HUGH’S    DIARY

January 1 - Saturday

The Project Office will be closed until 4th January.  Until then we're putting up the diary entries which created the most interest and feedback since it started in April, and might be worth looking at again.

THOUGHTS FROM THE DEHONIAN FR GENERAL  (FROM SEPTEMBER 16)

At the end of our Assembly our Fr General, Jose Ornelas, gave us a talk based on his experience of visiting our communities in Britain and Ireland.  Here are  some extracts from my notes.  It will give you some idea what he felt we needed to hear, but a lot of it is relevant to us as Project 2030 and as individuals.  His talk had three main themes: spirituality, community and mission

January 2 - Sunday

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS – LONDON 20S (FROM OCTOBER 10)

Today it was the turn of the 20s in London to put the questions.  Some of them were the same as yesterday.  I felt like a boxer taking all comers, but I enjoyed it.  Each day some of the questions came twice, or had already been ‘answered’ by the time we got there.  Inevitably the answers are brief here and might raise more questions.  Please send these and any other questions in to hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk

Question) Is there a way to bring loved ones back into the Catholic Church?

Answer)   I gave the example of St Monica praying for her son, St Augustine, and eventually he came back and said: “Late have I loved thee, a beauty so ancient and so new”.  That was after he said: “God makes me chaste, but not yet”.  We can help people by prayer and example, but faith is a gift and we must respect people where they are at.

Question) It was alleged in a recent BBC3 documentary that the ‘Resurrection’ stories were only added to the Gospels about 200 years after the main parts were written.  How does that affect the theology of the Resurrection?

Answer) Anybody can make a documentary about anything if they can spin a few things together (just as people will write a book like the Da Vinci Code).  This documentary did not have any established Christian scholars on it.  Right from the day of Pentecost the Church proclaimed the Resurrection.  St Paul said that if Jesus did not rise from the dead then we are the most despised of all people, etc.  The Gospels started appearing in written form about 30-40- years after Jesus, but it was the living Gospel and the faith in the Resurrection that impelled the spread of the Good News after Pentecost.

Question)  How do you cope in a relationship when your partner is not that religiously inclined?

Answer)     Knowing a wide variety of couples and married people, sometimes it can work out very well if the other person is not that anti.  If they respect your faith then there is a good basis.  But many have said that it can become a source of friction later when it comes to baptisms, first communions, going to church, etc.  This can also apply to an ethnic Catholic who is not very Gospel greedy.

Question)  How do Catholics cope with people making them feel guilty about their faith/how they are?

Answer)    People accuse Catholics of having guilt complexes.  They’re wrong.  Guilt is a Protestant thing.  Do Brazil, France, Italy, Ireland and other ‘Catholic’ countries appear to you as cultures that are full of guilt?  In fact it’s the opposite.  Forty years ago Catholics were congratulated for having little sense of guilt.  They could go to confession and make a fresh start.  It’s ironic that the very people who accuse us today of feeling guilt are the very people who try and make us feel guilty for the simple fact of being Catholic.

It’s easier for a priest in today’s society. There is a certain respect for your position.  I asked the group to share how they dealt with it.  Some were quite able to be open and strong about being a Catholic.  The example of Jeremy was quoted again.  Others found it more difficult to stand up to the pressure.

Our society does not owe us anything.  If we follow Jesus we can expect to be crucified.  St Ignatius in the three levels of humility says we might even come to desire to be despised and ridiculed as Jesus was.  

Question)  Is there salvation outside the Church.  Discuss…

Answer)    It depends on what model we have of the Church, which perspective we see it from  When we look at the Church as the Body of Christ, then there is no salvation outside of Christ, for everything has been entrusted to him by the Father and everything will be taken up in him at the end of time.  If others who are not believers follow their own lights then they too can receive salvation, but always in Christ and within the context of the Church in its widest sense.

There were a few other questions on the Saturday and Sunday that related to me personally and my idea and vision for the group.  These have already been discussed in the diary in the past or will be taken up in the future.

Other 'Questions and Answers' with the London 20s and 30s can be found in the diary for October.

January 3 - Monday

TABOO SUBJECTS?  SEXUALITY?  WHAT DOES THE CHURCH SAY? (FROM NOVEMBER 2)

Last month the diary highlighted the question and answer sessions in London.   Someone has commented that none of the questions were about sexuality.   Was that a taboo subject?  They would have like to have raised the question of masturbation.  What does the Church say about it?  'Am I doomed?  Where do I stand?' they asked.  This is my reply:

Thanks for your email.  Masturbation is not an easy subject to bring up at a Q and A.  I wouldn't have minded, though it's significant that at the last three Q and A's no one asked any question about sex.  Whether that's because they didn't want to embarrass themselves or me I don't know, but those questions have to be faced.

As for masturbation, the Church says  that it is a serious matter, but because of other factors it might not be anything to get worried about.   The Church believes that sex is for marriage.  Any sexual activity outside marriage causes more problems than it might seem to solve.  This isn't just for spiritual or religious reasons, but more because that is how nature intended it to be.  At the Q and A I mentioned how sensitively we respond to a lie detector.  It is the same with sex.  Despite decades of greater permissiveness, people with no religious background or who have never heard that masturbation could be wrong still feel down about it, because their body tells them that that's not what it's all about.

It's interesting that you raised the question in the context of pornography.   I heard someone say recently on the radio that we shouldn't call it the pornography industry but the masturbation industry.  Our culture today trivialises masturbation, but I think that a too-ready acceptance of what used to be called 'self-abuse' can lead too easily to other sexual abuses.   People worry about individuals becoming repressed if they do not express themselves sexually, but the bigger problem now would seem to be at the other end of the scale with too much sexual expression leading to greater problems to individuals, their partners and their children etc.

The main thing is not to worry about it or feel overly guilty.  There is healthy guilt which is honest about how one feels about something, admits where it has gone wrong and tries to move on.  That is not easy in our over-sexualised society or where masturbation becomes a habit.  But God knows what we are made of.  He made us.  He wants us to grow through things and find love with him and with others.

 Get back to me on this if there are other thoughts you have on it.

The catechism of the Catholic Church (number 2352) tries to keep a balance on the matter.  On the one hand it says that 'masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely  disordered action.'  On the other hand it concludes: 'To form an equitable judgment about the subject's moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective maturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen or even extenuate moral culpability.'

A follow-up to this can be found under 19 November.

January 4 - Tuesday

MARY’S JOURNEY (FROM DECEMBER 4)

This was a poem that Fr Chris used in one of his talks today during the North-West Advent retreat.

There will be no donkey,

And especially not a “little” donkey.

I’m eight and a half months pregnant.

I couldn’t swing my leg over its back.

If I sat side-saddle, I’d probably fall off,

And if I stayed on, it might trigger my contractions.

Now, if Joseph could afford a camel…..

But Joseph can’t afford a camel,

So I’m going to walk….

Eighty miles…

Eighty pregnant miles,

To register to pay the poll tax….

I don’t know what it will be like,

And, since Joseph left the town,

When he was just a toddler,

He can’t remember either.

