PIONEER
VOLUME LXVIII NO.4
APRIL 2016 E1.55
Canon
Damian
O'Reilly of
Dublin's
Pro-Cathedral
l Confession in the Year of Mercy
l Facing Execution in 1916
April 2016
Volume LXVIII Number 4
The Official Publication of the
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Cover:
Canon Damian O'Reilly, administrator
in the Pro-Cathedral, Dublin, talks to
Pioneer. See pages 6-7.
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The YEAR of MERCY
The Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy launched by Pope Francis
continues until Sunday, 20 November 2016, the Feast of Christ the King.
As we make our way through this special period of grace, we would
do well to reflect on the words of Pope Saint John Paul II; “Jesus Christ
taught that we not only receive and experience the mercy of God,
but that we are also called to practise mercy towards others”. (Dives in
misericordia).
What we are asked to do has come down to us as the Works of
Mercy. Most of them can be easily understood by all right-minded
human persons, regardless of their attitude to the teachings of Christ.
Summarised as the Corporal and Spiritual Mercy, seven of each, they
could form the basis of an examination of conscience for all of us. Even
in our highly organised and structured society, they are still relevant.
There is an extraordinarily contemporary ring about them. Indeed they
will be relevant to the end of time. Mercifully, all of us at some time
or another have experienced the generosity and goodness of others.
Whether they realized it or not, they were practising the Works of
Mercy. They will not go without their reward. However, there are times
when we have our own contribution to make, however modest.
Corporal Works of Mercy
Feed the hungry / Give drink to the thirsty / Clothe the naked / Shelter
the homeless / Visit the sick / Visit the imprisoned / Bury the dead.
Spiritual Works of Mercy
Instruct the ignorant / Counsel the doubtful/ Admonish sinners / Bear
wrongs patiently / Forgive offenses willingly / Comfort the afflicted /
Pray for the living and the dead
As I sat down to write this piece, I learned that Terry Wogan had just died.
Requiescat in pace. His wife, Helen Joyce was, at one time, a member of
the Pioneer Club in Mountjoy Square, Dublin. I never had the pleasure
of meeting her personally, but over the years I heard members of the
Club speak affectionately about her. I have been shown photos in which
she featured as a member of the cast in some of the high-quality stage
productions for which the Club was famous over the years. Even at this
late stage we extend our sympathy to Helen and her family.
Bernard J McGuckian SJ, Editor
“Promoting Sobriety for a Better Society”
CONTENTS
“For Thy greater glory and
consolation, O Sacred Heart of
Jesus, for Thy sake to give good
example, to practise self-denial,
to make reparation to Thee for
the sins of intemperance, and
for the conversion of excessive
drinkers, I will abstain for life
from all intoxicating drink.”
Page 8: The 'isms' of Alcohol-ISM
4 Mapping the Heart
Alan Mowbray SJ
6 Church at the Centre of
Dublin's Fair City
Bernard J McGuckian SJ
8 We Need to Talk About the '...ISM'
Ann Marie McMahon
10 English and Scottish Defenders of Three 1916 Heroes
Seán Ua Cearnaigh
12 Confession Hasn't Lost its Lustre
Seán Ryan
14 Lighting Up Time
Aubrey Malone
16 Blessed Bartolo Longo:
Former Satanic Priest
Patrick P Rowan
18 Wise Owl Things
19 Sound Bytes
20 Use Positive Stress as Motivation
for the State Exams
Billy Ryle
22 Caught on the Web
24 The Meaning of Death
James Kelly SJ
26 Cookery: Save Your Bacon
Terri Jones
27 Obituaries and Crossword
28 Pioneers: Here, There
and Everywhere
Mapping the Heart
ALAN MOWBRAY SJ There is a story about an infamous Greek innkeeper
who would stand at his door and invite passers-by to
stay the night at his inn. If someone said ‘yes’, the inn
keeper would then invite the person to lie down on the
bed. The innkeeper would measure each person’s exact
height carefully to ensure that the bed and the visitor
matched. Now comes the rub! If too tall, he would chop
off the ankles; if too small, he would stretch the visitor to
fit the bed. You see there was only one bed and visitors
had to fit that bed. Yes, it was an Ancient Greek myth but
its message was clear.
Peer Power
Behind the images in the story lay a warning about
the dangers of conforming to an inflexible style of
behaving. There is only one bed and we must fit into it. We can spot how some people conform their behaviour
to their peer group. They match, for example, their
hair style to the group’s. Of course, it could be taking
drugs because the ‘lads’ are at it. Often, conforming
to others is a only a way of buying acceptance of the
group. When it comes to career choice, conforming
to the group is seldom a good way to make up one’s
mind. Why? Because a career choice is about making
a personal decision. Here are a few sample scenarios of the difference
between personal choice and the pressures to conform.
Pressures at Play
The pressures that play in a family set-up can be the
back-drop to our behaviour. Take this student as a case
in point coming up to a crucial examination yet goes
on strike and downs tools. One possibility is that he/
she is conforming to the ambitions of parents but to the
exclusion of their own choices. This issue is not clear to the student but neither the
brains nor the personal desire of the student match
that of the parents. The student may not be fully aware
of this but the student’s body language is the clue:
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Pioneer, April 2016
strike-action and down tools. Something is amiss! It is
fair to say that the key issue is that the student clearly
lacks any motivation. It’s the parents motive that is at play,
not the student’s. When there is no personal motivation
at the helm, the student lacks any desire to work. The
student will hop on to any distraction that is around!
Drop Out
Hopefully, students like this will wake up to their true
selves. A skilled and kind guide will orientate them to
the career that will fulfil their gifts. And speaking of
students, an article in The Irish Times (11 Jan 2016) looks
at the drop-out rate in students of 1st Year in College
(Third level) and discovers that it is at a 16% level. Sadly,
in the ICT computer world, the level of drop out of first
years is 20%. There are many reasons for these statistics but we
are looking at about 6,000 plus young lives full of hope
yet they have not made good subject decisions, not
to mention good career options. There is also money
involved. The books, computers, living needs etc., and
other costs will have mounted quickly to pay for this first
academic year. While an experience of failure may wake
up some students, for many others, the experience of
failing crushes their hopes and brings confusion as to
what went wrong. Who Chooses?
I suggest a new focus is necessary. This focus may reveal
one clear danger that lies behind such a high drop-out
rate. I speak of conformity. We are back to the story of
the innkeeper again. A student who has no clue what
to do in college, may follow what the pals and gals are
chatting about in their sixth-year school. The lads are
choosing Commerce, so our brave student decides on
Commerce too. Danger has loomed. There are plenty
of places when we rightly conform for the sake of team
spirit but career choice is not one of them. Personal
choice is a must when choosing a life-long career.
Inevitably, problems of personal motivation will
appear soon and an early sign is that this student finds
little or no drive to study. Without personal motivation
the driving power to study is simply not there. It may
look like a student is lazy or on strike but the culprit lies
deeper than that!
Students at a Loss
So, of course the student needs information. Yes,
students need preparation in how to make good
decisions and the modern student needs a year of
induction into college before launching into career
studies. Presidents of our colleges are seriously
grasping this nettle as they realise that students are
finding the transition from secondary schools to Third
Level problematic. This will be slow coming about. Our
students also need clear career guidance persons, who
have the skills to guide (but not tell) their students
where to focus their minds and hearts. It is not only an intellectual decision that has to be
made by students because a life choice needs to take
both head and heart into account. The student needs
to consult the stuff of desire, what this student loves to
do, what this student prefers doing when the choice is
open. Our students need to look at their own history of
where he/she has been drawn mostly to some activities
and shunned others. An awareness of these strands
reveals quite a lot!
them, in your parents and the wider family! Chat with
them! Have a glance at a friend or two and work out
what values they have too.
Drawing Power
Your heart reveals what draws you and what interests
you actually follow, what values you aspire to, what
people you admire. Now comes the moment to link
them up to the reasons you have written down on paper
for a possible career choice. And please write down
these reasons on paper. You will have written down the
reasons for your choice of career / subjects and your
reasons against that choice.
This map of ‘head and heart’ is a sketch of what both
your heart and head reveals to you about the choice
you are about to make. Both head and heart are telling
you whether there is alignment between you and the
reasons for the choice in front of you. The next issue is
as follows: are your reasons for deciding on that choice
matching up with the leanings of your heart? If so, you
have arrived at a personal choice that is valid and will
see you through all the challenges you meet. If not, go
back to the drawing board.
A sense of rightness can then confirm your choice.
Firstly, your reasons are sensible. Secondly, a sense
of peace, fulfilment, hope and a steady feeling of
challenge are indicators that you are on the right track
for a good choice.
Person or Things?
