A Cháirde,
There is to-day a new awareness of the importance of architecture and landscape on our lives. It is only a generation or more since planning permission became necessary to construct a new house, business or factory. It is common for people to object to some element of a new development on the grounds of its potential impact on the landscape and their environment. This planning process developed out of a new realisation that the spaces in which we live, worship and work have an impact on our inner self, on our souls.
Being in Cúil Aodha to-day for this celebration of 150 years of Séipéal Ghobnatan prompts these thoughts about landscape and the people who have lived here across the generations and the unique way you have fashioned a community of Christian faith. The fact that this community have cherished the language and its traditions as an ongoing part of everyday living marks Cúil Aodha and its environs as a special gift to this generation as an example of how tradition and modernity can be complimentary rather than opposed to each other.
Part of that living legacy is the manner in which the Gospel message found a home in peoples lives and hearts. It has been woven seamlessly into life in all its blessings and uncertainties. This gift and witness often only fully appreciated in its demise.
You know intimately the contours of life in Cúil Aodha. Like all other places cultural change impacts on all facets of life and time does not stand still. The challenge for each new generation is to take forward that which is essential and best from our past.
Two things especially come to mind when looking back. I’m aware from Con Lynch’s study of those who went from here as religious sisters, brothers and priests. It’s a wonderful and rich story of generosity, idealism and courage of which you ought to be proud. Their labours in many far-flung places continue to enrich those communities to-day. May God reward their goodness.
Last October 11th marked sixty years since the opening of the Vatican Council II. One of its immediate felt changes was the introduction of the vernacular instead of Latin in the celebration of Holy Mass. Through the faith and genius of Seán Ó Riada (who made his home here with his family) a truly authentic reconnection was made between faith, language and culture that has led to an extraordinary reawakening of an almost buried/forgotten richness of music and spiritual dynamic that is unequally our own. Thank God, Peadar, Cór Cúil Aodha and others have touched into this rich vein of spirituality which is playing its part in renewing the Church in Ireland. This renewal linked to Irish culture, landscape and language was perceived to be the way forward by the late Rev. Prof. Liam Ryan, Professor of Sociology, Maynooth. Our Gaelscoileanna are surely part of that retrieval of tradition too.
Our gathering for Holy Mass is one always of Word and Sacrament. To-day’s reading taken from the 2nd Letter of St. Paul to Timothy is apt in its reflection on the place of the Word in Mass and in life.
An Dara Léacht
Sliocht as dara litir N. Pól chuig Timótheas – 3:14-4:2
Gach cuid den scrioptúr, chuaigh tinfeadh Dé faoí agus tá tairbhe ann
chun teagasc a thabhairt, chun earráidí a bhréagnú, chun daoine a
cheartú agus iad a mhúineadh chun ionracais, ar shlí go mbeidh fear
oibre Dé lánoilte ar a cheird agus ullamh i gcomhair gach cineál dea-
oibreachta.
All scripture is inspired by God and can profitably be used for teaching,
for refuting error, for guiding people’s lives and teaching them to be
holy. This is how the man who is dedicated to God becomes fully
equipped and ready for any good work.
To-day then we remember those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially the members of our own families whose generosity and example guided us on our own life paths.
We gratefully remember the priests who’ve served here and all who supported them in their service of the parish, sacristans, collectors, readers, teachers in the school and so many more whose names are known only to God.
The past we cannot change. The future is ours to mould. Despite many disturbing happenings across the world, we remain hopeful for what lies ahead. In humility and confidence born of our faith in God we share the wisdom of the years with generosity and good will.
Moladh go deo le Dia.
A Cháirde,
Sa lá atá inniu ann, tá aithne nua ar an tábhacht a bhaineann le Ailtireacht agus Tírdhreach inár saol. Níl ann ach glúinamháin ná mar sin ó tháinig dlithe cead pleanála isteach chunteach, gnó nó morarcan a thógáil. Tárlaionn sé go gcurieanndaoine i gcoinne forbairt nua ar bhonn an tionchar a bheadhaige ar a tírdhreach nó ar an timpeallacht. D’fás an próiséaspleanála as tuiscint nua faoin tionchar atá ag na foirgintí inamhairiníd, ina ghuímíd agus ina n-oibrímíd, ar ár saol féinagus ar ár n-anam.
