John CP

Tobar Mhuire these days is a winter delight. The recent snow has brought beauty and challenges…the fost is slowing down some aspects of the renovation project, such as the tiling of the Chapel floor. Hopefully the thaw will allow us to do some “catch-up” .  We are all working to a finish date of 25th January 2011. On 26th Tobar Mhuire will welcome Passionists from St. Patrick’s Province for an important assembly day. Hopefully we will be sufficiently finished to allow access to all areas. Interested in hearing more about Tobar Mhuire ?  If you answered yes then check out our website :  www.tobarmhuirecrossgar.com

LIMA, June 16 – the court hearing that was to rule on the Italian Passionist missionary Father Mario Bartolini  has been postponed until next month in Peru’, Father Mario Bartolini has been accused of instigating the Indians of the Amazon to rebel against the authorities.

The news service ANSA said that the reason given for the delay until July was because of the “excessive workload” of the presiding judge,  Julio Aquino, of the city of Yurimaguas (about 800 km from Lima).

The magistrate has been ‘under pressure from the Peruvian government’. Father Bartolini is 72 years old and, for more than thirty years, has lived alongside the Indians of the Peruvian Amazon.

The prosecutor is asking that the missionary be sentenced to eleven years in prison. By way of explanation Father Bartolini said ”I just did what I had to do, and that means ‘to defend our people, especially the most humble’. ‘It is up to us to stand up for the people, especially when their basic rights are not recognized’  he explained. He will appeal if there is an adverse outcome from the court of Yurimaguas. The land of the indigenous people among whom Father Mario and the Passionists live and work has been at risk because of the government making it available to corporations.

In his column in this week’s Leaven (see page 2), Archbishop Naumann said he was “deeply troubled” to learn that Sister Carol Keehan, chief executive of the CHA, urged members of the House of Representatives to vote for the Senate’s health care legislation.
He wrote that by voicing its support, the CHA has provided political cover to House members who wish to vote for the Senate’s bill, and that the CHA has taken this action knowing the U. S. bishops opposed the legislation.
“I think the Catholic Health Association, to go off on its own in its position against pro-life groups and the leadership of the Catholic Church, is very distressing,” said Archbishop Naumann, in an interview prior to publishing his column. “I have no doubt of the good intentions of those in the Catholic Health Association, but their good intentions do not mitigate the effects of their poor judgment.”
In a letter published March 15 on the CHA Web site, Sister Carol, a Daughter of Charity, called the coming vote on the Senate bill a “historic opportunity to make great improvements in the lives of so many Americans.”
She conceded that the bill was flawed, but lauded it as a major first step. She also voiced “major concern on the life issues.”
Sister Carol said that people would have to write a separate check for abortion coverage according to this legislation, and that monies for abortion coverage would be kept in a separate account, and thus no federal dollars would be used to fund abortion.
“The insurance reforms will make the lives of millions more secure, and their coverage more affordable,” she wrote. “The reforms will eventually make affordable health insurance available to 31 million of the 47 million Americans currently without coverage.”
She also said the bill had a “wonderful provision” that would provide $250 million over 10 years to help vulnerable women who are pregnant or already parents. Sister Carol also lauded the bill for including adoption assistance.

]I recieved this email today from the Passionist International Justice Office. It refers to a Passionist who works in Haiti.  He is a medical Doctor as well as a Priest….very moving!

The Passionists

A message to all members of The Passionists Haiti’s newest tragedy.

