Homilies and Reflections

A Jubilarian Preaches

A Jubilarian Preaches...

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DIAMOND JUBILEE (60 years)

Conversion of St. Paul

Jan 2012

Fr Kevin Callaghan C.Ss.R.

It would be reasonable to expect that the theme of this homily would be on today’s feast – the conversion of St. Paul. But I anticipated today’s celebration and preached on St. Paul on Sunday last.

You will be very relieved to know that I do not intend to trawl through my sixty years as a C.Ss.R – although I could make that quite racy and raise a few blushes. Perhaps later we may be given the opportunity to say a few words in another place in that respect.

So I fall back as we Redemptorists do, so often and so effectively in our preaching, on a story. And I am indebted to Tony Gittens when on the very first evening to spoke to us of the importance of LISTENING. For this is a story about listening and not just hearing.

Bl Peter Donders C.Ss.R.

Blessed Peter Donders C.Ss.R....

On the 14th of January we celebrate his memory.

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The homily below was written by one of our confreres, Fr. Jim Casey C.Ss.R., who offers it to us in the hope that it will help us grow in our appreciation of this holy and saintly confrere.

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HOMILY

BLESSED PETER DONDERS C.Ss.R.,

1809 - 1887

Peter Donders was a loser – all his life he was a loser. He was born in 1809 in the town of Tilburg in Holland, the son of poor weavers, who lived in a one-roomed house with an earthen floor on which sat the family loom. Peter had to leave school at the age of twelve – his parents needed the money. He was a devout boy who wanted to be a priest, but everything was against him: poverty, delicate health and, to tell the truth, he was not that clever. Peter’s was the original impossible dream. As a weaver, he was not a great success. You see, he prayed while he weaved which did nothing at all for the quality of the cloth.