I ask you…

Would any of you who are women

Want to walk eighty miles,

When your time has nearly come

To give birth,

In who knows where,

To a child who is a source of consternation

To your parents before he is born,

And who will be source of controversy

To the world ever after?

When I was a girl,

I used to love playing practical jokes.

All our neighbours would roar and laugh and say to my mother,

Where does she get her sense of humour from?

Sometimes I think of the mess

That Joseph and I are in,

I smile to myself,

And realise I got my sense of humour

From my maker.  

(From Cloth for the Cradle ) 

Other entries in the diary that got particular comment were 5, 30 July, 9, 17, 23, 30 September, 30 October and 23, 30 November.

January 5 - Wednesday

THE TSUNAMI - 3 MINUTE SILENCE - HOW CAN WE HELP?  SHOULD WE GO OUT?

Today I was saying the 12.00 Mass in the parish.  Before Mass started we kept the three minutes silence for the victims of the tsunami in Asia.  10 days on from the disaster and the shock of it all is still very strong.  It is as though the whole world has been covered by the wave, by the pain of it, the emotion.  On the second night after it happened I dreamt that I was caught up in a tsunami.  This is not the first time this image has come in my dreams since there was a lot of talk about tsunamis a few years ago.  This time some of us have taken shelter in a church, but the church is swept into a ravine.  While we are falling to a certain death I shouted out: "We're going.  See you later."  This is the first time that my tsunami dream has shown such a clear belief in the Resurrection, "see you later".

When tragedies happen some people's faith in God is strengthened, for others it is weakened.  As a priest I have seen that when dealing with bereavements and other sad situations.  If it is hard enough for Christians, how much harder it must be for others whose hope is for this life only.  Like St Paul in his Letter to the Romans, I believe that the world as we know it is groaning in one great act of giving birth.  God could have created the world without any pain or sorrow, with no growth or development.  He could have put us in Heaven straight away like he did with the angels.  I for one am glad to have had the chance to live this life.  Despite the difficulties and the tragedies we have much to be thankful for.

Today our group are arriving in India.  We had to decide last week whether to go ahead.  Even though Kerala is on the west coast there were still 100 deaths there, but I presume that was on the southerly tip opposite Sri Lanka.  There was still some damage in Cochin which lies very flat against the coast, but after consulting the travel agent and the people out there the visit went ahead.  They are taking out over £600 to India, mostly raised from the London picnic and party.  Should that money have gone to the disaster appeal?  And yet there are many other needs in India, even though it wants to be self-sufficient and not take outside help after the tidal wave.  On behalf of Project 2030 I have sent a donation to the Disaster Fund via Cafod, which is the equivalent of Trocaire (Ireland) and SCIAF (Scotland).  Most people will have already sent a donation but others have asked if donations can be sent to Project 2030 to be passed on.  Certainly.  Send any cheques made out to Project 2030 to St Joseph's, Malpas, SY14 7DD.

There is also the instinct to go out and help.  Sometimes you can just get in the way, but I have put out some feelers to see if anyone knows of any groups that are looking for able-bodied and willing helpers.  It could be that people in the group could get some time off work or are willing to give up their holidays to help with the reconstruction.  Let's know if you have any ideas. 

January 6 - Thursday

BACK TO WORK - DIARY HITS - SEXUALITY - EINSTEIN

Over the holidays I was doing bits and pieces in the office, but not a lot.  Trying to get back into some kind of rhythm this week has been difficult.  It was good to get a break from writing the diary, but in other ways I missed it.  The diary helps me to concentrate on my wider responsibilities and make me more accountable and motivated.  When I started keeping it I didn't think I would write so much each day.  One of my New Year resolutions is to write less, for everyone's sake.

The number of visitors to the diary has continued to go up gradually.  There were over 200 hits in November for the first time, then 217 in December.  There's no doubt that the discussion on sexuality got the biggest response.  There weren't that many emails, but at events in November and December people would say: "You know that bit you wrote in the diary..." or "I read that things on the web page".  They didn't explain what they meant and I didn't embarrass them by saying: "I wrote a lot of things in the diary".  Nobody was objecting to it, and people seemed to be dealing with it quite sensibly.  When we live in a society where sections of the media give the impression that almost anything goes, it is good to be reminded that there are other ways of looking at things, that there are consequences to our actions, and we are not alone in trying to lead a good life.

There was a quote from Einstein on the radio today which struck me: "Morality is not that important to God, but it is very important to us".

January 7 - Friday

NEW OFFICE ASSISTANT - DANGEROUS DIARIES - PLAN NOW FOR 2006

Spent seven hours in the office today between 8.00 am and 7.30 pm, yet don't seem to have done very much.  That's what they mean by paper pushing.  That's why they say: "Deal with it, bin it, or delegate it".  Further help is near at hand. This evening I rang Adrian and offered him the job of helping me in the office here at Stockport.  There were 7 applicants for the job before Christmas, the others female.  I know it's sexist, but I said to Adrian that I only envisaged women applying for the post, yet I should have known.  Most of the diary secretaries in the group are male.  Adrian comes from the parish here.  He's even on the NW 30s mailing list.  He met the group when he was spending a week helping in the gardens at Malpas last year.  A graduate in environmental biology, he has experience as a Technical Clerk, Information Officer and Document Controller.  A couple of years ago he decided to step back and set up his own business as a gardener, but he now feels the need for some mental stimulation again.

The day wasn't entirely wasted.  Finalised details of some of the 2005 Main Events and copied details into the 2005 Diary.  There is that dangerous time when you are still operating between the old year planner and the new diary.  Decided various dates for 2006.  India in January, a retreat in Aylesford for London in March, and seven weekends for Malpas. 

Today also arranged the Glasgow 20s Lenten retreat and finally booked Fr John Keenan to give a talk to the group on 'Pope John Paul's vision of sex and marriage'.  A few of the group had heard him speak elsewhere and recommended him.  Fr John Kelly also definitely agreed to do the Lough Derg weekend in July.  That could be my excuse not to go.

January 8 - Saturday

STARTING A JERRY SPRINGER DEBATE ON BBC FIVELIVE’S WEB FORUM

BBC Five Live had a poll on the Jerry Springer Opera this morning on the early news programme.  The majority of votes were saying that they shouldn’t screen it this evening on BBC 2.  I kept listening until the end of the programme at 9.00 am to hear the result of the poll, but they went quiet about it for the last half hour and then just said at the end that it had been a dead heat.  I decided to have a look on their web page to see the results of the poll.  There was nothing there.  I clicked on to the Jerry Springer discussion and decided to open a web discussion on the way they handled the poll.  This is how some of the discussion went.  You can check up how this discussion developed or even contribute yourself on:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/h2/h2.cgi?find=%3C1105179614-18142.11%40forum1.thdo.bbc.co.uk%3E#mid

The Jerry Springer poll:  Hugh - 1st post - 8 Jan 2005 10:20
The Jerry Springer phone poll on Five Live this morning was a dead heat? Why don't I believe you. I imagine there was a decimal point against Jerry but you decided to call it a dead heat. If there had been a fraction in favour of Jerry you would have given him the victory. I presume you now have to keep detailed results from you polls to comply with the freedom of information Act.

