Religious Freedom East and West

Posted on 05. Jun, 2011 by John Coughlan in Carousel

On Thursday, 2 June 2o11, the evening before a conference to mark the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Fr Ragheed Ganni, conference participants and friends of Fr Ragheed participated in a powerful commemorative tribute. This moving time of prayer took the form of a procession through the streets of Rome, to the Church of Saint Bartholomew on Tiber Island. The procession was seen off from the steps of the Irish College by Fr Ragheed’s mother, and was led by his father, who carried Ragheed’s priestly stole.

During the Millenium Jubliee year, Saint Bartholomew’s of Tiber Island was entrusted by Pope John Paul II with the task of commemorating the martyrs of the twentieth century and the new millennium. Accordingly, it was chosen as the destination for Fr Ragheed’s stole, the symbol of his fidelity to his priesthood, a fidelity for which he paid with his life.

About fifty people took part in the procession, including Emil Shimoun Nona, Archbishop of Mosul, the city in which Ragheed served as a priest and, on 3 June, 2007, witnessed to the Gospel with his life.

After the opening prayers and hymn at the steps of the Irish College, the procession made its way towards the Tiber. The route included three pauses for prayer, the first of which had a particular symbolic value, being close to the Colosseum, a place where some of the Church’s earliest martyrs shed their blood rather than turn away from the Gospel. Two further pauses for prayer were made along the Circus Maximus.

During each pause, some of the circumstances of Fr Ragheed’s death were recalled, and these recollections were followed by Scripture readings which laid the foundation for the Christian understanding of martyrdom: “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials…” “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer…” A long litany of martyrs was sung as the procession made its way along the Circus Maximus, and during the final pause, members of the Chaldean Catholic community (including Iraqi priests currently living in the Irish College) prayed the Our Father in Aramaic.

The procession was met outside the Church of Saint Bartholomew by members of the San Egidio Community, who had organized a beautiful sung Vespers. During this liturgy, Archbishop Emil reflected on the life and witness of Fr Ragheed, and Ragheed’s parents solemnly presented their son’s priestly stole. The liturgy concluded with a procession, during which the stole was taken to an altar where it will be treasured as a symbol of faithful priestly service and courageous witness to Christ.

On the following day Irish College hosted a conference entitled Religious Freedon East & West in memory of Father Ragheed Ganni on the fourth anniversary of his death, in the presence of Father Ragheed’s parents and the President of Ireland, H.E. Mrs Mary McAleese.  Fr Ragheed Ganni (1972 – 2007). Ragheed, an engineering graduate from the University of Mosul, Iraq, was a student at the Irish College from 1996 – 2003. Following the completion of post-graduate studies at the Angelicum, he returned to Mosul.  Despite death threats, and attacks, Ragheed insisted that he stay in Mosul to minister to his fellow Chaldean Catholics.  He was murdered together with three sub-deacons as he emerged from celebrating Mass on 3 June 2007

Conference Programme

15.30    Welcome and Opening:

Monsignor Liam Bergin, Rector Pontifical Irish College

15.40     “The ambiguities of religious freedom: a Jewish perspective”

Chair:              H.E. Patrick Hennessy,  Ambassador of Ireland to Italy

Lecture:          Rabbi David Meyer, Brussels

16.20      “Christianity and Religious Freedom in  a Secular World”

Chair:             Mr Dermot McCarthy, Secretary General to the Government of Ireland

Lecture:          Mr David Quinn, Director of the Iona Institute and commentator

17.00    Break

17.30   “Christianity and Religious Freedom in an Islamic context”

Chair:             S.E.R. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue

Lecture:          Fr Samir Khalil Samir, SJ, Pontifical Oriental Institute Rome

18.15    “Religious Freedom East and West”

Introduction: H.E. Noel Fahey, Ambassador of Ireland to the Holy See

Address:          H.E. Mrs Mary McAleese, President of Ireland

18.45   Vespers in the College Chapel

Homily:         H.E. Emil Shimoun Nona,  Archbishop of Mosul

Remarks by President McAleese at a conference on ‘Religious Freedom, East and West’, Pontifical Irish College, Rome, 3rd June 2011

Dia dhíbh a chairde, thank you for your welcome. It’s a real pleasure to be back in the beautiful Irish College and an honour to speak at this Conference on ‘Religious Freedom East and West’. I would like to thank the College and Monsignor Liam Bergin for inviting me here today to contribute to the discussion on this important issue.

