13th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 27 June 2010,

No bulletin until 5 th September! There will be updates during July and August on the website www.stjoeparis.org Emails will be responded to daily and phone messages dealt with as soon as possible. Thanks to those who have made helpful suggestions about the Bulletin and to give feedback.

It has been a huge privilege for me to address a few words to you both in print and on the website each week for ten months each year. Their purpose has been to try to link the Mass readings to life in our community. It is not intended to be a platform for my personal opinions. On occasion I have made comments on matters not directly related to the Readings of Sunday (e.g. child protection, world events), when it seemed to me that the light of the Gospel message could offer some enlightenment and hope in difficult times.

As this is the final Bulletin until September, perhaps you will forgive me if I depart from my usual practice and offer a few personal comments. These are mine and do not represent anyone else’s opinion.

In February 1975 I first saw St Joseph’s, Paris. I was on my way back to Ireland from Rome and paid a visit for some days. It was fascinating for me to see a place of which I heard so much since joining the Passionists in the 1960’s. I saw for the Arc de Triomphe, the Eifel Tower and many of the famous landmarks of this beautiful city.

Listening to the Passionist Community on that and on subsequent visits, I marvelled at such a wonderful ministry to people, most of them living some distance from Ave Hoche. In those days, St Joseph’s was quieter and relatively easy to define its outreach.

In the 1980’s when I had become Provincial of the Passionists, I frequently came to St Joseph’s as we prepared for the huge decision about the building and what to do. In 1985 we moved from St Joseph’s to St Genevieve’s Church for two years. During that time the church and house were demolished and the present building was constructed. In 1986 I finished as Provincial and the next year the community returned to their ‘new home’ and how different it was from what had previously been there. But over the years people ‘grew’ into the new community setting.

In the 1990’s I came to St Joseph’s from Rome where I was living as a general consultor and was asked to assess for the Passionist General the life and ministry here. I drew on the experience of 20 years of regular contact and reported on the growth that had taken place. St Joseph’s had become more culturally diverse, CCD continued to develop and thrive, ministry to people continued to intensify, weekend Liturgy remained the ‘core’ activity and attracted people both regulars and visitors, marriages and marriage preparation remained a feature, RCIA attracted increasing numbers and people still found a welcome and hospitality.

In 2008 I was assigned to St Joseph’s and for the first time got the unique perspective of being parish priest in a place for which I have had a great regard for over the years. The Passionist community is now reduced to two priests but the number of Masses remains the same and apostolic outreach continues to grow. When I meet priests of other English-speaking European parishes, I am proud to tell of your life of faith, ministry and worship.

The challenge facing us is what will St Joseph’s become by 2020? What do we want to be here in ten years time? What do we need to do now to create that future to which the Spirit is calling us? What do we believe will answer the needs of people so that we can continue to build the Kingdom of God in Paris and spread it to the ends of the earth?

Have restful summer and let me know what you think about these matters at some stage!

Aidan Troy, C.P. [Aodhn Troighthigh, C.P.]