Marist Messenger

by Fr Neil Vaney sm
Many of us will recall Robert Oppenheimer, the brilliant physicist, who helped craft the atomic bomb. Had he known what he was bringing to birth, he later commented, he probably would never have signed on for the Manhattan Project. In the same context, another scientist observed that every great technological breakthrough, in solving one dilemma, creates equally problematic issues never imagined or anticipated. Read more »

by Fr Peter Healy sm
Last year our Marist General Chapter suggested that we establish a Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission. This is potentially a great leap forward in Marist mission and ministry. Like many religious orders around the world the Society of Mary is now including the Earth in its mission. Not solely the Earth but the integrity of the entire Created order. Earth, our solar system, our galaxy, our local cluster of galaxies and the billions of galaxies in the known universe, all of this is now the context of our mission. What an exciting and far-reaching moment this is! Our mission has come of age in a cosmological sense and is entering a new phase. Read more »

by Elizabeth Isichei
One evening last week I was part of a small group, mainly members of our parish, meeting at the house of a friend, whose hospitable heart creates these circles, and whose Celtic love of symbolism enriches her own spiritual life and that of others.
As soon as I arrived, I saw a decanter of wine and glasses, and asked if I could have a non-alcoholic alternative. It turned out that a member of the group, a Filipina, was going home permanently, and the wine was intended for a ritual expression of community. Read more »

Message from Paddy Cahill to all who have touched my life – July 2010
I recently spent ten days in hospital with pneumonia and had four litres of fluid taken from my right lung. After many tests and procedures I came home and was asked to return on Friday for an appointment regarding the biopsies. Read more »

As well as the above articles with illustrations, the following are in the Marist Messenger this month:
..Editor at Large…Fr Brian O’Connell sm
..A Memoir…Fr Brian O’Connell sm
..God Had a Plan for Me…Sr Mary Telesia Ta’avao csn
..The Seventeen Inch Journey…Sue Jones
..Christianity in Japan – The Age of Martyrs…Elizabeth Isichei
..Prayer of Petition…Fr John Kelly ocso
..Quotations from Blessed John Henry Newman
As well as our Regular Features:
..Messenger Briefs
..Benedict Speaks
..September Saints…Kilian de Lacy
..Can You Bear It
..Children’s Page with Pippa Winch
..September Crossword compiled by Max
..Remembering Our Dead..

by Fr Frank Bird sm
It only takes a spark to light a fire. Every Sunday Walt Disney took his two little daughters to the nearby park to let them play on the merry-go-round. As he put them on the worn out merry-go-round he noticed the rusty animal shapes, the paint peeling off the roof, the uneven movement. He found himself thinking, “I can do better than this”. From this moment sprung the dream of a fantastic adventure park for children and families to enjoy. The world famous Disneyland was born from this moment. Walt Disney had found his gift or ‘charism’ to contribute to our world. Read more »

by Professor Mona Siddiqui
Director, Centre for the Study of Islam, Glasgow University
It seems to me that the more I research religion, the more I find the word ‘knowledge’ in its broadest sense: that knowledge is a divine gift not confined to the religious sphere of any one religion, and that the pursuit of knowledge in every great faith is inextricably linked with the great virtues of justice, hope and love. Read more »

by John F. Owens sm
“There won’t be any biographies of me,” said the writer Flannery O’Connor “because lives spent between the house and the chicken yard do not make exciting copy.” This at least she did not get right, as her biography appeared a year ago, with this very sentence as its epigraph. It is forty-six years since she died, and times have changed. She lived when the phrase “a Catholic writer” was still in vogue, and it caused her some problems, arousing as it did an expectation of propaganda for the cause, and encouraging the assumption that a believer writes only what is helpful or uplifting, and keeps away from anything that might endanger faith or morals. On faith and morals Flannery held to all the Catholic doctrines. But she was irritated by views that saw lack of danger to faith or morals as a touchstone of great art. Read more »

© by Bill Farrelly
One of the loveliest aphorisms I ever read was in an Anthony de Mello book and if you have never read any of his works, and you make the effort to now do so, you are in for a wonderful treat.
I cannot recall the name of the book and I am guessing the aphorism came from one of the countless Sufi wisdoms. It was accompanied by a sketch showing two men, one of them Jesus, wandering along one side of a street and, on the other, a victim and an assailant. Read more »

by Fr John Kelly ocso
We often misunderstand the quality of our prayer and that of others because we identify good prayer with feelings. Perhaps we misunderstand Scripture when it says, “rejoice in the Lord always”, and Jesus tells us to “love God with our whole heart and soul”. The prodigal son probably felt sorry as he confessed his sins. Do not all these quotes suggest that feelings are an essential element in prayer? Read more »

As well as the above articles with illustrations, the following are in the Marist Messenger this month:
..Marist Learning Centre…Vanessa Lawgun
..The Catholic Century in Japan…Elizabeth Isichei
..St Maximillian Kolbe
..A Tribute to Fr Cyril Hally ssc…Dan McAloon
As well as our Regular Features:
..Messenger Briefs
..Benedict Speaks
..August Saints…Kilian de Lacy
..Can You Bear It
..A Minute or Two….Fr Paddy Cahill
..Children’s Page with Pippa Winch
..August Crossword compiled by Max
..Remembering Our Dead..

Guest Editorial by Dr Merv Duffy sm
The Catholic Dioceses of New Zealand are proud of the elements of inculturation and local flavour to be found in their architecture and liturgy. When the Hamilton cathedral showcased the original artwork of Michael Pervan we rejoiced in the talent and vision to be found here. When Fr Chris Skinner composed an ANZAC hymn, then performed it live on national television we saw with delight New Zealanders praying and reflecting on their own identity and history as a nation. When the Hui Aranga celebrated the Passion of Christ interspersed with haka and waiata, we know that that ancient Christian story is being told with and from a perspective that is unique to Aotearoa. Read more »

by Tricia O’Donnell
“Here I am at the goal of my journey to Ireland: the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock. I am here then as a pilgrim, a sign of the pilgrim church throughout the world. Pope John Paul II
The Pope was visiting Knock in the west of Ireland in 1979 to commemorate the centenary of its famous Apparition. Unlike other shrines which often came about after several appearances and usually messages from Mary, Knock shrine is the result of a single, silent apparition lasting approximately two hours. Read more »

by Phil Cody sm
The other day while sampling my new Gold Card, I was struck by people getting off the bus calling out “Thanks, driver.” It seemed to be everyone, younger and older, even those encapsulated in their MP3 world. As they stepped off, a quick look towards the front and, “Thanks, driver.”
It was quite refreshing to hear (and share in) today’s busy world – a moment of appreciation for the service of someone and a practical expression of gratitude. Read more »

by Bill Farrelly
I WAS watching a DVD a few days ago – a collection of country music artists – and one of the performers sang a song called Grandpa’s Piano. It’s a catchy, foot-tapping little number but what affected me above all was the elderly man playing the role of grandpa. Read more »

by Fr John Kelly ocso
Allow us to repeat that prayer is ‘loving communion with God whom we know loves us’. But there are many dimensions to communion with God. It is true that God loves us and wants us to love him in return as we have pointed out repeatedly in previous articles. We have also compared our love for God and our prayer to the communion that is enjoyed by human lovers. Undoubtedly there is a great resemblance between human love and divine love as we are told in Ephesians. But there are also great differences. Read more »

As well as the above articles with illustrations, the following are in the Marist Messenger this month:
..Poem: Send Forth Your Spirit
..The Prisoner and the Child…Elizabeth Isiche
..Prose Poem: Mary Magdalene,…Patricia Bowley rndm
..Becoming Indian – Roberto de Nobili…Elizabeth Isichei
..The Skinner Chalice…Chris Skinner sm
As well as our Regular Features:
..Messenger Briefs
..Benedict Speaks to Priests, and on Mary in the Early Church
..June Saints…Kilian de Lacy
..Can You Bear It
..A Minute or Two….Fr Paddy Cahill
..Children’s Page with Pippa Winch
..July Crossword compiled by Max
..Remembering Our Dead..

by Fr Brian O’Connell
The not-guilty verdicts of the Ploughshares peace activists in March in Wellington, NZ, took most people by surprise. The defendants admitted the burglary and wilful damage charges, but claimed it was for a higher good. (cf article by Jim Consedine p.4) Read more »

by Jim Consedine
It was a moment to savour. Two hours after retiring, the jury in the trial of the three Catholic Workers – Fr Peter Murnane OP, Adrian Leason, Sam Land

– who deflated a dome at the US military spy base at Waihopai near Blenheim in April 2008, returned to a packed but expectant courtroom. It took less than a minute to read their verdicts. Not guilty on all counts. Read more »