The venue for conference is not isolated from its subject. The Irish College in Rome, like many others throughout continental Europe, was founded at a time of religious persecution in Ireland. Regrettably, those doing the persecuting were themselves acting in the name of religion and in the name of a Christian denomination. Historically it has been and remains a common phenomenon that the religious freedom of adherents of one faith or denomination is often most threatened by the aggressive proselytism or contempt of another. Few faith systems come to the debate with clean hands. Similarly, there are anti-faith systems and anti religious movements which have fought and continue to fight for freedom from religion in ways that are a reprehensible negation of fundamental human rights.

For this College’s first century and beyond, its students were those who faced danger and experienced death from religious based, anti-Catholic persecution in Reformation and Counter-Reformation Ireland. So this place is well qualified through painful experience to host a discussion on religious freedom. The restoration of freedom and religious rights to Catholics in Ireland, especially from the 19th century onwards, gave the College a new momentum so that today it retains its strong link to Ireland but is also host to students from all over the world. Many of them sadly are from countries where religious freedom is still a dream, its absence still a nightmare. Their presence here continues the significant contribution not just to religious freedom, but to human dignity and human freedom that the Irish Catholic Church has made around the world.

Today’s conference is dedicated to the memory of one such student Father Ragheed Ganni who, along with three sub-deacons, was murdered in Northern Iraq shortly after celebrating Mass. Those of us blessed to have known Ragheed know of his love of life, his fearlessness and courage in returning to minister to Mosul’s Chaldean Catholics despite chilling death threats. I met him first many years ago in the unlikely environs of Lough Derg where I was not really expecting to meet up with a Catholic priest from Iraq.

He enjoyed being the source of such a surprise. We wrote to each other and met up again here in the Irish College before he returned home to Iraq. He spoke then of the call of home and the call of the Gospel that he could not ignore despite having much safer alternatives. It was here too that I heard the awful news of his martyrdom. Ragheed said ‘Christ challenges evil with his infinite love.’ We spoke several times of our shared belief in the miraculous capacity of the human heart to soften and to change and of the role of love in “taking away the heart of stone” to quote Donal Dorr. It was that belief that brought Ragheed back to a life of service in Iraq and his belief in his right to exercise his freedom of religion, his freedom to love.

Freedom of religion or belief is a critical component of the ideal of freedom as a whole. The ideal of freedom underpins the dignity of humankind. It is the cornerstone of justice, equality, democracy – of the just society. It is no accident, however, that the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., when setting out his vision of a non-racial society in his historic speech in Washington D.C. in 1963, rooted his passionate appeal in the evocation of religious belief and belief in a future ‘when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands’ and be in his words and the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

King’s powerful image reflects his understanding that the freedom of any one group of people is inextricably bound with the freedom of all those around them. It is striking that this notion, so strongly associated with the Civil Rights Movement in America, echoes the words of the scriptures to do ‘unto others as you would want them to do unto you’ (Matthew 7:12). This ‘Golden Rule’, or the ethic of reciprocity, calls upon us to treat others as we would want to be treated. It is found in all the great faith systems and it is the cornerstone of the modern concept of human rights.

Over 60 years ago, for the first time in human history the world’s nations agreed a Universal Declaration of Human Rights that laid down the fundamental, indivisible and inalienable rights of all human persons. It came into effect not least because of the colossal and cruel bloodletting of the Second World War and, in particular, the appalling Holocaust visited upon European Jews which had highlighted so graphically the need to protect individuals from persecution for, among other things, their adherence to a particular religion. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration did just that and this well established provision is worth recalling:

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Even today, as we reflect upon the concept of religious freedom, this provision remains the touchstone of our considerations. The freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief applies equally to all persons. It is a fundamental freedom which includes all religions or beliefs, including those that have not been traditionally practised in a particular country, the beliefs of persons who belong to religious minorities, as well as non-theistic and atheistic beliefs. The freedom also covers the right to adopt, change or abandon one’s religion or belief of one’s own free will. Freedom of conscience and freedom to disagree are as much part of the architecture of human rights as freedom of religion. They are part of the whole.

It is an unfortunate reality that religious intolerance continues to pose a problem, North, South, East and West and very few parts of the world can claim to be exempt from the scourge of religious intolerance. There are plenty of current examples of political turmoil, exacerbated by religious tensions, and sadly we continue to see around the world many examples of intolerance and discrimination against worshipers and their places of worship. It is particularly tragic that the worst offenders are often themselves people of strong religious views. In a world growing cold to the idea of religion, they do religious belief the most serious disservice. Worse still, they fail to fully realize who their true friends could be in this world if only they could see beyond the relatively minor differences to the vast shared landscape of values and principles.

