It’s staggering to think that Teach Bhríde V’s year in Wexford is coming to a close. In many ways, it feels like we just began. So many of our “firsts” have recently become “lasts,” and we have already said our goodbyes to Mary. While I know these aren’t “lasts” for me, as I’m returning to minister for a second year, it is still bittersweet to think that the three others in this year’s community won’t be coming back. Instead, I will be helping to guide Laura, Brigid, and Ben as they begin their year here in August.
Amidst all of the farewells, parties, and growing list of “lasts,” I’ll admit it’s been difficult to find much down time for personal prayer. However, there have been many opportunities put in front of me in recent weeks that have allowed, (and will allow,) me to pray with the wider Clonard community in very meaningful ways.
Indeed, the Novena to the Sacred Heart began yesterday as the Feast of the Sacred Heart on June 27th draws nearer. Cameron and I also led a Rosary Service for the 3rdClass students of Kennedy Park just today. It was a delight to help teach the students about this beautifully simple way to pray to Our Lady.
The children presented bouquets of beautiful wildflowers to the statue of Our Lady!
This weekend, the parish is gearing up to host a 40-Hour Adoration in conjunction with the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Parishioners will be helping to keep Jesus company throughout the next two days and nights. (One may or may not see Teach Bhríde here in the wee hours of the morning!) After the 6pm mass on Saturday evening, we will be doing a procession of the Blessed Sacrament around the church grounds, led by this year’s First Communicants and the Vigil Choir. The children will scatter flower petals, and the choir will be leading the group in several hymns. This was a tradition around Wexford from a number of years ago. Back in the day, the procession used to happen between the two schools and through all of the neighborhoods. While it’s not to that scale anymore, we’re hoping that this year will be the first towards further reviving the 40 Hours and the procession.
Why 40 Hours, you may ask? Fr. Denis explained at mass this morning that, similar to the number 7, the number 40 has a few significant meanings in the Church. For one, there are 40 days in both Lent and Advent. Also, the number can reference Jesus’ 40 days spent in the desert leading up to his Passion. But, most strikingly to me, 40 is the number of hours Jesus is believed to have spent in the tomb between his Crucifixion and Resurrection. We often hear of the “three days,” but Jesus died after midday on Friday, and rose in the early hours of Sunday morning based on Mary Magdalene’s account. Clonard is sticking to this schedule fairly closely – we will begin at 5pm on Friday evening and end with the 9am mass on Sunday morning. The response has been overwhelming, and I am certain Jesus will have plenty of adorers this weekend!
In other news, the weather has been absolutely gorgeous here all week. (I’m pretty sure I even got a tan!) Teach Bhríde’s good friend Lisa took us out to Raven’s Point/Curracloe Beach for a nice walk on Sunday night to celebrate the weather, and each day has only gotten better since! I would be fine with this weather lasting until I leave for the summer…
A late-evening walk on Curracloe Beach does both the body and the soul plenty of good!
Until the fall from me, mes amies!
Peace,
–Joy.
