SpiriT of Hugh O`Flaherty

In t o t h e f u t u r e:
So where can the Monsignor's example help us in
the future?
Well we can start by picking any of the qualities
that the Monsignor had like hard work, helping
others, trust in God etc and we can develop these
qualities within ourselves. God will give us these
qualities if we only ask. The Monsignor was a man of
prayer and if we begin with prayer we have already taken a big step to being
like the Monsignor. So we can take the Torch of Faith from his example and
change our world in a way that only we can for Today's generation. May we
look to the Monsignor's example to inspire us in the work we have to do today
to make the world a better place.
Teen SpiriT and a selection of choirs
and soloists will be performing a
number of inspiring songs in the
Church of the Resurrection
on Friday 12th November at 8pm.
It'll be a great night
and you're more than welcome!
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T he S
piriT
o
f
H
ugh
“Often we want to be
somewhere other than where
we are, or even to be someone
other than who we are. We
tend to compare ourselves
constantly with others and
wonder why we are not as rich,
as intelligent, as simple, as
generous, or as saintly as they
are. Such comparisons make us
feel guilty, ashamed, or jealous..
we are unique human beings,
each with a call to realise in life
what nobody else can, and to
realise it in the concrete
context of the here and now.
We will never find happiness by
trying to figure out whether
we are better or worse than
others. We are good enough to
do what we are called to do.
Be yourself!”
Henri Nouwen
O
’
A TEEN SPIRIT PRODUCTION
Concert to mar k
Monsignor Hugh
O’Flaherty’s life:
F
laherty
’
The SpiriT of
Hugh O Flaherty
Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty is one of the
most heroic people of our country's
history - his story is amazing and the
fact that he was from Killarney makes his
story even better!!
His amazing achievements are captured in
the film 'THE SCARLET AND THE BLACK' and
although it was made
back in 1983 it’s a
really great film.
M
H
O’F
It’s inspiring when
“T
H
G
H E !”
watching the film to
think that all this
really happened and as the film is not a work of
fiction, it was really cool knowing that a Killarney
man really did all these heroic things!
man in Rome”: his
So let’s take a closer look at the once “most wantedhis selfless service,
actions, his motivations, his faith, his sense of humour, SpiriT of Hugh
his humility and hard-work. . . and let’s see how the
O’Flaherty can still inspire us today!
ONSIGNOR
WITH THE
UGH
HE
ERO
LINT IN
LAHERTY
IS
YE
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Wh at d i d h e d o ?
Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty was said to have dressed up as a coalman,
working in the Vatican in Rome during a soldier and even a nun! He risked his
the Second World War at a time when life on countless occasions, especially
as Kappler, the head of the
the German Nazis
Nazi intelligence organisation
had taken over
in Rome, had become very
Rome and were
determined to have the
looking for Allied
Monsignor killed. They even
soldiers who were
trying to hide Rome was a very dangerous tried to assassinate the
from the Nazis. city for Allies, Jews and Italians Monsignor but thankfully
The Monsignor began his Christian the plot failed.
duty of helping the soldiers avoid In the end the Allies took back
possible execution by hiding them in Rome, the Nazis were defeated, the
the Vatican, and over time hiding Monsignor and his team were
them in flats and houses all over responsible for saving up to six
thousand people from execution!
Rome.
He worked in secret with a small Kappler was defeated and sent to
team of heroic people to hide prison, but while he was there the
thousands of people whom the Nazis only visitor he had was one Monsignor
were looking for. This became a very Hugh O’Flaherty, who visited him every
dangerous operation as the Nazis month. In the end Kappler became a
eventually found out that the Catholic and the Monsignor baptised
Monsignor was an important part of Kappler into the Faith.
the undercover operation and so The Monsignor was hailed a hero by
many countries as he saved people
they wanted him dead.
The Monsignor was so brave he even from England, USA, Canada, Jewish
travelled through the city dressed people from Israel and people from
up in different disguises so that the many other countries. He won many
Nazis wouldn't identify him! He was medals and awards internationally for
his heroism.
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T he S
piriT
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H
ugh
O
’
F
laherty
Ma n of P r ay e r
The Monsignor was a
man of Faith and a man
I ca n d o
of prayer. He was a
all t h ings
priest and a shepherd
t h rou gh
to his people. He
celebrated Mass with
Ch r ist Who
great devotion and was a great witness of
hens me
the power of prayer. God worked miracles st rengt the Philippians
in the Monsignor's life because he was open St Paul’s Letter to
(4:13)
to God and spent time with God everyday in
prayer. What the Monsignor achieved was
extraordinary and it was the Monsignor's faith that gave him the Graces and
strength to achieve the extraordinary.
Why remember the Monsignor?
Why do we remember great people from the
past? We remember great people from the
past so we can be filled with admiration at
their great example; so we can learn from
their greatness and strive to do likewise;
so we can take their example and emulate
their deeds in our own way; so we can
nor with
understand their thinking and perspective;
Victory - the Monsig Allies
the
Allied soldiers after me
so we may too think in such heroic ways and
Ro
ck
had taken ba
understand things as they did.
In this way the Torch of Faith is carried on from generation to generation.
