New Book from Brendan Hoban: ‘Holding Out for a Hero: The Long Wait for Pope Francis’
Brendan Hoban’s new book, Holding Out for a Hero: The Long Wait for Pope Francis, has just been published. Brendan looks back on his fifty years as a priest. The book was launched by Tony Flannery in Ballina last week.
The book will be available at the ACP AGM in the Radisson Athlone on Rues 7 November 2.00-5.00pm. It is also available at Mayo Books:
https://www.mayobooks.ie/Holding-Out-for-a-Hero-9780992902353
This is a recording of Brendan being interviewed by Tommy Marren on Midwest Radio (scroll down!):
Link to book review in the Irish independent:
Holding Out for a Hero by Fr Brendan Hoban
What a great book. A wonderful insight into priesthood, as a lay Person married to a wonderful Wife (saint) and father of five God-given children, grandfather to eight majestic children. 71 years of age…
Having lived through the Period that Fr Hoban records, I concur with all that he is written in his wonderful book.
Being married to a wonderful women, what I have learnt especially in relation to Prayer, which is not only meditation but a living organism (molecules)…. actually doing by actions – making the tea, cleaning, giving time to family members, being there. Also in tune with the great Edith Stein (Empathy).
What Fr Hoban states in the book is not only related to Ireland but the UK in general, being born in Liverpool, I am only too aware of the many young Irish priests who came to Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, London, etc during the 1950s 1960s early 70s. God knows how many of them survived the complexities, in most cases they did their best and they were of there time. And I have been fortunate to have a personal friend, Priest (a true pastor to my family). Hopefully we have been able to sustain him through theses turbulent years.
What Fr Hoban states, the same applies to the UK – the almost breakdown of our church through incompetence, institutional systems, the complete cover-up from the Vatican down re child abuse, financial irregularities, etc.
Thank God for Pope Francis… although how do you deal with right-wing Catholic media outlets?
I could go on but I do live in HOPE for my family because of consistently searching for truth, which can be found.
I could go on with many thoughts!
I would recommend this book should be sent out to every Bishop/Archdiocese in Britain/Ireland.
Cheers Paul M
How do you deal with the ‘right wing media?’ The same way the centrists and right wing have to deal with the left wing media, what makes you feel so ‘special’ in your viewpoints?
I started feeling some hope with the original conclave after Pope JPs passing. I definitely do not see Pope Francis as any kind of ‘Hero’, the suggestion alone is overly pious and insulting. I see him as a fake Pope and a puppet to an anti-Catholic agenda to be frank. His ‘calling’ is as a representative of God and ALL Catholics, not to be glorified for his political stance because the author agrees with his viewpoint. The only decent thing I’ve seen him do is call for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
My priest, who later became a canon, would be horrified at the current events in the CC, as am I. The fall of Rome and the rest of previous Christendom yet people seem a tad too content about this, it makes one really wonder why? So many Catholics leaving the church yet somehow it’s been ‘A long journey’, to achieve what? The 2000 year attempt to destroy Catholicism? Perhaps you mean the bizarre resignation and later death of the previous conservative Pope? Yet, the same Bishops very soon after go in the completely opposite direction? CC coup in my humble opinion. Priesthood was meant to be a calling yet the original OP discusses it as a Job. I was blessed to have a priest who lived and died that idea of it being his calling in life to serve God and his congregation, not complain about lack of a ‘pension fund.’ He served his parish with dignity and humility with a busy and full congregation, the parish returned that loyalty as he aged then when he passed away another priest took over, within a decade the Chapel was bulldozed to the ground. A chapel so busy people had to stand, eventually dwindled away, they sensed something off, perhaps?
Beware those that claim they serve God but are the synagogue of Satan. Jesus already warned us, who was he talking about? The people more interested in earthly things (money) rather than the people, they should have been serving.
Serve the people right and they will return it tenfold with food and bills.
Checking on how the Catholic Church has been doing under Pope Francis I found that it has grown and that Catholic education is flourishing. A lot of the negativity against him actually comes from the US right wing (Trump) and a lot of the alienation from the church in the USA may be due to that.
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2023/03/13/by-the-numbers-how-the-catholic-church-has-changed-during-pope-francis-pontificate/