The Irish State must have ‘the maturity to acknowledge and indeed celebrate the contribution of religious men and women’, writes Fr Martin Delaney
My brother has a rather unusual daily ‘bet’ that he will read the death of a least one nun in the paper! He rarely loses that bet.
Recently in our parish, we had an evening of appreciation for the St John of God Sisters who worked here for over 40 years. Two sisters have left the parish recently and won’t be replaced.
Speaking at the Mass, the local leader of the congregation remarked that they are saying a lot of goodbyes these days.
Some Irish religious congregations have made the difficult decision not to seek or accept new members and others find it difficult to keep new vocations because of the absence of a critical mass of young recruits.
This could, I suppose, be more than a little depressing particularly for those who have dedicated their lives to a charism and a way of life which they may have thought would go on forever.
I recall a talk given by a monk in Mount Melleray about 35 years ago. He spoke about how his order was founded at a particular time in the Church’s history to fulfil a particular need. When that need no longer existed then the order should go out of existence. I often think about that when I hear of another religious house closing or another ministry being handed over.
I know that there are religious communities that are bucking the trend, but I can’t get away from the feeling that we are witnessing the passing of something very precious which has been part of our lives at a national, local and personal level. Will we have to wait until they are all gone before we as a society acknowledge properly what a contribution they have made?
Recently in this paper, Charlie Bird, a journalist not from the Catholic tradition, was quoted as saying: “In the 30 years since, as a reporter in RTÉ, in many places where I went I met remarkable missionary priests and nuns doing remarkable things, and they did it away from the glare of publicity, away from their families and their homes.”
Exactly 25 years ago the-then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen, while campaigning for Ireland to have seat on the United Nations Security Council, acknowledged that so many countries in Africa and South America pledged their support because of the positive role Irish religious congregations had played in the development and education of their countries.
At home we have been much more reticent to properly appreciate the incredible part played by religious men and women in the development of our country. The Church has marked this contribution in the ‘Year of Consecrated Life’ which comes to a close on the Feast of the Presentation, February 2, 2016.
By then the Irish State will be beginning the many commemorations of the centenary of the 1916 Rising. I can only hope that somewhere in all that there will be the maturity to acknowledge and indeed celebrate the contribution of religious men and women.
To paraphrase Pope Francis: “Where would the Church be without you?” Where would Ireland be without them?
Through our Baptism we are one family During the troubles an Irish missionary home on vacation was crossing the border in Newry. A British soldier stopped him and asked to see his passport. After some time the soldier came back to the priest’s car smiled and produced from his wallet a baptismal card from his own baptism 22 years earlier back in his native Nigeria. The card had been signed by the priest now crossing the checkpoint.
Thought for November
Thought for November
God, I still have a great fear
As to the way my soul
Will pass from my body.
Then the Lord said to me:
‘It shall be thus:
I will draw my breath
And your soul shall come to me
As a needle to a magnet.’
– Mechtilde of Magdeburg