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News from Ireland
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WHAT IF WE REALLY, REALLY BELIEVED? Marie Beirne, the chairperson of the Irish NSC, reflects on what she took away from this year's Irish National CCR conference in Athlone. "There is a unique grace of God being given in these days", said Fr Damian Ryan. And we all sensed that this conference was somehow different, that God was doing something new and the power of the Holy Spirit was tangible. The theme of unity, renewal and reconciliation ran through the conference. Fr Pat Collins CM, another speaker stressed "No Renewal without reconciliation. We sinned against the Holy Spirit when we went our separate ways in Renewal. We need unity to hear what God is saying prophetically." Rev Ruth Patterson, called on us "to travel together the 'the highway of holiness' respecting difference but gloriously united in diversity." Fr Pat shared a prophetic image of a mighty torrent of water flowing through the hall. Catholics and Protestants on the banks of the river were being invited to jump in together - and allow themselves to be carried by the current eventually reaching golden beaches. There was a marvellous family atmosphere throughout the weekend. With one heart we prayed in the spirit for Rev Cecil Kerr of Renewal Ministries in Rostrevor. Cecil and his wife Myrtle have been greatly missed from our conference these last few years. In this family atmosphere, things that caused division in the past seemed to gel together quite happily - Catholics and Protestants together - the place accorded to Mary at the conference - it seemed to me that different streams were happily praising God together in a way that only the Holy Spirit can bring about. God had hand-picked our very anointed speakers and we went home with their challenging words ringing in our ears. Rev David Matthews, who presented powerful and beautiful meditations on gospel stories asked "Do you really want to be made whole?" Rev Ruth said, "Restore relationships, right where you are." Fr Jack McArle with wit and wisdom challenged us to just say "yes" to God. Fr Damian urged us "to free ourselves for His service." He said, "God wants to drown the "old ore" in the River of grace that's flowing this weekend." A question that touched my heart, was one put by Jean Vanier to Rev Ruth some time ago. As they wondered about the lifelessness in the Church, he said, "Do you think they really, really believe?" - a deceptively simple but profound question. "What would it mean to really believe?" Ruth asked. "If we really believed," she said, "people would be interested in us - we would be growing in his image and likeness - we would be a disturbance of the most challenging and positive kind-we would do the "same works and even greater." IF WE REALLY. REALLY BELIEVED! CDs from the conference are available from EIST, 30 Ballinteer Gardens, Ballinteer, Dublin 16. FAN INTO A FLAME.... A Dublin prayer group has been behind a national campaign to renew the Catholic faith in Ireland. faced with the increasing secularisation they were seeing around them. The United Hearts of Jesus and Mary prayer group in Dublin decided to appeal for 10,000 Masses for the rekindling of Faith in Ireland. The group were inspired by a similar campaign in the 1940's which was launched by a couple who suggested getting Masses said to save Ireland from getting drawn into the 2nd World War. The idea of "Fan the Flame" has now been taken up by Aid to the Church in Need, a charity which supports persecuted Christians abroad, of which Fr Pat Collins CM is a board member. He comments, " I feel the local and the international church are inextricably linked and our generosity abroad brings spiritual blessings for us at home." Nevertheless he has been amazed at the response to the initiative. "Without much promotion we managed to get 14,500 Masses collected for the launch of the campaign at Knock on 24th May," he commented. "I think the idea has struck a chord with many people and there is a tremendous buzz about it." He feels all this is part of a spiritual blessing from God for the incredible generosity of the Irish people towards the Tsunami victims and the earthquake victims in Pakistan in recent years. "God is never outdone in generosity." Over 2500 people attended the day which was presided over by Bishop John Kirby, the Bishop of Killoe. Fr Pat gave the homily which explained the three goals that the Fan the Flame campaign will be promoting. These are: - a re-dedication to personal and family prayer, which were particularly called for by the late Pope John Paul II during his visit to Ireland in 1979. - Acts of self-denial in an age of self-indulgence and generosity to others who are less well off. - To witness with courage to our faith in a secular age. Fr Pat also has written a special prayer which has already
sold 15,000 copies. A DVD of the Knock pilgrimage in May, has been made
with interviews about rekindling the faith in Ireland. This will eventually
be broadcast on EWTN. They are available from: Aid to the Church in
Need, 151 Mobhi Road, Dublin 9. Price 10 euros. (www.acnirl.org)
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