We look to the past and learn how great people changed the world when it
was needed most.
T he S
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ugh
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G o o d H um o u r
One of the signs of someone who
understands the Christian faith is that
they are people of joy, calm and good humour.
The Monsignor was a man who loved a joke and
The Monsignor often travelled in
was known for his sense of humour.
Despite the intense pressure he must have disguise to avoid the Nazis'
been under, he showed that deep down he was at peace with the work he had
to do and that it was all in God's hands. Without such trust in God he would
have been under too much pressure to be able to carry on in such good humour.
So the Monsignor was a great witness of how we can trust in God and be in
good form even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Selfless Se rva n t
The Monsignor consistently put himself last
in all that he did. He was a servant to all he
could serve. He was a great example of how
Jesus told his disciples that to follow Him we
The Monsignor with the
must serve others, wash others' feet and give Chevalier family who also risked
and not count the cost. He spent most of their lives to save others
his time during the war walking around the city saving people's lives wearing a
pair of old shoes that must've been very uncomfortable to wear.
“ Bu t I as k yo u, is it better to be
resi
sign ed to a
life w it h ou t idea
ls . . . or r at h er . .
. to seek th e
t ru th , g o od n ess,
just ic e, wor ki n g
fo r a wor ld
th at reflec ts th
e be au t y of G od,
ev en at th e co st
of faci n g th e t ri
als it m ay in volv
e?
Jo h n Paul II
”
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T he S
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ugh
O
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F
laherty
B a la n ce
One of the striking things about Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty is that while he
was an amazing person of courage and selflessness, he was such a normal
everyday person too!!
He loved Kerry football and would try and make
the All-Ireland semifinals in Croke Park in August
when he took his annual holiday in Ireland during
the years he was working in Rome.
He loved golf as well, having grown up next to the
Killarney Golf Club and was a good player too. He was
also a skillful boxer!
fly!
The Monsignor about to let
So his life was a brilliant example of how you can mix up
the extraordinary with the everyday. He showed you won't lose out on your
everyday loves (like sport) if you try and make a real difference in the world
you live in. He got the balance really right.
He also showed that being a man of faith and a man of God doesn't mean
giving everything up but that you can do God's work and still enjoy the gifts
of sport and the healthy things that add to the gift of life.
“I
H AV E C O M E
T H AT YO U M AY
H AV E L I F E ,
A N D H AV E I T
TO T H E F U LL!”
Joh n 10 : 1 0
T he S
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ugh
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Ka pple r :
One of the most amazing things about the
Monsignor was how he visited Kappler when he was in
prison after the war had ended in defeat for the
Nazis. Due to the Monsignor's consistent visits
and care, eventually Kappler gave up the twisted
e ideas of the Nazi way of thinking and converted
Kappler - Head of th
to Catholicism. Kappler was obviously very moved
Gestapo in Rome
by the Monsignor's genuine care and concern for
him and ultimately for the Monsignor's real witness of his faith in God.
h a s n o c o u n t ry ”
“OneGof theo dMonsignor's
most famous phrases is 'GOD HAS NO COUNTRY'. He
responded with that phrase when he was asked why he helped people from
different countries, and even the Nazis.
He showed that he genuinely believed in a God who is not restricted by
countries or races. He believed God created all men equal and that every man
had the right to be treated with dignity and care as they are all God's
creatures and worthy of His love.
Monsignor O’Flaherty saw his role The Monsignor on This is Your Life with
as being the hands and feet of people of many nationalities that he saved
Jesus and to be an instrument
of God's never-ending love, no
matter what the person has
done.
He was a great example of God's
mercy and compassion. This was
also probably a big factor in why Kappler converted to Catholicism. He saw in
the Monsignor a real life example of how God can inspire a person to be more
selfless, loving, forgiving, enduring, hopeful and compassionate.
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T he S
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ugh
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laherty
H u m i li t y
Another beautiful part of the Monsignor's
character was his humility.
Sometimes humility can be confused with
being afraid or putting yourself down but
humility means being well grounded (coming 'The Monsignor on “This is Your Life”
from 'humus' meaning ‘ground’).
If yo u a re
A well-grounded person is someone who knows
w h at you
that whatever they achieve is, is only achieved
d be, yo u
using the gifts they have received from God shoiulll set t he
w
and so success doesn't go to their heads.
wo rld on fi re!
So when the Monsignor became famous for his
St Catherine of Siena
great deeds it didn't go to his head. He knew it
was God's grace that helped him do great things. So he never boasted about
his achievements but just kept working away serving people as well as he could.
Ha r d Wo r k
The Monsignor worked long hours to help people - he was
well known for coming in after a long days work helping
people only to work on into the night on other matters
that needed his attention.
He persevered with whatever
I am only one …
had to be done and it was this
but I am one.
quality which enabled him to I cannot do everything …
help so many people. Had he taken the easier but I can do something.
What I can do,
option and put himself first more, there might
I ought to do.
have been a lot more people who would not have
at I ought to do,
received the Monsignor's help and may not have byWhthe
grace of God,
survived the Nazis and the War.
I shall do!
T he S
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H
ugh
O
’
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laherty
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