Ignatian Lutherans

Johannesgarden is a retreat centre outside Gothenburg. It was originally run by Sacred Heart Sisters from Germany but is now in the care of the Swedish Catholic diocesan authorities. Each year members of Kompass – an ecumenical ignatian association in Sweden – gather there for an eight-day directed retreat. Almost all are Lutheran priests who live Ignatian spirituality and incorporate it in their ministries. Brian O’Leary recently returned from leading this year’s retreat in which he had a Scottish and a German sister as co-directors. This is the third such retreat in which Brian has been involved. This Swedish ecumenical interest in Ignatius reaches further, as you can read below. Read more »

Short Notices

• AMDG Express has had no picture of Bill Johnston since his stroke last summer. Today an email from John Dardis and John Guiney in Tokyo reports that: ” We had an excellent visit with Bill Johnston who was in good form (see photo).”
• The Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice has just launched its new website which can be accessed here. Lena Jacobs, Communications Intern, has spent the last number of weeks designing the new site to make it more user-friendly. If you have any comments please email Lena. 

Short notices

• Rugby updates: Coláiste Iognáid (pictured here) beat Marist College, Athlone, 23-11 in the semi-final of the Conanught Cup. Clongowes JCT, tipped as favourites, lost to St Michael’s 14-15.  Belvedere SCT lost to Blackrock 12-16.
• On 4 March Pat Coyle, Manager of the Jesuit Communication Centre, will be speaking on ‘Addiction in the family’ as part of a week of Lenten talks in Borrisokane/Aglish parish.
• On Saturday, 14 March, the Ballymun Gospel Choir will give a concert in St Ann’s church, Dawson Street. Doors open at 7.30pm and the concert will start at 8.00.
• Michael O’Sullivan SJ chaired the Dublin launch of the Spiritual Capital Research Centre, which aims to raise awareness of spiritual capital and the resources in Christian spirituality and the academic study of such spirituality for engaging diverse challenges in contemporary social life in a positively transformative manner.  The Centre team is now seeking sponsorship for its work.
• Every year the Jesuit Parish of Farm Street in London holds a special Mass on 31 July, and invites all those alumni of Jesuit schools, colleges and universities across the globe who are in London on that day. Following the Mass, there is a reception in Mount Street Gardens beside the Church - a great chance for alumni to meet with fellow alums as well as old school friends. In 2008 close to 500 people attended, and there is room for more.
• Galway City Mayor, Padraig Conneely, officially launched the Jes Transition Year Bank project on Thur 26 Feb. A group of Transition Year students worked with Noreen Conway of AIB Bank to come up with their own school bank where they will learn the skills of lending and managing money.
• World renowned Benedictine monk Laurence Freeman OSB will give a talk to young adults on Christian meditation in the tradition of John Main OSB, a Benedictine who presented a way of meditating through the practice of a prayer-phrase. Slí Eile are co-running the event, which will take place in Gardiner Street Church on Friday 13 March at 8.00pm. For more details, contact Padraig Swan.

Short Notices

• Connaught Hockey Final: Coláiste Iognáid convincingly won the Connaught Hockey final on 10 February in Dangean Park, Galway. They beat Our Lady’s Bower Secondary School, Athlone. With a final score of 5-0, the Jes were always on top of the game and dominated all areas, the game being largely played in the Bower half with them under continuous pressure.
• Change at JCFJ: The Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice has an acting director, Gerry O’Hanlon SJ, as Tony O’Riordan SJ has sought and been given leave of absence.
• Remembering Fr Joe Kelly: A moving tribute to Fr Joe has been posted on YouTube.
• Schools Senior Rugby Cup: Clongowes beat Newbridge 33-20; Terenure beat Clongowes 9-5; Belvedere beat Gonzaga 12-7; Pres. Cork beat Crescent 15-0.
• Schools Junior Rugby Cup: C.U.S. beat Gonzaga 10-3; Clongowes beat Wesley 75-0; Terenure beat Belvedere 17-13.
• Clongowes Union Dinner: Over 200 attended a very successful dinner, raising significant funds for Clongowes Youth Club and the Clongowes Union Benevolent Association.
• Fr John Sullivan: Annual Mass in thanksgiving for the life of Fr John Sullivan and in prayer for his canonisation: in Gardiner St Church, Saturday Feb 21 at 11 a.m. Homily – Fr Tom Morrissey SJ.

