by Paul Brian Campbell SJ U.S.A. 16.03.2023
One of the oddities of our faith is the way we play fast and loose with our saints’ names and origins.
My favorite example is St. Anthony of Padua. Not only wasn’t he from Padua, he wasn’t christened as Anthony. He was born Fernando Martins de Bulhões in Lisbon, and adopted the name Anthony when he took vows as a Franciscan friar. Leaving Portugal, he first went to Morocco before landing in Sicily on his way home, except he never got there. He lived in various Italian towns until he went to teach in southern France. It was only when he was appointed the Franciscan Provincial for northern Italy that he decided to settle in Padua.
The founder of the Jesuits never lost his designation as a Basque from Loyola, but he was christened as Ignaki [in Basque] or Inigo [in Spanish.] One theory is that he adopted the name Ignatius apparently because he believed it was a variant of his own and would be better understood in France and Italy. Others say he took the name in about 1537 in honor of Saint Ignatius of Antioch.
All of this brings me in a roundabout way to St. Patrick of Ireland. In his writings, he refers to himself as Patricius which in Irish becomes Padraig. We have relatively little information about his life, but it is pretty well established that he wasn’t from Ireland but was Romano-British.
It isn’t that strange for a nation’s patron saint to be from somewhere else – think of Italy having the Palestinian St. Joseph as their patron – but I have always been happy that Ireland’s saint isn’t from the island itself. I hope that it speaks to a certain openness among the Irish and we certainly haven’t been slow to share him with other people.
In the United States, where I now live, St. Patrick’s Day has become more of a secular celebration than a religious one [although our local bishop has given a dispensation so we can eat corned beef and cabbage on a Friday in Lent!] You’ll have heard about our parades and how Chicago dyes its river green, but the most extraordinary “tribute” to St. Patrick I’ve found is in my local supermarket where there is a large stand featuring “Sour Cream & Shamrock” flavour potato crisps.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day – tomorrow!
by Sr. Jo Anne Kelly MMM Ireland 14.03.2023
Spring has come and new life is “springing” up all over our garden. Daffodils big and small are in full bloom. But for some reason the crocuses are very slow to open. They appeared weeks ago, but so far, none have reached full bloom. I can only conclude that weather conditions are not yet favourable for full blossoming and the crocuses are still waiting.
I think of the early days of MMM. In 1924 when Marie Martin, then a lay missionary, left Nigeria to return to Ireland she knew without any doubt that what was needed for that country was a group of professionally trained dedicated religious women, who would provide a competent medical service, where, at that time there was none. But conditions in the Catholic Church then were not favourable as Religious women were not allowed to practice Obstetrics or Surgery. So she searched, she prayed and she waited –waited for 12 more years until that law was changed in 1936.
The congregation was founded in 1937. Once founded it blossomed rapidly and spread over the world. It is interesting to note what people were saying about Mother Mary in those years. She got a lot of media attention- a few examples-
“She held on to her ideals despite illness, setbacks and all kinds of obstacles” (Sunday Independent)
“A leader in a hurry who hates cameras and refuses to talk about herself” (from Healing Hands-Daily Express)
“Our most famous Nun- known for her shyness, humility and yet described as a tycoon who runs a vast empire dedicated to Healing” (The Sunday Press).
“Awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal for distinguished service across the world” –
“Awarded Honorary Fellowship of R.C.S.I. for the lustre she added to the reputation of Irish medicine in many parts of the world- first woman to receive the honour” ( Irish Independent)
“First woman to receive the freedom of Drogheda in recognition of her devoted care of the sick and her tremendous economic contribution to the town” and “to thank her for her courage and devotion in the cause of suffering humanity”.
“Undoubtedly the most outstanding woman of this century, her vision, wisdom, courage and the legacy she left”.
“She topped the poll as the greatest Droghedean of all time by readers of Drogheda Independent.” (Drogheda Independent)
“ Mother Mary Martin probably the best example of a nun as liberator of women- nuns, an extraordinary bunch of independent and independent- minded women holding down the most responsible jobs in society” (The Irish Times)
During these same years we knew Mother Mary as frail looking, soft spoken, shy She was constantly busy with administration, but she still made time to welcome visitors from all walks of life. No matter how busy the day, each evening she went across to the hospital to visit the patients. Then, late at night, after everyone had gone to bed, she was there at the back of the chapel kneeling in silent prayer. From there she went to her office to catch up with correspondence. During the day she had two secretaries but the letters she wrote at night were handwritten with pen and ink to sisters and communities across the world.
She is also the woman who wrote in 1953 “God is over all things and needs only our good will and He will do the rest. My God, I sometimes quake if I thought MMM depended on me. All depends on God and my desire and effort at each moment to allow Him to use me as He will. Yes, often in very strange ways”.
by Sr. Mary McKearney MMM (1942 – 2017)
To be a missionary, what does it mean?
I don’t know, but two thousand years ago, Christ said:
“Let your light shine for people,
Do not put it under a tub, but on a lampstand.”
I am not aware that there is much light in me, but I know
through his gift of faith to me,
that Christ is in me.
As the years have passed, I’ve heard him call me,
I’ve seen his light shine through my parents, teachers, relatives, friends.
Their faith was strong. I saw that.
But I wanted to keep my distance from this Christ,
Right from the very beginning.
He could demand too much…even my life…not an easy thing to give, but
Someway, somehow, sometime, unknown to myself,
I must have started giving little bits, because some years ago,
A very happy day dawned for me, the day I decided to give ALL.
But painfully I’ve discovered many times since, it was only a decision.
Giving is giving, not just the decision to give.
And giving costs, even when one loves with a great love.
But love is very personal and precious to me.
It isn’t something I want to squander on just any person or any thing.
I’d like to select the people I would love.
It’s just not possible because the most unexpected people surprise me
at the most unexpected times, and I love them – in spite of myself!
Strange!
With so little co-operation from me
Christ can shine through this thick wall.
But I realise, when I stop to think about it, that
“letting Christ shine through me”
Has a lot to do with being a missionary,
And that every Christian, every follower of Christ,
Has got to be a missionary,
In his or her own particular way.
How much light we would have in the world
If all Christians helped each other to realise this.
But it all comes back to the depth of my faith,
My readiness to give, my willingness to love.
Not easy for isolated me!”
So what does it mean to be a missionary?
I suppose there are as many answers as there are missionaries.
So let your light shine!
by Nadia Ramoutar MMM Communications Coordinator Ireland 10.03.2023
The idea that we have a country and a homeland is both a blessing and a burden.
I remember Sr Rita Kelly, MMM once saying to me that home is “the landscape of the heart”. What a beautiful thought. For us, Ireland is this country with mountains, rivers, lakes, history and heritage. We were a country that was colonised. We were overruled for many, many years from overseas. It’s a complex and messy story that I cannot do justice in a blog. But, we have so much here now in terms of quality of life. The concept of homeland for me has been a positive one, but for many people know it is the death of a dream.
In my work as a communications coordinator for the MMM, I meet people from all over the globe. Often people want something and are reaching me on social media asking for something I can’t give. Long ago, I learned to see that I cannot help everyone and everyone is not who they say there are. What I cannot protect myself from nor should I protect myself from is how desperate some people are in our world because they are living in hell. Recently, I began communicating with a young father in Kabul City who in his earlier life worked in IT and communications for an international agency. Now, that work he did then may cost him his life. He lives in terror. Horrified that the Taliban will find him any moment. He has five children under ten years of age. He cannot sleep or eat.
Through the miracle of technology, we can communicate and I have become his “mentor” he says and he is proud of me for not giving up on him. How funny is this? I am in the comfort of my own home sending emails for him to humanitarian aid agencies to try and get him and the family a way out of there before it is over for him. I am now painfully aware of how many millions of people are living this way. Isolated, abused, terrified, hungry and scared to speak of the fear they face. I ask and I ask for help for them and I am told how many others also need help too. This is not an answer that offers any peace.
So few agencies exist to help the people at the bottom of the social ladder in places of crisis. They are often forgotten about. Discarded by humanity. They are lost in their own land, one that they no longer recognise. I am so sick over this realisation that I don’t know how to help them. I have no way of making their life better but to beg on their behalf to the places that are supposed to offer aid. The agencies of good and hardworking people are overrun with requests from families like this. Who got out already? Who is no longer there? Why are so many people without hope now? It is like a bad script from a film we don’t want to watch. It wreaks of injustice.
What have we done with our humanity? Drawn lines on maps like life is a game of survival. If you are lucky, you are born in a free zone but if you are not, then what? Too bad for you. W e have made up the concept of nationality and of borders. Who is not your brother? Who is not your sister? We have so much more to learn about being decent human beings.
I ask you to pray with me for the young father in Kabul City and his precious family and the millions of other like them. Also, pray for the people working to get refugees out of violent places and to safety.
by Sr. Jo Anne Kelly MMM Ireland 08.03.2023
Recently one of our Sisters had her 93rd birthday. Her nieces brought her one big beautiful bouquet of flowers. It adorned our chapel for many days. One could not but be drawn to the beauty of such a variety of different blooms of all sizes, colours and shades of colours. Each added to the beauty of the whole, and without any one flower it would not have been so attractive. I thought of our Congregation. From the beginning, our foundress, Mother Mary Martin wanted our membership to be international.
I entered MMM when the congregation was only 19 years old and by then there were Sisters from Ireland, England, Scotland, Nigeria, Czechoslovakia and America. The following year sisters from Tanzania joined us. Like the flowers each one brought her own beauty and gifts. We had a common purpose. We were learning to be religious and missionary. We were all going to be living and working with people of other cultures, colours and traditions.
At that time Mother Mary was very, very busy with all the business administration. The first wing of the International Missionary Training Hospital (now Our lady of Lourdes Hospital) was about to be opened, a new wing was being added to the convent. There were new missions in Nigeria, Tanzania, Angola and Uganda as well as houses in England, Italy and a novitiate in America. All had to be supported and guided, and money raised to make it all happen.
Yet Mother Mary made time to give us conferences when she could. The time could be morning, afternoon or night depending on what was going on for her.
Her talks didn’t vary much. They always included an emphasis on the absolute necessity of genuine love – “Loving together as the Holy Family, loving one another, taking on each other’s burdens”. She would remind us that “work without real love will never win people to Christ”. Always too we were reminded to “let our work and every aspect of our lives spring from a deep interior life of love and union with God.” We heard these phrases over and over again.
In 1954 she wrote “Now I hope you will all grow in understanding of different peoples-this is essential for an international Congregation which ours is. We are getting more and more Sisters from different lands. We must be big, and remember there are many difficulties for foreigners entering a congregation which is predominantly Irish…. As you grow to love the Lord your heart will expand to embrace the whole world…. You should be those who will leave the traditions of a true MMM vocation, love, generosity, self-sacrifice and loving obedience in our care of the sick and suffering”
Over the years in my own life, several times I have been in a community where I was the only one from my race and colour. I had a lot of learning to do, not just about others but about myself too. It was not always easy but so very enriching – to recognize and value the goodness, the beauty and the giftedness of others.
I will be forever grateful to God for those times.
by Sr. Prisca Ovat MMM Nigeria/Kenya 06.03.2023
As the journey through the Turkana desert continued, we had the opportunity of visiting the MMM community in Lodwar, where the only living story is of the late Sr. Rosetta Furlong who sadly passed away in 2007 from a spider sting.
The locals who narrated the emotional tale confirmed how they too were attacked by such dangerous spiders. Thanks to development in the country, the MMM community in Lodwar is no longer present because they have moved on. However, many priests and religious still have good memories of our mission in Lodwar.