We need God’s help Dear Friends, I have been home with my dying mother, as a son and as a doctor and as a priest. Daily mass, managing her pain medicines, helping in any way I can. I was determined to stay with her to the end, especially since my whole adult life I have been far from home in the foreign missions. I have to tell you, every day at mass, when I ask mom if she has any special intentions, she says, “for you, for God to keep you strong, and for your mission in Haiti.” Now we have this huge sadness in Haiti. I told her I have to leave for a while. She said to me, “you have to go. The problems there are worse than mine.” Tonight I will drive to Kennedy Airport in New York with Conan Conaboy. We cannot fly to Haiti tomorrow, so we will fly to Santo Domingo. Kieran and Vern Conaway will meet us there, and Robin from Chicago. We will drive to Haiti together to see how we can help. I know there is extensive damage at our new hospital, that the perimeter walls of all three of our Tabarre programs have fallen. I know there is damage to the hospital walls. I also know there is severe damage at the old hospital in Petionville. Lets pray everyone is alright. I have heard that everyone at the orphanage in Kenscoff is OK. I will not arrive until Thursday morning, since the border between Domican Republic and Haiti will be closed when we arrive tomorrow. We will find the best way to keep you informed and let you know how you can help. Let’s stay bound together in friendship and prayer. God bless us all. especially the suffering people of Haiti, and my dear mother, Gerri Frechette. Fr Rick Frechette from: http://thepassionists.org Visit The Passionists at: http://passionists.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Happy New Year everyone. This year I greet you from Tobar Mhuire Retreat Centre, Crossgar Co. Down.  Along with four Passionists and three Novices we form the local Passionist Community. Currently we are renovating the whole building. We hope to relaunch the Centre sometime in September 2010. I will keep you posted re our progress.                 

My Prayer for 2010

May our coming’s and going’s our hello’s and goodbyes be guided by Him who first breathed life into our very soul. May we live deliberately and decisively not choosing the road designed for the faint-hearted. 

May the love and affection we share and receive increase our faith and optimism about the goodness of self and others.

And finally may 2010 see us:  still learning, still doubting, still  curious, still risking, still questioning, and still open to the great Project of Love we call the Christian Faith

Check out our website:  www.tobarmhuirecrossgar.com

Foreign Minister Micheal Martin is to meet the Pope’s ambassador to Ireland after the Vatican’s refusal to deal directly with the Dublin Archdiocese child sex abuse investigation.

The Murphy report disclosed that two letters to the Papal Nuncio seeking information went unanswered.

A similar request to Rome led to a missive to the Department of Foreign Affairs claiming proper diplomatic procedures were not being followed.  

One can’t help but feel a more pastoral approach would be in order,  given the seriousness of the situation in Ireland.  Most ordinary people are not interested in  Vatican diplomatic protocols or language, they don’t want the church to be detached and distant in the face of human suffering, they look to the Church to show leadership in the quest for truth and justice. To be dynamic and courageous as we all strive to make sense of how the abuse of children was allowed to spread from parish to parish. To expect from leaders more humility and less defensiveness as we alow the truth to set us free.

Sorry I love everything about Christmas…… I couldn’t resist a little snow

Just back from Rome where I spent a delightful week with fellow Passionists from the great continent of Africa. The men had gathered for a months renewal which took place at the Basilica of St’s John and Paul. Fr. Pat Duffy and myself joined forces to facilitate one week of the training event. Our theme covered human and spiritual development  and included introducing them to the benefits of Focusing a mind/body system.

The men are primarily engaged in the Formation of Passionist students. I was greatly impressed with their commitment to their work and their loyalty to the Passionist Congregation.  Whilst we in Europe display a tired and at time lifeless church the African Church seems energised and eager to take its place and make its own unique contribution.

Whilst we all rejoice in the great gathering of the youth in Australia, lets not lose sight of another significant gathering of radical Catholic activists – The Catholic Workers Movement.

The National Catholic Reporter writes:  In the 75 years since Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin began feeding the destitute men of New York’s Bowery and speaking out against militarism, the Catholic Worker has grown tremendously. It now includes at least 180 communities, among them dozens of small, organic farms growing food for community pantries and hungry neighbors, an art gallery, scores of houses of hospitality offering long- and short-term shelter to undocumented immigrants, women fleeing domestic violence, people exiting prison and those without a place to sleep or belong. It has produced four generations of Catholics living gleefully in opposition to a dominant culture of consumerism and violence.

For more info try googling catholic worker movement