HUGH’S    DIARY

May 1

IONA

Off to Iona. The weather looks as though it is going to be reasonable.  The sun is shining already.

Why Iona?  In the 6^th Century St Columba set up a monastery or Columkille there.  He was a monk from a noble family in Northern Ireland.  He felt responsible for a war that had broken out over the copyright of a book, and so had gone into exile.  At first ;he went to the island of Islay further south, but on a clear day he could still see Ireland, so he moved further north to Iona to fulfil the terms of his exile.

Columba’s monastery was important for the spread of Christianity, not only in Scotland but the north of England through foundations like Lindisfarne.  Irish monks of the same tradition eventually went as missionaries into Europe and became patrons of places as far away as Italy. 

The Book of Kells, a famous illuminated copy of the Gospels which is displayed in Trinity College, Dublin, was created on Iona.  It was taken to Kells in Ireland for safe keeping during the Viking invasions.  Kells, a town about forty miles north-west of Dublin, is campaigning to get the book back.  Maybe they shouldn’t.

Iona is only a small island. You could walk round it in an afternoon.  Despite its remoteness, many of the kings and queens of Scotland were buried there, as was John Smith, the previous leader of the Labour Party almost exactly ten years ago.

The monastery fell into ruins, but it was still considered an important Christian site.  Leo Dehon, the founder of the Sacred Heart Fathers, visited here in the 1860s.  In the 1930s George MacLeod, a Church of Scotland minister, set about restoring the abbey and set up an ecumenical community.

About ten years ago a small Catholic house and chapel were built.  Much of the fund-raising was done by the mother of Princess Diana.  This caused quite a bit of controversy, even on the front pages of the London broadsheets.  Why are Catholics spoiling the ecumenical spirit of the island, asked the Telegraph.  But they didn’t mention that there were a couple of Anglican retreat houses here and a Church of Scotland parish.

People start meeting from 11.00 at Coopers Bar in the Central Station, Glasgow.  A few people pulled out this week, and a couple at the last minute, so we are down to 21.  Martin has managed to borrow a 15 seater minibus and there are two cars.  We set off for Oban.  One of the cars diverts to Glasgow Airport to pick up Michael and Dave who have just flown in from London.

The sun is still shining as we cross the Erskine Bridge and someone tells everyone to look left to see his birth place, Port Glasgow.  Loch Lomond is looking its bonniest.  Across the water we see the Youth Hostel at Rowardennar where we’ll be staying the second night of the West Highland Way in July.  Duncan and Veronica who have been arranging the walk at a distance meet today for the first time.  We get the chance to plan when to say Mass on the Sunday.

After a stop at Inverary we reach Oban in good time for the 4.00 ferry to Mull.  It is positively warm. 

There is less singing in the bus this year.  There is that phrase which implies that people can be ruined by wine, women and song.  My experience is that rarely do all three apply.  It is usually a choice of wine, women/men, or song.  I’m definitely song.  Not much ruination today.  “You’re on your own”, but it was Mary that started it.

On the boat I get talking to a couple also going to Iona who turn out to live a few hundred yards away from Dehon House where I lived until last summer. Did I hear last week that Dehon House had finally been sold?  I hope the Youth Clubs Trust can put the money to good use.  I had hoped some of it could have been put towards Project 2030, but the original deeds specify that the Trust is for a younger type of ‘youth’.

As we get off the boat Duncan is anxious to hear how Manchester City got on, but the radio reception is poor.  Eventually Radio 4 tells us that they won and should be safe.  They also mention that York have gone down.  Poor Mark.  No other scores, so I don’t know if Morton are still hanging on to promotion.  At one time in the season they were 19 points clear.  My brothers will have been at the match, but I can wait.

In the ticket office at Oban there is a BBC poster inviting people to ‘BLOGG’ on the smaller islands.  No doubt trying to create s community spirit, but also looking for good material from their web diaries.

Again the scenery is beautiful as we take the single track across Mull.  Most of us are staying in the B and B at Fionnphort, just across the sound from Iona.  We can see the monastery across the water.  As we get out the vehicles, the sun has disappeared and the sea breeze is beginning to have its vengeance.

Richard, Adam, Joseph and myself are staying at Caol-Ithe.  Carol offers us a cup of tea and we sit looking out at the rugged scenery.  The powerful telescope allows us to see people walking in the abbey grounds.  It is possible to stay in the centres on Iona, but they are booked up more than a year in advance.

Gradually everyone gravitates towards the Keel Row for something to eat.  Some climb the hill nearby to catch the sunset, then into the bar next door.  There is a pool table.  Richard could rightly claim to be the champion, but my vote goes to Veronica.  She beat me, but that’s the last time I give anyone advice on how to snooker me.

May 2

Joseph didn’t snore.  Well, not a lot.  The telescope gives a better view of the island in the morning light.  The hymn to morning prayer in the shorter edition of the Office is “St Patrick’s Breastplate”.  To think of the generations of monks inspired by those same words:

“I bind unto myself today

The power of God to hold and lead,

His eye to watch, his might to stay,

His ear to hearken to my need.”

At breakfast there is a film crew doing a programme for Channel 5 on the 10 best natural wonders of Britain.  They are going out to Staffa as well today.  Then they are off to St Kilda.  Their ears jump up when I say that my sister-in-law’s father, was one of the last people to live there before the island was evacuated in the 1930s.  They had been looking for someone who had lived there.  Unfortunately Mr McLean died a few years ago.

That connection with St Kilda has made me fascinated by the island.  In 1996 I looked after a parish in South Uist for a couple of weeks.  The parish priest tried to fix me up with the army to fly out to the island on one of their sorties, but it never came off.  But I was lucky enough on a clear day to have their high cliffs pointed out to me as a speck 30 miles out in the Atlantic.  The programme will be going out in August.

We catch the 10.00 ferry and walk the few minutes up to the Catholic House of Prayer for Mass.  Today is Good Shepherd Sunday.  The field behind me, outside the chapel, is full of sheep.  I’m trying to speak about the Gospel, but I can’t hear myself for the bleating of the sheep.  The farmer has just arrived to feed them, and they all go running across the field.  I struggle on when I’d be better letting the scene speak for itself.

After Mass we take the group photos and sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Dave.  Some of us climb the hill behind the Abbey.  On the way back I resist joining in the games of the more energetic ones.  There’s barely time to buy a snack in the Spar before catching the boat for the hour long trip to Staffa.

The sea is choppier than expected, especially when the small boat packed with 60 people stops outside Fingal’s Cave.  We moor further round the coast.  Four of us are first off and we decide to walk round to the cave while it is quiet.  The others dally at the wishing seat.  So I manage to get three minutes alone at Fingal’s Cave before anyone else arrives.  When Wordsworth visited here in 1830 the noise and jostling just made him angry.  Only in my imagination can I hear the sounds of Mendelssohn’s famous overture as the waves lap against rocks that are similar to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland.

Just as interesting on Staffa are the puffins.  On the cliff tops they are happy to waddle up to the humans because they know we’ll save them from being attacked by the seagulls.  People are surprised at how small they are.  We have over an hour on the island, so there is time to collect some shells and feathers.

On the way back the boat is thrown from side to side in the waves, and the water almost laps over the sides.  Some feel sick.  The sight of what looks like a life-boat following us offers a little consolation.  As we get off the boat I ask the man how he would rate the ride, on a scale of 1 to 10.  Only 2, he replied, or maybe 3.  Nothing really.

We’re late for our 5.30 evening prayer at the Chapel, but those who have gone exploring the south of Iona are later still.  But we can’t wait too long as the last ferry to Mull is 6.15.  Only now does the rain come on.  This does not deter our friendly seal who pops his head up again in the harbour to entertain us.

The Keel Row is busy again.  Not too many people can stay in the 30 houses and the 6 B and Bs in Fionnphort, but there are thousands come through to catch the short ferry across to the Isle of Columba.  After eats people meet in the bar.  No bagpipes this evening, but a variety of games like draughts and cards going on.

At snooker Veronica almost beats me again, then 10 of us play ‘killer’.  If you don’t pot a ball on three occasions you are out.  Liam pockets the cash.  Last night my £5 for the cues went to the locals who were last on the table.  Tonight it comes back to me.

When everyone is together we present Martin with a thank you card and bronze plaque.  He’s already talking about organizing next year.  There’s not many ways you could improve a winning formula.  Some would like to stay longer.  Maybe we could have an earlier start from Glasgow.  We sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Dave again, and give him a piece of Iona marble and picture of the Abbey.

At 11.00 someone suggests we go down to the pier and have a sing-song.  It’s far enough beyond the houses to disturb, but the wind is howling in off the Atlantic.  We discover that David has a champion Welsh tenor voice.  How many colds will there be in the morning?

May 3

SHEEP – MISSING BOATS – FLAT TYRE - GLASGOW

One last visit to Iona.   We catch the 8.45 ferry.  No seal to be seen.  A rainbow is over the Abbey, but it heralds rain, and we get our only real soaking of the weekend as we make our way up to the House of Prayer.

The Gospel is about the Good Shepherd again and the sheep and the lambs keep up their chorus of support.  Last year one of the readings on Iona had been about water and had fixed our attention more on the view of the sea from the chapel windows.

In John 10, the Good Shepherd proclaims that he has come so that we may have life and have it to the full.  After the Gospel I invite people to reflect why did Jesus come.  Non-Christians might find it strange that we claim to be living life to the full.  There are certain things a Catholic is not supposed to do.  But, do these things bring life to others?  Often they are the source of people’s unhappiness.

There are so many voices encouraging us to live life as a fool rather than to the full.  Among all these voices can we hear God leading us to life.  He is our creator.  He knows what is best for us.  He alone knows what it is all about.

On Staffa yesterday someone had reflected on the wonders of creation, when you see all the variety and beauty of life.  This led me to say then and reflect in the sermon that, while I find it easy to understand the response of agnostics who say “I don’t know” to the question of God, I find it more difficult to understand the atheist who believes there is no God. Atheists are usually very rational people, yet they are prepared to make that leap of faith to say they believe there is no superior being behind creation.  Theirs is a much higher level of faith than ours.  I can only admire their confidence but I cannot share it when so much evidence points to a loving and personal God.

That’s my sermon over for the day.  The sheep continue to serenade us and the young ones come back in chorus just in time for the ‘Lamb of God’.  Afterwards Sr Eileen invited those of us who were still around in for a cup of coffee.  She was interested in the group, and it turned out that she knew Ailish’s family.

As we were leaving Sister I embarrassed Martin by saying that I thought this had to be the best organised event we do.  (I’m actually writing this on the back of one of the many sheets he produced with not only information, but history and humour as well).  “Don’t be saying that in your diary”, he pleads.  Then we come out the Chapel door to see the ferry pulling out at 10.15 when we expected it to go at 10.30.  When is the next ferry?  Visions of missing planes and trains in the evening.  Fortunately the ferry came back straight away and we made it across by 11.00.  Humble as ever, Martin conceded: “Now you can put that in your diary.”

Just before we left Iona I went down to the beach to think of the first monks, spilling on to the sands.  I throw a few stones in the water for old times’ sake (for the sake of ould lang syne) and come across a wonderful scallop/clam shell.  My excitement was diminished when it was pointed out that they are fairly common – great for ash trays.

On the boat I found a quiet spot and looked back at the Abbey, wondering at the courage and commitment of the monks over a thousand years ago.  To the right is Martyrs’ Bay, where 60 had been killed by the Vikings, and yet the monks came back to be slaughtered again and again.  I remembered the priest I knew as a boy who was one of 30 Sacred Heart Fathers killed in the Congo in the 60s.  And how after that we sent out more missionaries to take their place, and when the troubles broke out again in the 90s they stayed on with the people.

The singing was better in the bus on the way back, though maybe not as good as the singing in India.  I still don’t know the words to ‘The Fields of Atherry’, but I’ve learned how to do a dramatic silence in the middle of ‘where in purple hue, the highland hills we view’.  The singing was brought to a stop by a flat tyre in Patricia’s car.  We lost Duncan to the changing squad, as the van kept going in case we missed the ferry from Mull.  There is a rumour that someone set about changing the wrong tyre.  They made it in time.

