Jim Cogley’s Reflections: Tues 16 June – Mon 22 June 2026

Coming events:

Wood You Believe – Seminar Healing of Childhood Trauma and Abuse

Born out of immense suffering in the Christian Brothers Order and arising from revelations of Sexual Abuse within their schools, a significant initiative has been launched at the birthplace of their founder Blessed Edmund Rice in Callan to create a Garden of Healing. This will be 15 large Stations of the Heart, sculptured in marble, that will reflect essential stages of the journey towards recovery.

A unique seminar will be offered on Sat 20^th June where the models, originally made in wood, will be used to guide participants through a process of healing. It will also be an opportunity at this time of new beginnings for those taking part to refine the vision based on their own experience and create a legacy for the future.

This will be facilitated by Jim Cogley and Luba Rodzhuk from 10am to 4pm and bookings can be made to Jim Maher on 086-1276649. Early booking is advised.

Also a 5-day residential retreat will be given by Jim Cogley and Luba Rodzhuk in the Spiritan Retreat Centre in Navan June 22^nd to 26^th. This will be entitled Coming Home to Ourselves –The Healing Journey. As these events are almost full you are advised to book immediately on 046-9078973

Wood You Believe Books are available at lowest cost on website jimcogley.com

Tues June 16^th – Language

I read the story recently of a boy who was eating an apple in the back seat of a car. He asked his dad who was driving as to why the apple was already beginning to go brown as he was eating it. The father replied, ‘When you remove the top layer or membrane that affords the fruit protection, the air gets to the inner substance and oxidizes it. This changes its molecular structure and so it takes on a different appearance.’ His son answered, ‘Dad, are you talking to me?’ It’s an unfortunate fact that our religious language is not always talking to those to whom it is intended and badly needs to be revised and modernized. The language that was appropriate for one generation and helped lead them to truth is most likely to be a complete turn off for the next.

Wed June 17^th – Words and Truth

Words are meant to be conveyers of truth, but they can also become obstacles to truth. The language used to convey the Christian message needs to adopt in order to be appropriate for each generation so that they can hear it. This poses a huge challenge for preachers and teachers and indeed for anyone who wants to be effective in spreading the Gospel message. It happens on occasions at seminar presentations that a few teenagers might be present and it’s useful to ask them if what is being said makes sense and if they can really hear the message. When they say ‘Yes, it really speaks to our hearts’ it brings great relief to know that we are on the right track. There is no one more honest than the young who say it as it really is.

Thurs 18^th June – Traditionalist Language

For those of us who were brought up and trained in the Catholic tradition it is very difficult to avoid ‘churchy’ and ‘traditionalist’ language. This makes some sense within the narrow box we call Catholicism but outside of that it can come across as somewhat weird. To outsiders it doesn’t seem to be grounded in reality and so while Catholicism is founded on the Incarnation of God becoming human, yet the message comes across as other worldly and not grounded in the human story. What fails to come across is that the Christian journey is fundamentally about becoming fully human and fully alive. It is not about getting to heaven when we die it is more about coming down to earth while we live. It is in the embrace of all that it means to be human, and never by avoiding it, that we find our way to God.

Fri 19^th June – Unattractive Language

The manager of a large dogfood company called his top executives for a meeting to discuss their new product that had been launched months earlier. ‘What do you think of our new product?’ he asked. ‘Wonderful,’ they replied, ‘it’s the best on the market’. ‘Do you like the labelling?’ ‘Definitely,’ they said, having designed it themselves. ‘What about our marketing and advertising?’ he asked. ‘It’s excellent,’ they all agreed. ‘With all those positives why is it that we have lost so much of the market share?’ ‘It’s those blooming dogs,’ they said, ‘they just don’t like the stuff!’ I sense that the Christian message today is often being presented in quite unpalatable language that is not suited to our age. When ministers of the Good News bemoan the fact that the message is not being received or people are not interested it could well be that the fault lies not with the message but with the messenger.

Sat 20^th June – Diversity in Uniformity

Up to and including my time in seminary in the 70’s there was a strong emphasis on uniformity in the liturgy. Every detail was in the book and had to be meticulously followed. The idea was that wherever one travelled in the world and went to Mass it could be followed exactly the same as at home. This left no room for creativity and failed to recognize that diversity is an essential aspect of uniformity. All grass looks the same, yet every blade a is different. All snowflakes look the same while each is different. The God of creativity loves diversity and a false understanding of uniformity where everything had to be the same did not do justice to this. So, in many places we still  have a chronic lack of creativity in liturgies where there is no deviation from the book, and everything becomes utterly boring in its predictability. Routine and sameness are the silent killers of Spirit.