Short notices

• An Inter-Institutional Centre for Spirituality and Social Transformation has been launched in Waterford Institute of Technology, through the participation (pictured here) of Michael O’Sullivan SJ (Milltown Institute), Sister Bernadette Flanagan (All Hallows) and Michael Howlett (Waterford IT).
• The current Irish Catholic reports how ChurchServices.tv, part of CatholicIreland.net, is broadcasting Masses live to a growing audience, including some beleaguered Christians in Kenya. The site is an offshoot of Sacred Space, “The fire that lights other fires”.
• On 20 December, 3 to 5 p.m., girls and boys (with parent/adult supervision) are invited to join the Manresa Team, together with Mr. Paul McGuire (Belgrove Junior Boys School, Clontarf), for an afternoon of carol singing and reflection on the meaning of Christmas, followed by a little party at Manresa, 426 Clontarf Road.
• Noelle Fitzpatrick and Padraig Swan of Sli Eile Jesuit Centre for Young Adults were interviewed on Tuesday Dec 16th, on the Mooney Goes Wild programme on RTE Radio One. They spoke about their weekend pilgrimage in the Midlands without food or money and you can listen to the interview here.

RTE features Ballymun Gospel Mass

RTE’s Mass on Sunday for April 6 was broadcast live from the Virgin Mary Church , Ballymun, Dublin. Frank Brady SJ was the celebrant, and Slí Eile’s Ballymun Gospel Choir provided the music under the direction of Cathy Burke. The mass was a showcase for the regeneration in Ballymun with many local community groups participating directly in the mass or through pre-recorded interviews that RTE also broadcast. The Gospel was enhanced by a local story teller who ‘translated’ it for the contemporary context. Click here for photos of the mass: GooglePics, and here for a video of the Choir’s final song in the mass: YouTube.

A new director for Slí Eile

Slí Eile has announced the appointment of a new director. Pádraig Swan, a member of the Gardiner Street Gospel Choir for the last two years, will take up leadership of the Jesuit organisation that provides a wide range of faith and justice activities for young adults aged 18-35 in June. A native of Carlow, Pádraig first came into contact with Slí Eile through the Gospel Choir and participated in Slí Eile activities, including the last two Easter retreats in Clongowes. He studied for the diocesan priesthood in Kildare and Leighlin for three years, and he worked with Youth Work Ireland for two years. He also brings experience of several years of retail management to his new role. Padraig will work alongside Slí Eile’s current director, Rory Halpin SJ, during the month of April, before taking up his new position full time from the beginning of June.

Giving thanks for the life of John Sullivan

The annual Mass in thanksgiving for the life of Fr John Sullivan SJ and prayer for his canonisation will take place in Gardiner Street Church on Saturday 16 February at 11:00 a.m.  This Mass always attracts a goodly crowd of devotees of Fr John from all over Ireland – the cup of tea afterwards gives all a chance to meet.  The presider at the mass will be Conor Harper SJ, Vice-Postulator of the Cause of John Sullivan and the homily will be given by Senan Timoney SJ, Belfast.

GC35 looks at youth ministry

For what seems to be the first time in the history of Jesuit General Congregations, apostolic activities for youth was the subject of discussion at the plenary sessions on 1-2 February. According to a report from the Press Office in Rome, the Congregation had been asked to focus on “the importance of youth in our faith and justice mission, to direct more of the Society’s apostolate toward youth, and to emphasize the characteristics of youth ministry in today’s context”. The commission appointed to consider this issue reported on their progress. They sought to identify the characteristics of youth, though their description was “occasionally contested” during the discussion. Read more »

Singing in the rain

Jesuit Volunteers Philippines have agreed to accept two Irish applicants, at the request of JVI Ireland, to join their 29th batch of volunteers. Each year about 20 volunteers take part in the 11 month programme. As well as work assignments, the group will spend time training and reflecting together. Past volunteers speak highly of the experience.  Contact: JVI Ireland, Liam O’Connell SJ, jvi[at]jesuit.ie, (00353) 61 480923 or
Debbie Moore, (00353) 1 8880606, debbie.moore[at]sli-eile.com.

Serving Dublin’s Polish community

The launch of the Polish Ministry based in Gardiner Street Church was held on 30 August. The two Jesuits, Krzysztof Homa and Jacek Poznański (pictured above), will offer masses and confessions in Polish as well as providing pastoral support to the Polish community. They hope to run various courses and retreats, and help with Polish integration into Irish Society. Fr. Lorcan O’Brien, Moderator of Dublin Diocese Curia, and the Irish Provincial, Fr. John Dardis (pictured below) attended, as well as various directors of Jesuit works. Contact: Fr. Krzysztof on (01) 7072 230, or (086) 222 5628; and Fr. Jacek on (01) 7072 208. Email: PolishMinistry[at]jesuit.ie. Website: Polish Ministry.