So to become aware of the heart, that is, what we truly
want, it is wise to have a look at what really interests
us. I can ask this question: have I been more interested
in persons or in things as I look over my past activities
and wants? As a younger person, did I spend more time
mixing with people or have I been more interested in
things? By ‘things’ is meant Lego, computer games etc. I
can follow this trail right up to the present day! If one
interest is stronger than another, it may reveal whether to
veer towards scientific subjects for a career rather than
the 'caring professions.’
Your answers need to be placed beside that pull
towards conforming with the peer group. If there is a
match between the two, that is excellent. If there is little
matching up, then please follow your own star. You
are not on that innkeeper’s bed, being forced into
conforming to what others demand. It is your choice,
your career. You will be living out your choice. Do not
live out someone else’s! It seldom works out of well.
More Clues
Another way of working out what you truly want and
desire most is to observe your own interests / hobbies
/ sports. They develop and change but pay attention to
what has been consistent right up to this day. Another help is to look at who you admire. There is
something that attracts you in the values you see in
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Website: www.alexianbrothers.ie
Contact: [email protected]
Phone: 094 937 6996
Pioneer, April 2016
5
CHURCH at the CENTRE
of DUBLIN’S FAIR CITY
Canon Damian O’Reilly, Administrator, Pro-Cathedral, Dublin speaks to
Bernard J McGuckian SJ about his vocation to priesthood and his work in the famous
church on Marlborough Street near the Dublin City Centre
To discover the Mother Church of the Archdiocese of
Dublin you have to leave O’Connell Street, the main
thoroughfare of the city and walk in an easterly direction
from the towering silver Spire. In a couple of minutes you
will find yourself at St Mary’s (Immaculate Conception),
popularly known to Dubliners for the last two centuries
simply as, ‘The-Pro’. ‘Pro’ is short for ‘Provisional’, as it was
hoped to build another Cathedral when the time was
ripe. Two centuries later, we are still waiting!
This imposing building was the brain-child of
Archbishop John Thomas Troy (1739-1823). For a
6
Pioneer, April 2016
number of reasons, he opted for the present site instead
of the one where the General Post Office (GPO) is now
located. Apparently, his main reason was to prevent
the unseemly disturbances he anticipated with large
numbers of Catholics assembling for services, officially
illegal in the eyes of the authorities in those early
days of the nineteenth century. Although becoming
increasingly redundant, the iniquitous Penal Laws were
still on the Statute Book. The Catholic Emancipation Act,
1829, was still a couple of decades away.
Along with Westland Row, City Quay and Sean
McDermott Street, the Pro-Cathedral is one of four
mensal parishes in the centre of the city, all of which
the Archbishop is the Parish Priest. The word mensal
comes from the Latin for a table, mensa; and according
to Webster’s Dictionary, it means (a) ‘set aside for the
maintenance of an ancient Irish or Scotch prince or king’
or (b) ‘set aside for the support of a cleric of the Roman
Catholic Church’. In each of these parishes there is an
Administrator. The current Administrator of the ProCathedral is the very welcoming Canon Damian Francis
O’Reilly, who has been in this post for several years now.
He spoke of his work in this busy city-centre church.
He also shared something of his early years as a Dublin
North-sider, his schooling, subsequent work before
opting for priesthood and how he became a Pioneer.
Pioneer: What part of Dublin do you come from?
Fr Damian: I was reared in Beaumont. It is hard to believe
it today, but when I was growing up, it was still out in
the country and we were surrounded by green fields.
My father, Francis, was from Inchicore and my mother,
Alice Maples, from Drumcondra. My only sibling is my
twin sister, who now lives in the U.S. Although expected
in May, we were born on the Feast of the Annunciation,
25 March 1954, and required special medical attention.
Given that we were born on such a date, and in the Marian
Year itself, Our Lady has loomed large in the spirituality
of both of us ever since. I was called Damian Francis and
my sister Francesca Marian. Damian is mentioned in the
Roman Canon of the Mass with his companion, Cosmas,
patron saints of doctors. As premature babies, doctors
and the whole medical profession loomed large in the
early months of the lives of both of us. My parents were
both devoted to Saint Francis of Assisi.
Pioneer: Where were you educated?
Fr Damian: My first schools were Corpus Christi and
then St Patrick’s, Drumcondra. I was very happy in
both of them. Later, I went to secondary in De la Salle,
Beneavin, Finglas which was only a bike ride away from
home. After school, I spent twelve years as an Aer Lingus
employee. This was a great experience. I availed of the
possibilities of extensive travel linked to working in a
large airline. Among other things, it made it possible for
me to spend three months in Australia.
Pioneer: When did the idea of priesthood enter your
head?
Fr Damian: All through the years, at the back of my mind
was the idea that there must be something else in life.
There seemed to be something wanting. I had started
going to Mass daily at the time of my First Communion
and kept it up ever since no matter where I was or what
work commitments I had. As well as this, I got involved
in Light of Christ, a Charismatic Prayer Group based in
All Hallows College. One of my contributions was to play
guitar. Around 1977, I decided to give the priesthood a
try.
Pioneer: What form did this take?
Fr Damian: All Hallows, where the Light of Christ group
was based, prepared men for the priesthood in the
English-speaking world. My first idea was to volunteer
for Newfoundland. After prayer and discernment, I
concluded that maybe I was called to something nearer
home. I contacted Fr Owen Sweeney, the President
of Clonliffe College, at that time the seminary for the
Dublin Archdiocese. He told me that the seminary was
almost filled-up but that there was one place left that
would be ready in two weeks. I availed of the offer and
have never regretted it. I was eventually ordained in
1983 in St Columba’s Church, Iona Road.
Pioneer: When did you decide to become a Pioneer?
Fr Damian: I took the Pledge at Confirmation and have
kept it ever since. As a teenager I worked three nights
a week in a bar on the Swords Road. What I saw there
on a nightly basis encouraged me to abstain for the rest
of my life. My parents were abstemious hard-working
people who led a very simple life. I later learned that
my mother agreed to marry my father on condition
that he would take the pledge. He did this willingly and
with no regrets. Their social life was visiting friends and
going occasionally to the pictures. He worked in CIE
and she was a very accomplished milliner with her own
successful business. She was still working even on her
death bed, practically up to her last breath.
Pioneer: What priestly work did you do before
coming to the ‘Pro’?
Fr Damian: After ordination, I worked at St Agnes,
Crumlin for four years. The famous Sister Frances
Reparata, the great Pioneer worker, was in her element
then. She kept us all on our toes and was known
affectionately as ‘Sister Frances Ever-after’! She lived to
be 103. After that, it was over to Iona Road from 1987
to 1989 with a couple of days a week in the Marriage
Tribunal. Sister Gemma, of the recently-opened and
expanded Mater Private Hospital was looking for a
full-time Chaplain. I was privileged to be given this
work on 1 December 1989 and remained there for
sixteen wonderful years. The course in Clinical Pastoral
Counselling that I had done some years earlier stood me
in good stead in this challenging but deeply satisfying
work.
Pioneer. When did you begin working at the
Cathedral?
Fr Damian: I came here as a curate in 2005, and have been
Administrator for the last six years. This involves keeping
in contact with the large number of men and women
volunteers who provide a service to the thousands
of people who pass through every week. Many come
in simply for a short prayerful visit where they light a
candle. We offer the whole gamut of religious services.
For years now we have ensured a high level of music in
the liturgy. This is possible because of the commitment
of the highly qualified musicians in different areas who
give so generously of their time.
Pioneer: Thank you, Fr Damian, for giving us
generously of your own time.
Pioneer, April 2016
7
We Need to
Talk About the
‘… ISM’
We are all familiar with ageism, sexism, racism and all the concerns or prejudices that have
materialised into an ‘ism’. Here ANN MARIE McMAHON ponders how alcohol-related
problems have gained their own ‘ism’.
Have you ever wondered about how Jacob’s got the
figs into the fig rolls? Well, equally we could ponder
the dilemma of how ‘ism’ became attached to the word
‘alcohol’. The craziness carried out by those in the throes
of alcoholic behaviour has zero logic. All this madness
that gets rolled into alcohol and the individual downing
this drink can been termed ‘alcoholism’.
We all know alcohol relates to drink, but it is
alcoholism that puts the demon into it. Alcohol is that
seductive substance widely consumed globally by so
many, but understood by so few. It is, however, the word
‘alcoholism’ that really stretches the imagination. In the
academic and medical world it is sometimes called a
disease or illness, while in the general population it is
confuses those who carry such labels ‘alco’, ‘drunkard’,
too ‘fond of the hard stuff’, or, ‘likes a tipple a bit too
much’.
