St Anthony Brief IRISH FRANCISCAN MISSION MAGAZINE No.4 JUNE/JULY 2019 €2.00
✣✣ A Life Lived in Love ✣✣ Ireland’s Oldest DJ ✣✣ A Splendid Universal Communion Spirit and Life
PRODUCING SWEET FRUIT
The spirit of humility is sweeter than honey; Those who nourish themselves with this honey Produce sweet fruit.
Learn to love humility, For it will cover all your sins.
All sins are abhorrent before God, But the most abhorrent of all is pride of the heart.
The Creator of the heavens obeyed a carpenter; The God of eternal glory listened to a poor virgin. Has anyone ever witnessed anything comparable to this?
Do not consider yourself learned and wise; Otherwise, all your efforts will be destroyed, And your boat will reach the harbour empty.
Attribute to God every good that you have received. If you take credit for something that does not belong to you, You will be guilty of theft.
– From a sermon of Saint Anthony of Padua
St Anthony Brief SStt AAnthonynthony BriefBrief 2 Spirit and Life. 4 From the Editor. A Life Lived in Love. Only 36 when he died, St Anthony of Padua’s 5 life overflowed with love for the Lord and his people. Mario Conte OFM Conv tells his story.
Setting Hearts on Fire. God created us because he wanted us! 8 Walter Gallahue OFM, writing from Zimbabwe, has little time for passing on the faith in a way that does not move hearts.
Ireland’s Oldest DJ. Chai Brady wrote in The Irish Catholic of Fr Cletus 10 Noone OFM, who at 86 still reaches out to people over the airwaves.
12 Church Brief. Restoring Our Faith in Humanity. Marko Phiri writes of the 13 response to Cyclone Idai that brought great suffering to Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries in April.
First Steps on the Journey. In Zimbabwe on 25 March, the Feast of 13 the Annunciation, three new postulants were received into the postu- lancy programme at Nharira Mission.
Stephen Hawking: Great Scientist, Lousy Theologian. Bishop Robert 14 Barron has great admiration for the late brilliant cosmologist but believes he made blunders when talking of God.
Soul-Making: A Painful Birthing into the New. Gerald Evans OFM 16 shows that we are on sacred ground during times of suffering.
A Splendid Universal Communion. Lomán MacAodha OFM sees 20 St Francis as a model of conversion to God and to all things.
22 News from Around the Franciscan World. 23 Pope Francis: Don’t Be Slaves to Your Phones! Graduation in Vietnam. Sean Cassin OFM writes of changed lives in Volume 79 No.4 23 Missionary Magazine of the Irish Vietnam. Franciscans. Published bi-monthly by the Franciscan Missionary Union, Filled to the Brim with Love. Tom Russell OFM reflects on the spiritual 4 Merchants Quay, Dublin 8. 24 Editor: Br Stephen O’Kane OFM. wisdom distilled by Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan during his long years in prison for the faith in Vietnam. Production: Fr Francis Cotter OFM. Subscription & Distribution Secretary: Helen Doran. Tel: (01) 6777651. Statement from Fr Aidan McGrath OFM, Minister Provincial of the [email protected] 26 Franciscan Province. Design, Layout & Printing: Corcoran Print & Design. The Church in Cuba. Gearóid Ó Conaire OFM looks at the road the Tel: (053) 9234760. 27 Subscription including Postage: Church has travelled from before the Revolution to the present time. Ireland – €15.00 per annum Britain – Stg£15.00 per annum Mission Digest. Desert Retreat. Overseas – €18.00 per annum 30 June/July 2019 3 From the Editor Learning to Let Go Since Thursday 9 May this year, the Franciscans no longer have a res- ident community in Waterford. Like so many other congregations in Ireland we are aging and diminishing in number (despite the fact that we are blessed with a number of new members in formation). A sad consequence of this shrinking has to be a reduction in the locations where we have served for hundreds of years. Thankfully, the church in Waterford will remain open, cared for by the friars from Clonmel and the Mass office will also remain open, Br Stephen O’Kane OFM very generously attended to by a cheery team of local volunteers. The good news is that the friary itself will become the home of a group of Sisters from a new congregation called The Sisters of Mary Morning Star. This young congregation was founded in Spain in 2014 and there are 225 members worldwide in ten countries. The Sisters are contemplatives, but not confined to an enclo- sure, like our Poor Clare Sisters are. Already, three youthful Sisters have arrived and it is hoped their num- ber will eventually reach a dozen. What a great blessing for the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore! I have spent the last number of days going through every drawer and cup- board in the former friary in Waterford deciding what needs to be kept for archives, what needs to be shredded, what should be given to charity or the local museum and what should be dumped. Quite a challeng- ing task! In the midst of all the dust and sneez- ing, it struck me how much clutter there was. Traces of friars long dead, or now living in another community, could be found in multiple places. I The tabernacle: Franciscan church, Waterford. suppose, like so many people, the fri- ars too were not great at getting rid of stuff they no longer had any use for. I resolved there and then to do a job on my own room and so do now what someone else would have to do, were I to die in the morning. There is something very sobering about taking on this project; it focuses the mind on the truth that not one of us will escape the call of Sister Death when the time comes. The people of Waterford have always been very supportive of the Franciscan Missionary Union over the years. We are very grateful for that backing and hope they will continue to be as generous as they always have been in support of our missions. As well as that, we pray a blessing on the new venture with the Sisters, placing its success in God’s hands. The great feast of our patron, St Anthony, is already on the horizon. All of us at the FMU wish you a very happy feast day on 13 June. We encourage you, if at all possible, to attend the preparation for it in your area. The St Anthony Novena takes place in each of our friaries (including Waterford) and is always well attended and much appreciated. And finally, dear reader, thank you for your faithful support, without which we could do very little.
– Stephen O’Kane OFM
St Anthony Brief 4 A Life Lived in Love
Only 36 when he died, St Anthony of Padua’s life overflowed with love for the Lord and his people. Mario Conte OFM Conv tells his story. The traditional image: the saint with the child Jesus.
t Anthony, whose baptismal When he was fifteen, after much Portugal). There he continued his studies name was Ferdinand, was born prayer and reflection, he left his rich home and was ordained to the priesthood when SSin Lisbon in 1195. He was the and went to live in the Augustinian Abbey he was 25 years old. eldest son of an influential family. His of St Vincent on the outskirts of Lisbon. parents had great plans for him, and so The Canons Regular of St Augustine, the Franciscan Transformation they arranged for a sound education. religious order which he joined, have After his ordination, Ferdinand was placed They were thinking of an ecclesiastical or always been famous for their dedication in charge of hospitality in his abbey. It bureaucratic career, but Ferdinand disap- to scholarly pursuits. It is to the was in this responsibility that he first pointed them by choosing a life more Augustinians that the saint is indebted for came into contact with the Franciscans. In directly dedicated to the service of the his intellectual formation, which made him 1219 he met five followers of St Francis Lord. He was known for his piety and fer- one of the most learned clerics in Europe who were on their way to Morocco to vour in prayer. In fact, one of the earliest at the beginning of the thirteenth century. preach to the Muslims. He was strongly legends concerning him is of how he was Ferdinand thought that he would find attracted by their simple Gospel lifestyle. disturbed by a demon while he was pray- the godly peace which he sought by flee- Then in February 1220, news arrived ing, and how he chased that demon ing the world and joining a religious order. that his five Franciscan friends had been away by making a sign of the cross upon Unfortunately, St Vincent was too near to martyred in Morocco. Their remains had the floor. his home. Friends and relatives were been gathered together and sent to always visiting him, bringing him gifts Portugal, where they were being vener- Religious Vocation which embarrassed him and news of what ated as relics of martyrs of the faith. The Ferdinand’s pious intentions brought was happening in their social world which king ordered them to be placed in the him into more and more conflict with his disturbed him. He simply could not find Church of the Holy Cross in Coimbra. family. They wanted him to be success- any peace there, and his studies were Ferdinand meditated upon the heroic ful according to the standards of the suffering. Finally, Ferdinand begged his response of these Franciscans to the call world. They wanted him to further the superiors for a transfer to another abbey, to live the Gospel of our Lord Jesus good fortunes of his family. Ferdinand and they sent him to the Augustinian Christ, a call that brought them, too, to only wanted to respond to the call of the Abbey of the Holy Cross in Coimbra their cross. He felt embarrassed, for he Lord. (which at that time was the capital of considered his own life as an Augustinian
June/July 2019 5 Preacher in Italy and France Things rarely work out the way we have planned them; God’s ways are not our ways. In only a short time, Anthony had travelled from Coimbra in Portugal to the shores of Morocco, then to Sicily, then to Assisi, and finally to a small hermitage in Montepaolo. There, at last, Anthony found the peace which he had sought for so long. He immersed himself in his priestly ser- vice to the community as well as in the household tasks of cooking and cleaning. But the Lord had other plans for him. One day he was asked to attend the cel- ebration of an ordination to the priest- hood in the city of Forlì. The preacher failed to arrive, and Graziano, Anthony’s Provincial, ordered him to preach what- ever might come to mind. All were astounded when Anthony preached with both great learning and fervour. His peaceful period of retreat in the her- mitage had come to an end, for hence- forth he would be called upon to preach near and far. Anthony travelled throughout northern Italy and southern France, preaching especially in the areas that had been Charismatic preacher: Anthony preaches to the Pope and cardinals. plagued by heresy. He combated abuses in the Church – the political intrigues and to be mediocre and filled with compro- There was only one thing left to do – sur- moral decadence of some of the clergy – mise. He longed to embrace the heroic render to the will of God. which had caused many to lose their lifestyle of the early Friars Minor. He And so Anthony said farewell to Africa faith. He also spoke out against the wanted the freedom of a charismatic and and set sail back to Portugal. But even heretical positions – the rejection of cre- joy-filled response to God’s call to leave this choice would be challenged by the ation as evil, rejection of Church authority everything and follow him. Lord. The ship encountered a terrible and the sacraments – which confused Ferdinand eventually obtained permis- storm which blew it off course. Finally, it the faithful. His most powerful weapon sion from his superiors to join the was forced ashore on the island of Sicily. against these enemies was his Gospel Franciscans. He was invested with the Weak and confused as to the direction lifestyle, for by living what he preached Franciscan habit and began to learn the that the Lord intended for him, Anthony he was able to confound heretics and teachings of their holy founder St Francis. travelled to Assisi, where there was to be edify Catholics. With this new lifestyle, he also took on a a great assembly of the friars. On the new name. He called himself Anthony, feast of Pentecost in 1221 thousands of Provincial Minister after the hermit St Anthony of the desert friars gathered in Assisi from all over Due to his talent put at the service of the to whom the local Franciscan hermitage Europe in what has come to be known as Kingdom of God, Anthony was assigned was dedicated. the Chapter of Mats. the post of Minister Provincial in northern There Anthony listened to the teach- Italy, probably during the years 1227- From Africa to Assisi ings of St Francis, and he was greatly 1230. The task involved visiting several Shortly after, Anthony set off with a fellow consoled. As the friars dispersed to go to friaries in northern Italy. Anthony, how- friar, intending to die preaching the their home friaries, Anthony waited for ever, had a preference for the city of Gospel in Morocco. He had barely arrived someone to give him a sign of where he Padua and the small Franciscan commu- when he contracted a horrible fever which should go. Finally, the Minister Provincial nity at the simple church of Santa Maria left him semi-conscious for weeks. He did of Bologna, Friar Graziano, invited Mater Domini. This church was later not even have the strength to stand up, Anthony to follow him. Graziano sent extended and transformed into the cur- let alone go into the marketplace to Anthony to a small hermitage in the rent Basilica of St Anthony. preach the Word of God. Anthony’s gen- mountains in the town of Montepaolo near In Padua, Anthony had a couple of erous dream of serving the Lord with his Forlì, to serve as a priest for the commu- relatively short stays: the first, between words and his very life had been crushed. nity of friar hermits living there. 1229 and 1230; the second, between
St Anthony Brief 6 1230 and 1231, during which he died pre- Arcella, a town close to Padua, they fess all day long, until sunset. Often, he maturely. Although the time he spent in decided that it would be best to take him would never eat all day long.’ However, Padua was short, Anthony established a there. After he was anointed by a priest, his apostolic life of the itinerant preaching very strong bond with this city. he intoned the hymn to the Blessed Virgin was alternated with short or long periods The Assidua, the first biography on Mary, ‘O Glorious Queen, exalted above of retreat in solitude, as in the best St Anthony, quotes that he wrote his the stars!’ Franciscan tradition. Sermons for Sundays during his stay in The friars noticed that he was gazing The central importance of charity in Padua. This voluminous text, addressed attentively at something, and so they the spirituality of St Anthony is evident. in particular to his fellow friars engaged in asked him what he saw. He responded, ‘I Anthony understands charity as the love preaching, expresses his immense theo- see my Lord.’ Shortly after that he passed for God as the supreme good, and to love logical knowledge. away. He was only 36 years old, but he people for the sake of God. Next to this, had travelled thousands of miles in his Anthony lived the fundamental virtues of His Death missions and he had preached to tens of obedience, poverty and humility, this last On 13 June 1231, Anthony joined the fri- thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) virtue he considered as the source and ars for a noonday meal at his woodland of the faithful. The friars tried to keep mother of all the other virtues. retreat at Camposampiero, 25km from Anthony’s death a secret lest his body be Anthony’s active life is an expression Padua. They had scarcely begun when stolen, but almost immediately children of his love for people while the contem- he collapsed into their arms. As the friars were seen running through the streets of plative one showed his love for God. The supported him, he whispered to them that Padua calling out, ‘The Saint is dead. two kinds of love are closely linked and he wished to be taken to Padua so that Friar Anthony is dead.’ interdependent, and can be considered as he might die there. He wanted to spend ‘twin’ lives. For Anthony, Christian holi- his last hours in the friary which he loved Primacy of Love ness is not attained in action or in con- so much near the Church of Santa Maria. St Anthony was, first of all, a tireless templation alone, but in the union of both. The friars put him on a cart and trav- preacher and confessor. To get an idea of His was a life lived in love. elled towards Padua, but Anthony was the intensity of his days it is enough to already too weak to make it. As they quote one of his contemporaries, Adapted from approached a Poor Clare monastery in ‘Anthony would preach, teach and con- www.santantonio.org/en n
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Padua, Italy: People pray before the Tomb of St Anthony.
June/July 2019 7 God created us because he wanted us! Walter Gallahue OFM, writing from Zimbabwe, has little time for passing on the faith in a way that does not move hearts. Setting Hearts on Fire he late Fr Thomas Waldron had a The Zacchaeus Experience new vision, liberated him from false gods wonderful gift of making the Gospel For many years I have sometimes taken and gave him new life. Tcome alive in his preaching. He the Baptism, Holy Communion and I often began one of the sessions with preached a series of homilies on the Confirmation classes myself, in an attempt the catechumens by asking, ‘Why did God Gospel of Matthew. One homily went to assist our wonderful voluntary cate- create you?’ I would get the answer, something like this: ‘I am Matthew and I chists not only to communicate knowledge learned by rote, ‘God created me to know, came to the Jordan to hear John the about Jesus but, in so far as possible, to love and serve him in this life and to be Baptist. The crowd was huge. John was enable them to actually meet Jesus. happy with him forever in the next.’ This preaching and he suddenly stopped and We sometimes call this the Zacchaeus answer is true but would not set any looked intently at a man coming over the Experience. Zacchaeus was curious hearts on fire. I would say, ‘No, No, No! brow of the hill. Then he shouted, with about Jesus. He had heard so much God created you because he wanted you. great excitement, “There he is – the one I about him that he wanted to see him for He created you to pour his love into your told you about – the Lamb of God.” We all himself. It was so important to him that he heart. He wanted YOU, not somebody turned around to look at the man walking even climbed a tree to get a better look at else. He could have created somebody down the hill towards the river. He walked Jesus. For a man of his standing this rep- else but he wanted you/me. I matter to neither fast nor slow but composed and resented a great loss of dignity. But Jesus God – he will never stop loving me; I am relaxed. We were all silent. He came down too wanted to meet Zacchaeus. He called his own creation.’ to John and stood before him, smiling. him gently and with a sense of humour. When I take them again, sometime Then he embraced him warmly and we all Once he met Jesus he saw every- later, I ask the same question and often thought, “Isn’t Jesus a very nice man.”’ thing in a completely new light. He saw get the stock answer but one or two say, How we see Jesus has everything to that his greed was not giving him real ‘God created me because God is love.’ do with how we respond to him and to the happiness and he realised, in the pres- Father, of whom Jesus is the perfect ence of Jesus, that the wealth he had Burning Hearts image. To know Jesus is to know the acquired did not give him the happiness In Jesus, God who is love has come Father, for they are one. Mother Teresa his heart thirsted for. He couldn’t wait to among us. What did Peter and Andrew, was once asked by a journalist, ‘Who is get rid of much of the money he had trea- James and John see in Jesus that led Jesus for you?’ She said, ‘Jesus is every- sured up to now. In fact he now saw that them to leave all to be with him? These thing for me, life, joy – everything.’ his greed had been a snare for him. To men were not poor by the standards of the Jesus’ question to his disciples always anyone he had cheated he would now time. They had a nice little fishing busi- demands an answer, ‘Who do YOU say I give back four times as much. He would ness going and were doing well. Jesus am?’ now give half his wealth to the poor. He was offering them nothing, at least not of Terrible harm has been done by a cat- might not have heard Jesus say, ‘Give to this world. They must have experienced, echesis which expressed the truth but did the poor and you will have treasure in at the very least, that to be with Jesus is nothing to move the heart. heaven’ – but meeting Jesus gave him to be alive. Here in Africa in the 1880s,