All these centuries later, religious freedom is as topical as when this College was founded. It is never far from the news headlines or political agendas and consumes a lot of attention at international fora such as the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe or the Council of Europe. In February of this year, the European Union reaffirmed its strong commitment to the promotion and protection of religion or belief without any discrimination. In these Conclusions, the Union expressed its profound concern about the increasing number of acts of religious intolerance – epitomised by recent violence and acts of terrorism, in various countries, against Christians and their places of worship, against Muslim pilgrims and against other religions communities.

Ireland has a long experience of the appalling consequences of religious bigotry and it is no accident that the great 19th century Liberator Daniel O’Connell, whose heart is buried in this very College, became the champion not simply of religious freedom for Catholics in Ireland and in the British Empire, but for Methodists, for Presbyterians too, for Jews in Russia and more broadly for the civic freedom of Afro-American slaves. His legacy and our baleful experience have given us a contemporary narrative of promoting religious tolerance as part of our understanding of human freedom in general.

You can be sure that Ireland will continue to work for the eradication of all forms of religious intolerance at both the international and national levels. It is a longstanding commitment echoed in the 18th century vision of Wolfe Tone for an Ireland where “Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter” would be equal. Later the words of the Proclamation of 1916 which marked the start of Irish independence stated “The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty.” Later still, our Constitution guaranteed to every citizen freedom of conscience and free profession and practice of religion. (Article 44.2.1.Bunreacht na hEireann.) Indeed, that same Constitution written in 1937 specifically mentioned recognition of the Jewish faith – an acknowledgement that was not without significance in the Europe of the 1930s.

Discrimination and violence on the grounds of religion or belief continue to be at the heart of many local, regional, national and international conflicts which are – or are perceived to be – based at least in part on religious issues, often intertwined with particular ethnic, national, political or historical contexts. They make life miserable.

They make the home, the street, the community, the country places of unconscionable instability and fear. Today, our thoughts are with those who are paying such a high price for their conscientious beliefs.

Fr Ganni’s own Chaldean community in Iraq like other Christian churches in the Middle East, has a history that stretches back to the time of the apostles. We hope and pray that they will soon be allowed to resume living in peace with their Muslim neighbours as they have done for centuries. Adherents to other faiths also suffer for their beliefs – I think, for example, of the Baha’i communities who continue to suffer persecution and, in at least one country, the very legitimacy of their religion is denied.

It is deeply unsettling that a faith with such principles as the unity of humankind and the elimination of all forms of prejudice would attract, in any shape or form, violence from others. That great Irish peacemaker, John Hume, said in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech in Oslo in 1998, that ‘all conflict is about difference, whether the difference is race, religion or nationality.’ I might add, and from direct experience, that all conflict is about refusal to accept difference. The misery of that reality was visited on generations in Ireland and, in particular, in Northern Ireland where the demonization of neighbour by neighbour along sectarian lines was underpinned by a culture of non-acceptance of each other’s right to believe and behave differently.

I tell the story of Northern Ireland as I believe that this story carries an important message. Although religion was not the only badge of identity which divided communities in Northern Ireland, it was a major fault-line of division. Neighbours lived cheek by jowl in dangerous ignorance of one another, an ignorance that only began to disappear when they engaged in structured dialogue and began to explore the idea of a world where there was parity of esteem. The new political dispensation in Northern Ireland is now consolidating very successfully and is underpinned by a formidable infrastructure of rights-based legislation, designed to vindicate the dignity and equality of all citizens. It has already proved itself to be reassuringly stabilizing for all sectors of the community in ways that decades of chaotic inequality and imbalance were not.

With freedom and with rights comes responsibility and duty for the ethic of reciprocity insists that, while each individual has a right to just treatment, he or she must respect the equal right of his neighbour. This balancing of rights and responsibilities trammels the extent to which we can freely exercise freedom of speech or freedom of action – for there can be no freedom which permits us to incite hatred, to promote violence, to provoke intolerance, to practice discrimination since to do so would rob others of their right to the quiet enjoyment of their fundamental freedoms. The restrictions we experience in relation to freedom of expression must of course be proportionate and prescribed by law, and should not go beyond what is absolutely necessary in a democratic society – but they remind us powerfully of the bold yet subtle line between freedom and licence.