Alcoholism is a primary disorder and not a symptom
of other diseases as some would like to think. Basically,
the chemistry of alcohol works on the cells in the body,
and in particular in the brain. What happens in the brain
is that the alcohol interacts with those cells which are
responsible for pleasure. However, alcohol is actually
8
Pioneer, April 2016
a depressant and a mood altering substance. While
initially giving a lift, it eventually ends up making you
depressed. Hence, there is the so-called hangover the
next day.
Alcohol also allows the brain to ask for more, so the
more you have the more you want. Some do not know
when to say ‘stop’ and continue to fill the body with
more of the substance. Eventually, the individual finds
his or herself addicted to the substance and craving
more. When an individual reaches the stage of being
dependent, it is the onset of alcoholism.
However, it is the subsequent behaviour that is the
clear indication that it is not just heavy drinking but
alcoholism in action. The individual labeled alcoholic
becomes out of control as the alcohol actually controls
so many aspects of their behaviour. What started as a
quick drink to sort out a problem, solve an issue, get
rid of anxiety or stress now creates a scenario where
time has no meaning, pain has no place, money has no
context – believing that alcohol will sort everything out.
The more they drink the more they crave. Alcohol is
insidious as it creeps into those who are dependent on
this liquid. There are many stages a person goes through.
There is the denial as the individual convinces the self
and others that there is nothing wrong, believing that
everyone else is at fault and telling lies as a way to wriggle
out of a situation when confronted. There is the change
of personality. People around become exasperated,
annoyed and fed up with the cunning and deceptive
ways the so-called alcoholic behaves as they pour
alcohol into their body and waste away money that they
do not have. Onlookers witness a change of personality
and physical damage to the individual slowly dissolving
into a different person. There is the lack of concern for
anyone around, be it spouse, family member, friend or
work colleague as they down the drink screaming for
more and more.
No other illness plays as many games. Alcoholics can
convince doctors that there is nothing wrong with them.
They convince bank managers to give them money,
persuading them that plausible projects will yield
financial reward. They convince those of the opposite sex
that they are lonely, rich, clever or living a very exciting
life. The lies are wild as they become delusional with a
sense of grandiosity. They can duck and dive out of so
many situations until eventually the telltale signs, be it
the shakes in the hand, the trembling of the body, the
glazed eyes, the shaky gait or the slurred words, give the
game away. As they continue on their downward spiral
they can go missing for days, only to be found oblivious
to the anxiety they created for others. And even after all
that they can start all over again.
They may even be found in faraway places around the
globe as they very often have no memory of hopping
on a plane, booking into a hotel and drinking all the
miniatures in one go before returning to the bar for
more. One gentleman arrived in the Far East with a
firm commitment to sobriety, only to down the entire
contents of the minibar and then request the hotel staff
to refill at twelve o’clock at night. The staff declined. He
had the bright idea to book another room and down
all that was in the next room. He never slept in any bed
because he landed between two beds. The police had to
be called as no one could find him. Indeed, alcoholism
really does bring individuals to strange places.
Sadly, when any of us start out having the odd glass,
how many of us believe we could end up in such
dangerous places often not remembering how it all
happened? Alcoholism is not only a disease or illness. It
is a dangerous game to play with no rules or guidelines
for anyone to install, as the danger games are always
lurking in the dark minds of those who cannot put
down the glass without major help and sometimes fatal
results.
Ann Marie McMahon is a Counselling Psychologist
and author of Issues not Tissues; Bloom not Gloom;
Mixed Messages; Be Your Own Friend; Longing and
Legacies.
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Pioneer, April 2016
9
English and Scottish
Defenders of
Three 1916 Heroes
SEÁN UA CEARNAIGH looks across the Irish Sea to those who supported the
Irish patriots in 1916 though verse and written scripts.
Wilfred Meynell and his wife, Alice, were much
acclaimed poets in their time. Wilfred was, at all times,
a patriotic Englishman, but he was never an imperialist.
He recognised the right of all countries to justice and
freedom. It is not surprising then, that he sympathised
with Ireland’s struggle for independence or that he
honoured the heroes of 1916.
Both William and Alice were converts to Catholicism
and received much solace from their deep-rooted Faith.
One of the most noteworthy features of their Christian
character was their rescue of fellow Catholic poet,
Francis Thompson, from a life of horror. Without their
generous care and kindness, much of the great works of
Thompson would have remained unwritten.
While Wilfred may not have known Count Plunkett or
his patriot son, Joseph Mary, he would have respected
the older man for his artistic pursuits and his deep
religious faith. And he was, as we know, much impressed
by the poems of Joseph Plunkett.
10
Pioneer, April 2016
In the wake of the Easter Rising, Meynell, who had
a strong devotion to Mary, the Mother of God, noted
that Plunkett, in signing the Proclamation, omitted
the word ‘Mary’ from his name. Following the patriot’s
execution, he wrote a little poem addressed to Joseph
Mary Plunkett. To quote:
Because you left her name unnamed
Lest some should surely think it shamed,
I, with a bolder pen than thine,
Link Joseph Mary all the time.
I think, although you were not due,
She waited at the Gate for you,
And wore a sweet celestial pout
Because her name had been left out.
For this is very She who sings:
‘The poor God filleth with good things’;
And Rebel She who dares to say
‘But empty send the rich away!’
Wilfred Meynell died in 1948 at the age of ninety-six.
Count Plunkett, a year older than Meynell, also passed
away the same year.
Wilfred Meynell was not the only English poet who
wrote kind words on a 1916 patriot. Theodore Maynard’s
lament for Pádraig Pearse remains one of the finest
poems of Easter Week. Born in India, his parents were
English Plymouth Brethren missionaries. He settled in
London in 1907, working as an office clerk and achieving
some fame as a poet. He converted to Catholicism in
1913 and, for the remainder of his life, was zealous in the
practice of his faith. While, to the best of our knowledge,
he never met Pádraig Pearse, he was greatly impressed
by the Irishman’s work in the field of education and
admired his poetry. In the wake of Pearse’s execution, he
wrote a splendid elegy, Immortal.
Theodore Maynard, along with his wife and their
family, settled in America in 1921, where he went on
to achieve fame as a chronicler of Catholic history and
biography writing – twenty-seven books in all. His
poems were published in two volumes. Sadly, his works
are now almost forgotten, both in America and England.
He died at his home in Port Washington, New York, in
1956. If, for no other reason than that he penned his
lament for Pearse, he will be forever remembered with
affection in Ireland.
Roger Casement, as we know, died with all the rituals
of the Catholic Church. His Catholic mother, who died
while he was still a young boy, had him baptised in
her own Church. But he, following the death of both
of his parents, was reared as a Protestant by his North
Antrim relations. However, for much of his life, he found
himself drawn towards Catholicism and, shortly before
his execution in Pentonville Prison, he was received
into the Catholic Church. His conversion was greatly
facilitated by three prison priests, all of whom treated
him with great kindness. They were Father Carey, a
native of Kilbeheny, County Limerick, Corkman Father
Ring and Scotsman, Father McCarroll. It was the Scottish
priest, James McCarroll, who penned the most graceful
tribute ever paid to a dead patriot. He, it was also, who
rescued and preserved for posterity, the last written
words of the patriot. Among them are the following
expressions of joy at his reception into the Catholic
Church: ‘If I die tomorrow, bury me in Ireland and I shall
die in the Catholic Faith, for I accept it fully now. It tells
me what my heart sought long – but I saw it in the faces
of the Irish. Now I know what it was I loved in them. The
chivalry of Christ – for Christ was the first knight – and
now goodbye. I write still with hope – hope that God will
be with me to the end.’
Thirty years later, Father McCarroll wrote his own
tribute to Casement and described his last hours of
earth.
‘Though thirty years have passed, the years have not
dimmed the memory of a noble, gentle, lonely soul. It was a
lonely place, the condemned cell at Pentonville Prison. We
met on the evening of 29 June1916 – the feast day of Saints
Peter and Paul, and thus began a friendship which I know
has lasted far beyond the 3 August, 1916, the day on which
he went to God. We met on 29 June and we met daily until 3
August, 1916, until his lonely burial in the prison yard with
all the rites and ceremonies of the Church.’
Mass was celebrated in the prison chapel at 7.30 on
the morning of Casement’s execution. It was at this Mass
that Roger Casement received his first Holy Communion
which was also his Viaticum. It was a day of great spiritual
joy for him. He expressed a desire to go to the scaffold
fasting, as he said, that his God might be the last food he
took on earth.
The intervening time between the celebration of
Mass and nine o’ clock was passed in prayer. Quietly, he
submitted to the attention of the executioner. With his
hands bound, calmly he walked to the scaffold repeating
the words, ‘Into Thy Hands I commend my spirit’. His last
words were: ‘Lord Jesus, receive my soul.’
Father McCarroll outlived Roger Casement by over
forty years. To the end of his life, he continued to speak
with reverence and affection of the gentle patriot who
died for Ireland on a lonely London gallows.
Connolly
Patrick Street, Limerick. Tel: 061 410324
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Pioneer, April 2016
11
‘Confession is good for the
soul’, was an expression that
was commonly used when I
was growing up in the 1950s
and ‘60s, but that drop of
wisdom appears to be lost
on the present generation,
judging by the everdiminishing lines outside
the Confession boxes in our
churches, writes SEÁN RYAN
CONFESSION HASN’T
LOST ITS LUSTRE
Of course, there has been a decline in the practice of
religion, but there are still plenty of people presenting
themselves in our churches every Sunday to receive the
Eucharist – far more than ever darken the Confession box.
Could it be that some have taken Confession for granted,
or that they no longer see the need for it in their lives?
Perhaps they have never been properly catechised
to the true value and meaning of this great sacrament.
It surely can’t be that they have no sins of omission or
commission to confess, or no bad habits that need an
airing and the grace of the sacrament to help control
them? Could it be that they have never spent any
time contemplating the parable Christ told about the
Prodigal Son? Or more particularly, the great love the
father showed his Prodigal Son?
I recall attending Mass in Marianella, the Redemptorist
house on Orwell Road in Rathgar (now sadly lost to the
developers), and the homily made a big impression on
me because the priest explained how we only have to
form the idea of confessing our sins for God to forgive
us. A truly profound thought.
That is the lesson from the parable of the Prodigal
Son, and it is a huge comfort to anyone burdened with
a sin or a bad habit that they feel uncomfortable about
12
Pioneer, April 2016
confessing. Once the decision to confess has been
made, Christ’s forgiveness is poured into our hearts, and
our souls are unburdened, even if, like the Prodigal Son,
we still feel unworthy.
It’s sad that some life-long Catholics can take
Confession for granted. Converts to the Church often
come from a background which doesn’t involve
Confession and very often considered the very idea
anathema. For them, conscience is supreme, and a direct
relationship with Christ is all that is needed when it
comes to sorrow for sins. However, upon being received
into the Church and confessing to a priest, it is wonderful
to read how joyful and enlightening an experience it
proves to be. What they had privately feared turns out to
be one of the great, enlightening gifts of their new Faith.
All of this was brought home to me recently when I
was reading Painted Butterflies, the memoir of Mill Hill
Missionary Fr Christopher Fox (choicepublishing.ie,
€14.95), and he told a story, which brought out the true
value of Confession.
He was home in Ireland, and helping out a priest at
Christmas, a time when many who have been away
from the Church for some time come back to make their
peace with God.
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PIONEER
‘I heard more stories then than Joe Duffy on Live Line
could imagine,’ Fr Fox writes. ‘On one occasion, after
hours in the box, I thought I had finished, but then
I heard a heavy step approaching. I pulled back the
slide in the darkened box and was hit with a strong
smell of Guinness. I used my usual greeting: “You’re
very welcome.” The man on the other side of the screen
paused and said slowly: “Father, I was afraid you’d throw
me out. I’ve been away for years. I’m an awful sinner.
Now I don’t want to take up your time so just put me
down for everything!”
I asked him had he ever robbed a bank.
“Good God, no, why did you ask that?”
I told him that he was probably not half as bad as he
thought he was. The rest was easy. We had a good chat
about sorrow and a new beginning. He was no angel,
but the black spots in his past life were easily washed
away in the power of the sacrament. He remained at the
back of the church afterwards to greet me. As I wished
him a Happy Christmas, he gave a great big smile, spat
on his hand in the manner of a farmer who has made a
good sale, put it out for a firm handshake and said to me:
‘Put it there, Father, you’ve made my Christmas.”’
It’s sad to think that there are many Catholics out
there who either mistakenly believe they have no need
for Confession or who stay away in fear, missing out on
one of the great sources of grace that Christ wants so
much to pour into their souls. If you are one of those
people, don’t delay, make a good Confession, and feel
the benefit straight away.
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Pioneer, April 2016
13
LIGHTING UP
I’m not that good with gadgetry. I have ten thumbs.
So when I got a CD player some time ago and the light
stayed on even when I turned the thing off, I realised
deeper investigations were called for.
I checked out all of the other eighty-four switches on it
as well as looking through the manual (the Portuguese
translation of the instructions I found very useful) but,
in the heel of the hunt, the light was still there taunting
me.
Up I go to the electrical store and tell the guy working
there.
14
Pioneer, April 2016
“That’s meant to stay on,” he informed me, cold-faced,
“It’s a pilot light.”
“So even when you press the ‘Off’ switch,” I protested,
“it still stays on.”
“Yes,” he said, “24/7. Don’t worry. You won’t have to
take out a second mortgage. It’s probably about a euroa-month on your electricity bill.”
Smart guy. There was a time I could have got him his
walking papers for language like that. Besides, it’s not
the money. I just don’t like things being on without my
say-so. Some genius has put a perpetual light on my
TIME
Is AUBREY
MALONE alone
in his disdain for
multiple clock
faces?
electric cooker as well, and one on my DVD player. It’s
getting to me.
Last week, I knocked over the transistor in the
bathroom and the aerial broke. I went up to the electrical
store to get another one. Guess what – a digital little
clockface stays on even after you press the ‘Off’ switch.
I don’t want another clock in the house. I’ve already got
about a dozen of them.
I went up to the smart guy and asked him if there
was any way the clockface could be disconnected. “No
way, José,” he smirked. “It’s part of the product.” He was
enjoying this. I told him I already had a clock on the wall,
a watch on my wrist, another clock on the mantelpiece,
one on the CD, one on the DVD, and even one on the
cooker – just to go with the equally annoying lights on
all of the above. I didn’t ask for any of these extras. I don’t
want clocks and lights coming out my ears. No designer
ever consulted me to ask if I could do with an extra timepiece in my life. When I bought the transistor, which is
about the size of a matchbox, nothing on the box said
that it contained a digital clockface that could never,
ever be turned off.
Actually it can if you reef the batteries out, but you
have to remember to put them back in before you miss
your favourite programme. That’s when you need a
clock. But the darned thing doesn’t come on with the
batteries out.
FEEL GOOD ABOUT
WHO YOU ARE
An elderly Chinese woman had two large
pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which
she carried across her neck. One of the pots
had a crack in it, while the other pot was
perfect and always delivered a full portion
of water. At the end of the long walk from
the stream to her home, the cracked pot
arrived only half-full. For a full two years
this went on daily, with the woman bringing
home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its
accomplishment. But the poor cracked pot
was ashamed of its own imperfection, and
miserable that it could only do half of what
it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be
a bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one
day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself,
because this crack in my side causes water to
leak out all the way back to your house.” The
old woman smiled.
“Did you notice that there are flowers on
your side of the path, but not on the other
pot’s side? That’s because I have always
known your flaw, so I planted flower seeds
on your side of the path, and every day while
we walk back, you water them. For two years
I have been able to pick these beautiful
flowers to decorate the table. Without you
being just the way you are, there would not
be this beauty to grace the house.”
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But
it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that
make our lives together so very interesting
and rewarding. You’ve just got to take each
person for what they are and look for the
good in them.
Source unknown
Pioneer, April 2016
15
Blessed Bartolo Longo:
Former Satanic Priest
Bartolo Longo was an Italian Lawyer who had become involved in Satanic practices as a student
but then returned to his Catholic faith with the zeal of the newly converted. He then devoted his
life to promoting the Rosary and devotion to the Blessed Virgin, writes PATRICK P ROWAN
Bartolo was the son of wealthy parents living in the small
town of Latiano in the south of Italy. He was born on 10
February 1864. Both parents were devout Catholics.
His father died when Bartolo was still an infant, but his
mother married a lawyer soon after. When he reached
his teens his stepfather wanted him to train as a teacher
16
Pioneer, April 2016
but Bartolo decided he wanted to become a lawyer. His
stepfather agreed to this, so the young man enrolled in
the University of Naples.
Italy was going through a troubled political time just
then. General Giuseppe Garibaldi was leading a strong
nationalistic movement to promote Italian unification,
which he achieved by the creation of the Kingdom of
Italy on 17 March 1861. He felt that the Vatican was
opposed to his plans for unification so he hoped to
get rid of the Vatican. Many of Garibaldi’s army were
students and his plans were strongly supported by
the students in the University of Naples. Many of these
students were involved in demonstrations against the
Pope, part of which meant indulging in witchcraft.
Bartolo was a strong advocate of nationalisation
and became influenced by these students who were
involved in witchcraft, séances and the consultation of
mediums. This led him into a Satanist cult. He became
more and more involved until he concluded that he
had become a satanic priest. Spiritualism and Occultism
were sometimes practised in Europe at that time.
