“Ancient pop” at CCC

When Limerick composer Bill Whelan heard that the Crescent College Comprehensive past pupils orchestra wanted to play MacArthur Park at their celebratory concert last weekend, he rang Jimmy Webb, who actually composed the song. Jimmy Webb (composer of other classics such as Wichita Lineman, Galveston, and By the Time I Get to Phoenix) subsequently sent Bill Whelan an email which contains an amusing story about the song and Richard’s Harris’ bagging of it as his very own. Bill Whelan and Richard Harris (pictured here in a still from This Sporting Life) are both past pupils of the Crescent. Bill is meeting Jimmy Webb in New York this week where he will get him to sign the email so the school can have it for their archives. You can read the email below. Read more »

Making a difference at Knock

In summer 1989 Des Fahey, a priest from Knock,  came to Manresa to seek help. ‘Something’ he said ‘is missing at Knock, and unless we identify it, the Shrine will lose its popularity.’ Von Hugel held that a religion needs three dimensions to thrive: institutional, intellectual and mystical. Des and Brian Grogan (then director of the Manresa Centre) agreed that the mystical dimension needed development at Knock. As it happened, Manresa had developed a training course for Prayer Guides, and needed outlets for its graduates. So Des and Brian decided to set up a Prayer Guidance Ministry in Knock: guides would provide pilgrims with 30-minute sessions in imaginative contemplation. ‘If we can introduce people to the Jesus of the Gospels, they can do the rest themselves.’ What followed? In the last 20 years, over 250,000 people have been helped by the sessions offered. Recently the authorities at Lourdes initiated a similar ministry, based on the Knock model.

Big moves for Michael

Michael O’Sullivan has been appointed Head of Theological Studies at All Hallows College, and Head of the Systematic Theology Department. He will also assume responsibility for the Moral Theology Department for the time being. He will continue for this academic year in his post as Director of the Higher Diploma and MA programmes in Applied Christian Spirituality at Milltown Institute, but will begin a process of phasing out of Milltown. He will disengage further from Milltown the following year, when all taught programmes will enter their final year as the Institute moves to closure. Michael commemorated the Ruby Jubilee of the day he joined the Society on September 29th. He featured in the recent issue of the UCD alumni magazine as a graduate from the 1970s. He graduated with a BSocSc in 1974 with a first class honours degree and equal first place.

Europe as a missionary hub

John Guiney and Murt Curry from the Irish Mission Office are just back from two meetings in the Jesuit Retreat House, Rainhill, Liverpool, aimed at enhancing the sharing and cooperation between European Jesuit Mission Offices (MOs) and NGOs. They spent 1 October with other Western European MOs reflecting on their work over the last year – listed below are the six issues that emerged from the discernment. Then for two more days the MO people worked with Mark Rotsaert, President of the European Provincials, Chuck Duffy of the Roman Development Office, Michael Czerny of the African Jesuit Aids network and Peter Balleis, Director of JRS, focussing mainly on the development of Advocacy as a tool of the MOs. The main outcomes of the three days work are reported below: Read more »

Pioneer matters

The Pioneers have launched “Pioneer Matters”, the Association’s first CEO newsletter. The primary purpose of this publication is for Padraig Brady, the PTAA Chief Executive, to ommunicate with all PTAA members on the work the Association is undertaking. However,  we thought employees from other Jesuit works might also be interested in receiving our newsletter. “Pioneer Matters” focuses on the more corporate aspects of the Association. The publication aims to fill a communications gap on the ongoing strategic work of the Association. The PTAA welcome any feedback, suggestions, recommendations  which you might have to offer us on this newsletter. Further details below: Read more »

Straight paths for Belvederian boys

Gardiner Street’s parish priest Donal Neary works with Belvedere Religion teacher Helen Barden in lending variety to her 5th Year class. Donal introduced the boys to Ignatian Spirituality in the church. He showed paintings of the early years of the Jesuits, and explained Ignatian slogans and principles like ‘For the greater glory of God’, ‘Finding God in all things’. The boys studied the missionary outreach of St Francis Xavier to Japan and  the East, as well as the mission of two of the first Jesuits to Ireland. The excellent singing of ‘Straight Paths’ (a new hymn in honour of St Francis Xavier composed by Mr David O’Hanlon of the Belvedere Music staff). ‘Jesus Lamb of God’ and the Belvedere favourite, ‘Only in God’ gave a great lift and life to the 11 a.m. weekday Mass.