Deciding to go ahead with the Jerry Springer opera has been a big mistake by the BBC. At least you might learn from this that the public has had enough of swearing and skitting religion.

You say that Jerry Springer is a skit on the media. Let's have more skits on the media. You would do the public a service by highlighting more the exaggerations of the media instead of targetting Christianity which has been a soft touch, until now.

re: The Jerry Springer poll:  jimbo Wickham - 1st post - 8 Jan 2005 11:07
I didn't hear the poll but I'm fed up of people like yourself telling me what I should read, watch or listen to. I'd like to think of myself as an intelligent guy - I'll make my mind up myself, thank you.

I'd like to see more skits on religion actually. When people like yourself realise that it's a force responsible for more wars than any other and thus for an extortionate amount of death you might be good enough to reconsider your position.

As for swearing - it's a word. So what? It doesn't kill anyone.

re: The Jerry Springer poll:  Andrew @ The Arsenal.Champions - 309th post - 8 Jan 2005 11:12
Hear Hear, well said, I want more Football on 5live, there should be wall to wall Arsenal every day.

re: The Jerry Springer poll:  Hugh - 5th post - 10 Jan 2005 09:28
jimbo Whickham says that religion is a force responsible for more wars than any other. If he looks at the wars he is thinking about more closely he will see that it is not religion that caused the war but previous wars and domination of one culture over another.

When a people are defeated their culture can be wiped out unless they have a different religion. Their faith becomes the focus for resistance against an unjust oppressor. You can see this in Ireland, Poland, the Middle East - you name it. I am not excusing the wrong that has been done when people have misused religion for their own purposes.

Read some of the historians of war. They show that the growth of religion has helped to soften the merciless nature of war. We too easily forget that where war is waged by the Godless it is much worse - Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot etc.

re: The Jerry Springer poll:  Sven the red red robin - 151st post - 8 Jan 2005 11:38
<You say that Jerry Springer is a skit on the media. >

Er....it is.

Why not watch it first, rather than just repeating what the Daily Mail tells you? 

re: The Jerry Springer poll:  Hugh - 6th post - 10 Jan 2005 09:45
It wasn't the Daily Mail that told me that the Jerry Springer Opera was a skit on the media but the BBC guy who was responsible for deciding to broadcast it. I read the Guardian. Read Mary Kenny's article on the opera today.

As for watching it, I did watch some of it but it didn't stop me going to bed at my usual time. Sorry, telling a lie, I stayed up long enough to watch Man City getting gubbed.

The bits I saw of the opera were boring and silly. To keep myself from falling asleep I sent the following texts to Five Live:

Message 1: 'Jerry Springer? The Emperor has no clothes and neither has the BBC. This is no brow.'

Message 2: 'How many operas does BBC 2 show a year? Why this psickophantic drivel?

January 9 - Sunday

NW NEW YEAR MEAL AND PARTY - EMAIL FROM INDIA

At Malpas since yesterday for the North West New Year Meal and Party.  In previous years we had an overnight between Christmas and New Year at Dehon House.  With Christmas falling at a weekend that was impossible this year.  Also we were having trouble finding a good venue for a Christmas meal so we decided to postpone it to January and come to Malpas in the New Year.  55 is the most we've had for a Christmas meal.  We did well to get half that number last night, and nearly everyone stayed on for the night.  We also had a disco in the back room of the Red Lion in the village.  They let us use it free of charge.

Brother Richard kindly offered us the chance of a later breakfast this morning.  You still had to be down by 9.15.  Most people were there.  Then about half of us went for an hour's walk along the country lanes and paths.  Mass was at 11.00.  It was the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  I told how at the London Advent Retreat people took the chance to come up individually to renew their baptismal promises.  We renewed our baptism as a group today, and then I went round and sprinkled everyone individually with the holy water.

We finished the overnight with a pub lunch at the Egerton Arms on the road to Chester, our usual haunt after the weekends.  But after the fine meal we had last night more are saying that we should stay on sometimes and enjoy the fine Sunday lunch at St Joseph's.

Received an email today from the group who have gone to India.  Catherine writes that people are getting on really well and they're having a brilliant time.  They are being well looked after by Denis and Leenus.  None of them have been sun burnt or had stomach upsets.  "We went to the seminary today and met all the boys who are great fun.  Yesterday we saw 63 elephants, ranging in age from 6 - 84.  We also had a boat ride, which was lovely, and we visited the old Jewish quarter and the Dutch Palace.  Everyone is well, and lots of people remember you and the others that visited last year fondly." Lucky for them to be on holiday.

January 10 - Monday

OFF ON HOLIDAY - FOGGY SPAIN

I'm off for a week tomorrow.  In the past I always went to Scotland for my Christmas week.  Then when the North West started having an overnight between Christmas and New Year I stopped.  I missed being at my sisters for the family reunion on Boxing Day, but I didn't mind not having to drive to Scotland as there were no trains on the Bank Holiday.  This year I could have driven up on Boxing Day after our community meal at Malpas on the 25th December, but I chose instead to stay and help out in the parish.  I see my brothers and sisters etc quite often with going to the group in Glasgow.

In recent years I've been able to get penny or pound Ryanair giveaways in January to Italy or Germany.  These have been from Stansted linked to visits to the London groups.  This year I decided to see if there was anything cheap from Manchester and I managed to get a Monarch return to Malaga for £49.  I'll find a cheap B and B or sometimes they are giving away apartments when it is quiet.  I was hoping to get some sun.  The temperature usually rises to about 15 degrees at this time of year, but the forecast says it is going to be foggy Wednesday and Thursday.

This year I felt strangely guilty about getting off to Spain.  As I said to our Fr  Provincial, we shouldn't have changed the rule that now allows us to visit Europe without asking permission.  We have a vow of poverty.  That does not mean destitution, but avoiding any excess or luxury and trying to live a simple life.  Okay, it would cost me as much to travel to a stay anywhere in Britain.  I don't feel so bad about it now.  Maybe that's because I've heard of lots of people in the parish etc going to much more exotic places.  I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

January 11 - Tuesday

Hugh is off for the week.  This week we are publishing some things that were sent in for the diary.

CHILDREN OF THE WORLD

Hilary from the Dublin 30s sent in this poem before the tsunami in Asia.

They are the children of Chernobyl

They come from Belarus

Their land was drenched with radiation

Those bent limbs are the proof.

Their life is in an orphanage

Amidst a musty rotten smell

The tumours on their bodies

Reveal a dark and hidden hell.

They are the children of Israel and Palestine too

Who witness daily tit for tat killings

Suicide bombers are nothing new.

They are the Street Children of Vietnam

Their homes are in the sewers

The rats to keep them company

Both exploited and ignored.

They are the children of Northern Ireland

Where sectarianism is the rule

They suffer taunts and prejudice

All they want is to go to school.

They are the children of Africa

Where famine and Aids have spread

They starve and wither in the drought

Before long they will be dead.

