Letter to the Exiles July '06
As I am so very involved in the African side of my life I find it quite difficult to find the time to write to you more frequently. I think that, originally, Pat hoped I'd write once a month.
Some two months ago I got a crazy notion into my little head, and as I had been a slow learner in my schooling days, I took many weeks to get my head around this new idea.
I had been gifted a few "nearly new" wedding dresses and I wondered what to do with them. As stock began to build up the idea of a wedding day sale occurred to me; and so ,on Sunday July 30 I will have a Super Monster Wedding Dress Sale. I don’t have the slightest idea how it will work out. As I have never ventured down that road I now see only two possible outcomes: (a) I will be swamped with customers, or (b) I could sit all day in an empty room. I will talk to you later on the outcome. My nephew tells me that white is the in colour this summer, so perhaps some inventive girls will see the opportunity to get a one off outfit which without the trimmings will look great at a summer party. I'm always open to ideas that will raise money for this worthy cause.
I was, at first, prompted to write to you because of the quite extraordinary building programme now taking place in the town. Those of you who have not been home for many years will hardly identify the place.
Let's "start at the very beginning; a very good place to start". Let's talk about a new man who has come into the town and had made an electrifying impression on us all. He is a Louis Keating, in no way connected with any other Keating in town. He is apparently a very gifted man - an engineer. Already he has several works, either completed or in progress. Today I’ll deal with one known well to all of you – Saint Senan’s Parish Church in Toler Street.
Parish Church
Most of you will not need to be told by me what a very beautiful Church we have, thanks first to our post famine people. Now, still a raving beauty, it is growing tired and next month it is to close for a full restoration. The Chattering Classes have it that the contract has been awarded to this Louis Keating, and I, for one, would have huge confidence in him, because I can see for myself that any time he touched work in this town he made a great success of it. Incidentally I would have to put myself in that Chattering Class I referred to.
There has been great controversy over this work, and those who are interested enough, have fallen into two camps. There are those who want to retain everything as they knew it; in spite of the fact that so many changes have taken place in the liturgical life of the parish. There is a very lovely pulpit in the Church, but nobody has used it since the sixties. Yet some people want to retain it.
They leave themselves open to the charge that what they want is a Church Museum. So Father Sheedy has tried for some compromise. It remains to be seen whether that will be the success we are hoping for.
The Church closes in mid August, and will remain out of bounds for some six months. In the meantime we are adapting the Community Centre's main hall as our place of worship. We are also faced with the reality that so many, so very many people have discontinued to see any relevance of the Church in their lives.
I'll write some more at a later date.
Michael J.Carmody
michael_carmody36@hotmail.com
