June 2007
The first
day of June marks the Birthday of Blessed Edmund Rice each
year. Before Rome presented us in 1996 with 5 May as
Blessed Edmund’s official Feastday, the first of June
was traditionally celebrated, in communities and schools in
the Northern Hemisphere at least, as a special day of
prayer for success in the end-of- academic-year
examinations. It can be a worrying time for students and
their families. What are their priorities in life? Seeing
that, for over 200 years, Edmund and his followers have
brought education and its benefits within the reach of
hundreds of thousands, we should invoke Blessed Edmund that
the students will put their education to the best possible
use in their life choices and careers. It is heartening to
see so many in the Edmund Rice Network each year making
some return for their quality education by reaching out to
the less privileged in the Edmund Rice Camps, Edmund Rice
Awards, the Edmund Rice Immersion Programme, in the SHARE
scheme in Cork City, even “in going from one street
to another to serve a neighbour for the love of God.”
This
year’s Novena
By all accounts, great effort was put into this
year’s Novena. Some prayed the Novena individually,
others prayed it as a group, while some marked the occasion
with special Masses and Talks. One man sent me an e-mail
from
Rarotonga in the remote
Cook Islands in the Pacific that he had actually enjoyed
the Novena! Isn’t that a lovely thought? What of the
two special recipients of this year’s prayers?
Br Fabian O’Donohue FPM who lives in
Cork is still weak from his surgery and chemo-treatment but
is much heartened by the thought of so many people praying
through the intercession of Blessed Edmund for and with
him. He had a relic of Blessed Edmund with him during the
Novena. He sends his greetings and prayerful thanks to you
all.
Linda Loughran from Limerick
is still seriously ill. Br Kieran Loughran CFC, her
husband’s uncle, did a magnificent job in circulating
the Novena prayers to the extended Loughran family in
Ireland, England and the USA. They feel so proud of the
Edmund Rice connection and that so many, in so many
countries, are praying with and for them. Linda is still
quite ill and we should continue our prayers through
Blessed Edmund’s intercession. Br Loughran informed
me as follows: “The most recent bit of news is that
the specialist treating her has informed my nephew that
there is a 60/40 chance that the children may have the
illness as well! They need to carry out tests on them.
Please God, all will be well and Blessed Edmund will not be
found wanting.” There is plenty of motivation there
to continue our prayers for the entire Loughran family.
Bonnie
Schott’s Celebration of the 2007 Novena
I hear you asking, ‘Who
is Bonnie Schott?’ Bonnie
from
Indianapolis USA is
mother-in-law of
Dr Daire Keogh, Lecturer in
History at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin.
In her spare (?) time, Bonnie is a voluntary catechist at
her local Catholic school. Daire, as you probably know, has
written a biography of Blessed Edmund and is at present
researching a two-volume critique of the Christian Brothers
in Ireland. During visits to her daughter Katie who is
married to Daire, Bonnie became enthused for Blessed Edmund
and two years ago she recommended her niece Bridget
Mayberry as a worthy focus for the 2005 Edmund Rice Novena.
Bridget, you will recall, went to God in July 2005, but her
little boy Cody who was ill at the time is now doing very
well, T.G. I met Bonnie twice during visits she made to
Rome. I first met her with Daire and Katie and their
family, and then last year she was in Rome for the
canonization of St Theodora Guerin, the first Indianapolis
saint. We had Bonnie and her friends as guests for a meal
at our Generalate. She enthused her parish priest in
Indianapolis about Edmund Rice, and a first-class relic of
Blessed Edmund now holds pride of place in the parish
church of St Roch, Indianapolis. By the way, Fr Wilmoth
also visited us here in Rome.
Now read on [e-mail of 17 May 2007]: “We had the most
beautiful Mass today at St Roch’s, and I wanted to
tell you about it. I saw Fr Wilmoth at about 8.40 a.m.
today as I was turning in some raffle tickets before the
9.00 a.m. Mass. Father asked me if I knew what saint we
were doing today. He grinned and told me I had better not
be late, because they do the intro at the beginning of Mass
that tells what feast day we are celebrating. Well, lo and
behold, today was Blessed Edmund Rice Day at St
Roch’s. His actual feast is May 5, but they did it
today because Mr G’s class had prepared the Mass
– and he always puts in a lot of effort. They gave a
short intro to his life before Mass, and then Father gave
the most beautiful sermon about Edmund Rice. Donal and
Daire, you would have been very proud of Father’s
history lesson on Edmund!
The readings they selected for the Mass were absolutely
perfect for the life of Edmund. They did 1 Peter 4: 7b
– 11 and then Mark 9: 33-37 for the Gospel. Father
had our Edmund Rice relic on the altar the whole time, and
Mr G had the kids sing “Set Your hearts on the Higher
Gifts” for the responsorial Psalm. He did the Servant
Song for the Offertory, and the kids took up several items
that reflected the life of Blessed Edmund in the Prayers of
the Faithful. They sang “The Summons” song at
the start of Mass.