Despite our past political and religious conflicts, Ireland has emerged as a country, a family, which is at once, Catholic, Protestant, agnostic, atheist, Islamic, Jewish… in fact a welcoming homeland for people of all faiths and of none, where no-one is exalted above another but all are “children of the nation” to be “cherished equally”, in the powerful words of the Proclamation of 1916. It is a homeland indebted to a long, fascinating and complex Christian heritage. The coming centuries will see it indebted to an increasingly multi-faith heritage already in the making. It is a homeland which has made considerable strides in its understanding of the rights of groups which have historically experienced repressive attitudes – among them women, homosexuals, travellers and those with disability. It is a homeland with a long and sometimes unhappy experience of outward migration that it is using to ensure that the immigrants to our country are made welcome and helped to integrate so that they do not live among us as strangers but as friends.

We have the example of St. Patrick our most famous immigrant whose story richly illustrates the human potential we can either encourage or destroy, depending entirely on the attitudes we adopt to the dignity of the otherness of other human beings.

Over the past several years, successive Irish Governments have encouraged constructive dialogue between the State and the religious or faith communities. The voices of the latter are a vital part of civic discourse and it is important to recognize at the highest level the link between freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression and opinion. The building of pluralistic and democratic societies relies on creating an enabling space or spaces within which respectful, purposeful, intercultural and interreligious dialogue can take place. It is only when we have engaged in such a dialogue ourselves that we may call ourselves guardians and champions of freedom, who have truly responded to the great commandment to love all of creation and not simply those who are mirror images of ourselves.

Fr. Ganni lived in a world where hatred always threatened to overwhelm love. That hatred took his life – obliterated it but it did not obliterate love, nor did it nor could it ever obliterate his legacy. That legacy is an enduring certainty that the greatest challenge to evil is infinite love; that love in the face of hatred is, in the end, the only thing capable of softening the hardened heart, stirring conscience and reconciling the estranged. In our homes, on our streets and in our parliaments there is no greater way to disarm hatred and to disenfranchise those who incite intolerance than by creating micro and macro societies where mutual respect, understanding and equality prevail no matter what. That witness to love in action, to love even in chaos, disturbs the hearts of those who would hate and lights the pathway that they would prefer had no roadmap, no signposts to the fullest flowering of human potential – a world that cherishes all its children equally. There is no mystery – the bitter word hardens hearts. The loving, respectful word softens them. Freedom, including religious freedom is about taking us to a safer world of softened hearts.

Before I conclude I wish to say a sincere thank you to two good friends who are due to leave Rome in the near future. I am sure the last thing an Ambassador who is trying to pack his suit-cases needs is his Head of State coming to town. I understand that Ambassador Fahey will take his leave of the Eternal City 24 hours after we depart. Despite this, Noel Fahey has again welcomed us with his customary warmth and professionalism. I want to thank him for his distinguished record of public service to the State, including as Ambassador to Berlin and Washington, and to wish Noel and Christine every happiness and fulfilment in their future post-diplomatic life. Now that Noel will back in Ireland, Roscommon’s chances in the All-Ireland are surely enhanced.

Later this summer, Monsignor Bergin departs the Irish College to take up a new academic post in Boston. The Irish College’s sad loss will indeed be Boston College’s happy gain. Boston is, of course, a very Irish city but it also has a strong Italian ethos – with Mayor Menino and a neighbourhood called the North End replete with great Italian cuisine. This might ease the withdrawal symptoms. I want to congratulate Liam for everything he has achieved at the Irish College, for being such a good ecclesial ambassador for Ireland and to thank him for the friendship and welcome that he has extended to me, Martin and our family over the years.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh.

Institution of Acolytes 22 May 2011

Posted on 23. May, 2011 by John Coughlan in Carousel

Two Irish College seminarians, Ryamond Donnelly, Diocese of Clogher and Paul Murphy, Archdiocese of Armagh were instituted as acolytes during Sunday Mass in the College chapel on 22 May 2011. Bishop Donal Murray, retired Bishop of Limerick, presided at the liturgy.

The ministry of acolyte is a step towards ordination to the diaconate and priesthood. It is closely linked to the Eucharist and involves assisting the priest and deacon during the celebration of Mass. The new acolytes were presented with a paten containing the bread to be used in the celebration of Mass while the Bishop said “Take this vessel with bread for the celebration of the eucharist. Make your life worthy of your service at the table of the Lord and his Church.”

Bishop Murray preached the following homily:

The first reading is about the call of the first deacons.  In fact all of today’s readings are about the call that every Christian receives in Baptism: the call to follow Christ.  It is a call that is constantly present at every moment and in every situation – in the family, at work, on holidays, in all our social responsibilities. Thomas asks a very sensible question.  We cannot see clearly what the journey is going to ask of us in any of these moments.  Life brings all sorts of surprises, some pleasant, some unpleasant, some utterly unexpected, even shocking.  How can we know the way when we don’t even know the next step on the road?

