Hello from Paris

With the Presidential elction in France now over, I am writing a note from Paris where I still am, after a long break on the blog. There are a few thoughts I would like to share as soon as I get some order in my thoughts. I will be back soon.                                                  AT

Silence Broken - May 2021

 Once again, I begin with an apology for my long absence. It is totally my own fault. One might imagine that with lockdown here in France, I would have been very active with visiting and updating my blog. At leaset now I am back and will endeavour to become much more active blogging in the coming weeks. AT

Toussaint in France 2020

 Nobody can accsue me of using this blog of mine too often. Last date was in May and I was noting the easing of restrictions due to the pandemic. Now at Halloween, I am back with new restrictions of movement introduced on Friday. Back to filling out the form before going out if a person is to avoid being fined. The form and the mask are two essentials of life now. In my childhood, a mask was such fun to wear once a year. It is not as much fun to wear it every day over a period of time. But if it protects lives and health, it is worth any inconvenience. 

I am heartbroken for the families of the three people murdered at the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Nice this week. May they rest in peace. All churches are on high security alert this weekend. Police have made contact about this. Please God there will be no further loss of life for anybody through acts of terrorism. 

All Masses at St Joseph's will be online until at least 1st December. The church website www.stjoeparis.org will lead you to the YouTube transmission and also the previous recordings of Mass.

I say this every time - I will try to be more regular in keeping the blog active - this time I will really try.  Happy Halloweeen.

Easing of Restrictions

These are different times in so many ways. Some I have come to apprecite and some will never sit easy with me. The absence of frantic activity has left me time to explore my heart a bit more. There is much I could say but suffice it to say I believe that I am now in a better place personally than when we went into 'lockdown'. There is much that I miss and always will - human contact, meals with people and strangely enough, a trip home to Ireland! Most of my life I have lived away from home in Ireland and would never have thought there was much to it. Ah yes, but up to now I could from time to time reconnect with family, friends and the familiar that has shaped me. Now I am not sure when that will be possible. 

One lesson from this, is a deeper and greater appreciation of people who for various reasons, have left home and for the foreseeable future cannot return. I know some refugees but only now even begin to feel what some of them are missing of home. Enough of this for the moment.

At St Joseph's we are trying to work out how we might safely plan a phased reopening  of the church for Mass with people in the seats and no longer 'behind closed doors'. That will be such a joy. Yet, the dangers from the virus are still there and one illness - God forbid one death - would be irresponsible should the doors be unlocked before it is safe.

Finally, the YouTube transmissions of daily and Sunday Mass from St Joseph's - www.stjoeparis.org - have brought messages from people all over the world now part of Saint Joseph's Virtual Parish!                                                                                                                                                                      AT

Paris

Like most places, Paris has been in 'lockdown' and it is so very quiet. This church of St Joseph is not recognisable these days with no people about. Every weekend with five Masses, it is wonderful to welcome over 2,000 people who come to worship. Along with these are 220 children who come to prepare each Sunday for their First Communion and Confirmation. Fortunately, some years ago YouTube was installed in the church and Mass has been transmitted each weekday and all day Sunday. Now this is of great value as morning Mass at 8.30 is transmitted live and also Sunday Mass at 9.30 a.m. goes out live., but all will no people present. It is a different experience preaching to an empty church. There are no faces to 'read' telling that it is time to stop! These recordings remain on the website (www.stjoeparis.org) afterwards and so parishioners and others living in different time zones around the world can see them at a time that suits. I hope that a lot of lessons will be learned from this amazing turn of events for our whole world. Keep strong, keep well and keep in contact with others,                                                                                                                                         AT

A New Year

Again I start by saying sorry for my long neglect of this blog. The intentions for it are good, but........ The Christmas and New Year celebrations at St Joseph's were a joy to be part of and to see the determination of big numbers of people to get to church in difficult circumstances due to the transport strike that began on 5th December 2019. One couple walked for three hours to get to Mass at Christmas. The Carol Service had a memorable Pageant presented by CCD students that took the story of the Birth of Christ from the perspective of Saint Joseph. Last year we marked 150 years on this site beside the Arc de Triomphe. The church was sinking and had to be demolished in 1985 and rebuilt, reopening in 1987. Since then St Joseph's has served all who come to us from near or far. We are delighted to welcome a great number of visitors in Paris. This year, we move on to another year of remembrance when the 300th anniversary of the foundation of the Passionists by Saint Paul of the Cross will be launched. From very small beginnings in Italy, the female and male Passionists have carried his charism and vision to the ends of the earth. 

At Christmas I was overwhelmed to receive greetings from so many parishioners who are now living in countries near and far away. It is such a joy to hear from people who were part of St Joseph's community but for family or employment reasons have moved on from Paris. It is lovely for me to think of these people carrying something of St Joseph's spirit to their new parishes. Sincere thanks for the privilege of having met you.

Well, at least I am now writing on the blog again and hope that I will not let it slip for as long as I often have done in the past.

                                 A Happy New Year to all who read these few words.                   Aidan

La Rentrée 2019

Oh my goodness - I am embarrassed to see that it is June since I visited this 'old' blog. It is good to be back! I know that the path to hell is paved with good intentions, but I do intend to be more attentive to the blog in the coming months.

A wonderful summer has passed. It was great to be back in Ireland for a few weeks visiting family and friends. Had a game of golf at Carton House, Co Kildare and a day in Belfast. I was delighted to visit Holy Cross monastery where I spent 7 very happy years. The 10.00 o'clock Mass was about to begin and I was delighted to concelebrate and after Mass to greet some parishioners. It is a place that will always have a special place in my heart and I am amazed at the number of people there who still keep in contact by phone, Facebook and occasionally ring the doorbell in Paris to say 'hello'. It is hard to me to believe that I left Holy Cross Belfast eleven years ago this month. My hope and prayer is that the present speculation over 'Brexit' will not have any bad consequences for people North or South. The Good Friday Agreement has served the Island of Ireland well and is above party politics. There is not a day goes bye that I do not pray for a good outcome to the present uncertainty.

So what else is happening in this neck of the woods? The parish activities are getting back into full swing after the summer break. This past weekend, the COD programme which prepared children and young people for Sacraments restarted. We have approximately 200 young people who come each Sunday to class and are instructed by volunteer teachers (over 30 in number). These students are at State schools which has a separation of Church and State. The advantage is that all the 200 students have enrolled for this catechism voluntarily and with their Parents' agreement.

It breaks my heart when I hear and read stories complaining about the 'imposition' of religious education on children and their families. When families here freely choose to have their child baptised, it is not with a view to school admission. When Sunday after Sunday families come to Mass and to class, there is no compulsion to do this. Interestingly, we have a waiting list of those who wish to join in this catechetical programme. We have severe restrictions on the space available, but it is such a joy for me when I see these children and parents arrive. Their Holy Communion and Confirmation will take place at Pentecost 2020. Without freedom of choice for parents and children to engage with the Church, there is something gone seriously wrong within the Body of Christ. 

Just in case anyone might think that all is perfect here with such a positive engagement, that is not the case. No, there is always more and better that can be done. As the sole priest here for over a year, I am painfully aware of my shortcomings. I have a long way to go on the road to holiness - even after all these years! All I can say is that the lack of a second or third Passionist as was the case until recently, has brought a greater than ever awareness that the priest is serving the community and not the one to do everything. In truth, this parish leaves me feeling humbled when I see the dedication of so many people ministering withing the community of St Joseph's.

To finish on a lighter note - the weekend 'five-in-a row' by Dubs men and 'three-in-a- row' by Dubs women was a great conclusion to a wonderful weekend.                                                     AT