Jackie Parkes
“You can be right. You can be dead right and bring death to all those around you.” Jean Vanier
Monday, 27 May 2019
Friday, 19 January 2018
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
To look forward, to want life, means we have to be willing to look backwards and become more conscious of all those who have hurt us, all that is broken in us and that has brought us inner deaths, hurts that we may have hidden and stifled. It means that we acknowledge the story of our origins, of our own lives, see and accept our brokenness and the times we also have hurt others. When we have accepted who we are and what we need in order to grow in compassion and peacemaking, we can move forward to give life. To forgive is a gift of God that permits us to let go of our past hurts.
Jean Vanier, Finding Peace, page 47-48
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Monday, 15 January 2018
Prayer by Leonard Cheshire
Prayer by Leonard Cheshire
As to your
specific question, the total time to allot, each day divides itself into
various forms of prayer. First is the more formal liturgical prayer, that is to
say Mass and the Divine Office. I make it a habit to go to Mass each day, but
if this is not possible, then I use my own Missal and read through the Mass
privately. Intercessory prayer I regard as very important and I like to try and
“visit” in imagination each of our Homes and the different projects and
individuals with whom I am concerned. I do not linger on any one of them, still
less enter into a dialogue, so to speak. My intention is to place myself
consciously in the presence of God and then invite each Home or person in turn
to sit quietly before Him. I find that this makes me feel much closer to those
I am remembering, deepens my affection or love for them and actually gives me
strength. The prayer of quiet is something apart and distinct from all the
others. I set aside a period in the morning and a period in the evening, where
possible three quarters of an hour each. Finally, there are devotions such as
the Rosary or the Stations of the Cross.
Obviously,
one should attempt to be praying in a different kind of way throughout the day,
raising one’s mind briefly to God and little rules such as saying the briefest
of prayers each time the telephone rings, or one enters a room and so on, can
help form the habit. Scripture seems to call us to watch as well as to pray and
seems to imply a difference between them. Watchfulness I look upon as being
alert and open both for the promptings of the Holy Spirit and for the needs of
one’s neighbour.
(Taken from “Child
of My Love” by Sue Ryder)
There is a cause for the Canonisation of both Sue Ryder and Leonard Cheshire.
Re: Leonard Cheshire, anyone interested in the cause or wanting a prayer card should contact Fr James Fyfe, 69 queen's Rd, Wisbech, PE13 2PH. Details of answered prayers should be sent to: Leonard Cheshire Cause, c/o The White House, 21 Upgate, Poringland, Norfolk, NR14 7SH
There is a cause for the Canonisation of both Sue Ryder and Leonard Cheshire.
Re: Leonard Cheshire, anyone interested in the cause or wanting a prayer card should contact Fr James Fyfe, 69 queen's Rd, Wisbech, PE13 2PH. Details of answered prayers should be sent to: Leonard Cheshire Cause, c/o The White House, 21 Upgate, Poringland, Norfolk, NR14 7SH
Thursday, 11 January 2018
Throwing the baby out with the bathwater or the state of Irish Catholicism
Throwing the baby out with the bathwater or the state of
Irish Catholicism
One of the
things that made me feel at home when we moved to Ireland, was the local
Catholic Church and the fact that many more people shared the same faith than
the general English population. Fr Sean Coyle, a friend and Columban Missionary
who served for many years in the Philippines mentions that a Filipino lady felt
at home one Christmas in Ireland. Read more here. Surely that is one of the
wonderful things about Catholicism.
We recently
published my dad’s little memoir and we can read throughout the stories the
depth of faith throughout the life of his and many older Catholics.
Interestingly, it was the fact that my dad was the tenth living child in his
family that inspired me to my own large family of ten. I also became attracted
to the depth of faith and many pious practices such as the rosary and novenas
etc. In terms of passing on to the next generation, I’m not so sure I have been
successful, since I hear that my mother thought one of my daughters was saying
a novena for her, but it was in fact, that she was doing “Davina”.
I digress.
Back to Ireland.
Andrew and I
noticed that many of the Masses were well attended, even on a weekday. There
still seems to be a love for the Church by many. It is fair to say though that
there is a palpable hurt amongst many of the population. There were many people
in institutions that suffered terrible abuse.
The Church undeniably held and wielded too much power. Many who should
have been Christ like were anything but and it is no surprise that some people
have walked far away from any contact with the Church.
We are at an
interesting time in the Catholic Church “politically” in that we have a Pope
emeritus and a Pope. There was a lot of excitement in traditional quarters
during Pope Benedict’s pontificate, when many got a bit carried away. I put
myself in that category, in the sense of believing that a return to things such
as the “old Mass” or EF as it is referred to by some today, would save the
faith. Then along came Pope Francis who appears to have turned this on its
head.
How does
this have any relevance for Ireland? It seems clear that the dogmas of the Church
will never change, nor its view on marriage, abortion etc. It would be a shame today though for people
to see the Catholic Church as a rule book, the breaking of which will land you
in hell. This attitude in the past was unsuccessful and rather than promoting a
love for the Church filled many with fear and loathing.
Ireland may
now be “mission territory”. In the same way that she sent many good people
around the world spreading the Gospel, maybe those who heard and responded to
the Good news will return, bringing a humbler, purified, gentler faith to
Ireland.
Ireland has
become dechristianised to a large extent, leaving room for the growth of other
faiths and none. Islam is the fastest growing presently.
It is a terrible
shame if the enormous good done by many of the clergy and the nuns in many
cases is unrecognised.
One thing
for sure is that the days of “forcing” religion are long gone. It is usually
the case that a person has a “spiritual experience” or becomes evangelised by a
personal encounter. Often we meet “Jesus” for the first time through encounter
with a person.
If the
Church is declining or decaying then it’s because we as a people are. If we are
not vibrant, joyful and holy but rather depressed, bitter, whining, groaning
for an old, authoritarian, judgemental church, then no wonder our children have
walked right out the door.
Copyright @ Jackie Parkes
Copyright @ Jackie Parkes
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
Fifty Something
Fifty Something
It all
seemed to happen so quickly. The arrival to 50 that is! Today we are very
fortunate though, that God willing, we might have our health and opportunities
are still many. At this stage of life some of us may be working full or
part-time – either having stayed working whilst raising our families or going
back to work, as our children reach adulthood.
Retirement
is a strange phenomenon these days, with people going in and out of it as the
age continues to be raised. In the UK , I will qualify for a state pension in
12 years time. Hopefully, I might be around to use it! Gone are the days when
women got a state pension at age 60 and men at 65.
This year my
plan is to write a book. My dad has just had his published at age 80.
What are
your plans for 2018?
Monday, 8 January 2018
Gypsy Blood
Gypsy Blood
I often
wonder if I have any gypsy blood in me. However, after a lot of geneaology work
I can’t say I found any as yet. I wonder though if there’s a bit of the
traveller in many Irish people.
Apparently, 1 in 6 Irish people now live abroad and about 6 million
people in the UK have an Irish born parent. How is that for a few facts?
I love
moving house. Well you see my husband and family do the work and I come up with
the idea. Like the time I decided we should move to Ireland. That’s a story
which I will get back to later. One of the reasons for moving back to the UK
was to see my adorable grandchildren. That’s what I’m doing today.
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