The answer of Jesus – that he is the Way – gives us a sense of direction and a hope that is strong enough to face anything that comes. He is our road and our destination.  But Thomas is right – the immediate next step may always be different from what we have imagined.  We can sometimes find ourselves lost as to what we should do next. So we need two things – a vision that tells us it is worthwhile to keep going, and a willingness to take the steps that seem to be required at any given moment, however awkward, however demanding, however unfair they may seem.

A story told in the book, Compass Points, by Margaret Silf illustrates this. A university rector, to add a personal touch to the task of presenting hundreds of degrees on Graduation Day, used to ask a question of each student who had climbed the steps of the stage to receive a degree. One of the questions was ‘what do you intend to do next?’  A young man answered, ‘I hope to continue my studies and become a great brain surgeon’.  A short time later a woman graduate beautifully dressed, with elegant high heeled shoes, came up. He asked her the same question, ‘what do you intend to do next?’ She said, “I’m going to turn left, and walk back down those steps very carefully.”  The point is that we all need bo

th the vision and the practical steps.  Without the vision there would be no point in taking the steps; if you don’t take the practical next steps you will never arrive at the fulfilment of the vision. 

In fact we cannot separate these two aspects.  In Jesus we have seen the Father, the origin and the destiny of our lives.  Jesus now sits at the Father’s right hand.  But he has also told us that he is always with us. He is with us, we might say, “every step of the way”.  They are two aspects of the same journey.  The meaning of each step, even the smallest everyday ones, is to be found in walking with him on his journey.  Either a step brings us closer to him, or it is a wasted, misdirected step.

Paul and Raymond, in receiving the ministry of acolyte you are taking an important step on the way, a step, please God, towards the priesthood.  It is also a step in the journey that all Christians travel, walking with Christ.

The second reading calls us to become living stones in Christ who is a living stone chosen and precious in the sight of God. We are to let ourselves be built into a spiritual house with and in him; and we do that by offering spiritual sacrifices.  That means offering ourselves and everything we do, everything we suffer, every joy, every sorrow, all the various steps of our life’s journey to the Father with Christ.  That is our baptismal call; that is what being a Christian is about: our lives are to be a series of steps united with Christ’s sacrifice so as to be one with his risen life. We are a royal priesthood and the sacrifice we offer is ourselves, through, with and in him.

That is what we celebrate in the Eucharist.  In every Mass the celebrant prays, “Lord God, we ask you to receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you”.  We spend a lot of our time rushing around without much reflection. But every time we celebrate the Eucharist we are being asked to become aware of what all those individual steps really mean, what is the vision that makes sense of them.  In everything that happens we are to walk both with care for each next step and with awareness of our destination.

Raymond and Paul, the ministry you receive today is closely linked to the Eucharist. That is why you are handed the bread for the sacrifice as a sign of your ministry. It is a call to you to try to live your lives as spiritual sacrifices.  Like the bread and wine; you are to offer yourselves, and all the steps of your journey, to God through Christ. 

That offering of yourselves is made with the offerings of all God’s people: his chosen race, his royal priesthood, offering their journey and all the steps that make up that journey to him. The ministry of acolyte, like the priesthood towards which it leads, is directed also to unfolding the baptismal grace of the people you will serve, so that they may offer spiritual sacrifices to God. Your ministry will help people to see the vision and to take the next steps on their road. Together we try to live in the light of the Eucharist so that our lives announce the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Soccer Team

Posted on 19. May, 2011 by John Coughlan in Carousel

The team

This year our team was a international one!! Fr Billy (Ireland), Daniele (Italy), Don Gianpiero (Italy), Fr Romeo (Romania), Fr Juan (Perù), Miklòs (Hungary), Marius (Ireland), Fr Antun (Croatia), Fr Efrem (Iraq), Don Matteo (Italy). Staff, priests, seminarians and deacons, united together in one great team!

 The competitions and scores  

We took part in several competitions from October 2010 to May 2011. The most important was “XV Torneo dell’amicizia” organized by ANSPI: there were 10 different colleges involved and we played a total of 10 games. We reached the Semi-finals for the first time. A second competition was at the Pontifical Scots College: 5 different teams took part in this competition and we beat the English College in the final on penalty shoot out. The last competition will be at the Irish College… we hope we will win again!

The valuation of this year from Fr Billy  

This year was the most successful season for the Irish College football team in many years. Winning the inaugural Blessed John Paul II tournament at the Scots College on 7th May represented the highlight of an enjoyable campaign that also saw us finishing fourth in the competitive ANSPI tournament that was won by the excellent aristocrats of calcetto, the Croatians. We beat the English College on penalties in the final of the Blessed John Paul tournament bringing back silverware to the College for the first time in decades. We were beaten by the classy Croats in the semi-final of the ANSPI tournament but did ourselves proud on the day and in fact had beaten them in an earlier group game.