The boat to Oban takes less than an hour.  After some steak pie I find a lounge seat.  The sleep doesn’t come.  I reflect how Leo Dehon made the journey by rowing boat in 1863.  It was supposed to take a couple of hours, but the weather turned nasty and they were seven hours battling against the waves through the night.  He was the only one of his friends to take a turn at the oars.  When they made the nearest land they still had to walk two hours to Oban.

We stop at the Drovers’ Inn at the top of Loch Lomond for something to eat.  This is where the cattle men stopped on the way to market centuries ago.  It still looks the same inside, intentionally or not I’m not sure.  The place is too busy with Bank Holiday makers for us to get any grub.  Tourists!  Veronica takes the opportunity to pay the deposit for the night we will be spending here on the West Highland Way in July.

We press on.  Just as well as the traffic further south gets bad.  We make it to the airport in time.  As yet I don’t know if Richard and Michael made it for their train to London.  Michael R offers to do the email account of the weekend.

Those of us who are left go for something to eat.  It’s just a quick sponge pudding for me, before heading to where the 30s are having an introductory for the Echoes/Maryvale course they are going to follow in Catechetics.

I give Emma’s apologies for not managing after Iona.  The Glasgow 30s started independently as the other 30s groups were starting, but they still enjoy coming to Malpas and other main events.  There was talk about asking me to become chaplain when Fr Joe, their founder, was made a parish priest, but he was there tonight to explain that he can still keep his involvement with the group.

The printed sheets for the group were very good, and made me think how we are called to be witnesses and echoes of Christ.  Ailish does her bit and explains to me that Leo, her husband of a year, and who used to do the newsletter for the North West 30s, hasn’t made it tonight because he has to get a dissertation finished by tomorrow.  

May 4

SMITHSTONE HOUSE – KILWINNING – LUNAR ECLIPSE

I stayed overnight in our community’s house at Smithstone near Kilwinning, as there is a meeting of some of our priests here today.    My first year after ordination in 1976 was spent here helping in the then small Junior House for teenagers who wanted to be priests, and acting as chaplain to the local secondary school they attended.

Then I was here again for five years in the 80s as the place developed into a House of Prayer.  The last two years were as Novice Master, looking after the spiritual year which candidates for the Religious Life must do before they take their first vows.

I always enjoy coming back.  It’s just outside the town, in its own grounds.  It can take small residential groups, up to 15 beds, and would be ideal for the groups in Scotland, yet somehow our efforts to use the house have never really worked.  The groups in the North West have benefited from Malpas, Dehon House and Stella Maris.  In Dublin we have used the houses in Inchicore and the parish in Artane.  Smithstone House would be ideal for having a place to call our own.  Maybe some day it will work.

In August, some of the European visitors going to Malpas will come here the weekend after.  We’ll organise a barbecue for them one evening.  But will people from the groups travel down to deepest Ayrshire, even though it is only 30 minutes by train from Glasgow?

The meeting doesn’t start until the afternoon after Mass, so there is time to reply to the emails, do yesterday’s diary and print out some of this web diary to ask the advice of priests at the meeting before it is launched.  The web counter is up and running.  Soon will the truth be known.  It used to be money that kept the world going round, now it is hits.

But I have a cunning plan.  We’ll keep mentioning how few hits we are getting on the web page.  People will pay it a visit just to see how bad things are, and then we will get a hit every time they come on. Even Blackadder would be proud of that.

In the afternoon I walk into town to the nearest post box.  I’m going to have to do more of this, much more, before the West Highland Way in July.  On the road back I start thinking up silly limericks like we did in the bus yesterday.  Is there no escape?  This is the best I come up with:

There was a group went to Iona. 

Among them there wasn’t one moaner.

The waves were high,

But we kept ourselves dry,

-         a whale of a time, unlike Jonah.

Limericks – a good ice breaker.  Should I do one a day?  Maybe not.

Before the meeting there was time for a quick circuit of the kilometre long path that goes round the edges of the grounds.  I can imagine how the school group that was here today must have enjoyed exploring the woods.  I forgot that there is supposed to be a panther running wild in this area.  At least I didn’t get bombed by a crow like Fr Paul.  The bluebells were at their best.

At the meeting there is Fr Con and Fr Paul from Smithstone and Fr John from Dublin.  The Provincial, Fr Michael, could not make it.  After we break up for the evening we have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for half and hour, as is our custom.  Fr Stephen, who was not at the meeting, is a natural cook, so we enjoy our tea.  For an hour after the meal we sit on at the table discussing the pros and cons of the film ‘The Passion of Christ’.  Strangely, the film was one of the reasons behind starting this web diary.  A lot of people asked me what I thought about Mel Gibson’s production and would I recommend it (which I would).   Should I write an email to the group?  But maybe there are too many emails being sent out already.  If I kept a blog, those who wanted could check up to see what I was thinking.  And the rest is…Grammar, if not Literature!

At the end of the 10 0’clock news we are reminded that there is still a lunar eclipse going on.  From the window the sky looks cloudy, but there are a few stars around, enough to entice me out into the rain.  If the sun has disappeared to the north-west, the moon must be low to the south-east.  There are too many trees around, so I take the road towards the town.  Gradually the rain eases and the moon begins to penetrate the cloud.  Eventually it appears.  At this stage the eclipse is just partial, but enough to make the walk worthwhile.

The working of the universe if eternally fascinating.  Some people find it boring, and true, the merest yawn of yours or mine is a trillion times more significant cosmologically in God’s plan of evolution than simple shadows caused by the juxtaposition of a planet and its moon.  On the way back I hear a rustling in the hedgerow.  Is that the panther on the loose?  Is that a howling on the horizon?

When I get back to the house the moon has still got its hat on.  I cause consternation by going into the sitting room and switching off the lights and the television.  Ecce luna.  I don’t need to explain myself.  Our satellite is visible outside the large bay window.  And I’m forgiven even though they miss the end of an interesting programme.

May 5

It’s good spending some time with your brothers in the community.  Smithstone is home from home. In fact whenever I have visited the Dehonian communities anywhere in the world I have always felt at home.  Although we might come from different cultures the same spirit binds us together.  Jesus says that if anyone leaves father, mother, houses, etc for his sake they will be repaid a hundredfold.  It’s certainly true when it comes to houses.  And that’s not forgetting my brothers and sisters.  That’s four homes I have in Scotland alone.

While saying the Office of Readings I get distracted thinking that one of the emails yesterday was from someone in the group looking for help to get copies of the Divine Office, the full set with the Readings.  That would be a big commitment from anyone, though there are others in the group who say the Prayer of the Church.  The Reading, from the Early Fathers of the Church, can be quite challenging.  Today St Hilary is speaking about the Trinity – tough going, yet mind-blowing.  He says:

“If the Word was truly made flesh, and if we truly receive the Word made flesh in the Lord’s food, why should we not hold that he remains within us naturally….Accordingly we are all one, because the Father is in Christ, and we are in Him, and being united with :Him, what we are is in God.”

If we really believed that Jesus lived within us, and therefore we lived in God, we would want to run down the street and tell the first person we met about it.  It would produce a ‘total eclipse of the heart’.  It reminds me of when I was playing golf with my brother last year and a lady came bursting through the trees bubbling: “I’ve just scored a hole-in-one.  It’s my first time.  I’m on my own.  Who will believe me?”  My response was: “People will believe you.  You couldn’t act the kind of joy you are experiencing now.”  Why are we so good at hiding our joy?  Would people believe us?  Do we believe it ourselves?

In order to lower the tone completely, here is another limerick, inspired by the eclipse last night.  Enjoy it.  It could be the last:

There was a young man from Kilwinning.

His heart was continually spinning.

He saw an eclipse,

He swears with his lips,

And now he’s perpetually grinning.

Our meeting continues this morning.  One of the issues we look at is the Beatification of Leo Dehon next year.  How can we prepare for that here?  How to go about arranging for people who want to go to Rome for the ceremony.  John is going to arrange a programme for the younger age-groups who go out, including people from Project 2030.

Some people asks whether the beatification of our Founder will encourage more people to commit their lives to God within our community.  Who knows.  There are still people out there who are thinking seriously about priesthood and religious life.  Last year on Iona two of the women spoke openly about their thoughts of becoming nuns, and a good few men have spoken along the same lines – not about becoming nuns of course.  We say there is a shortage of these kind of vocations today, and there is in our countries, but the numbers of those studying for the priesthood has doubled since John Paul II became Pope. There are now 128,000 preparing for the priesthood throughout the world, the most there has ever been in the history of the Church.  There will be two novices next year at our house in Dublin preparing to go to a country I cannot mention on a web page because the Government there is trying to stop people studying for the priesthood.

Our meeting also discusses the idea of producing a prayer book for the Beatification.  This gets me thinking about whether we could do with a small prayer booklet for the group, produced by the group, or even just a prayer, or maybe a small card that fits into your wallet besides your plastic.  We’ve heard that the prayer book I described on April 19 cannot be sold because of copyright, but they have just sent us another pile from the States. So if anyone sends a cheque for £10 made out to Project 2030 (India fund) to St Joseph’s, Malpas, Cheshire, SY14 7DD, we will send you a copy.  If anyone wants a smaller booklet of Dehonian Prayers with a selection of Oblations (Morning Offering Prayers), send four first class stamps to the same address.

When the meeting finishes at lunch time I beat a hasty retreat for the train back to Stockport.  That’s eight days I’ve been on the road.  On the journey my thoughts go back to Iona.  I remember that I forgot to say that we (or some of the group) drank the wine that Matt and Michelle gave me at their wedding (see April 12) and we toasted their meeting on the way to Iona last year.  Also, on Monday, at the Drovers Inn, the group gave me a Celtic cross as a souvenir of our visit to St Columba’s Isle.  It will get  place on the mantelpiece next to the map of Iona in the office.

May 6

Day off, so here’s the second part of the article on Leo John Dehon.

For Leo Dehon the open side and the pierced heart of Jesus on the cross are the most eloquent signs of God’s love.  He summed up his and our vocation as imitating the willingness of the Son of God to become human: “Here I am”, and of Mary who said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.”  Dehon might not stand out today like a Mother Teresa or a Padre Pio, but he represents all of us who strive to live our life for God and for others.  He was known as someone who was both practical and spiritual, sympathetic yet dynamic.

Before he died he wrote to his followers: “I leave you the most wonderful of treasures, the Heart of Jesus.”  His last words were: “For Him I live, for Him I die.”   At his funeral the Bishop of Soissons said: “A page of great religious history is about to conclude.”  He is buried in St Martin’s, a church he built near the centre of St Quentin.

When he died there were 600 members in his community.  Now there are 2,300 in 35 countries, as well as other religious Congregations and lay organizations that follow his spirituality and consider themselves Dehonians.  The Sacred Heart Fathers (Dehonians) came to England in 1936.  In 1970 we moved to Scotland and then in 1978 we set up our first community in Ireland.

By his fruits you shall know him.  Now that he is to be beatified many others at home and abroad will come to know his name, but above all will come to appreciate more the great love God has for us, shown through his Son, Jesus Christ.

May 7

10.00 am and I’m sitting in the dentist’s.  It’s a bit like waiting to go to Confession, only worse.  So I feel I am justified in breaking my promise not to do any more Limericks:

There was a young man from Leith

Who had problems enough with his teeth.

He went for a filling,

Collapsed at the drilling,

I can think of plenty of words to rhyme for the last line, but not a good sentence, so you’re going to have to do that yourself.  Here’s some help: beef, belief, beneath, chief, deaf (Scottish pronunciation), grief, heath, Keith, reef, relief, wreath.  If nobody emails me the final line then I will take it as a sign to stop doing the limericks.

It’s only my second time at this dentist and he’s calling me Father.  How does he know I’m a priest?  I didn’t give my name as Father and my address was just 1 Tatton St.  Fr Liam comes here aswell, and maybe the receptionist has put two and two together,but I could be just a lodger.

Not that I have any problem with people calling me Father, but I usually introduce myself as Hugh.  In the early days of the groups more people called me Hugh.  In general I prefer that.  It can be a bit embarrassing in a pub if someone calls you Father, especially if they are in their late 30s and me obviously (?) too young to be their Father.  Though I have a classmate whose grandchild is in their 20s.  Do the maths yourself.