Many children are affected by terrorism across the globe

Often close to danger when bombs and shells explode

Children don’t understand the causes that brings bloodshed to their lives

Who can feel their anguish?  Who can hear their cries?

They are the children who have been abused and violated in their beds

Their innocence is shattered

They live with secrecy and dread.

So how should the world respond

When we see tears in gentle eyes?

When we allow the hurt of innocence

And let our children die.

So a caution to the guardians

To the leaders of the lands

God’s watching out for His Children

They’re in His Heavenly Plan.

For Him they are so precious

If only the world could know

No more will the little ones suffer

They will have their chance to grow.

No more will they feel hungry

No more will they feel pain

God’s watching for His Children

In Heaven they will reign.

January 12 - Wednesday

Deirdre, from the Dublin 30s, has written this report of walking to Way of St James in Spain, with Clodagh.  One of these days we’ll get there. 

CAMINO – SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA – THE WAY OF ST JAMES

For those of you who have never heard of Santiago de Compostela, it’s a small city in Northern Spain. Santiago is the Spanish for St James. In the 9^th century the tomb of St James (yes, the very James who was one of that gang of twelve who hung around with Jesus) was discovered in Northern Spain. This confirmed the tradition that after his martyrdom in Jerusalem his body was brought back to Spain by his disciples. The tomb is found behind the high altar in the Cathedral in the centre of the city.  For over 1000 years people have gone on pilgrimage to Santiago, on foot, bicycle and horseback. Through out all of Europe there are routes leading to Santiago. Would you believe the starting point in Ireland is the Guinness brewery at St James Gate from where it got its name. The most popular route is called the French way which starts from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago, its about 700 km. Every one who walks the last 100 kms to Santiago gets a certificate called the Compostela. Each pilgrim carries a passport which gets stamped with a cellos ( stamp) along the way to prove you have walked. 2004 is a jubilee year so they were expecting much larger numbers.

Clodagh and myself from the Dublin 30s decided we could rise to the challenge and headed off to a place called Astorga -  a mere 275km stroll from Santiago along the French way. We were both reasonably fit, so we didn’t do an awful lot of training. What we did spend a lot of time doing was making sure we brought as little as possible as we would be carrying our bags ourselves. Along the way are refugios/alberques, these are very basic and comprise of bunk bedded mixed dormitories with minimal showers and definitely no hot water. There could be up to 60 people in your dormitory… a wonderful symphony of snoring takes place. There are hostels every 10km or so, so you can vary how much you walk every day.

Every day we were up at 6am and would usually arrive at the next hostel about 6pm. In the evening we would have a meals with friends and attend the local pilgrim Mass.  The way is signposted by yellow arrows which you start to dream about. What makes the Camino special is the actual doing of it not the arrival in Santiago. We met people from all walks of life and shared at a very deep level despite the language barrier. It’s what they call the Camino Spirit where your fellow pilgrims become like family and you share whatever you have and have huge concern for each others feet. It teaches you that you really need very little in life. We were lucky to escape without any blisters thanks to the Vaseline trick. You could tell a pilgrim by their slow walk where they were obviously stiff and were in pain with blisters, we called this the pilgrim shuffle.

On one of our first nights we stayed in a ram shackled farmhouse at Manjarin , the owner Tomas is famous, he believes he is the last surviving Knights of the Templar. The conditions are dreadful but there was something so special about the place and a great bond develops between those that survive this overnight. We first met a group of people who were practicing Catholics and we couldn’t believe our good fortune when one of them turned out to be a Dominican Polish Priest. We all sat around the kitchen table after dinner by candlelight where Fr Jacob said Mass and Tomas dressed in his uniform and sword guarded the door. It was an incredible experience and the news of it spread to others that followed after us on the Camino.

Both of us got the nickname of the Irish Speed Train from a German friend of ours Arna. We had spent over 12 hours climbing up to El Cebreiro, we were both shuffling along nearly crying with pain when Arna spots us and laughs and says in a very droll way – the Irish Speed Train has arrived. Laughter was a huge part of the Camino for without it many a tear would have been shed from the hardship. Getting towards Santiago the hostels were very busy some without even floor space. One day we had walked 30km to find no room at the Inn, and had to rustle up the energy to walk a further 4 km, just to get floor space. Our Polish friends came to the rescue and made us a quick cuppa before we got on the way. My competitive streak came out for the last 4 km as I was determined not to let anyone overtake me. We also called people by their country and when we would meet we would have great hugs and welcomes and finally we would learn and practice each other’s names.

Each day in Santiago there is a pilgrims Mass at 12. At most of these Masses they swing the botafumeira over the heads of the pilgrims. This is a 6 foot Thurible swung by 8 men. It was used in times gone by to kill the smell of sweat from the pilgrims. Did I mention we would hang our washing to dry from the back of our rucksacks with nappy pins! It took us 11 days of walking to get to Santiago. When we arrived at the Cathedral we were exhausted as we had been walking from 5am. It was a very emotional experience arriving at the tomb where I sat on my rucksack and sobbed my heart out. We spent the next few days meeting our friends from along the way and having heaps of coffee and reminiscing.

I could go on forever with little stories but really it was a holiday of a lifetime that I won’t forget easily. The people we met, stories heard, meals shared, km’s walked and the beautiful countryside are what made it for me. It’s for the young and old alike. The oldest person we met was Jean who was 74 after having hip surgery. So take heart anyone can do it. Feel free to give me a shout if you are thinking of doing it.

Any emails sent to hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk will be passed on to Deidre.

January 13 - Thursday

Elizabeth (NW 30s) wrote this poem as a tribute to her dad who died in November.

In spite of the sadness of losing my dear dad, I was always
grateful that as a family we had had time to prepare for his
death: My brothers and sister had all visited him in recent
months. I had whiled away many an evening with him watching
the news or chatting about my day at school. I began to
notice how his strong hands were becoming more slender as
hew grew weaker: -  The beauty of these hands he had used in
work and service now due to their fragility rather than
their strength.

                    HIS NOBLE HANDS

Strong and clean.  Wholesome and noble.
Hands the betrothed loved to touch.
Hands that carried high their child,
And manfully shielded grandchild wild.

Hands that gripped pen and chalk,
In healthier days wielding spoon and fork,
But most of all were beauty pure.

Long and thin in later days.
Delicate more than strong.
Leaning now on his Master's strength,
Admonishing and leading,
Guiding still, but now yielding.

As drew to a close their earthly function,
They opened wide to receive God's unction.
Expectant now of that first embrace from His outstretched
and wounded limbs;
That joyous encounter face to face.

Elizabeth Richardson, 11th December 2004

January 14 - Friday

MOTHER TERESA

This year the World Youth Day events will take place in Cologne, Germany, from 10 – 22 August.  I received this email from Fr Tom Rosica concerning the 2002 World Youth Day.

It was a great privilege to present the beautiful film, "Mother Teresa: The Legacy", during World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. This powerful film captures Mother Teresa as an extraordinary artist of charity and hope - whose palette was the Gospel and whose canvas was suffering humanity.

