Aidan Troy

The past few weeks in Paris have been relatively quiet with so many of the local people away on holidays. One advantage is that it is much easier to find a parking space!  There has been a lot of visitors and I have enjoyed meeting some either at St Joseph’s Church or by chance in the streets. The weather has been a real treat - long sunny days. After next weekend it will be back to the more normal routine here. From what I hear from Ireland and have seen on the internet, the outcome of Suzanne Breen’s visit to Paris has featured prominently in today’s Sunday Tribune (23 August 2009). It was good meeting Suzanne again and being able to welcome her to my new home and to the beautiful city of Paris.  Interesting to see that Cork got the better of Tyrone in the GAA Championship. With a bit of luck and a thoughtful friend I hope to be in Croke Park on September 20th for the All-Ireland Final.        AT

What a quiet month in Paris. Last weekend the  city was particularly ‘deserted’ due to the Assumption holiday on Sat. There was hardly a shop open. A visitor to Paris phoned me to ask where to find a supermarket that was open. Still, it is lovely this time of the year with long sunny days and nice evenings. There are big numbers of visitors in the city. We have had a number of people at weekend Masses who are visiting Paris at present- always good to welcome them. Martin Coffey, C.P. paid  a short visit to St Joseph’s during the week. He is home from China at present and goes back this weekend to his work there. It was good seeing him again. The death toook place this week of Fr Fergus Loughrey, C.P. May he rest in peace. His funeral takes place on Wednesday in Belfast.

Got good news that the book on which I have been working dealing with the pastoral care of suicide will shortly be going for printing. I haven’t got a date yet on when it will be published, but imagine it will be in the next few months. My hope is that it will be of some help to people bereaved by the suicide of a loved one and of some support to those who support them. Also, it is my hope and prayer that more and more people will become engaged in working to prevent suicides. It is a tough subject but I have found that there are great people around working tirelessly to prevent suicides and to support bereaved people.