As time passed Longo noticed changes in himself. He
became worried when he began to develop psychiatric
symptoms, mainly depression, but also paranoia.
He turned to a friend from his youth to
advise him. This friend persuaded him
to forget about Satanism and return
to the Church. He introduced
him to a Dominican priest,
Father Alberto Radente,
who helped him develop
a devotion to the Rosary.
He became a Dominican
tertiary
and
worked
with some Franciscans
in helping the poor.
He visited a séance and
held up a Rosary saying
‘I renounce spiritualism
because it is nothing but a
maze of error and falsehood.’
In his work as a lawyer, he went
to help Countess Mariana Farnararo
De Fusco in Pompeii. He met many of the
local people in Pompeii and was shocked by their
ignorance of their faith. He noted that their religion was
a mixture of ‘superstition and popular tradition.’ They
often had recourse to witchcraft for guidance. When
he questioned one man about his knowledge of the
Trinity the man stated. ‘When I was a child people told
me there were three gods but now, after so many years,
I don’t know if one of them is dead or if one of them has
married.’
Longo continued to suffer depression and paranoia
and often thought of suicide but was consoled by the
statement that Saint Dominic had once made. ‘He who
propagates my Rosary will be saved.’ It was this promise
that convinced him to encourage devotion to the
Rosary. With the help of Countess Mariana, he started
a confraternity of the Rosary and, in October 1873,
began to restore an old church. A nun then presented
him with a painting of the Blessed Virgin as Our Lady
of the Rosary handing Rosary beads to Saint Dominic
and Saint Catherine of Siena. The painting had been on
sale in a junk shop and was in very bad condition. Three
hundred local people pledged a penny a month to have
the picture restored when it was placed in the church.
‘Miracles’ were reported from those who prayed before
the Virgin so people in their thousands began to visit
the church.
The next big event in Longo’s life was when the
Bishop of Nola suggested that he should have a larger
church constructed. The cornerstone was laid on 8 May,
1876 and the church was consecrated five years later
by a cardinal representing Pope Leo XIII. Such great
numbers of pilgrims came to the church that it had
to be enlarged again until it can now accommodate
up to six thousand people. It is now a cathedral and is
known as the ‘Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of
the Rosary.’ The painting ‘Our Lady of the Rosary’ with its
bronze frame occupies a prominent position
on the high altar. After several attempts
to repair it, the final restoration was
done by Vatican artists in 1965.
Pope Leo XIII must have had
a great interest in Bartolo
because he suggested
that Longo and Countess
Mariana should get
married. This they did
on 7 April, 1885 but
their relationship was
to remain on a platonic
basis for the rest of their
lives. They continued to
do much charitable works
in providing for orphans and
the children of prisoners. Then
in 1906 they donated the entire
property of the Pompeii shrine to the
Holy See. The square or piazza where the
basilica stands is now named in honour of Longo.
His body is encased in a glass tomb in the basilica and
he is wearing the mantle of a Knight of the Order of the
Holy Sepulchre, a papal order of knighthood.
On 26 October, 1980 Pope John Paul II beatified
Bartolo Longo and he described him as the ‘Apostle of
the Rosary.’ On 7 October, 2003 the same Pope visited
the basilica and prayed for peace. He was greeted by a
crowd of 30,000 when he arrived by helicopter. Bartolo
Longo continued to promote the recitation of the
Rosary up to the time of his death on 5 October, 1926, at
the age of eighty-five.
Pope Benedict XVI showed how highly he regarded
the shrine when he presented a Golden Rose to the
shrine on 19 October, 2008. The Pope’s Golden Rose
is a precious and sacred ornament of pure gold. It is
presented annually only to churches or to prominent
people who are considered to have helped the Church
and the Papacy to a very high degree.
Bartolo was a
strong advocate of
nationalisation and
became influenced
by these students
who were involved in
witchcraft, séances and
the consultation
of mediums.
Pioneer, April 2016
17
TONGUE
TWISTERS
Wrap your tongue around
these tangled twisters.
HOW MANY
WORDS OF FOUR OR MORE
LETTERS CAN YOU MAKE OF
THE FOLLOWING WORD
SUCCESSFULLY
General
KNOWLEDGE?
1. What is a young frog called?
2. What colour is scarlet a shade of?
3. How many sides in a rectangle?
4. Bees make what sweet substance?
TRUE
or FALSE?
1. 500 years is called a centenary.
2. A young walrus is called a calf.
3. Emmenthal is a type of cheese.
4. Cairo is the capital of Egypt.
ANSWERS: 1. False – five hundred years of called a
quincentenary; 2. True; 3. True; 4. True.
Wise Owl
Things
Friendly fleas and fireflies.
Zebras zig and zebras zag.
Whether the weather is cold, whether the
weather is hot, we have to put up with the
weather, whether we like it or not.
ALLmixedUP
Unscramble the following letters
to identify five flowers
ISYAD
LDFODFIA
ELEUBLLB
SERO
DGLOIRMA
ANSWERS: ANSWERS: 1. Tadpole; 2. Red;
3. Four; 4. Honey.
DOCTOR! DOCTOR!
Patient: “Doctor! Doctor! Everyone keeps throwing me in the bin!”
Doctor: “Ah, don’t talk, rubbish.”
Patient: “Doctor! Doctor! Will this ointment clear up my spots?”
Doctor: “I never make rash promises.”
Patient: “Doctor! Doctor!. I think I’m a bridge.”
Doctor: “What’s come over you?”
ANSWERS: 1. Greece; 2. Post Office; 3. Advice.
18
Pioneer, April 2016
Sound
Bytes
I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is
the garbage man or the president of the university.
Albert Einstein
No persons are more frequently wrong, than those
who will not admit they are wrong.
François de La Rochefoucauld
How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single
moment before starting to improve the world. Anne Frank
Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of
playing a poor hand well. Robert Louis Stevenson
The best index to a person’s character is how he
treats people who can’t do him any good, and how
he treats people who can’t fight back.
Abigail Van Buren
Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching,
and has taught me to understand what your heart
used to be. I have been bent and broken, but – I
hope – into a better shape. Charles Dickens
It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you
are or what you are doing that makes you happy or
unhappy. It is what you think about it.
Dale Carnegie
A purpose of human life, no matter who is
controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be
loved. Kurt Vonnegut
Life’s under no obligation to give us what we
expect. Margaret Mitchell
If you must love your neighbour as yourself, it is at
least as fair to love yourself as your neighbour.
Nicolas Chamfort
Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three
are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions
and thoughts, you return to the source of
being. Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are. Compassionate
toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the
world. Lao Tzu
A learning experience is one of those things that
says, ‘You know that thing you just did? Don’t do
that.’ Douglas Adams
Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see
yourself running with them. Marcus Aurelius
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as
you do not stop. Confucius
That men do not learn very much from the lessons
of history is the most important of all the lessons
that history has to teach. Aldous Huxley
If you think you are too small to make a difference,
try sleeping with a mosquito. Dalai Lama XIV
The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be
honest and truthful; to make the most of what we
have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have
courage when things go wrong. Laura Ingalls Wilder
Pioneer, April 2016
19
Use Positive Stress as
Motivation for the State Exams
by Billy Ryle
Anxiety
It’s the most natural thing in the world to feel a little bit
nervous before an important occasion. Anticipation of
any event such as a job interview or a football match
is often worse than participating in the event itself.
Exams are no different. As the State Exams draw near, it
is totally understandable that candidates begin to feel
anxious about their perceived performance. A certain
level of anxiety is very normal and actually helps your
motivation. It brings a degree of immediacy and urgency
to your work. You begin to realise that you can no longer
postpone your plan of action. On the contrary, with the
exam facing you on Wednesday, 8 June, your increased
anxiety is reminding you to make the best use of the
time at your disposal. Pre-exam nerves are not confined
to students who feel they haven’t done sufficient study.
Almost all candidates, irrespective of how laid back and
carefree they may appear on the outside, feel nervous.
20
Pioneer, April 2016
It’s the body’s way of dealing with a stressful experience.
How you deal with this nervous energy is the critical
issue. If you channel it in a positive direction it will give
you the verve to cope with the demands of the exam.
Confidence
A positive mental attitude is a considerable aid in the run
up to and during exams. This means having confidence
in yourself and having belief in your ability to do well.
Don’t be discouraged or unnerved by other students
appearing to know more than you do. Your aim is to
perform to your own capability not to compete with or
compare yourself with anyone else. Continue to make
positive statements about yourself. Banish all negative
thoughts about your physical or intellectual self from
your mind. It’s very important for you to think positively
about your ability to cope with the demands which an
exam makes on you. Each individual is different, unique
and a person of worth. Each one of us has an array of
talents and abilities. Each one of us has a contribution
to make, however significant or marginal. Think well
of yourself and make the best possible use of your
particular talents and abilities to achieve your success.