I gCúil Aodha inniu, don cheiliúradh 150 bliain de ShéipéalGhobnatan, buaileann smaointe me faoin tírdhreach agus fé na glúinte a mhair anseo, agus faoin slí speisialta a chruthaighsiad Pobal atá dílis don Chríostaíocht. Sa phoball seo bhíagus tá meas agus grá don teanga and don traidisiún cultúrtha, mar chuid leanúnach de saol laethúil an phobal. Ta cáil arCúil Aodha sa mhéid seo agus is dea-shampla iad don ghlúinseo, faoin slí gur féidir an traidisiún agus an nua-aimsear a bheith ar scáth a chéile, seachas a bheith in aghaidh a chéile.
Cuid den oidhreacht beo ná an tslí a ghlacann daoine le teachtiareacht an Soiscéala ina saoil agus ina gcroíthe. Tá séfite go dlúth lena beannachtaí go léir agus lena mícinnteachtgo léir. Is brontanas é seo nach tuigtear i gceart go minic, go dtí nach mbíonn sé ann a thuilleadh. Tá dlúth-thuiscint agaibhar bhúr saol a chaitheamh i gCúil Aodha. Mar aon le áiteannaeile, bíonn tionchur ag athraithe cultúrtha ar an saol. Ní stadann an clog. An dúshlán atá ag gach glúin nua, ná na rúdaí is tabhachtaí agus is fearr ón bpoball a thabhairt leo satodhcaí.
Ag feachaint siar, buaileann cúpla rud mé go speisialta Táfhios agam ón Staidéar a dhein Con Ó Loingisgh, gur fhágmórán daoine an ceantar mar mhná rialta, mar bhraithre agusmar shagairt. Is scéal iontach é de fláithiúileacht, idéalachasagus crógacht, gur féidir le muintir na háite a bheith bródúilastu. Tá tionchur fós ag a gcuid oibre ar phobaill ar fud andomhain. Go dtuga Dia luach a saothair dóibh. Ar an 11thDheireadh Fómhair, bhí seasca bliain imithe ón Oscailt den Chomhairle Vatacánach II (a dó). Ceann de na h-athraithemóra ón tús, ná teanga an phobail a thabhairt isteach sanAifreann in áit na laidine. Tríd an chreideamh agus sár-bhuabhí ag Seán Ó Riada, a rinne a theaghlach anseo lena chlann, cruthaíodh nasc dílis idir an chreideamh, an chultúr agus an teanga. D’fhas athfhorbairt do-chreidte den saibhreas ceoil a bhí i mbaol báis agus den sprioadátacht bríomhar gur linn go speisialta í. Buíochas le Dia, tá an obair seo á leanúint ag Peadar agus ag Cór Cúil Aodha agus ag daoine eile, ag baintúsaid as saibhreas an traidisiún chun cabhrú le forbairt na h-eaglaise in Éirinn. An nasc seo idir tírdhreach, cultúr agusteanga, ata fíor-thabhachtach don todhcaí, dar leis an tOirmhinneach Liam Ryan, nach maireann, ollamh le Socheolaíocht Magh Nuad. Baineann an fás a tháinig arGhaelscoileanna, is dócha leis, leis an athbheochan cultúrthaseo.
Is teacht le chéile ár Afireann Naofa, den Fhocal and den Saicrimint. San dara leacht inniu, as dara litir Noamh Pólchuig Timótéas, is cuí go mbraithníonn sé ar áit an fhocail sanAifreann agus sa saol.
Gach cuid den scrioptúr, chuaigh tinfeadh Dé faoíagus tá tairbhe ann
chun teagasc a thabhairt, chun earráidí a bhréagnú, chun daoine a
cheartú agus iad a mhúineadh chun ionracais, ar shlígo mbeidh fear
oibre Dé lánoilte ar a cheird agus ullamh i gcomhairgach cineál dea–
oibreachta.
Cuímhnímíd inniu, iad siad atá imithe romhainn, le rian an chreidimh iontu, go speisialta ár gaolta féin a chabhriagh linnar ár slí féin sa saol.
Cuímhnímíd go buíoch, na sagairt a bhí sa pharóiste seo agusna daoine a chabhraigh leo, na sacristainí, bailitheoiríleitheorií, muinteorí sa scoileanna agus mórán eile, gur ag Diaamháin is eol.
Ní feidir an aimsir chaite a athrú. Is linn an todhcaí le cruthú. In ainneoin drochscealta ar fud an domhain, tá dóchas again don am amach romhainn. In umhlaíocht agus muinín, tagthachughainn onár creideamh i nDia, roinnimíd ár gciall ó na blianta go flaithúil agus go fial.
Moladh go deo le Dia.
