Out of the Jumble
By Carole | November 22, 2008
This week has gone by so fast and so many things have happened without much time to process. So, I thought I would just write up a random collection of thoughts which range from the mundane to the divine, and in between. I was just thanking God this morning for giving me such an interesting life.
For a country with such a large population (25% of the people in the world live in India), I’ve met a number of people who are having difficulty concieving or carrying children. Several divine appointments have given me the chance to inquire whether anyone knows about the advances that have been made in Natural Family Planning–so far, no one has heard much about it. Yesterday I met a couple (protestant) who have been trying to conceive for ten years. I gave him some info, but at the moment it appears there are no practitioners in India. I wonder if my mother would like to get a few trainers together and do an NFP outreach in India??
The apartment complex where I am staying has a large field in the back, and we are told that some new buildings are to be built there sometime soon. Some men have been cutting weeds with hand sickles and burning them in piles all week, so there are scorch marks througout. Yesterday, I noticed what looked like a little tea-party going on out there. Some blankets were spread on the ground, with a group of men gathered round, with some golden items on it (I was too far away to see). Occasionally we heard some bells tinkling. (We were viewing this from the seventh floor of the building.) Anyway, today we learned that we were witnessing the dedication of the grounds to one of the Hindu gods. It makes me wish I had a bit of blessed salt with me.
I have always been a big fan of second-hand stores and I get most of what I need there. Well, guess what–I found out that India has a big second-hand store called Fashion Street, where you can buy beautiful used punjabis for about 150 rupees (less than 3 Euros or $4). Punjabis are the long flowing tops with genie trousers and the long scarf–very comfortable, and very generous to a female figure that has more than its share of softness. When I am in India, it seems that I need to have punjabis, and I have to remind myself often that we don’t wear things like this very much in Ireland. Okay, so I bought two used punjabis and one new one. I was tempted to buy a few saris, but I resisted. Tempted to get a nose ring too–but I resisted. It was hard. So pretty!
Last night was quite a picture. I went shopping for some gifts with Marian, one of the leaders here. Picture me in a punjabi, riding through Pune on the back of a motorcycle. Thank God for helmets–I don’t know how people keep from getting killed here. (It was fun!)
On one of my outings, I saw a wedding party walking down the street. The men were wearing fancy head-dress (like in Anna and the King) and there was a carriage made out of something silver–very ornate, carrying the bride. There was also a marching band of a dozen or so people making a racket. Unfortunately, we passed before I could get my camera ready, so I didn’t get a photo.
The week of teaching went well. Most of the students here are Catholic. One student and two staff members are protestant, and one of the staff members is becoming Catholic. One of the Catholic students is a convert from Hinduism. Jesus appeared to her in a dream and told her that if she sought truth she would find it in him, and she became Catholic two years ago. The protestant student used to be a Catholic. He remarked at the end of the teaching time that the protestants he knows have issues with the various topics on which I taught–Mary, purgatory, communion of the saints–but he was grateful for the information, and looking forward to sharing it with his protestant friends. Some of the other students indicated that my enthusiasm for Catholicism was infectious and it makes them interested in studying theology.
By way of geographic breakdown, this school has Indians, along with a Dutchman, a German girl, an American girl (and FUS graduate!), and a woman from French Guyana. They have welcomed me and spoiled me rotten. I did bring a travel buddy along from Ireland (Damian) who will stay an additional week to teach theology of the body. The poor Irishman is not used to the spice, and has developed some painful mouth sores, one on the tip of his tongue which makes it painful to talk. Please pray for him, he’ll be doing a lot of talking this week.
As for me, I leave tonight for Bombay and catch my plane at 2 AM. I have photographs I hope to post when I get back to Dublin. I heard a few days ago that there has been some saber-rattling between Iran and Israel–I’ll be flying over Iran on my way back, so keep me in your prayers.
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Rickshaw Racing
By Carole | November 19, 2008
Note: I wrote this entry on Monday, but for some reason it did not publish and I only noticed it now.
After a gruelling journey, we arrived in Pune midday Saturday. After a washup, lunch, and a rest, we took a wild ride in a rickshaw to St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish ‘Shamrock Fair’, a parish fundraising carnival. Rickshaws are motorized wheelbarrows with a canvas roof. They fly down the road at amazing speeds, dipping in and out of traffic. Cars and bicycles pass on every side in every direction. Coming home last night, four of us jammed ourselves into a rickshaw, with me on one fellow’s lap, somewhat afraid the whole way home that if we hit a pothole, I would fall out and that would be the end of me.
