'I'll vote for you for priest!'

Fr Michael Sinnott at Holy Family Home

Grace - not her real name - is 19, comes from a background of extreme poverty and has a case in court against a man, a relative, who took advantage of her when she was younger.She got her chance to go to school when she was welcomed by the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family to Welcome Home here in Bacolod City. She was then 13 or 14, couldn't read or write, sing or dance, nor had she made her First Holy Communion. She ws prepared by the Sisters for that and can sing and dance and has grown in self-confidence.

Grace is thankful to God for the new life she has been given. One part of her ongoing suffering is that so many times when she has gone to court for a hearing - she always asks me to pray for her when one is scheduled - is that so often these hearings have been postponed for trivial reasons. I see this as a form of abuse.

We have elections coming up here in the Philippines on 10 May for every office from President down to local councillor. Before Mass last Sunday, which was Good Shepherd Sunday and vocations Sunday, I said jokingly to Grace 'Vote for me!' 'Para ano, for what? she asked. I responded 'Para Presidente, para Mayor, para Gobernador, para sa tanan, For President, for Mayor, for Governor, for everything!'

I was taken aback and touched by her riposte, 'Para pari, for priest!'

I referred to this during my homily, which was based on the Gospel. Two Sundays before Bishop Joseph Nacua OFMCap of Ilagan, in Luzon, had celebrated the Golden Jubilee Mass of Srs Maria Elena Echavarren TC and Encarnación Arangueren TC. He mentioned at the beginning of his homily that some of the girls had asked where his episcopal staff was. He explained that only the bishop of the diocese uses it during Mass. I used this to explain how shepherds used their staff to rescue strayed sheep. And then I said that Grace had got to the heart of the matter when she made it clear she would 'vote' for me 'for priest'.

 Fr Michael Sinnott with the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters and aspirants at Holy Family Home. The aspirants did a traditional Filipino dance in his honour at a short programme.

I've been going to Holy Family Home for more than seven years now. The girls know me as a father-figure and they feel free to joke with me. But they know me even more as a priest who celebrates Mass with them on most Sundays and on other special occasions. Some of them will remind me that they want to confess their sins. Grace is one of the most regular in availing of this sacrament.

The Sisters and the girls prayed their hearts out for Fr Michael Sinnott, my Columban confrere, when he was kidnapped last October. They were overjoyed when he visited them to celebrate Mass with them and to thank them in February.

At times I feel discouraged by what is happening in the Catholic Church and by the almost total lack of vision among candidates at every level for the forthcoming election. But Grace's assurance that she would 'vote' for me 'Para pari, for priest', lifted my heart and reminded me once again of the great grace I have received from God through my vocation.

 These children certainly know who is getting their vote 'for priest'!

A joyful, generous and faithful priest for more than 71 years

The 'tsunami' of scandals involving priests and bishops that seem to be headline news every day lately is disheartening to many of us. The report of a death is not usually considered good news but when it is that of a missionary who has lived his priesthood joyfully, generously and faithfully for more than 71 years, and actively for 68 of those, it is a matter for rejoicing, for thanking and praising God.

I first met the late Fr Frank Gallagher when I went to study in New York as a young priest in 1968. He was born the same year as my late father and was 55 then. He was tall and swarthy with a deep voice and I was half 'afraid' of him. but I gradually got to know him as a kind and friendly man, happily living his priesthood. I later came across a photo of him with other Columbans interned in Korea by the Japanese during World War II. With his black beard he must have been an intimidating figure to the Japanese guards!


I last met Father Frank on 15 August 2000 at the celebrations in Ireland for our jubilarians of that year. I remarked on how well he and some of his contemparies looked. His response was 'Ah, we're in injury time now', alluding to the time added on in football. The Lord gave him nearly ten more years of 'injury time'. He retired from being a chaplain to a convent of Marist Sisters and the students in their school as recently as 2007. For some time before his death he was, as far as I know, the oldest living Columban.

The badge that Father Gallagher is wearing is that of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, a movement that is predominantly Irish, in which the members freely give up the right to alcoholic drinks. Members pray the daily 'Heroic Offering': 'For thy greater Glory and consolation, O most Sacred Heart of Jesus, for Thy sake, to give good example, to practice self-denial, to make reparation to Thee for the sins of intemperance and for the conversion of excessive drinkers, I will abstain for life from all intoxicating drinks, Amen'.

Fr Cyril Lovett, editor of Far East, the magazine of the Columbans in Ireland and Britain, wrote the obituary below.

