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Challenges Facing Us Today. A Pastoral Letter of Archbishop Michael Neary – Spring 2009 Recent History Three years ago a diocesan Assembly was held. In preparation for it widespread consultation took place in parishes and Church areas across the diocese. In this – lay faithful, religious and priests participated very generously and with great enthusiasm. Here I want to acknowledge in a special way the invaluable work of the Diocesan Implementation Group who very generously took responsibility for collating and implementing the recommendations of the Assembly. In meetings with the priests of the diocese at Deanery Conferences I invited suggestions as to how best the diocese might respond to the challenges facing us given the availability of fewer priests. I brought these suggestions to the Council of Priests where they were fully discussed. The Council proposed that I appoint a working group to make proposals on how the parishes of the Archdiocese might be served in the future. The working group, having consulted all the priests of the diocese presented me with an interim report which I offered to the priests of the diocese, the Council of the Laity and the Diocesan Implementation group inviting their comments. The second draft of these proposals was subsequently offered to the priests and Pastoral Councils of the diocese for their reflection. I appreciate the way in which all involved have so positively participated in this exercise. All of this has resulted in the Diocesan Plan which I offer to you today. It is a courageous attempt to address the new challenges that face our Archdiocese. It is but a first step as we acknowledge together that the tried and traditional models of the past are inadequate in facing the demands of the future. I ask you to take it home and study it carefully with your families. Its recommendations will have implications for every parish in the Archdiocese of Tuam. Centrality of the Eucharist The celebration of the sacraments and in particular the Sunday Eucharist, lies at the heart of parish life. Central to our membership of the Church is a living relationship with Christ and this relationship is fostered always by prayer, particularly in the Sunday Eucharist. The Catholic Catechism reminds us that “the Sunday celebration of the Lord’s day and His Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life”. Without it we cannot give to the world, hungry for the things of God, what it should rightly expect from us. It is from the Eucharist that parish life flows and to which it always return. Recognising this, the diocese has allocated people trained in liturgy, pastoral councils and faith formation who will work with and become a resource to all involved in those areas. Recognising the importance of youth ministering to young people a Diocesan Youth Council has been formed with a view to providing young people and young adults with opportunities to nourish and celebrate their faith in meaningful and relevant ways. Various events have taken place, others are planned, through which more young adults and youth are experiencing Church in new ways. All of this has been very warmly welcomed and has resulted in renewed energy and enthusiasm with so much taking place by way of participation and engagement in the various parishes and church areas. Many pastoral projects and fresh initiatives are emerging as prayer and Christian action combine. People are working with and supporting their priests, as together we get to know more about our faith, enter into a more meaningful relationship with God and become more aware of the gifts and responsibilities of each person. Courage to be Christian Today we cannot afford to be Christians who are tamed by a politically correct world in our