newsletter - St. Mary`s Haddington Road

St Mary’s
Parish
Pilgrimage: Why do they do it?
Haddington Last Sunday was Reek Sunday ,when up to 25.000 people climbed our holy mountain Croagh
Patrick in an age-old tradition going back to pre-Christian times. Others will have done the
Road
camino¸ while others will have gone to Knock. I went to Westport to finish a research project
Serving
the
Community
Serving
the
City
on pilgrimage and holy mountains. In my engagement with all of these pilgrimages and places it has become clear to me that it is not the theology but rather the doing, it is the walking,
the following, the kneeling, the being there that really matters. Why do they do it?
I met recently met Mick O’Dea, one of our most prominent artists ,who told me that he
climbs the Reek each year as a way of somehow ‘marking time’. “A lot of people from Clare
do it, and my family has been doing it for seventy years, so I just do it.” This is, no doubt,
why many people do it; the living out of a tradition, remembering and honouring the
memory of those ‘who have gone before us marked by the sign of faith’, while also tryint to
give sense and shape to their own lives. The value is in the doing, in the remembering and in
the faithfulness to something that is somehow bigger than ourselves. It is, perhaps, both a
seeking for and a return to some kind of source both beyond and within the self.
The actor Martin Sheen who walked parts of the camino in 2003. says: “I love the Camino.
It's a beautiful route and a deeply personal journey. People take the pilgrimage for many
reasons, and each comes to grips with the inner journey, which is really a yearning for transcendence.” This is not an uncommon view but it is increasingly not the only one in a postreligious world. Sheen’s son, Emilio Estevez, 49, who directed their joint film The Way and
who describes himself as secular, agrees, even if he sees it slightly differently. “I just wanted
to make an honest film,” he says. “If you're a person of faith, you'll find something in this
movie that speaks to you. If you're not, you'll find something of interest too. But what I love
about the Camino is that the road is a metaphor for our lives: Are we walking in truth? Are
we walking with integrity? That's what speaks the loudest to me in this film.” The same could
certainly be said of the Reek. There is something going on here that is somehow beyond simple devotional practice and indeed, as Estevez points out, has a lot to do with truth and integrity. In the course of my conversations with the pilgrims three words occurred repeatedly: tradition, remembering and penance in that order. Many of the people I encountered were
indeed religious in the traditional sense but many were not and still they went there and will
go there again many times for these same reasons.
Carmel, a pilgrim, wrote: “I climbed when I was 13 when people did it in the dark, it was very
different then. I then started in 2001 and have climbed it every year since. I do it for many
reasons. I like a challenge; I am spiritual, although brought up a Catholic (sic) so find it very
rewarding climbing on my own. I also love the camaraderie on the day. I try not to miss a
Contacts:Fr Fachtna McCarthy, Administrator, Fr Patrick Claffey svd C.C., Fr Michael Collins C.C.. Tel 01-6600075
Website www.stmaryshaddingtonroad.ie email: [email protected]
Child Protection: http://www.stmaryshaddingtonroad.ie/ministries/child-protection/ also www.csps.dublindiocese.ie
Funded by Living the Joy of the Gospel campaign
year. Most of all it’s such a beautiful place to be and the feeling
of achievement at the end is wonderful.”
Alpha Course and
Parish Renewal
In more traditional terms, Ronan completed the pilgrimage
As part of the parish renewbarefoot as a penance, while John and Breege also
al we have been engaging
acknowledge that they do it as penance, while adding “we also
with over the past few years
do it for health reasons.” This is echoed by Jarlath and Carmel
and as decided by our last
who bring together many of the central themes of Croagh PatParish Assembly, held during
rick when they say: ‘We climb Croagh Patrick most years just to
Lent, we hopr to organise
say thanks to God for the past year and the good health we
an Alpha course to run over
enjoy. We also pray for all our dead and remember all the sick,
the course o fthe coming
also to meet other people and be a part of the challenge on pastoral year. The details having yet to be worked out but a
such a holy mountain. There is always a good feeling when we preliminary information meeting will take place on Septemhave completed the climb. We feel we have given something ber 8 at 7.30pm and we will see where we go from there.
back to God.’