St Anthony Brief 8 the Martyrs of Uganda had converted to she realised that this is Jesus – unloved, him. His peace and joy were infectious. the faith and were so fired-up in their love despised, unwanted, begging to be loved He was a quiet man and his smile would for Christ that they did not hesitate to give and accepted. The love that is Jesus, melt a stone. He would sing his heart out their lives for him and all he stood for. nailed to the cross for us lepers, turned at the hymn to the Sacred Heart: Moyo What a wonderful thing this fire is that her life upside down. waJesu, une tsitsi, rudo! ‘Heart of Jesus, makes the wise foolish and the foolish What of St Gianna Molla, a medical fount of love and mercy.’ wise! How happy all Christians would be if doctor and mother? She was pregnant But he had great sorrow in his life. we could say with the two men on the with her fourth child and was told, and His eldest son was mentally unstable. He road to Emmaus, ‘Were not our hearts knew herself, that she could very likely die would go around talking to himself and burning within us as he spoke to us.’ if she carried her baby to term. She said could relate to no one. But, as in the case Pope Benedict XVI went to Brazil for that if she had to choose she would of most poor societies, he was accepted in the canonisation of the first Brazilian saint. choose to give the child a chance to live. the village. Bruno had accepted this cross He said that the true heroes and heroines What great love and trust. She did die but from a loving Saviour and believed in a of the world are the saints. These are the that child is now a doctor carrying on the future where all will be recreated. He had people who show us that when we see healing ministry of her mother. no self-pity. Jesus as the pearl of great price, our lives Jesus is a very nice man. St Paul He sent for me one day as he was ill. are transformed and we are truly happy. could speak of the Christ he had come to His feet and legs were very swollen but No saint ever lived only for God. They know and love. He names some of the his smile was as always. He joyfully also saw all the people of the world as characteristics of Jesus: patient, kind, gen- received the sacraments of the sick. their brothers and sisters. tle, unselfish, without anger, forgetting Two days later we had the First Friday To be with Jesus is to have compas- offences, delighting in the truth, excusing in honour of the Sacred Heart. I could not sion on those for whom Jesus has com- everything, loving us and giving his life for believe my eyes when I saw Bruno, sitting passion. But it is more than that. It is to us. on a chair, in the midst of the congrega- recognise that, in a special way, the one tion. I asked him how he had got there who is marginalised, despised, neglected, Love and Mercy and he said that he had left his house at oppressed and hungry IS JESUS. We are This understanding of Jesus has nothing around four in the morning, and had all Jesus. to do with worldly wisdom. walked a bit and rested, and continued I lived for more than twenty years at like that until he got to the mission church. Excusing Everything one mission. We always had Mass on the A doctor would have had a fit. But Bruno Look at Francis of Assisi who hated lep- First Friday in honour of the Sacred Heart. was a free man. He had come to be with ers. But then he came to recognise that Somehow this devotion seemed to really his friend Jesus and nothing else mattered the suffering, rejected leper is Jesus. Look speak to the people of the love and com- to him. at Mother Teresa. When she saw the poor passion of Jesus. There was one man I can still hear him singing Dziise man looking at her, with beseeching eyes, there called Bruno Shonhiwa. He had an moyo, yedu yatonhora, ‘Set our cold as she passed by in the train in 1947, and inner glow that made us want to be near hearts on fire.’ He died a few days later. n
Jesus calls Zacchaeus: Christian art from the Cameroon.
June/July 2019 9 Ireland’s Oldest DJ Chai Brady wrote in The Irish Catholic of Fr Cletus Noone OFM, who at 86 still reaches out to people over the airwaves.
fter years of seeing the goodness of the Franciscans and their work AAin the community, an 86-year-old radio DJ is delighted he followed the reli- gious path. Believed to be the oldest man with a regular radio programme in Ireland, Fr Cletus Noone who has a show called Noone at Night on Saturdays at 9.00pm on Clare FM, recently celebrated his Diamond Jubilee. Coming at the same time as the Eucharistic Congress in Ireland, Fr Cletus the work the friars were doing, and was people and so on, because we were all in was born in 1932. Hailing from Galway, he very impressed. the same neighbourhood there, that’s what had twin sisters, one of whom is still alive. ‘Bit by bit it dawned on me, it was the attracted me. I saw what they were doing During his school years he spent a example of the brothers and the priests and I more or less said if its God’s holy will decade as an altar boy in the Franciscan who were there and their dealings with the I’d like to do that,’ he said. Abbey, close to his home, where he saw Tough Days ‘There were seven long years in Franciscan formation after that to see whether it would happen, but thank God it did happen and I’m glad it did because I really enjoyed myself. There were good days; there were tough days at times.’ It was after his Leaving Cert he decided to follow a vocation in the priesthood and join the Franciscans. He was sent to Killarney, which is where anyone hoping to join the Order was sent at the time, and then studied in Galway for three years in St Anthony’s College – which has since closed. ‘After that now came the problem, we were to go to Rome then from Galway but there were too many students there and there was no room,’ he said – an issue for- eign to modern Ireland. He was subsequently sent to the Irish Franciscan College in Louvain in Belgium with six others, after a year there they went to Rome to study for a further three years Celebration: Cletus and Bishop Willie Walsh both celebrate their with Fr Cletus being ordained on 21 Diamond Jubilee of Ordination. February 1959.
St Anthony Brief 10 Ireland together whether they were young or rather than speaking to many of them over Returning to Ireland he was sent to not. Confessions were more plentiful, we the radio,’ he says. Limerick for two years which he thoroughly were busier doing Confessions then enjoyed, describing the people as ‘lovely’. than we are now.’ Jubilee As it was his first posting it holds a special ‘People are lovely but we only meet so Fr Cletus celebrated his diamond jubilee place in his heart but he adds, ‘I must say many here with fewer people coming to on 21 February with Bishop Willie Walsh. there was no place I didn’t like, thank church; it’s sad,’ he says. They were both ordained on the same day God.’ ‘Sometimes, the funny thing about it, in Rome in 1959, although in different After that it was two years in you might get a little message across on churches. Multyfarnham, back to Killarney for six and the radio that you would not get across in ‘The jubilee was just marvellous. On once more returned to his beloved the church because they’re not in the the day I said Mass in a nursing home out Limerick. church,’ Fr Cletus remarks. in Oranmore in Galway, I’ll tell you why – Shortly after going to Ennis, Co. Clare, ‘I’ve found on a few occasions people because my sister was out there as a in 1987, he became involved with Clare will contact you later on and maybe they patient. FM. Talking about his show he says, ‘I might want to go to Confession or some- ‘I said my Mass there because that enjoy it, I really do, and we’ve good ol’ thing like that.’ sister was the only one I could remember craic. I tell a few yarns as well as playing who was at the ordination 60 years ago.’ music. I’m relying a lot on the prayers of Reaching Out Despite receiving an offer of retirement our neighbours next door to me, the Poor Reaching out to the elderly or people suf- from his Order, Fr Cletus isn’t ready to Clare Sisters.’ fering from physical disabilities is also sign off just yet and will continue to grace ‘I get to know more people from the another positive about his radio show. the airways with his popular Saturday radio than I do from the altar,’ he added. ‘You reach them, as it were, particularly night show. Asked about the changing land- through the radio. They get the idea that The hour-long programme, filled with scape in Ireland regarding religion, he you’re chatting with them individually. music, chat and reflections from the much- said, ‘It all started in the families. The ‘I have found that’s a reaction anyway, loved priest will continue to delight listen- families were units, they came to church it’s as if you might have phoned them up ers who look forward to it each week. n
Jubilee Mass: Cletus greets people after the Mass celebrating his 60 faithful years of priesthood.