Your best effort is more important than your ultimate
performance in the exam. You can only do your best, no
more, no less. Believe and be confident that your best
will be good enough.
Motivation
It’s a well-accepted axiom that success is a product of
positive thinking. By motivating yourself towards the
achievement of your goals, you will redouble your
effort and improve your performance. Have items
in your study environment to spur you on. Place a
statement of your objectives, such as your target grades,
in a conspicuous place. An occasional glance in their
direction will encourage you Sometimes a study group
of three or four students who are reasonably compatible
can provide a support network for each other and can
cover a considerable amount of course material in a
short period of time. If the members of a study group
are to be mutually supportive, each member must be
prepared to do a reasonable amount of research and to
share that information with the other members of the
group.
Stress
Another issue that becomes newsworthy every year
in the build up to exams is that of stress. Exam stress
becomes an issue because of the assessment system
used in the State Exams. For the most part these exams
are terminally assessed. In effect, two years of work is
examined by means of written papers over a very short
period of time. Little or no credit is given to the student
for consistent work over the two years. Continuous
assessment is not utilised nor, with some exceptions, is
project work acceptable in the exam structure. The major
problem with the present exam system is the increased
level of stress it causes in some students and their
parents around exam time. Despite all that is written
about exam stress, students continue to show that
they are excellent exam performers and use stress as a
stimulant rather than an affliction. We are always under
stress as long as we are alive. Sometimes, for example
when we are asleep, our stress levels are very low. When
we are in a situation of danger our stress levels are much
higher. A certain amount of stress is necessary to meet
the various challenges of life.
you. However, your application to study and revision
provides you with the resources to comfortably meet
these demands. Positive stress provides you with
the motivation to prepare for the exam. It will sustain
and stimulate this motivation until the exam is over.
Properly controlled stress will activate hidden resources
of energy and application in you. The important thing
to remember is that you must control the stress and
channel it into positive energy.
Distress
It’s only when you begin to feel that you do not have
the resources to meet the demands of the exam that
distress or negative stress becomes an issue. Exam
distress is a rare occurrence in young people and can
easily be confused with normal exam nerves or anxiety.
The present cohort of young people is highly skilled
and is well able to cope with the demands of the exam
system. Distress, when it does occur, is disruptive and
may certainly interfere with your performance if it isn’t
counteracted.
Support Network
One of the most effective ways of managing distress is
through utilising your social support network of people
who care about you and are interested in your welfare.
If you feel you need reassurance or emotional support
don’t hesitate to approach someone in whom you have
confidence. That person may be a teacher, a parent or
your guidance counsellor. All you need is the advice of
someone who will put the exam in perspective for you
and who will help to boost your self-confidence. It all
goes back to having a positive mental attitude and to
realising that anxiety and stress should be channelled in
your favour rather than being obstacles to your success.
Checklist
Positive Stress
üExam nerves are the most natural thing in the
world
üAlmost all students feel anxious in the weeks
before an exam
üA positive mental attitude is an aid to quality study
üMake positive statements about yourself
üBelieve that your best will be good enough
üSuccess is a product of positive thinking
üA study group can provide a support network for
each other
üPositive stress is a motivator
üChannel stress into positive energy
üIf you need emotional support go and get it
üMany people care about you and want you to do
well
The type of stress experienced by the majority of exam
students is positive stress. It concentrates the mind
wonderfully. You, the exam student is aware that the
forthcoming exam is making increased demands of
Billy Ryle is a Career Guidance Counsellor and freelance
writer. He is an active member of Spa Parish PTAA Centre,
Tralee, Co. Kerry.
Pioneer, April 2016
21
CAUGHT ON THE NET
Greetings from Florida! I will do what I
can but many Americans see the Temperance
Society as AA or from a Spirituality that
belonged to a Pre-Vatican II Church. I
took the pledge first with Fr Mathew’s
Temperance Association in Cork and then later
on with the Pioneers. Many of the Teaching
Brothers were members of the Pioneers. I
enjoy the web site. Very Rev. Prior S, OSB,
Florida, USA.
PIONEER: Greetings from a chilly Ireland! Thanks for
taking the time to write to us and compliment our
website. Many societies that started in Ireland that
were started pre-Vatican II still continue. As there
was a need in our founder, Fr Cullen’s time for the
Pioneers, the suffering of addiction lingers to this
day. Whatever we as Pioneers can do – however
small an act or gesture - to stem the flow of alcohol
abuse, we will do our best to tackle it using our Godgiven tools to promote temperance. And we are
inspired in our work by our devotion to the Sacred
Heart – a seventeenth century initiative from the
revelations to St Margaret Mary Alacoque by the
Sacred Heart Himself – for all time – pre and post
Vatican II! Keep heart. We are assured that our Heroic
Offering prayer, like all our prayers, reaches the ear
of God and someone, somewhere and somehow
is taking a step to sobriety right now because of it.
Keep in touch and keep up the prayers. Editor.
I have decided to wait until 19 March - the
feast of St Joseph to make my permanent
pledge. As a Publican and non-drinker, this
is something I have been meaning to do for
a long time. It takes a lot of courage and
determination to withstand the power of
being one of the herd and I want to continue
to dare to be different with the help of the
permanent pledge. God Bless, Philip.
22
Pioneer, April 2016
PIONEER: You are correct, Philip. It does take courage
and a great deal of strength to swim against a tide.
In your work, you are a first-hand witness to the
effect of excessive alcohol consumption of some of
your patrons, but kudos to those who can celebrate
with alcohol in moderation. As a Pioneer, continue
to be different, and make a difference. Editor.
We are interested in starting a Pioneer
group in our Flemington, NJ parish of Saint
Magdalen De Pazzi Church. My daughter
Christine spoke to the parochial vicar, who
is familiar with the Pioneer Total Abstinence
Society. Christine joined via my dad’s chapter
in Queens NY, but is interested in starting a
chapter at our local parish. She is in the
process of gathering information to share
with our pastor. Any tips you can share
would be greatly appreciated. My father
was a member for 73 years until he passed
away two years ago. His wish was for his
grandchildren to carry on the devotion to
the Sacred Heart via the Total Abstinence
Society. We hope to honour his memory
with this effort. Thank you for your help.
Veronica M., New Jersey.
PIONEER: Hi Veronica. We will contact you about
setting up a Centre in New Jersey. Spread the word far
and wide, through your parish bulletin or any other
means, letting people know that you are setting up a
Pioneer Centre, and seek out some willing volunteers
to help you. Maybe your pastor can announce it at
Mass? Parents of teenagers might be willing to assist
you and set a good example for their children at such
a vulnerable age, particularly with peer press. Your
father was a dedicated Pioneer and devoted to the
Sacred Heart, as all Pioneers should be. His wish that
his grandchildren devote themselves to the Sacred
Heart reflects his own experience as a faithful servant
of our Master. May his wish for his grandchildren come
to fruition and may he rest in the peace of Christ.
I cannot express how my enrolment has
blessed my decision to abstain from alcohol
for myself, and many others in my family
struggling with this addiction. The strength
I gain daily from the Sacred Heart of Jesus
is amazing. I originally enrolled for Lent, but
already I know I will be doing so for life,
but I take one day at a time. Blessings,
Shirley.
PIONEER: Just like the song, One Day at a Time –
that’s all we can do – take one day at a time and trust
in the Sacred Heart to hold us firmly. The Sacred
Heart gave us the promise that he would comfort
us in all our afflictions. Your experience is testament
to His great love and mercy for us. May He also bring
peace to your family and everyone dealing with
alcohol misuse – to those struggling with addiction
and those who are close to the victim who suffer its
ripple effects. God bless you, Shirley.
CAUGHT IN A WEB
“You are drinking far too much.”My mother
had come over from Dublin to visit me
and my family in Auckland, New Zealand,
where we had migrated in 1965. She had
come in late 1974 and was obviously very
distressed by my drinking. She and my
father had never drunk alcohol. I assured
her that I was just keeping pace with my
friends and that it was quite the norm for
New Zealand. The alcoholic is the last to
become aware of his pathetic condition.
Drink had become the main focus of my
life. I existed in a permanent befuddled
haze. One night I came home late and
fell into bed in a drunken stupor. This
was about a month after my mother had
returned to Dublin. I suddenly woke up
after a couple of hours and found that my
heart was behaving in an extraordinary
manner. It was beating violently and then
stopping for what seemed an eternity.