Pune is a city of four million people–a population equalling that of Ireland lives here. The area where I am staying has built up considerably in the two years since I left. India has turned a corner, and it still has a long way to go.
Today, I gave a crash course in evangelization to a Catholic Charismatic Renewal group. In the process I met several young adults who converted to Catholicism from Hinduism as adults. One of them, a young woman, gave her testimony today. She grew up in a strict Hindu family. But one night, Jesus came to her in a dream and said, ‘If you search for the truth, you will find it and it will set you free.’ She took him up on the offer, and she found what she was looking for.
I shared with the group a number of excerpts from the Pope’s document on the Church in Asia. Most Asians don’t have trouble accepting Jesus as divine–but they do have trouble accepting him as the ONLY manifestation of divinity. This creates special problems in evangelization, obviously, but it was exciting to hear how the Holy Spirit goes in advance to prepare a way for the Gospel, if we are only ready to share it. We had at least three witnesses to that reality in our midst.
Stay tuned.
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To India, To-Morrow
By Carole | November 13, 2008
Leaving, 4:15 AM tomorrow…Dublin…Paris…Bangalore…Mumbai…Pune.
Crash Course in Evangelization for Catholic Charismatic Renewal group on Sunday.
One week of teaching in a Kerygma Teams Discipleship Training School on the Church, Mary and the Saints.
Keep us in your prayers!
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Catholic Underground
By Carole | November 13, 2008
This past Sunday, the Grey Friars of the Renewal (CFRs) gathered a hundred young people at University College Dublin for a time of Praise and Worship, followed by a concert by Ronan Johnson and the Emmaus Band. It was a joyful time of real Catholic fellowship.
After Evening Prayer was over, the MC stood up to introduce a speaker from America named Mario. I thought to myself, “Mario? I wonder if this is the Mario I know? The one who was a student in Steubie…” The speaker stood up and I thought “Right shape.” Then he started to speak and I thought, “Right voice.” I couldn’t see his face because of the lighting in the church–but when he told his story, it sounded like the Mario I knew. So I went to him after he finished, and sure enough–it was Mario. What a totally delightful surprise!
He told me that after his time in Steubie and a stint on Sonlife and SENT, he decided to go on the road as a free-lance lay missionary. I guess that makes me his missionary kindergarten teacher! : )
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She Got the Gift of Evangelization
By Carole | November 13, 2008
Today, I got a phone call from a woman who had been through the Born of the Spirit seminar that finished two weeks ago. She had news: “I got the gift of evangelization.”
Here’s what happened. She works in a parish. Whereas, once upon a time, the presence of adolescent youth would have intimidated her, she had an experience this past week that was lifechanging for her, and for a number of young people in the parish. There is a school that serves underprivileged students near the parish, and recently the religion class came to the parish for a tour–these would have been 10-11 years old. When my friend was giving the tour, she showed them around the place, showed them the altar where the priest “turns the bread into Jesus” (she said, “I don’t say he turns it into communion, I say he turns it into Jesus.”) Anyway, at the end of the tour she said, “Since you’ve been so good, I have something very special to show you.” She led them into the adoration chapel, and introduced them to Jesus. She explained that, in the move Spiderman, Peter Parker has a disguise–it’s really Peter Parker, but he is disguised as Spiderman. Jesus also has a disguise–he disguises himself as bread, but it’s really Jesus.
The kids were quite amazed by this. The next day, three young girls came back to the Church to pay a visit to Jesus, but the door on the chapel was locked. Providentially, my friend happened to be there, and she let them in for a few minutes. She noticed a little sniffing and thought the girls might have a cold, but when they emerged, they were actually in tears. She asked if they were alright, and one of them remarked, “Oh, we just have some troubles at home.” “Well,” she replied. ” You came to just the right person–Jesus is so pleased that you came to him.” The next day the girls were back again. My friend has made arrangements to open the chapel for them when they come–and the last time, there were 10 of them–all wanting a little time with Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is the principle agent of evangelization. My friend opened her heart to the Holy Spirit in a new way this year, and he has put her to work, capturing the hearts of the young people.
Thank you God.
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Feminine Genius
By Carole | November 5, 2008
Tonight, I will be speaking to a group of young adults on the topic, “Women in the Church: Included or Excluded”? I was told by the organizer that what the group really wants to discuss is women’s ordination, so I am going to take my best shot at that question. It is a question I’ve given a lot of thought to, so I’m looking forward to having a good chat about it. It was kind of fun looking back at my own process of grappling with this question.
I’m expecting that shortly after I open my mouth, someone will say, “Oh, aren’t you de-LIGHT-ed?”
Pray for my game face.
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