The squad showed great improvement on recent years with the arrival of some talented players. Deserving of special mention is our captain Matteo Pucci who showed great leadership and commitment guiding the team from defence and encouraging intelligent football. Irish College teams in the past showed that heart and spirit were our best assets when pitted against teams who had the edge with greater skill and technique. This year, we combined our determined spirit with some good football which paid dividends. Confidence was high and our successful season bodes well for an improved campaign for next year.

Silver Jubilee Class

Posted on 17. May, 2011 by John Coughlan in Carousel

The Irish College ordination class of 1986 recently returned to the College to celebrate their silver jubilee. They gathered for a day of recollection on Wednesday 11 May 2011 and reflected  on their twenty-five years of priesthood and that evening celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving with the College community. After Mass the College hosted a celebratory meal. Sixteen Irish College students were ordained to the priesthood in 1986 making it one of the largest classes in the history of the College. The members of the class are:  

 Martin Delaney (Ossory)

 Michael Drumm (Elphin)

 Tony Fitzsimons (Down & Connor)

 Paul Fleming (Down & Connor)

 John Foster (Down & Connor)

 Francis Gleeson (Ferns)

 Leo Harrison (Elphin)

 David Ivey (Taiwan)

 Brian Lawless (Dublin)

 Andy Leahy (Kildare & Leighlin)

Brendán Leahy (Dublin)

 Eamonn McCamley (Armagh)

 Bryan McCanny (Derry)

 Eugene O’Hagan (Down & Connor)

 Emilio Palassa (Trani)

 Patrick Walsh (Cork & Ross)

The homily at the Mass of Thanksgiving was delivered by Fr Brendán Leahy.  

 Readings of the Day: Acts 8:1-8 and Jn 6:35-40

 Earlier today, we spent some “quality time” together under the excellent guidance of Fr. Billly Swan reflecting on the Rite of Ordination, sharing our experiences and praying. It has been a gift to do that. I’d like to read a few sentences indicative of what we shared together:

• Every day I break the bread of life for and with God’s people. And every day I become more aware of the brokenness of life. And I give thanks.
• These 25 years have been challenging, rewarding and fulfilling. I have every reason to be thankful – now for the next 25!
• From the Gospel today – 25 years of trying to do His will and not our own.
• The reality of knowing He must grow and I must decrease. Total gratitude.
• I’m grateful for his unfailing love. Often I’ve thought it’s what I do that counts but I’ve discovered more and more that in all situations God is working on me, loving me, surrounding me with a chorus of love  – through the mystery of the Cross, through the support of brother priests and the wider community.
• Through all the stumbling and falling the wonder is that I am still loved intensely by the Lord – and that has made all the difference.

As you can see the theme of gratitude is very much to the fore – even in the face of some very real difficulties and experiences of limit and brokenness. And here this evening at this Eucharist – itself The great act of thanksgiving, we want to thank God for what has been a real divine adventure of trying to live like Jesus, day by day, doing the will of the Father. In the Gospel we hear Jesus say: “I have come…not to do my own will but to do the will of the one who sent me”.

The first Reading from the Acts of the Apostles provides a glimpse of what the divine adventure of discovering God’s way was like for the First Christians. They had to discern it in the unfolding of circumstances and trials that the early Christians could probably hardly have imagined. Some had to stay put, some had to move around. Disaster struck in one place; new possibilities opened in others. Life was success and failure, bitterness and joy, devotion and preaching. But they were faithful to seeking the will of God, putting God and not themselves in the first place: “How tremendous your deeds… Come and see the works of God….Let our joy be in him”. Putting God in the first place and not even priesthood – itself an immense gift – is what ultimately matters. And God is Love. The words of John Vianney, the Curé d’Ars come to mind:

Apart from the good God… nothing is stable, nothing, nothing! If it is life, it passes; if it is fortune, it crumbles; if it is health, it is destroyed; if it is reputation, it is severely tarnished. We pass like the wind… Everything goes quickly, everything is blown away.

