New Socius

Before our next Express, Noel Barber will be Socius to the Provincial, taking up the job on 2nd February. The job of Socius is not mentioned in St Ignatius’ Constitutions, nor does it turn up in a search of the Ignatian Wiki website. Yet it is of great importance in a Jesuit Province. The Socius is the companion, secretary, sounding-board and friend of the Provincial in his onerous job. No socius in living memory has gone on to be Provincial. He is typically an approachable discreet Jesuit of high competence, with a small ego and a capacity for enduring stress. The strain of the job persuaded Paddy Meagher that he should move to calmer pastures. Philip Fogarty’s heart almost gave way under the pressures. John Dunne, who loved and suited the job remarkably, has gone to the Lord. What does Noel bring to the job? Read on… Read more »

Vatican II: fifty years on

To mark the 50th anniversary of the calling of the second Vatican Council, Brendan Staunton SJ will be guest lecturer in The Milltown Institute on Monday Feb 16 2009 at 8pm. Fr Staunton, who teaches psychoanalysis through art history, will talk about ‘Vatican II and Impressionism’. Earlier this week Brendan was interviewed on East Coast Radio, BBC, and RNN about the Council and Pope John. For a summary of his reflections on this subject, read the article below. Read more »

JCFJ trip studies support after prison

Tony O’Riordan SJ and Eoin Carroll, from the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, recently hosted a study trip to a number of support projects for people coming out of prison in London and Leicester. The travelling group consisted of several Irish prison chaplains and a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. They were deeply impressed with the mentoring system used by these projects, whereby each prisoner is ‘befriended’ and assisted in re-integrating in the community. Read more »

“Faith in crisis or in question?”

“Faith in Crisis or in Question?” is the theme for a series of weekly lectures beginning in the Milltown Institute, Sandford Rd., Dublin 6. The first, entitled ’Church and Society in Ireland – Historical Perspectives’, on Wednesday 11 Feb 2009 at 7pm, will be given by Louise Fuller of Maynooth NUI. Subsequent speakers will address topics such as ’Women in Christianity’ (Mary Malone, Toronto), ‘Are we following France? Patterns of Secularism in Ireland’ (Dr Patrick Claffey), and ’The Search for a Different Language: Thelogical Responses to Modernity’ ( Dr Jim Corkery SJ). For the full list, see the Milltown Institute website. The admission fee is €10 per night or €45 for the whole series.

Memories of Father Tom

Nine days after his 94th birthday Tom McMahon died peacefully on Saturday 24 January in Cherryfield, which he never tired of praising for the happiness and hope he enjoyed there. Not all his memories died with him. Apart from innumerable poems about his friends and enthusiasms, he has left a video clip (now on YouTube – also viewable on Jesuit.ie) taken from the DVD about the closing of the Sacred Heart Church in Limerick, and an interview about his life, made three years ago, which you can read below. His Limerick friends came in strength to his funeral, and he would have loved the sound of Cecilian voices filling the Milltown chapel. Read more »

Jes students on Kairos retreat

School chaplain Brendan McManus SJ was assisted by Conall O’Cuinn SJ in directing the Coláiste Iognáid (Jes) Kairos retreat, 23-26 January, held in Clongowes. Teachers Elaine Coffey and Liam Maughan, played a blinder for the second time, as did the student leaders. This unique peer-led Jesuit retreat, specifically designed for Jesuit schools, was very effective in helping Jes students reflect on their lives and find where God was in that. There was a series of talks on themes such as God’s friendship, leadership, and knowing yourself. A fresh look at piety was the new “cool”! Students shared their experiences in small groups and came together for liturgy and Eucharist.

North City choirs alive and well!

Last weekend choirs from Gardiner St, North William St and Iona Rd churches enjoyed a workshop on music ministry with Ian Callanan, who is a composer himself of some beautiful liturgical music. New songs were learned and old insights refreshed for the important ministry of liturgical music. Choirs have particular importance in churches reporting falling congregations.