When I started the 20s in London I introduced myself as Hugh Hanley from the Sacred Heart Fathers/Dehonians.  But people didn’t understand that I was ordained.  When we had our first retreat day in London the group were wondering who was going to say Mass and were a bit surprised when it was me.  They only told me this about a year later when they had got to know me.

When I get called to the dentist’s inner sanctum, the good news is that I don’t need to get that tooth removed.  The X ray looks okay, but the bad news is that the chipped one at the back needs to be capped.  It’s quite a strenuous process preparing the tooth, and I ask myself why is it you don’t hear of many people having heart attacks at the dentists.

With going to the dentist I don’t seem to get very much done in the morning.  Also, after my day off, it is harder getting going on a Friday.  Yesterday was the first day off I’ve had in Stockport since March, but if you have been reading the diary you will see that I have not been doing too badly in between.

I got back from Scotland to find copies of the new magazine.  It looks as good as I had hoped.  Already Celia and Clare have sent copies out to the parishes in London along with the details of the newcomers’ meetings later in the month.  We’ll get them out to the other areas and groups as soon as possible.  I put a pile at the back of the church.  We can only send a limited amount to each parish, but it will be interesting to see how they go here.  There must be almost 100 at the midday Mass.  It’s market day and also the First Friday when traditionally we have the Mass of the Sacred Heart.

After lunch I’m still tying up the details of the Glasgow 20s newsletter which will go out tomorrow.  Then I remember in time that the Dublin 30s will be doing their programme for June tonight at their monthly gathering.

I have to get a new date for the evening on personal growth from Fr John and fortunately I’ve got Caroline’s mobile to ring her at work with the change.

This evening there are newcomers’ meetings in Manchester, which fortunately is not too far away.   Unfortunately the time that was sent to the parishes for the 30s was 4.00 pm and not 8.00 pm (it’s at 4.00 tomorrow, Saturday, in Liverpool).  Quite a few parish priests got in touch to query the time, so it shows they are interested, but it was too late to tell them all about the mistake.

I head into Manchester early in case anyone turns up.  There is a very regular train service but I have to change and they are taking longer than I expected.  This in only my third time coming into Manchester since September.  I ring ahead to the Friends Meeting House run by the Quakers to say I will be late.  And just as well because someone has turned up at the earlier time and they wait on for me.

After a one-to-one explanation of the group we went for a coffee.  I’m now writing this in the square across from Manchester’s Central Library.  I’ll finish here and get this in the post and report on the Liverpool and Manchester newcomers’ meetings tomorrow.  

May 8

LIVERPOOL – NEWCOMERS’ MEETINGS – MANCHESTER, (continued)

In Stockport Station waiting for the 11.41 to Liverpool for the newcomers’ meeting.  Before I came out almost managed to get on top of the emails, post and phone messages that had been building up while I was away last weekend.

I’m glad I got the train last night as well to the newcomers’ meetings in Manchester.  People were either complaining about how far away they had to park the car, popping out to put more money in the meter, or at the end forgetting where they had parked the car.

There wasn’t a big crowd at the meeting, but there was a good spirit and plenty of interest.  Some of the people were well travelled or had just moved back to the area.  As always, people say how difficult it is to come along to something like this for the first time, even if you are quite extraverted.

Four of us there had been to Iona, so there was quite a bit of reminiscing about the experience.  Michael’s report on the weekend arrived during the week.  I enjoyed reading it this morning.  It will be sent out soon to all the groups by email.  It’s a pity the postal people don’t get a chance to read these reports and other emails that are sent around.  We might give the postal people the option of paying so much a year if they want reports, talks,reflections, etc, sent to them every so often.

After the meeting we got the couch area at Café Uno.  This looks like the same chain of cafes we go to near More House in London.  We talk about various events we have been on or are going to.  I get the feeling that the group is the kind of thing the newcomers are looking for, but there is always quite a high percentage of people who do not come back.  Despite how brilliant we are, it is not what they are looking for.

A few of the old stagers have already booked for the gathering at Malpas in August.  They are keen to get involved in the preparation of it, so we agree to call a meeting to coincide with the day of retreat we are having at Shalom, Stockport on 11 July.  That’s the next weekend I definitely (God sparing) know that I will be in the North-West.

People are impressed by the new magazine – it looks good, it’s easy to read, people will be attracted to it at the back of church, are some of the comments.  The pictures are pored over to see who’s who.  And they come in handy for some to keep the rain off as we leave the café.

The attendances at Liverpool are not any better than Manchester.  One excuse here was that it was raining most of the day.  We discuss time and venue, but agree that we couldn’t get much better.  The other positive is that others have seen the notice in their parish newsletters and have been ringing and emailing, so there should be a flow of new people to the groups.

Someone comes up the stairs who is obviously not in his 20s or 30s.  He’s seen the advert and wants some information for his son.  This is not unusual, but it turns out that all the new people this afternoon heard about us through a parent or parent’s friend.  We agree that maybe new posters should be directed not to people in their 20s and 30s but to ‘mums and dads’.

Somebody said that their mum kept leaving the tear-off slip with our email and phone number lying around in strategic places for months until they eventually capitulated and got in touch.  They had been on the mailing list for a while and took the chance of the newcomers’ meeting to make a first appearance.

I mentioned the web diary and said how much I was enjoying writing it.  “So it’s therapeutic”, someone knowingly said.  I had never looked at it that way.  I confessed to feeling energised by it and more connected to the work I’m doing, but I’ll need to meditate a bit more on ‘therapeutic’.

Our meeting is on the top floor of the Pauline Books and Media shop in Bold Street, near the Central Station.  It’s run by the Daughters of St Paul.  We’ve met and had talks here before.  The Sisters are very supportive and are happy to give out copies of the magazine to people in their 20s and 30s.  I buy some prayer cards and a book, ‘Anam Cara, Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World’ by John O’Donohue.  It will be good to take to Knock with me next weekend.

On the way back on the train I take out the book, but find I am reading the plastic bag first.  The Sisters provide media resources and promote Christian values in over 50 countries.  That’s more than the Sacred Heart Fathers (Dehonians) who are in almost 40.  They also have shops in London and Glasgow.  See www.pauline-uk.org

There’s a group of football supporters opposite.  Who is your team?  They apologise that it is Grimsby.  I don’t say I’m in a similar position with Morton.  I tell them I saw Grimsby once in 1978 when I was in the parish at Market Rasen for a year.  It was a Cup game, against, I think, Spurs.  They confirm that they did lost to Greenock about that time.

I  still don’t know how Morton have done today.  Will they throw away promotion?  Don’t tell me the Premiership scores.  I’ll enjoy more watching Match of the Day if I don’t know how the games went.  It’s later and teletext tells me that Morton have lost and are now out of the promotion spots with one game left.  This season I think they lost their Scottish record of consecutive wins to Celtic.  But it looks as though they are going to gain another record.  Surely no other team has been 19 points ahead for promotion to throw it away.

May 9

SUNDAY IS SUNDAY – 3 DIOCESES – DRINK

They say that anticipation is often much better than the actual event.  I was really looking forward to today because it is not often that I have a Sunday as a Sunday with a chance to relax in a way that is more difficult on a weekday.  Even when I was in a parish and you were busy with Masses and baptisms and seeing people, you could still relax better in the times that were quiet.  Reading the newspaper or watching the television, or just mooching around can best and easiest be done on a Sunday.

And yet the day never quite worked out as I hoped, there never was that feeling of “I’m enjoying myself”.  Maybe having breakfast at 7.00 was not such a good idea.  When I was younger I could sleep in for Scotland whenever I got the chance, but not now.  In those years I also used to ask why it was that at college and in community we had less times of prayer on a Sunday which was supposed to be the day of the Lord.  There never was an answer for it but I suppose for us ever day was a day of the Lord, and on the Sabbath even the Lord allowed us to rest a bit from our ‘work’.

I hoped to get in a good walk in the morning, so I looked in the Directory to see what Masses were on in the parishes round about.  Usually if I don’t have a Mass to say I go to a parish where I am not known by the priests.  I have spent the last 13 years living in the Shrewsbury Diocese so I am known to quite a number, but luckily here we are on the borders of the Salford and Nottingham Dioceses, so that gives options.  The Nottingham Diocese includes Derbyshire, which comes within a few miles of Stockport.  It also stretches as far as Grimsby on the east coast, so those supporters I met on the train yesterday were almost home, ecclesiastically speaking.  They never told me they had lost in Tranmere, and so were relegated.  We have a retreat day in Stockport in July, so must do a publicity campaign in the nearby Nottingham parishes to invite people to come across the border.

Sometimes I get the impression that diocese, a bit like parish, is not so important to people today, but I once did a check with 30 newcomers in London, and they all knew which diocese they came from, and there was a good representation of the four dioceses that come within the M25.

Recently Project 2030 has been invited to send representatives along to a consultation or listening process in the Westminster Archdiocese.  Often I don’t know which diocese people in the groups come from in London.  We have a male representative for Westminster, but not a female yet.  So if you or someone you know is able for this please get in touch.

I found a parish in a good walking area but it turned out that the Mass times had been changed, so I only managed a couple of strolls before and after Mass.  I was impressed that someone walking up to the church asked me if I was new in the area.  Often Catholic churches get the reputation of not being as welcoming as other Churches, but this was done quite naturally by someone whose ‘job’ it wasn’t.  Though I have also been put off when visiting Protestant churches and people are all over you.

I had a drink before lunch, my first for ages.  As I say that I’m conscious of those who might think you can give away too much personal information in a diary like this, but it is a question I often get asked by the group when we go for a pub lunch or, after a meeting: “Don’t you drink at all?”, meaning alcohol, and sometimes someone will say: “But I thought priests were big drinkers”.  Fr Ted has a lot to answer for.  My reply to the first question is usually: “If I drink at lunch time it makes me sleepy and if I drink in the evening it keeps me awake.  So I just drink at breakfast.”

Once at the doctor’s I was asked how much I drank.  When I said:  “About 40 units” the nurse’s jaw dropped, before I could say “per year”.  It would be even less than that now.  As for priests generally, there will be some who make up for their more abstemious colleagues, but they are likely to be remembered in a way that people say: “It always rains on Bank Holidays”.  In my last community I was the biggest drinker, and it’s the same now.  But myths are much more interesting.

May 10

HIT COUNTER – EMAILS – CARDINAL WINNING – JOURNALISTS

Last week we signed up this web page for a month’s free trial with one of those companies that does hit counters, etc.  Basically it tells you how many people have visited the site, but it gives all kinds of other information, much more than we will ever need.  It tells you how people came to the site – did they enter the full address or did they find it when looking for something else.  It tells you what time the person visited.  It doesn’t give you their email address, but records their servers, eg: aol or tiscali.  The only thing it doesn’t give, which would be useful, is how long people stay on the site.

This morning I thought it was time to check and see how many visits we were getting.  I was pleasantly surprised to see there had been over 100 hits.  58 of these were yesterday, of which 22 were visitors who had been on before.  I presumed the big number of hits was  because we had sent out the emails telling people about the site, but later discovered that the email did not go out until 9.15 pm last night, though some groups had already been informed of the diary beforehand.

Is this diary the kind of web page I would visit myself?  The answer has to be a resounding no.  This might sound a bit shocking, like someone on the television admitting they would never use the product they advertise.  But see me, see web pages, I hate them.  Now he tells us.  Until last year I was Chairman of the Enneagram Association, and the Webmaster was continually disappointed that I had never looked at the web pages.  They do my head in.

Any time I spend in front of the computer seems to pickle my brain, and looking at web pages more so.   To counter this the office checks all my emails first.  Many they can deal with themselves – new people, changes of address, information about newsletters.  If there is anything urgent I give them an answer over the phone and the rest of the emails they send on by post to Stockport or, for example last week, to Kilwinning.  I then hand write a reply and send them back by post.

It might not be the fastest system or the most economical, but writing things on the computer takes me about three times as long and uses up three times as much energy, even though I can touch type.  When I dealt with my own emails I was always falling miles behind, so in fact this system can be quicker, especially as I am away so much of the time.  Though it was embarrassing recently when a batch of emails got lost in the post for a couple of weeks and there were some that needed a reasonably quick reply or acknowledgement.  But in the end it is better that I am freed to do things that only I can do for the group.

