Monday 24 April 2017

IRISH BEATIFICATION





First Irish beatification due next month


The late Jesuit priest Fr John Sullivan, who was raised Protestant, is to be declared “blessed” at a ceremony which will be attended by both the Church of Ireland and Catholic Archbishops of Dublin.
In a year which also marks the Reformation’s 500th anniversary, it is the first ever beatification in Ireland – a major step on the path to sainthood – and will also involve Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
The event will take place on May 13th at the Jesuit’s St Francis Xavier Church on Dublin’s Gardiner Street, a short distance from Eccles Street where Fr Sullivan was born in 1861.
Fr Sullivan was the son of Edward Sullivan, a member of the Church of Ireland and a successful barrister who would later be lord chancellor of Ireland. His mother, Elizabeth Bailey, was a Catholic from Cork.
Privileged
Fr Sullivan followed the route of privileged Protestantism at the time, attending Portora Royal School near Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, and Trinity College Dublin, before going to London where he studied law.
In 1896, at age 35, he converted to Catholicism, and was ordained a Jesuit priest 11 years later. He joined the teaching staff at Clongowes Wood college, where he remained until his death in 1933 aged 71. He had spent half his life Protestant and half Catholic.
Known for his life of prayer and work with the poor, Fr Sullivan was familiar in the Kildare villages around Clongowes, and spent much of his time visiting the troubled, sick or dying. Even before he died many testified to the healing power of his prayers.
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints last year recognised as a miracle attributed to him the recovery from cancer of Dublin woman Delia Farnham in 1954 . One more miracle needs to be proven before he is canonised. It has been emphasised by those promoting his cause how he is “remembered and revered” by both Catholic and Protestant traditions.
Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson said the recognition of Fr Sullivan’s “holiness has a strong ecumenical feel to it, as he never rejected the influence of the Anglican tradition on his spiritual flourishing”.
Influence
Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said “the holiness of John Sullivan was the fruit of his education in both Catholic and Church of Ireland traditions”.
Fr Sullivan’s influence even found its way into the political realm in Ireland. Undoubtedly aware that the priest was born in his Dublin Central constituency, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern quoted him in his farewell speech when he stepped down in 2008.

PAT SAYS:

I grew up and went to school near Dublin's Gardiner Street Jesuit church where Father John Sullivan's body is interred.

I often prayed at his shrine.

But I had a very closs connection with Father Sullivan through another Jesuit - Father John Hyde.

John Hyde was a visitor to my family home when I was a baby in the 1950's and actually had the privilege of concelebrating his Funeral Mass.

Father Hyde wore Father John Sullivan's suit after he died. I can remember it was greenn with age.

Like Father Sullivan John Hyde had the gift of healing and I have many stories of those he healed including family members.

I visited Father Hyde all his life and regard him as the inspiration for my vocation.

I regard him as a saint too.

Haven know saintly priests like Father Hyde makes the current situation in the priesthood more sad.


FATHER JOHN HYDE

42 comments:

  1. Bishop Donal McKeown is in the current Irish Catholic saying there should be women priests [I accept that a religion has the right to set its own standards even if wrong so I consider that a big departure from Roman Catholic teaching which he has pledged to support] and saying Maynooth is not a good place to train seminarians. While I am not sure about the beatification I am sure the priest would have been likeable. And if he lives in Heaven now does he really want to appropriated by what he will know know to be a devious man-made faith that does the same manipulations as politicians do for its ends? Francis does little else but manipulate. The secrecy surrounding the grounds for beatification and canonisation is immoral and prove it is not really about setting a person as an example for the Church.

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    1. True.

      Thomas More was canonized in 1935 not for holiness, but for political loyalty to Rome...even though he was involved in the burnings of 3 to six people during his time as Lord Chancellor under King Henry V111.

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    2. Why can't people use Roman Numerals properly despite professing they know everything.

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    3. I sometimes like to pick 'n' mix, dear: in this case, Roman and Arabic numerals.

      By the way, your question should have read, for example, 'why can't people use Roman numerals alone'? . Your actual question indicates that Roman numerals alone WERE used, but improperly. Which, of course, wasn't the case.

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    4. Interesting that you recount Fr Hyde practicing a healing charism in the same way as Fr Sullivan.
      I was reflecting on Guru - disciple transmission within specific lineages in Eastern spirituality and considering if either by living in close proximity and / or if Fr Hyde was formed in his religious life by Fr Sullivan if that is why he too practiced that particular charism, or is it just coincidence? Of course, the similarities of sacred transmission in this sense with apostolic succession of Holy Orders is interesting and there again, some people find themselves practicing gifts of healing apparently without any human instigation??