Richard is felled

Richard O’Dwyer SJ set out for Africa this time last year, to work with the JRS, first in Ethiopia, and then in Southern Sudan after Christmas in Kenya. He has combined the know-how of a trained quantity surveyor with the eye and pen of a reporter in email after email of vivid experiences. His first experience was in Addis Ababa, then in Northern Uganda, ravaged by the Lord’s Resistance Army, then in remote and neglected Lobone in Southern Sudan. He celebrated Easter in Sudan and Pentecost in Uganda’s Gulu. He registered the shocking kidnapping of Sharon Cummins of GOAL. In August he was back in Lomerati, Sudan. These months of incessant travel and inculturation have taken their toll on Richard. Read his latest. Read more »

JESUITICA: Jesuits to the frontiers

Ray Howgego’s “Book of Exploration”, warmly reviewed this week, is the story of over 7000 travellers who have contributed to our knowledge of this earth. It reveals how often Catholic and Jesuit missionaries were to the forefront of exploration. The travels of St Francis Xavier, to India, South East Asia, Japan and the coast of China, are an example. After him, in the 1570s, Portuguese Jesuits discovered the Blue Nile. Italian Matteo Ricci spent more than 30 years in China, and drew for the Emperor a famous map of the known world, with China placed at the centre.

Short Notices

• Gerry Foley, principal of Belvedere, welcomed the meeting of Pastoral Coordinators from Jesuit schools who met in Belvedere House on Thursday and Friday 8-9 October 2009. The meeting was convened by Brian Flannery, Education Delegate, to coordinate pastoral and RE programmes in the JesuitsSchools. Present were (L t R), Brian Flannery, Gerry Foley (Belvedere), Danny McNelis (Gonzaga), Helen Barden (Belvedere), Grainne Delaney (Crescent),  Frank Clarke (Clongowes), Brendan McManus SJ (Coláiste Iognáid).
• Jason Lyons, a third-year Coláiste Iognáid student has been in Dublin for the last three weekends for trials for the Under 15 national soccer team. Jason who plays for Barna soccer club, is among 67 players selected and is currently awaiting notification about whether he will be selected for the squad. Jason has also been involved in trials for Celtic and hopes to be included in the Irish squad that sees its first game in December.
• Belvedere Parents Association invited Ms Pat Coyle, Jesuit Communications Manager, to kick off their monthly talks for the 09-10 school year. She spoke about the Jesuit Ethos in Education to almost 100 parents of pupils in various years  in the college.
• The Coláiste Iognáid choir and orchestra travelled to Limerick on Saturday 10 October to take part in a musical event as part of the 150 year anniversary celebration in the Crescent Comprehensive school. The Jes, which came second, was one of 7 schools who took part in the competition for choirs and Orchestras of Jesuit Schools and schools in the Limerick area. Music teacher, Carl Hession was joined by Geraldine King and vice-principal, Catherine Hickey for the event.
• The Jesuit schools in Leinster had a  large representation in the Leinster schools under 19 ‘s team that won this year’s schools interprovincial championship for that age group. In the final match of the season they defeated the Munster schools 19-8 to clinch the championship for a fourth consecutive year. A total of six players on the panel of 22 were from the Jesuit schools. They were  Daniel Diviney (Gonzaga), Conor Duffy (Belvedere), Robert Hynes (Clongowes), Mark McGroarty (Gonzaga), James Hart  (Belvedere ) and Donal Murray ( Belvedere). The Jesuit connection was completed with Clongowes senior cup coach Noel Murray being part of the Leinster schools successful coaching team . Robert Hynes of Clongowes had a colossal game in the forwards and was the team’s most outstanding forward.

Forthcoming Events

• Slavek Kwi, a composer and sound artist, will set up an installation of the compositions he worked on with the children of St Declan’s School, in the John Field Room, National Concert Hall. The installation will run continuously for 48 hours, through Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October. All are invited.
• Gerry O’Hanlon SJ will speak about the recession and God in Galway this evening, 13 October.
• Brendan Comerford SJ continues his lecture series on ‘An introduction to St Paul’ in Gardiner Street Church, 8-9pm, October 13.

Navigating St Luke’s gospel

Philip Fogarty SJ has just had the first of four books on the gospels published. It is called Navigating the Gospels: Luke and is published by Columba Press. The Navigating the Gospels series is intended for the general reader who wishes to know how the gospels came to be written and what they have to tell us about Jesus, who once walked the dusty roads of Palestine demonstrating God’s love for humanity. The stress therefore is on leading the reader on an imaginative ejourney, looking at the people, places and actions described in the gospel story. As such, it is intended as an aid to the contemplation of the gospels, letting them speak to the heart as well as to the head.