What is Alpha?
The Reek has never been without its lighter moments and, in
many ways, it is inextricably linked to the whole culture of summer in Connacht; the Championship, the Galway Races, the
Reek. John, who climbed the Reek, with his daughter Edith,
wrote about it in a lovely letter:
Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the Christian faith,
typically run over eleven weeks. Each talk looks at a different
question around faith and is designed to create conversation. Alpha is run all around the globe, and everyone's welcome. It runs in cafés, churches, universities, homes, bars –
you name it. We will run ours in the Catherine Macaulay
Centre Herbert St. No two Alphas look the same, but generally they have three key things in common: food, a talk and
good conversation.
I am from Co Sligo but we now live in Dublin. On the Saturday evening Sligo played Kildare in the GAA championship in
Roscommon, we went to this match where Sligo suffered one
of their worst defeats ever, we left there and stayed in a
Camping site near Castlebar on that night. On the Sunday
morning we rose early and climbed Croagh Patrick. Edith was Food
a reluctant pilgrim, ... but with some coaxing(and a few Whether it's a group of friends gathered around a kitchen
threats) she made it to the top. In fact she was secretly very table, or a quick catch up over coffee and cake, food has a
proud that she had achieved that.
way of bringing people together. It's no different at Alpha.
Secondly, my wife and I were married 30 years ago on August Most sessions start with food, because it's a great way to
3rd and 30 years ago I had also climbed the reek as a pilgrimbuild community and get to know each other.
age with my brother who has since passed away, just prior to
my wedding. It was the only time I had made the climb.
Talk
So it was a reflection of that and coincided with the GAA
match and I later remarked that I wasn't sure which was the
worse penance, the horrendous defeat of Sligo or the climbing of the reek, but, the one coupled with the other meant
that I had certainly done my penance for the year.
The talks are designed to engage and inspire conversation.
Usually around thirty minutes long, they can be given as a
live talk or played as a video. They explore the big issues
around faith and unpack the basics of Christianity, addressing questions from Who is Jesus? and How can we have
It seems to me that these testimonies illustrate the many rea- faith? to Why and how do I pray? and How does God guide
sons people undertake pilgrimage of any kind. They really have us?
little to do with any theology but all to do with their own lives,
and often their aspirations, their hopes and also their sufferings. Discussion
They are honouring a tradition and a memory and they are Probably the most important part of any Alpha: the chance
seeking to make sense of their lives.
to share thoughts and ideas on the topic, and simply discuss
it in a small group. There's no obligation to say anything and
Edited excerpt from Atlantic Tabor: the Pilgrims of Croagh Patrick, Patrick
Claffey, Tomasz Szustek, Tomasz Bereska, Liffey Press (pub November 2016)
there's nothing you can't say (seriously). It's an opportunity
to hear from others and contribute your own perspective in
Masses and Confession
an honest, friendly and open environment.
Sundays: Vigil, 6pm (Saturday), 9.30am, 11am, 5pm
Give it a Go, All are Welcome
Weekdays 10 & 12.40
Catherine Macaulay Centre, Herbert St
8am Mass resumes 4 September
Rosary daily after 10am mass
September 8 at 7.30pm
Confession Tuesday, Saturday after 10am mass
Information: [email protected]
Adoration Blessed Sacrament, Weds 10.30-12.40
Church Collections
1st Collection.... €1,065
Share Collection... €835
Weekday Collection...€895 (2 Weeks)
In Memoriam
For all the deceased members of St Mary’s Parish
Contacts:Fr Fachtna McCarthy, Administrator, Fr Patrick Claffey svd C.C., Fr Michael Collins C.C.. Tel 01-6600075
Website www.stmaryshaddingtonroad.ie email: [email protected]
Child Protection: http://www.stmaryshaddingtonroad.ie/ministries/child-protection/ also www.csps.dublindiocese.ie
Funded by Living the Joy of the Gospel campaign