During Adoration, then Mass at 12.00, my head was spinning and I was as high as a kite.  I thought I had taken caffeinated coffee instead of decaff by mistake, until I remembered that I had been on the Internet pouring over all the information we were getting with our web counter.  I even had a look at this web page and came up with a few changes for the home page.

Before lunch I nipped to the library, which is only a few minutes’ walk away.  I had already renewed my four books three times and they were due today.  Two, I had just finished during the week.  One was ‘This Turbulent Priest’, a life of Cardinal Winning by Stephen McGinty, a journalist who, like most journalists, writes first and foremost for his journalistic audience.  As a first book it is very good, and gives a sharp insight into the life of the Cardinal, even if it doesn’t capture his soul and his humour.

I must admit that I am ambivalent towards journalists.  I have to admire the way they can put together a newspaper every day, but if you know anything about a story there are always mistakes.  As a point of honour (if that’s the word) they don’t go back to the people in the story and check the accuracy.  In the book on the Cardinal, p246, it describes how he spent some time with our community.  There are at least four inaccuracies in this one sentence: “The retreat took place at the House of the Sacred Heart, a retreat house buried in the English countryside, a few miles from the little town of Malpass, on the Welsh border”.

A few years later the then Archbishop of Glasgow found one of our Indonesian missionaries wandering around Heathrow, wondering how to get to Malpas.  He took him in hand (who would have known where Malpas was?), got on the phone to us and sorted out his transport.

The importance of journalists is the way they seek out the truth, but the only people who do not come fully under their scrutiny is their fellow-journalists, and they fall too easily into the temptation of twisting or exaggerating the truth to make it more sensational and sell papers.

Cardinal Winning was a strong character who was not afraid to take on the Government and the establishment.  He’ll likely be best remembered for putting the Archdiocese’s money behind a scheme supporting pregnant women who were tempted to have an abortion for financial reasons.  I met him a couple of times, and preached before him at a Sister’s Final Vows.  Afterwards I was half-waiting to fall victim to his sharp humour, but I got away ith it.

May 11 

CONTRIBUTE TO DIARY – BRITNEY SPEARS – WANADOO

When I asked people’s advice on the web diary before we launched it, a few people mentioned it would be good to get others in the group involved in it some how, for example, ask people to send in their own diaries, etc.  A good idea, but I couldn’t quite see how to organise that.  Except that I am due to go on holiday in June, and I wouldn’t want the diary to run out of steam, so we’re asking people to send something in.  Do it now.

 For the diary in June, you can send in whatever you like, as long as it’s positive and relevant to the group.  Here are some suggestions:

.           A day in the life of… Give us an idea how your usual day

            goes, like at the back of the Sunday Times magazine;

.           A reflection on something that’s important to you;

.           How Project 2030 changed my life – or maybe just what the

            group means to you;

.           Your hopes for the group; ideas for development and        growth;

.           A poem or a prayer, made up by you or someone else;

.           A report on some event you attended;

.           A response to something you have read in the diary;

.            Describe something important that happened in your life;

.            Describe what your faith means to you.

Email your contributions for the June diary to hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk under the title ‘June Diary’.  We need at least 14 days covered.  Send it also as an attachment to make it easier to upload.  Say how you want to be known – full name or initials, or just your group and whether you want your email on it.  Remember, it is going on to the web.  Send it by 25 May to give us time to sort things out.  It can be as long or as short as you like.

In our community we can have three weeks’ holiday in the summer, as well as a week at Christmas.  Usually I split them up, but last year for the first time in ages, I took three weeks together and I felt the benefit.  Although I get plenty of busman’s holidays with the group, there is still the need to get away on my own.  I’ll likely go to Manchester Airport and see what last minute bargains there are in the likes of Spain.  Two years ago I got something on the day itself.  Any suggestions welcome. 

Yesterday when I was surfing the Web I put ‘project 2030’ into a couple of search engines and it came up with several mentions.  I even googled my own name.  How sad.  There are a few other Hugh Hanleys out there.  Is it true that it is important to get key words into the first sentence of the web page so that people who are looking for related pages will find you?  Did I see or did I dream that there are 8 trillion pages of web material on the google search engine?

I’m told it is also good to mention other famous or important names, like Britney Spears, who is or who used to be the most searched-for name on the web.  Yet how many Catholics in their 20s or 30s will be searching for Britney Spears?  Don’t answer that.  I even had a legitimate excuse to mention her 10 days ago on the way to Iona.  Someone said she had just been in Glasgow for a concert and had gone bowling in Coatbridge.  Our hit counter tells us if someone comes to our page while searching for another name.  It even gives the name.  We’ve had people looking for Malpas, or Castlerigg Manor, or the Sacred Heart.  As far as Britney is concerned, I have my doubts, but we’ll let you know.

Our server for the web page is Freeserve, now Wanadoo.  There was a letter about the change in the post.  I gave the number a ring to say we’ve been having problems sending out attachments to the groups and was Wanadoo likely to make things any better.  Calls to the Freeserve helpline have not been very helpful.  The excuse was that they are trying to cut down on the number of viruses being sent around, which I’m all for, but I suspect they are either trying to get us to pay for the service – it’s still free – or they are just not interested in people who send out to big groups.  Wanadoo were no more helpful and they couldn’t put me in touch with anyone who could give me an answer.  No wanadoo, no wanaknow.  So we might need to change our server.  Suggestions welcome.

But more importantly, send in your contributions for the diary in June by 25^th May.

May 12

FENCES – LAUNDRY

The days I spend in the office there is a danger I don’t go out at all, except maybe a mad dash to catch the last post at 7.30 pm.  Being in the centre of Stockport, we are very handy for things.  The main sorting office is only a few minutes’ walk away.  Sometimes in the winter, when the sun is shining, I make myself go out to get some vitamin whatever in my bones.  Though with all the travels you could hardly call me a shut-in.

Yesterday we had work going on in the garden.  What is about guys that they like watching men at work.  If the gas board are digging a hole in the road there will always be a few fellas looking on.  Fr Liam and Adrian were putting up a fence.  Adrian is a local thirtysomething who decided recently to go into gardening.  When it was quiet over the winter he spent a week at Malpas helping out.  We happened to be there for our Advent retreat, and he joined us for some of the time.

I called it a garden.  There was a bare-looking patio area in front of the house next to the car park.  About 10 years ago Fr Con liked to sit there in the summer for some fresh air, but there was no privacy with people passing all the time going to the school and the church.  So he put in one of those fast-growing hedges.  Now the hedge is over six feet, but the gate is still low.  When I came here in September I would often go out there for a coffee mid-morning and do some phone calls.  But you were still likely to get someone shouting over the gate: “Hello, Father.  Catching the sun are we?  Glad to see you’ve got somewhere no-one will disturb you!”

The job in the garden was to put in a higher gate and renew the fence on that side.  It was reasonably warm, so I took the chance to go out with a cup of cha and inspect the work.  Top marks.  All we need now is the good weather.  At Dehon House last year I was sitting out the back in the sun at the end of March, and the previous year we were having lunch in the sun still at the beginning of October.

There is also a tiny enclosed yard outside the kitchen with a drying line (the house will be over 100 years old).  Usually when doing my laundry I stick it in the dryer, but today, inspired by the better weather, I decided it was time to be eco-friendly and use the outside line.  Except for my shirts.  A few minutes in the dryer and they don’t need ironing.  The rain stayed off.  My mother would have been proud of me, God rest her.  As kids we were always on weather watch on washing days, and if the rain came on it was all hands on deck to bring the washing in.  One day when it’s quiet I might tell the story of my mum and dad and a washing day.

Joseph tells us that the new magazine is now up on our web page www.project2030.org.uk - so check it out.  It will be posted to everyone, even those on the email list.  But be patient.  The office has been very busy recently.  Celia and Clare only work part-time for Project 2030.  They also do some days at Malpas, and other things.  At the moment there are quite a few emails and calls coming in with the newcomers meetings being advertised in the North-West and London (22-23 May at More House.  See newsletter).  There have been big mailings going out to the parishes, and the London 20s and 30s newsletters are just being mailed this week after delays due to uncertainty over certain dates.

There’s also a newcomers for the Dublin 30s on 26 May.  We were hoping that there was a car doing over to Dublin that could take the envelopes for posting, as they are quite heavy with the magazines enclosed.  The car offer fell through, but Fr Jim and Fr Bobby are at Malpas today for a meeting and are going to take back some by plane.  The rest I can take when I go to Knock on Friday.  I phoned the Pilgrims’ Office in Knock to enquire about saying Mass while we are there.  They said post only takes a couple of days to get to Dublin, so the posters will be in the parishes for the Sunday before the meeting. They could do with longer, but most parishes leave them up for a while after the meeting as well.

The parishes in all our areas (except Scotland, that’s next month) will have received a mailing from us in May.  So if you don’t see anything in your parish newsletter about the newcomers meetings mention to the parish priest that you are involved in the group and that you would like to see it promoted in your parish.  Priests get mailings from all kinds of groups, and things can easily get overlooked.  And if there is another event coming up in your area, give the details to your priest and he will put it in the newsletter.  Somebody said last week that their PP still did not know what the group was about.  The magazines will help.

May 13

Day off, so here’s a reflection I wrote earlier in the week. 

Someone got back to me about something that was in the diary last week.  I was talking about atheists and I said I had to admire their ‘higher faith’.  This might have given the impression that the faith of atheists was better than ours.  Certainly not what I meant.  To some degree I was being ironic, but not entirely.  It’s just that you have to believe more intently to be an atheist, to keep feeding the conclusion that there could not possibly be a God when there are so many clear signs of God around.

Atheists will criticise and patronise us because our life seems to be based on a faith which we cannot prove, while they believe that their life is based on fact and scientific proof.  In recent times scientists have come to accept that many of their most basic theories cannot be proved.  They have to be accepted on faith until a better theory arises.  But they will never be able to prove everything.  They don’t believe they will ever be able to go beyond or before the big bang  which is said to have started the universe.  Even the big bang theory is now in doubt, even though for a long time most people accepted it in faith.

The point is that it is not just religious people who base their life on faith.  Everybody has to do it to come degree.  You can’t actually prove that someone loves you, even if you are about to commit your life to them.  It has to include a leap of faith, based on the positive signs that they show.  How can we know what is beautiful, true and right?  People can argue about it, and society and cultures can come to an agreement about it, but in the end we cannot prove it.  It includes as element of faith.

To go back to the atheists, they in general would not like to think that their life also depends on faith, but there is no escaping it.  As Christians we look at the world and, despite some difficulties, we see a creation of great beauty.  We see a humanity that, despite mistakes, can come to a consensus about what is good and beautiful and true.  Even before we look at the revelation of God in the Bible, and in his son Jesus, we can see that the most obvious explanation for the world is that there is a loving God, a Creator.

Despite the obvious proofs, the atheist does not want to accept the possibility of a God.  If you were wandering through the woods and came across a beautiful garden you would presume that there must be a gardener who looks after all this.  But the atheist does not want to look at this.  They still want it to be proved that there is a gardener somewhere.  The atheist is keen to keep his autonomy  and independence which would be threatened if they accepted a God as Creator.  Although they are materialists they would still like to create a heaven on earth.

If someone kept sending you flowers and chocolates anonymously (or even a season ticket for your football team) most people would believe that there was someone out there who loved you.  But the atheist is too pragmatic.  They still want proof that the chocolates mean anything.  They believe they are meaningless by themselves.

In the end the average person of faith comes to the more obvious conclusion, while the atheist clings to their firmer belief that there is no-one out there, despite the various clear signs.  That is why the atheist’s faith is stronger, rather than higher.  They don’t want to accept that they have any faith at all, but in fact it takes a higher (not better) level of faith to believe that there is no God.

All this is not to make us smug and judgmental.  There can be a bit of the atheist in all of us.  As St Paul said: “Lord, I believe.  Help my unbelief”.  And living in a society that has atheism as one of the most powerful religions (religion seen by definition as something that binds people together), then we are bound to be affected.  And the worst kind of atheism is when people who have no faith in God use theistic religions as a cover for their own personal or political ends.  

May 14

On the bus to Knock.  Well, not quite, but to Manchester Airport to catch the flight.  The bus station is just a short walk down the hill and it’s first stop the airport in 20 minutes.  The flight is delayed, but this gives me the opportunity to do you know what.  It’s easier writing on the hoof than when I have a day in the office.