Francis J. Gallagher (1913 - 2010)

Frank Gallagher was born on 2 August, 1913, at Cloontacunna, Doocastle, County Mayo. He was educated at Doocastle National School ('National School' is the term used in the Irish Republic for elementary schools, set up by the State but managed by the parish priest or by a religious community or by the pastor of other religious communities or faith groups) and St Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen. He came to the Old Dalgan Park in Shrule, Co. Galway in 1930 and was ordained on 21 December 1938.

He was appointed to Korea in 1939 and spent his first two years in Inchon and Kongwando. From 1941 to 1945 he was interned by the Japanese along with a number of fellow-Columbans. Once released he was assigned back to his old area, and to Chunchon in 1947.

In 1948 he was assigned to Ireland where he did promotion work until 1953. Assigned then to the United States he did parish work at St Mary Mother of Jesus Church, in Brooklyn, until 1957. He was engaged in promotion work from the Society house in Bristol until 1965, and from Bayside, New York, until 1971.

On his appointment back to Ireland in 1971, he went as Chaplain to the Marist Sisters’ Convent in Tubbercurry, and for many years taught religion in their Secondary School where he was greatly respected by both staff and students. In 2007 he retired back to St Columban’s Nursing Home in Dalgan.

Frank will be remembered as a quiet, pleasant giant, a conscientious and dedicated pastor. He was also a fascinating story-teller and an expert in all matters relating to the care of bees. In the Nursing Home he was an undemanding presence and accepted the burdens of old age with patience and dignity. He died there on Sunday, 18 April 2010.

May he rest in peace.

'My father wants to receive the Bread of Life'

Pope Benedict giving Holy Communion to the sick in Lourdes

A memorable moment for me about 16 years ago when I was parish priest in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, Diocese of Tandag, on the east coast of Mindanao, was when one of our volunteer catechists came and told me that her father wanted to receive ‘the Bread of Life’. He had stopped eating normal food, nearly always interpreted here as a sign that death is near.


I learned that the dying man had been married three times, having been widowed twice. Children from his three marriages were in the house, along with some of his grandchildren. The man himself was fully alert and participated joyfully in the celebration of the sacraments, surrounded by so many of his family except during his confession.

We had a period of silence after the sick man’s Holy Communion. I then asked the family members closest to him to put their hands on them and to pray over him, something that is often done here. However, the man who had just received the Bread of Life had other ideas. One of his grandchildren was a child only a few months old. He took the child in his arms and clasped it to his breast. Then he embraced each other family member in turn, knowing that it was a farewell.

There was a tangible sense of joy in the house and I was invited to take a snack, the only time this has happened to me on a sick call. But it was fitting.

Next morning the catechist came to tell me that her father had died during the night.

Today’s gospel, John 6:44-51, reminded me of that incident. ‘This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh’ (vv50-51, RSV). Yesterday’s gospel, also from John 6, had this beautiful expression of God’s love: ‘For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day’ (v40).

Cathedral attacked in the Philippines

Bishop Martin S. Jumoad of the Prelature of Isabela de Basilan

Fifteen people were killed on Tuesday in Isabela, the capital of Basilan, an island off the southwest coast of Mindanao. (Mindanao is larger than Ireland. Filipinos are islanders in the sense that the people who live on the mainland of Ireland and of Britain are 'islanders', not in the sense of people there who live on small islands. Luzon in the north is larger in area than Mindanao. Very few Filipinos live on 'cartoon islands' - with one coconut tree surrounded by a beach - despite the tourist people of the country who speak of '7,100 islands', most of which are unihabited and unhabitable rocks).

Interior of Sta Isabel Cathedral

MindaNews carries a report on the violence which involved the destruction by a bomb of the priests; rooms attached to the cathedral. The report includes the following:

Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad condemned the bombings as he asked the people to stay calm and cooperate and let authorities do their job.


“I call my people to stay calm. I call the men and women in uniforms, we need the assistance to have neutralized the situation in the cathedral,” he said.


The prelate, who is known to be vocal against the apparent ineffectiveness of the military to solve the Basilan problem, called on the military and police authorities “to neutralize the lawless groups who are responsible for this dastardly act” while calling on the people, including the Pink Sisters from the Carmelite monastery, to pray that there will be peace in Basilan. (Antonio Manaytay/MindaNews contributor).

Exterior of Cathedral

Please pray for the people of Basilan. The Prelature covers an area of 1,359 sqaure kilometers (524 square miles) and had a population in 2004 of 330,000 of whom around 90,000 or 27 percent, were Catholics. Nearly all the others are Muslims.

Map of the Philippines

How the Church deals with cases of sexual abuse of minors by priests

Guide to Understanding Basic CDF Proceduresconcerning Sexual Abuse Allegations

VATICAN CITY, 12 APR 2010 (VIS) - Today the Vatican website, under the section called "Focus", published a guide to understanding the procedures of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith [CDF] on sexual abuse allegations towards minors. These are the regulations in force since 2001.

I have highlighted some parts of the document and added [comments].

The applicable law is the Motu Proprio Sacramentorum sanctitatis tutela (MP SST) of 30 April 2001 together with the 1983 Code of Canon Law. This is an introductory guide which may be helpful to lay persons and non-canonists. [The Code of Canon Law is the collection of the laws of the Church that have been enacted over the centuries in the Latin or Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. the varous laws were put together and promulgated in 1917, when the title Codex Iuris Canonici, Latin for 'Code of Canon Law', was first used. It ws revised in 1983. The Code deals with purely Church matters and is not in conflict with the civil laws of any country.]

A:  Preliminary Procedures

The local diocese investigates every allegation of sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric.

If the allegation has a semblance of truth the case is referred to the CDF.  The local bishop transmits all the necessary information to the CDF and expresses his opinion on the procedures to be followed and the measures to be adopted in the short and long term.

Civil law concerning reporting of crimes to the appropriate authorities should always be followed. [The Church, ie, Churth authorities, has been criticized, in many cases deservedly, for not reporting crimes to the civil authorities. The Dublin Report, published a few months ago in Ireland, was highly critical of a number of archbishops of Dublin for not applying canon law  well as not reporting crimes to the civil authorities. Had priests been punished by the Church very likely many minors would not have suffered as they did.]

During the preliminary stage and until the case is concluded, the bishop may impose precautionary measures to safeguard the community, including the victims. Indeed, the local bishop always retains power to protect children by restricting the activities of any priest in his diocese.  This is part of his ordinary authority, which he is encouraged to exercise to whatever extent is necessary to assure that children do not come to harm, and this power can be exercised at the bishop's discretion before, during and after any canonical proceeding. [In other words, no bishop needs Rome's 'permission' to do what he is supposed to do.] 

B: Procedures authorized by the CDF

The CDF studies the case presented by the local bishop and also asks for supplementary information where necessary.

The CDF has a number of options:

B1 Penal Processes

The CDF may authorize the local bishop to conduct a judicial penal trial before a local Church tribunal. Any appeal in such cases would eventually be lodged to a tribunal of the CDF.

The CDF may authorize the local bishop to conduct an administrative penal process before a delegate of the local bishop assisted by two assessors. The accused priest is called to respond to the accusations and to review the evidence.  The accused has a right to present recourse to the CDF against a decree condemning him to a canonical penalty.  The decision of the Cardinals members of the CDF is final.

Should the cleric be judged guilty, both judicial and administrative penal processes can condemn a cleric to a number of canonical penalties, the most serious of which is dismissal from the clerical state.  [This is a punishment by the Church. The Church can dismiss a man from the priesthood but can't put him in jail. The civil authorities can put him in jail for the same crime but can't dismiss him from the priesthood. There is no conflict between Church law and civil law.] The question of damages can also be treated directly during these procedures.

B2 Cases referred directly to the Holy Father

In very grave cases where a civil criminal trial has found the cleric guilty of sexual abuse of minors or where the evidence is overwhelming, the CDF may choose to take the case directly to the Holy Father with the request that the Pope issue a decree of "ex officio" dismissal from the clerical state.  There is no canonical remedy against such a papal decree. [In this situation the Church accepts the findings of the civil courts and dismisses a man from the priesthood without his having to go through a Church trial. Both State and Church punish according to the laws proper to them.]

The CDF also brings to the Holy Father requests by accused priests who, cognizant of their crimes, ask to be dispensed from the obligation of the priesthood and want to return to the lay state.  The Holy Father grants these requests for the good of the Church ("pro bono Ecclesiae").

B3 Disciplinary Measures

In cases where the accused priest has admitted to his crimes and has accepted to live a life of prayer and penance, the CDF authorizes the local bishop to issue a decree prohibiting or restricting the public ministry of such a priest.  Such decrees are imposed through a penal precept which would entail a canonical penalty for a violation of the conditions of the decree, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state.  Administrative recourse to the CDF is possible against such decrees.  The decision of the CDF is final. [For example, a priest may be forbidden from celebrating Mass publicly and from engaging in any pastoral work.]

