JESUITICA: Jesuit bark better than bite

Jesuit bark (or Pulvis Patrum) was the historical name for quinine, the most celebrated remedy for malaria. Taken from the cinchona tree, its ability to bring down fever had been discovered by the Peruvian Indians, and it was Jesuits working in Peru who brought it to Europe. It was through their recommendation of its use that the wife of the Spanish viceroy in Lima, Peru, was cured of malaria in 1630, and this success greatly increased the renown of this remedy.

Bye bye Board

On 18 May the Provincial met the Board of Jesuit Communications to receive their final report. They expect to be disbanded this summer. There could be no surer sign of health in a board than that it meets, does a job, submits a report and hands in its chips. What effect did the board have? At a general level it brought new perspectives and experience to the management of our organs of communication, both on line and on paper. More concretely, it played a key role in evaluating the health of the Messenger Office, and in renewing its management. Read more »

Traditions meet

On Tuesday 12 May, at 7.30 p.m. in Gardiner Street Ignatian Room, Bertie Ahern TD launched Where two traditions meet: John Sullivan SJ, by Todd Morrissey SJ. Bertie came to Gardiner Street as an affectionate parishioner with memories of making visits to the shrine in the church. He was eloquent in his special way, warm, simple and in touch with his mixed audience. He linked the book’s title with the peace process in Northern Ireland, where he and many others had laboured to find common ground between two traditions. John Sullivan’s goodness had built bridges throughout his life, including the wonder of restoring health to the grievously sick. It was a happy and uplifting evening, a tribute to Todd Morrissey’s untiring biographical labours. To listen to the speeches and to view the photos, go here.

A bit of Clongowes history

Old Clongownians and brothers Rob and David Kearney have made a little bit of Clongowes rugby history. A recent match against Gwent Dragons was the first time two brothers from the College have played for the province in the Magners League. Elder brother Rob is already a permanent fixture with Leinster and Ireland and all set to become a Lion when he goes on tour to South Africa. Younger brother David (pictured here) entered the Leinster Academy and showed great potential. He was soon on the Ireland under 20′s team and has more recently played for Leinster. There is also a strong possibility that both brothers will represent Ireland at full international level. That will undoubtedly be another first for Clongowes and a little bit of Jesuit history as well.

Forthcoming events

• On 24 May at Bishop Lucey Park, Cork, Peter McVerry SJ will speak to and about families affected by the misuse of alcohol and other drugs, at a service remembering people who died from drug abuse.
• At 7 p.m. on 25 May, in the Davis Lecture Theatre (Room 2043 in Trinity College Arts Block) Prof. Sidney Griffith will speak on “Doing Christian theology in Islamic terms: the unity and trinity of God in early Christian/Muslim dialogue.” The lecture is sponsored by the Irish School of Ecumenics.
• Myles O’Reilly SJ is running workshops in Neurolinguistic Programming in June and July. They will take place in the Milltown Institute. For further details please contact 01-4972943 (Ext. 216), or email mylesforeilly@eircom.net.
• From 9 – 18 June, Slí Eile will take to the Camino – a 9-day pilgrimage across the north of Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Closing date for applications in 30 June. Contact Caitlin or Seán at 01 8625345, or email ballymunadmin@sli-eile.com or sean.meehan@sli-eile.com.

Boys for others

Clongowes 4th year (Transition Year) students were busy helping out collecting for the Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Medical & Research Foundation at the weekend. All the volunteers said that it was something that they were happy to do and it was a worthwhile cause which Clongowes had long been associated with and would continue to be associated with in the future. Despite the rain and blustery conditions they spent the day collecting and raised a considerable amount for the charity. Pictured here are: Tom Nolan,Evan Balfe, Andrew Baldwin and Ben Daly.

Running for Slí Eile

In a monumental effort to raise funds for Slí Eile, director Padraig Swan ran a grueling 56 kilometres in the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town, South Africa in April. It took him a mere 5 hours, 40 minutes. And he doesn’t plan to stop there. He will run a further three marathons this year, hoping to add substantially to the more than €10,000 he has raised to date. Slí Eile’s Audrey Hogan was at the Cape Town event too, egging Padraig along. After the marathon they stayed another two weeks to visit the projects in South Africa and Zambia where Slí Eile volunteers will work this summer. Read below for Padraig’s account of his African experience and for Audrey’s reflections on what the trip meant to her. Read more »

Short notices

• It is 35 years since Mungret closed. On 16 May some sixty alumni gathered for a reunion dinner with five Jesuits who had worked in the college as boys or men. After Mass in Gonzaga the following m0rning they lingered for over an hour, exchanging memories in a remarkable show of gratitude  and affection.
• A Jesuit priest features in Dermot Bolger’s play: The Consequences of Lightning. Come to the benefit performance in aid of Sli Eile on Friday, 22 May at the Axis theatre. Details from Sean Meehan at 01-8625345.
• David Gaffney SJ, who writes regularly in papers all over the country, sees an emerging pattern of “alternative safari” in the use of the Transition Year for students to get a sharp taste of Africa by working on building or other projects for a spell. Zambia in particular, with its relatively stable government and its link with Irish Jesuits, has attracted numbers of Irish boys and girls.

Teaching post in China

Daniel Ross SJ, the Coordinator for Higher Education in the Jesuit Chinese Province (ajcueao@mac.com) is looking for a Jesuit who might be ready to teach for a limited period in Sun Yat Sen University, which is ranked number 8 in China and is the top school in the southern part of the country. In China it is very unusual to find specific requests for Jesuits to teach and even more unusual for them to specify that this is due to our traditional Jesuit emphasis on liberal arts and humanism.  For the background to this request, read Daniel’s note below. Read more »