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    5. Tom, there is only one God and , therefore, one healer.

      I recall visiting one prominent 'healer', Fr Ronald Adkins, some years ago. He was Anglican, not Roman Catholic.

      God is not confined to Roman Catholicism...and thank God for it.

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  2. After all the posts about valid Non valid and apostate churchmanship it's good to see something that crosses denominational boundaries and shows that the Grace of God is open to all people of good will. It is only selfish humans who would dare to attempt to put a fence around the wellspring of Life

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  3. 'Dr McKeown made the comments in an Irish-language interview broadcast by BBC Northern Ireland this week.
    On the issue of women priests, he said: “If that’s God’s will in our day, I’m happy to accept it.” However, he added that “there is no possibility at the present time women will be priests”.(Irish Catholic) God is pretty grumpy and fickle. Perhaps his blood sugar levels are low. I'm sure after he has a bite to eat he will feel a lot better on the subject and give a thumbs up to women priests.

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    1. It is sad that such a valuable contribution to thinking about the future of our Church should be tucked away in the relative obscurity of an Irish language broadcast. But perhaps the truth can be spoken only in obscurity. There is no theological reason why women could not be ordained as priests, bishops and even Pope. Bishop McKeown also discussed the present seminary-based training for priests suggesting, effectively, that we rethink what is currently done. Training in a seminary was suitable in an era when higher education was not commonly available to men from working-class backgrounds. The education system in Ireland has moved on apace since the foundation of Maynooth and anyone who has been through the state system should already have the necessary academic qualifications. What cannot be learned from books are love of God and the habit of prayer. An intending priest, fortified by these instincts, needs only pastoral and communication skills and who better to teach these than his own bishop?

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  4. 'On the issue of the training of future priests, Bishop McKeown said: “Maybe we shouldn’t send anyone to somewhere like Maynooth. Maynooth was formed 200 years ago. Three hundred years or 400 years ago it didn’t exist,” he said.

    He said that the Irish bishops had to struggle with the question of “what is the best way to prepare priests or prophets in this day and age?”

    Referring to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin’s contention that seminarians might benefit from training that is more parish-based, Bishop McKeown said “this is an important question and he [Archbishop Martin] may have a point”.Donal McKeown was my German teacher at school and I liked him. However,looking at this article, I'm not sure whether he has the intellectual presence necessary for this role. It could be that or just that whoever reported and edited this article for the Irish Catholic is a complete fcukknuckle. It's dreadful cutting and pasting, missing out all the bits in between. Unless that's actually the chain of thought in Donal's head which would be very worrying...

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    1. Why would that 'chain of thought in Donal's head...be very worrying'?

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    2. Ah MC,the reject. Failed entity.

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    3. Ah, the parrot! Pretty Polly.

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  5. Would that be you post number 11 that is published here today ?

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  6. Pat for the love of God will you stop that imbecile Magna Carta [sic] commenting on your blog. 11 in one day! For feck sake! Im sure you can do better than him. Why are you allowing this creature to take over your blog? I know you have spoken about "freedom of speech" and "what are his crimes?" but seriously, 11 comments from one person. This is fast becoming the Maggie Cartie blog. Come on Pat, show some of that discipline you are famed for.

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  7. 15.42 Why do you think so few are commentating on this blog now, it's hardly rocket science. It's dead in the water, hardly surprising. I rest my case.

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    1. To poster 14.42
      You are 100 % correct sadly.. Once a "chronic troll" takes over a blog, you might as well close the blog down and leave people to protest about issues of concern through the newspapers or letters directly to bishops etc.
      I think Pat unfortunately would be better to shut up shop.
      It is clear that this MC takeover will not go away. Better to call it a day.
      It was good while it lasted but enough is enough. I think Pat is probably ready to move on to other things apart from the restrictions of this carryon anyway. (MC is perfectly satisfied to suggest that all others should be the ones to leave but he himself is responsible for the demise of the blog with all the old repeated well-rehearsed "get out" insults. I have good news for him on that score ... but not such good news for Pat. People are only too happy to oblige!)

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    2. Then for heaven's sake go! Stop dithering, procrastinating, threatening, blackmailing, lying. Useless bunch of intellectual dullards. Morons, especially the whining, self-absorbed pratt at 15:42.

      Go for heaven's sake! And let those of us with decent intellects get on with the business of learned debate. :-)

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  8. 15:42, on top of your other intellectual deficiencies, you can't count either, can you? This posting (courtesy of you) is my fifth today. ROTFL!

    Psst! Scroll back to yesterday's blog: I posted there 31 times. Yup! That should cheer you up. (Splittin' my sides laughin'!)

    Er, didn't you promise to leave us some time ago? What's wrong? Not a man of your word?

    Do us all a favour: just go, as you said you would.

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  9. "Us", so there you have it from the horses mouth! MC has taken over Pat's blog and it has become the forum for his rantings and ravings. No change there then in the behaviour that those of us who had the misfortune to be in the seminary with this moron observed at close hand. This buffon manipulated his way in to other peoples conversations, took them over, pontificated, and so much so that every body else gave up on the conversation. One of his more kindly names was "the cuckoo", not because of his resemblance to a character from that excellent film, but because he was like a cuckoo that takes over over bird nests. Pat it is a shame that you have allowed yourself to be manipulated and permitted your blog to be taken over by him. As other have commented, we have given up the ghost and leave it now to him and his sidekicks. Oh the pity of it to see so fine a blog trashed by the imbecile.

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  10. Well MC in the old days the sheriff chased the outlaws out of town. Sad if this is the tactic some wish to employ against you. Says more about them than it does about you

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    1. Thanks, Sean.

      I agree with you: there is a clear and concerted attempt to drive me away.

      These are the kind of people who would have been at home in the Catholic Church in the not-too-distant past. Frightened, little control-freaks.

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    2. Pat, I've repeatedly appealed to you, but to no affect. Enough said.

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    3. It says it all when this blog cant even get 40 posts these days. Pat is that not saying something about your judgement of your regular trolls? I'm done with you Pat and your blog.

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    4. Page at 19.00, sad person apostate who watches too many Westerns, sums it all up lol.

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    5. 20:02, 20:07 and 20:10, are you really going this time?! I mean REALLY! Let me rush you to the door.

      Goodbye. And good riddance.(And 'pleeeeze'! Keep your word this time and stay away. :-) )

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    6. 20.10 A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do to quote John Wayne 😎

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  11. The Maggie Carter and Seanie Pagey show. What a pair of dim wits.

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    1. Let me rush you to the door, too. (I promise I won't put my 'fut' t'yer arse t'help you on your whining way.)

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  12. Amusing to see the mudslinging between you lot, at the foot of a story about a Christina saint.

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    1. What saint? Y'know, I would love to have a good learned debate about the topics Bishop P. raises. But the morons just want t'sling mud. (Sigh)

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  13. Magna why do you rile your trolls
    I know nothing about you,but you appear on paper to be a right queen
    pat can u please not post these arguments
    Magna may be your friend but conversation should be addressed s to the content not the poster.
    Your blog is anything but interesting this pat weeks
    You need to pull your socks up for the sake of those of us who used to enjoy a read and a post.
    FED UpPOSTER

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  14. If the blog isn't interesting, you moron, then why bother posting a comment?

    You people actually defeat your own points by contradicting yourselves...and you're so 'tran' you don't see it.

    As for my 'riling...trolls', J, M and (What's the other guy's name? Ah, yes!) Joseph!! Would you, windbag, ask a tormented child why he was annoying his bullies? Please tell me this is a wind-up, because no one could be this stupid and still be considered human.

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  15. Words fail me, Pat
    As a grandmother and a regular on here, I do think that you are alllowng
    Your blog to become disgusting
    Fed up Poster

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    1. Ah, grow a pair O' wotsits, y' silly out cow.

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  16. New Living Translation
    "As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, "This evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of Jonah."

    I'm not comfortable with the RC process to Sainthood. The holy men and women acclaimed from old and venerated still, along with holy men and women acclaimed in our day and those known only locally or only to ourselves, to me are all Saints.
    In the early church, according to the New Testament, Christians were referred to as "saints." My mother used to say that like them we are all saints with a small (s) and those canonised with a big (S) I'd sooner pay less formal acknowledgement to ranks and titles both in our earthly hierarchies and in our interpretation of heaven. I / We respect and seek the leadership and counsel of those who speak and behave authoritatively, imitating Christ.

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    1. Nor am I, Tom, 'comfortable with the RC process to Sainthood'.

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  17. Pat, either you're dumb or Magna Carta is your Alter Ego!

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    1. A considerable number of people are more than a little nauseated by Magna Carta's overbearing and excessive contributions and have expressed a desire that he disappear.
      If I were he - and i am grateful that I am not - I would have realised long ago that I was not wanted and would disappear -PERMANENTLY


      eternally grateful that I am not - i would

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