Aidan Troy

Confirmations at St Joseph’s, Paris are on Pentecost Sunday. First Communions the day before. Two great occasions for the whole community with a lot of visitors coming to be with family members. Great weather here at  present also helps. From Monday to Wednesday I will be in Mount Argus, Dublin, conducting a Triduum in honour of St Charles of Mount Argus. Back to Paris on Thursday and then full steam ahead for the Parish Fair which is the major fundraising event of the year in aid of the Parish.    AT

Well done Barcelona and congrats to all Catalans! As an ABU (anyone but United) I must confess that the game last night was most enjoyable. Also, well done Barca on supporting UNICEF!  Fair play to you for thinking of the children and they now will share in your success. End of the season on a good note! AT

At the three Masses I celebrated this weekend I spoke about the tragic failure in Ireland that led to the death and destruction of so many childrens’ and young peoples’ lives through abuse by some members of religious congregations. I did this in the context of speaking of 1st Communions and Confirmations in this parish next weekend. The homily for Mass that I had prepared I could not give because I hadn’t the stomach to add insult to injury by talking as if all was well with the Vine and the branch that is the Irish Church over the past sixty years. The reaction of people of many nationalities who spoke to me coming out of Mass left me glad that I had addressed this terrible situation. Maybe anyone who disagreed with me raising the matter kept silent - I don’t know. But one thing is certain, people want to know what is going to be done. One young person was amazed that after so many days following the Abuse Report there was no plan of action emerging in the Irish Church. What is the action being taken by the Vatican to listen and explore with those still alive following the abuse where to go from here. It seemed to this  person that apologies and sorrow from ordained or vowed people was to be presumed but not in any way a response worthy of a human being never mind a Christian. In eight months here I have never had a reaction to equal what unfolded after the Masses today. Monday night there is a meeting of the Parish Council and I will raise the issue there to see if further action should be taken.  After one Mass a parishioner left me an English newspaper that indicated that over 300 Members of Parliament could be leaving Parliament due to something as impersonal as expenses. The question is who is going to take repsonsibility within the Irish Church and the sinking feeling as I looked at this headline was nobody. I wish there was something I could do to help but my own sad experience in recent times is that lay people who raise their voices in the Irish Church get little hearing. The people today assured me of their prayers. AT

The shame I feel reading this Report though not arising from personal guilt leaves me devastated in that I have belonged to Religious Life for past 45 years. I didn’t know that this abuse and cruelty was going on, but should I have known? Words like ’sorry’ and ‘ashamed’ are weak and inadequate. To respond to the horror of this report leaves me feeling that we have reached the limits of language as we use it. A new way of responding is needed with real and prophetic gestures by both the State and the Catholic Church. Should not the Catholic Church in Ireland be arranging a Papal Visit to Ireland as an opportunity for the Pope to ask if forgiveness of the Church for the enormity of what was done is possible? Some of this was known in The Vatican as well. Should not the best legal minds, civil and canon lawyers, be exploring who bears any responsibility for what happened and how they can be brought before the Courts?

In 2001 during the Holy Cross School blockade in Belfast I saw protestors holding  placards saying “Fr Troy is a Paedophile”. The perception was abroad even then about anyone who belongs to a Religious Congregation or is a Priest is guilty of indescribable horrors against children. The efforts in which I was involved to protect children brought this harsh, hurtful but understandable smear on my name. Thousands of voices asking for an opporunity to discuss my transfer in 2008 was met by the superiors who made that decision by statements and letters indicating in a very minor way the power Church leadership still exercises. I’m not sure what lies ahead with the next Abuse Report not far away.                      AT

Since arriving in Rome in 1995 I have been with Compuserve -  email address atroy@compuserve.com

As of 18th May this address is no longer available and so all emails can reach me at my new addresss@
                                                              ajdtroy@gmail.com
Appreciate it if you can make this change in your address book.                             AT

Was in Belfast on Monday, 18 May, for opening of PIPS House. What a great achievement by all who worked so hard for this. The ceremony went well with a great atmosphere. I was delighted to meet so many people there. Only regret was that I was in Belfast for only 18 hours but it was well worth it. Also, I was able to bring across the cheque from St Joseph’s Church, Paris, for PIPS Training which amounted to £16,000 (sterling) raised during our 2009 Lenten Project. The generosity of the parishioners to this cause was truly outstanding. Philip McTaggart speaking at all  five Masse during one weekend in Lent gave a great boost. Philip is arranging a training day to be held in Paris for those interested in helping in suicide prevention and support. There are some photos of the opening ceremony on www.pipsproject.com

