Garda Card

Yesterday our novice master took the two Trinis to get our Garda card. We rushed out of the house right after morning prayer and basically ran across town to the Garda Headquarters.
When we got there it was about 8:30am and there were already two people in line and we had to wait until 9:30am for the office to open. Like five minutes after we got there a queue formed behind us and before i knew it the room was full. I guess the running did make sense after all.
At the counter we had to explain the situation to the immigration officer and luckily Philip spoke to a previous novice from the US who had to renew his card earlier this month, we knew exactly what we needed to bring. Unfortunately, because we were only insured until August 2012 that's all the time we got on our card. But for now I'M LEGAL!!!

Visit to the English Market

This week Fr David Barrins OP took me to the Famous English Market. Now David, although he is the SubPrior in Cork, he is really cool, kinda like a big brother figure for me here. He's just under a year ordained and works as coordinator for the knockdown camp and chaplain to the UCC Campus.
He's also promised a cinema trip sometime soon which should also be fun!

Visit to the Black Abbey

On Monday,  between Maurice's first mass in the morning and Denis' first mass in the evening we had some time to spare so Fr Philip decided to take those of us in his car, to Kilkenney to see the Black Abbey which is the oldest church owned by the Irish Dominican Province.

The building was really cool dripping with history in every corner and we were given the tour by the former prior in Cork, now resident there, Fr Eddy Conway.

We were then able to get a cup of tea and be on our way...

Ordinations Weekend!!!

This weekend was by far the most active since I've been in Ireland.

Two of the brothers were being ordained to the priesthood on Sunday 18th September, 2011. Our Novice Master, Fr Philip McShane OP therefore decided to carry us up to Dublin for the ceremony, but because it was a 3hour drive, we went up a day earlier and stayed in the motherhouse of the province in Tallagh, which is also part of Dublin.

On the Sunday morning we eventually made it down to St Saviour's in Dublin for the ordination. It was pretty cool to be among the Student brothers. It was also pretty reassuring to see them all looking very happy to be where they were. This made me a bit excited to finish my novitiate year and begin formal studies but not too much so that I would forget to enjoy my novitiate year.

The actual ordination mass was pretty good, a beautiful liturgy (I mean, it had to have been after they shelled out 1000Euro for the choir and other stuff). They also managed to cut out some of the rather unnecessary stuff from the liturgy so that the mass was not too long.

The only problem was after for the reception. Apparently Irish people storm as well and in no small numbers. Fr Joseph Dineen OP was telling me, after the reception, that they catered for 200ppl but the caterer said that they served over 400 plates of food.

We stayed in Tallagh for another night to go to both of the first masses. Now the two ordained guys were really different and this showed in the first masses. Maurice Colgan is a really nice guy, really down to earth, a people person and his mass was on the Monday morning with not an entirely packed church but his  family and friends most present. It was in his hometown parish and the reception after was in the primary school next-door.

A lil note about that: We went into the school during school hours and there were kids playing in the courtyard. Now I went in ahead of everyone not knowing that the children were going to be outside. When they saw me walking into the yard, they all stopped. One kid yelled "Look a priest!!!" and they all ran up to me wanting to shake my hand and stuff.  To be honest, I was a bit reserved cuz Ireland has all these laws about interacting with children and so on...but I've since gotten a book about the Child Protection Policy and plan to read it sometime.

Anyhow, after, we went to Denis Murphy's first mass which some people described as more of a coronation than an actual mass. It was almost entirely latin, Denis preached himself and did not share any part of the liturgy of the eucharist with the other priests present. Further to this, he was clothed in liturgical vestments from pre-Vatican II times (personally I found he looked a bit silly). After the mass, we couldn't take anymore and the group of novices and Philip decided to skip the reception and head back to Cork.

Riding in Cork

On Friday I went riding with Paul Delaney, a soon-to-be novice, who happens to be from Cork. Paul was supposed to take the habit with the rest of us but unfortunately, his contractual obligations with his place of employment prevented him from doing so.  He hopes to be able to join us soon.

Anyhow, we rode for about 6miles and were able to see quite few interesting sights including part of the UCC Campus, a couple historical monuments and some really beautiful parks. We journeyed basically up the River Lee to the point before it splits into the north and south branches.

If I keep up this kinda activity everyday, those potatoes would have no chance!!!

Retreat at Ennismore

Before our reception of the habits, the postulants and novices were taken to a week-long retreat at Ennismore Retreat Centre in Montenotte, Cork.

The place was absolutely beautiful with lots of landscape and a well manicured garden. The facilities were also pretty top of the line (not to mention the food) and it was actually not too far from our Priory in Pope's Quay so we walked (although the walk took almost an hour)

We had the privilege of having Fr Paul Murray OP as our retreat director and he focused the week around the theme of "Realizing what you are". His talks were very deep, moving and even hilarious at times and always seemed to be exactly what we needed. 

Now it was supposed to be a silent retreat, which it was for the most part although the silence kinda began to dwindle in the last few days as the novices began to bond.

Really good retreat preached by a very holy Dominican priest, I could not think of a better way to begin the Noviciate year.

Irish Dominicans Receive New Novices

September 14th, the feast of the Triumph of the Cross, is also the feast of the Irish Dominican province. It is on this day that traditionally new novices are received into the Order. In keeping with that tradition, today the Irish Dominican friars received five novices in a ceremony of clothing during the conventual Mass in Saint Mary's Dominican church, Pope's Quay Cork.

The five novices received today are Gerard Flynn, Kevin O' Reilly, Fr Murchadh O Madagain, Christophe Cole and Sean Crepin.

Gerard Flynn is originally from Clonmel in Co Tipperary. Before joining the Order he has been lecturing in a teacher training college in Dublin. He has recently completed a doctorate in theology.

Kevin O Reilly from Dublin has been lecturing in philosophy both in Ireland and overseas for some years.

Fr Murchadh O Madagain is a priest of the Galway diocese and has held various positions in that diocese. He holds a doctorate in theology (spirituality) from the Dominican university in Rome - the 'Angelicum'.

Christophe Cole is from Trinidad where the Irish Dominicans have had a presence for over 100 years. He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and has been working in the communications for the diocese of Port of Spain in recent years.

Sean Crepin, also from Trinidad has attended the University of the West Indies and in recent years has held a teaching post.

The Irish Dominicans anticipate receiving one further novice in the coming weeks bringing to 6 the number of novices for the province in 2011-12.

Irish Dominican Vocations wishes our new brother novices every blessing in the year ahead as they take the first steps in their Dominican formation. Please pray for them and for vocations to the friars of the Irish Dominican province.

Bloggers and other media are very welcome to use the images in this blog post, but are asked to credit Irish Dominican Vocations blog www.irishdominicanvocations.blogspot.com

Below are some images from the clothing ceremony today:

The five postulants prostrate themselves prior to receiving the habit of the Order

Gerard Flynn is clothed by the prior provincial

Kevin O Reilly receives the habit of the Order

Fr Murchadh O Madagain is clothed

Christophe Cole receives his habit

The prior provincial clothes Sean Crepin

The rosaries of the five new novices are blessed



From one Stage to Another

When we look at the imagery of a caterpillar entering into a cocoon to emerge after a while as a butterfly, beautiful, with greater potential than ever before, we can compare that with our own lives. For many of us, we are in places of transition or in places intended, just like the cocoon, to form us into the beautiful people who God has intended us to be. Our cocoons are the schools that we attend, our jobs, our parishes, our communities, our families and even our friends, all of which form us into the people who we eventually become. 

We must, however, remember the fundamental differences between our lives and the life of a butterfly. For one, our lives are filled with choices (caterpillars don’t choose to become butterflies, its automatic). We on the other hand have to choose how we are to live out the rest of our lives, whether we decide to become doctors, lawyers, accountants, engineers, or dare I say it, priests or religious. The choice is ours. 

Another fundamental difference is something that I was reminded of while speaking to a friend sometime ago. He said to me “why do we always think of our vocation as something that is to come?” Unlike the caterpillars, we are not dormant while we are being formed into who we are to become, our Catholic vocation begins from the point of our baptism and we are called to live it for the rest of our lives. The vocation may evolve over time as we grow older and wiser and as God gradually reveals his plan for our lives. We do not need to wait until we decide to get married or decide to enter religious life to start living out our Catholic Identity.

For me, my Catholic Identity has always been at the core of my being and my decision to enter religious life is just another step in the same journey. It was in the midst of living out the vocation to be a child of God that He was able to reveal to me His plan for my life. Now I do not know where this road will lead, nor do I know what lies ahead but one can only stand at the edge of the cliff for so long before you either decide to take the leap or walk away. I was never one to walk away.

Another friend said to me “The worst thing that can happen is that you decide that it’s not for you and you leave. But the best thing that can happen is that you realize that this is for you and you are happy for the rest of your life.” In my view, the important thing is that I have opened up myself to the Lord’s will, (never a bad idea) something that everyone should have the courage to do, but not everyone does.

One of the hardest parts of taking the leap is uprooting myself from all of the work and ministry that I have been involved in and in particular, Vision. 

This, being my last issue as editor, I would like to thank the readers and contributors to the magazine for the support shown over the years. I would also like to thank the team members both past and present for all of their effort in bringing the magazine to where it is today. My prayer is that the team is able to continue to forge new paths in the ministry of Vision. I also pray that God grants the new editor, Kwame Weekes the graces and fortitude to rise to the challenge of taking the paper forward.

I also extend my best wishes to Bishop-Elect, Msgr Jason Gordon, who has been a source of guidance and support for me, as he also begins a new phase on his journey. May he continue to be a light, radiating God’s love to the people of St Vincent and Barbados.

To Archbishop-Elect, Fr Joseph Harris and the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, I wish all the best in the mission of building a civilization of love here in Trinidad and Tobago. May this year enable Catholics across the country to truly rediscover and come into an appreciation of their Catholic Culture & Identity. 

To the friends and family who have been my support system, my cocoon, forming me into the person who I am today I also wish a heartfelt thanks. All I ask is that you continue to keep me in your prayer as I keep you in mine. May we all continue to live out our vocation to be people of God and have the courage to open ourselves to His will everyday of our lives.