Sun 21^st June – Father’s Day

• Have you ever thought about where we get our first glimpse of God as Father. It’s in our father’s loving gaze that we get that all important first glimpse.
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• I once knew a lady who although she made mistakes never felt guilty. She claimed that it went back to her father in whose eyes she could do no wrong and so she always had room to make mistakes. It would be lovely to think we had such a father and the wonderful truth is that we do. Our earthly father may not have been like that but such is the nature of God our heavenly Father.
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• Father’s Day is the one day in the year when fathers are entitled to put their feet up, be waited on hand and foot, and still not feel the least bit guilty, even if they don’t do the washing up! It’s an appropriate day to reflect on the importance and significance that fathers have in our lives.
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• The father of five children had won a toy at a raffle.
• He called his kids together to ask which one should have the present.
• “Who is the most obedient?” he asked.
• “Who never talks back to mother?” and
• “Who does everything mother says?”
• Five small voices replied in unison. “You, daddy! You get the toy.”
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• When we think of the word Father what emotions come to mind? For so many it might be sadness at their no longer being with us or having lost them at a very young age. The word Father for some is very different to the word Daddy. Our Daddy may not even have been our Father. We may have known little of our actual father but perhaps someone filled their role as a daddy figure. If so, we were very lucky and we can be grateful to them for playing such an important role in our lives.
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• Thinking of the word Father may evoke lovely memories of someone who was warm and affectionate, cuddly and kind, someone who was always around when you needed him, a person we could talk to, who was always interested in our welfare. If you had that kind of relationship, you have a lot to be grateful for.
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• For far too many it can be the opposite where a father was distant and remote, had little time for his kids and they could never have a real conversation with Him. Even worse was where a father had a cruel streak or suffered from some kind of addiction.
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• It’s interesting how someone’s relationship with their real father also flows over into how he or she views God as Father. There are some who have difficulty praying the Our Father simply because of the negative connotations it holds in relation to their own Father. In that sense being a father is an awesome responsibility because the first reflection the child sees of what God our Father is like comes from its own father
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• A father writing to other fathers about child rearing made these points that you might find interesting.
• The child who drives you crazy making himself unlovable is the one who most needs your love. Children who don’t feel loved just settle for attention. Just think of Donald Trump, he doesn’t mind what suffering he causes as long as he is the centre of attention.
• There can never be too much music or laughter in the home.
• Every criticism you make needs to be balanced by acceptance, praise and words of encouragement. Criticism damages self-esteem while encouragement builds it up.
• Children need time and lots of it. Reading a book, telling a story or mending a toy is far more valuable than working 60 hours a week to buy things they may want but don’t really need.
• Touching and hugging is more important than talking and they will remember it more. How you made them feel will be remembered long after what you said.
• Holding kids responsible for their own choices and decisions gives them the best crack at maturity.
• Don’t be overprotective to the point where they end up resenting your parental control.
• Don’t try to be a perfect parent, just do your best and you will be a good enough parent.
• The way children respect and speak to each other is a reflection of the way their mother and father relate. Children absorb like sponges and reflect like mirrors.
• If a child is without grandparents serious consideration should be given to adopting some. Life can be a bumpy road with just mum and dad and calls for a good pair of shock absorbers.
• Finally, it’s impossible to raise child free of all hang-ups and wanting perfect children is a hang-up in itself.
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• Someone once observed that the parents who shouted loudest in the playing field, and pushed their children the most, were still trying to fulfil their own unrealized ambitions through their children. Your children are not here to make you somebody important, but your role is to help the to become who they really are. Remember should it be your privilege to be a father, and if for any reason you leave behind a deep father wound your child will still be falling into it long after you are a dead and gone and dragging along others for company.
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Mon 22^nd June – Pearls among Swine

‘Do not throw your pearls among swine or they will just trample them underfoot and don’t give to dogs that which is holy or they will eat them up.’ This is just one of the divine teachings that is greatly misunderstood. It is so often used when the Gospel message is not being appreciated, received or understood and carries the strong implication that it is the recipient who is at fault and closed minded. Taking a closer look at the teaching; if pigs want something to eat what value do pearls hold for them and is it any wonder that they will be disrespected. Similarly, if dogs are hungry and the holy book of the Bible is given to them, they will simply tear it up. In both cases neither are being fed what they need or what is of value to them.