Number 2                                                                St Patrick's Day, 2005

“The joys and hopes, the sorrows and anxieties of the women and men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way oppressed, these are the joys and hopes, the sorrows and anxieties of the followers of Christ.” - The Church in the Modern World

In November 2001, Bro. Christopher Dawes and Bro. Joachim Guria were deputed by the Provincial, Bro. Berchmans to visit Janakpur in Ambikapur Diocese of Chattisgarh State and to study the possibility of starting a Hindi Medium School for the poor tribals of the area. This was in response to the invitation of the local Bishop, Rt. Rev. Patras Minj S.J.

Janakpur comes under the Koriya Civil District in the newly formed State of Chattisgarh. It is situated in the north-western corner of Ambikapur Diocese and about 150 kilometres south of Rewa where the brothers had a community until 2003.The nearest railhead is Shadol about 100 kilometres south of Janakpur.

The Brothers have purchased three separate ten-acre plots, two of which are located in Masaura, a village about six kilometers from Janakpur and the other ten-acre plot is in Janakpur town. The Baiga, Gond, Kanwar and Cherwa tribal gropus along with other backward classes inhabit the area. The upper castes have suppressed and exploited these people for centuries. Health and educational services are a very high priority. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sevalaya run a health center besides being involved in social work.

The 19th General Chapter held in Kamagut, Kenya last year revisited the much discussed issue of ‘Justice and Option for the Poor’ and asked, “What is the option for the poor if not an option for the victims of injustice?”. The same Chapter also called upon “Brothers, Communities, Regions and provinces to include in their goals an identifiable option for the poor”.

The Indian Province has taken this call of Chapter very seriously and on 2nd February this year, Bro. Anthony Chathampadathil and Bro. Jaochim Guria formed the first Patrician community there. The foundation stone for the new Hindi Medium School was laid by Bro. Christopher Dawes, Provincial in the presence of Bishop Patras Minj S. J.. The Bishop was very grateful to the Patricians for responding to his invitation to start a school in this remote and undeveloped part of his diocese.

May we continue to be generous in our mission to the poor and “take a positive and firm
stand with those marginalized in society.”

The main source of our knowledge about Patrick’s life is his own writings - his Confession and Letter to Coroticus - and Muirchu's life of Patrick found in the indent manuscript, The Book of Armagh. This latter hagiography though not written until some two centuries after the historical Patrick, is the source of many of the legends concerning Patrick, al! of which must have existed in the oral traditions of the people. So too the Lorica existed in oral form before being written down, scholars tell us, in the eight century.

As coadjutor bishop and parish priest of Tullow Daniel Delany established his residence at a spot known even today as Bishop's Cross, half a mile from town. The Irish "Patriot" Parliament and the Volunteer Movement had lately achieved a measure of success in the direction of legislative independence and trade. Sensing a new spirit of toleration the coadjutor surprised town and parish by announcing a public procession of the Blessed Sacrament for the feast of Corpus Christi.

It was 1784 and people expected that the magistrates would proscribe the event, or that it would provoke anti-Catholic demonstrations and, perhaps, violence. In the event the procession was held and proved more than a nine-day's wonder. It was repeated the following year and each year thereafter. It was more than a little incongruous to see crowds emerge with hymns and banners from a ramshackle chapel in a back lane and move through the streets of a miserable town, followed by robed clergy with the monstrance borne aloft between them. Very many of the participants could remember when a Catholic clergyman dared not perform any religious rite in public. It was not that Daniel Delany was more courageous or imprudent than others. He simply read the signs of the times more clearly than most, and he believed that he knew where to seek a cure for the ills of his people. Nor was he the first Irish bishop to take so innovative a step. In this Archbishop James Butler of Cashel had preceded him by a few years. Neither was the procession of 1884 the earliest demonstration of his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. At a time when few if any churches reserved the Sacred Host it was his custom to have Exposition as often as possible, and during the Corpus Christi octave it continued around the clock. By 1875 he had brought the Archconfraternity of the Blessed Sacrament to the parish. Naturally the annual processions attracted most attention, especially when extended to the Sunday after the feast and the octave day. Visitors and travellers made a point of being in Tullow on such occasions, if not from devotion, then from curiosity.

Equally fundamental if less significant indications of change in atmosphere were the introduction of the Angelus bell and the purchase of a gig for the use of the coadjutor. Again there were palpitations in certain quarters. The combined effects of all three innovations made Bishop Keeffe wonder aloud if "this young hothead will not get us all into trouble." Yet with enterprise typical of his earlier years the bishop, aged and almost blind, had taken immediate advantage of Gardiner's Act, (1782) which permitted Catholics to acquire property. Securing a site near Carlow for a diocesan college, he moved there that same year to supervise preliminary work. Within a year of the turning of the first sod for building he had passed to his reward, leaving to his successor the task of completing the project. It was all of ten years before the doors of the new establishment might open, and even then the difficulties were many and severe. Meanwhile there were pressing needs elsewhere, not least the provision of churches for the mensal parishes of Tullow and Mountrath. At the latter place the landlord inserted in every lease a clause prohibiting sub-letting for Catholic churches and schools, while his counterpart at Tullow demanded such terms as could not be met by a distressed and impoverished tenantry.
    