living and preaching of the gospel. A people struggling with contradictions and empty promises of today are hungry for the word of God. In this age we need a people who will have wide enough loyalties, deep enough hearts, extensive enough sympathies to hold together fragmented society at a time when ever narrower agendas are paraded as the answer to everything. In an address to priests but which is applicable to all Christians, Pope John Paul said “we need people who are experts in humanity, who know the depths of the heart, who can share the joys and hopes, the agonies and the distress of people today but who are, at the same time contemplatives who have fallen in love with God”. Gospel Hope – A Guide for the Future In every age the mission of the Church has been marked by faith, hope and charity. Perhaps, today, we stand in great need of an infusion of hope. You will recall, that after the Resurrection of Jesus, two disciples on their way to Emmaus had a sense of defeat as they spoke to the risen Christ whom they had not yet recognised: “Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free”. These two disciples on their way to Emmaus were going the wrong way with false hopes. Yet Jesus walked with them, opened the scriptures to them; they listened and found the courage and vision to turn back. The desert has always been the place in the bible through which a people or a person pass to find God. It may be in these desert days in Ireland that we will find the God of all promise. St. Paul would remind us again “rejoice in hope, be patient under trial, persevere in prayer”. Remember too the words of the English writer G. K. Chesterton “it has been the feature of the history of the Church that flowers keep appearing in the desert”. Conclusion: A Future Full of Hope The pattern of the past in this Archdiocese is the promise for the future. More and more people, men, women and youth have given their time, gifts and energies to the building up of God’s kingdom of justice, love and peace. Lay groups are working closely with their priests discovering new energy for the Gospel call. Together, they are adapting to the changes needed as fewer priests are available. All this new activity at the same time calls on us all to pause, reflect and see the will of God in our efforts. We face the future with hope and faith. Lay faithful, religious, priests and Archbishop, together we can plough a new furrow. The effort and the pain associated with change will, without doubt, provide a harvest for generations yet unborn. The Emmaus Road runs through every village and town of our Archdiocese. Where are we on that road, where am I on that road? Am I still glorifying the past, abdicating responsibility for the present, dragging my feet, fearful of the future or do I recognise the risen one in the breaking of bread and in the breaking hearts that I meet? Here in our Archdiocese we have so much going in our favour, the various areas to which I have already alluded, energetic and committed laity, religious and priests with so much to offer. As a diocese we are probably unique in having places of pilgrimage which become focal points Knock, Ballintubber, Croagh Patrick and Máméan. I invite and encourage you to assume responsibility by becoming familiar with the proposals for the future serving of the parishes of our Archdiocese. The printed summary is available in the Church. At a critical time of uncertainty in the history of God’s people, God’s advice to Joshua then and to us now is “be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go”.
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Dúshláin atá Romhainn Anois Litir Thréadach ón ArdEaspag Néaraí Earrach 2009 Le gairid Trí bliana ó shin tugadh Tionól Deoise le chéile. Mar ullmhú don Tionól sin chuathas i gcomhairle go forleathan sna paróistí agus sna ceantair Eaglaise sa deoise. Páirteach san obair sin bhí na tuataí, na hoird agus na sagairt agus rinne siad sin go díograiseach dúthrachtach. Tá mé ag iarraidh aitheantas a thabhairt ar bhealach speisialta don obair iontach a rinne an Grúpa Feidhmithe Deoise nuair a thug siad go fial faoi fhreagracht a ghlacadh as cur le chéile agus feidhmhiú mholtaí an Tionóil. Ag cruinnithe le sagairt na deoise ag Comhdhálacha Déanachta d’iarr mé moltaí faoin mbealach ab fhearr a d’fhreagródh do na dúshláin atá amach romhainn anois agus gan an oiread sin sagart ar fáil. Chuir mé na moltaí sin os comhair Chomhairle na Sagart, áit ar pléadh go hiomlán iad. Mhol an Chomhairle go mbunóinn grúpa oibre a dhéanfadh moltaí faoin mbealach a ndéanfaí freastal ar pharóiste na Deoise amach anseo. Chuir an grúpa oibre, tar éis dóibh dul i gcomhairle leis na sagairt ar fad sa deoise tuarascáil eatramhach faoi mo bhráid, agus chuir mise an tuarascáil sin os comhair shagairt na Deoise, Chomhairle na dTuataí agus Ghrúpa Feidhmithe na Deoise agus d’iarr orthu tuairim a thabhairt. Cuireadh dara dréacht na moltaí sin ina dhiaidh sin os comhair na sagart agus os comhair Chomhairlí Tréadacha an Pharóiste lena machnamh a dhéanamh orthu. Is mór agam an chaoi ar ghlac a raibh baint acu leis páirt chomh dearfach san obair sin. Is é an toradh a bhí air sin ar fad go bhfuil mé ag cur Plean Deoise os bhur gcomhair anois. Iarracht mhisniúil atá anseo tabhairt faoi na dúshláin atá os comhair na Deoise. Níl anseo ach an chéad chéim agus muid ag admháil nach leor na bealaí a bhíodh againn agus a d’oibrigh agus muid anois ag tabhairt aghaidh ar an am amach romhainn. Iarraimid oraibh é a thabhairt libh abhaile agus féachaint go cúramach air in éineacht le bhur muintir. Beidh tionchar ag na moltaí atá ann ar chuile pharóiste i nDeoise Thuama. An Eocairist sa Lár Tá ceiliúradh na sacraimintí agus go háirithe Eocairist an Domhnaigh ag cróilár shaol paróiste. Is é bonnchloch a bheith san Eaglais an caidreamh beo a bhíonn againn le Críost agus cothaítear an caidreamh sin le paidreacha, go háirithe Eocairist an Domhnaigh. Deir an Teagasc Críostaí Caitiliceach linn go bhfuil “ceiliúradh an Domhnaigh de lá ár dTiarna agus na hEocairiste ag croí-lár saoil na hEaglaise”. Dhá uireasa ní bhímid in ann na nithe a bhíonn ón saol ó cheart a chur ar fáil, saol a bhíonn ag lorg Dé. Is í an Eocairist a mhúnlaíonn saol an pharóiste agus is chuici a fhilleann sé. Agus an Deoise á aithint sin tá daoine réitithe aici atá oilte sa liotúirge, sna comhairlí tréadacha agus i múnlú an chreidimh a oibreoidh agus a bheidh mar acmhainn leis na daoine ar fad atá páirteach sna réimsí sin. Agus muid ag aithint na tábhachta a bhaineann le ministreacht ar dhaoine óga tá Comhairle Óige Deoise ceaptha le deis a thabhairt don óige agus do dhaoine fásta óga a gcreideamh a chothú agus a cheiliúradh ar bhealaí a mbeidh brí agus ciall leo. Tá roinnt imeachtaí tarlaithe, tá tuilleadh pleanáilte trína bhfuil an óige agus daoine fásta óga in ann an Eaglais a bheith ina saol ar bhealaí nua. Tá fáilte mhaith curtha roimhe sin ar fad agus tá dúthracht agus díograis nua ann agus an oiread páirteach agus ag obair sna paróistí éagsúla agus sna réimsí éagsúla. Tá go leor tionscadal tréadach agus tionscnamh nua ag teacht chun cinn leis an nguí agus gníomh Críostaí ag teacht le chéile. Tá daoine ag obair leis na sagairt agus ag tacú leo, mar le chéile faighimid níos mó amach faoinár gcreideamh, bíonn caidreamh níos fearr againn le Dia agus tuigimid níos fearr buanna agus freagrachtaí gach duine. An Misneach a bheith i do Chríostaí San lá atá inniu ann ní fhéadfaimid a bheith inár gCríostaithe a bhíonn faoi chuing na ceartpholaitíochta agus muid ag maireachtáil agus ag fógairt an tsoiscéil. Tá daoine atá ag iarraidh dul i ngleic le gealltanais fholamha agus contrárachtaí an lae inniu, tá siad ag iarraidh briathair Dé. San am atá ann teastaíonn daoine uainn a bhfuil dóthain dílseachta agus suáilcis iontu leis an bpobal atá againn anois a choinneáil le chéile le linn clár oibre níos leithleasaí a bheith á chur chun cinn an t-am ar fad. Agus é ag labhairt le sagairt, ach d’fhéadfadh sé a bheith ag labhairt le duine ar bith, is éard a dúirt an Pápa Eoin Pól II ‘teastaíonn daoine uainn ar saineolaithe ó thaobh na daonnachta iad, daoine a thuigeann chomh domhain is atá an croí, atá in ann áthas is dóchas, brón is buairt daoine sa lá atá inniu ann a roinnt, ach atá ag an am céanna in ann machnamh a dhéanamh agus a bhfuil gean mór acu ar Dhia’. Dóchas an tSoiscéil – Treoir amach romhainn Riamh sa saol bhain creideamh, dóchas agus carthanacht le misean na hEaglaise. B’fhéidir gur mó a theastaíonn dóchas sa lá atá inniu uainn. Cuimhnigh tar éis an Aiséirí ar an mbeirt deisceabal ar an mbealach go hEamáus agus an misneach caillte acu agus iad ag caint le Críost agus é aiséirithe ach nár aithnigh siad é “agus sinne ag súil gurbh eisean a bhí chun Iosrael a fhuascailt”. (Lucás 24:21). Bhí an bheirt deisceabal sin ar a mbealach go hEamáus ag dul an treo mhícheart. Ach shiúil Íosa in éineacht leo, d’oscail sé na scrioptúir dóibh; d’éist siad agus tháinig an misneach agus an fhís chucu iompú ar ais. Sa mBíobla is sa bhfásach i gcónaí a bhíonn duine nó daoine sula n-iompaíonn siad chuig Dia. B’fhéidir gur sa bhfásach seo ina bhfuil Éire faoi láthair a gheobhaidh muid Dia uilechumhachtach. Deir Naomh Pól linn “bígí suairc le dóchas, seasmhach faoi thrioblóid, ag guí gan staonadh”. (Romhánaigh 12:12). Cuimhnigh freisin ar chaint an scríbhneora as Sasana G. Chesterton nuair a dúirt sé gur gné de stair na hEaglaise go leanann bláthanna ag fás sa bhfásach! Tátal : LánDóchas amach Romhainn Is é an patrún a bhí sa Deoise seo roimhe seo údar dóchais na todhchaí. Tá a gcuid amanna, a gcuid buanna agus a gcuid dúthrachta tugtha ag níos mó agus níos mó daoine, fir, mná agus daoine óga le ríocht Dé an chirt, an ghrá agus na síochána a thógáil. Tá grúpaí tuata ag obair go dlúth lena gcuid sagart agus ag aimsiú fuinneamh nua ó thaobh freastal ar an Soiscéal. Le chéile tá siad á gcur féin in oiriúint do na hathruithe a chaithfear a dhéanamh mar gur lú sagairt a bheidh ar fáíl. Éilíonn an ghníomhaíocht nua orainn ag an am céanna staidéar agus machnamh a dhéanamh agus toil Dé a aimsiú inár gcuid oibre. Tugaimis aghaidh ar an am amach romhainn le dóchas agus creideamh. Le chéile, tuataí, oird, sagairt agus an tArdEaspag déanfaimid iomaire nua. Beidh fómhar ag na glúinte nár rugadh fós as an bpian agus an obair a bhaineann le hathruithe a dhéanamh. Tá an bóthar go Emmaus ar chuile shráidbhaile agus baile sa Deoise. Cá bhfuil muid, cá bhfuil mise ar an mbóthar sin? An bhfuil mé fós ag caitheamh súil siar, ag caoineadh an ama a bhí, ag diúltú freagrachta a ghlacadh faoin am i láthair, ag tarraingt na gcos, faitíos againn faoin am amach romhainn nó an aithním an t-aiséirí i mbriseadh an aráin agus i mbriseadh na gcroíthe a chastar orm? Sa Deoise anseo tá go leor inár bhfabhar, na réimsí éagsúla ar labhair mé orthu, tuataí, oird agus sagairt lena mbaineann dúthracht agus geallúint agus atá in ann an oiread a dhéanamh. Mar dheoise tá an t-ádh linn agus áiteanna oilithreachta againn mar Chnoc Mhuire, Bhaile an Tobair, Cruach Phádraig agus Máiméan. Iarraim oraibh freagracht a ghlacadh trí eolas a chur ar na moltaí le freastal a dhéanamh amach anseo ar pharóistí na Deoise. Tá an t-achoimre clóite ar fáil sa Séipéal. Ag tráth criticiúil i stair phobal Dé ba í comhairle Iósua, agus is í fós; “ná bíodh eagla ort ná beaguchtach mar tá an Tiarna do Dhia farat cibé áit a rachaidh tú”. (Iósua 1:9).