Jim Cogley’s Reflections: Tues 26 May – 1 June 2026
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A unique seminar will be offered on Sat 20th June where the models, originally made in wood, will be used to guide participants through a process of healing.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 22nd to 26th. This will be entitled Coming Home to Ourselves –The Healing Journey. As these events tend to fill up quickly early booking is advised on 046-9078973.
Tues 26th May – My Catholic Faith
My Catholic faith has been the crucible of my soul’s journey stretching over seventy years and for that I am eternally grateful. Many years ago, I felt called, to my utter surprise, to serve as a priest within that system. At the time it would have been seen by many as a privileged position. I can honestly say I never saw it that way nor did I ever use or abuse the position (at least I hope not). To some, my preaching and teaching may on occasions have appeared critical or even negative. This was because working within the system provided a unique vantage point to see what was life-giving and what was not. So many of the historical accretions and understandings accumulated over the years had become far removed from the Gospels and the teaching of the founder. Being a priest allowed me to be a loyal rebel who could speak from within of that which was not right, not from a spirit of anger or judgement, but much more from hope that things might change, and people would not be denied the unspeakable joy and freedom of the Gospel.
Wed 27th May – Source Documents
My journey with Catholicism over a lifetime has allowed me to critically evaluate so many practices and what were believed to be foundational texts. For example, the Curse of Perfectionism mentioned in an earlier posting was based on the text from Matthews Gospel, ‘Be ye perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect.’ This is not as simple as it seems at first glance. First, perfection is not humanly attainable; it belongs to the realm of the gods and would be contradicted by all we know from the science of psychology. So, we are forced to look at such a text with a critical eye and return to the source document which offers a very different perspective. There in the Greek text we find the word teleos used which means to have an end in view and the notion of achieving moral perfection is not even implied. To offer a rough transliteration from the original text it would be in line with, ‘Be you whole and let this be your goal, just as God is whole.’
Thurs 28th May – No Hiding Place
We saw yesterday how a small degree of Biblical scholarship can change so much of the way we look at things. To espouse and strive after perfection in life (as opposed to excellence) is of necessity to disassociate from all that is not perfect. In effect, this means to split off one’s shadow side and relegate it to the realm of the unconscious. It amounts to living a life of denial where in order to keep up outer appearances we must hide our true selves and pretend to be someone that we are not. For many priests, clericalism was one such mask where one could hide behind a Roman collar. So, in our Catholic practice outer show and respectability were given undue importance. With our shadow side so carefully locked away we then could be quite judgemental and controlling and not even know it, or even cruel in our treatment of others and animals and think that this was okay. Would we have had the scandals of institutional abuse if this were not the case?
Fri 29th May – Not a Worthiness Contest
It’s a matter of great sadness that for the vast majority of church-going Catholics the most basic message of Christianity, that Jesus saves, has never been heard, understood or even taught. If this core good news had been heard folks would not be nearly so worried about being good enough to get to heaven, or of having to face the prospect of final judgement when they pass over. The very basis of Christianity is that we are not good enough and never will be good enough. Yet by virtue of our baptism and being God’s adopted children, it is in Christ that we are deemed worthy. In the words of a hymn, one we rarely hear nowadays, this truth that Christ saves is captured so beautifully; He is all my righteousness, I stand complete in him and worship him’. We are not meant to stand before God on the basis of our goodness or worthiness but only complete in Christ. This is Gospel Faith.
Sat 30th May – Childhood Faith
Another matter of great sadness in relation to our Catholic faith is that the vast majority have been left stranded at a primary school level of understanding. In most areas there has been almost no adult faith development; very few Bible study groups and little opportunities offered to have meaningful conversations in relation to our Faith. Let’s be honest and call a spade a spade, in the vast majority of parishes there is almost nothing happening of a spiritual nature except Mass (and funerals). Yet a deep appreciation of Eucharist can only come at the end of teaching and mature reflection so if that is all there is Mass becomes reduced to an empty ritual and a cultural practice. What is happening in parishes at present in relation to ‘just’ Mass signifies a nail in the coffin for traditional Catholicism. People will continue to leave in their droves as they become aware that what they are doing bears no relation to their lives.
Sun May 31st – Materialism – A Foundation of Sand
A Trapped Five Euro Note
Something of our relationship with money is captured in the piece shown. A five Euro note is held behind perspex glass. It’s an intriguing puzzle to work out how to release the money. A delicate movement is required in order to trigger a hidden mechanism allowing the bottom to slide free and then for the Perspex to slide off.
Coming home from a trip to Medjugorje where Faith is as natural as breathing and it is the norm to see twenty thousand people praying at the same time is an eye opener to see in contrast how far we have moved from faith in Ireland. Travelling through the busy streets of Dublin one could sense the oppression of materialism and the heavy price we are paying to the god of mammon. Its concrete structures appear so solid and secure but what is the true foundation that can withstand the storm? In Ireland we are in serious danger of losing touch with our centre as our prosperity forces us to look outwards rather than within as our source of security.
A common saying is that money is the root of all evil. Yet everyone who has been without money would disagree and say that money is absolutely essential for living, and that it is not money, but the love of it, that is the problem. For those who have grown up in relative poverty there is an added danger that money becomes a source of identity. Generational poverty often gave rise to the belief that without money, we are nothing. If I am what I have in terms of my wealth, I will try to hold onto it at all costs and, while I may be generous in terms of what I do for others, my ability to give money will be blocked by an insatiable need to always want more. If money is my identity, the making of it will be like drinking salt water, the more I drink the thirstier I become. My identity need is never satisfied and, for the mega rich there comes a point where having everything is just not enough.
To see money as one’s source of security is literally to build a house on sand. Five minutes in a doctor’s surgery receiving a bad diagnosis can undermine a lifetime of false security that was based on wealth. In the words of one wise man who died before his time, having pushed himself too hard for too long: ‘We squander health in search of wealth, we scratch and toil and save. Then we squander wealth in search of health and only find a grave.’
What percentage of my income do I give away each year?
Do I use money as a form of control?
Has money ever made me truly happy?
What are the things that money can never buy?
If I am not what I have, then who am I?
Does having more, mean to be more?
What is the real rock of my security?
Linnet, O Linnet
Don’t try and make money,
For money’s like glue
And once you are in it,
No flying for you.
Mon June 1st – Will-Power or Spirit – Power?
To end up with a form of religion but to deny its power. This was astark warning given by Christ in the Gospels. As I cast a critical eye over the Catholicism I have known for a lifetime I cannot in all honesty find a better description. People haven’t been coming to Mass expecting to go away any different. We pay lip service to the idea of prayer being answered and should a miracle happen in any church, other than Lourdes or the like, many would be scandalised. This is such a contradiction to the words of Christ when he said, ‘Greater works than these will you do because I go to the Father.’ Within our experience of Catholicism, we have known a kind of ‘rocking horse’ Christianity where there has been lots of action but no forward progress. Will-power became the norm with little awareness of my will needing to work in conjunction with the power of God’s Spirit.