We have parish 1st Communions and Confirmations on the last weekend of May. The day after that I start preaching a Triduum in honour of St Charles of Mount Argus at the Passionist Church, Mount Argus, Dublin. Immediately after that I come back to St Joseph’s as the last minute preparations are made for the Annual Summer Fair on Saturday, 6 June. The Tombola tickets have a spectacular top prize - 2 round trip tickets to Malaysia sponsored by Malaysian Airways. There are all sorts of other great prizes. All of these for an offering of €2 a ticket. I would love to visit Malaysia and who knows I may win! The big question will be who will I give the second ticket to? Would it be mean of me to go twice?                              AT

24 pupils from Marymount International School of Paris received their First Communion this morning at 11 a.m. Mass in St Joseph’s Church. What a delight! The church was full with children, families, parishioners and music! Relatives of the children travelled from Florida, Spain and so many other places to be present. The teachers and staff of Marymount School did a great work in preparing the children as did the families. On 30th May the children of St Joseph’s CCD group will receive their First Communion. Another great day in prospect. On 31st May, Pentecost Sunday, Confirmation will be received by over 40 candidates. It is a great time of joy and celebration as these faith-filled events unfold before our eyes.                                                                                                                                                 AT 

Back Thursday evening from a fascinating conference with the theme of ‘Inculturation’ held this week in Madrid. Priests ministering in English-speaking parishes in Madrid, Berlin, Zurich, Geneva, Brussels, The Hague and Paris paticipated. We stayed at a Jesuit House in Madrid where the welcome was warm and genuine. The local priest of the Madrid English-speaking parish, Fr Ron, and some of his parishioners did so much to make our visit and conference the success that it was. Our discusssions will be shared in due course. We visited the Prado, USA Embassy, Organising group for World Youth Day 2011 (Madrid) as well as bus tour of the city. There was a pub across the street from where we were staying callled O’Connors. Next year’s gathering will be in Cologne and it is hoped that even more participants from similiar parishes will join in 2010. Back in Paris I was asked to go on France 24 for a live TV debate on Pope Benedict’s visit to the Holy Land. It was interesting to hear the Palestinian and Israeli panelists put forward their unique perspective. I learned a lot from the programme. PIPS House is being officially opened on Monday and this will provide an opportunity for me to bring across the cheque from St Joseph’s Lenten Project 2009. Half of the amount raised goes to PIPS with the other half going to a Passionist project in Congo, Africa. Their half of the collection will be channelled through the Passionist Generalate in Rome. There are 1st Communions this Saturday at St Joseph’s for  pupils from Marymount Interantional School, Paris. I am looking forward to this event.                                                AT

May is a busy month and the month of Mary. Today The Graan, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, N. Ireland celebrates the Centenary of the foundation of the Monastery. It was there I began my Passionist training when I entered the Novitiate in 1963 (yes I am old!). It would have been great to be there but by the time the invitation came I had already booked a late night flight to Belfast tonight. On Friday 8 May, I was back to Holy Cross Girls’ Primary School to join in celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the school moving to its present site on Ardoyne Road. That was my first visit back to Ardoyne since I was transferred seven months ago. The school, parents, families and the wider community deserve great credit for keeping this school going in the face of great challenges. What a welcome back I got. It was a humbling experience to get so much warmth and affection from the people. There is a photo in Irish News of Sat (www.irishnews.com) I had to leave after the Mass on Friday to get back to St Joseph’s for a meeting with the Confirmation candidates this morning along with Monsignor Fleischmann who will confirm the young people on 31st May. After weeks here without being away, I am off again on Sunday night to Madrid! No, it is not a holiday, but a meeting of English-speaking pastors who minister in European mainland parishes. It will be good to meet colleagues who are far more experienced than I am in this pariticular ministry. Will keep you posted on what happens. I will be back to St Joseph’s on Thursday and look forward to Marymount School 1st Communions on Saturday, 17th May at 11 a.m. So, as I say, May is really a busy month!                                             AT