Conversation connects people in new ways

As the three of us sat in the Prosperous, Co. Kildare parish centre, briefly sharing on the topic of ‘family’, during the buzz session of the first parish conversation on Amoris Laetitia, I thought to myself: “All human life is here.”

For there we were – three people – a young single man, a widow with children and grandchildren scattered all over the world and myself, a mother of two with practically no extended family. The topic of family throws up an incredible tapestry of joy and sorrow. I learnt that someone I thought I knew had two siblings who died as babies, I heard a little of the pain of losing a beloved spouse and I shared my own challenges coming from a small family, where friends become like brothers and sisters.

Fr Bill Kemmy, curate at Prosperous, had taken the brave decision of bringing forward the main 11.30am Mass to 10.30am for six Sundays in Lent, in order to run the ‘Amoris parish conversations’ immediately afterwards.

During Sunday Mass, he reminded parishioners of how Sir Nigel in Yes Minister always advised the Minister that a decision was very ‘brave’ “when he thought it was going to go down in flames”. Fr Bill wasn’t sure how the new initiative would work. It might have to be re-thought – time would tell, he said.

When we gathered in the parish centre afterwards for refreshments before the course, there was an immediate warmth and enthusiasm. A parallel programme had been organised to make it possible for parents with young children to attend the course if they wanted. Parents and grandparents signed the children in upstairs and around 30 adults settled down to consider Amoris Laetitia, led by Declan and Sarah O’Brien from Prosperous.

Important

The curate left us to it. “What was important was that the group was being led by two lay people, it was good to give them the space,” he said. “There was also the children’s programme running and I wanted to check in on that as  well.”

Each session of the course is built around two video inputs drawing out the main points of the Apostolic Letter. Interspersed around the inputs are a buzz session and group discussion – the first, alluded to earlier, where we talked simply about our own families, the second, a group session, where with a larger group, we considered an issue raised in the video, like the influence of social media on family life.

Overhead we could hear the drumming of the feet of a dozen children, acting out dramas based around the Amoris cube. “We have space for more next week, but we were delighted with how it went,” said Máire O’Brien, one of the organisers of their programme.

Leading the adults, Sarah and Declan O’Brien said afterwards they were “happily surprised!” “There was a great buzz and enthusiasm,” said Sarah. “We didn’t know who was going to turn up – whether it would be three or 30! But there was a great reaction.”

People felt affirmed by the course, said Fr Bill, who dropped in towards the end. “The ‘conversation’ is really there to encourage people and then for people to encourage one another. It is a witness in itself. We always open the door for the person behind us as well – that things can follow on.”

Earlier in the week, on Tuesday night, February 13, hundreds of children and their parents gathered at the local school for a Parish Pancake Party, with special guest, the ‘Flipping Bishop’ Denis Nulty, who had an opportunity to toss a pancake or two. Despite large numbers, high noise levels, long queues at times at the eight pancake cooking stations and a microphone that ‘howled around’ when the parish folk group sang, there was a great party atmosphere with people giving their all to make it a real moment of family. During the party Bishop Denis presented certificates to eight members of the Prosperous catechism group who had completed three years studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The World Meeting of Families was a strong backdrop for the Pancake Party – a ‘Let’s be family’ moment, with parish sacristan Pauline handing out Valentine vouchers, and WMOF Volunteers from Prosperous trying to recruit more volunteers for the event.

Over the coming weeks, the ‘Let’s talk family’ parish conversations will bed down more firmly. “I hope the group will settle in and learn a little more about what Pope Francis has laid out in Amoris Laetitia,” said Fr Bill, “and more importantly see a connection with their own family and the parish community and we can together look at ways of strengthening one another.”