June/July 2019 11 Church Brief
Kissing Your Feet I Beg You! In April, Pope Francis addressed South He said, ‘My Sudanese leaders, who until recently were thoughts turn first to all engaged in a terrible civil war that has those who have lost devastated the country. Gathered in the their loved ones and Vatican, he told them, ‘I think constantly of their homes, to families the suffering souls in your country and I that were separated pray that the fires of war will finally die and never reunited, to down. I shall never tire of repeating this: all the children and the peace is possible.’ elderly, and the women At the end of his talk he begged them and men who have in the name of their tormented people to suffered terribly on pursue peace, in spite of disagreements account of the conflicts that will arise. and violence that have Then, in an unprecedented gesture to spawned so much underline the cry of his heart, Pope death, hunger, hurt Francis went to the political leaders, knelt and tears. We have down and kissed the feet of each one. clearly heard the cry of His remarks and powerful gesture the poor and the came at the end of their two-day spiritual needy; it rises up to retreat in the Vatican, proposed and heaven, to the very Humble action done in the name of a suffering people: organised by the Anglican Archbishop of heart of God our Father, The shocked leaders look on. Canterbury, Justin Welby, which brought who desires to grant “People are wearied, exhausted by together those who will lead as president them justice and peace. I think constantly past conflicts: remember that with war, all and vice-president of the country following of these suffering souls and I pray that the is lost! Your people today are yearning for a fragile peace accord signed last fires of war will finally die down, so that a better future, which can only come about September, and also Church representa- they can return to their homes and live in through reconciliation and peace.” tives, both Catholic and Protestant lead- serenity. I pray to Almighty God that peace Sr Elena Balatti, an Italian Combonian ers. will come to your land, and I ask all men missionary, who is in Juba, the capital of In his address, Pope Francis stressed, and women of good will to work for peace South Sudan, says that ‘the people of ‘I urge you, then, to seek what unites you, among your people. South Sudan were left positively stunned beginning with the fact that you belong to ‘Dear brothers and sisters, peace is as they witnessed Pope Francis plead on one and the same people, and to over- possible. I shall never tire of repeating his knees and kiss the feet of politicians of come all that divides you.’ this: peace is possible! Yet this great gift South Sudan. The video and images of of God is at the same the event circulated on television net- time a supreme duty works, social media and the mobile on the part of those devices of the general public.’ with responsibility for ‘The people immensely appreciate the the people. We efforts of the Holy Father and other Christians believe Church leaders and all that they are doing and know that peace to promote peace in South Sudan,’ said is possible, for Christ Sister Elena. ‘We were all moved by the is risen. He has over- Pope’s insistence on reminding the politi- come evil with good. cians of their duty to the people who have He has assured his experienced numerous losses, without disciples of the vic- mentioning those who have had to leave tory of peace over the country. This was the meaning behind everything that fans the kneeling; he did it in the name of the the flames of war: people of South Sudan. It is a gesture pride, greed, the lust much appreciated by the people here in for power, self-inter- South Sudan.’ est, lies and Pope Francis with Archbishop Welby. hypocrisy. Adapted from acn.org n
St Anthony Brief 12 Restoring Our Faith in Humanity ent in Zimbabwe this year pre- Marko Phiri writes of where churches themselves are some- sented a literal sharing in Christ’s Marko Phiri times divided by political persuasion. LLsuffering as the country, alongside the response to Cyclone People have commented, regarding the Mozambique and Malawi, experienced a unity of purpose exhibited in assisting the devastating cyclone which left hundreds Idai that brought great cyclone victims, that if the same passion dead and many more displaced and left suffering to Zimbabwe and unity could be directed to rebuilding our homeless. battered economy, Zimbabwe could easily One of the most affected places was and neighbouring be an African economic powerhouse. St Charles Lwanga Seminary secondary countries in April. The work that lies ahead, rebuilding school, named after one of the most cele- roads, bridges, homes and other infrastruc- brated African saints who was part of the and children; it was expression of what ture, is no doubt going to be long and diffi- famed Uganda Martyrs. Two students our faith is ultimately all about. cult, yet with the kind of volunteers who were killed by the cyclone. At the forefront of these efforts to came forth during the devastation of the If anything, what emerged from the assist people were Catholic aid agencies, cyclone and its aftermath, it could well be tragedy was people’s readiness to assist, long viewed with suspicion by the ruling not as tough to rebuild as imagined. the magnanimity and opening of hearts elites fond of seeing enemies of the state However, such efforts can easily be revealed in a country long plagued by an behind every humanitarian work. hijacked by politicians for political gain. It is economic and political crisis that seemed As Fr Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator within that context that Catholic and other to have turned many here towards SJ, the Kenyan who is the President of Christian humanitarian agencies and ordi- depressing indifference. However, ordi- the Jesuit Conference of Africa and nary people must be in the forefront in the nary people, themselves already poor, Madagas-car, said in the aftermath of the post-cyclone rebuilding programme which shared resources; it showed us a kind of cyclone, ‘The response to the plight of will certainly be difficult. human spirit we thought no longer the affected people, especially within As Fr Orobator SJ put it, ‘Even the existed because of the country’s toxic Catholic circles, has been overwhelming. smallest of gestures can bring hope to politics. Such moments help us restore our faith those who have no reason to have any I was deeply struck by the ready will- in humanity.’ hope given these circumstances.’ ingness of ordinary people to open their Scores of Christian denominations It would be tragic then if such efforts wallets, and most importantly their hearts also harnessed resources to assist, and it were to be sacrificed on the altar of political to assist fellow suffering men, women became a kind of unspoken ecumenism expediency. n First Steps on the Journey In Zimbabwe on 25 March, the Feast of the Annunciation, three new postulants were received into the postulancy programme at Nharira Mission. Fr Fanual Magwidi OFM led the ceremony. Please pray for our young brothers in formation both in
Zimbabwe and in Ireland.
June/July 2019 13 Stephen Hawking: Great Scientist, Lousy Theologian
Bishop Robert Barron has great admiration for the late brilliant cosmologist but believes he made blunders when talking of God.
tephen Hawking was a great theo- it is a series of short essays on subjects Different Questions retical physicist and cosmologist, including time travel, the possibility of Things get off to a very bad start in the SSperhaps the most important since intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, opening line of the chapter. ‘Science is Einstein. It is only right that his remains the physics that obtains within a black increasingly answering questions that were interred alongside those of Isaac hole, and the colonisation of space. used to be the province of religion.’ Newton in Westminster Abbey. Chapter one is entitled simply, ‘Is Though certain primitive forms of reli- He was, furthermore, a person of There a God?’ To the surprise of no one gion might be construed as attempts to tremendous courage and perseverance, who has been paying attention to answer what we would consider properly accomplishing groundbreaking work Hawking’s musings on the subject over scientific questions, religion, in the devel- despite a decades-long struggle with the the last several years, his answer is no. oped sense of the term, is not asking and debilitating effects of Lou Gehrig’s dis- Now, to anyone involved in the apolo- answering scientific questions poorly; ease. And by all accounts, he was man of getics or evangelisation game, this is, of rather, it is asking and answering qualita- good humour with a rare gift for friendship. course, depressing, since many people, tively different kinds of questions. It is practically impossible not to admire especially the young, will say, ‘Well, there Hawking’s glib one-liner beautifully him. you have it: the smartest man in the world expresses the ‘scientistic’ attitude, by But boy was he annoying when he says that God does not exist.’ which I mean the arrogant tendency to talked about religion! The problem is that one can be excep- reduce all knowledge to the scientific form tionally intelligent in one arena of thought of knowledge. Following their method of Is There a God? and actually quite naïve in another. This, empirical observation, hypothesis forma- In the last year of his life, Hawking was I’m afraid, is the case with Stephen tion, and experimentation, the sciences putting the finishing touches on a book Hawking, who, though uniquely well- can indeed tell us a great deal about a that is something of a follow-up to his versed in his chosen field, makes a num- certain dimension of reality. mega-bestselling A Brief History of Time. ber of blunders when he wanders into the But they cannot, for example, tell us a Called Brief Answers to the Big Questions, domains of philosophy and religion. thing about what makes a work of art
St Anthony Brief 14 beautiful, what makes a free act good or evil, what constitutes a just political arrangement, what are the features of a being as being – and indeed, why there is a universe of finite existence at all. These are all philosophical and/or reli- gious matters, and when a pure scientist, employing the method proper to the sci- ences, enters into them, he does so awk- wardly, ham-handedly.
The Universe Let me demonstrate this by drawing atten- tion to Hawking’s treatment of the last issue I mentioned – namely, why there should be a universe at all. Hawking opines that theoretical The glory of the universe: Why does anything exist at all? physics can confidently answer this ques- tion in such a way that the existence of concludes, is that ‘the universe is the ulti- they regularly invoke quantum constants God is rendered superfluous. Just as, at mate free lunch’. and dynamics according to which such the quantum level, elementary particles The first mistake – and armies of emergences occur. Again, say what you pop into and out of existence regularly Hawking’s followers make it – is to equivo- want about these law-like arrangements, without a cause, so the singularity that cate on the meaning of the word ‘nothing’. they are not absolute nonbeing. produced the Big Bang simply came to be In the strict philosophical (or indeed reli- out of nothing, without a cause and with- gious) sense, ‘nothing designates absolute Uncaused Cause out an explanation. The result, Hawking nonbeing’; but what Hawking and his dis- Therefore, we are compelled to ask the ciples mean by question – why should contingent states the term is in fact of affairs – matter, energy, the Big Bang, Michelangelo’s Pieta: a fecund field of the laws of science themselves – exist at A different kind of question energy from all? – what makes a work of which realities The classical response of religious art beautiful? come and to philosophy is that no contingency can be which they return. explained satisfactorily by appealing The moment one endlessly to other contingencies. speaks of ‘coming Therefore, some finally non-contingent from’ or ‘returning reality, which grounds and actualises the to’, one is not finite universe, must exist. speaking of noth- This uncaused cause, this reality ing! whose very nature is to be, is what seri- I actually ous religious people call ‘God’. None of laughed out loud Hawking’s speculations – least of all his at this part of musings about the putative ‘nothing’ from Hawking’s analysis, which the universe arises – tells against which fairly gives this conviction. away the game. ‘I May I say by way of conclusion that I think the universe actually rather liked Stephen Hawking’s was spontaneously last book. created out of noth- When he stayed within the confines ing, according to of his areas of expertise, he was read- the laws of science.’ able, funny, informative, and creative. Well, whatever But could I encourage readers please to you want to say take him with a substantial grain of salt about the laws of when he speaks of the things of God? science, they’re not Bishop Robert Barron is the founder of nothing! Indeed, Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and when the quantum Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of theorists talk about Los Angeles. particles popping into being spontaneously, From www.wordonfire.org n
June/July 2019 15 Soul-Making: A Painful Birthing into the New
Gerald Evans OFM shows, from the life of St Francis, that we are on sacred ground during times of suffering.