Why Knock?  At the end of the nineteenth century a large group of people had a vision in this small town in Co. Mayo in the West of Ireland.  What they saw was a vision of the Lamb of God, possibly the only time such a vision has been reported.  To the side were Mary, Joseph, and the Apostle John.

It quickly became a place of pilgrimage.  A large basilica was built in the 60s, and in the 80s a glass covering was put over the gable end of the parish church where the vision had been seen.  The Pope was here in 1979.  the then Director of the Shrine was a Canon Horan, who pushed and pushed to get the airport built, a seeming white elephant in a quiet part of the country but which has become a boon to the West.

An irreverent joke is told about the opening of the airport.  The Canon wanted to have the best person possible to open it.  The President and the Pope were discounted.  He wanted to go for the Virgin Mary.  She agreed to come and gave a speech: “I’m so happy to be here in Knock for the first time…”

The last time I was in Knock was for Liam’s ordination in 2002, which reminds me that he was going to ask me to take something over from him.  He comes from Swinford, just down the road.  Just as well he didn’t give me anything, as I’m carrying a load of envelopes with magazines for the parishes in Dublin to post in Knock, as well as copies for the 20s.  We still haven’t been able to get the 30s updated list formatted into our label sizes, so they’ll just need to wait a little while longer.

The idea for  this weekend came at the 30s monthly gathering in February.  There was just time to put in the main events.  There’s not a big crowd coming, but I’m sure those who do will enjoy it.

We’ve likely put too many things into this year’s main events.  But the theory is that if someone comes up with a good idea then let’s try it.  The same applies to area programmes.  If it works it works.  If it doesn’t, we’ve learned.  The first time we planned to go to Iona we had to cancel because of numbers, yet it’s proved a winner since.

This week we’ve also had to cancel Poland in July.  Only six had signed up by now.  That usually means you can double the numbers, but a couple of those booked were having difficulties in going.  Typically, when you cancel, other bookings come in straight away, but we’ll leave it for another year.

The main problem was the three days camping when we were to join a big Dehonian youth gathering.  Quite a few people asked if they could miss the time under tents, but that was the whole point in going.  When we were in Germany last year the Poles invited us to join them this summer.  Quite a few were keen on the idea in the bus on the way home, but none of those who went to Germany had booked up for it.  That’s the way it goes.

People have to balance their priorities, and the thought of taking a week’s holiday to go camping in a language you don’t understand can lose its appeal.  Last year over the summer 40 went to Germany and 20 went to Rome, but that was different.

It’s easy enough to write in a corner of Costa Coffee in the airport, with the buzz of people chatting nearby.  But then someone starts talking on his mobile.  Not that I have any objection to that in principle, but it’s noticeable how loud people speak on the phone.  It dins into me and I can’t concentrate.  It must be because when we phone we block out one ear with the handset and don’t realise we are compensating, or because the person we are listening to sounds so faint.  Sometimes I speak very low into the mobile and check that others can hear me.  Yes, someone said, but you sound like David Attenborough whispering in the Serengeti on one of his nature programmes.

May 15

KNOCK.  IRISH ANCESTRY.  SERVICES.  CAMERA.  EUROVISION

I’m in Knock ahead of the others.  They are catching the 8.00 am bus from Dublin this morning.  It’s good to have some time of quiet in a place of pilgrimage.  Our community used to have the tradition of doing a day’s retreat every month.  Even when you spend a lot of time with someone it is still good to have some time away with them if you want to get to know them better.  I’m the same with God.

We can take people for granted, and God as well.  We can talk a lot without communicating at a deeper level.  There can be issues that we are avoiding, or are just not aware of.  It can be the same in our relationship with God.

Any time spent in Ireland is enjoyable and resonates with my Irish genes.  My great grandparents were all Irish.  My mother’s older sisters were born in Ireland.  The year before I was born my parents went to Dublin for a holiday to see if they would like to settle back in Ireland for the sake of the children.  But they didn’t find it that much different from Scotland.  Maybe if they’d gone down the country.

One of my cousins married a real Scotsman from the Western Isles where they had remained Catholic.  He complained that at family gatherings all we ever sang was Irish songs.  People are more Scottish now, but whenever I have mentioned my Irish roots to people from the group they look at me as if to say we’ve heard that from thousands of others.  It is surprising how many from the groups in Britain have Irish connections.

The bus from Dublin arrives on time at 12.27.  People are ready for something to eat after the journey.  We then sort out the Bed and Breakfasts and head for the Shrine.  We are staying just across the road from it.  Knock could be described as a mini Lourdes, but it has kept its rural character.  There are horses grazing in the fields, and the bypass means there’s little traffic on the road.

The sun comes out as we join the crowd for Stations of the Cross, followed by a Rosary Procession which leads us to the Basilica in time for the 3.00 pm Mass.  The Salesian Community have their pilgrimage today, so the singing and ceremonial are extra special.  There is also anointing of the sick.  Some of the group go forward.

Last week I was able to borrow a digital camera.  When the groups started I used to take a lot of photographs.  Gradually the camera got left behind as you realised that hardly anyone was seeing the photographs.  Panoramic pictures of us up Bray Head and Ben Lomond stayed on the web page well past their sell-by-date.

Confidentiality in the diary has not been the issue I feared it might be, though I have cut down on mentioning even first names.  When it comes to taking photographs I’m going to have to warn people, “This could be on the web page”, and wait for the exodus from the group pose.  It looks as though people are going to be safe this weekend.  Having spent much of the morning getting the hang of all the gadgets and buttons, the battery has gone flat.

Some of the ladies are staying in the nearby town of Castlebar.  Mary gives them a lift over.  The men are showing an interest in seeing the 7.00 pm showing of the Premiership on RTE.  After that we go for something to eat.  The only place open is where we were earlier.  Some people were not impressed with a harassed lunch, but they are pleasantly surprised over a more leisurely soiree.

We’re just in time to go to the pub next door and catch the voting of the Eurovision Song Contest, always the best bit, and mercifully we’ve missed the singing.  Ireland won four years out of five in the 90s.  Last year it was on when we had the open weekend and party in Dublin.  A screen was showing it in the hall, silently – just as well as the UK ended up with ‘nul point’.  I had thought it might have been a slap on the wrist for going to war, but the song was a pancake.

Tonight Britain and Ireland are hugging the last places and at one stage the only points they have they’ve received from each other.  With the tele-voting system, the only way we’ll do well in the future is if we move geographically to have more neighbours around us who feel obliged to give us some votes.  Still, you can’t win them all.

May 16

WHO’S THERE?  THE PILGRIMAGE CONTINUES.  BASILICAS.  CARDINALS.

The beauty about staying in a B & B above a restaurant is that, if they do an all-day breakfast, you can come down for eats as late as you like in the morning.  This was the case here at Beirne’s, which meant that we were occupying a table continuously for a couple of hours.  How else can the problems of the world be solved (and a few others created) then around a table?  If you are looking for a B & B in Knock ring Beirne’s on 094 93 88161.

We had arranged with the people who had gone to Castlebar to meet before the 12.00 Mass.  Maybe I could find a battery for the camera.  All credit to the spirit of Knock that the shopkeepers were quick to advise what other shops to try.  But no luck in finding the kind of battery I had never seen before.

The Mass at 12.00 was for the local people.  It was held in the Basilica as opposed to the smaller parish church.  The name ‘basilica’ caused a few questions among the group.  A basilica  is usually a larger, more important church which is given that title by the Pope.  In Rome last September we visited the four main Basilicas.  I don’t know of any other church in Ireland or Britain that has that status.  Built in the round, it could hold about 5,000, but because of its design it does not look empty when there are fewer people in.

After Mass there wasn’t that much time to get something to eat, visit the souvenir shops, and pay a last visit to the Shrine, before some had to catch the service bus to Dublin.  We bought a Ring of Clodagh and a card to thank Caroline for arranging the weekend.  Over lunch we had some ideas for coming back next year.  There is a bus on the Friday evening from Dublin.  This would give us more time and the chance to go and climb Croagh Patrick, a mountain of pilgrimage, or take a bus into Castlebar on the Saturday afternoon.

People agreed it was great to get away from the big smoke and feel the peace.  If anyone was disappointed that no-one came from the groups in Britain, they didn’t show it.  We were confident that more people would come next year, and with reasonable flights from London, Manchester and Glasgow to Knock International we could see it catching on.

Richard volunteered to do a report on the weekend.  I hope he puts some of his jokes in.  I doubt he will be to able to communicate the way he mimics me so well: “Yiv goat toe find oot what God waaants”. He was particularly pleased at the present for Caroline as he is organising Lough Derg in July.

Those of us who stayed on after the bus left for Dublin went back to the Basilica to join the Mass of the Diocesan pilgrimage from Dublin.  There weren’t many seats left.  Cardinal O’Connell was presiding.  I thought his recent retirement would have meant retirement, but he was taking another chance to express his appreciation to the people and receive their thanks.  He had a hard time as Archbishop with all the public problems.  He alluded to it in his sermon, but, as someone said, it was not as though he had set out to do anything wrong.  In the book I was reading recently on Cardinal Winning, a politician noted the difference when the Church got into difficulties with the media: “It was a public relations shambles, but an honest shambles”.

After the procession at the end of Mass, we met up with Theresa who had come for the day with her parish and went for a cup of tea, to Beirne’s of course.

May 17

KNOCK CONCLUDED – THE BUREAU – THE MONASTERY

Writing in Knock Airport waiting for the 12.10 to Manchester.  It’s only a small affair.  There are seven flights out today – a total of 250,000 passengers a year.

The weekend was a good experience, but I’m puzzled about the balance at the shrine between the emphasis on the Lamb of God and Mary.  At the gable end of the church where the vision took place the Lamb on the altar is given central place and it is used as a symbol in various parts of the grounds.  But at the various Masses the emphasis was put on Mary and there was no special mention of the Lamb of God.  At one of the Masses before communion the phrase: “This is the Lamb of God”, was left out.

Knock shrine has other facilities to offer which have not been mentioned.  There are various offices, including a Youth Office.  Confessions and counselling are available 40 hours a week.  There is guidance given in prayer, various facilities for the sick, and a Folk Museum giving a flavour of the history of the Shrine and the area.

Surprisingly perhaps there is a long-established marriage bureau.  Finding a life partner in the country areas of Ireland has long been recognised as a problem for many people, and various festivals are arranged to help.  I mention that because a few of the emails I’ve had in response to the diary have stressed the importance of the group not becoming a dating agency. 

At the first meeting of the 30s in Dublin I asked why people had come along.  Someone honestly answered: “I’m looking for a man”.  In different groups we’ve had talks from members on the Christian vocation as a single person.  Usually they have said that they do not see their singleness as a lifelong calling, but as a temporary state, waiting to see where God leads them, or what the Lord provides.

But most people don’t use the group as a dating club.   You can’t make these things happen.  And the few who have got married have met through events that have been more religious.  Above all people are looking to the group for that sense of togetherness and community in a Catholic context.

The British Airways plane is one of the smallest I’ve travelled in for a long time.  The advantage is that it flies lower and slower so you get a better view of the countryside.  There can’t be too many left with propellers.  The tyres are right outside the window as we land.

I’m trying to remember some of Richard’s jokes.  There’s the one about the man who joins a very strict monastery where you are only allowed to speak once a year to the Abbot.  At the end of the first year the Abbot asks him how he is doing.  He replies: “Okay, but it can be cold in the winter.  Can I have another blanket?”  The second year he says: “My light bulb is broken.  Can I have another?”  The third year when the Abbot asks him how he is doing he says: “I’ve decided to leave”.  The Abbot replies: “I’m not surprised.  You’ve done nothing but complain since you got  here”.

May 18

PHONE CALLS – EMAILS – DIARY

Out of office for the weekend means these are the kinds of phone messages and emails that are waiting to be dealt with.

Phone calls:

-         A few new people to be put on the mailing list, though for Britain most of these now go to the mobile held by Celia and Clare, while the 20s and 30s in Dublin have a mobile contact

-         number for the groups.

-         Liam wants some extra copies of the magazine to do a campaign in his parish.  Anyone else wanting to publicise us in this way or with another group just get in touch.