C. Revision of MP SST

For some time the CDF has undertaken a revision of some of the articles of Motu Proprio [This can be translated 'on his own impulse' and is a document coming form the Pope's own initiative and signed by him. It may apply to the whole church or to a groupw within the Church.] Sacramentorum Sanctitatis tutela, in order to update the said Motu Proprio of 2001 in the light of special faculties granted to the CDF by Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. The proposed modifications under discussion will not change the above-mentioned procedures (A, B1-B3).

'Христос Воскрес' - Christ is Risen!

I found this item on Saint Mary Magdalen, the blog of Fr Ray Blake, who got it from Creative Minority Report.

Moscow, April 5, Interfax - Fans greeted each other on Easter at a Sunday evening soccer match at Moscow Lokomotiv stadium.


At the beginning of the second half of the match thousands of fans of Dynamo team started chanting "Christ is Risen!", an Interfax correspondent reports.

Thousands of fans of Lokomotiv team on the opposite side of the stadium responded by chanting "Truly He is Risen!"

The exchange took place several times.

The correspondent who has attended soccer matches for almost 50 years says it was the (first) occurrence of this kind in the history of Russian soccer.


 
The hymn Faith of Our Fathers begins around 1'20" minutes into this video, the finale of a concert of popular hymns under the title Faith of Our Fathers in the Point Theatre, Dublin, in January 1997, nearly three years after Riverdance burst on the scene at the same venue. The soloist is the late Irish tenor Frank Patterson.
 
The refreshing proclamation of their Christian faith by the Moscow football fans reminded me of a tradition we had at major Gaelic Football and Hurling games in Croke Park, Dublin, until the 1960s, the singing of Faith of Our Fathers before the National Anthem. It was eventually dropped 'in the spirit of ecumenism' as it was seen as identifying the Catholic faith too much with a narrow Irish nationalism. There's no doubt that there was a strain of the latter in the Gaelic Athletic Association, that organised these games and members were expelled if found playing or watching 'foreign games', which meant soccer, cricket, rugby and hockey, all of which were identified with the British occupation for centuries. 'The Ban', as it was known, has long since gone and no harm for that.
 
But I don't know if those with form of Irish nationalism that was somewhat anti-English were aware, as they sang Faith of Our Fathers with gusto, that the words (except for the third stanza) were written by an Englishman, Fr Frederick Faber. One of God's little ironies!
 
Americans are more familiar with the St Catherine melody that is also used for this hymn. I much prefer the melody I grew up with. It has something manly about it that the other lacks.
 
Faith of Our Fathers


Frederick W. Faber, pub.1849
v. 3 by Anonymous/Unknown
ref. by James G. Walton, 1874
 
1. Faith of our fathers, living still,

In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword;
Oh, how our hearts beat high with joy
Whene’er we hear that glorious Word!

* Refrain:

Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.

2. Faith of our fathers, we will strive
To win all nations unto thee;
And through the truth that comes from God,
We all shall then be truly free.

3. Faith of our fathers, we will love
Both friend and foe in all our strife;
And preach thee, too, as love knows how
By kindly words and virtuous life.

'My Lord and my God' - Second Sunday of Easter Year C

The Incredulity of St Thomas, Caravaggio (painted 16010-02)

Readings

New American Bible (Philippines, USA)

Jerusalem Bible (Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, Scotland)

Gospel (Jn 20, 19-31, NAB)

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

+++

I often think that St Thomas gets a ‘poor press’. He has entered English vocabulary – I’m not sure about other languages – as ‘Doubting Thomas’. Yet he makes the most explicit act of faith found in the Bible: ‘My Lord and my God’. In Ireland this is used as one of the acclamations after the Consecration.

Thomas recognized the Risen Lord in his scars. Jesus carries those scars for all eternity. In St Joseph’s Chapel, Espinos Village, Bacolod City, where I usually celebrate Mass Tuesday through Saturday, there is a large statue of the Risen Lord behind the altar. It struck me one day that there was something wrong with it: there were no scars on the hands and feet of Jesus. That has been rectified, though they look more like wounds than scars.

Many of us were moved by the wrinkles on the face of Blessed Mother Teresa (photo) in her latter days. These were the ‘scars’ of love.




Rembrandt, in his Return of the Prodigal Son, captures the suffering of the father, rather than his joy, in the sadness on his face, the ‘scar’ of love.

Return of the Prodigal Son (detail), Rembrandt, (painted c.1669)

It’s through our own suffering, in whatever form it comes, that we get some understanding of the sufferings of others. It was through the sudden death of my mother 40 years ago this coming 29 April that I realized in my heart rather than in my head that the Lord is truly risen.