Filmmakers Ann, and Jeanette Petrie show us how Mother Teresa painted the world with love, and left a tremendous legacy of living the Beatitudes to the entire world. I believe the film, "Mother Teresa: The Legacy", is a must in every Catholic home, but especially for young people who are seeking role models in today's world.

This remarkable and inspirational film is now available on DVD. I am so pleased to announce that Ann and Jeanette are making a very special offer to the participants of WYD2002. To take advantage of this offer, please click on this link: http://www.motherteresafilm.com/pp/order.aspx?special=WYD2002

God bless you.

Fr. Tom

January 15 - Saturday

BEATIFICATION OF LEO DEHON 

Last week members of the groups received an email with details of the weekend in Rome for 22 – 25 April for the beatification of Leo Dehon, the founder of the Sacred Heart Fathers.  Here is a letter we received from our Fr General in Rome.

Rome, December 29, 2004

To: Members of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Members of the Dehonian Family

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

            Today, December 29, 2004 we learned from the Holy See that the Holy Father, John Paul II, will proclaim Blessed the venerable Father Leo Dehon, founder of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart on April 24, 2005 during the Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter’s Square.

            These few months remaining before the beatification are very important for the congregation of SCJs and for the Dehonian Family.  The Church has confirmed our choice of religious life by giving recognition to the Dehonian charism as a gift from the Holy Spirit, chiefly by sanctioning the Constitutions of the Congregation and of other Institutes that receive inspiration from the same  spirituality, one which also embraces and encourages various lay groups throughout the world.  Now we are about to receive a very meaningful gift: the beatification of our founder.  Let us strive to receive this gift with a spiritual disposition and a suitable preparation.

            As Dehonian Family, we have a father and spiritual guide in Father Dehon.  We have a common way of approaching the mystery of Christ from the aspect of his Heart open on the cross, a heart that is, at once, available, in solidarity, docile, and profoundly human.  Let us live united to his reparatory oblation as embedded in a world wounded by sin and needing salvation, and let us share the mission of building up his Kingdom of love in souls and in society.

            This event invites us to find common space for prayer and faith sharing, for reflection and formation in this area of our common patrimony, one that also impels  us to a new effort in service that is ecclesial, social, missionary as our Founder exemplified. To explore and to make known the life and work of Father Dehon as model for discovery of God’s designs and as model of service in transforming the world according to the light of the Gospel is the best way of preparing for the celebration of the beatification.

            Let us strive to prepare, in a very special way, “Dehonian Day” on March 14, 2005, Leo Dehon’s birthday.  Let this celebration find us united in prayer and asking the Lord to continue to raise up in the church men and women adept in heroically living out the charism offered us through Father Dehon.

            Certainly, not everyone will be able to be present in Rome for the beatification. Let us hope that everyone can be represented, but, much more importantly, that the celebration in St. Peter’s square can re-echo in many parts of the congregation as a day of thanksgiving to God for the gift of Father Dehon and of commitment to promoting his charism as a service to the church and to society.

            By living out this event together, this event that unites and challenges each one to be faithful and creative in walking in the footsteps of Father Leo Dehon, we extend our fraternal greetings in the Heart of Jesus.

Fr. José Ornelas Carvahlo, scj

Superior General

and his council

January 16 - Sunday

LOUGH DERG

Here are two reports we received on St Patrick's Purgatory, Lough Derg, in Northern Ireland.  The first is by Anne Lardner (Dublin 30s).

Lough Derg-A Personal Reflection

On a Monday morning in the middle of July, I set the clock in order to catch the only daily bus from Dublin’s main bus station to Loug Derg.  What persuaded me to give up more than half a week’s annual leave in order to deprive myself on proper food, sleep and all known human pleasures?  Like many people who have made the journey once or twenty times, the answer wasn’t necessarily clear-cut.  Part of me felt both challenged and encouraged by several friends who had made the pilgrimage before me, a couple of them several times over. I had never in my life made any continued attempt to simultaneously fast from food and sleep, apart from the annual agonising attempt to give up sweets for Lent!  I wondered if, like my friends, I was actually up to the job or whether I would flee in  frantic horror ! The bus journey to Lough Derg  from Dublin is quite pleasant, despite its four hour length, passing through Navan, Kells, Cavan, Enniskellen, and Pettigo.  A stark view of Lough Derg, or Our Lady’s Penitentiary, suddenly loomed into view at the approach to the jetty for the island. While queueing at the office on the pier,  I noted with relief a sign banning the use of mobile phones on the island, inured as we are to the ubiquitous parping of mobile phones. The boat takes only a couple of minutes to reach the island, and you immediately make your way up to the residential quarters.  Because of the significant fall off in numbers in recent years, you can often end up with a room to yourself, as I have done on both occasions.  Penitents are instructed to leave their shoes and socks in the room, and to bring outside whatever they need in the way of extra clothing for the next day and a half. Once the pilgrimage commences, no return to the room is allowed except for an hour or so before the vigil on the first evening.  The residential section is newly built, and the rooms aren’t bad, if a little cramped. Be warned that there are no shower facilities, apart from a few foot-baths so leave your shower gel at home!  This is a penitentiary in every sense of the word!

Pilgrims are instructed to complete at least three stations before “Dinner” on the first day.  Each station begins with one decade of the rosary while walking slowly around the outside of the Basilica. From there further prayers are said standing and kneeling at the outside cross, after which you makes your way around each of six circular stations of concentric circles of stone of varying diameters located by the lakeside. Three Our Fathers, three Hail Mary’s, and three Glory Be’s are repeated several times over at each station while either walking, standing or kneeling. You start on the outside of the station and gradually move in circles  into the centre, before moving onto the next set of stones. It was later explained to us that the gradual movement inwards to the centre of each station symbolised our gradual drawing closer to the heart of God and to ourselves.  Each station is dedicated to a particular Irish saint.  Prayers are also said standing and kneeling by the lakeside, before moving back into the Basilica to recite the final prayers.  All prayers are carried out in bare feet, and may involve patiently queuing to get onto the various stations during busy weekends such as the August bank holiday.  However, the setting is really lovely, and I particularly enjoyed the slow walk around the Basilica from where I could drink in the splendid views of Lough Derg and its surroundings.  I was also struck by the magnificent greenness of the lakeside scenery, something that helped to keep me going during the second semi-comatosed day of my visit.  There’s  a large recreation room near the church where you can take breaks in between prayers, and a couple of kettles are on hand for an endless supply of  “Lough Derg soup”, i.e. hot water with salt and pepper!  Both are ostensibly intended to maintain wakefulness but I reckon more designed to shorten ones stay in the purgatory of the next life!  The breaks are important for pacing yourself physically and spiritually and you’re allowed to read a magazine or newspaper while in there.  

January 17 - Monday

Continuation of Anne Lardner's report.