-         Most people get in touch directly with the event organisers, but not always.  This weekend someone has discovered they’ve lost their main events sheet.  Someone else wants to know when the Prayer group will be on in Manchester next, and an organiser can’t ring someone back because they did not leave their number clearly enough.

-         A message from the dim and distant.  Last week I left a message for the chaplain at Norwich University, looking for the addresses of the University Chaplains to do a publicity campaign among students finishing their degrees.  The Chaplain turns out to have played centre-back with me at college.  He was better then me, having had a trial for Ipswich.

-         Andy is looking for final details of the Dublin weekend 28 – 30 May for those going from the North-West.  Send copies to him and to Joseph for the group from Scotland.  There is no contact from London this year so don’t know how many are going from there

-         Dominic has helped redesign the North-West 20s newsletter with a feed-back page, a questions and answers page, and a list of past events.  Now he emails with ideas for a brochure, a postcard and business card to advertise the group, and a revised “Welcome to Project 2030” letter, as well as a proposed new questionnaire.  Wow!

-         Somebody wants to know what I’m going to say about Greenock Morton not getting promotion from the Scottish Second Division.  Nothing.

-         There is an enquiry about the Enneagram which I mentioned in passing last week.

-         A new person already wants to organise an event. Why not?

-         Someone is looking for prayers.

-         More interest in the trip to Lourdes in September.

-         The office are dealing with quite a few enquiries for the newcomers in London this Saturday and Sunday.

-         A few people send in brief updates on events they have or are organising.

-         Tony is helping to organise the Europe for Family cycle ride to Brussels, late August to early September.  James Mawdsley also writes to say if anyone is interested in joining them on this to visit www.europe4family.net  - James is also standing as a candidate in the North West of England for the European elections in June.

Various responses to the diary. In general the reactions continue to be positive, but some people are beginning to worry about the length and content of it.  Some people are reading it all and enjoying it.  Others don’t want to miss anything important about the group but feel they have to plough through other material that is not so interesting to them.  I imagine most people scroll through pretty quickly to see what catches their attention.

A few have suggested just writing the diary once a week or when there is something important.  Would people be more or less inclined to log on if there was less to read?  We need to make a choice whether it is the group’s diary or Hugh’s diary.  In the end it is deciding what is best for the group and for getting the message across to the greater number of people.

For example, today’s diary entry has important information that you won’t get elsewhere.  How is the best way to publicise this:

          You can get extra copies of the magazine if you want to do a           campaign in your parish.

The 20s and 30s in Dublin have their own mobile phones for the group for newcomers to ring,etc.

That we are thinking of doing a publicity campaign among university leavers.

That the North-West 20s have a feed-back and Question and Answers in their newsletter.

That Morton didn’t get promoted.  You could find that elsewhere, but who would check it up?

May 19

POST –DONATION – MONEY – REACH FOR THE SUN

Yesterday I gave an outline of some of the emails and phone calls that come in.  I didn’t say anything about post, because most people today prefer to phone or email, so there’s not much of interest usually in the mail.

Today was an exception to that.  A cheque arrived from someone in the group for….  I’m not going to tell you, but it was a lot of money.  The person had already told me a while back that they had done well for themselves and would like to make such a contribution to the running of Project 2030.  It is not someone who has been to many events, but they wanted to make a donation to something and decided to send it in our direction.  I rang them this evening but they were not in.  On all of our behalves I say thank you very much.  I would like to make it public who it was and how much, but would obviously respect them if they wanted anonymity.  If you know someone else who would like to make a donation to a good cause, don’t be afraid to point them in our direction.

Money is not something I talk about much.  The group is funded by my community, the Sacred Heart Fathers (Dehonians).  And to be honest, I’m not sure how much it costs exactly each year.  That might sound strange, but the grant also covers my personal expenses.  I have to hand in a detailed account every six months, but I should really make a tally of what is spent directly on the group: advertising, mailings, office, travel, etc.

Yesterday I said that Dominic wanted to do another questionnaire for the North-West 20s.  He asked me for the results of the questionnaire we did in February 2003.  I dug them out today and was surprised at the high percentage who said they would be prepared to make some kind of contribution to the running of the group.  Ideas welcome on how to do this. Even though the Dublin 30s have an annual fee, I’ve never been very keen on the idea as it can make the group too formal and enclosed, and people who only come to things occasionally are more likely to opt out.

One last joke in memory of Knock.  A man comes into the sacristy.  “Father, can I have a reference.  I would like to be an astronaut.  I want to be the first man to go to the sun”.  “Go to the sun?” replied the priest.  “You’ll be burned alive”.  “No, I’ll be alright, Father, I’ll go at night”.

May 20

THE ENNEAGRAM

Last week I mentioned in passing the Enneagram.  Someone wrote asking whether I would advise doing a course on it.  In the 90s I gave workshops on the Enneagram regularly at Malpas and elsewhere.  I got a lot out of it myself and saw the benefit for others.  I would advise certain individuals to do it, but I don’t think it would be good for us to do it as a group.  It has to be initially a very personal journey, and if people came along for the group experience who didn’t know what they were letting themselves in for then they could get hurt by it.

What is the Enneagram?  The word means in Greek ‘9 points’.  It looks at personality from 9 different but interconnected angles.  Usually one of these personality types is strongest in us, but on average we have 3 or 4 which are quite strong, 3 or 4 which we don’t usually display, and 2 or 3 which are average.  It’s usually easier to spot other people’s characteristics than our own, but we have to be careful about pigeon-holing anyone.  The following characters are obviously shortened caricatures:

1.                  THE PERFECTIONIST:  An upright person, but can get very angry at small things.

2.                  THE GIVER:  who is generous in helping others, but can be too proud of this and the way they avoid their own needs.

3.                  THE ACHIEVER:  who thrives on doing things successfully, but is tempted to lie for the sake of image.

4.                  THE ARTIST:  who can do things in a unique way, but dislikes things that are ordinary and can be envious.

5.                  THE OBSERVER:  Likes to study things but still feels empty.  Can be greedy for knowledge, etc.

6.                  THE SUPPORTER:  Very loyal, yet questions everything.  Can live in fear.

7.                  THE OPTIMIST:  Full of ideas and good cheer, but tempted to gluttony.

8.                  THE BOSS:  A good leader, but has to be in control.  Problems with lust.

9.                  THE MEDIATOR:  A peaceful character who avoids conflict, but struggles with laziness.

All these characteristics say something about all of us, but they show themselves depending on whether we are our usual selves, whether we are under pressure, have less pressure than usual or get out of the wrong side of bed in the morning. The Enneagram tells us mostly what we knew or already suspected about ourselves.  It helps us to understand better our own patterns and the patterns of others.

Too often we expect others and God to see and do things like us, but they don’t.  They are different.  We are all made in God’s image and likeness, but we only reflect one small aspect of God.  God is not made in our own image and likeness.  The Enneagram can help us to accept the differences and the giftedness in God, ourselves and others.

If you want more information on Enneagram weekend workshops, visit www.theenneagram.co.uk - I would only advise it if you like self-development courses and you have not been under any unusual pressures in the past year.  If you are looking for a book to read, the best of the Americans is anything by Helen Palmer.  Nearer to home there is ‘The Enneagram’ by Karen Webb who runs the association now and ‘The Full Face of God’ by David Mahon who is the editor of the Catholic Pictorial.

May 21

GROUP IN BRISTOL - EMAIL ADDRESSES- BOOK FOR AUGUST GATHERING

Occasionally there's an email of the "Come across to Macedonia" type (St Paul in the Acts of the Apostles).  Today someone writes from Bristol.  They have a prayer group for Catholics in their 20s.  They would like to branch out and reach other Catholics who are not looking for a prayer group but who would like to get together.  Can Project 2030 help?  

The Office could send posters about an Information Meeting to the parishes as well as helping with address lists.  I would be prepared to go down for initial meetings, but how much regular support could we give?  It can be hard enough keeping on top of the groups already.  There are not enough weekends, when most things take place.

Meanwhile, people in Bristol and other parts of our countries can get involved in the bigger events.  Some people in our areas already prefer just to go on main events.  Maybe they already have enough going on socially and spiritually at home, but are glad of the chance to go away with the group on weekends, retreats, etc.  That’s fine by us. The basic idea of Project 2030 is to be of service to Catholics in their 20s and 30s in whatever way we can, wherever they are.  Just remembered that Ian, who comes from North Wales and is going to Malpas in August, now lives near Bristol.  He could be a good contact if we start up there.

We’ve now set up a second email address to overcome the problems we’ve been having with Freeserve/Wanadoo, especially sending group emails.  The new one is under V21.me.uk, but keep sending to the old address: hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk - the new one has some problems receiving emails.

The problems with the emails has meant that we’ve only just sent out the invitation to people to write something for the diary in June while I’m on holiday.  That doesn’t give people much time to send stuff in by the end of May.  So get writing.  Surely you can do something better than this.  Never let it be said that you were never asked.  We’ve had over 300 hits in the past couple of weeks and we don’t want to run out of steam in June.  See May 11 for further details.  Send contributions to hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk

Having the new email address means we can also send out a reminder to all the groups about our gathering at Malpas 9 – 13 August.  The Sacred Heart Fathers (Dehonians) are subsidising the cost because we are inviting people from 2030 type groups linked to our communities in Europe.  This has meant that people here have not felt any pressure to book up for it.

So now we are asking you to send in a deposit of £20 (cheques made out to Project 2030) to St Joseph’s Centre, Malpas, Cheshire, SY14 7DD as soon as possible, and no later than the end of June.  The deposit is all you will need to pay, but if any of the big earners out there want to give an extra donation, we’ll have an anonymous system in place at Malpas that will avoid anyone being embarrassed.

The small group coming from Italy, Spain and Portugal also want to know if they can bring more people.  Book up early to avoid disappointment.  This could be the best week of your life so far.  We’re looking especially for musicians, good hosts, discussion group leaders and those who have experience of previous joint weekends, holidays and pilgrimages.

Those who book late might need to sleep in sleeping bags.  There will also be the chance to stay (donation only) at the Stella Maris Centre, Bootle, near Liverpool from 7 – 9 August.  There will be a Mass and party there with the North-West groups on the Sunday evening.

May 22

Heading off this morning to London for the Newcomers meetings for 20s and 30s today and tomorrow.  Realised late last night that the poster and the letter for the Glasgow 20s Information Evening (the new name) has to be done before Tuesday.  As I likely won’t fancy doing it on Monday when I get back I’d better do it now.

We had a newcomers’ meeting in Glasgow at Easter, but it turned out to be the same evening Celtic played their last European game.  So we decided to have another in June, and also reap the advantage of sending out the magazine to the parishes at the same time.  Someone from London emailed to say she sees the magazines wherever she goes. Must go to a lot of churches.  Why not.

Going to miss the Cup Finals today, but not too worried as the Cups do not mean as much now with all the other football on TV, even though I have soft spots for Celtic and Manchester Utd.  Maybe I shouldn’t say that on my way to Milwall country, though I’m sure there are more in London who support Man U than worship at the Lion’s Den.  Someone claimed on the radio this morning that 82% of Manchester Utd season-ticket holders come from within 15 miles of the ground.  Fact is stranger than fiction.

I don’t suppose Milwall supporters are as fierce as they used to be.  Most of the neutrals will be on their side today.  Usually they are not very popular.  Walking up the hill to the retreat in Wimbledon in March I was amused to see an Anglican church with a big banner outside proclaiming the Milwall theme tune: “Nobody likes us.  We don’t care”.  I’m sure they didn’t mean Anglicans in particular, but Christians in general.  Do we care?  I do, but there isn’t much you can do about the tides of history.  Just keep swimming in the right direction.

My train is not going in the right direction.  Despite two calls to 08457 48 49 50, the first part of my journey has to be by bus.  We lose an hour and a half.  I make it just on time for the 30s meeting at 4.00 at More House, opposite the Natural History Museum. 

People look so young I even begin to think this must be the 20s meeting.  There are about a dozen newcomers and five from the group.  There are about the same numbers for the 20s meeting at 7.00, but the majority this time are old stagers.  That must be a first, to get so many people from the group turning out for an information meeting, but it makes it so much easier for me as I sit back and let the people from the group explain what we are about and what they get out of it.  And in that way the new people get a better impression.

