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Twitter a little prayer

03 May 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The world doesn't know the children of God, says the First Letter of John, because they did not know God. Perhaps the world would get to know God better if people Twittered a few prayers to friends and family. That's the recommendation of the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady. The cardinal, speaking at Mass in Country Mayo last Sunday, said that it was a good way to send people prayers. "Make someone the gift of a prayer through text, Twitter, or e-mail every day," urged Brady. "I ask young people in particular to think of sending their friends and family an occasional Twitter or text to say that you have prayed for them." Brady's sermon was delivered to mark the centenary celebration of Father Patrick Peyton, the "Rosary priest" who had a "great gift" for communication. The cardinal urged people to start up prayer groups using modern technology such as Twitter. "Such a sea of prayer is sure to strengthen our sense of solidarity with one another and remind those who receive them that others really do care," he said. Source: BBC News and an article by Anne Thomas at ChristianToday.com

patrick peyton sean brady twitter
Suffered the little ones

24 May 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The Letter to the Ephesians for the Ascension this Sunday encourages Christians to "live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received." A nine-year inquiry into child abuse at Catholic institutions in Ireland concluded that many of those involved knew that sexual abuse was "endemic" but did little to prevent it. About 35,000 Irish children were placed in a network of reformatories, industrial schools, and workhouses run by the church from the 1930s to the 1990s, when the last of them was closed. More than 2,000 told the Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse that they suffered physical or sexual abuse while there. "When confronted with evidence of sexual abuse, the response of the religious authorities was to transfer the offender to another location where, in many instances, he was free to abuse again," the report said. Schools were run "in a severe, regimented manner that imposed unreasonable and oppressive discipline on children and even on staff," the report concluded. "Children lived with the daily terror of not knowing where the next beating was coming from." The report also slammed Ireland's Department of Education for its failure to stop the crimes. In rare cases when it was informed of sexual abuse, "it colluded in the silence," the report said. Cardinal Sean Brady, leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, said he was "profoundly sorry and deeply ashamed that children suffered in such awful ways in these institutions. "This report makes it clear that great wrong and hurt were caused to some of the most vulnerable children in our society," Brady said. "It documents a shameful catalogue of cruelty: neglect, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, perpetrated against children." Source: Articles by Padraic Halpin and Carmel Crimmins for Reuters and by the BBC

Children sean brady catholic church ireland abuse sexual abuse physical abuse commission to inquire into child abuse
Old wounds bring new pain in Northern Ireland

29 Aug 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“The just rejoice and exult before God,” we hear in this Sunday’s psalm. There is little rejoicing in Great Britain this week on news of what appears to have been a grave injustice during the height of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. A Northern Ireland police ombudsman’s report revealed there had been collusion between the Catholic Church and the government to prevent the questioning of a priest who was a prime suspect in a series of bombings in Northern Ireland nearly 40 years ago. Nine people, including three children, died in those explosions in the village of Claudy in July, 1972. The report determined that Father James Chesney was a prime suspect in a blasts in Claudy, just outside of Londonderry, but that the police chose not to pursue him even though a bomb-sniffing dog at one point detected explosives in the priest’s car. Instead, the report reveals, then-secretary of state for Northern Ireland William Whitelaw met in private with the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal William Conway, and talked about the possibility of transferring Chesney to the Irish Republic, thus shielding him from further investigation or questioning. Authorities apparently feared that arresting a priest over the bombing would only further inflame sectarian division in the region. After the meeting, Chesney was quietly transferred to the Irish Republic and never questioned. Current Cardinal Sean Brady of Ireland said this week that he regretted that the bombing had not been fully investigated at the time but asked that his predecessor’s actions be seen in the context of the summer of 1972. “Cardinal Conway did what he believed to be right in the situation,” said Brady. “He was faced with an impossible situation, but his primary consideration would be the prevention of any further acts of violence.” The Catholic Church in Ireland has denied engaging in a cover-up of Chesney's alleged involvement. All the key figures involved at the time are now dead. The attack was never solved and no one was ever charged. With release of the report, family members of the victims expressed deep disappointment at what was done and called for a wider inquiry. Source: Articles by Eric Westervelt for NPR and the Associated Press

sean brady bombings northern ireland claudy james chesney william conway