You are probably wondering why I am telling you all this.
Well, as I sat there listening to the sermon, I felt I was
experiencing a little bit of heaven today. I think there
were many celestial beings “in the house”
today. And I realised that this was a very special Mass,
with the relic and all the perfect readings and songs. So I
asked Blessed Edmund if he would heal Matt’s back at
the Consecration and help Tom find a new job and
direction….
And Father Wilmoth, Mary De Armand, Mr G and myself were
all at this Mass, and we have all been to the International
Headquarters of the Irish Christian Brothers in Rome!
…I am really hoping that Edmund Rice will be
canonized before our Indianapolis Edmund Rice Fan Club gets
too old to travel to his canonization! We are all ready to
buy our tickets now and be there for the occasion, now that
we are seasoned veterans of Rome canonizations. I cannot
think of a better way that Edmund Rice could pay Daire and
Katie back for all the work that have done to write his
history than to cure one of their relatives – and I
nominate Matt! I believe that Bridget was with us in spirit
today, along with my Mom and Dad.”
What can I say? Doesn’t it do your heart good to hear
of such devotion to Edmund, in a city where there are
neither Christian Brothers nor Presentation Brothers! But
with promoters like Bonnie (and her parish priest), who is
to say that our next miracle won’t come from
Indianapolis USA? God bless you, Bonnie, and may Blessed
Edmund bless you.
Death
of Philosopher John Moriarty (1938 – 2007)
After a brave struggle with tumours, that great
searcher,
philosopher John Moriarty, for whom we
prayed in last year’s Novena, returned to God on
Friday, 1 June 2007, Edmund Rice’s Birthday
incidentally. For a short time he lost his cradle
Catholicism and sought the truth in a great search through
Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and the beliefs of Eskimos and
Australian Aborigines. He finally travelled full circle
back to Jesus of Nazareth and his childhood Christianity.
Along the way he discovered closeness to God in a garden. A
mystic, he lived his final years in the shadow of
Mangerton Mountain in Kerry and
acquired a wonderful appreciation for the spirituality and
contribution to society of Blessed Edmund Rice. The author
of several books, ‘Dreamtime’
written in
1996, gives a wonderful account of his search ‘for
the Holy Grail’ of God and Goodness. He was laid to
rest on Monday, 4 June, in Aghadoe Cemetery, after Holy
Mass in the Cathedral, Killarney. Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh
(another Moriarty), the well-known broadcaster and sports
commentator, devotes the final chapter of his most recent
book to John, ‘From
Borroloola to Mangerton Mountain’ (2006).
On
p.265, he claims about John:
“I
subscribe to the school of thought that advances the notion
that this unique philosopher will one day be recognized as
one of Ireland’s greatest original
thinkers.” Light of Heaven
to him from all of us.
Memorial in Doneraile, Co. Cork, to Nagle Rice Family
I mentioned a few issues back about the possible
construction of a memorial to all three congregations of
the
Nagle Rice Family in my
native
Doneraile, Co. Cork. It is most
unusual that all three groups should have a connection with
one particular location. Some of the earliest Presentation
Sisters (including
Nano Nagle), Christian
and Presentation Brothers (including some of the pioneers
of the North Monastery and South Monastery, Cork) are from
the immediate area.
Br Michael Augustine Riordan, first
Superior of the separate South Monastery (1826), was
architect of the
Parish Church of the Nativity of Our Blessed Lady
(1827). My
contention is that it was Nano Nagle’s local
reputation and example that facilitated so many local men
joining Blessed Edmund Rice’s early Brotherhood. The
story continues into the future through the influence of
the local Nagle Rice Secondary School.
At a meeting during Easter Week 2007 that included the
parish priest, some parishioners and representatives of all
three religious congregations, it was decided to go ahead
and erect a memorial. The three congregations and the
parish will share the cost of the monument. A sub-committee
is actively planning a design at present, and a follow-up
meeting is planned for the end of September, on a date when
I can attend from Rome. Nano Nagle’s Cause took a
turn for the better recently with the appointment of
Fr Brendan Cooney, Procurator of
the Kiltegan St Patrick’s Missionaries, as
Vice-Postulator. His special task will be to have the
title
‘Venerable’ bestowed on the
Servant of God, Nano Nagle, as soon as possible. Many years
of historical research have been completed by Sister Pius
O’Farrell PBVM. Let us share our prayers for
Nano’s eventual canonization with the promotion of
our own Edmund. He would be the first to acknowledge that
he owes a debt of gratitude to Nano. His early Brothers
followed her Rule and they were initially known as
Religious of the Presentation.
Laser
Image of Blessed Edmund’s Head
As readers of this column may know, great work is afoot
at
Mount Sion, Waterford, to erect a
monument truly worthy of Blessed Edmund. A new Chapel to
house
Edmund’s permanent tomb is being
erected and a new
International Heritage Centre to do justice
to Blessed Edmund’s reputation is almost completed.
It is envisaged that the centrepiece of this new amenity
will be a
laser-generated image of Blessed
Edmund’s head. All the necessary permissions have
been obtained at Roman and local level. On Monday, 18 June,
the coffin will be opened by
Mr Thompson, the local
undertaker. The skull will be reverently placed on the
altar for laser-photography and then re-buried. Under my
direction as Postulator, a group of scientists from
Liverpool Museum will attend and
carry out the necessary scientific work. Then a
Dr Caroline Wilkinson, a noted
forensic scientist, will reconstruct Edmund’s face
(1) as an old man, (2) as a younger man, by methods
perfected by police forces in the past fifty years. It is
generally acknowledged that the
early portraits of Edmund Rice taken from life
leave something to be desired. The results of the advances
of modern science will, hopefully, give a clearer picture
of what Edmund really looked like. The results, with an
explanation of the scientific methods deployed, will form
the focus of the new International Heritage Centre, all
going well. By the way, the present
Blessed Sacrament Chapel at Mount Sion,
the temporary resting place of the remains of Blessed
Edmund, will be demolished at the end of June to make way
for the newer and larger chapel being constructed to house
Edmund’s new permanent tomb. Please pray to Blessed
Edmund that what is envisaged under the leadership of the
special committee working under the direction of
Mr Barry O’Brien CEO, former
Director of Waterford Glass, will result in a worthy final
resting place for Edmund,
our future Saint Edmund, and a source
of inspiration for all his many followers.
Recent Snippets about the Presentation and Christian
Brothers
(1)
On 5 May 2007, Feast of Blessed Edmund, the three
‘home’ Provinces of the Christian Brothers
representing
England and Ireland came to an end.
In their place is the new
European Province, embracing
Ireland, Britain and mainland Europe, with new headquarters
at
Marino, Dublin. Former
foreign missions in Africa and South America now form part
of new Provinces in these vast continents. The challenge
for the new European Province may well be to look at
unanswered needs in Europe itself. Its very first
Provincial Chapter takes place at
Sedgley Park, Manchester UK, at the end of
July and the beginning of August.
(2) The
Presentation Brothers recently opened their very first
Community on mainland Europe. It is located in
Slovakia and will
concentrate on service to the
Roma/Romany people, often
considered to be the most discriminated against group in
modern Europe. The new community consists of
Seán Bonner (Co.
Donegal),
Vincent Costen (Co.
Waterford), and
Michael McKeown (Co. Tyrone).
We pray that Blessed Edmund may be with his Brothers in
this new endeavour.
(3) At an
impressive Mass in
St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York, on 6 May
2007, the Christian Brothers’ continued presence in
the USA since 1906 was celebrated by a large congregation,
including Christian Brothers, Presentation Brothers,
students and staffs from the New York schools, and members
of the Edmund Rice Network. The chief celebrant was
Bishop Gerald Walsh, Auxiliary
Bishop of New York. The Christian Brothers were officially
represented by
Br Michael Godfrey CFC, Deputy
Congregation Leader, Rome, and
Br Hugh O’Neill CFC, Province
Leader, North American Province, Texas. The Presentation
Brothers were represented by
Br Gerard Despathy FPM, Province
Leader, and
Br Francis Sebo FPM, Florida. Ad
multos annos!
(4) In October
2007, the Christian Brothers’ five provinces and
region, covering Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
East Timor, and Pacific Islands, will unite as the
new
Oceania Province. The
headquarters will be at
Brisbane in Queensland,
symbolically facing out to the Pacific Ocean where the
Brothers have recently opened two Communities in the
Philippines.
(5) In answer
to a query,
Claudia, the little
American girl with leukaemia that we were praying for in
last year’s Novena, is recovering well. Her uncle
is
Br Francis Schafer FPM, Kissimmee,
Florida. In a recent e-mail, he stated that Claudia (7) is
back in school and is living the normal life of a
seven-year-old. She has been through a rough time of
chemotherapy. “Her hair is now growing back and her
body’s physique is returning to normal. She will
conclude the maintenance phase of therapy in November.
Claudia has been a little hero through this journey. She
has faced several setbacks with amazing courage.” So
keep praying, keep hoping that Blessed Edmund’s
intercession will see her through.
Keep in touch. Keep cheerful. Keep praying. Keep Edmund
under pressure.
Br Donal S.
Blake CFC,
Edmund Rice Roman Postulator/
Congregation Historian
+39 06 3211 0363
postulatorcfc@gmail.com
1 June 2007,
Birthday of Blessed Edmund
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