or the vast majority of people ill- only by whether we pray well, preach well, Assisi fought against Perugia. Indeed, it ness is an inconvenient interruption work well together but also by how we was precisely that war that produced a FFon life’s journey, either to be fought serve, relate to and care for the least of deep wound in his ego, leaving him emo- valiantly or endured stoically. However, our brothers – the physically, spiritually, tionally very unstable. This instability led Francis chose to embrace illness through- psychologically, morally sick and elderly him to indulge in periods of frenetic activ- out life as his travelling companion and friars; those who are no longer productive, ity, which were followed by periods of called her his sister. The genius of who may not live up to our expectations, inactivity, depression and anxiety, all of Francis’ faith experience was to live all of those who can offer us nothing in return which were dominated by a search for life’s experiences, both positive and nega- for attending to them. new direction in his life. He was probably tive, convinced that they harbour within For Francis, care for these elderly and suffering from what we now know today to unexpected depths of hidden wisdom. sick brothers brings us face to face with be post-traumatic stress syndrome. I When welcomed and embraced as a our human fragility. By serving them, not believe this was a very significant moment guest and friend they reveal that wisdom just efficiently but with compassion, we in his life where out of this collapsed state and greatly enrich their host. When align ourselves with our charism of being God began the reconstruction of the per- rejected, marginalised or attacked, how- lesser brothers, ‘friars minor’. Indeed, son we know today as Francis of Assisi. ever, they risk becoming a very hostile compassionate care for the least of our Sometimes a collapse is necessary in our and destructive adversary. brothers within the fraternity was of lives for reconstruction to begin. In other Francis believed this to be particularly greater importance to Francis than our words – breakdown facilitates a break- true of illness. He believed the sick person pastoral care of those we attend to outside through! was navigating sacred ground accompa- the fraternity. This unusual and original Such experiences of turmoil usually nied by sister illness and that rebellion intuition of Francis had its roots in his own occur during life’s transitional periods. In towards her closed the doors of the soul, personal experience and encounter with those times when one stage of life has thus depriving it of her wisdom and the sister illness. ended but another has yet to begin. opportunity to grow deeper humanly and Indeed, transitional periods in life are usu- spiritually. This sacred and original convic- Breakdown-Breakthrough ally preparation stages heralding a new tion permeated not only his own personal The Franciscan sources tell us that phase on life’s journey. So, one would do life but the life of the friars. The quality of Francis had his first serious encounter well to pay attention to the wisdom Franciscan fraternal life is measured not with illness on emerging from the war revealed and gleaned therein as it usually
St Anthony Brief 16 serves to address and respond to the new that pain is more revelation than mystery, According to both Francis, and indeed challenges which will face us further on as I have discovered here essential wise Wilde, pain is a birthing opening us to new the next stage of life’s journey. things about myself and the world that I unexplored areas within our being, to a Our human tendency is to resist would never have discovered at times and greater self-knowledge so we become change. We fear moving on so we seek in places of peace and tranquillity.’ He deeper and wiser people. I believe that the security by clinging to what we know, hop- added, ‘Pleasure for the body, beautiful supreme vice of our age is its superficial- ing to grow and mature from it. However, pain for the beautiful soul.’ ity, so what the world today needs is not security, change and growth usually do There exists a tendency within certain so much people who know a lot, but peo- not go together. To be deeply human we spiritualities to deny, reject, eliminate or ple who are deep and wise. However, wis- need to risk, putting our lives in God’s run from suffering. However, within dom does not come cheap. It is the privi- hands. This is so the Lord can shake us Christian spirituality and its tradition it is lege of those whose illusions, false vigorously to detach and free us from per- important to remember that suffering is an images and dependencies have been sons, places, experiences and things essential ingredient for soul-making. refined and purified by the heavenly pow- which trap us in the past or thwart our Integration, reconciliation, freedom salva- ers in the crucible of suffering. freedom in the present. And secondly, he tion and resurrection all pass through the Wilde concludes his thoughts on the needs to shake out the talents and gifts Cross. For the Christian the enemy is not matter with the lines of Goethe, quoted lying hidden and dormant, awaiting pain, rather fear of pain, or to put it more often by his own mother, Esperanza, in engagement and so energised and bluntly, fear of the Cross. Through fear of times of trial and tribulation. ‘He who hath brought to potential. The ego or false pain or, as Paul reminds us, the foolish- not ate his bread in sorrow or spent the superficial self resists and flees from this ness of the cross by the standards of the midnight hours weeping and waiting for painful process. Therefore the wounds to world, we forfeit the opportunity to become the morrow has not felt you, ye heavenly our ego, though painful, are our best deeper and wiser people. As long as we powers.’ Wilde adds, ‘Where there is sad- teachers; they draw us towards humility, deny, reject or run from pain, it will control ness, there is sacred ground. God is pass- thus allowing God to reshape us in his us. The challenge is to embrace, discern ing. But he cannot enter through a hard own image and likeness. and integrate what it reveals to serve our heart, only through a broken one.’ human and spiritual growth. Soul-Making Graham Greene, the English novelist, Total Dependence In his letter from Reading Gaol, entitled notes that the formation of a soul requires The Franciscan sources tell us this De Profundis, Oscar Wilde captures this three things: A willingness to be in com- reconstruction began in Francis during intuition very succinctly when he remarks, passionate solidarity and suffer with and moments of listlessness and inactivity ‘I have heard many preachers talking for the other, a willingness to retreat into after the war. This inactivity offered God about pain in terms of mystery. From this silence, and a willingness to be attentive the opportunity to be very active in his life place of pain and suffering, I have found to the restless spirit within. leading him to a new and unfamiliar inte-
Security and growth usually do not go together: To be deeply human we need to risk, putting our lives in God’s hands.
June/July 2019 17 rior frontier. God needed this stillness to Channels and Servants nise that all things come from God, how invite him to stop running, especially The above reflection brings to mind an difficult it is to return all things to God from himself. Francis needed to be pre- unforgettable memory of attending a per- through our fellow human beings freely, sent to God’s active presence within formance by Isaac Stern in the Royal generously and with gratitude. Thus himself and in the present moment and Albert Hall, London. On concluding a ren- Francis began his unique journey into so ‘allow’ the purifying of his motivations dering of Beethoven’s violin concerto, he poverty, becoming a free and humble and desires. raised his hands to heaven pointing the brother in solidarity with all creatures under Wilde writes in his De Profundis, ‘In clapping, enthralled audience not to him- Providence’s watchful, merciful gaze. these moments, grasping the hand of self but to the source of the music he had Being impulsive by nature, Francis God was what saved me, or rather, it was just performed. ‘Don’t clap for me’, his tried to accelerate his healing process. God who took my hand to accompany gesture pleaded, ‘I am not the source of However, little by little he came to realise and instruct me along these dark paths of this music but merely its conduit. My life healing is in God’s time and by the hand of the divine wisdom hidden therein.’ It and work serve to point to and give glory God. He won’t be rushed; he has much to reminds one of Dante's famous phrase to the source of all beauty.’ Therein lies teach us so he invites us to listen, trust and from his Divine Comedy, ‘Dark times humility and thus the outcome: a magnifi- co-operate with him in the integrating, rec- reconnect, unite, indeed marry us once cent and inspirational performance. onciling and healing process. again with God.’ Slowly, Francis was discovering that Sometimes, we may feel abandoned by Slowly, sister illness brought Francis he possessed nothing he could legiti- him, but often it is God himself purifying us face to face with his human frailty, his mately call his own, except his weak- of the false images we have of him to deepest poverty, his creaturehood and his nesses, sins and vices. That he was no recreate us in his true image and likeness. total dependence on his Creator. more or no less than a humble administra- Sometimes, we may feel bereft of his Sometimes we have to lose so much to tor of the multiple gifts he had received consolations and comfort. St Teresa of regain perspective of what is essential. To from his Creator, to be placed at the ser- Jesus, in a moment of despair, demanded, value our sight, our hearing, our move- vice of his fellow human beings in solidar- ‘Why do you treat me so harshly, Lord?’ ment, our intelligence, our gifts and tal- ity and mercy. The response of the Lord was, ‘But that’s ents – the very life within our being as a An interesting detail to point out here the way I treat all my friends, Teresa.’ To miracle whose origin comes not from is that Francis uses the verb ‘to return’ not which she replied, ‘Then it shouldn’t sur- within us but through us from a source ‘to give’ when talking of serving others. In prise you that you have so few, Lord.’ And outside ourselves. To experience our- other words, for Francis we are simply she received the answer, ‘Sometimes, selves humbly as a walking miracle and returning to God what we have been given Teresa, I have to take away my consola- so learn to walk humbly with our God. As freely from him; we are servants and tions to alert the receiver that it is now time the psalmist prayed, ‘I thank you for the channels of God’s freely-flowing generos- to seek the God of consolations and not wonder of my being.’ ity. How easy in theory it is for us to recog- simply the consolations of God.’ n
Merely a conduit: We are channels of God’s freely flowing generosity.
St Anthony Brief 18 ST ANTHONY FEAST DAY 13TH JUNE Special Novena in Honour of St Anthony – June 4th to June 13th
HOW TO MAKE YOUR NOVENA: Offer your prayers in a Novena of Nine or Thirteen Tuesdays, or of Nine consecutive days. If convenient, say your prayers in church, or before the statue or picture of the Saint. Receive the Sacraments during your Novena. Strive to copy in your life some virtuous practice of the Saint. Promise alms for the Franciscan Missionaries. “St Anthony’s Bread” is your offering – in thanksgiving or petition – for the Saint’s intercession with God. These alms are used for the Franciscan missions for which St Anthony is the patron and provider. St Anthony’s Lily will be blessed on his Feast Day. The blessed lily will reach you shortly after June 13th. Send an offering for the missions with your order. ¢
––––––––––– ORDER FORM ––––––––––– Please find enclosed...... as a donation towards St Anthony’s Bread,
please forward me ...... Lilies as soon as possible. ¢ Name: ...... Address: ...... A leaflet explaining the blessing and the use of St Anthony’s Lily accompanies each order. Please make cheques/postal orders payable to: Franciscan Missionary Union and return with this Order Form to: FRANCISCAN MISSIONARY UNION, 4 MERCHANTS’ QUAY, DUBLIN 8, D08 XY19.
June/July 2019 19 A Splendid Universal Communion
ope Francis’ historic Encyclical Letter, Laudato Si’, is a call to Lomán MacAodha OFM sees St Francis as a Pecological conversion in the name model of conversion to God and to all things. of the Gospel. The Pope chose St Francis, called in all that God has made, and continues ing more fully the presence of, and tak- the Saint of Joy, as model and exemplar to make, in the outpoured Spirit, but also ing responsibility toward every living of turning to God throughout his life, from to become aware of the loss and destruc- creature, as far as we can. the encounter with the leper, hearing the tion we are visiting on the living world and As with St Francis, this slow conver- word from the Cross at San Damiano, to the pain and suffering involved in this sion takes shape in our own deeper finally embracing Sister Death, as he loss. return to the Father of all things, invited all to sing his Canticle of the Pope Francis thus calls for the culti- ‘acknowledging our errors, sins and fail- Creatures. He continues to call us to see vation of a ‘painful awareness’ in the way ures, leading to heartfelt repentance, and all beings in this living world as our broth- we live our lives. ‘Our goal is to become a desire to change our way of life’ (No. ers and sisters, and to live accordingly. painfully aware, to dare to turn to what is 218). Sin is about the deprivation of good Like Francis, we are called to take happening to the world, and to our own in our way of relating to the other, like a seriously the down-to-earth reality of our personal suffering and thus discover ‘tear in the fabric of the whole’ (Douglas own brokenness and that of all creation. what each of us can do about it’ (No. Burton-Christie). We have fallen short; Pope Francis tells us that ecological con- 19). we have missed the mark in not opening version ‘entails a loving awareness that We can experience light and joy and our lives and hearts lovingly to the we are not disconnected from the rest of also a painful awareness at the same Generous Giver of all goodness. God’s creatures but joined in a splendid time, as was the case with St Francis. All The Good News from the Gospel is universal communion’ (No. 220). this is part of God’s work in the Spirit, that despite such shortcomings we are making ‘all things new’. Awareness of a always embedded in the Father’s love – Communion and Conversion deeper kind is called for. This awareness even when we live in the ‘land of unlike- That means that we are called to find joy involves seeing in a renewed way, feel- ness’ to God (St Augustine) – we are
St Anthony Brief 20 always at home in the Father’s heart, ‘eats up’ time; we end up having ‘no time’ and cherish our shared world for what it even when we wander far away. even for those who are near and dear to is, whole and yet broken, holy and yet us. It means that we are often at odds holed, beloved and bewildering for all of Wounded by Love with our deeper selves, a kind of us in our darkness of spirit. Like St Like St Francis, our hearts need to be estrangement from ourselves. Francis, we are on the way to the ‘enlight- ‘pierced’, wounded by love of the ‘leper’ Inattention and carelessness are the enment of our heart’ in the Spirit (see his in our world so that we are more aware of result of our lack of awareness of who prayer before the Cross in San Damiano). how God’s heart is wounded by our fail- and what we are, and all else. We experi- Pope Francis calls attention to the ures. There is grief in this awareness of ence fragmentation and loneliness basic tension in our attitudes to the cre- all that is broken and in need of healing because of the ‘smart phone syndrome’. ated world: we often lack the awareness and restoration. There is a loss of plants, We can be in touch with everything but in we need to live attentively and responsi- animals, bio-diversity, entire species, the contact with no one. The Superior bly to the world that we depend on. Yet loss of a place to live for the millions who are uprooted by violence; the loss of the good earth and fresh living waters Smart Phone through thoughtless over-industrialisation. Syndrome: in touch Do we grieve or mourn so that we can be open to the reign of God’s love? with everything but Of course we mourn the loss of human in contact with beings primarily, those dear to us per- no one. sonally. Can this grief be widened to include all God’s living creatures? In the eyes of St Francis, they are all our ‘brothers and sisters’. The grief of our repentance cleanses our eyes for seeing. St Francis shed many tears, in private and in public, as we see in his portrait kept in Greccio. In his encyclical, the Pope refers also to St Bonaventure, St John of the Cross and St Thérèse of Lisieux, in this regard – the gift of tears. To be drawn deeper into contempla- tive gazing is to see the deeply sacra- mental character of all things. We learn to see more deeply into the real pres- ence of God at the heart of our lives and all things. We come to know our deepest selves in a new way, discern the ground or the spark or the fine point of our soul, General of the Jesuits, Adolfo Nicholas we also possess in faith the awareness as created in the image and likeness of SJ, has described this culture as ‘the we need to share in the healing of the God. It is to sense gradually how con- globalisation of superficiality’. As a result, world. nected we are to all things, including the we find ourselves separated from the real How can we learn from this ambiva- suffering and wounded in our midst. others, especially the poor and lence? We must commit ourselves afresh Our call is to cultivate in patient disci- marginalised (the ‘lepers’ in our world), to ‘an awareness of our common origin, pline and endurance this work of aware- who suffer the most from environmental of our mutual belonging, and a future to ness, of surrender to what is in front of degradation. be shared by everyone. This basic us, facing us, to which we turn the face The encyclical calls us to re-imagine awareness would then enable the devel- of our soul. St Bonaventure is quoted in a way of being in the world that values opment of new convictions, attitudes, and Laudato Si’, ‘Contemplation deepens the the real presence of other living beings, forms of life. A great cultural, spiritual, more we feel the working of God’s grace enabling us to gaze upon the beauty of and educational challenge stands before within our hearts, and the better we learn all the creatures God gives us in our us’ (No. 202). to encounter God’s creatures outside earthly home. To see in this way is to We can have courage and hope as ourselves’ (No. 233). ‘repent’, that is to turn to God, to learn to we set out on this task for ‘Christ has love and care for these beings and for taken on all that in his Risen Life and is Inattention one another. intimately present to each being, sur- What prevents us from seeing in this Our turning towards the deeper reality rounding it with affection and penetrating way? Our contemporary culture of speed of our world is Gospel conversion: to see it with his life’ (No. 221). n
June/July 2019 21 News from around the . . . Franciscan World
Blessing the ship. ‘POPE FRANCIS HOSPITAL SHIP’ During the World Youth Day in Brazil, 2013, Pope Francis visited a Brother Al and Steve Klaper perform. hospital that was under the care of the Fraternity of St Francis of Assisi in the Providence of God, a Franciscan congregation of men. FAITHS UNITED FOR PEACE During this visit, Pope Francis, in a conversation with Francisco During March, in a mosque filled with Muslims, Christians, Jews, Belotti, Superior General, asked him if the Fraternity had a pres- Zoroastrians, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists and people of other faith ence in the Amazon, and encouraged them to carry out some pro- traditions, the Song and Spirit Institute for Peace was recognised ject in the region. After that, the friars were motivated to work for for bringing people together to engage in creative service through this goal and they presented the model of what would be a ‘hospital education, music, art and social outreach programmes in metro ship’ to the Holy Father in the Vatican in November 2018. Detroit. This project is a joint initiative between the Diocese of Óbidos, At the 20th Annual World Sabbath, a service of music and the Fraternity and the Ministry of Labour. The aim is to bring health prayer at the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, services to the river communities in the Amazon region. For this Michigan, Song and Spirit received the 2019 World Sabbath purpose, the hospital ship has outpatient clinics, laboratories, a Peacemaker Award, which honours those ‘seeking to build a surgical room, and accommodation for the medical staff who are world of tolerance, justice, faithfulness and peace’. mostly volunteers from clinical hospitals. It is administered by the Accepting the award were Song and Spirit’s founders, Friar Al Fraternity, as well as Franciscan Sisters. For example, there is a Mascia OFM, Jewish Hazzan, Steve Klaper, and Mary Gilhuly, nun-doctor on the team. The blessing of the ship took place on and its Outreach Co-ordinator, Greg Allen. The Song and Spirit 20 March this year in the presence of members of the wider Interfaith Choir performed in a variety of languages. Franciscan Family, engineers and government members. ‘It was an inspiring event, from which we all emerged with What was previously only a project on sheets of paper, now has hope that our world will become a better place for future genera- become a reality. After a final check, the boat moved to Bethlehem, tions,’ Al said. ‘It is always uplifting to see youth of many faith tra- Brazil, where it received an image of the Virgin of Nazareth and ditions participating in prayer and song and as Children of Peace.’ then continued its journey towards Óbidos where it departed for its Steve, Mary and Al create and stage Song and Spirit’s first mission after a celebration. Please pray that this ‘daring’ pro- retreats and outreach programmes. Greg drives the Care-A-Van ject may serve those who are in great need of medical attention in and delivers CarePax to the homeless in Detroit. such challenging situations. As Fr Francisco said during the bless- Visit their website: www.songandspirit.org n ing, ‘The people of Amazon have difficulty in seeing doctors and priests, and now they can see both on this hospital ship.’ n
‘A daring project’.
