Dear Editor, The first Holy Communion season is upon us again, signalled for many people by the hordes of excited little girls in white dresses in shopping centres and restaurants; the equivalent little boys in new clothes and special haircuts.
As an elderly person I was told by a younger ‘granny’ that her grand-daughter greeted her on her first Holy Communion day with the statement, “We’re like mini-debs and I’ve made nearly €200 already, Granny”. The shocked granny withheld the €50 she was about to hand over.
Later we two elderly women discussed the situation. We decided that if we had children of that age today we would talk to them at home about the great Mystery of the Eucharist; we’d check how the school was handling the preparation. We would have our child receive her/his first Holy Communion in a quiet church, with the wider family, wearing her/his best clothes (not special attire). We would have a celebratory and fun family day – grandparents, aunts/uncles and cousins; perhaps a couple of young neighbouring playmates. There would be no gifts of money. Let’s stand up and be counted!
Our decision would be explained lovingly to the child/children and family.
Yours etc.,
Angela Macnamara,
Churchtown,
Co. Dublin.
Why bother about Christian Unity?
Dear Editor, Dom Martin Browne outlines his disappointment with the lack of ecumenical services organised to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January (IC 04/02/2016). Perhaps the following will bring him a little glimmer of consolation.
Each year, from January 18-25, the 12 members of the Community of the Carmelite Monastery of St Joseph in Kilmacud, Co. Dublin, dedicate their Evening Prayer at 4.30pm for this intention. This year the material for the Week of Prayer was prepared by the Christians of Latvia, guided by the international group of which Dom Martin is a member. The theme chosen was: ‘Called to proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord’ (1 Pet 2:9). A sub-theme was chosen by the Latvian Christians for each day of the octave. Three Carmelite sisters, a Methodist minister, two Church of Ireland ministers, a Catholic priest and a Dominican sister reflected on the theme for each day. Christians of all denominations are invited each year to join the Carmelite community during this special week and on average 25 people participated each evening.
Dom Martin highlights the temptation of seeing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity as “an irrelevant exercise” rather than “God’s will for his Church”. Some very interesting suggestions for future ecumenical developments were given by all the speakers at Kilmacud Carmel. A resume of their talks is still available on the website: www.kilmacudcarmel.ie/christianunity2016.html
Yours etc.,
Mary McGlynn,
Blackrock,
Go back to the Rosary
Dear Editor, In this Year of Mercy I urge everyone to say the Rosary everyday for the restoration of our Faith in Ireland. In the past people said the Rosary all the time and despite all the persecution our Faith survived.
Now we need to resort to prayer and the recitation of the Rosary so that our Faith will flourish once again, especially among the young people, and for an increase of vocations in the priesthood and the religious life and for positive action for climate change. We need to pray now more than ever for the triumph of good over evil.
Yours etc.,
James Corcoran,
Kiltimagh,
Co. Mayo.
De Gaulle had a deep faith
Dear Editor, Fr Martin Henry (Notebook IC 31/12/2015) rightly notes that de Gaulle’s “I am a Catholic by history and by geography” does not plumb the depths of true faith. The General would have agreed.
Agnostic André Malraux, a companion in the Resistance and a minister in subsequent Gaullist governments, considered that “his faith was so deep that it ignored every domain that would put it in question”.
Another of de Gaulle’s succinct one-liners reveals this depth of belief. At the graveside of his 20-year-old Down Syndrome daughter, Anne, he declared, “Maintenant, elle est comme les autres”.
In a similar spiritual vein Abbé Bourgeon, one of few intimates to their family life, recalled a conversation with him concerning Anne. “She is a source of grace in my life. She helps me to remain within the modest confines of the limits and impotencies of human life. She keeps me in the safety of obedience to the sovereign will of God. She helps me to believe in the eternal meaning and purpose of our lives, in that Father’s house where my daughter Anne will at last attain her true self and her true happiness”.
Yours etc.,
Colm Ó Tórna,
Ard Aidhin, Baile Átha Cliath 5.
Jesus’ teaching on marriage is clear
Dear Editor, Seán Rogers MLA, (IC 04/02/2016) explains why he changed his mind and voted for the introduction of same-sex marriage, after “asking myself what would Jesus do?” Why would he need to ask himself that?
Surely, as a practising Catholic and former head of a Catholic school, Mr Rodgers well knows that Jesus gave the definitive answer in the Gospel (Mt.19) – when he hardened up the Mosaic law, by affirming that marriage is a unique, exclusive and lifelong contract, between one man and one woman to live together as husband and wife? The Catholic Church teaches what Christ taught.
Furthermore, practising Catholics regularly stand up at Sunday Mass to affirm belief in the Word of Christ and then again at the Creed, to affirm belief in God, and in “one holy Catholic and apostolic Church”.
Yours etc.,
Brian Rooney,
Downpatrick, Co. Down.
Dear Editor, As reported in The Irish Catholic (04/02/2016), Séan Rogers gave his reasons for changing his mind on same-sex marriage. He asked himself what Jesus would do considering his command to love my neighbour. What Jesus would do in clear from the teaching of his Church, and that is, that same-sex marriage is not in accordance with the will of God: “He that hears you, hears me, etc.”
Yours etc.,
Fr Peter O’Grady, O.F.M,
The Abbey, Galway.
Time for Church to join the 21st Century
Dear Editor, I am one of those who grumbles that “the process of appointing bishops takes too long” (‘A burden too far?’ IC 04/02/2016). I accept that it takes “a lot of painstaking work and commitment” to propose the terna (short list) for the Pope to choose from. But why does this process not begin ahead of the retiring bishop’s 75th birthday?
The bishop’s letter of resignation is hardly a surprise: the date on which a bishop will be 75 is known on the day he is appointed. A small bit of strategic planning could mean that a new bishop would be ready to be appointed immediately, instead of which those dioceses waiting for new bishops struggle on in an endless limbo, hoping (and praying) that Rome will eventually send a good new bishop.
Time to come into the 21st Century as an organisation, perhaps?
Yours etc.,
Fr Bernard Cotter,
Bandon, Co. Cork.
A parish response to homeless crisis
Dear Editor, We Irish are known for our hospitality. The Irish greeting ‘Céad Míle Fáilte’ could perhaps be extended to the homeless. Would it be possible for each parish to provide a small house for a homeless family? The house could be 45ft x 12ft, made of architectural panelling, with a dining room, kitchen, shower, toilet and bedroom. The cost to build would be €30,000-$35,000, the cost to the family a €2,000 one-off payment. No rent, no mortgage. The family could stay in the house as long as they wish. This will allow a family to survive, provided they are left with their wages. The house being small will provide an incentive to save and move on. When the family move on the house reverts back to the parish.
Yours etc.,
James Banks,
Walkinstown, Dublin 12.