In between meetings we have a Mass at 6.00.  The house here is a University Chaplaincy.  The first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, is about Stephen, the deacon and first martyr.  In the early days of the Church the Apostles spent much of their time feeding the poor.  Then it hit them that they could spend the rest of their lives running the best café in Jerusalem when they should be out there telling people about Jesus and spending time in prayer.  So they chose seven deacons to wait on the tables.  But when they laid their hands on the head of Stephen he was filled with the Holy Spirit and became the best preacher about Jesus.  So successful was he that the Jewish authorities condemned him to death by stoning.

I draw parallels within the group that at first I was doing everything.  Now others are doing more – newsletters, magazines, organising events, etc, and doing much of it better than I could.  Also there’s the way individuals can volunteer or be asked to do something, and it can grow and develop into something bigger and better, as happened with Stephen.  This doesn’t apply just within the group.  In our life of faith we need to listen to what God and others are asking of us.  As we grow into our 20s and 30s we develop the confidence to think less about ourselves and receive the strength to think more about others.  But be careful about saying yes to God about anything.  You never know where it might lead.

May 23

ECUMENISM – NEWCOMERS – INDIA ALBUM

Ecumenism was a question raised at one of the newcomers meetings, and not for the first time.  What links do we have with groups of younger adults in other Churches?  Do we welcome people of other denominations to Project 2030?  There are just a few from other Churches in the group, and I know they feel as much part of the set-up as anyone else and make their own practical contribution.  Anyone is welcome to join as long as they don’t mind the Catholic ethos of the group.  We wouldn’t want to get to the situation where someone would say we can’t have a Mass because there are non-Catholics in the group.

A couple of times people have suggested a joint event with Anglican groups, but nothing has come of it.  If you have any contacts in this direction let us know, because there is so much more that we share with other Christians than divides us.  Next month the 20s in Glasgow have a talk from a young trainee Minister.

More House, where the meetings are and where I’m staying, is quite near Kensington Park.  I decide to go for a walk there, and on the way pass an Anglican church which is having a Solemn High Mass.  I catch the middle of it.  It looks High Church and they are using our Eucharistic Prayer and even giving the Pope and the Orthodox Archbishop a mention.  It’s only later I read in the newsletter that I could have gone up for a blessing.  The parish is affiliated to Forward in Faith, a group that is concerned about the lack of catholic direction in the Anglican communion.  There are only 20+ in the congregation, but the small choir is exquisite.  Can you enjoy singing too much?

The park is very busy with strollers, sunbathers and picnickers.  The London picnic is now fixed for August 7^th in Regents Park.  It will be a proper “do” with caterers and marquee with a bit extra added on to raise funds for India.  There will also be games.  I won’t be able to make it as that’s the day people will start arriving in Liverpool for the Malpas gathering, 9 – 13 August.

The newcomers meetings followed the same pattern as yesterday.  The numbers were a bit higher for both groups.  A few speak of a sense of isolation in their own parish because there are not many or no others their own age.  An emailer last week said that for some the group was their Church.  That panicked me a bit, as we can never be separated from the Church in general.  I’m often encouraging people to get involved in their own parish.  That was partly my response when someone this afternoon asked why the group was not doing anything to celebrate the great Feast of Pentecost next weekend.  But I stressed as always that the group is not the group.  You are the group.  Why not make sure there is something for Pentecost next year.  I wouldn’t be surprised if that person takes up my challenge.  But also get involved locally.  Be a Reader or a Eucharistic Minister.  Some are, but not many.  I suppose we are still a floating population in search of community, and that’s why the group is so important and necessary.

As usual the main motivation is to meet up with other Catholics your own age.  People are impressed by the range of activities on offer, and the eyes open wider when Matt talks about the weekend he arranged in Barcelona, or Chris and Hans talk about the visit to India.

The London ‘Indians’ also panicked me last week when they emailed to say we want to meet you in between the meetings on Sunday.  It sounded so formal and lack-of-informationish that I felt they must have come to some dire conclusion at the India reunion I missed the other week, that they didn’t want to say it in advance.

I needn’t have worried.  It turned out that Teresa had contacted everyone and put together an album of over 100 photographs and other snippets from our time in India.  I’m quite touched by it to the point of shivering.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIARY:

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE DIARY WHILE HUGH IS ON HOLIDAY IN JUNE.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WRITE ON ANY TOPIC OF INTEREST SEND IT TO hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk

SEE MAY 11 FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

May 24

INDIA - UNIVERSITIES – DARREN BROWN

I’m on the train and purring over the photograph album I received yesterday from the group that went to India in February.  Memories come filtering back – and the photograph selection is kind to me – none of the ones while I’m dozing, trying to catch up on the lack of sleep.  Now I’m feeling guilty at the times I moaned because no-one had sent me any photographs.

I would advise anyone to go to India.  The only real drawback for me was the heat at night.  We expected things to be fairly rough and ready out there, sleeping on the floor of one of our seminaries in Kerala.  But in the end they rented us a villa by the lake, got people to take us around by minibus every day, and fed us often at the best of restaurants by our standards for £200 for two weeks.  (The flight etc cost nearer £700).

Two from the group are seriously thinking about going back out to India to teach English.  Soon we’ll have some dates tied down for next year.  There’ll likely be two trips in January, March, July or November.  If you are interested in any of these months let us know.  The end of July is particularly with teachers in mind.

I had hoped to go for an earlier train, but then remembered that you have to pay a supplement before 10.00.  This gives me a chance to have breakfast with the students in the Chaplaincy.  People are doing their final exams at the moment, so that means we are too late this year to send out posters and magazines to Universities to tell people who are finishing their degrees about the group.  Would these guys be looking for our kind of group at this stage in their life?  Looking round, I’m beginning to have my doubts.

When travelling I often look around and wonder if people would be looking for a group like 2030, or what is it that people would want.  The group is essentially for Catholics, but there is a big wide world out there of people searching for answers, and we have something to offer.  Occasionally at newcomers meetings people will express almost anger because they have only just found out about the group, even though they’ve been looking for something like it for a while. “I was desperate for this kind of group a few years ago.  Where were you when I needed you?” someone once said.    

The train is filling up.  You’re hoping that someone doesn’t sit down beside you.  Darren Brown, the illusionist who gets people to do things they don’t want to do, says it’s also possible to stop people doing things.  If you don’t want anyone to sit down beside you, he says, smile at them as they come along and pat the seat invitingly.  No-one will take up your offer.  If you wear a clerical collar you can be sure that all the other seats will be taken before anyone sits beside you.  Unless of course a drunk comes on.  Then, even if all the other seats are empty, they will still sit down beside you.

May 25

TIRED OR LAZY – ST IGNATIUS – LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

    Some days I don’t know whether I am tired or just being lazy.  Other days I’m not sure if I’m too angry or not angry enough.  I say this because others had said that at times they can’t decide whether they are being deceitful or too honest, or distinguish between bravery and recklessness.  This kind of dilemma applies to all the other deadly sins: pride, envy, avarice, lust, gluttony.  That’s why they are deadly, because they can creep up on us unawares.  We can mistakenly think there is nothing wrong with them sometimes, and lead ourselves up the garden path.  Other times we can be too scared of them and our own shadow, and not allow ourselves to feel, for example, justifiably proud or angry.

I write this because the one thing that has received the most response in the diary is the paragraph I wrote on St Ignatius’ method of deciding right from wrong, on what is best, is something from God or not (see April 2 – or does that mean that people only got as far as Day 2 in reading the Diary?).  Sometimes we have to go ahead and make a decision even though we are not sure.  Then it’s important to reflect back afterwards and be honest with ourselves.  Often the thing we were almost sure was wrong turn out great, whereas the decision we were pretty confident about can be a bit of a disaster.  I’ll write more on the Ignatian method of discernment in the future.

I’m also writing this because today I felt pretty whacked.  I didn’t think I was too bad when I came back from London yesterday, but when I spoke to the office about the emails that had come in over the weekend, it was difficult to concentrate and decide on even simple issues.  Today part of the problem might have been that I knew I wasn’t going to get a day off this week, but I felt there was too much to do before going to Dublin tomorrow.

In the end I didn’t do very much, and it feels okay now.  I also had to go to the dentist in the afternoon.  That’s never an inviting prospect, though last week I was too keen.  I woke up and thought: “Tuesday.  Dentist”, without even checking the diary.  In the afternoon I got ready, brushed my teeth again, etc, and unusually got there nice and early only to discover that I wasn’t due till this week.

In the evening I watched a video of Beningni’s  “It’s a Beautiful Life”, which won Oscars about six years ago.  I had never seen it before and was intrigued why the Pope had wanted to see it.  And yet the video had lain around for a while.  Maybe it was the subtitles that were putting me off, though my Italian is pretty good.  Or perhaps I needed a more relaxed day.

The story is about an Italian Jew, a bit of a joker, who ends up in prison with his family in World War II.  His young son survives because he manages to persuade him that it is all a game.  Life certainly isn’t a game, but if we looked at things more positively we might have a better chance of surviving its ups and downs.  Even doing nothing for the day can turn out to be a positive decision

May 26

 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES – POETRY

     On my way to the Dublin 20s newcomers meeting this evening.

    Recently we have had a few enquiries about how the group welcomes people with disabilities or special needs.  We usually explain how we operate and leave it to the individual or carer to decide if our group is for them.  Given the informal nature of the group – those who turn up, turn up – we don’t have anything in place to cater for people with disabilities on a regular basis, but whenever someone comes along who needs a different kind of care and attention the group has been very good at welcoming them and looking out for them.

    On Saturday John came to the newcomers meeting.  He can only get about with two crutches.  He’s about the first person I’ve asked if it was okay to mention him in the diary because he was keen to make people aware of the Disability Discrimination Act which will become law in England in October.  He had done a course on it and was aware that many Churches did not have proper facilities in place – access, ramps, etc, and were liable to be fined after October.

    John had parked the car round the corner from More House.  We went for a drink after the meeting about 5 minutes away.  So he went back to the car, assembled his wheelchair, and joined us.  It was while walking back with him that he told me about his course.  As a non-wheelchair person you don’t realise the importance of low pavement kerbs at junctions, though some of them were quite steep, but John didn’t want any help.  He plays basketball and needed the exercise.

    On Sunday, Luke, who is blind, came to the 20s meeting.  His mum brought him along.  He wouldn’t be able to come to things without someone to accompany him.  He wanted to find out what it was all about.  When he went home he was keen enough to take a pile of magazines back to his parish to do some publicity there.

    If anyone feels called to be a buddy to someone with a disability then let us know.  You could do as much or as little as you want, but it would mean on occasions accompanying an individual to events who needed someone to be with them.  I wouldn’t want to push this idea too hard as I’m aware that many people come along to events because they have identified a special need in themselves, i.e. as a young Catholic, to spend quality time with other young Catholics.  Project 2030 is, at least so far, unashamedly ‘something for me’.  We need that support in our busy, challenging lives, but, if you have spare capacity at the moment, it could be good to look to the needs of others.

At the beginning of May during the pilgrimage to Iona I included some Limericks in the Diary.  On the final day I left the Limerick incomplete saying that I wouldn’t write any more unless someone sent in a fifth line.  Someone just has.  It goes:

There was a young man from Leith

Who had problems enough with his teeth.

He went for a filling,

Collapsed at the drilling,

And vowed never more to eat beef.

I don’t know if more Limericks will appear in the Diary, but if they do we will know who to blame, and I will not hesitate to publicly name and shame the individual concerned.

Today is the first birthday of one of my great-nephews. I can’t see myself sending cards regularly to the next generation – how many cards did you get from great-uncles?  But the first birthday is a very special one for the parents.  Sometimes I make up poems for family birthday cards.  On the way to buy a card on Monday I got a first line.  I don’t know whether the rest is ‘poetry’ but you’re going to get it anyway.

            Being one is wonderful

            Having two that care,

            Gives you three that’s funderful

            Makes a four with Bear.

            Five your toes and fingers

            Six when all are home.

            Seven nights you have a bath

            Eight you hate the comb.

            Nine you’re sleeping sound.

            Tentative they creep,

            A living loving all around,

            Doesn’t it strike you deep?