Receiving the award.
St Anthony Brief 22 Pope Francis: Don’t Be Slaves to Your Phones!
On another occasion Pope Francis has criticised people, including priests and bishops, who take pictures with their mobile phones during Masses, saying they should focus on God instead. ‘The priest says, “Lift up your hearts.” He does not say, “Lift up your phones to take pic- tures.’” In his improvised remarks, he called using mobile phones during Mass ‘a very ugly thing’, adding, ‘It makes me very alking to secondary school students slave to your mobile phone, you lose your sad when I celebrate Mass here in St recently, Pope Francis told them, freedom. The telephone is for communica- Peter’s Square or in the basilica and I see T‘Free yourself from dependence on tion; it is very good to communicate so many mobile phones held up. Not only your mobile phone, please!’ Pope Francis between ourselves. But be careful as by the faithful, but also by some priests explained, ‘You have certainly heard of the there is the danger that, when the tele- and even bishops! The Mass is not a drama of addiction. This one is very sub- phone is a drug, communication is show; so remember, no mobile phones!’ tle. The mobile phone is a great help; it reduced to simple “contacts”. But life is not he said, prompting laughter and applause must be used. But when you become a for “contacting”, it is for communicating!’ from the crowd. n Graduation in Vietnam
Saved from horror: Sean (back left) is pictured with happy DASATT graduates.
because they left school early, some at tunity to get good jobs in the booming Sean Cassin OFM writes age nine, had no English, could only do Vietnam tourism industry. of changed lives in Vietnam local fish work and were under pressure to Thanks to our Franciscan brothers and leave home as their parents could no sisters in Ireland and the Bon Secour DASATT is the Development and Services longer support them. Sisters, we not only delivered six months Anti Trafficking Training agency in Vietnam. Having English makes it possible for of English training but also gave them The January 2019 graduation marks them in most places in the world to read kitchen and cooking certificates with our DASATT’s fulfilment of its promise to go into road signs, ask for help, report their situa- French volunteer chef Thierry. the source locations of exploitative labour tion to police or health services. This resulted in five trainees being migration, liaise with the most destitute vil- All this makes them less attractive to offered full-time work in the five-star Muine lage families at source and then offer practi- traffickers and can save them from a hor- beach resorts. One graduate has to go to cal interventions that block any likelihood of rific ordeal. do army duty, and the remaining will either these young people entering the slave trade. They spent six months learning do our advanced training or get restaurant These trainees were most vulnerable English which acts both as a barrier to and bar work. to labour migration and to trafficking their being trafficked as well as an oppor- www.dasatt.com n
June/July 2019 23 Filled to the Brim with Love FR TOM RUSSELL OFM
Cardinal Tom Russell OFM Nguyen Van reflects on the Thuan spiritual wisdom distilled by Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan during his long years in prison for the faith in Vietnam.
His chilling prophecy came true as President Diem and his two brothers were assassinated just then and we know the terrible things that came about from 1963 in that country. President Diem had a nephew who was a priest. Fr Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan was ordained a priest in 1953. On his return home from his studies in Rome, he became a professor at the Major Seminary and later on was Rector there. Pope Paul VI named him Bishop of ay I share with you two stories that Chinese communists released him aged Nha Trang diocese in central Vietnam in MMinterconnect? 79. He returned to America where he died 1969. He proved to be a powerful young I went as a missionary to Southern in 1981. Vatican II bishop brimming with energy. Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, in 1964. On He later recorded of that period, ‘I had arrival, I was sent to learn the Shona lan- The Story Begins increased the number of seminarians from guage at Driefontein Mission in the centre One day in 1963, I had picked up a 42 to 147, the minor seminarians from 200 of the country. The Swiss Bethlehem Redemptorist mission magazine and to 500. I was organising ongoing formation Missionaries were in charge of this won- began to read an article by a French priest for priests in six dioceses, developing new derful mission, and I found there an excel- working in South Vietnam. He said that youth movements, lay movements and lent library. I came on a book by Maryknoll President Diem was a strong staunchly pastoral councils.’ Bishop James Walsh and was enthralled anti-communist leader of his country. The Then came a bolt from the blue: Pope by his accounts of China in the 1930s and American ambassador, Mr Henry Cabot Paul appointed him Coadjutor Bishop of 40s. I remember his caution to us ‘lest he Lodge, was rather anti-Catholic – his fam- Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) on 23 April who came to attract remain to repel.’ ily had a long history with the Kennedys in 1975. He obeyed the command to drop I was aware that he was already Boston – and was inclined not to notice as everything and move as Abraham and twelve years in prison in Communist the Buddhists plotted to oust the Sarah had once done long ago. China as I was reading. He said, ‘I was a President. ‘Should they do that’, the Catholic priest and my people were in French priest wrote, ‘they would open a Arrested trouble. So I stayed with them as all Pandora’s box no one would be able to The communists had taken over the coun- priests should.’ After twenty years, the close’. try in 1975. They were well aware that the
St Anthony Brief 24 bishop was President Diem’s nephew so they came and arrested him on 15 August Persevering faith: 1975. He was taken away in the clothes he stood in. He was about to face thirteen the cardinal with years in jail, nine of them in solitary con- the rosary he made finement. while in prison. ‘That night, as the police drove me along the 450km road that brought me to my place of forced residence, many con- fused thoughts came to my mind: sad- ness, abandonment, exhaustion after the tension of the three previous months. But one thought broke through clear and bright to dispel all the darkness, the words of Monsignor Walsh, a missionary Bishop in China who said, “I am not going to wait, I will live each present moment filling it to the brim with love.”’ He reflected, ‘It was not surprising that this inspiration should come to me, since I had already fostered this conviction I’m not sure how we poor human to be a sign of God’s presence in the throughout my life: If I spend my time wait- beings can learn lessons like that, but he midst of these desperate, miserable men. ing, perhaps the things I look forward to did, living day by day. He would say ‘God It is your will, I choose it.’ He tells us, will never happen. The only thing certain wants me here.’ ‘Great peace came over me as I said this.’ to come is death.’ He was inspired one day to remember The Bishop had learned a vital lesson, how St Paul wrote to his new communities Last Years something in the line of ‘Give us today our of believers in Jesus from prison. So he Bishop Nguyen Van Thuan was released daily bread.’ A deeper lesson was to began to write little lessons or messages in 1991 but then the communists expelled come. on any piece of paper he could find and him from his home country, Vietnam. He smuggle them out of the prison. The Word was able to visit his 100-year-old mother Choosing God of God is not chained. The people made in Taiwan. When arrested he was 48 years old in the copies of his words and spread them far He went to Rome where the Pope, St prime of life and busy with his pastoral and wide. One day they would become a John Paul II, chose him to be a Cardinal duties. He was tormented by being sud- book, The Road to Hope, now published and to be in charge of the Justice and denly isolated, inactive and separated in many languages. Peace desk in the Vatican. from his people. A voice spoke to him one The image he clung to was that of the He died of cancer in 2002. The cause night about all his excellent works; they little boy in John’s Gospel offering his paltry for the beatification of this holy and coura- were works of God, but not God. loaves and fishes to Jesus whose blessing geous servant of the Gospel has begun. ‘If God wants you to leave all these multiplied them and satisfied thousands. Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan says to works, place them in God’s hands immedi- So it came about that he joined 1,500 each one of us, ‘Only one moment exists ately, and have confidence in him. God will prisoners on a ship bound for a re-educa- for you in all its beauty and that is the pre- accomplish things infinitely better than you. tion camp in the north of Vietnam. He sent moment. Live it completely in the love He will entrust his works to others who are said, ‘Lord I am your missionary here. This of God. If your life is built up like a large much more capable than you. You have is my cathedral and here are the people of crystal from such moments, it will be a chosen God alone, not his works!’ God you have given me to care for. I have wonderfully beautiful life.’ n
Ten Rules of Life of The then bishop in Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan prison. ❶ I will live the present moment to the fullest. ❷ I will discern between God and God's works. ❸ I will hold firmly to one secret: prayer. ❹ I will see in the Holy Eucharist my only power. ❺ I will have only one wisdom: the science of the Cross. ❻ I will remain faithful to my mission in the Church and for the Church as a witness of Jesus Christ. ❼ I will seek the peace the world cannot give. ❽ I will carry out a revolution by renewal in the Holy Spirit. ❾ I will speak one language and wear one uniform: Charity. ❿ I will have one very special love: The Blessed Virgin Mary.