Terrified, I realised that I was going to
die. I cried out “God, get me out of this
and I shall never drink again”. My heart
immediately returned to a normal steady
beat and I fell into a deep sleep. I woke up
with not a trace of a hangover and with a
clear head. All craving for drink also gone.
I am ashamed to say that it was years
before I appreciated the enormity of the
miracles that God had bestowed on me.
He had pulled me back from the brink of
hell. – Kind regards, Joe K., New Zealand.
Your story, Joe, can be recounted many times
over and all around the word. God is good. We
will keep you in our prayers.
EXAM QUESTIONS AND
OBVIOUSLY WRONG
ANSWERS
Q. Who did not welcome the return of the
prodigal son?
A. The fatted calf.
Q. Name all four seasons.
A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
Q. How is dew formed?
A. The sun shines down on the grass and makes
it perspire.
Q. What is a planet?
A. A body of earth surrounded by sky.
Q. What causes the tides in the ocean?
A. The tides are a fight between the earth and
the moon. All water tends to flow towards the
moon, because there is no water on the moon,
and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget why the
sun joins in the fight.
Q. Where is the tibia?
A. North Africa.
Q. What is a coma?
A. A coma is a punctuation mark, a bit like a full
stop.
Q. What is a seizure?
A. A roman emperor.
Q. What is artificial respiration commonly
known as?
A. The kiss of death.
Q. What are steroids?
A. Things for keeping the carpet on the stairs.
Q. What is a morbid state?
A. A stage in a takeover, when a bigger offer is
made.
Q. What is a vacuum?
A. A space where the Pope lives.
Pioneer, April 2016
23
James Kelly SJ
Most of us, if not all, have this fear. We dread the thought
of being left totally on our own and losing all control.
Then we have to be brought on high – and we wonder
are we ready for this. The wonder of having to face the
greatness and sacredness of the Almighty, is balanced
by knowing that He is all-loving and good.
We are conscious that we are sinners, and that we, in
hidden ways, cling very much to our sinfulness.
Hint at Solution
The Epistle to the Hebrews indicates that Jesus has given
24
Pioneer, April 2016
us the solution to this problem, which is beyond our
control to solve. He destroyed him who had power over
death (the devil), in order to free those who were in
slavery by the fear of death (2.14,15). Clearly it is Christ’s
death and resurrection (since they are connected and
one) that liberates us.
Yet being too conscious of our grave sins could disturb
us greatly at this time, when we should be focussing
differently. Lest we lose too much our balance here,
the Bible often reminds us that God is rich in mercy. ‘He
does not deal with us according to our sins, nor requite
us according to our iniquities …; as far as the east is from
the west, so does He remove our transgressions from us’
(Ps 103. 10,12). This is a reality that we can never dwell
too much on.
Jesus the Resurrection and the Life
Jesus said these words to Martha, after the body of
her brother Lazarus had been already four days
in the tomb. To consider Him only as the
life is not enough. Just as He shares
His life with us as in the Eucharist,
He does likewise with us with His
resurrection. We are caught up in
the swell of His power as He rises
from the dead, and the force
and splendour of this utterly
changes us for the good. This is
mighty: ‘This perishable body
must put on imperishability,
but this mortal body must put
on immortality’ (1 Cor 15.54). The
apparent lifelessness of a dead body
should not blind us to its truth and
possibilities. ‘It is sown in dishonour, it is
raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised
in power’ (1 Cor 15.43).
caused by it, has to be absorbed and squashed in this
further depth of faith. The dead body of Lazarus in the
tomb is only the occasion for greater and deeper faith.
This death allows Jesus to reveal further who He is. When
He says that He is the life, He means all life, the eternal
and the divine. His human life is only part of this. Christ
shares His divine life with us, and so we are brought
into Him, as by the Eucharist. Even sinful life is
changed by Him. The Son, dying and rising,
shows the further side of His existence
– that He is the resurrection. He
brings us into this too. When
He prays to the Father before
raising Lazarus from his grave,
He asks that what is about to
happen to Him may also take
place in His dead friend – that
is, that he should rise from the
grave.
The Bible
often reminds us
that God is rich
in Mercy
Do You Believe?
Jesus put this question to Martha, after He said that He
is the resurrection and the life. Death sets before her a
new level of faith. Every concern about it, every anxiety
The Finality and Sadness
of Death
The sisters think that Lazarus is
utterly dead and lament this fact. Both
Martha and Mary say: ‘Lord, if you had been
here, my brother would not have died’ (11.22,32).
Jesus, too, is shaken by this death and weeps. ‘He was
greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved (11.33). Yet
all is not lost. The love of Jesus, who is the resurrection
and the life, is so strong that it can awaken the dead. He
is Lord of the living and the dead.
Bequest
Please remember the
Pioneer Total Abstinence Association
of the Sacred Heart in your will.
“I give and bequeath to the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart,
27 Upper Sherrard Street, Dublin 1, Ireland the sum of E__________ for the general
charitable purposes in Ireland of the said Association. The receipt of the said Association
shall be sufficient evidence of payment of the said sum.”
Charity Reg No. CHY2824
Pioneer, April 2016
25
Here are a couple of recipes
that include the humble bit
of bacon. The best bacon
choice is uncured, reducedsodium bacon. For bacon
lovers, it tastes delicious
and contains less salt.
– Terri Jones
Cookery: Save Your Bacon
RISOTTO WITH BACON AND VEGETABLES
Ingredients:
300g thick bacon rashers, cubed
75g butter
1 large onion
1 small can of sweetcorn
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
200g long grain rice
1 pint vegetable stock
Pinch of nutmeg
75g cheese, grated
50g frozen peas
Salt and pepper to season
Method: Cook the peas for approximately ten minutes
in boiling water. Melt most of the butter in a pan. Add
the bacon, onion and garlic. Fry until the onion is soft
and the mixture is well blended. Add in the rice and cook
for a further ten minutes. Reduce the heat and add the
stock, nutmeg and season as desired. Bring back to the
boil, continuously stirring. Reduce the heat and allow
to simmer for about twenty minutes when the liquid is
26
Pioneer, April 2016
absorbed fully.
Add the pepper, nutmeg, sweetcorn and cooked peas
and cook for another five minutes. Just prior to serving,
add in the remainder of the butter and grated cheese
and stir.
BACON PUDDING
Ingredients:
426ml milk
50g breadcrumbs
100g bacon, minced
15 g butter
2 eggs, beaten
20g grated cheese
Method: Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Heat the
milk in a saucepan. Pour the milk over the breadcrumbs
and leave to soak for half-an-hour. Add in the beaten
eggs, bacon and butter. Pour the mixture into a greased
ovenproof dish, and sprinkle over with grated cheese.
Bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 375F/190C/
Gas Mark 5 for about forty minutes until golden. Serve
immediately.
APRIL OBITUARIES
The holy sacrifice of the Mass
has been offered and your
prayers are requested for the
happy repose of the souls of :
Daniel (Dan) Blake, Dun Laoghaire, Co
Dublin ( Golden Jub).
PIONEER X-WORD
THREE PRIZES OF E40 EACH
are offered for the first three correct solutions opened.
All entries must be submitted before 21st of this month.
The Editor’s decision on all matters concerning the competition is final.
Do not send correspondence on any other subject with your entry,
which should be addressed to:
PIONEER CROSSWORD No. 757
27 Upper Sherrard Street, Dublin 1
Noreen Capliss (nee Mulvoy), (formerly
of Prospect Hill, Galway), The Square,
Blackrock, Co Louth. (Golden Jub).
Annie Carroll, Cloonbuliban, Bekan,
Claremorris, Co Mayo. (Golden Jub).
Maggie Catterson, Castlefinn Pioneer
Centre, Co Donegal. (Golden Jub).
Jimmy Coogan, Navan Pioneer Centre, Co
Meath.
William Corbett, Drombane, Thurles, Co
Tipperary. (Golden Jub).
John Joe Hanly, Kiltoghert Centre, Carrickon-Shannon, Co Leitrim. (Golden Jub).
Frances Hayes, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co.
Clare. (Golden Jub).
Brian Higgins, Desertmartin, Magherafelt,
Co Derry. (Golden Jub).
Willie Roche, Bohea, (formerly of Fahy),
Westport, Co Mayo. (Golden Jub).
Mary (Molly) Kelly, Kiltogher Centre,
Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.
(Golden Jub).
Paddy McDonnell, Ardagh, Ballina, Co
Mayo. (Golden Jub).
Jim McGrory, St Brigid’s Ballintra Pioneer
Centre, Co Donegal. (Golden Jub).
Maureen Mitchell, Kiltogher Centre,
Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.
(Golden Jub).
Eileen Molloy, Granville Crescent, Dun
Laoghaire, Co Dublin. (Golden Jub).
V Rev Thomas Joseph Nolan, Paisley,
Scotland. (Diamond Jub).