Come back, Wordsworth, all is forgiven.

May 27

DUBLIN 20s

Reflecting on last night’s Dublin 20s newcomers meeting.  Groups, especially 20s groups, go through different cycles.  When we started four years ago the Dublin 20s got off to a good start, even if the numbers were small.  In the winter fewer people in general come to things, and in the second year it was mostly those going to the World Youth Day in Toronto that were involved and kept things going.

Two years ago we had almost thirty at a newcomers meeting.  It was chaotic.  The room we had booked in the Earl of Kildare Hotel was not available till later, it was too small when we got it, and there was a fire alarm.  Somehow all the chaos was fun, and from that evening a strong group emerged.

Last year quite a number from Dublin 20s went to the Dehonian Gathering in Germany, but the week didn’t turn out to be the holiday some people hoped for.  The travelling by bus took very long.  The temperatures were hitting 40, and the gathering was more intense than people expected.  When we moved on from our Centre in the south of Germany to meet up with 400 other younger people in the north of Germany some felt that the only way they could survive was by opting out and continuing to holiday in Germany on their own.

There were no hard feelings, and when people got back to Dublin the group continued as before, but maybe something had been lost.  Our last newcomers meeting did not produce much new blood, and increasingly there were more people who needed care and attention.  Even a large group can struggle with assimilating needier people, but when the numbers are smaller it becomes more difficult.

Last night only 8 new people turned up, and some of those did not stay around for the meeting.  Maybe a Wednesday in May is not the ideal time.  What is the best way forward?  We’ll have what we will now call an Information Evening in September when people are looking at what to do for the year after the summer holidays.  We’ll advertise in the Catholic newspapers – The Irish Catholic and Alive.  This time the poster in the parishes advertised the meeting.  Next time we’ll take the chance that people will read about the meeting in the parish newsletter, so the poster will be a general one about the group with tear-off slips, so that people can find out about us over the following months.  That will help to give a more gradual flow of new people.  Some find the newcomers meetings easier, but it can also give a false picture of the group.  Individuals coming to a normal event can get a better and truer impression.

I wrote last month how the groups in Scotland, England and Ireland are quite different because of the relative number of Catholics in each area.  In Dublin nearly everyone is nominally Catholic, but in recent years the impact of new wealth, secularism and the scandals in the Church have had a big impact.  Many are afraid even to admit to going to Church.  On the other hand there are strong groups for younger Catholics, but these tend to be more intense, trying to hold back the tide or campaigning on important moral issues.  A while back someone in Dublin who is quite spiritual said that they were put off certain groups by the way people misused prayer, either as a crutch or a battering ram against others (my words).  St Thomas Aquinas warned against ‘prayer abuse’ (like substance abuse).  Anything can be misused. That is why the groups in Dublin are wary of the spiritual side, even though there was good enthusiasm last night for the pilgrimage climb of Croagh Patrick next year.

At the last review meeting for the Dublin 20s it was explained to me and I began to understand that for younger Mass-going Catholics to want to get together for social activities was already quite an achievement.  Maybe that is as much as we can expect in the present climate, though there is a Mass at Rathmines in the new programme.  

May 28

VIEWS AT COMMUNITY AND INTER-GROUP LEVEL – DAVINA

Most people are aware that the funding for Project 2030 comes from my community, the Sacred Heart Fathers (Dehonians).  It is also a big investment allowing me to do this work full-time.  Most of yesterday was spent at a meeting in Malpas with some of our priests, which included initiating a review of Project 2030.  Not that our commitment is under threat, but we have an Assembly coming up in the Autumn which will work out our community’s plan for the next three years, and that will include 2030.

We also have our own review for all the groups at Malpas 17 – 19 September.  That will allow us to have some input into the community’s assessment.  If you have any suggestions for nominations of people who should represent your group in September let us know.  You can also send in any suggestions or comments about the group to Fr Chris Jenkins who is chairing our committee on scj@malpas2000.freeserve.co.uk or even if you just want to express your appreciation.  You can send me a copy or not.

Our priests in general are very happy with how the group has gone and want to encourage it.  The magazine was a good symbol of progress.  I explained that all was not rosy, that groups have their ups and downs, but in general progress was being made.  One significant aspect was the acceptance of the group in many different dioceses and the willingness of priests to promote us.  There is obviously a need for 2030 and potential for growth.  Those who get involved regularly express their gratitude for the group.

What were the possibilities of groups in other areas?  Could the idea be franchised out?  What about individuals who do not live near a group, can they get involved?  Just some of the questions that were raised.  What about people who are looking to develop their faith more?  How should we react if other groups developed that were independent of Project 2030?

When I spoke about University leavers, someone had the good suggestion of asking people to go back to their old university and speak about the group, especially if they had been involved in the chaplaincy.  Any volunteers?  If the group grows, how much more can the community give financially?  Are members prepared to make a voluntary contribution so that others can share the benefits they have received.  I thanked the community for the support I/we receive in other ways – when I stay in our houses, using photocopiers, borrowing cars, etc.  And when the group visit our places they appreciate the hospitality and feel at home.

Do I need more help, office support, etc?  Should we look at taking on a lay assistant to ensure continuity and development?  What happens if I am unable to continue the work, can we find someone else to keep it going?  There will come a day when inevitably Big Brother/Big Father votes me out in one way or other.  Meanwhile we can only do our best to keep the show on the road.  Changing the subject slightly, because I know people will ask me this, I suggest we vote off Davina first, before she loses all credibility.

May 29

DUBLIN PARTY – PORTUGAL – BARBADOS

This evening is the 4^th Birthday Party of Project 2030 in Ireland.  Three years ago the 30s in Dublin were looking around for an excuse to have a party (not that you need an excuse here) and came up with the idea of making it a birthday for the group, and the tradition has continued.  On average about 15 have come over each year from Britain for it.  People were arriving yesterday and meeting up in the Central Hotel.  Today the plan was to do the open-top bus tour of Dublin with stops at the Guinness Factory, and many other sights.

My community at Stockport have lost track of where I’ve been and where I’m going.  There was a kind of: “You’ve just been to Dublin. Do you need to go back again?” but in a good sense of do you have to do more travelling.  Couldn’t they manage without you?  I’m sure they could, and for a moment I hesitate and think how I could have a free weekend.  But how could I miss the party?  The joint events are always the best, and you have more time to get to know people.  I keep saying how I’m a group person as opposed to one-to-one or needing my own space kind of person.  The more people there are around the bigger the buzz for me.

There’s still the Dublin 20s newsletter to be tweaked and printed off for posting in Ireland.  There’s an email from the South Italian group coming to Malpas in August.  Can they bring nine, more than I expected.  I swallow hard and reply: “Sure, bring them all over.”  There’ll be plenty of room at Malpas, even if some of the late bookers have to use sleeping bags, but it could be a squeeze at Smithstone House in Scotland the following weekend.

On recent visits to Manchester Airport, thinking about my holidays next week, I’ve been asking at various desks about cheap last-minute flights.  Two years ago I booked on the day itself.  This week they have been advertising £74 return to Faro in the south of Portugal, so I decided to take it for £86, bottom line, 14 days starting Thursday.  I was in Albufeira along the coast a few years ago.  You can always find a cheap but reasonable B and B.  Ideally some kind of group holiday would be best, but I can be too hooked on groups and something like that would be expensive.  The last time I was pretty bored at the end of my time in Portugal, but its good to have that time on my own and I come back more refreshed.  I like the heat and the sea.  I also enjoy trying some of the language.  There’s still an unfinished Harry Potter book from the last time and there isn’t the same sense of wasting time when you are watching the Portuguese TV.  Another advantage is that it will be fun being in Portugal during the European Nations Cup football.

The party is in Wynn’s Hotel, just off O’Connell St in the centre of Dublin.  It goes with a swing.  We have a room upstairs with buffet, bar and disco for 20 euros per head.  There are a dozen over from the groups in Scotland, London and the North-West.  Some arrived on Thursday to make the best of their break.  People meet up with others they have known in Germany, India, or other joint events.

It’s a chance to do some business as well with those who are involved in doing things for the groups.  Joseph has more ideas for the web page.  Andy is happy for the Taize service in the North West to be advertised round the parishes when we send out the magazines.  Nick and Dominic have good ideas for the North West 20s.  A few also ‘volunteer’ to be contacts for other joint events in London and Glasgow or to write something for the June diary.

Our thanks to Thomas and everyone else who organised the party and the weekend.  The trip he was organising to Cuba in the summer has been changed to Barbados.  We await the report with interest

May 30

MASS – CATHEDRALS – DUN LAOGHAIRE

The party didn’t finish until 1.00 am and for some the night was still young.  That’s why we arranged to meet today at 12.30pm at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral for the last Mass of the morning.  Strangely, yet understandably, there is no Catholic Cathedral in Dublin.  There were two cathedrals at the time of the Reformation, but they both still remain in the hands of the Anglican Church of Ireland.  The Catholic Church has never built a cathedral.  Maybe it is waiting for one back.  That’s why the Church we attended is called the Pro-Cathedral.

Last year some people couldn’t believe how quick this Mass was.  There are various sung Masses earlier in the morning.  In fact we were stung for raffle tickets for one of the choirs to go on tour.  Today it was still quick but Pentecost Sunday was celebrated with dignity, though we won’t reveal whose mobile went off.  There is something special about attending Mass together like this, even though I wouldn’t normally choose to sit on the front rows as a crowd.  But why not?

We negotiated our way through the showers to Gogarty’s Pub in Temple Bar for lunch, just too late for the live Irish music.  Our hope had been to do the walk around Howth Head, where the path along the sea cliffs makes you feel you are far from any habitation, never mind just being a few miles from the city.  Instead, because of the showers, we decided to go to Dun Laoghaire, a place most of the visitors thought they had never heard of until they realised it was pronounced Dun Leery.

The trains were off for the day so we took the bus.  This gave Declan the chance to point out various tourist attractions.  The bus system in Dublin is very good, so much so that the company has the confidence to have an advert on its shelters for Jaffa Cakes: “None for ages, then twelve all at once.”  There was plenty of humour over the weekend, not easy to put into words.  Two of the guys were told to meet at the new spire in O’Connell St.  They were found later waiting outside the Spar.  Less funny was the fact that some of the earlier publicity for the weekend still had the party at the Banker’s Club.  A few of the visitors turned up there, wondering at the lack of craic.

The sun came out when we reached Dun Laoghaire.  We walked out the long harbour wall and sat for ages looking out at the sea, watching the boats come in and even catching a glimpse of a seal.  On every journey there is always a furthest point from which you head back home.  It was 8.00 pm before we got back to Dublin.  We had arranged to meet up with more of the Dubliners at 9.00 pm at Gogarty’s though some went off to do the twilight Ghost Tour. Oooih!

May 31

At the end of the 4^th Birthday Party weekend for Project 2030 reflecting on what it is like to be 4.  Can we make any comparisons with the four-year old human child?  David Attenborough says that the most fascinating of all creatures is the three-year old human.  What is a four-year old like: gaining in confidence, starting to explore, asking the difficult questions, ready for school, making new friends, a certain independence.  Are there any lessons here for Project 2030 after four years?

On the way to Dublin airport called in to the main post office on O’Connell St to get stamps to post the Dublin 20s newsletter.  The Post Office is where the 1916 Easter Rising took place that would be the final catalyst leading to Irish independence.  People are usually surprised to discover that many if not most of the leading patriots over the centuries were Protestant and not Catholic.

My only disappointment with the weekend in Dublin was that we didn’t get a chance to sing ‘The Fields of Athenry’.  Brother Francis at the community in Inchicore where I was staying said it was a rebel song.  Looking at the words, it can hardly come under that definition.  Michael is in prison, for stealing Trevelyn’s corn “so the young might see the morn”.  We hear his thought and those of his true love outside the prison wall and as she watches his prison ship sail for Botany Bay in Australia:

            “Low lie the fields of Athenry

            Where once we watched the small free birds fly.

   Our love was on the wing.  We had dreams and songs to sing.

   It’s so lonely ‘round the fields of Athenry.”

I still haven’t learned the words for the next time I go to see Celtic or Liverpool, but this evening I wallowed in my memories of Ireland and worked out the chords for the guitar.