A Prolonged Silence

I have been silent. Not necessarily because of my desire to be, but more due to my hectic schedule in recent weeks. Traveling has been average around the island (Mayo, Dublin, Kilkenny and Belfast) but other aspects of life and work have kept me at full tilt. I am very happy to announce that after two years of investing in my course at Manresa for a diploma in Spiritual Direction - I am finished! Last weekend marked the final requirement for the course and I am elated! It was a fantastic course - very well crafted, paced and balanced - with a generous and open spirit to outsiders (non-Catholic in background). My sole prayer to be challenged was answered . . it was! I made a number of new friends, many times 30 years older than me. I have been stretched and opened to understanding the riches and complexities that make up the Catholic Church and the human soul. I look forward to seeing what doors God may open to utilise this training and experience in the days ahead. Our graduation is in October. I was able to deliver a morning breakfast session on the Emerging Church / Fresh Expressions phenomenon at the General Synod of the Church of Ireland this past week in Kilkenny. It was a great opportunity and was fairly well attended. I was pleased to have my old friend Brian Ross over with me to give a snap shot of this topic from a North American perspective. More on this in the week ahead. We finally launched MOBILISE in the Youth Department. It's a nation-wide initiative to meet the felt and perceived needs related to youth ministry across Ireland. We (the youth dept.) are rolling it out with six topical, inter-active workshops this year and an additional six to follow next year. More on this in the week ahead. Christy is plowing ahead with getting a full-fledged Sunday School (for lack of a better phrase) off the ground in our parish. Today was one of the Sundays she and the rest of the team pulled together to deliver. It went very well. Small numbers . . but what can be expected from a village of 500+ people?!! I'm proud of her for the vision, persistence and passion she's poured into the kids in our church! Neve and Aidan are brilliant!!! I cannot say enough about my kids. They enthrall me, enthuse me, enrich me and wear me out. Neve carries out such intelligent conversations for a little girl of nearly four and Aidan is such a boy - wrecking things, growling and running. He's a lover though (like his daddy!) ;-) - and he enjoys a good cuddle now and then. And Abby - how could I forget the dog who has been the epitome of faithfulness??? She sits in our back garden day after day and never really complains. Neither does she complain when what little attention she gets is from the kids pulling her tail or laying on her back. She loves to snuggle in closer and sit on your feet when we let her. Fantastic friend! Well, that's about it for tonight. A little more personal post before I slide back into the brief soul snap-shots that I usually post begin again. I hope this finds each one of you well and in a state of perpetual wonder at God's love and goodness . . and the beauty of life!