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The Way I See It

 

 

 

By Domhnall de Barra

 

 

 

As I was writing last weeks piece, which never made it into hard copy but was available on line, I mentioned the fact that it was snowing but little did I think that it would be as severe as it was. In recent years we have got used to very mild winters with the odd exception but I have never seen anything like this years beginning since 1963.  I remember it well because I was supposed to go back to England after Christmas but wasn’t able to travel for six weeks with all the snow on the ground and freezing temperatures. Maybe the snowfall wasn’t as heavy as this year but it was driven by a storm that made huge drifts.  It was also much colder with very low temperatures which caused the rivers to freeze over. I was talking to a man in Abbeyfeale the other day who remembers that time and how all the youngsters went skating on the Feale . In those days we weren’t told what the temperature was. There was a snowdrift about f1ve feet high just down the  from our house that made the road impassable until my father eventually backed his lorry into it and made a passage through.  Even though it was worse than the present freeze people didn’t suffer as much because they weren’t relying as much on electricity or cars as we are today. In those days people rarely shopped except for things like tea and sugar because they had all they needed at home. The potatoes were in the pit, the pig in the barrel and cabbage or turnips added for a good dinner and there were plenty of eggs and bread which could be baked over the open fire or range. There was plenty of turf in the sheds so, apart from being able to travel, life went on as usual. Now it is totally different. People who followed the best advice now have homes that totally depend on electricity. There is no fireplace, no stove fuelled by oil, gas or turf, no chimney, everything depending on electricity, even the car. When the power goes off the household is in real trouble. Why does the power go out so easily?  I was listening to the Abbeyfeale County Councillor, Liam Galvin, on the radio the other day and he made a few good observations. One was the fact that we have power lines running through forests too close to trees that fall on the wires through the weight of snow or the force of a storm.  He said there should be discussions with those in power to cut back those trees so that contact with the power lines would be minimal. I totally agree and the question should also be asked; why are all the power lines not underground where they would be protected?  I don’t expect much to change because this will be forgotten in a few days and everything will go back to normal but times are changing and the weather is getting less predictable. It is likely that we will have more storms and cold snaps in the future so it is vital that we prepare ourselves for all eventualities. I am lucky that I have a gas fire that we were able to use for heat and a gas stove for cooking. In card-playing terms it is “keeping a guard to the knave” so I think every house should have something to fall back  on.  I know there is a move away from fossil fuels but it wouldn’t make much difference if they were only used in emergencies. Though the weather was really bad last week it somehow brought out the best in people. Those who could travel with tractors and four wheel drives made sure their less fortunate neighbours weren’t left isolated and brought necessary supplies from the shops. There was a great sense of community, something that we took for granted years ago but is less in evidence today. We fawn over so-called “celebrities”  but the real heroes are  the crews who were out 24/7 trying to restore power and water to thousands of houses and businesses. The technicians could not do their job until a path was made to the location of a fault and then another crew had to cut and clear away the trees that had fallen on the lines. I don’t know what they get paid but whatever it is would not repay them for what they did on our behalf. There were also a lot of elderly people who depend on meals on wheels for their daily dinner. It was impossible fior the cars and vans that normally deliver but, again, those with suitable vehicles chipped in and made sure nobody was left hungry. “Ar scath a chéile a mhaireann na daoine” is an old Irish saying which means we live in each others shadow and so we depend on each other.

 

 

 

I am worried about the way society is developing in Ireland at the moment. No week goes by now without news of another murder somewhere. When I was young murders were very rare indeed. I remember a murder, back in Kerry between Lyreacrompane and Tralee, of a man in a land dispute. It was the talk of the day and the night for weeks and people would mention it in hushed voices. It was the inspiration for John B. Keane’s play “The Field”.  Why have we become so violent?  We had our disputes and rows long ago but the worst that happened was a bloody nose or a split lip but now knives and guns a re used with little regard for life.  I firmly believe that young people are being influenced by violent films and social media content that have nothing to do with reality. I don’t know what the answer is but I think anybody found carrying a lethal weapon should be prosecuted and taken off the streets. Over the years I have walked the streets of major cities at all hours of the night and never feared for my safety. Now there are parts of local towns where I wouldn’t venture, even in the daytime.

 

 

 

https://www.athea.ie/category/news/

 

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The Jubilee Prayer 2025

 

Father in heaven, may the faith You have given us in Your son, Jesus Christ, our

 

brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

 

reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of Your Kingdom.

 

May Your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.

 

May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos

 

in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of

 

evil vanquished, Your glory will shine eternally.

 

May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the

 

treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our

 

Redeemer throughout the earth. To You our God, eternally blessed, be glory and

 

praise for ever. Amen

 

Pope Francis

 

A Jubilee Year is traditionally proclaimed by the Universal Church every 25 years. It

 

is a particular year set aside to encourage the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, to

 

repent of their sins and forgive the sins of others, and to renew a focus on the

 

spiritual life. In the Hebrew tradition, as recorded in Leviticus, a Jubilee was

 

celebrated every 50 years with the freeing of slaves and the forgiveness of debts. In

 

1300, Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Christian Jubilee, and since then the

 

Church has designated each new Jubilee as a special year of grace and forgiveness,

 

offering the faithful an opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence.

 

The 2025 Jubilee is centred on the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” Pope Francis

 

said: "We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to

 

gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a

 

trusting heart and far-sighted vision." During the Jubilee Year, the Pope invites every

 

one of us to embark on a pilgrimage of hope, so that, "Through our witness, hope

 

may spread to all those who anxiously seek it

 

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JUBILEE YEAR PRAYER

 

Father in heaven,  may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our

 

brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us

 

the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.  May your grace transform us into

 

tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of

 

the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May

 

that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth.  To you

 

our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever.  Amen - Pope Francis

 

 

 

FIRST COMMUNION CORNER

 

Thank you, loving God, for loving me and for welcoming me into your family when

 

I was baptised.  Help me to share your love with the people I meet today.  Amen.

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STUDENTS WINDOW

 

The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in bodily shape, like a dove. 

 

A voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved; my favour rests on you.’

 

Q.  Who has shown God’s love to you today?

 

Q.  With whom have you shared  God’s love?

 

 

 

Don’t let someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of going after yours.

 

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FR. GERARD’S CORNER

 

BAPTISM OF JESUS

 

Today’s feast reminds us of our own baptism and presents us with the opportunity to reflect on the implications of leading the life of a Christian in the world today.    Baptism marks our spiritual birth and the start of o Christian journey.  It sets the tone of our lives.  What God said to us on the day of our baptism, he says to us every day of our lives.  We are God’s ‘beloved sons and daughters on whom God’s favour rests.’    We are called, like Christ, to spend our lives revealing the kindness and love of God.   Like Jesus, we are called to share with others the favour of God which rests upon us.

 

LAST WORD: WORRY IS INTEREST PAID ON TROUBLE BEFORE IT IS DUE!!

 

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