Such had been the success of the Sunday Schools and evening classes at Tullow that in 1792 six experienced lady catechists were sent from there to Mountrath where the Administrator thought the religious and moral situation impossible of improvement. The six women worked hard, bringing instruction, enlightenment and a spirituality that was infectious. Children and adults caught the flame to such an extent that within six months hundreds had returned to the Sacraments and resumed the regular practice of religion. In a letter to his metropolitan Bishop Delany described the change in the parish as miraculous. In his enthusiasm he called a meeting of the deanery clergy for Mountrath for 12`x' March 1793, only to find that darker forces had also been at work. Declaring that treachery was afoot a section of the local Orangemen marched on the schoolhouse, scattered the assembly, but secured only a breviary as evidence of mischief. Because feelings remained high and hostility continued to be manifested against "popish practices" the ladies were withdrawn, yet a seed had been sown and the way towards better things indicated.

- Peter Ryan, fsp (VG)

Communicating one’s own life experience always entails remembering and revisiting that
light which guided that person to his or her own vocational choice.

[from Starting Afresh from Christ – A Renewed Commitment to Consecrated Life in the Third Millennium, Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Rome 2002, #17]

Foundation Day 2005 was far from being a private affair for Patricians in Aitape.  Our Spiritan confreres here share the same date for their foundation just over three hundred years ago.  It also marks the anniversary of the Presentation Sisters’ arrival in PNG.  Since the Year of Great Jubilee 2000, the second of February is observed as the World Day for Consecrated Life.  This year, communities from eight Orders and Congregations gathered to celebrate Eucharist in St. Anna Friary.

Last November’s Roman Congress on Consecrated Life chose two Gospel characters to showcase the heart of our consecrated lifestyle – the woman at the well and the good Samaritan.  Curiously, both were marginal people since both were Samaritans, yet they are the exemplars: the woman for her openness to Jesus and her enthusiasm for sharing her discovery with others; the traveller for his immediate and selfless response to the needs of a fellow human being.

Each character mirrors the dramatic change resulting from a true encounter with Jesus and a right understanding of “love your neighbour”.  There is a necessary “leaving behind” of  former attitudes, behaviours and plans.  The woman’s defensiveness is displaced by relationship building.  The traveller’s timetable is dislodged by compassion.  Each one renounces the familiar way of engaging with life for the sake of something better and in each case, the exchange results in an experience of new life.  How well this pattern is reflected in our commemoration of that eventful day in 1808 for the first Patricians – John Evangelist Cummins, Joseph Dawson, Bernard Fitzpatrick and John Baptist McMahon.

The choice of these four to exchange their former lifestyle for brotherhood birthed a new religious family in the church.  Their decision meant leaving behind all the securities they had known.  They could be certain only of their longing to be disciples of Christ which they recognised through prayer and their service to the families of Tullow.  Experience would show them that the consecrated life was no easy road.  It required great resolve, much self-sacrifice and frequent re-commitment.

When we are at our best, we can recognise the same kind of exchange occurring because of our choice for consecrated life – good things being set aside because of our longing to grow in relationship to Jesus.  The choosing is on-going for us too.

Simeon and Anna are central figures in the Gospel account of the Presentation [Lk.2:22-38].  Both are living a life of dedication to the Lord – their equivalent of Consecrated Life.  Anna praises God for the child and “speaks about him to all who are waiting for God to set Jerusalem free”.  Simeon rejoices to behold the Messiah.  It is the fulfilment of his life-long hope: “At last all powerful Master, you give leave to your servant, to go in peace, according to your promise”.  He is ready for death now because “my eyes have seen your salvation”.  However, the baptised who have glimpsed “the light to enlighten the Gentiles” are not meant to withdraw from life’s challenges or evade its daily Cross.  We are called to exchange our old ways of engaging life for a way that is new – “Starting Afresh from Christ”.

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Photo Album

Jerome (SG) with the seniot-most Patrician Brother, Gerald Gannon in Mussoorie. Gerald is ninety-four. <><><>

Michael Broderick (Newbridge) in his Outreach to the poor. Michael's write-up on aspects of his apostolate will appear in the next issue.

The new school building in Dindigul (St. Patrick's Academy) to be opened on St. Patrick's Day

Second-year Novices with a group of Tsunami-affected children in Mutton, Tamilnadu Novices playing with children outside the make-shift relief camp in Mutton