Greetings to one and all, this time from Mtayleb, just outside Beirut on a hillside overlooking the city where the friars of the Vice-province of the Middle East have gathered for a chapter without elections. So it is a very relaxed, hard-working meeting. There are friars here from Syria who have reported on happenings there. In the Lebanon itself there is no official side-taking; the one wish is for peace.The speed at which Beirut is rebuilt after every one of the wars is amazing. It gives confidence to the many tourists who are beginning to return to fill the thousands of bed spaces, and who are an essential element of the Lebanese economy.
Travels since Easter took me to many corners of the world, but most of the time was spent in Europe at various chapters and meetings. Holland had a chapter in two parts and have fixed the date for part II on the third Friday in September. In the meantime, they have got the dispensation to have only two definitors.
There was torrid heat in Rome for the first two weeks of July, which coincided with the meeting of the Constitutions commission. Maybe that helped to speed up the work as the third week was free. Unfortunately many of the friars with long-haul air tickets had to hand around, as changing the ticket would have cost too much. But they had time for personal work and even a little tourism!
Tuesday 26 July 2011
Wednesday 13 April 2011
Happy Easter 2011
Greetings to one and all for a prayerful and reflective Holy Week, and an Easter celebration filled with joy and hope. Càisc fé shéan is fé mhaise dibh go léir.
Sunday 27 March 2011
Desert Storm
Back in Dubai once more after visiting the friars in UAE, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. It was in Kuwait on Friday night that we thought of President Bush and his Desert Storm, as we experienced the real thing. A vicious sand-storm hit Kuwait from Iraq and Saudi Arabia about 5.30 pm, blotting out the sun and sending people running for shelter. Because of the volatile political situation in many of the neighbouring lands, at first many of the locals thought that the oil fields had once again been bombed. The effect was much the same as what had been experienced back in the early nineties during the Iraqi invasion - but it turned out to be Mother Nature this time. The following day, clean-up operations began. There was sand everywhere, trees down but, in general, relatively little damage given the ferocity of the wind.
There is instability in many of the countries in the region and uncertainty as to what will happen next. Communication is limited so it is often difficult to have accurate information, but people keep up their good spirits. Dubai has been badly hit by the recession but Abu Dhabi seems to be relatively untouched.
There is instability in many of the countries in the region and uncertainty as to what will happen next. Communication is limited so it is often difficult to have accurate information, but people keep up their good spirits. Dubai has been badly hit by the recession but Abu Dhabi seems to be relatively untouched.
Sunday 13 March 2011
La 'le Padraig
Tomorrow morning I leave for Dubai to visit the many frairs working in that part of the world. They come from many countries, principally from India and the Phillipines and their task is to offer pastoral care to the millions of immigrant workers in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. I hear talk of some trouble in Bahrain and rumblings in Kuwait, but , please God, all will be quiet while I am there.
The last few weeks were spent in Austria and Alto Adige, in view of the forthcoming unification of these two provinces. There are few vocations in that area of the world and the hope is that, by combining forces, the brothers there will be able to create something new together. We hope for the best.
Thursday 9 September 2010
Update - at last!
In spite of all my good intentions and New Year resolutions, I slipped again!
Volcanic ash from Iceland kept myself and Terence in San Francisco for a week longer than anticipated. But we were well cared for by the friars at Our Lady of Angels and suffered no hardship except for some cancelled meetings - unlike other people, especially those travelling with children or on a tight budget. It was a relief to get back to Europe .
Next on the agenda was the international meeting on Migration held in Bangkok. It was a very good meeting - informative, practical and provided an excellent space in which to hear from the friars about all the work that is being done in this area. One of the highlights was certainly a visit to a refugee camp near the border with Myanmar where it was very moving to hear the young refugees share their dreams and hopes for the future.
I visited Pakistan towards the end of May. The weather was too hot for Northern Europeans like myself, and the situation was not helped by regular power cuts, night and day. The atmosphere was tense because of recent killings in a mosque quite close to the Capuchin friary in Lahore and the incursion into the hospital the following night to finish off those who had survived. Reading the newspapers and watching the TV, one gets the definite impression that Pakistan is a very violent society where life is cheap. The friars there, however, continue to live the Capuchin life with hope and courage.
A number of chapters took place during the summer: Malta, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Lebanon, the latter followed by some time in Ireland for a rest.
