The congregation at Saturday’s
celebration of the bi-centenary of St
Charles Houben’s birth.
Photo: John McElroy Mount Argus Parish in Co. Dublin celebrated Saturday with Archbishop Dermot Farrell the bi-centenary of the birth of Dutch Passionist priest, St Charles Houben, and the opening of the jubilee year of St Charles, which was a “very prayerful moment” and recognised as “very special” by the parishioners, according to parish priest Fr Paul Francis Spencer CP.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, Fr Francis said “it’s a blessing for people”.
“I think the Jubilee, for all of us, it’s a chance to renew our sense of God’s presence to us, God’s closeness. That’s an important thing at this time because I think people, they feel a bit isolated with all that they’ve been through, so this sense of God reaching out to us with his message and his love, I think it’s very significant at the moment.”
Fr Francis said that the theme of the jubilee year is taken from St Matthew’s Gospel: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’.
In the letter requesting the jubilee year, the Passionist Provincials of Ireland and Scotland and of the Netherlands, Frs James Sweeney and Mark-Robin Hoogland, wrote: “In this time when so many lives have been touched by suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic and its many consequences, the faith of Saint Charles in the healing power of God is an example to all who are in pain.”
Fr Francis said that another thing the Faithful see in St Charles is somebody “who is a person of prayer, so in the midst of all the things he had to cope with in life, he kept his life and himself focused on Jesus, and that’s something that’s important for us at any time, but I think particularly at the present time”.
Parishioner Anne Renehan welcomed the celebration of St Charles, saying over the years, “I have prayed to St Charles or visited his shrine when I needed his help either for myself or others.
“I feel a great sense of peace when I share my troubles with St Charles and in knowing he will do all he can to help me. I know if I don’t get what I want he will give me the strength and courage to deal with the outcome.”
Looking to the jubilee year ahead, which runs from December 11 2021 through to January 5 2023, Fr Francis said they’ll have “various events” throughout the year, the details of which will be on the website.
“If groups wanted to come, Covid permitting, if parish groups or deanery groups or Catholic associations wanted to come for a pilgrimage visit, we’d be very happy to facilitate that….they can get in touch with the monastery,” Fr Francis said.