By Sr Dorothea OCD
(Fr Everyman the Vocations Director of a mythical diocese is being interviewed about his job and the issues around celibacy by Ms Everywoman)
Fr Ev As I was saying, Jesus is the only reason I have accepted celibacy, because he did for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. If that’s not based on Scripture, what is? And that’s what I want with all my heart….
Ms Eve: (almost glaring) …but, but, but…it is claimed that you have a made an “…enormous sacrifice..”, that it was “…probably made only in youthful fervour…”, “…that you are in danger of becoming a paedophile…” and women feel really sorry for you “…having no spouse, no children, no grandchildren..” – in a word (voice rising to a shriek) barren! Read more »

by Fr John Kelly ocso
“It is right and just, always and everywhere, to give you thanks and praise.” (Preface of the Mass).
“Gratitude is what brings us most grace….I have learned this from experience. Try it and you will see. I am content with whatever God gives me, and I show this is a thousand little ways.” (St. Therese).
“When we show ourselves grateful for graces received we receive still greater graces. Ingratitude alone impedes our advance in the spiritual life.” (St. Bernard).
Bernard asks an urgent question, why is it that when we pray for our needs our prayer is not answered? We pray, he says, for good things, for charity, for humility and the other virtues; yet our prayer is not answered. Why? Our request is refused, he says, because we have been ungrateful in the past for graces received. God considers a grace lost when given to the ungrateful. Read more »

by Bill Farrelly
HUMANS HAVE NO USE-BY DATE
At different times in my life I have discarded people. Sometimes they have simply no longer interested me; other times I have considered them too shallow; still others I have considered beneath me. That last one especially brings great shame to me now. Read more »

As well as the above articles with illustrations, the following are in the Marist Messenger this month:
..St Francis and the Sultan
..Hurricane Report Taveuni…Ben McKenna sm
..The Black Madonna…Tricia O’Donnell
..Encounters – The Syrian and Latin rites in India…Elizabeth Isichei
As well as our Regular Features:
..Messenger Briefs
..Benedict’s Easter Sermon
..June Saints…Kilian de Lacy
..Can You Bear It
..A Minute or Two….Fr Paddy Cahill
..Children’s Page with Pippa Winch
..June Crossword compiled by Max
..Remembering Our Dead..

By Fr Brian O’Connell
Of all the electronic traffic that crosses the transom of the good ship Messenger, the occasional one raises the eyebrows and prompts the question “Who are these people?” One recent missive contained an eight minute video promoting a book which sets out to prove the end is nigh. With a measure of horrid fascination I decided to look at it. Read more »

Celibacy and Mongolian Fox Trappers
By Sister Dorothea OCD
The following discourse, of a Socratic nature, was written in response to two articles on celibacy in the New Zealand Catholic in 2009, during this special Year of the Priest.
In brief, a religious brother (Roger) argued that the celibate culture was dying; that married believers no longer want to be seen through the eyes of priests and religious who are far removed from the ‘chaos’ of relational life; and that women (in his experience) don’t believe in celibacy, as it goes against what they see as a balanced, full life. Read more »

Paying Tribute to Mary the Mother of Jesus
by Rachel Bellerby
Why and how May is celebrated as the month of Mary in the Catholic faith.
May is the month when Catholics traditionally focus on Mary, the Mother of Jesus. The practice dates back at least 700 years and is still observed around the world today. May in the Northern Hemisphere is seen as the beginning of new life and the start of summer, which makes this a logical time for the celebrations of Mary, who brought life into the world. (In NZ the month of October is also a Marian month for similar reasons) Read more »

KEVIN CAMPBELL
Disciple of all Trades
Milkman, Policeman, Lawyer, Seminarian, M.P.
Read more »

© Bill Farrelly

Sometimes I wish I didn’t rely so much on God. Sometimes I wish I could stand more on my own feet and duck and weave as required. Sometimes I’d like to go through a day without saying, “Hey, God, give us a hand, will you!” Do you ever feel like that? Read more »

As well as the above articles with illustrations, the following are in the Marist Messenger this month:
..Poem: Terra Firma…by Julie Stoner
..Hey God, give us a hand, will you…Bill Farrelly
..Various Expressions of Love and Praise…John Kelly ocso
..Ancient Churches: With Thomas in India…Elizaabeth Isichei
..You are Chosen to be a Prophet…Hannah Hewitt
As well as our Regular Features:
..Messenger Briefs
..Benedict Speaks
..May Saints… by Kilian de Lacy
..Daily Prayers for May…Fr Ben McKenna SM
..Can You Bear it?
..A Minute or Two…Fr Paddy Cahill
..Children’s Page…with Pippa Winch
..Crossword…compiled by Max
..Remembering our Dead

by Fr Brian O’Connell sm

Monsignor Ioane Vito, RIP, ‘Son of Thunder’, Faithful priest.
The funeral has been celebrated recently in Apia Samoa of a senior priest of the Diocese, Mgr Ioane Vito. He certainly took after his biblical namesake John, the son of Zebedee, named by Jesus “Son of Thunder” (Mark 3,17). Ioane had a fierce energy usually hidden by a quiet manner and retiring nature. Read more »

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