Castlemaine Parish (066) 9767322
Fr. Kevin Sullivan (087) 6277638. Email: castlemaine@dioceseofkerry.ie
Please pray for: Fr. Michael Fleming, Killorglin
William O Brien, formerly of Keel House, Castlemaine who died on April 24th Boston, USA
Mass Intentions
May 24th John Dowling, Castlemaine Post Office
11:15 am Maurice O’Dwyer, Lassabee
Francy Teahan, Ballyfinnane (Month’s Mind)
Parish Envelopes
A huge ‘Mile Buiochas’ to all who have handed in their parish envelopes over the last few weeks. It is greatly appreciated. Many have been unable to do so and that is perfectly understandable in the present circumstances.
A post box has been put in place at the entrance to the Presbytery in Castlemaine. If you would like to drop your envelopes into that box, feel free to do so (but keeping in mind the 5 km limit)
Fr. Michael Fleming
Many people are still reeling at the sudden death of Fr. Michael Fleming last week. His family, first and foremost, but also his friends, colleagues and parishioners. He, along with the other priests of the Killorglin Pastoral Area, have been ministering in Castlemaine Parish since last July.
Fr. Michael was ordained in 1971 and served in the following appointments since his ordination:
Dingle (1971 – 1972); Waterville (1972 – 1973); Wembley, London (1973 – 1977); Glenflesk (1977 – 1983); Our Lady and St. Brendan’s, Tralee (1983 – 1986); Killarney (1986 – 2001) as secretary to the Bishop and then in the parish of Killarney; Moyvane (2001 – 2003) and Killorglin (2003 – 2020).
One of his classmates from his days in Maynooth wrote:
Fr. Michael was tall in stature and firm in perspective, unpretentious in manner yet confident in judgement. He was blessed with a natural sense of people and situations. The overbearing ones he would keep in check while being kindly and benign to the wounded and weak. He was apastor to his fingertips. He was greatly bemused by our oddities and foibles.
May God have mercy on his soul and may the light of heaven be his for eternity.
Where is God?
I think we find one answer in this Sunday’s Gospel. Just before he ascends to the Father, Jesus tells his disciples: you will not be alone.
“The Father will give you another Advocate to be with you always,” he says, “the Spirit of truth, you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans…I will come to you.”
The Advocate, of course, is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will be with you, Jesus says. You will not be abandoned or alone.
And he was right.
Soon, we will celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, when the Holy Spirit fell like fire upon the apostles. That fire is still burning. The Advocate continues to advocate for all of us.
To those who ask, “Where is God?” the answer is: “Look around you.” God the Holy Spirit is vibrantly, wondrously, beautifully alive.
This day, he lives in the hearts of those who are caring for the sick, the elderly, the poor, the helpless. He is in the hands that reach out to bathe the old, or feed the hungry. He is in the eyes that look into the faces of those who are alone. He is in the arms that embrace children who have been pushed aside.
God is there. Jesus is there.
Throughout this Pandemic it is work that is happening everywhere. In nursing homes and orphanages, in hospitals and homes across our communities—any place where the Good News is being proclaimed not just with words, but with lives.
The good disciple is much more than someone who, out of a dogged sense of duty, just avoids personal sin and tries to stay in the “state of grace”. When we truly become loving persons to both friend and enemy, to family and strangers, we know that the Spirit of Jesus is living within and transforming us. Then, in the words of Jesus, we can see and, because we can see, we are fully alive.
The Good News is that Jesus has not left us orphans. God lives on around us and within us. Love prevails. Hope endures.