Priesthood is vital
for the Church. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz) Letter of the week
Young priests giving hope
Dear Editor,
I’ve just returned from some time spent in Knock where I met several people who had forgotten the value of this newspaper – there are so many good articles.
I find Fr John Harris’ articles so very good. Today many great blessings are bestowed on the Dominican order – wonderful vocations, great teaching and excellent education in the Catholic Faith.
I know three young men who were also ordained to the diocesan priesthood recently: Fr Anthony from Donegal; Fr Jordan from Cavan and Fr Mark from Kerry. The stream still flows regarding priesthood even if the numbers are less than before and the call: “Come follow me”, is still being heard and responded to in a very secular world.
So I praise God for those generous souls who say “yes” in spite of all of the bad news we’ve been hearing regarding faults and failings of priests – some that are dead and buried. I pray that we can leave God to take care of the departed and that we can do our best to help the many good priests who serve God’s people the best they can.
Yours etc.,
Sr Susan Evangelist,
Ballyshannon,
Co. Donegal
Champions of the spiritual race
Dear Editor,
In The Irish Catholic of August 8, there is an article by Brandon Scott about a veteran broadcaster who described as “desperate” the retreats he experienced as a boy, in the beautiful location of Manresa House.
We have come from two weeks of watching the intense activity of Olympic athletes from around the world, who for the past four years subjected themselves and their bodies to the severest of training regimes, in the hope of winning a medal for their countries. Not one of them questioned the process that brought them qualification and not one would have called the process “desperate”.
The words of 1Corinthians 9:25 came to my mind: “Everyone who enters an athletic contest practices self-control in everything. They do it to win a wreath that withers away, but we run to win a prize that never fades”.
Our priests, spiritual directors and spiritual writers are our coaches in this latter contest; we should expect them to make demands of us, commensurate with the pursuit of a “prize that never fades”.
Yours etc.,
Mrs Judith Leonard
Woodbine Road,
Dublin
Don’t dismiss dialogue
Dear Editor,
Fr Patrick Moore (August 8) writes about what he perceives as the need for faith formation, but talks in dismissive terms about education of other religions and about mindfulness.
When we have just celebrated the giant saint Dominic of Guzmán (founder of the Order of Preachers, OP, the Dominicans), who took people as they were in his relationship with them, acknowledging the truth they had within and engaging with them with listening and conversation, maybe there is something here that Fr Moore needs to learn.
I wish his anger checked and channelled.
Yours etc.,
Conchita Legorburo
Dalkey,
Co. Dublin.
Do teachers in Catholic schools practise the Faith?
Dear Editor,
Apropos references in The Irish Catholic to the Amarach survey of 1000 school students (August 15) David Quinn identifies the lack of clarity in the outcome regarding student desire for more religious content in the curriculum. As David says a more thorough research is necessary.
Catholic institutions are by definition places where one is facilitated in seeking out the truth in religious matters. When individuals and institutions come to believe they have found it, an obligation imposes itself on them to follow through on this search and to conduct themselves in light of the truth as they understand it.
The cultural diversity inherent in most Catholic schools together with the extent of state control of the curriculum make the pursuit of Catholic truth problematic in these schools. The genuine and indeed successful efforts by schools designated as Catholic to avoid religious polarisation within them makes the promotion of the Catholic way of life more difficult.
Schools designated as Catholic excel in developing student skills in the secular curricula. The extent to which staffs are interested in or support the faith formation of students is unclear. It is necessary that a thorough survey of the latter issue be conducted to ascertain if there is a problem and the nature of it. A thorough survey is a first step in addressing such a problem.
Yours etc.,
Neil Bray,
Cappamore,
Co Limerick.