studies and The Iona Institute are sponsoring a third Public Lecture at 8 p.m. on Thursday, October at the Davenport Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin 2. Professor Keith Ward, an Anglican priest and fellow of the British Academy, will speak on: Is Religion Dangerous? (the title of one of his twenty books). Admission free. If you wish to attend the lecture please email or phone 01-6619204.
• Walt Kilroy, Jesuit Solidarity Scholar based at the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, is making a field trip to Sierra Leone for the month of September, to look at the reintegration of former combatants following the civil war there. Readers can look forward to a report on Walt’s return.
• Two corrections to items in last week’s AMDG Express. We underestimated the worldwide membership of Christian Life Communities: the actual number is over 30,000 – with apologies to Michaael O. Gallagher. And we saluted Brendan McManus as a Track Tutor, when in fact he is a Class Tutor. Sorry, Brendan.