 Oh, God, my God! How much are to be pitied those who place their affection in all kinds of things!… They place it there because they love themselves too much; but they do not love with a rational love; they love with love for themselves and for the world, seeking themselves, seeking creatures more than God. They are never satisfied therefore, they are never peaceful; they are always worried, always tormented, always overwhelmed…

With gratitude to God for his work, we now set the compass again and for whatever time God grants us to believe even more in Jesus Christ and his Risen presence. But, of course, we know that also means following even more closely the One who laid down his life. There is a beautiful painting in the dining room that was said perhaps to be in some way linked to the artistic influence of the famous artists of Guido Reno. Perhaps. It used to hang here in the chapel and it was always a source of inspiration. The Crucified Christ is shrouded in darkness but he is radiant in light. That’s the mystery of the Cross – He is the true Priest who has filled every void, given light to every darkness, who has conquered every battle within us and around us, who has brought peace where there is doubt, and brought courage when there is temptation.

And so, with thanksgiving also for your generous kindness and accompaniment in prayer today in this beautifully adorned chapel, as we receive the bread of life we renew our commitment to nourish ourselves always on the will of God, moment by moment, whatever comes our way; work for greater fraternity among priests and appreciation of the great love and support of the whole community. In doing so, we also re-commit ourselves, like the Beloved Disciple, to take Mary more deeply in our home.

 I was struck by the words on the posters that are up for the beatification of Pope John Paul II: ‘Damosè da fa; semo romani!’ ‘Let’s get to work; we’re Romans!’ Well at least, by association with the Irish College to whom we are grateful.

 But whatever direction we go, we remember that our work is first and foremost to let God work as we strive to do his will. And so, in the spirit of this evening’s Gospel, we can make our own the great prayer of Charles de Foucauld directed to God the Father:

•   Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures. I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into your hands I commend my soul; I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands, without reserve, and with boundless confidence,

   for you are my Father.

A Time for Lay People

Posted on 22. Apr, 2011 by John Coughlan in Carousel

In 2010 the Pontifical Irish College launched an initiative to help those involved in parish ministries to rediscover the meaning of their baptism. Participants found the course refreshing, interesting and challenging. Mairead Darcy, pastoral worker in Nass reflected that “Some of the best experiences were the visit to and liturgy in the Baptistery at St John Lateran and Mass in St Peter’s in the early morning. It was super to go into the excavations of St. Peter’s as it grounded us in the history of the early church and Rome.” Eric Cooney, a permanent diaconate candidate from Dublin, wrote that “The gatherings for prayer were incredibly profound and were among the highlights of the course.”

Irish parishes are undergoing transition as they foster a greater sense of shared responsibility between priest and people. Many give generously of their time on the parish pastoral council, on the finance committee, as a collector, in administration, in youth work, in family support, in mission awareness. Others contribute through involvement in the liturgy. Yet more are active members of associations like the St Vincent de Paul, St Joseph’s Young Priests Society, prayer groups, lectio divina, ACCORD, Cura, and the Pioneer Association.

This course is particularly opportune as the Irish Church embraces a period of renewal and following the recent publication of Sharing the Good News, the National Directory for Catechesis in Ireland, and the upcoming International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin. Participants will have an opportunity to return to the source of early Christian baptism while engaging with the life of the Catholic Church in a broader context.

Rome is a fascinating place to rediscover the meaning of baptism in the light of the experience of the early Christian community. Lectures, liturgies and visits to significant sites in Rome will combine to deepen an appreciation of baptism as a participation in the saving mystery of Christ Jesus and as a call to service.

This year’s course will take place from Sunday evening, 24 July, to Saturday morning, 30 July 2011. The cost remains €870. A deposit of €250 is required to secure a place. Rooms are air-conditioned. Please arrange your own travel to Rome. Transfer to/from the airport in Rome, entry fees, excursions, lectures and half-board are included in the cost. Those who wish to arrive prior to 24 July or remain after 30 July may do so subject to availability. If you wish to reserve a place telephone 00 39 06 772631 or e mail ufficio@irishcollege.org

Caput Mundi

Posted on 12. Apr, 2011 by John Coughlan in Carousel

Since moving to Rome in 2000, the ambience and sites of the Eternal City have captured the imagination of Irish artist Andy Devane. His latest exhibition of paintings and illustrations continues his trademark mixture of history and whimsy, and follows last year’s successful London show. Caput Mundi is for one night only and will be launched by H.E. Patrick Hennessy, Ambassador of Ireland to Italy. Purchased paintings may be removed on the night.

Lent at PIC

Posted on 26. Mar, 2011 by John Coughlan in Carousel

The Celebration of Lent at the Pontifical Irish College

 ‘Dear Brothers and Sisters, through the personal encounter with our Redeemer and through fasting, almsgiving and prayer, the journey of conversion towards Easter leads us to rediscover our Baptism. This Lent, let us renew our acceptance of the Grace that God bestowed upon us at that moment, so that it may illuminate and guide all of our actions.’ Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for Lent 2011

On Ash Wednesday Cardinal Robert Sarah, President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum for Human and Christian Development, presented a reflection on Pope Benedict’s message for Lent 2011 to the Irish College community to begin our period of preparation for Easter.

The College community organised the following activities during Lent.

Prayer: 

A renewed sense of devotion to Christ in the Eucharist, can only enrich every aspect of the Church’s life and mission in the world.”

Our college community held a ‘Forty Hour’ Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 8.30pm on Thursday 24th March to 12.30pm on Saturday 26th.
 
Staff, students and visitors to the college were invited to write petition sheets so that prayer requests and intentions would be remembered during adoration. A sign up sheet was available to staff and students where they could volunteer to take responsibility for one hour of adoration. 
 
Our time of adoration concluded with a votive Mass of the Holy Eucharist, celebrated by Fr Billy Swan. In his homily, Fr Billy reflected on life as a gift from our loving Father, hence the importance of self acceptance. With this as our starting point, we can then appreciate our individual need for inner conversion and transformation. Receiving the Eucharist at Mass and spending time in adoration are moments of encounter with God, moments of inner conversion and communion with our Father. Moreover, he said, we cannot overestimate the importance of adoring the Blessed Sacrament, knowing that worship is the highest act of the People of God.

The 40 Hours Devotion was introduced to Rome by St Philip Neri in 1548 and recalls the 40 hours recalls the time Our Lord spent in the tomb.

Fasting: On Fridays during Lent the College students are invited to forgo lunch and spend the time in the College chapel. The cost of lunch is donated to charity.

Almsgiving: Each year the residents of the College select a charity which will benefit from the money raised by their Lenten sacrifices and donated by the members of our Sunday Mass congregation and other visitors to the College. The charity chosen this year is Aid to the Church in Need which is an international Catholic charity. This charity seeks to give a voice and provide  relief to Catholics persecuted and oppressed for their Faith.

Gita to Anagni

Posted on 07. Mar, 2011 by John Coughlan in Carousel

On Sunday 27 February, the Irish College seminary community travelled to Anagni for the afternoon to experience something of the artistic and cultural heritage of the city.

Anagni is located 56 km south of Rome is frequently referred to as the city of the Popes. It was the Papal summer residence for long periods during the medieval age and four Popes (Innocent III (1198–1216), Gregory IX (1227–1241), Alexander IV (1254–1261) and Boniface VIII (1294-1303) were born there.

Anagni will forever be associated with the outrage that took place there.  During the dispute between Pope Boniface VIII and the French King and his allies the Colonna family, the  Pope was captured in his palace at Anagni in September 1303. Popular history recounts that the Pope was slapped by Sciarra Colonna.  The episode is remembered as Lo Schiaffo di Anagni. The incident inspired Dante Alighieri in a famous passage of his Divine Comedy, the new Pilate has imprisoned the Vicar of Christ.  Boniface was shaken by the incident and dies shortly afterwards.

The Cathedral of Anagni, dedicated to Santa Maria, in Romanesque style, was constructed during the years 1071-1105, with Gothic-style additions in the mid-13th century. The most noteworthy part of the Cathedral is its crypt, which contains the tomb of Saint Magnus of Anagni, the patron saint of Anagni, and Saint Secundina of Anagni. The frescoes covering the walls and ceiling are some of the best works of Romanesque/Byzantine art in Italy, and form a single iconographic scheme which includes natural philosophy, saints, the Apocalypse, and the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant. The unrestored Cosmati floor is in excellent condition. On the same level as the crypt is the Oratorio of Saint Thomas (Becket) – also completely frescoed though the works are not in as good condition as those in the crypt.

The Beatification of Pope John Paul II

Posted on 26. Feb, 2011 by John Coughlan in Carousel

A Mass of thanksgiving for Irish pilgrims attending the Beatification of Pope John Paul II was celebrated by H.E. Cardinal Seán Brady Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland on Monday 2 May 2011 at 15.30 at the Basilica Parrocchiale di Santa Maria in Domnica alla Navicella followed by a reception at the Pontifical Irish College.

Over three  hundred people attended the Mass which was concelebrated by Most Revd John Buckly, Bishop of Cork and Ross and thirty priests. The Irish College choir directed by Fr Peter O’Kane provided the music for the liturgy. 

.

First Semester Exams

Posted on 26. Feb, 2011 by John Coughlan in Carousel

The academic year in the roman universities is divided into two semesters. The first semester examination take place during the first half of February.

Most examinations are oral which is a new experience for most Irish students.