The Old Catholic Church in the United Kingdom Missionary Diocese of Glendalough Ireland Pastoral Letter Pentecost 2014  Bishop Thomas Hugh Bodkin, OSB (csr) "Come and See!" (John 1:39) Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Today - Pentecost Sunday - is the Birthday of the Church and so it is a time to rejoice giving thanks to God the Father for sending us the Gift of the Holy Spirit in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. The People of Ireland have remained faithful to the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached to them by St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland. Throughout various periods in history you never wavered but travelled the Path of the Way not counting the cost of discipleship despite the many hardships. What is so sad is the fact that the Church in Ireland suffered attacks from external sources but in modern times the attacks have come from within. The 'sins' and 'criminality' of those who have abused the ‘little ones’ and the ‘vulnerable’ over many decades have brought about irreparable damage not only to the Church but have soiled the name of a once great missionary people. The horrific news coming from the land of my birth over the last couple of days is unbelievable and heart-breaking to say the least. Words are not enough to express our outrage at the terrible things that have been done to unmarried mothers, the inhuman treatment of the fruit of their wombs – the mortal remains of the 'little ones' disposed of as garbage. My mother died the day following my birth and I lived with the stigma of 'causing my mother's death' for many years. For a brief period I, too, was consigned to an orphanage in Dublin City but was saved by a loving Uncle and Aunt who had the generosity to provide a loving home having already six children of their own. I am close to my cousins who are more like brothers and sisters to me. There is not a day goes by that I do not think of my mother and ask what life would have been if she had nurtured me! My dear Brothers and Sisters of Ireland, I am a pilgrim along with you and I understand your outrage following recent revelations of man’s inhumanity to man. Avoid if you can blaming the many excellent Priests of today who suffer greatly as they preach the Gospel and do not blame the many dedicated Sisters and Brothers who tend the sick and poor. You see, my dear Brothers and Sisters, we are living with the consequences of a bygone society that pretended to be above suspicion and presented a front of unquestionable moral behaviour. It was a corrupt and immoral society that swept everything under the carpet. We are reaping the harvest of the abuses that were perpetrated all those years ago. Let us not fool ourselves, however, in thinking that the problem of ‘Child Abuse’ and the ‘Abuse of the Vulnerable’ are no longer. The sad reality is that there evidence to the contrary. The perpetrators of evil doings will always be among us. Sadly, the forgotten and unheeded reality is that Satan who is the prince of this world will have his way and there will be those who succumb to his evil ways. As I said in my previous Pastoral Letter (8th September 2013), we Irish have broad shoulders and are made of stern stuff. We will not be defeated in our love of God and in our love of suffering humanity. We are a nation of missionaries lay, religious and clerical – each one of us has a role to play in making the world a safer place for our children and the vulnerable to fulfil their ambitions whatever they may be. When I was a school boy I often heard the grown-ups say: "My son has entered the Church". "My daughter has entered the Church to become a Religious Sister". We are the Church all of us together - whether or not we are lay-persons, religious and clergy. All of us are called by Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, to "Come and See!" (John 1:39). You may well be surprised to learn that every week the Website of the Old Catholic Church in the United Kingdom is accessed by an average of 170 persons from Dublin alone. If you would like to know more about the Old Catholic Church may I invite you to drop me an email and say 'hello!' I would love to hear from you and support you in your spiritual journey. Among my music collection is a CD of Daniel O'Donnell singing the following lyric which speaks profoundly of God's mercy and unending love: 1. Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, Calling for you and for me; See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching, Watching for you and for me. Refrain: Come home, come home, You who are weary, come home; Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, Calling, O sinner, come home! 2. Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading, Pleading for you and for me? Why should we linger and heed not His mercies, Mercies for you and for me? 3. Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing, Passing from you and from me; Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming, Coming for you and for me. 4. Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised, Promised for you and for me! Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon, Pardon for you and for me. My prayers and every blessing always! Yours in Jesus and Mary, +Thomas Hugh, OSB (csr) Pentecost Sunday - 8th June 2014 If you are seeking the way home to God, then send me an email: [email protected]: