DROMANTINE, WARRENPOINT, G8 MEETING, KORCE.

MONDAY 17 JUNE 2013 BELFAST DROMANTINE, WARRENPOINT, G8 MEETING KORCE. Last evening I returned from DROMANTINE! Sisters Rita and Dympna really loved the week, just as I did. It was great to see how Dromantine coped with a large group. We were up to 80 persons - 65 on our retreat, 10 on directed plus the team. The house is ideal and has 350 acres of grounds and farmland. The retreat itself was very different and delighted the group. Very creatively, a day was given to each of six well-researched modern Christian mystics. These were - Teilhard de Chardin, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Adrienne Von Speyr, Dorothy Day, Pedro Aruppe and Jean Vanier. ( was fortunate to make a retreat in Maynooth with Jean Vanier as Director and years later, was invited to join a group here at the University in Derry, where he gave a week to an invited group, mainly from his own communities. DROMANTINE is the chosen venue for our 2014 Good Shepherd Chapter. We travelled to Warrenpoint from Dromantine to visit Sister Joan Boyle, sister of our Chaplain, Sister Rita Doyle was pleased when Joan recognised her and we had a lovely visit. We then went to the seashore for an hour. However, we returned to Belfast early as we had heard road closures were planned to facilitate the World Presidents arrival for the G* Meeting in Fermanagh. At the moment, media presence and security personnel dominate the scene. BELFAST will stand still for an hour to welcome President Barak Obama and his family to the Waterfront, where he will address 2,000 people, mainly school children. On re-connecting my laptop yesterday evening, within minutes there was a sKYPE call from Albania. Antonio, in KORCE wanted to make sure that the week of prayer had not upset plans for work with the blind people that we have planned to undertake, please God, in July and August! Let us pray these next few days will be peaceful here in Northern Ireland and that holiday weather will prevail for the coming weeks!

UPDATE!

9 JUNE 2013 FEAST OF SAINT COLMCILLE,BELFAST. PRE-RETREAT UPDATE We have heard so much about Saint Colmcille over the past few days. Derry is City of Culture for 2013 and the Organiser of the London Olympic Opening Ceremony, has just organised a Festival focused on Saint Colmcille in Derry. This Saint, born in 563 A.D. and exiled to Iona in Scotland during his life, has made a return from there this weekend to great rejoicing and celebration on the River Foyle. Here in our Parish Church of the GOOD SHEPHERD, we were honoured today to celebrate the 90 Anniversary of the APOSTOLIC SOCIETY in our Diocese. The Bishop came this afternoon to celebrate a Mass of THANKSGIVING. This was to commemorate all the good work done in our 88 Parishes and I was delighted to go along as a beneficiary of that Society. Sister Daniela will remember my arriving back as she was visiting in Korce. I saw her amazement as I recounted the generosity I had experienced. I was so happy to receive most beautiful Sacred Vessels for both Korce and the villages near Tirana where Sisters Amira and Mirjam are involved in pastoral ministry with the Jesuits and Franciscans. Today, the President of the Society invited me to the Celebration Meal at Le Mons Hotel. A huge crowd attended and I had another commitment just then. Tomorrow afternoon, I go, with two Sisters from our community to DROMANTINE for Annual Retreat. I have chosen the theme - "REFLECTIONS ON THE MYSTICS". This will be led by a Jesuit, Rev. Brendan Comerford. So, with a promise to pray for readers each day, I will close, requesting that you pray for me too please. Till again, every blessing and continue to enjoy the beautiful weather as long as it lasts!

NEWSFLASH

SATURDAY 31 MAY 2013 BELFAST NEWSFLASH CONCERNING ALBANIA On Saturday last, 25 May, I attended our Down and Connor Diocesan Day on Liturgy. As we arrived, a Redemptorist Priest came to speak to me. He quickly surprised me with - "Our Congregation is discerning about going to Albania". Needless to say, I was delighted and said I would get in touch with our Bishop out there. I did so and have had a response. Yes, two members of the Congregation have visited Vlore and discussions have taken place. Now is the important time as discernment is ongoing. Please God, the outcome will be favourable. I thought it well to share this as your prayers will help too. Needless to say, I will keep you informed if there any developments at all. Having a resident priest would be a real boon and a huge encouragement to our little parish in the mountains! Also, I feel sure, the clergy that have to supply at present would be glad NOT to have to make their lengthy pilgrimage to say Mass for us when their turn comes round! Tomorrow, I travel to Limerick for the weekend. This is to meet with the Sisters there, and friends, as I promised to visit when I had completed three years in Albania. I was reminded of this promise recently and so decided to travel. Enjoy the month of June and I hope we have sunshine for those on holiday. Let us pray for one another!

BLIND PROJECT - IN ACTION!!

LAURIE, NICKY, BAPTISMS, BLIND GROUP, "FIDDLER ON THE ROOF".

WEDNESDAY 8 MAY 2013 LAURIE, NICKY, BAPTISMS, BLIND GROUP, "FIDDLER ON THE ROOF". A very stormy day today, with Laurie, Peace Corps. Volunteer, and her newly acquired husband, Albanian David, braving the elements and arriving safely from Voskopojia. We celebrated with a little time together and catching up on plans. On May 1, Nicky, her sister visiting from England and their Albania friend came as planned to do a work session on the computer/ipad. However, as we discovered it was Nicky's birthday, work was abandoned and we enjoyed a festive visit! On Sunday last, our newly baptised entered their names in the Parish Baptismal Register that had arrived from Vlore. This was a special moment for each one. We had our first event for the Blind Group yesterday. exactly at the arranged time, our 10 blind visitors, each with their companion, usually their spouse, arrived and we had a wonderful few hours. They were truly overwhelmed by the visit and especially with the opportunity to meet their peers. Their plight is great as they rarely escape their dark world. However, they show an acceptance and were so open to enjoy the moment. Following a tentative request for a song, one man sang while the group joined in a local folk song, and the rest is history. All enjoyed our hospitality particularly the homemade scones!. Last evening, I was delighted to attend - "Fiddler on the Roof". This show was put on by the Kennedi Evangelical Foundation. Brlessings on each one. I have enjoyed seeing the photos and reports of the Kenyan Session on the internet. It was good too to see the report and photos of the 400th. Anniversary of the getting of the Charter for my home town, Clonakilty, West Cork!

PLANNING GROUP FOR BLIND GROUP.

PALM SUNDAY ORTHODOX SERVICE, KORCE, ALBANIA