St. Aloysius

I would especially like to thank you, the parishioners of Saint Aloysius, Springburn for your kindness and warmth, during my parish placement from seminary. To give you some idea of my background. I was a late vocation and had been teaching for over 26 years. Although, for use of space, I am simplifying my story, gradually there was an awareness that there was much more to life. I started listening to my preacher at mass, and found there was so much I had not been listening to. You start to prick up your ears, take note, and want to know more. It can happen at any point in your life if you are willing to really listen. Anyone who would tell you, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new trick’s refer them to this’, you can, with the grace of God.

Jesus to Matthew… Follow me. ‘Follow’ meant ‘imitate’ – not by the movement of his feet, but rather by a change of life. For whoever says he is following Christ ought himself to walk as Christ walked. It sounds quite profound but in essence it came down to having the humility to acknowledge: ‘Dear Lord, please do not let me be a disappointment to you.’ After that and a lot of tears, there was no struggle, I firmly believe you get help, it is different for every one of us. For me it was a gentle movement (over a number of years) toward where I am now. Words and actions don’t mean a thing without the heart! And it was my distinct impression that I found a beating heart in St Aloysius. When God has our heart, it starts beating in rhythm with his.

I was especially delighted with your devotion to the Sacred Heart each day and your lighting of candles and prayers in this regard. It was also marvelous to be with you for the solemnity of the Sacred Heart. I have found devotion to the Sacred Heart immensely helpful in my time in seminary, for God does not want barren ritual, he wants our hearts, and by giving them we become united to everything that is good and right and just, and to love unrestrained and unconditionally. In this way we become connected to truth, love, mercy and compassion and we are in relationship with the living God. ‘May the Grace and blessing of the Sacred Heart be with you; The peace of the Sacred Heart encompass you; The merits of the Sacred heart plead for you; The love of the Sacred Heart inflame you; The sorrow of the Sacred Heart console you; The zeal of the Sacred Heart animate you, and the virtues of the Sacred Heart shine forth in your life, word and work.’

Over the last year I had to ask myself several important and life enabling questions: ‘Will you commit yourself to me in life and in death? What receives your most energy? Where is your energy spent? What are you pouring yourself into? And to whom are you most focussed? I had to acknowledge the power of change, that all things pass; that God alone suffices, and that He alone never changes.’

When you are not confident in prayer or prayer goes dry, I offer you a special prayer to the Mother of God. The brief preamble to it goes: ‘Mothers are always mending. When we give our prayers to her, they will be beautiful by the time they reach her son’s ear.’ - ‘Dear Blessed Mother, see what kind of muddle I have made. I ask your blessing and I ask you to transform this prayer into something beautiful’.

I will not forget my time in Springburn with you, and you will remain always in my prayers. I also thank Father John who has taught me so much in a fortnight and has been very kind and giving of his time. There have been several ‘firsts’ for me here in parish that it would be difficult to forget in any case. It takes a particular type of busy priest and parish to take on a seminarian, for however short a time, and so I thank you all for your hospitality and generosity of spirit to me. Since prayer is the backbone of priestly life, and seminarians can feel at times cut off from the parish life they are called to serve; could I ask you please to remember seminarians in your daily prayers, the support it offers us is incalculable and grounds us to you in a very particular way, and gives us strength. As father John rightly outlined, we are indeed a rare breed, so do not be afraid to let us know about your prayers and I will keep you informed about ‘your rare breed.’