One of the first things that struck me on arrival at Lough Derg was the inclusiveness and friendliness of the other pilgrims, irrespective of whether you had come by yourself or were with other people. Many come accompanied, but there were plenty like me, who had made the journey alone.  There are none of the usual social and psychological barriers we’re so used to negotiating back in the modern world.  It’s a very refreshing experience for someone who hasn’t been there before.  I was also struck not just by the friendliness of people, but of the total lack of pretence or role-playing.  No-one wears a mask on Lough Derg, because people are stripped of all of the extraneous trappings of materialism, right down to bare and callused feet.  Many people come back for the umpteenth time and are “old hands”.  When asked what brings them back year after year, most people find it difficult to articulate why, many remarking simply that “something keeps drawing me back.  “Dinner” is the highlight of the day, and often great fun believe it or not.  In my own case, the combination of unaccustomed hunger plus the delayed gratification of finally stuffing food into my mouth made me mildly hysterical and liable to guffaw for no reason at all.  I must have been brilliant company… “Dinner” incidentally, consists of either black tea or coffee in unlimited amounts, and as much brown bread, dry toast, or oatmeal cakes as you can solemnly devour at a single sitting (believe me, an awful lot). You’re permitted to sprinkle sugar onto everything from you drinks to the food, as its correctly considered an important source of blood glucose. Food never tasted so good for me as it did in Lough Derg so its true what they say-hunger is a great sauce!

As you’d expect, daily mass is part and parcel of the three-day vigil, and by virtue of the high standard of preaching by the Monsignor himself and his assistants, it’s an enjoyable and edifying spiritual experience. Part of it also has to do with the unspoken sense of solidarity amongst the pilgrims.  The overnight vigil takes place inside the basilica for safety reasons, so pilgrims either circumnavigate the church itself or alternate back and forth along the pews. There are breaks of about 15 minutes after each station.  For all is rigour and demands on mind and body, the night passes relatively quickly, and there’s a mesmerising quality to the repetitive prayers that was oddly soothing. 

The second day in Lough Derg is for many, the longest and hardest, as the obligation remains to stay awake until after the vigil mass next evening at 7.30pm.  An extensive renovation process is well underway-the smaller church on the grounds has been recently renovated into a very pleasant oratory, and a new expanded book and gift shop has also opened.  I haven’t gone this year, but I gather that yet more improvements have taken place since. In between, one can pass an hour and a half over dinner, and there is quite a pleasant reading room. Notwithstanding the plethora of new facilities, the highlight of the second day is, without doubt, the final blessing of the evening mass, after which the stampede out of the church and up to the sleeping quarters resembles the charge of the light brigade!   It’s the deep, deep restorative sleep of the just although the pealing of the morning bell at 6.30am the following morning felt rudely unjust to a brain still in the throes of non REM slumber!  One last station is required on the last day before mass and the final Lough Derg blessing at 8am.  Although you leave before ten o clock in the morning on the third day, fasting from proper food is still mandatory till midnight.

Different people find different aspects of Lough Derg difficult.  For some, it’s the cold in the feet, for others it’s all the kneeling, for others it’s being forced to stay awake, and for others like myself, it’s surviving the second day without sleep.  Most people find that the hunger isn’t as bad as they’d anticipated, the human body being extraordinarily adaptable under conditions of physical deprivation.  At the end of it all, there’s something deeply satisfying about discovering that one is tougher than one thought, and of having faced up to one’s personal demon, be it of going without proper food or staying awake.  I also discovered a profound satisfaction in being able to pray without distraction or disruption at length, something I’m not very good at, at home!  I haven’t been able to reproduce the psychological centring or depth of spiritual focus outside of Lough Derg. The place is permeated by a spiritual energy that one unconsciously taps into nearly straight away.  Apart from the first hour or two, which I found both gruelling and excruciating, I gradually found myself being stilled and centred in a way that I hadn’t experienced before. You could call it contemplative mode, in which I became totally present to the here and now, with no thought for past or future.  To busy overactive minds like mine, this was truly a gift beyond anything that money or medication could buy.   As time went on, I found this stillness and inner peace deepening further, and even extended to my body.  For example, because very little is being ingested in the way of solid food and beverages, the digestive and excretory systems get a bit of a break from the regular bombarding with food and drink.  This is really a mild form of detoxification.  It obviously impacts positively on brain and mind activity, because the less the sensory feedback received from the body by the brain, the quieter the latter can become.  The other thing that struck me about the nature of the stations is their utterly contemporaneous and universal quality.  To me, Lough Derg embraces Tai Chi as much as it does Celtic spirituality.  The prayer is basically a very physical one, and indeed we were reminded during one of the homilies that we were praying with our bodies. Is this not supposed to be the essence of Tai Chi?  Like Fr Hugh, I came off Lough Derg on a high the first time I did it, and spent the next few days trying to convince everyone I knew that they really had to go there!  They must have been relieved when I finally came back to earth!   The second year was harder, because the novelty element was no longer there, and I knew exactly what to expect.  For all that it was still a deeply satisfying spiritual experience and the same “at one-ness” with God and with the world accompanied me off the island.  I deliberately chose to give it a miss this year, as I spent a week in Medugorje in June, and regulars to Lough Derg suggest a break every few years.  I missed the stillness and deep peace this year so if  I’m cranky, tetchy and irritable from now on, I’m going to blame it  on (not getting to) Lough Derg!!!  

January 18 - Tuesday

WEEKEND IN LOUGH DERG

My name is Francis McAndrew and below is an account of my visit to Lough Derg, which Hugh Hanley kindly arranged.

The Lough Derg visit took place on Saturday 17 July to Monday 19 July 2004. Hugh Hanley and Kevin Quinn came with me to Lough Derg.

We set off from Dublin bus station on Saturday morning and arrived early afternoon at the booking office. Kevin, Hugh and myself then each bought a ticket, which cost forty euros, which is the cost of the ferry plus accommodation. Well, once you have paid the money and are on the ferry there is no going back. In the distance you can see the Island of Lough Derg, which looks very beautiful.

Lough Derg is Saint Patrick’s Purgatory. A long time ago Saint Patrick himself came to this very island and fasted for forty days and legend says he lived in one of the caves, and was tempted by the devil. Before you arrive at Lough Derg you might well be asking the following questions? What is Lough Derg? Why have I come to Lough Derg ? Each person can only answer these questions individually themselves. Well, my reason for going to Lough Derg was I suppose partly due to Kevin persuading me to go, and because I looked upon Lough Derg as a challenge. A deacon at our parish went to Lough Derg before he was ordained a priest. I heard that it was tough so wanted to see if I could do the pilgrimage. This way I can hopefully persuade other people to come on the next trip.

When you arrive at the island you are shown to your accommodation. The facilities are basic with bunk beds, with sheets, pillowcases and blankets. There are no showers - only foot baths so you can wash your feet.

The next thing you have to do is to take off your shoes and socks and head outside in your bare feet. At first it is quite an odd feeling and tough on your feet but you soon accept it as a penance. After all Saint Patrick, the Bishop of Ireland and the Irish Football team have all been to Lough Derg. Everyone is treated exactly the same whether you are a prince or pauper. Everyone is welcome at Lough Derg.