Eamonn O’Connor, Stillorgan, Co Dublin.
Canon George O’Hanlon, PE, Glenravel,
County Antrim. (Fr Cullen Medal
Recipient).
Daniel O’Sullivan, Castleisland, Co Kerry.
(Golden Jub).
Peter Smith, Carrickeeshil, New Inn,
Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan. (Golden Jub).
Winners of Crossword No. 755
T Corrigan, Askeaton, Co Limerick.
M Roche, Castlemartyr, Co Cork.
C Brophy, Athlone, Co Westmeath.
NAME:..............................................................................................................................................................
ADDRESS:.......................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................
ACROSS:
1. Internal (8)
5. A continent of the world (4)
9. Musical note (5)
10. Township (7)
11. A raised element on the neck of a stringed instrument (4)
12. Cul-de-sac (4,3)
14. Trimmings (6)
15. Sever across (6)
19. Deviate (7)
22. Tense (4)
24. Wind instrument related to the flute (7)
25. Orders of a Tsar (5)
26. Retain (4)
27. Water safety equipment (8)
DOWN:
1. Moist (4)
2. Slender tower attached to a mosque (7)
3. Western Indonesian island (7)
4. Enter by force (6)
6. Balance (5)
7. Story (8)
8. _____ Fitzgerald, Queen of Jazz (4)
13. Stalemate (8)
16. Impose (7)
17. Teach (7)
18. Soldier or police officer in East Africa (6)
20. Elegance (5)
21. _____ Blyton, author of the Famous Five series of books (4)
23. Chirpy (4)
Solutions to Crossword No. 755
ACROSS:1. Birthday; 5. Agar; 9. Reads; 10. Arrears; 11. Lisa; 12. Oversee; 14. Batter;
15. Tuffet; 19. Tipster; 22. Isle; 24. Imitate; 25. Incus; 16. Sued; 27. Stagnant.
DOWN: 1. Bore; 2. Realist; 3. Hostage; 4. Aragon; 5. Grass; 7. Respects; 8. Urge;
13. Abstains; 16. Uniting; 17. Felucca; 18. Ardent; 20. Prize; 21. Team; 23. Fret.
Pioneer, April 2016
27
ANTRIM: St Patrick’s Parish Lisburn (Blaris): Patrick Hughes received his Silver emblem from Fr Eddie
McGee. Eileen and Oliver Carvill received their Golden emblems and certificates.
TYRONE: Cookstown Regional Pioneers held their annual dinner dance in Ballyronan in October last. Eugene
O’Hagan, diocesan President, introduced the nights guest speaker Brian Coll, country and western singer from
Omagh who told some great stories from his many years in the showbands touring the length and breadth of
Ireland and further afield. Pictured are members of the Cookstown Regional Council with the Eugene O’Hagan is
Brian Coll (both seated in the front row).
28
Pioneer, April 2016
OFFALY: Presentation of gold, silver and Special Awards by Fr Meehan in Shinrone Church. (Back): Tadhg Corcoran, Anne Rigney,
Martin Costello, Dermot Golden, John Ormond, Jim Feighery, Patrick O Brien, Stephen Liffey, Michael Delahunty, Anne Oakley.
(Front): Ann Ormond, Marie O Hara, Teresa Cleary, Fr Meehan PP, Mary Cleary, Peggy Keeshan, Mairead Feighery.
CORK: Peg and Michael Walsh, stalwart members
of Cork Regional Pioneer Council who attend every
meeting and every function are both celebrating 70
years of Pioneer Membership.
DUBLIN: Members of the Association receiving
their emblemss and certificates from Fr Pat McKinley
PP, St Marks Parish, Springfield. Pictured are Fr Pat
McKinley PP, Valerie Cannon and Charlie O’ Connor
(Councillor)
DUBLIN: Golden Jubilarians receiving their fiftyyear emblems and certificates from Fr Pat McKinley
PP, Springfield. Pictured are Fr Pat McKinley PP, and
Joseph and Bridie Armstrong from Firhouse, Tallaght.
Pioneer, April 2016
29
MID KILLALA REGION: Mid-Killala Pioneers who received
their golden emblems and certificates at their annual dinners
dance recently were (Back): Mary Hegarty (Keenagh); Mary
Granaghan (Keenagh); Doreen Munnelly (Killala), Padraic
Kilker (Keenagh); Martin Maloney (Bofeenaun); Michael
Ruddy (Kilcommon). (Front): Fr Gerry Gillispie, Bridie
Murphy (Bofeenaun - Fr Cullen Medal); Kathleen Monaghan
(Kilcommon); Ann Cleary (Crossmolina); Fr Pat Munnelly
(Mid-Killala & Diocesan Sp Dir).
MID KILLALA REGION: Fr Pat Munnelly presenting John Joe
Tolan of Crossmolina with his golden emblem and certificate.
Also in the photograph is Dr Michael Loftus (Crossmolina)
and Meave Tierney (Sec, Mid-Killala Region).
KILKENNY: Top: Attending the Pioneers' Dinner Dance at
the Rhu Glen Hotel were John Durney, Maria Cotterell and
Margaret Durney.
Centre: Paddy Connelly receving his gold pin with Nellie
Connolly – receiving on behalf of Peggy Connoly – and Fr
John Condon
Above: Members of South Ossory Pioneer Assocation
receiving silver and gold pins at their annual dinner dance in
the Rhu Glen. Fr John Condon, Nellie O'Brien, Nellie Connolly,
Mai Cashin, Br Tommy Delahunty, Paddy Connolly and Fr
O'Toole.
All photos: Charlie Maher.
DONEGAL: Fr Eddie Gallagher PP (Spiritual Director, South
Donegal Region) made a special presentation to Joe Bradley,
Carrick Centre who has recently stepped down as Readoiri
Officer for this Region and the Raphoe Diocesan Council.
When sending photographs for publication, please retain a copy as PHOTOS WILL NOT BE RETURNED. When sending
pictures electronically for inclusion, please do not attach more than three HIGH-RESOLUTION (300ppi) pictures per email.
All pictures should include a COMPLETE AND CORRECT CAPTION at time of sending. Our Child Protection policy
precludes minors under the age of 18 from being identified by name.
30
Pioneer, April
July/August
2016 2014
CONNACHT: Connaught Pioneer Group Pilgrimage on their annual pilgrimage to Lourdes
FERMANAGH: Newlyenrolled Young Pioneers
in St Michael’s Parish,
Enniskillen, being
presented with their
emblems and cards. The
children pictured are P7
and from Holy Trinity
Primary School. Also in
the photo is Fr Raymond
Donnelly (Sp Dir) and
Angela Rooney, (Pres)
from the local Centre.
WESTMEATH: From Taughmon-Turin Centre are (Back Row): Michael Power, Very
Rev. Declan Smith PP, Edmond Cahill, Rose Glynn (President), Tom McNicholas
(Gold), Labhrás Ó’Murchú (Guest Speaker), Rachel Gaffney (Gold), Dan McCarthy,
Maura Cahill (Fr Cullen Medal), Kathleen Scally (Fr Cullen Medal), Tom Shaw
(Pioneer), Bridie L’Estrange (Fr Cullen Medal). (Front row): Charlie Gibbons, Abbie
Gilhooley, Katelyn Griffith, Katie McNicholas, Ciara Mangan Lynch, Niamh Dolan,
Aoife Murtagh, Ciarán Nooney, Finn Sheahan (missing from photo).
KERRY: Pictured at the
Beaufort Centre’s stand at the
highly successful South Kerry
Ploughing Championships
were Bridie and Anne-Marie
Shanahan and Sean Kelly, MEP.
This was the second year that
Beaufort Pioneers had a stand
at the event and many of the
huge turnout on the day called
by to admire the stand.
Pioneer,
Pioneer,
September
April 2014
2016
31
PIONEER RAFFLE
Pioneer Annual Members’ Raffle 2016
We are giving away CASH PRIZES to three lucky winners
of the ANNUAL RAFFLE 2016
FIRST PRIZE: €2000
SECOND PRIZE: €500
THIRD PRIZE: €250
To the Seller of Each Winning Ticket: €40.00
Tickets are €2 each of €10 for a book of 6 tickets (1 free ticket per book)
The drawing of winning tickets will take place on
THURSDAY 30 JUNE 2016 at Pioneer Central Office
Tickets are available from your local Pioneer Centre
or from Central Office on 01 874 94 64
Please return counterfoils and remittances to:
Fr B McGuckian, SJ, 27 Upper Sherrard Street, Dublin 1
no later than Tuesday 28 June 2016
Thank you for your on-going support to our fundraising initiatives.
Your generosity is greatly appreciated. – Bernard J McGuckian, SJ, Editor