OUR CROSS!

It is true that the last time I was in Rome I went to St. Peter’s to see the Pope – and very wet I got for my troubles, I might say – but I want to make it very clear that there is absolutely no truth in the story that I was very upset that when the Pope came to Paris he didn’t come to St. Joseph’s to see me! I fully realise he has a very busy schedule and he’s really only passing through Paris on his way to Lourdes – or, maybe I should say, that’s what most people think! But I’ll come back to that later.

I decided on Saturday, that rather than accept the invitation to concelebrate the mass at Les Invalides with his holiness, that I would attend instead as one of the hundreds of thousands of people who gathered for the celebration. I kept well to the back – so as not to steal any of his limelight, you understand! In fact I was so far back that the group of priests who were concelebrating looked just like a big white sheet with black dots (their heads) on it! Far and all as it was from the centre of the action, it was a very good place to experience the sense of occasion that was manifest amongst the large gathering.

As you know, a papal mass is quite a long affair, but two things in particular struck me. Firstly was the very real air of respect for what was happening, and genuine participation in it. I was surprised at how many of the people around me joined in the responses to the various prayers. And most of these were young people – certainly much younger than me! But the second thing I was struck by, was the behaviour of the children and their parents. If any of the young children started crying, or running around or making noise of any sort, they were instantly shushed by their parents – it was as if truly they felt they were in church! In fact, quieter than some churches I could name! Clearly, to all it was a very special celebration!

And the real reason for the Pope’s visit? He is a sensitive and pastorally aware man, and he knows what traumatic times these are for the church in Paris! I’m sure he felt that if he created a major distraction by coming here, that hopefully people wouldn’t notice so much the awful loss that St. Joseph’s will be suffering this coming week! I refer, of course, to the departure of our beloved Fr. Ephrem for the sunny climes of the west of Ireland.

Fr. Ephrem came to work here in St. Joseph’s almost four years ago, and in that time his kindness and gentleness has endeared him to all who have had the privilege of getting to know him. Much of his time was given to helping young couples prepare for marriage, and his patience and dedication, as much as his encouraging words, were an inspiration to all in what practical love means. He will be greatly missed. Perhaps the Lord is having His own little joke at the parish’s expense – that He would ask us to bear such a cross on the day when we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross?