Page 4 Pallottine Voices

In This Issue: – Argentina Vocation Story Jubilarians 2017 Ordinations 2017

VoicesPal lo t t in e

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Sendto: Fr. Martin Mareja, SAC Pallottine Fathers MissionsThurles, Co. Tipperary, Ireland E41A271Email:palmissions@gmail.com

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2008havingservedinNorthAmericafor30yearsandinLimerickDiocesefor14years.Fr.LiampresentlyministersinBraintree,Essexandthisyearmarksthe40thanniversaryofhisordination.WealsorememberedJohnny’swonderfulfriendFrSeamusStapletonSCAwhodied inOctoberoflastyearbutwho,inhisrelativelyshortpriestlyministry,didsomuchgood.

Mercedesisveryfarawayinspiteofallthetechnology.IsometimeslookoutthewindowinDoonandseethemoon.I think thatJohnnysees thesamemoon inArgentina;hismightbetheAutumnalmoonandminetheSpringone.Iamremindedofafewlinesfromthesong“TheMoonBehindTheHill”whichmymotherusedtosing.

“IwatchedlastnighttherisingmoonUponaforeignstrandTillmemoriescamelikelowersinJuneOfhomeandfatherland”

Ahdear–thetiesthatbindus!Argentina is abeautiful countrywith rollingplains andlushpasturesandamagniicentcapitalcity,BuenosAires.WewerefortunatethatBr.MichaelLynchgaveusaguidedtourofit.Wevisitedthecathedral–thelastchurchPope

FrancisservedininArgentina.Whiletherewewereguestsof the Christian Brothers and among those we met wasBr. Tommie O’Connell who received some of his earlysecondaryEducationinDoon.InconclusionwewouldliketothankFrTom,Fr.Johnny,Carlitos. and the people ofMercedes for theirwonderfulhospitality. One of the lovely things about those peopleis the warmth of their welcome. Their generosity andfriendshipandthesharingoftheirtimehavetobeseentobebelieved.Wewouldhaveforgiventhemosquitosiftheirwelcomewaslessenthusiastic!Toallthepeoplewhohavecontributedtothebuildingfundwesay‘MuchosGracias’fortheirgenerosity.

Under the Argentine SkyPeggy Sweeney

Itwouldbe impossible to encap-sulate in a few short paragraphsthe spirit of the parishioners ofParroquiaSanPatricioMercedes,inArgentina.MyhusbandPaud,Anitaand I had the pleasure of visiting

thereinAprilandwitnessedatirsthandthefriendshipandgenerosityofthesepeopleandtheirloveof,andloyaltyto,theirfaith.TheyarejustlyproudoftheirchurchwhichwasoriginallybuiltwithfundingprovidedbyIrishemigrants.FrTomO’DonnellfromTempleglantinehasspentalmost41yearsinArgentinaandFrJohnnySweeneyfromDoonjoinedhiminOctober2015.Thoughthepostalsystemusedto be ineffective, at least now communication is easierthroughemail,WhatsApp,andsoon.Onecanonlyimaginewhat itmusthavebeen like for the Irishpriestsand theirfamiliesinearliertimes.The priests are extremely busy – constant phone calls,visitors and religiousduties all accommodatedwithgoodgrace. Huge crowds attended the Easter ceremonies,confessions and masses and we saw at irst hand theireagernesstobepartofitall.TheirdevotiontoSt.PatrickwouldputusIrishpeopletoshame,andonmanyoccasionstheysaidSt.Patrick’sbreastplateafterHolyCommunion.In 2011 they opened their irst “out church” and arepresentlypreparing tobuilda secondone.Wehavebeenfundraisingwithhelpfromourfamilies,friends,neighbours,thepeopleofDoon,CappamoreandbeyondandJohnny’sfriends elsewhere, particularly in Thurles. All have beenwonderfulandsogenerous.WhenitrainsinMercedesthesideroadsbecomeaseaofmudandimpassableforcars,sothepeoplecannotcometotheparishchurchandpriestscannotgoouttotheoutlyingareas. The people inAltamira requested an “out church”oftheirownsotheycanhaveprayerservicesintherainyseason. It will also be used towake their dead and holdmeetingsintheproposedsmallerroomswhichwillbepartofthebuilding.Theywillalsogettonametheirchurch.Whilewewere inMercedes,wevisitedotherPallottinechurches and saw and recognised the names of manypriestswhomwe knew and loved.We rememberedwithgratitudetheireffortsinspreadingthegospel.WethoughtofFrSeánandFrLiam,Johnny’suncles.FrSeándiedin

Ordinations 2017Fr Derry Murphy SACProvincial

Recently I was doing a bit oftidyingup,asdistinct fromaproperspring cleaning, and while goingthrough a shelf of printed materialIhappeneduponaseriesofhomiliespreparedbythelateArchbishopJosephCassidy,writtenwhenhewasateacheratSt.Joseph’sCollege,Garbally,Co.Galway.

