Ireland hosts JRS Europe AGM

The Annual General Meeting of the Jesuit Refugee Service Europe took place in Clongowes College in County Kildare, Ireland, from 29 October - 1November 2009. Over 60 participants from 18 countries participated. The topic of the meeting was “Pathways to Integration: A challenge in Principle, in Practice and in Policy”. There were a number of workshops facilitated by Eugene Quinn, Director of JRS Ireland and their aim was to explore how integration relates to JRS mission, what is happening on the ground in terms of integration and services of JRS National Offices and how JRS can influence integration policy and approaches at local, national and regional level. A social night in Dublin was also enjoyed by the attendees. The next AGM will be held in Malta. For JRS Ireland’s account of the event read below. Read more »

Joint Jesuit-Anglican venture in Rome

Irish Jesuit Gerry Whelan SJ took part in a rather unusual initiative in Rome recently when the Anglican Centre there decided to host a week-long course on Ignatian spirituality. The focus was on the  the ecumenical dimension of the Jesuits’ work and mission, especially in the years since the Second Vatican Council. The organisers wanted to show something of the way in which Jesuit spirituality has permeated Church history, theology, education, communication, and even the art and architecture of the Eternal City. Gerry Whelan, from Rome’s Gregorian University, worked alongside the Rev. David Richardson, Director of the Anglican Centre, and they spoke to Phillipa Hitchens of Vatican Radio about the course.

Ireland builds in Africa

Much of Murt Curry’s work in the Mission Office is in the detailed preparation of applications for funding of mission projects by Irish Aid, the Irish people’s principal contribution to crying needs in the Developing World. At their October meeting, the Board of Misean Cara approved three of these grant applications. The first of these (€74,035) is for a literacy and life-skills training programme for women in North Darfur, organised by JRS East Africa. The second (€50,000) is for a refugee education programme in Nepal and Bhutan, overseen by JRS and Caritas. And the third (€15,747) is for work on classrooms in Lusaka, Zambia, led by Fr Tom McGivern SJ. Further details of the projects below.

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Medal for Micheál

Archbishop Michael Neary, on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, awarded the prestigious Pro Eccelesia et Pontifice Medal to An t-Athair Micheál Mac Gréil at a ceremony in the Episcopal Palace, Tuam, on October 27th. Speaking in Irish and English, the Archbishop outlined the extraordinary service given on so many fronts by an tAthair Micheál. The Archbishop has seen for himself Micheál’s prodigious work as a lecturer in sociology in Maynooth, the comprehensive survey of religious practice he carried out in his home diocese of Tuam, and his Trojan efforts as Chairperson of the Pioneer Association. Minister for the Gaeltacht Eamonn O Cuiv paid tribute to Micheál’s tireless efforts to have the Western Rail Corridor re-opened, as well as his dedication to the revival of our native language.

Studies’ role in shaping modern Ireland

Studies, the long established Jesuit Journal, was the subject of an interesting discussion on Andy O’Mahony’s Off the Shelf programme on RTE Radio 1 , Sat 31 Oct ’09.  The panel, economist Fionola Kennedy and historian Tom Garvin, were examining Bryan Fanning’s latest book ‘ The Quest for Modern Ireland: Battle of Ideas, 1912-86. There, the historian explores the intellectual debate that shaped 20th century Ireland as featured in journals such as Studies, The Bell, Christus Rex and The Crane Bag. He argues that after Independence these journals were engaged in a “nation-building project” with  education as the central concern. Studies, he argues, was to the fore in paving the way for a shift of focus on education that was cultural and religious to one with a more economic objective.

Slí Eile had a ball!

Over one hundred revellers turned up in fancy dress on Halloween night for the Slí Eile Halloween ball fundraiser.The wind was howling and the rain poured down but that did not deter Dracula, the Bean Sidhe, Cinderella, Russell Brand and many other stars of stage, fairy tale and ghost story, from making an appearance. They paraded around the foyer, all the while trying to recognise their variously attired Slí Eile friends and colleagues. A great night was had by all, with a charity auction and raffle seeing the Jesuit outreach to young people raising over €3,000. The money will help them in their work with the homless, prisoners and various Jesuit volunteering projects in Africa.

“This awful deed…”

“The person who pulled the trigger will have to live with this awful deed forever”. So spoke Fr Peter McVerry SJ, at the funeral mass of Jason Egan in St Luke the Evangelist’s Church in Mulhuddart, Co Dublin, on Saturday 31 Oct. The twenty-three year old father of two was shot dead outside his mother’s shop in Ladyswell Road, Mulhuddart the previous week. Over four hundred mourners packed into the tiny church for the funeral. Peter McVerry SJ, who has known the family for a long time, said the killing was” a senseless act for which there could be no justification”. The family had requested he conduct the funeral. and the cortege stopped at the spot where he was murdered, before continuing to Glasnevin Cemetry.

JESUITICA: Jesuits in New Zealand

There is no Jesuit house in New Zealand, though there have been false starts. There was a short-lived Jesuit mission in Invercargill, and Jesuits taught philosophy in the Christchurch seminary. Wicklow-born Bishop Moran of Dunedin wanted a Jesuit school, and in 1878 welcomed two Irish Jesuits, Joseph O’Malley and Thomas McEnroe, who opened St Aloysius’ College in Dunedin (pictured here), with fifteen boarders and six day-boys. But it was the bishop rather than the people who wanted the school, and it lasted only five years. The site became a golf course, in which the 14th hole is still called (incongruously for Jesuits) “the Monastery”.

Forthcoming Events

3 November: Soul Food - guided prayer - Gardiner Street Church, 6.00 - 6.30 pm

5 November: Mass of Remembrance in Emo Court at 3.30 pm

8 November: The annual Memorial Mass for deceased Jesuit missionaries will be celebrated in Milltown Park Jesuit Community Chapel, Sandford Road, Dublin 6 - 2.30 pm. All relatives and friends of deceased Jesuit missionaries are very welcome.

10 November: Jim Corkery’s book launch (see Short Notices above) - Milltown Theatre, 5.30 pm

10 November: Liam Lawton in Concert - Gardiner Street Church, 8.00pm

12 November: Lecture by Patrick Jordan on Dorothy Day - Purcell House, All Hallows, Dublin 9, 7.30 pm

15 November At the Gospel Choir Mass in the Virgin Mary Church, Shangan Road, Ballymun, a Ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the murder of two women and six Jesuits at the University of San Salvador, 7.00 pm. The theme of the Mass is “Accountability – No Peace without Justice”. All are welcome.

17 November: Launch of six FAS publications by Cathal Goan - Leeson Street, 6.00 pm: See Short Notices.

Short Notices

• On 2  November the East African Provincial emailed about Fr Cecil McGarry: “This morning Cecil’s health took a downturn. His kidney functions are shutting down, the doctors believe the cancer is progressing fast, and he is very weak. He is intermittently lucid; we spoke for a brief moment this evening and he told me was at peace, grateful to God and very content. He knows, in his own words, that ‘it’s only a matter of days, but it’s the will of God.’ The nursing staff and the brethren at Pedro Arrupe Community are giving him the care he needs at this point. We are praying for him.” Cecil sent goodbye emails to all his family, and his nephew Andrew O’Shaughnessy has been by his side for some days.
• Small world: John Curran, a dentist on the faculty of the University of Manitoba, was a year ahead of Michael Paul Gallagher in Clongowes, and attended all his lectures in the University,  reported in last week’s Express. They were, he writes, scholarly, stimulating and well attended. John entertained his old schoolmate to a nostalgic dinner, to strengthen him for further work: a full day’s Christian Education programme to the Archbishop of Winnipeg and over 60 priests of the archdiocese.
• From Foilseacháin Ábhair Spioradálta (FÁS): Ba mhór againn tú a bheith i láthair nuair a chomóraimid saothar na n-údar ar fhoilsigh Foilseacháin Ábhair Spioradálta a gcuid leabhar le dhá bhliain anuas: Séamas de Vál,  Éadáil Ní Choinn; Helen Ó Murchú, Ceisteanna na Linne; Pádraig Ó Croiligh, Rún na hEaglaise; Mairéad Ní Bhuachalla RSC, Slí Chun Dé; Séamas de Vál, Frank Duff; agus Alan Mac Eochagáin SJ, Scéal an Oilithrigh. Beidh Cathal Goan inár measc chun na leabhair a chur i láthair agus an obair atá curtha i gcrích a cheiliúradh. Dé Máirt, 17 Samhain 2009, 6.00 i.n., 35 Sráid Líosáin Íochtarach, Baile Átha Cliath 2.
• On Tuesday November 10 at 5.30pm. Milltown theatre will host a double event. Prof. Seamus O’Connell of Maynooth will launch Kieran O’Mahony’s  Do we still need St Paul? (Veritas, 2009). Professor Maureen Junker-Kenny of Trinity College will launch Jim Corkery’s Joseph Ratzinger’s theological ideas (Dublin: Dominican Publications and USA: Paulist Press, 2009).  People are invited; Jesuits and colleagues in the province might be particularly interested.