Salvadoran Martyrs

A Spanish court has begun an investigation into the murder of six Jesuits (five of them Spanish citizens) and two laywomen in El Salvador in 1989. Although two soldiers were convicted in 1991 for their part in the killings, they were pardoned in 1993. Human rights groups had sought to make the former Salvadoran president, Alfredo Cristiani, part of the new investigation, but the court turned that application down. Should it result in charges against those believed to be involved in the murders, they could face a court in Spain because of an extradition treaty between the two countries. See the Inter Press Service website for background.

Short notices

• Fr Leonard Chiti of the Zambia-Malawi province, currently a tertian in Manresa, has joined the Clongowes community until Easter. He is very active in the school – in fact, he’s the first African to work there – taking religion classes, coaching soccer and tennis, helping with the boarding, and contributing to the pastoral and liturgical dimension of life there.
• Patrick Claffey, of the Department of Mission Theology and Cultures in Milltown Institute, is one of the promotors of a series of lectures in St Mary’s Church, Haddington Road. Mgr Roderick Strange will speak on Tuesday 3 February at 8pm on ‘John Henry Newman: an Apologia for our times’, and Prof Richard Kearney will speak about ‘The God who may be’ on Thursday 26 February at 8pm.
• Slí Eile are holding a ‘Mamas & Papas’ day on Saturday 7 February (10.00am – 4.00pm) in Hill Street Family Resource Centre, Dublin 1. It is a day of relaxation, reflection and fun for parents, and child supervision will be provided if required. Contact Caitlin Rooney or Audrey Hogan if interested.

O.C. Music-maker

Old Clongownian Owen Brady is being hailed as Dublin’s next big thing in music. A singer (starting as a boy soprano) and songwriter who left Clongowes in 1999, he has just released his first album “Prepare to be Happy”. He has been nominated for the Meteor Music Hope Award and has recently completed a nation-wide tour. Already with appearances on the Late Late Show and other television chat shows, he looks to be on the way to the top. Owen has hung up his rugby boots after a promising start in Clongowes – with Gordon D’Arcy and Des Dillon he was on the Clongowes team which won the schools senior cup in 1998. Rugby’s loss is music’s gain.

Short notices

• The launch of Jesuits in Hong Kong, South China and Beyond, will take place in Milltown Park at 7.30 p.m. on 28 January. Fr Provincial will present a copy of the book to a representative of the family of each Jesuit who served in Hong Kong and Malaysia. All who are interested are most welcome to attend what should be a joyful occasion kindly hosted by the Miltown Park community.
• Bob Deiters, a Jesuit in Japan, sends us the latest word on Bill Johnston SJ: “Bill hasn’t made much improvement, but he seems to be keeping up his spirits wonderfully. He welcomes visitors and tries to talk, but what we hear is not intelligible—although the impression is that he is thinking straight, but just not physically able to coordinate his tongue with his thoughts.”

Why China?

Last week’s AMDG Express anticipated a visit to Belvedere by the Chinese Ambassador, to celebrate a student exchange programme with Jesuit schools in China. Why China? There are three major Province priorities following the 35th General Congregation: to find a language for faith in dialogue with secularism; to help young people find God in their lives; and to make the Gospel message credible through our action for justice. Essentially we are called to go and spread the good news of the Gospel. Given the college involvement in the frontiers in its local community through the Vincent de Paul, Boys and Girls’ Youth Club and the Belvedere Social Services with Fr. Peter Mc Verry SJ, in Calcutta and in Africa, one might wonder why China featured as the next frontier. There are good reasons – read them below. Read more »

Building in Galway

In 1998 Coláiste Iognáid submitted its plans for new classrooms, and last September the Department of Education announced that it was one of 25 projects which would get the go-ahead in 2008 or 2009 (they claim to have set aside €900 million for capital expenditure on schools). Since then Board members have twice travelled to the Building Unit in Tullamore looking for action, only to be asked for more statistics and costings. These have now been prepared. There have been some changes since the original plans, and there is divergence of views about what proportion of the costs the Department would carry. John Humphreys’ present hope is for a go-ahead by the end of the school year in June. He is not holding his breath.