InahomilyontheTransigurationof Our Lord Jesus Christ, Fr.Cassidy drew a comparisonbetween the wedding day of ayoungbrideandthetransigurationofJesus.Relectingontheweddingdayhepainted apictureof ‘olderwives’, heavy with the sleep ofyears, suddenly roused with theentrance of the bride into thechurch.IquoteFr.Cassidy“Theystraighten up! ‘Here she comes’

andwithher theassurance thatglorystill survives…andtheoldwivessubsideagain–comforted!”

The image painted here stayed with me and it camebacktomindasIrelectedonthetwoordinationswehadinIrelandinJune.Weareblessed,veryblessed,thisyearwiththeordinationofFrLiamO’DonovaninSlieverue,Co.Kilkenny,on17June,ofFrCharlesLaffertyinArdmore,Derry, on 29 June, and of Frs Norbert Mukabwa andStephenLwebugainQueenofApostlesChurch,DagorettiMarket,Nairobi,Kenya,on8July.

ThoseofusPallottineswhowerepresentfeltlikethe‘oldwives’inthe homily, participating in theordinationsrousedus,itwasasifwe straightened up and receivedan injectionofnew lifeandhopethroughourparticipation in thesemost reverential and moving ofceremonies. It strengthens us tohave other men responding totheinvitationofGodandmakingthe same life choice. One of thepriests present at an ordination remarked that the entireweekendwaslikeaweekendretreat.

Bishop Alphonus Cullinan, who ordained LiamO’Donovan,stressedthatordinationisnotatrophy;ratheritisagivingofoneselfinserviceofthepeopleofGod.

BishopDonalMcKeown,whoordainedCharles,focusedontheapostoliclifeofthePallottine,andthecommitment

to be an apostle and to do all possible so that each non-ordainedpersonhaveandexerciseanapostolatewithinthemissionarypeopleofGod.

InNairobiBishopDavidKamau remindedNorbert andStephenthattheyareordainedtoservethepeopleofGodand to proclaim theGoodNews. Hewarned then of thedangersofmaterialismandofpridewhichtendstogowithit.

Weare,andalwayshavebeen,amissionaryprovincewithmembersworking in9countries, and thenewlyordainedprieststhisyearwillshareinthismissionarynatureofour

lives.

Liam will work in Greenfordin the Westminster Archdiocese;Charles is going further aield,to Argentina and will work in aparish in Castelar, Buenos Aires;Norbert, who is Kenyan, willwork in Makiungu, Tanzania;and Stephen, who is Ugandan,willwork inSacredHeart Parish,Nairobi,Kenya.

Congratulationstoeachofthem,andAdmultosannos.

A sincere word of gratitude toall our associates, collaboratorsand UAC members who supportour work and our formationprogrammes with their prayers,encouragement and inancialcontributions.

Please keep the four newlyordainedmeninyourprayers.

Paud, Aniita, Peggy and Fr John Sweeney

Fr Liam O’Donovan SAC

Fr Charles Lafferty SAC

Fr Stephen Lwebuga SAC

Fr Norbert Mukabwa SAC

Pallottine Voices Page 3 Pallottine Voices

aninstant.Itwasanimmenseprivilegetoshareinpeople’ssufferingsandtogivecareandcompassion.

On July 25th 2008 my mother died in a car accidentandmysisterwasluckytosurvive.Igotagreatsenseofstrength frommyfaith tocopebut itdid forceme toaskmyselfabout themeaningof life.Ihadthoughtabout thepriesthoodbutfeltunworthy.IhadmetaPallottinepriestinMedjugorje around 2002/2003 and he had givenme alierandtoldmetocomedowntoThurlesforaweekendsometime.SoIdid,andmyirstimpressionsweregoodasthefoodwasexcellent.(Godreallydoesknowhowtoworkonourweaknesses!).

Over the next few years I went down to spend moreweekends in Thurles and I did a vocations weekend inDundrumin2005;thefoodagainwassuperb.However,I

didn’treallythinkaboutseriouslyjoiningatthattimeasIwaslookingafterbothofmyparentsathomeandfeltthatthiswaswhereGodwantedmetobe.I felt thatIgot thegreatest degree in life looking after them andwe alwaysprayedtogether,whetheritwasgoingtoaprayermeetingwithmymotherorgoingtoacattlemartwithDad.Itwasnaturaltopraytogether.

IjoinedthePallottinesin2011afteryearsofdissembling.ImadeupmymindlatethatsummerandIdobelievethattheLordandHisBlessedMotherwereatwork.Godcandrawstraightthroughcrookedlines.OnthedaythatImadeupmymindthatIwasdeinitelygoingtojoin,IcamehometomyhouseinWestportaftertalkingtoapriestaboutthedecisionIhadmade.

My brother was there and we were talking about thefootballreunionthathewasgoingtothefollowingFridaynight. I said to him “Is it twenty years since yewon thecountyinal?”towhichhereplied“Yesthetimelies.Ifyouaregoingtodosomethinginlife,nowisthetime”(Hedidnothaveaclueofmyintentions).IfelttheHolySpiritwasatworkandIdidn’tneedanymoreconirmation.

