Friday 26 July 2013

REVISITING MY HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL ROOTS

REVISITING MY HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL ROOTS
THE FONT IN WHICH I WAS BAPTISED 61 YEARS AGO
I SPENT WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK REVISITING TULLAMORE, CO. OFFALY, IRELAND - THE PLACE OF MY BIRTH.

ABOVE IS A PICTURE OF ME STANDING AT THE BAPTISM FONT IN THE CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION IN TULLAMORE - THE FONT AT WHICH I WAS BAPTISED AND BEGAN MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY 61 YEARS AGO.



MY GRANDAD'S HOUSE IN WHICH I WAS BORN


ITS QUITE AN AMAZING AND THOUGHT PROVOKING EXPERIENCE TO STAND WHERE YOUR JOURNEY STARTED AND REFLECT ON THE PATHS YOU HAVE COME AND WHERE YOU ARE AT NOW. 

I WAS BORN IN 1952. IT WAS A TIME WHEN:

1. GOOD PRIESTS WERE PRAYING AND MINISTERING TO THE PEOPLE.
2. GOOD NUNS WERE TEACHING CHILDREN AND NURSING THE SICK.
3. GOOD CHRISTIAN BROTHERS WERE TEACHING THE POOR AND THE RICH.

IT WAS ALSO A TIME, WHEN BEHIND THE SCENES:

1. PRIESTS WERE SEXUALLY ABUSING ALTAR BOYS AND OTHER CHILDREN.
2. NUNS, IN THEIR FRUSTRATION WERE BEATING AND ABUSING CHILDREN.
3. CHRISTIAN BROTHERS WERE SEXUALLY ABUSING BOYS AND OCCASIONALLY
     KILLING THEM AND BURYING THEM IN SECRET GRAVES.
4. NUNS WERE INCARCERATING GIRLS AND WOMEN IN MAGDALENE LAUNDRIES
    AND PROFESSIONALSS, INCLUDING PRIESTS, DOCTORS AND POLICEMEN, WERE 
    GOING INTO THE LAUNDRIES TO RAPE AND MOLEST THEM.

I WAS NEVER MOLESTED BY A PRIEST, NUN OR CHRISTIAN BROTHER. MAYBE I WAS NOT GOOD LOOKING ENOUGH?

THE NUNS TAUGHT ME. SOME OF THEM WERE LOVELY AND SOME OF THEM WERE HORRIFIC.

I WENT TO A CHRISTIAN BROTHERS SCHOOL. I HAD SOME VERY KIND CHRISTIAN BROTHER TEACHERS. I HAD ONE OR TWO OTHERS WHO BEAT ME BADLY. 

BUT FROM MY EARLIEST YEARS I LOVED MY CATHOLIC FAITH AND FROM THE AGE OF 2 OR 3 I WAS BROUGHT TO MASS DAILY BY MY GRANDMOTHER AND PARENTS.

AT THE AGE OF 4 I KNEW I WANTED TO BE A PRIEST.

I WENT INTO THE SEMINARY AT 18 AND WAS ORDAINED AT 24 - 37 YEARS AGO.

EVEN THOUGH I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITHIN THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH I LOVE BEING A PRIEST EVERY SINGLE DAY AND HOPE TO BE A PRIEST AS LONG AS I LIVE.

THIS WEEK I WENT BACK TO KINNITY CASTLE IN COUNTY OFFALY TO CELEBRATE A WEDDING MASS FOR A LOVELY COUPLE AND THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
KINNITY CASTLE IN COUNTY OFFALY

THE ROOM IN WHICH WE HAD THE WEDDING MASS


AFTER THE WEDDING I VISITED THE CHURCH IN TULLAMORE IN OFFALY WHERE I HAD BEEN BAPTISED AND WHERE I FIRST STARTED ATTENDING MASS.

I THANKED GOD FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE, THE GIFT OF FAITH AND THE GIFT OF THE PRIESTHOOD.

Bishop Pat Buckley. 26.7.2013 


2 comments:

  1. An excellent story and I pray that your 'spiritual' journey may continue with as many blessing as Our Blessed Lord choses to send your way.

    Wishing you every good thought and blessings in your holy ministry to the outcast and modern day lepers.

    Thank you.

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  2. As someone who has crossed your path during your spiritual journey Pat, I am grateful for that 'baptismal' font. What a journey, but a blessed one. From that font you were anointed; Priest, Prophet & King! What a holy place.

    Your Brother in Christ.

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