Séamus Ahearne: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley.” Robbie Burns.
GREAT SPORT:
Ronnie O’Sullivan did it twice in a row. He won the last two tournaments. One was described by Ken Doherty, as ‘snooker poetry.’ Ronnie came from way back (four down) to beat Judd Trump. Rory McIlroy came from nowhere – some ten shots back to win again. Luke Littler is 17. He won the Bahrein Masters and had a stunning nine-darter during the semi-final. The men (Irish hockey team) managed to find their way into the Paris Olympic games by beating South Korea. Glen beat St Brigid’s somehow. St Thomas’ beat O’Loughlin Gaels. Leinster got there. Munster should have done so. Ulster failed badly. Sport does excite many. The athleticism of all sportspeople could be imitated. We need to stretch the muscles of our minds, imaginations in our world of ministering.
THE LAST PRIESTS IN IRELAND; THE LAST NUNS IN IRELAND:
The priests and the nuns featured recently. I didn’t see the programmes. Some were very impressed by those programmes. Our local undertaker Mick, thought that these were very insightful, and gave a much fuller view of the role priests and nuns had played in the life of the country and the world. He was full of praise, especially for the women who spoke. They gave a context to everything and put the social contribution, into a historical perspective. I went into our weekly Parish Team meeting last Wednesday and the group were in full flow with their views on the programmes. (All women on this occasion!) They found the women most articulate and informative. They were less impressed by some of the men. They had only a little sympathy for the poor bishop, who landed himself in the middle of a no-win situation. Would they be biased by any chance? Hardly likely! I don’t think so. Overall, they were inclined towards Joe’s comment: It was bland. They felt that there was very little understanding or appreciation for what nuns and priests are doing, or have done. The team felt that the lives they observe every day and always, were not recognisable on the TV Show.
(2)
Liam Fay (TV critic) wrote in The Sunday Times his thoughts on the programmes. He writes beautifully but is sharp, dangerously vicious, and quite negative most times, and is very dismissive of many programmes. He attacks the superficiality and the supposed slickness (his opinion) of the TV programmes. However, he surprised me. He felt that priests’ and nuns’ programmes were ones that needed to be done to start a bigger conversation. He wrote that they were well done.
(3)
I have to admit that I felt no great enthusiasm for watching either programme. In my days of ‘business studies in UCD’ we used to talk of ‘Good Will’ in the sale of a property or the valuing of a business. This was a notional cost or value but it made sense. I’m not sure if such an element happens today in valuing the social contribution of the Church. Somehow I wish for something of that concept, to enter into any discussion of Priests and Nuns and the Community of the Church on the ground. It is far richer and more diverse than the caricatured version that prevails. Priests and Bishops themselves aren’t that good at marketing our ‘business.’ The women are indeed much better! We aren’t bold enough. We have become something like the sulking Jonah when the castor oil plant was taken away.
THE HEAVENS PROCLAIM THE GLORY OF GOD:
Every day some primroses smile at me. One little snowdrop has emerged and has a word to say. The mornings are dark. Only the swans appear on the pond. The river Tolka can be noisy. Not even a dog appears. I am alone every morning as I walk. It is a special time. I do carry a torch. It lights up the way where the debris of the storms might attempt to snare me. It is easier when the frost doesn’t have me dancing on ice. I talk to myself or even talk to God. How blessed we are here to have such a park; such a river; such a space. The air and the sky and the moon often chat. The Canticle Dan 3.57-harmonises with that morning world. I did hear from one of my usual companions of that walk each morning (who has been missing for a week). She told me that ‘he’ (obviously husband) told her that she wasn’t to walk as it was too dangerous. She clearly listened to ‘him.’ She also said that she has been exhausted because she hasn’t been walking! She walks to the Mater every morning.
ROBBIE BURNS AND MARK’S GOSPEL:
John Cairney died in September. He had taken his one-man show all over the world. He performed Robbie Burns. He was brilliant. Burns Day is on the 25th January. I was remembering my time in Scotland. Those words of Robbie were powerful and lively. John brought Robbie alive. Burns roughly coincided with Brian Merriman’s era. His Midnight Court is also very special. I have some very strange thoughts. I wish we had the equivalent of Robbie and Brian shouting now of God and Faith with their fluency and boldness. I wish the snooker poet that is Ronnie O Sullivan could bring that genius into faith or find someone who could express it in that way. I wish that the nine-darter performer Luke, could be cloned for faith. I wish the One Man Show expert (Cairney) and of course Alec McGowan who did his One Man Show on Mark’s Gospel even on Broadway, that their likes could be found among us. All real ministers of faith, need to wake up, explode into wildness and extravagance with their One Woman/One Man shows of Faith. We are too pious, too solemn, too apologetic, too inarticulate in faith matters.
Seamus Ahearne osa
23rd January 2024.