That evening ,at the Bishop’s party for priests and religious, we received a very warm welcome from all who knew and heard of MMM. Next, we were brought to see the Kakuma mission hospital. By this time only 3 staff who worked with the Sisters were still available, one of them a driver who was enrolled in a driving school through the influence of the Sisters. They generously narrated a little of what they still recall and expressed with joy how much the Sisters. impacted their lives.
Life would have been more difficult without the livelihoods made possible by the Sisters’ presence. The less privileged received great attention as school fees were paid and free services were offered. A nutritional program continued for pregnant women and children at a time when famine greatly plague the land. Mobile outreaches were very functional to meet the needs of those unable to access services. Now there is a downward shift in these services including staff maintenance because funds dried up as donor support was discontinued after the departure of the Sisters. The diocese has had a rough time maintaining all these services. And in truth, some footsteps were either too fast or too difficult to follow. The local people are now realising that missionaries are present to capacitate, build up the local community and then they move on.
The catering school is still active and very effective, unlike some of the services which discontinued for lack of sustainability. The catering school started out as a request from the non-governmental bodies which at the time had structured the Kakuma refugee camp. It was intended to train caterers who would meet the nutritional requirements of the NGO staff, and the Sisters initiated and supervised the training.
We walked through the wards, the theatre, the pharmacy, the outpatient department, and the administration block with everyone frantically searching for ‘something MMM’. A sign, a poster, a name, a visitor’s book, paperwork, records, merely something to bear witness to our presence there, but none existed. Apparently, those who took over the mission renovated some of the areas, and signs were lost in the process. Notwithstanding the setbacks, the facility continues to operate for those in dire need of care. It is an aspect of MMM known to the world that, in response to our charism we empower the local people with skills that foster autonomy and continuity. And no matter the obstacles, God always shows the way!
by Sr. Prisca Ovat MMM Nigeria/Kenya 04.03.2023
My experience of a desert was live, not the one watched in movies, nor read in books. And I would say that not much has changed from the time I first saw photos of Turkana malnourished children many years ago. As we travelled along, I rather marvelled at the resilience that existed in the land. Both humans and animals learnt to survive with what was available. Cattle ate sticks, paper bags, and dried grasses which they would not have if they had a choice. They gazed eagerly at travellers for whatever they ate at stopovers, only to satisfy their hunger.
The long journey was endless as we travelled for hours. Just when I learnt we were in Lodwar, we could no longer travel to our destinations. Something was wrong. There were banditry activities ahead. Regrets soon replaced my excitement “Did we have to make this journey”? We waited by the roadside for so long, with hopes that a police van would accompany us through, but it was not to be. The driver then took the risk of proceeding. Thoughts came rushing through my mind, “If I opt to alight here, where I would go to, in the middle of nowhere, in a foreign land?”, and for a moment, I wondered if my companions and other travellers felt the same. Yes they did. The expression was all over their faces. Getting on to our host who zealously awaited our arrival at the other end, I said , “Just in case we do not arrive, this is what would have happened.” I explained that was me who had an opportunity to communicate. Many fall into death’s hands without a chance to reach out nor say goodbye. So, I began a silent prayer with my companions and waited for what laid ahead.
A few miles later we came upon a group of nomads with guns over their shoulders. I was so completely overwhelmed with fear that I suffered instant gastric pain. I knew why. They looked everything like the Fulani herdsmen I see on the news from home in Nigeria. T heir demeanour, the manner they held their guns, and their sad/angry looks. And I could not help but think of all the pain and suffering of my people – the kidnappings, killings and abuses people have been subjected to. I thought it was our last day.
Earlier on the journey, I watched the driver saving half-used bottled water, for whatever reason. Now the reason was clear. Every time we came across an armed Turkana, he threw out a bottle of water, and we just get a sad smile and moved on. Water was our saviour, so, all the bottles of water reserved for our journey were brought out “to save our heads”. And water indeed saved our heads. I reflected on water as a giver of life and a bringer of death. For thirst, we would have been victims of a government’s corrupt practices. There was no greater lesson on the judicious use of water than this. And if conscience is truly alive, no one would consciously misuse water after an experience as this.
by Sr. Margaret Anne Meyer MMM USA 02.03.2023
Sometime ago I wrote to you about protecting our children online. The situation seems to be getting worse and so many organizations were contacting their legislators without much avail to stop this child sexual material from appearing in so many online platforms. The ages of the children affected were getting as low as 5 to 7.
Recently, on January 27th, Mother Mary seemed to answer our prayers, in sending help through a man, Russ Tuttle, whose dynamic presentations in middle schools were reaching thousands of children to explain what was going on in words they could understand. I heard him speak online with glowing passion how to encourage children to tell their parents if they found something online which made them feel uncomfortable. For the younger children to say they found a secret and needed help to deal with it. For the twelve-year-olds, Russ called it a cockroach which could be got rid of with their parents help.
The reviews of the teachers, school nurses, law enforcement officers and many students from elementary grades to high school were excellent. The presenter was able to get to the students’ level and provided a way out of despair and feelings like wanting to commit suicide. The teachers were delighted in the enthusiastic approach of the students. They were listening to the reality of the situation and wanting help from their parents to combat this horrible situation.
Russ stressed the importance of building up the self-image of a child. Many feel lonely and have a need for a friend to understand them. Any online platform that has a chat box or message system can lead to an older man posing as a young friend and luring them into a meeting place. For more information about his presentation, please look at a short video on <Stop trafficking project.com/bealert.html>
Yes, there is a ray of hope! This dreadful situation of the world we live in today makes one think that nothing like this ever happened before. Yet after the Resurrection, the apostles were gathered together in fear and Jesus came through locked doors saying “Peace be with you. “ Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, repeats the message of Jesus today in his address to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The following is taken from (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 1/2/2023)
“The peace of Jesus, ” which is also given to us in every Mass”, Pope Francis said in the first part of his homily, recalling the Gospel account of the first encounter of the Risen Jesus with his disciples, and read during the liturgy, “comes from the resurrection, because the Lord first had to defeat our enemies, sin and death, and reconcile the world to the Father. He had to experience our solitude and abandonment, our hell”. In this first encounter, the risen Jesus, greeting them with the words “peace be with you”, proclaims and delivers peace to his disciples even as his disciples’ hearts “were downcast”. Jesus’ peace arrived at the very moment when, suddenly and to their surprise, everything seemed to be over for them, without even a glimmer of peace. That is what the Lord does: he surprises us; he takes us by the hand when we are falling; he lifts us up when we are hitting rock bottom”. In this context, “in a world disheartened by violence and war, Christians must be like Jesus”. They keep peace in their hearts and offer it to the world, relying on what Jesus himself Pope Francis continues – points out to us as the three sources of peace: forgiveness, community, and mission.”
Yes, may families find these three sources of peace. Is this tragedy a call to a deeper sense of family life where parents and children are free to talk things over with one another? It is said that children these days never felt lonelier even though well connected by electronic devices. Is it a commitment to a deeper love and understanding of one another? -All finding a sense of purpose in life despite all the violence bombarding us from all sides. This is what the Holy Father is asking us to be “RAYS OF HOPE IN OUR TROUBLED WORLD.”
by Nadia Ramoutar MMM Communications Coordinator Ireland 28.02. 2023
A friend of mine is pregnant and each week it is great to see her growing and being healthy. We are all delighted for her and how well she is thriving. It’s not easy being pregnant and I know as I have two sons of my own. She is often irritated in the delays at her antenatal checks as many other women are there too checking on their babies. We in the Western world are blessed with so much support for our expectant mothers. It is an investment in our future to take care of the mothers and their babies who they are preparing to deliver. Living in Europe we have some of the lowest rates of maternal or baby complications or deaths in the world. There is a reason for this. Antenatal or prenatal care correlates directly to the success of the baby’s delivery and the mother’s survival rate.
It is heart-breaking to see how high the maternal and infant mortality rates stay so high in parts of Africa and now also in Afghanistan. It is clear that where women have access to the health care they need, then they and their babies fare better. We also see that in the countries with the lowest mortality rates there are some obvious correlations. They are countries which have a high quality of living in general. They are also countries in which women are given a more equity. It is clear that there are places in the world that if you are born a woman, your life is automatically harder. It is also clear that there are places in the world that if you are going to become a mother, your life is not just harder but perhaps in jeopardy. I just don’t feel I can stand by and do nothing.
Another thing we know is that the further a woman has to travel for antenatal care the less likely she will go. Imagine expecting a pregnant woman to walk dozens of miles or kilometres to receive care. It’s not even fair to ask. To be honest, I find the hardship women face in becoming mothers physically, medically, emotionally and mentally to be staggering. It is unthinkable that women especially younger women or even girls in some countries are too far from care, so face this alone or with no knowledge of what is happening to them or to their babies. I was so glad to hear that the MMM has added yet another maternity clinic near a slum. We were so happy to hear that the proceeds from our Christmas Craft Fair will go to this clinic. We were so enthused we are eager to raise more. We want to be part of the solution and let women know they are cared about.
We are now doing our STEPS FOR HOPE 2023. We are walking or running for all of Lent 1km or 2km a day for 40 days. With each step, I am aware of how fortunate I am to be able to walk and be safe and healthy. I am aware of how many women cannot safely walk or how many women are forced to walk to get water, not even medical care. It is so important that we don’t give up on the people we may never see who are in need of care. My pregnant friend is walking with us. She realises how important this is and I know she wants to do everything she can to help other mothers and is trying to help by walking in their shoes.
If you would like to join us in walking or donate to Steps For Hope 2023 here is the link. https://www.idonate.ie/event/stepsforhope2023
by Sr. Joanne Kelly MMM Ireland 26.02.2023
One morning I took a walk in our garden. The walk through the garden rises in a long gentle slope lined on the right by four almond trees now stripped and bare in this winter season. It was a mild morning. Rain had fallen earlier and a weak winter sun was trying to pierce the clouds. I walked up the slope, past those dark damp trees and noticed nothing.
I turned to come back and what a transformation! A weak shaft of sunlight had broken through and touched all four trees. Every branch and every little twig had held on to its raindrops and were now sparkling with a myriad of little silver lights shining in this dark morning. It was quite spectacular- a complete transformation, a real winter wonder.
It set me thinking about what kind of light can transform a person whose future seems too dark.
I once knew a man who lived near to where I was working in a village for people suffering from leprosy at a time when people with leprosy had to be segregated. He was the first person in his village to qualify as a trained teacher and the whole village was very proud of him. I will call him Simon.
He had great plans but sadly he contracted leprosy. It was a terrible blow to him and he just could not believe it or accept it. He was in complete denial, refusing to come for treatment until eventually the chief and people, fearful for others, sent him out of the village.
Our sister doctor heard about him. She and her mobile team sought him out and brought him to the leprosy village and started him on treatment. He absconded several times but each time they went in search of him and brought him back. He was neglecting himself and by then he was showing more physical signs of the illness.
There were young children in the village at the time, some who had leprosy and others whose parents had it. They attended the village primary school. Their teachers were young men who themselves had not gone further than primary school. These young men were encouraged to ask Simon for guidance and no matter how sullen or uncooperative he was they showed him great respect and appreciated any help he gave, however reluctantly it was given. .
It is a long story but Simon eventually became principal of that school and many of his students went on to secondary school, and a few to university. He became a strong leader in the village and in the church.
Many, many years later I was assigned back to that area. I visited the village some evenings and on my way back would visit Simon, now living with his wife Maria in the new house their son had built for them. He had retired from school but was still the Church Catechist.
As he sat on the veranda in his armchair in the cool of the evening Simon enjoyed nothing better than to talk about all the MMM sisters who had worked there and all the other staff and village people who had given him a reason to live. He told of the many times he tried to hide from them but now thanked God for their care and compassion, and their resolute perseverance. His face would light up as he told his stories, remembering each one, their characters, their ways of working and so many near disasters or funny instances. He was so proud of his wife and their son.
His life had been transformed by love.