ManypeoplehadspokentomeaboutbecomingapriestandIalwaysdideverythingIcouldtodismissit.Iwasin

My Vocation StoryJohn Regan SAC

IgrewuponafarmjustoutsideWestport in Co. Mayo with eightsistersandthreebrothers.Wewereafarmingfamily.Iwasthesecondyoungest, brought up in a homewhereIwasshowngreatlove.

Therosarywassaidonbendedkneeseverynightwithoutfail.MymothercycledtomasseverydayonherbikeandalsoattendedtheirstFridaysandSaturdays.ShealsowenttoherweeklyprayermeetingonaThursdaynight.In themidst of rearing a family of twelve, washing clothes byhand,cookingmealsandworkingonthefarm,mymotheralwaysfoundtimetoputGodirstandwasneverafraidtostandupforherfaith.

When Iinished secondary school I didnotknowwhattodoanddidnotgoon tocollege. Ihadworkedfor twosummers previously in a pub and restaurant so Iworkedinthepubagainforayearandalsodeliveredsand,gravelandsoil.Ilovedmeetingandinteractingwithpeople.Ithenworkedinahotelasabarmanagerforiveyears,whichwasenjoyable–meetingpeopleinasocialspherewherepeoplewerealwaysingoodform.

Duringthattime,in1998,mysisterrangmeandaskedmeifIwouldgowithhertoMedjugorje.Shesaiditwouldbeniceifwecouldgoalongwithmumanddad.Isaidyes,andIhadjustdroppedthephonewhenIsaidtomyself“whathaveIputmyselfinfor!”andIstartedthinkinghowIwouldsaytomyemployersthatIwasgoingtoMedjugorje.Butgo I did, and I had theweekof a lifetime, the spiritwasmoving.

But having spent ive years working in the hotel andenjoyingmyself outside the counter as well, doing whateveryyoungfelladoes,Iwasoftenleftfeelingempty.

ThenIworkedwiththeHSEfor7yearsasahealthcareassistant/porterandgottoexperiencetheothersideoflife,whereaccidentsandtragedycouldchangepeople’slivesin

Prayer to Mother MaryMother Mary be my guide,Blessed Lady by my side.Ever gentle, ever kind,Ease and soothe my troubled mind. If I fall, as oft I may,Bring me home from where I stray.Pour your peace on those I love,Keep them, bless them, from above. Be my hope, my joy, my light. Hold me close from morn till night. And when my time on earth is done,Lead me to your precious Son.

CathyDesmond,memberofUAC,St.AnnParish,Shankill,Dublin

Knockonesummer’seveningprayingtherosaryandwasgoingthroughinnerturmoilwhenImetacouplewhomIhadknownearlierfromaprayermeeting.Thewomansaidtome,“Iknowwhatyouaregoingthrough,butyouwon’tbehappyunlessyougiveitago”.Iwascuttotheheartandwelledupwithemotion.

Ihadworkedatmanydifferent jobsandwasknownasabitofachancerorrisktaker,butthistimeIsaidIwouldtake a chance on the Lord, and so far the risk has beenworth it. There have been challenges, struggles, trials,andwhywouldn’t therebe,as this is real lifewithall itscomplexities. But thankfully, I am content. It is throughalloftheseexperiencesthatwegrow,andbeingpartofacommunityisagreatmeansofsupport.

IcanseeirsthandwhyourfounderSt.Vincentinsistedonworkingtogetherwheremuchmoreisachieved.Havingbeenwithagoodgroupofstudentshasbeengreatandwedotakethecornersoffeachotherifneeded,whetheritisagoodtackleonthefootballpitchoragameofpool.Havingjourneyed with the lads and getting to see them beingordainedhasbeensojoyful.

IhavetosaythatIlovethePallottineCharism,andbeingout on pastoral work in our parishes has shownme thatPallottinepriestsbringJesustopeopleinadifferentsortof

awaythroughtheiruniqueandindividualpersonalitiesandgifts.ApriesttoldmeoverthelastnumberofyearswhenIwas having struggles and doubts to trust.Although theroadcanbedificultattimes,byconstantlyplacingadeeptrustinOurLord,perseveringonandmaintainingastrongdevotiontoOurLady,IamilledwithadeeprootedpeaceandreadyforwhateverGodhasinstore.

CongratulationsCongratulations to our jubilarians 2017; to Frs ConnieRamirez, Lubbock, Texas, Bertie Flanagan, Suipacha,Argentina and JohnCasey,Wyandotte,Detroit, who thisyear celebrate the Golden Jubilee of their ordination tothepriesthood; and also toFrPabloBocca,SanPatricio,Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina, who celebrates theSilverJubileeofhisordination.Admultosannos.

Medjugorje

Knock

Westport

Cemetary Sunday 2017 TheannualPallottineCemeterySundaythisyearwillbeonSunday10thofSeptember.

ConcelebratedMassforourdeceasedPallottineswillbecelebratedatthePallottineCollege,Thurles,at3pm.

Allarewelcome.