The
Good In The Church
Modern Ireland (or is that post-modern Ireland? I often
forget, with all the labels and cliches branded about) is, it could be
argued a liberated state. Liberated in the sense that it is no longer
restricted by the same absolute religious and moral truths that had been
dominant since the foundation of the state, and indeed before it. In short,
liberated from the stranglehold of the catholic church.
I mentioned cliches above, and indeed it has become rather cliche to speak
of modern Ireland as having been liberated from the church. I don't have
to appeal to older people's sense of nostalgia to ask if they remember
a time when anything that came out of the mouth of a member of the religious
in Ireland, was spoken as Gospel. As a young person, not yet turned 22,
I can remember such a time, as can people younger than me. Indeed it still
goes on to an extent. The difference in my case and those younger than
me, compared to those of long ago, is that we can, as we grow older, speak
against the church with impugnity, not fearing the repercussions, this
wouldn't have been possible in the 60s, or even the 80s. Indeed nowadays
it is at the other end of the scale, you're almost seen as an oddball
if you don't whinge about the church. When one looks at the spectre of
child abuse and interference in state affairs, over the last decades,
it is easy to see why we are critical, but have we become too critical?
One incident at a Sociology tutorial two years ago sticks in my mind.
We were all (the tutorial group that is) virtually in agreement that the
church had done more harm than good. However when asked if anyone could
think of anything good to say about the church, I mentioned the missions.
I was promptly verbally savaged by a fellow student who said "They robbed
people of their culture." Being broadly of the same opinion, I meekly
submitted and could make no argument against her. However my experience
of the last five months has given me an answer.
I arrived in Cape Coast, Ghana on the 18th of August last year, where
I stayed until I arrived home on the 2nd of January this year. I went
there as part of a work experience programme as part of my course, but
it is the eductaion it has given me in life that I won't forget. It doesn't
take one long to see, that, while there are definitely a fair share of
modern comforts in ghana, people are definitely less prosperous. Poverty
is a reality, on a much larger scale than in the modern Ireland we call
home. Surely the solution to such a problem lies in the organs of the
state? No, not In Ghana. Welfare is virtually non existent.
So how do people cope? Well many just struggle on, for others there has
been one beacon of light, catholic missionaries. I went to Ghana as a
convinced atheist, however, it is a blind man who cannot see the truth
when viewed with his own two eyes. For families of children with disabilities
in a country like Ghana, there is no help. State funding isn't there.
People with large families and very little money to support them often
just can't cope with the pressure of having a disabled child. Abandoning
your child may seem unthinkable to most right minded people, but for many
people, without the benefit of Western comforts, this is often a scarily
realistic alternative.
For people in the Cape Coast area of Ghana's central region, there is
hope, and it comes in the guise of the Daughters of Mary and Joseph. (DMJ)
The special needs school which they run is the only one in Ghana's central
region and one of the few in Ghana. The Special unit is one of the organs
of the Padre Pio Leprosy Rehabilitation centre, which is run by the centre.
The Centre was established by an American Franciscan, Brother Vincent
Vivian in the 1970s and was set up to help people suffering from leprosy.
Thankfully clients of the centre are now at the recovery stage. St Clare's
facilitates elderly ex-leprosy sufferers. The Childcare unit, run by "Auntie
Bea" cares for children and teenagers from difficult family situations,
often connected with Leprosy. "Camp" nearby, was established in the 70s
and was the centre's location, until the present community of Ahutokurom
(Serene village) was established in the 1980s.
The DMJ still works tirelessly to ensure that people in the area can continue
to live a dignified life. There are problems as there will always be in
every community, but through the dedication of the DMJ Sisters and their
friends, residents are able to get on with their lives, as comfortably
as possible. I was not going to name names, but as I'm sure everyone will
know the names of 'people' like Fr Brendan Smyth and Fr Fortune, only
too well, it is no harm for me to name a number of incredible women it
has been my priviledge to live and work with. The DMJ which have Sisters
in many countries including, Ghana, Uganda, Cameroon and western countries
such as the UK and the U.S.A. It's operation in Ahotokurom has been headed
by two very warm hearted and courageous women, Sr Patricia Pearson and
Sr Monica Smyth, who have been twenty-three and twenty six years in Ghana
respectively.
For a lot of those years they existed without many of the comforts that
are fortunately present to a good extent in Ahotokurom now, including
things as basic as clean running water and electricity. Sr Nellie (Unfortunately
I do not know her surname) from Uganda, has become a recent addition to
the Ghanaian operation of the DMJ, and has shown the same qualities of
kindness and integrity that has helped the DMJ to acquire the reputation
for compassion they have today. Two others who have to be mentioned are
Rose Mantey, who while not being in religious life as such herself, is
a key part of the team in Ahotokurom and Auntie Bea, who runs the childcare
Centre. The dedication of these five women has gone no short way to improving
life for dozens of people in Ghana, as have many others who have come
and gone and hopefully more good people in the future. Brother Vincent
was hugely influential in setting up the Padre Pio Leprosy centre project,
although he is gone from Ghana now with a few years.
I was not put up to writing this article, indeed the
people I have mentioned above do not expect any praise for the genuine
difference they have made to peoples' lives. While staying in Ahotokurom,
I bit the bullet and went to mass. I got to realise that there is much
more to religious than a group of people dressed in black who go around
telling us how to live our lives, if we want to avoid burning in hell
for all eternity. A good many religious are true Christians who live their
lives genuinely preaching compassion and understanding in a way imcomprehensible
to many who have been made cynical by this mad world. They're still human
and are not perfect, but no reasonable person can question their good
intention and integrity. My spiritual side was developed during my stay
in Ghana, I still don't think Catholicism or any established Christian
religion is the appropriate vehicle for that spirituality, but I have
seen the other side of the Catholic church. I hope that side is eventually
given the coverage it deserves.
by
Donal O'Driscoll
23rd January 2005
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