Clonskeagh Parish RCN:20016166

A Few Words From Fr Joe……

Storm Eowyn raced across Ireland on Friday 24th, an intense weather event that caused great hardship and disruption to communities everywhere, with some people still waiting for power and water to be restored. Even thought we were fairly protected here, it was sad to see so many people suffer and heartbreaking to look at the many trees lost in the locality and in our parks being sawed into firewood.

One unfortunate consequence of the storm was the closing of schools. It was Catholic Schools Week and the sole encounter with students which I had arranged was on the Friday morning. It was a pity to miss the opportunity to talk to them about how the week had gone. The theme for Friday was ‘being at the service of others’ and I am sure they would have had many different ways to express how being Catholic brings a perspective on care, charity and advocacy for others. Being steeped in Gospel values they have come to know that Jesus had a mission centred on ‘setting the downtrodden free, telling prisoners that they are prisoners no more, telling blind people that they can see’ as captured in a popular hymn. The Catholic school has many core principles rooted in faith, an ethos that flows from the Gospel and a school community that cherishes everyone. Prayer, meditation, occasional retreats, following the religion programme and learning about the ethos all contribute to the formation in faith of our young people. Many of them make sacrifices to help others, some even travelling to the developing world during their holidays to support particular charities.

When the schools come to the church here, for opening of the year masses, graduations and all the sacramental moments, I’m always struck by the sheer numbers of young people who are educated in this area. In the partnership I think there are 14 schools in all. On the Sundays following one of these events it’s hard not to be struck by how just a few participate in the regular celebration of the Eucharist. For those who do come the Sunday celebration reinforces all that they are leaning in school, they see and form part of the worshipping community. They get to pray with and observe how the mature members of the community bring their lives to God and are fed at the Lord’s table. For those who don’t come their absence is a loss not just to them but to us all. Without some insertion into the gathering of God’s holy people the fear is that what they learn about religion is academic rather than experiential, a matter of the head and not the heart. While they experience love, forgiveness and the challenge to make the most of all their gifts from their parents, guardians, teachers and friends, there is another dimension to their identity, being children of God and a member of the church gathered for worship, which they miss out on.

It’s hard for those of us who have faithfully participated in Sunday Eucharist all our lives to imagine life without this vital connection, for we are church people. I guess it is hard for those who don’t come to understand what it is they are missing! Life seems to treat us all in a similar way, whether we are church goers or not. I don’t know if there is anything we can do to make them feel more at home, engaged with something they could find supportive, accompanied by fellow Christians who care about them. Maybe if the storm hadn’t blown our plan to meet out of the calendar they would have told me, definitely we have to reschedule our meeting.

Fr Joe Mullan, Moderator Clonskeagh, Kilmacud & Mount Merrion Parishes