June/July 2019 25 STATEMENT FROM FR AIDAN McGRATH OFM, MINISTER PROVINCIAL OF THE FRANCISCAN PROVINCE The Franciscan Province of Ireland, like many other religious institutes, has had to face the reality in the past two decades of having to withdraw their presence from many cherished loca- tions throughout Ireland. This is something that is always decided with heavy hearts yet with a deep sense of gratitude to the people among whom the friars have lived and ministered – in many places, for almost 800 years. Dwindling numbers, increasing age and illness have taken their toll. native of Waterford, this decision was not taken lightly or with any disregard for history. With deep regret, the Provincial Definitory of the Franciscans has decided that from the beginning of Many, many friars have lived in the present Friary, May 2019 there will no longer be a resident ministering to the people in the confessional, from the Franciscan presence in Waterford. pulpit, at the altar, and in the parlour. More recently, friars have also served as chaplains to the industrial Given the fact that one of the most illustrious mem- estate and to Waterford University Hospital, as well as bers of the Order, Fr Luke Wadding OFM, was a chaplains and teachers in the Regional Technical College (now WIT). All have happy memories of living and working in the city. To be noted also is the fact that the nationwide housing association, Respond!, was founded by Fr Pat Cogan OFM, a member of the Waterford fraternity. For as long as it can be continued, it is intended that the friars in Clonmel will take charge of the Franciscan Church at Lady Lane and will main- tain the sacred ministry there. As for the Friary itself, it is intended that this will become the residence of a community of Sisters.
26 St Anthony Brief The Church in Cuba FAITH IN ACTION FR GEARÓID Ó CONAIRE, OFM
Community of Faith: Gearóid (third from left) and Jesús (centre) celebrate the sacrament of Baptism.
Colonial Times Gearóid Ó Conaire OFM looks at the road The Church was present in Cuba from the Church has travelled from before the the beginning of colonial times. In fact, the first religious to arrive with Christopher Revolution to the present time. Columbus on his second voyage were Franciscans. am writing this article the week Education Unfortunately, due to many before I participate in a week-long Until today, the Church is not allowed to unsavoury factors, including repression IIseminar organised by the Conference offer formal education at any level. and the transmission of European dis- of Religious in Cuba for those of us However, many dioceses and reli- eases, unknown in these parts, most of who have arrived since May 2018. gious congregations are offering a variety the native people were wiped out. For The principal objective is to help us of courses – including linguistic, music, this reason, slaves were brought from enculturate. art, theatre, sport, theology, philosophy, West Africa to work in the production of In some respects, I am probably etc., which tend to include an emphasis sugar cane. From the beginning the more ready to receive a course now than on values. The State permits these if they society was divided between black and when I first arrived. are offered free and no ‘proselytising’ white. Before the Revolution there were When considering what to write in takes place. 40% White, 40% Black and 20% Mixed the June edition of St Anthony Brief, I These courses are becoming increas- race. remembered some very insightful and ingly more popular, now that formal edu- There were 700 priests here before interesting accounts of the Church in cation in Cuba is finding it difficult to the Revolution, of which only one-third Cuba shared with us by different people maintain standards as a result of eco- were Cuban. The Church focused on the over the course of the last year. nomic and migratory constraints. whites and even though the black popu-
June/July 2019 27 Victory parade: Leaders of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, including Fidel Castro (far left) and Che Guevara (centre).
lation were obliged to go to Mass, they Afro-Cuban religious expressions are people were united against the former remained largely unevangelised. very interwoven resulting in a very strong dictatorial president, Fulgencio Baptista. However, the Black population were, syncretic tradition. After he was deposed the new regime did and still are, very religious. To survive not declare itself communist until several they had to express their religiosity using The Revolution months later. Christian symbols, including devotion to Many Catholics supported the Revolution, Tensions arose between Church and the saints. For this reason, today the mix- including a bishop, several Franciscans, State and they came to a head when the ture of Catholic popular religiosity and priests, laity and Catholic Action. Most Spanish Ambassador criticised the
Gathering: Gearoid with friars and sisters in Havana.
St Anthony Brief 28 Revolution in a live broadcast on TV, sup- ing Church emerged from this process, in Cuban state received most of the salary ported by the Conference of Religious, contrast to the more defensive one fol- of each doctor. It was also a beneficial which led to a rupture between Church lowing the Revolution. Laity began to arrangement for doctors who earned and State. Shortly afterwards, 120 priests assume more responsibility for evangeli- $400 US, as opposed to $50 in Cuba. and hundreds of religious were deported, sation and many small Christian commu- many of them on one ship. nities, known in Cuba as Houses of Increased Openness The 70s and 80s were difficult years Mission, were formed. This continues to Since 1986 there has been an increas- for the Catholic population. The clergy be the principal focus of the Cuban ing openness to religious practice and diminished from one priest per 10,000 to Church today. the Church has been able to work in one priest for 50,000. Ordinations and the ministries and activities which until then possibility of other priests coming to Achievements were more or less prohibited. Cuba depended on the mortality of those One must recognise some important These include permission to hold already living in Cuba. For decades, the State achievements during the few processions and certain other activities, number of priests for the whole popula- decades after the Revolution, especially and to produce publications. There is tion was kept at about 100 nationally. in education and health. There are excel- also limited access to media, and limited Catholics were system- atically persecuted and marginalised by the State, including in employment and other state activities. Catholic families were sin- gled out and very often crowds gathered outside their homes to hassle them. It was not possible at that time to be a Catholic and a member of the Communist Party. For the material ben- efit of their children, many left the Church. The Church became defensive and gen- erally conservative, but it was a time of very strong internal relations between Catholic families and active members of parishes.
Changes After participating at a meeting of Christians for Encounter: Pope Francis greets Fidel Castro during his visit to Cuba in 2015. Socialism in Latin America, Fidel Castro began to change his stance lent and numerous doctors; one per 100 permission for foreign religious to live towards religion. The focus of that meet- families and a good quality of education. and work in Cuba. The visits of three ing was on collaboration between At any given Sunday Liturgy any- Popes, John Paul, Benedict and Francis, Christians and Socialists. Shortly after- where, there could be as many as 40% over the past decades have also had wards, 300,000 copies of the book, Fidel university graduates participating and lis- their positive impact. and Religion, were sold in Cuba. Written tening to the homily! Following the col- However, although there is freedom by a Brazilian Dominican, Friar Betto, it lapse of the Soviet Union and a fall-off in of worship, religious freedom has not became somewhat acceptable to be reli- financial support, families suffered greatly been granted. gious again. from shortages of even the most basic Any society which accepts religious After the Latin American meeting of resources, including foodstuffs. freedom would allow the Church and bishops in 1979 in Puebla, Mexico, a With the rise of President Chavez of other religions access to media, and to national meeting of the Church was sub- Venezuela, once again Cuba had a strong provide alternative education and health sequently organised. Five years were partner who invested up to $10 billion services, to name just a few. dedicated to organising this meeting, with annually, one third of the Cuban budget, Many parishes and religious commu- activities from the grassroots upwards and donated considerable amounts of nities are providing supplementary edu- and participation at every level of Church resources, including free petroleum, which cation to help students deepen their life, especially by the laity. helped Cuba emerge from its most diffi- knowledge of certain subjects. A teacher The meeting was known as the cult years since the Revolution. of the State can now also give private Cuban National Ecclesial Encounter Cuba in turn sent thousands of doctors tutorials. (ENEC). A missionary and outward look- and other professionals to Venezuela. The [email protected] n
June/July 2019 29 MISSION DIGEST - DESERT RETREAT
During a Lenten retreat, more than 160 young people walked through Wadi Qelt, the desert that surrounds Jericho. Led by the friars, the youth came from Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Ramleh, Cana and other parts of Galilee. Custos Fr Francesco Patton OFM said that, ‘Our young must understand that they, together with the friars, are the guardians of the holy places and are witnesses to what it means to be Christians in the Holy Land.’ n
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