The English-Speaking Catholic Church of Paris

18th March, 2007

IN SUPPORT OF THE GREENS

As this is St. Patrick’s week-end it would be improper not to have some story from Ireland. I know that many people have the belief that the Irish are a nation of people who would never let the truth get in the way of a good story, but I promise, this is the truth, the whole truth, etc. I heard it on the Irish news on Wednesday last. A man was sentenced to four years in jail for membership of an illegal organisation. He was also suspected, but not convicted, of being involved in a money-laundering racket – why? Because, when arrested, he was found with €94,000 hidden in a DAZ (soap powder!) box. (Honestly – it’s true! Look it up yourself!) Who said the Irish have no sense of humour?

When I was growing up the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day was a relatively quite affair. True, there would be a Parade in some of the main cities, but it wouldn’t have been regarded as important as, for instance, the Easter Parade. It was, of course, a Bank Holiday, and a Holy Day of obligation. There was a lot of nostalgia about it, as we read reports of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world, and it reminded people how scattered a nation we were. Our prayers were for those who had been forced to leave home, mainly because of lack of employment, and to seek to make a new life for themselves abroad. (This year they’re probably all praying for Fr. Ephrem and myself!)

For many years it looked like there was far greater celebration of St. Patrick’s Day abroad than there was in Ireland. For instance, I never saw any river in Ireland being dyed green for the occasion. Come to think of it, they might have been more inclined to dye it black – the colour of the national drink!

All this talk of the Irish abroad reminds me that here in St. Joseph’s we are very much a community of emigrants, people exiled from their own homelands. I don’t know what the exact count is, it probably changes from week to week, but it’s estimated that over 35 different nationalities are represented here on any given week. We are very much better off now than all those Irish (and people of other nationalities) who had to leave home in times when travel and communication were not what they are now – the era of the “American wake” – when emigrating was seen as being as final a separation as death.

But, whatever the circumstances, separation from ones loved ones is painful. And it was a pain very much felt by the father in today’s gospel story. He may have been very upset by how his son treated him, he may not have been too happy with stories coming back about how badly his son was doing, but such was his sense of loss at his absence that open arms were always going to be there on his return.

And, he’s telling us, those open arms are always there to welcome us. Now, what better news could one get on St. Patrick’s week-end? (That you’ve suddenly discovered that your great-great-grandmother was Irish? Now, that’s asking for too much!)