Well, during the weekend you have to perform a series of nine stations. This consists walking firstly around the Basilica while reciting the rosary 7 times and then walking around the various stations for example Saint Patrick’s Cross while reciting prayers all done in your bare feet. Each station takes about an hour to complete.  On completion of three stations you are entitled to your Lough Derg meal, which you get only once each day.

During the weekend there is also Stations of the Cross and confessions for everyone who goes to Lough Derg. Everyone is very friendly and hospitable towards each other. I spoke to one man who had been to Lough Derg 21 times. Some people are young, some middle aged and some quite old. However, they all seem to come back to Lough Derg again and again.

Saturday night is the start of the vigil at Lough Derg for the new arrivals. Before it begins you are allowed back to the dormitory for a quick sleep and wash. Then there is mass in the Basilica before the start of the vigil.  The object of the vigil is to stay awake for 24hrs from 10pm Saturday night until 10pm Sunday night.  

The vigil starts by the priest giving a sermon and telling us to stay awake and reminding us to make sure the person next to us does. The station then begins by everyone walking around the Basilica for the next hour and this continues throughout the night until morning. There are breaks after each station so people can rest and regain their strength. Soon dawn comes and what a beautiful sight that is. The bell soon rings for the 6.30am mass and so begins another day.

Later in the day eventually comes the Lough Derg meal.  Now, here comes the shock.  You are allowed some dry toast either white or brown or wholemeal crackers, followed by either black tea or coffee. There is only one meal a day so if you are hungry later there’s no seconds. The best policy is to eat as late as you can.

After lunch you can take in the Lough Derg sights or sit down on one of the many benches or read a book in the quiet room.  However, you are not allowed to sleep until 10pm.

On Sunday night at 10pm the vigil is over. It’s a fantastic feeling as you walk back to the dormitory. Tonight I will get a full eight hours sleep. And it is the best sleep of your life, that is, until you are woken the next day at 6.am, by the monsignor over the loud speaker announcing that mass will soon be starting at 6.30am.

The next day after mass there is just time for one more station, which can be completed either in the Basilica or outside. Then, there’s just enough time to buy some gifts from the Lough Derg shop before the ferry comes.

Now, the six million dollar question has to be would I go to Lough Derg again ?   I would go again especially if I could persuade Hugh and Kevin to come next time. The great thing is we all did Lough Derg together and we all supported each other throughout the weekend. A few weeks ago we had the Lough Derg reunion in Stockport.

You can contact Francis or anyone else who has contributed to the diary by emailing me at hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk and we will pass it on for you.  

January 19 - Wednesday

SPAIN -BOREDOM? - SPANISH - FAMILY DEATHS

How was Spain? people ask.  Better than expected.  One of the attractions of heading south was to feel the sun, but the big plus was the fact that it was too warm.  Previous visits to the peninsula were in the summer and the heat can have you sheltering inside in the middle of the day.  This time it was just ideal for long walks along deserted beaches or up the hills behind Torremolinos where I was staying.  Each day the temperature would rise to about 17 degrees, though it was cool at night.  After just a ten minute ride from Malaga airport I was looking for somewhere to stay.  Rooms were available for 15 euros a night, but they had no televisions and I wanted to get some Spanish practice.  In the end I found a studio with a balcony where it was possible to have lunch sitting out in the sun. 

Don't you get bored on your own? is another question people ask.  Bored with my own company?  Moi?  Yes, it can get boring, but is boredom always such a bad thing?  The occasional 'ennui' is a small price to pay for the space and the distance and the time to think, or not think.  Besides the longer walks, you can always go for a stroll around the town.  Although it was quiet there were still enough holiday makers and residents to give the place a buzz.  Then there's going to Church.  I almost know the Our Father off by heart!  Even shopping to cook/heat/eat can be fun when there's plenty of time.  There were a few good games of football on Sky as well.  That was the excuse to go to the Irish pub for the freshly pressed orange, though I did try the wine from the supermarket.  At 45 cents a litre it would be a sin not to.

How was the Spanish?  Pretty awful.  I can enjoy the television, understand a novel, read the papers in the library, but unless I've prepared something simple to say, Italian or Portuguese came out first.  One day I walked over the hills for three hours in the hope of finding a circular route.  When I reached civilisation on the outskirts of Malaga they told me the quickest was to go back the way I'd come.  I decided to look for a bus into the city.  A sleepy suburban supermarket offered the chance of something to eat for lunch.  The potato salad and yoghurt looked interesting, if I only knew the word for 'spoon'.  It turned into a bit of a pantomime trying to mimic eating for the staff.  They got it eventually, but only sold packs of 25.

I'm surprised that so far the group has not arranged a successful holiday somewhere in the sun.  Tommy from Dublin has a house on the Costa Something-or-Other and tried to get up a group at Christmas.  There were not enough takers.  Maybe in the summer.  It was a good break for me.  The only low point was getting word that an aunt and an uncle, who had both been ill, had died on the same day.  The funerals were arranged for Wednesday and Thursday.  When I arrived back in Manchester on Tuesday afternoon I took the train straight to Scotland for the funerals.

January 20 - Thursday

TWO FUNERALS - OF MICE AND MEN

Staying at my sister's in Port Glasgow for a few days for two family funerals (every death is sad, but it is not so bad when people are in their mid 80s and feel ready to go).  Aunt Hannah was my mother's sister-in-law.  Since her husband died 13 years ago the family felt that she was only waiting for the time when they could be reunited.  Theirs was a love that had never grown cold.  When she was diagnosed with cancer and had the possibility of treatment, she asked the doctor what he would advise his own mother.  When he said he would advise her not to go through the long and painful process that was good enough for her.  She had another nephew who was a priest.  I assisted him with the funeral.  Her four sons were there with their families and a large number of family and friends.  For our parents' generation, working in the West of Scotland, there was no chance of rising above the military equivalent of lance-corporal.  All the more amazing that Peter, one of the sons, who was no good at school and left at 16 to begin an apprenticeship as an electrician, should rise through the ranks of IBM to now be responsible for 9000 workers  in four different countries.  Only the Americans would bring talent along in that way.  He offered to come and speak to the group on "Being a Catholic in business".

Uncle Willie, my mother's brother, was the last survivor of 8 brothers.  He had never married because of the pressure in those days to marry a Catholic, and yet of all the men of his generation he was the one most cut out to be a father.  His many nieces and nephews benefited from his kindness and his humour.  In the sermon I reminisced how one of his games was to make a 'mouse' from a handkerchief, and make it run up his arm.  At the reception I started a competition to see who could make the first mouse.  There is a different quality to a funeral when someone does not have any direct descendants who are mourning.  I say that as a celibate myself.  I was more relaxed than at any previous family funeral and somehow Uncle's spirit of the beatitudes came across.  I claimed the winning 'mouse' and demonstrated its continuing effectiveness to my 3 and 4 year old nephews in the evening.

