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Page 4 Pallottine Voices Pallottine Farewell Mr Seán Siuyu – that he had been very happy at Pallotti School for Girls and will have great memories of his time there. The Society of the Catholic Apostolate Seán McNulty was a teacher of Seán McNulty was born in Co, Mayo in Ireland and was Winter 2016 English and a Mentor to the staff at the second oldest in a family of nine. His association with Voices Pallotti Secondary School for Girls Pallottine Fathers Thurles Co Tipperary Ireland E41A271 Tel. (0504) 23678/21202 Web: pallottines.ie Email: [email protected] in Siuyu, Tanzania, for twenty one the Pallottines goes back to 1963 when he met the then years. “Mjomba”, or “Mr Seán” as Director of Vocations for the Pallottine Fathers in Ireland, he was affectionately known at the Fr. Paddy Murray. After a few years studying with the In This Issue: – Christmas Ferns Promotion Elisabetta Sanna Mr Seán school, retired earlier this year. Pallottines, Seán emigrated to Zambia where he worked as a lay missionary. Having spent seven years in Zambia and To celebrate his retirement, What is Christmas? enjoyment, happiness and “good cheer”. a further fourteen in Botswana, he joined the staff at Pallotti and to mark the special occas- Furthermore, I believe that businesses have forgotten Secondary School for Girls in 1995, where his sister, Sr Vulnerability and Trust ion of his return to Ireland, a farewell party for Seán was the true meaning of Christmas. Instead of seeing it as a Mary, was then the Headmistress. in a merciful God organised in Siuyu on the 15th of May. In traditional time to come together and share in fellowship, the season He will be greatly missed by all at Pallotti School and by African style, Seán was escorted from his house by the Fr Alan Bukenya SAC of Christmas all too often is used by corporations and big students to the Assembly Hall in the school where a meal his many friends in the locality. We wish him good health businesses as a way to sell more consumerist items and at and hope he will enjoy a long and happy retirement back had been prepared in his honour. All the students, the staff As I refl ect during Advent on the high prices. Another aspect of the story is that Jesus was home in his native country. and the Sisters attended, as well as many past pupils. Christmas story, the thing that strikes born to Mary, a young woman who in today’s society would Speeches and an evening of entertainment followed which me most about it is the vulnerability be considered a teenage mother. Joseph would have faced went on for several hours and was thoroughly enjoyed by of Jesus Mary and Joseph that fi rst Christmas, and the way a lot of pressure to divorce her: Joseph was not the father of all. Fitting tributes were paid to Seán and he was presented in which they put their full trust in the God of Mercy. the child, rather God was the Father. with many gifts. Speaking as Provincial Superior, Sr At that time, similar to today, we are reminded of the story This is in stark contrast to the message of consumerism Mary said that he was the foundation stone of Pallotti of refugees as Jesus Mary and Joseph fl ed from Bethlehem which tells us that buying more will make us happy and that and thanked him for his commitment and the generosity to Egypt from a tyrannical regime in which babies below the we should be following the trends to buy the most wanted of his time, adding that Seán was responsible for Pallotti age of two were slain by Herod as a result of his quest for Christmas items. School being what it is today – a shining light in the north power and the need not to be usurped by another contender I therefore would encourage you this Christmas to of Tanzania. The Headmistress, Sr Martha, said Seán was to his throne. remember the true meaning of this Holy Season, and I urge inspirational, always on time and fully prepared, while Mr How do we treat immigrants who escape the atrocities you to help others as we celebrate this Christmas time, fresh Daudi, the Deputy Headmaster, said Seán was a “gift from in Libya, Iraq, and Syria? Christ was a refugee Himself. from the experience of living in the Year of Mercy. God to Siuyu”. Sr Rosemarie, a colleague of Seán since The Church teaches us to welcome and give the school had opened, spoke of him as being dedicated and shelter to the stranger in the Corporal Works hard working. of Mercy. A special mass was celebrated for Seán by his lifelong One thing that also strikes me in the story is friend Fr. Basil, who described him as an example of great the over-whelming vulnerability of Christ as he humanity and said Seán will always be a member of the chose to come on Earth as a baby rather than Pallottine