Together in Faith Mission Sunday 2011

A story The story is about a group of clerical students who came together during the summer holidays to arrange and play football matches against any opposition. The purpose of coming together also had a very worthy motive that young men on the same road to priesthood but in different colleges would get to know one another and become friends and as a result support one another. Most of the students played county football at the different levels, minor, junior and senior. Indeed Hughie Smyth, the former County Board Secretary once made the comment: "It was vocations destroyed Cavan football." That was the early '60s, almost 50 years ago. Personal snapshots Among that group was Ballymachugh's Tony Dalton an Oblate who went to South Africa where he was selected to run in the Olympics but sadly met his death in a hand glider accident very early on. There were Paddy Sheridan, Killinkere RIP and Patsy Carolan, Grousehall, both Oblates who did trojan work with the Irish emigrants in London over the years. Then there were Tommsie Smith and Jim "the gunner", Kiltegan men who went to Kenya and worked as only Mullahoran bred men can, getting water for the natives in the Turkana Desert. Jim is now in Zambia while Tommsie has been at home recovering from an awful experience at the hands of six men who raided his house, beat him with wooden stakes and took whatever money he had. On the night the watch man in the compound was shot dead. He has returned to Kenya very recently. Then there were Vincent Reilly and Anthony Traynor from Bailieboro who went to Sacramento, Bernard Reilly who joined the Carmelites in Terenure. Donal Reilly, also from Bailieboro, who went to Newfoundland. Gerry Finnegan, Cavan Town and Aidan Foynes, Butlersbridge who went to Florida while Emmet Carolan went to Texas. Fellows like Brian Morris, Gowna, Finbar Reilly, Ballinagh and Phil Fitzsimons, Mullahoran, RIP, were not ordained. Cardinal Sean Brady, Mons. Michael Cooke, Fintan McKiernan, Tom McKiernan, Phil Brady P.P. Laragh, Martin Kelly, Baileboro and yours truly opted for the home mission. I suppose in a way it is a kind of mystery why different lads felt called to different missions and pastoral work. Lesson of experience But the bond forged on those long summer evenings remained and it became a powerful support as "Together in faith" each and all worked in the mission of the Church, sharing the faith while proclaiming the Good News throughout the world. Doing so, not in a haze of spirituality, but with a large amount of realism and practicality among the people they were called to serve. "Together in faith" the motto for Mission Sunday 2011 was very much the inspiration of the clerical student footballers in their priestly work. Being part of a team calls for dependence on one another, on skill, on risk taking, on loyalty and on shared responsibility. "Together in faith" was also a source of comfort and inner peace especially in the tough days and lonely times over the years since. There is no clerical students' football team now. There are a few clerical students. There will be fewer priests. But Africa is awash with vocations while there is a slight increase at home and abroad. All the more reason why "Together in Faith" involving the laity and the religious needs revival, even resuscitation. Encouragement Every one of the footballers who became priests to promote the mission of the church were aware of the importance of home and local place. Family and neighbours influenced them by their example and encouraged them by their support for Noogey and the "black babies". There was delight at the time of ordination and good wishes as each one set out on his mission in a spirit of hope centred on faith. Above all there was the assurance of prayer, of family and community for the "ambassadors for Christ" going to share the very faith that nurtured them in their formative years. Every one of these men will tell you from their experience how in different situations, they were empowered by the support of the home team playing its part in the mission of the church through the goodness and generosity in their lives. The Holy Spirit works through people everywhere and through his inspiration Faith is strengthened when faith is shared. Mission Sunday is a timely reminder of the fact that we are all missionaries lending support to and being part of working in the harvest. "Together in Faith" is the business of all to ensure many people may hear the Good News and experience its influence in their lives.