I came to Quebec on 26th August to conduct a visitation of the province. The province here is ageing, without many vocations, but the presence of young Indian friars from Kerala brings much hope for the future. Together with the young local friars it will be possible to open up new paths to bring the Gospel message to a society that has passed from being a staunch Catholic presence in North America to a very highly secularised one with little interest in religion. The history of Quebec reminds me very much of the story of the church in Ireland, except that what took 50 years in Quebec has happened much more quickly in Ireland.
Back to Rome on Saturday next and the merry-go-round takes off again. Pray for us.
Volcanic ash from Iceland kept myself and Terence in San Francisco for a week longer than anticipated. But we were well cared for by the friars at Our Lady of Angels and suffered no hardship except for some cancelled meetings - unlike other people, especially those travelling with children or on a tight budget. It was a relief to get back to Europe .
Next on the agenda was the international meeting on Migration held in Bangkok. It was a very good meeting - informative, practical and provided an excellent space in which to hear from the friars about all the work that is being done in this area. One of the highlights was certainly a visit to a refugee camp near the border with Myanmar where it was very moving to hear the young refugees share their dreams and hopes for the future.
I visited Pakistan towards the end of May. The weather was too hot for Northern Europeans like myself, and the situation was not helped by regular power cuts, night and day. The atmosphere was tense because of recent killings in a mosque quite close to the Capuchin friary in Lahore and the incursion into the hospital the following night to finish off those who had survived. Reading the newspapers and watching the TV, one gets the definite impression that Pakistan is a very violent society where life is cheap. The friars there, however, continue to live the Capuchin life with hope and courage.
A number of chapters took place during the summer: Malta, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Lebanon, the latter followed by some time in Ireland for a rest.
I came to Quebec on 26th August to conduct a visitation of the province. The province here is ageing, without many vocations, but the presence of young Indian friars from Kerala brings much hope for the future. Together with the young local friars it will be possible to open up new paths to bring the Gospel message to a society that has passed from being a staunch Catholic presence in North America to a very highly secularised one with little interest in religion. The history of Quebec reminds me very much of the story of the church in Ireland, except that what took 50 years in Quebec has happened much more quickly in Ireland.
Back to Rome on Saturday next and the merry-go-round takes off again. Pray for us.
Tuesday 20 April 2010
Stranded in San Francisco
We have had great fraternal and pastoral celebrations for the centenary here in San Francisco, the most recent one in Burlingame on Thursday last. Because of missed information, I should not have been present in Burlingame, as I was booked back to Europe on Thursday afternoon. But Mother Nature intervened, and after three hours at San Fran Int airport my flight was cancelled - along with many others - because of the hazards created by the volcano in Iceland. Terence also was cancelled and we have both been working hard at trying to make the most of the ill-wind.It has not been too difficult for us as the friars are experts in hospitality.And the friary is only ten minutes from the airport
But my heart goes out to all those stranded at airports, especially those caught without money or with children. Please God things will straighten themselves out soon.
In the meantime thanks to all who are showing humanitarian and christian concern by feeding the hungry and looking after the needy.
But my heart goes out to all those stranded at airports, especially those caught without money or with children. Please God things will straighten themselves out soon.
In the meantime thanks to all who are showing humanitarian and christian concern by feeding the hungry and looking after the needy.
100 Years of Mission
The main celebration for the friars of the Western America Province of Our Lady of the Angels took place yesterday (13th April). It began with a liturgy of thanksgiving in the friary of San Lorenzo, during which the General Minister outlined the history and growth of the Capuchin presence in those parts, as well as throwing out the challenge to the present-day friars to continue the mission animated by the values of prayer, poverty and preaching. Br. Terence Harrington, the Provincial Minister of Ireland responded with words of congratulations and good wishes on behalf of the Province of Saint Patrick and was presented with a specially written icon of Our Lady of the Angels.
After a festive meal, the friars went to the Old Mission at Santa Ynez to celebrate the Eucharist with a large congregation of local people. The singing and the music were a joyful celebration of thanksgiving, with the participation of people from many different linguistic groups, including a prayer as Gaeilge. The mission continues, we were reminded in the homily, as does the promise of Christ's presence.
After a festive meal, the friars went to the Old Mission at Santa Ynez to celebrate the Eucharist with a large congregation of local people. The singing and the music were a joyful celebration of thanksgiving, with the participation of people from many different linguistic groups, including a prayer as Gaeilge. The mission continues, we were reminded in the homily, as does the promise of Christ's presence.
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