family. Fr. Tom, a friend of Seán for twenty as a mighty ruler. Jesus acted against social years, said he will miss Seán very much and their twice Please Help the Pallottines. expectations by being born in a stable rather weekly jumuya (get-together). Please cut out this form and return it with your donation. than in a palace. Please remember the Pallottines in your will. Thank you. To round off the evening in style, an enormous cake Today we are immersed in the cult of wealth baked especially for the occasion by the school staff was Dear Fr. Martin, and forget those in need. Many go without, cut with pride by Mr Seán who was visibly touched by I enclose an offering of € …………….. to help the Pallottines’ while others live in plenty. In many African the celebration that had been organised in his honour. He mission to assist, educate and empower the people we minister to. countries, hunger is a daily reality for millions thanked everyone for attending and for their good wishes, PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS. of people. Christ calls us to leave our comfort and said he felt humbled that they should organise such a zones and reach out to the suffering of our Name ................................................................................. big celebration for him. Seán said he felt sad to be leaving world: “For when I was hungry you gave me Address ................................................................................. to eat.” Jubilee Celebrations ................................................................................. Nevertheless, I believe that this is a message which has been lost. In today’s world the We celebrated the Silver Jubilees – 25 years of service in Send to: Fr. Martin Mareja, SAC Christmas story has been stripped of its Pallottine Fathers Missions the priesthood – of Frs. Liam McClarey SAC and James uncomfortable origins and often we forget the Thurles, Co. Tipperary, Ireland E41A271 Amasi SAC in September. fact that Jesus, as an infant, was also a refugee. Email: [email protected] Coincidently, at the celebration in the Pallottine College We also forget the fact that Jesus was If you would like us to acknowledge your on the 9th of September, Monsignor Seámus Freeman, donation, please tick this box. born poor. We don’t reach out to help the Fathers George Ranahan, Gerry Fleming and John Bergin, vulnerable and those are on the margins, such who had all been classmates many years before, met Registered Charity Number: 20011826 as the homeless and those using food banks for together again for the fi rst time after 25 years. whom the season of Christmas is not a time of Page 2 Pallottine Voices Pallottine Voices Page 3 A Beatifi cation Elisabetta’s remains were exhumed in July in the presence Promotion and Appeals the serving mission of the Church. of the Postulator of the Cause, Fr. Jan Korycki, SAC, and in Ferns Diocese 2016 On behalf of our Society, I wish to express our sincere Fr Derry Murphy SAC other Pallottines and offi cials from the Vicariate of Rome. gratitude to the Most Rev Denis Brennan DD, for granting On the 28th of July her remains were there laid to rest under Fr Martin Mareja SAC us permission to do Mission animation and promotion in his Blessed Elisabetta Sanna was the altar in the Virgo Potens chapel and sealed with a marble Diocese. I wish also to say a word of thanks to all the Parish a close collaborator of St Vincent plaque bearing the inscription “Beata Elisabetta Sanna”. I began Mission animation and pro- priests, Associate priests, Religious and Lay Faithful who Pallotti and one of the fi rst members The Rite of Beatifi cation took place in the Basilica of the motion work in Ferns diocese, on the facilitated my visits, and for the great welcome, generosity of the Union of Catholic Apostolate. Most Holy Trinity, in Saccargia, Sardinia, on the 17th of 20th of February and completed and donations given in aid of our Missions in East Africa. She died in 1857 and was buried in September. The Principal Celebrant was Cardinal Angelo it on the 23rd of October. I visited On behalf of Fr. Derry Murphy, our Provincial, and Br. a side-chapel of Santissimo Salvatore in Onda in Rome, Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the 26 parishes. The rest of the diocese were visited by the Steve, I extend a personal note of thanks to my brother the Church attached to the Generalate of the Pallottines. Saints, accompanied by the Archbishop of Sassari, bishops Daughters of Charity. priests who generously and happily provided us with The side-chapel is known as the “Virgo Potens” chapel from Sardinia and Sao Paulo, Brazil, and almost 60 priests, As has been in the case for the past three years, the accommodation and food.