Like many families, we cousins (and we are legion) usually only meet at funerals.  Having two, one after the other, meant that we built up a stronger bond.  In my sermon I also made a plea for families to stick together and support each other.  Most had been at my 25th of ordination.  We need to find ways of getting together without a death.  My aunt the nun is not 80 for a few years yet.  Maybe I'll have to arrange a fund raising evening for India.  At my 25th I'd asked the family just to give a donation, if they wanted, to our missions in India.  We raised over £2000.  Uncle Willie left me £1000.  I'm hoping to get permission to send that out to help support the training of our students to the priesthood in Kerala and support the poor families we met there last year.   

January 21 - Friday

WOULD YOU KNOW MY SPACE IF I MET YOU IN HEAVEN?

"There are many rooms in my Father's house" (John 14:2).  This is a quote from one of the funeral Gospels that has been going through my head.  At the Last Supper Jesus assures the Apostles that he is going ahead to prepare a place for them in heaven.  What strikes me is the use of the word 'rooms'.  This is not meant to be taken literally - other translations talk about mansions or 'places to live', but it's the idea of having separate places to live in heaven that has been intriguing me.  Everybody has a different picture of the life to come, and I have always imagined everybody all together, that there would be no need for separate space.  Maybe that's me talking as a group person - the bigger the crowd the better.

It was fairly rare for a Jew in Jesus' time to have a separate room.  At one stage Jesus said that he had 'no place to lay his head', meaning that he had no fixed abode.  This Sunday's Gospel tells us that he moved to Caparnaum to live.  He had somewhere to take people when two of John's the Baptist's disciples asked him: "Master, where do you live?", but later he seemed to live on the road.  Maybe, a big maybe, at the Last Supper he was looking forward to a heaven where he could have some space to himself, have one of those rooms that he spoke about, after years of little privacy.  Did it get to him sometimes?

What is our response to the space that we have for ourselves or the lack of it?  After the shock of so many deaths in the tsunami my next thought was that so many people had lost what little housing and personal space they had.  Someone emailed to ask if they can have a single room when we go to Rome.  I've just heard that the 5 who went to India had a great time - as good as last year, except that they were squeezed into a smaller house.  Another has emailed to say that there will soon be a room available in their apartment and that it would be good if they could find the right person for it from the group.  The place where we live is important to us.  People often write to say that they are moving to a new place.  "When's the house-warming?" I cheekily ask.  As far as I know no one has taken the chance of such a party.  Can you blame them?  M was arranging a house-warming Mass before moving in.  It wasn't so much that the deal collapsed, but that the foundations were collapsing into an old mine.  Fortunately this was discovered before anything was signed.

Recently I've come to the conclusion that I operate better when I'm away from base, on the road.  Maybe Jesus was on to something.  The other year I went from March to July without spending a full week at home.  At the time I thought that was taking it out of me, but have since realised that it was coming back to the office that was putting me under pressure.  When I came back this afternoon I had been away for 11 days - a week of holiday and three nights at my sister's which, despite the funerals, had been a good family experience.  Coming back I'd forgotten that my room was to be painted while I was away.  Everything was in different places.  Some people would take the chance to re-arrange the room.  Some people have to keep changing things.  I set about placing things almost exactly as they had been before, even the books.  What does that say about me and the place I call my own?  As long as we remember that our true home is not here.  (How do you relate to your own space?).

January 22 - Saturday

HELPING IN MANCHESTER - THE NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY

Before the 2030 groups started I sent questions around the parishes to be answered by people in their 20s - asking them what kind of things they would like to do together.  The answers were mainly along the lines of having Masses together and helping the poor.  Maybe that's what they thought they were supposed to answer.  Most of those people didn't turn up to the initial meetings where the emphasis was more on walks, meals, etc.  But at those gatherings and at newcomers' meetings since, people have the chance to fill in a questionnaire and say what they are interested in.  Helping the needy still gets quite a good response, but we've never got into anything systematic about this, even though people often whisper to me that they would like to do something.  In the end, with a couple of weekends free in January, I decided to try something in the North West.  If I did not take the initiative then who would.

Today we met at a sheltered housing complex in Manchester.  Fechin, the manager, was at College with me and we've kept in touch, so he had a good idea what the group was about and was sympathetic to what we were trying to do.  He was hoping that we could help some of the old people to get to grips with the new computers they'd had installed, but there was a problem with the system.  He filled us in on the background to the place.  It was set up by a housing association that was originally Catholic but had been taken over by Social Services.  The average age was 80+.  Some were quite sprightly and had good connections with their families.  Others were not so lucky.  Everyone has their own flat.  We spent about half an hour each with one of the residents.  Some were bright and chatting.  Others were more needy and less communicative.  But for all of us it was a good experience and we agreed to repeat this once a month.  besides visiting people individually we will also hold a quiz or do some kind of game in the lounge for those who are interested.  In the better weather we can take them shopping or for a walk.

If anyone local is interested in getting involved then email hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk .  Afterwards Fechin took us to one of the local Churches for the Vigil Mass, then we had a pub meal at our rendezvous point.  Next Sunday we are having Mass and helping at the soup kitchen run by Mother Teresa's Sisters in Liverpool.  If anyone else has any ideas of things to do like this then let us know.  Similarly, if you are already involved in a helping project send us details.  There are all kinds of ways in which we can help.  Not only are we doing something for others, but we are also getting to know ourselves and others in the group better. 

January 23 - Sunday

THE PHAONMNEAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID

The North West 30s were walking today near New Mills in Derbyshire, just down the road from Stockport on the A6.  I hadn't noticed this when I came back on Friday and had already committed myself to being in the parish for Sunday lunch. I can't remember the last time I was in for Sunday lunch, so decided in the end not to go on the walk.  It turned out to be a fine sunny day.  I hope Duncan, the organiser, will forgive me.  I'm sure he will.

As a peace offering I'm including part of an email he sent last week.  Don't give up on it because it looks weird.  You'll be surprised how easily you can read it.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.

The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at
Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer inwaht oredr the ltteers in a wrod
are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the
rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit
a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by
istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought
slpeling was ipmorantt.

January 24 - Monday

EMAILS

Trying to get to grips  with the emails that have come in while I have been away.  Here's a quick run down of some of them as they give a flavour of what is going down in the group at the moment.

January 25 - Tuesday

EXTRA HELP IN THE OFFICE

Adrian started in the Stockport 2030 office today.  Originally I was going to advertise for a co-ordinator, then it became an office assistant.  He's also a bit of a handyman.  While I was away the last couple of weeks he painted the room which is above the sacristy in the Church.  He also cleared it out and got keys cut, etc.  We'll need to make a visit to the local Officeworld or Staples tomorrow to get the necessary.  The phone extension will be put in on Friday.  From then we will start directing more emails to hugh@p2030.fsnet.co.uk from hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk .  This will take some of the pressure off Celia and Clare, but all emails to do with lists, newsletters and membership, etc, will still be routed through them on hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk.  Adrian is quite a whizz on the computer (at least compared to me), so I'm going to be on a good learning curve.  I'm faster at typing than him, though not as fast as the twins, but it will still be a big saving in brain cells for me to be able to write more things out by hand.

I introduced Adrian to the web page before Christmas by saying that he came from the local parish.  He had various jobs in administration, but decided to step back from the rat race and set up as a self-employed gardener.  Recently he has felt th