Venerable Fr John Sullivan SJ, who will be beatified on Saturday We continue our celebration today of the impending historic beatification of Fr John Sullivan with some reflections today and tomorrow on his prayers and writings. This is not an easy task, as there are not very many of them. Fr Fergal McGrath SJ, his first and probably most important biographer, says that it is as if Fr Sullivan went …
Jesuit
May 11, 2017
Venerable Fr John Sullivan SJ, who will be beatified on Saturday We continue our reflections on the life of Fr John Sullivan who will be beatified this coming Saturday in Dublin. He was ordained with Fr Doyle on 28 July 1907 and his beatification is of direct relevance to this blog. His beatification is an important good news story for all of the Church here in Ireland which has suffered …
May 10, 2017
Venerable Fr John Sullivan SJ, who will be beatified on Saturday Today we continue our brief aside in examining and celebrating the life of Fr John Sullivan SJ. He was ordained with Fr Doyle on 28 July 1907, and it is only right that we celebrate his beatification with great joy, for it truly is good and important news for the entire Church in Ireland. Yesterday we gave a very …
May 9, 2017
Venerable Fr John Sullivan SJ, who will be beatified on Saturday Fr John Sullivan will be beatified on Saturday in Gardiner Street Church at 11am. This is wonderful news, but it is also big news. Beatifications and canonisations are rare events, but they are even rarer in Ireland – we have a very poor record at successful “causes”. In fact, Olympic medals are more common than beatifications and canonisations. We …
May 8, 2017
As you know I am very anxious to see these retreats started in Ireland, for I believe they would do a world of good and be the means of checking the dreadful irreligious spirit which is beginning to creep in even here in holy Ireland, especially among our uneducated men. … I am very grateful to you all for your good prayers; you must ask St. Joseph to find …
May 1, 2017
I think I can say with truth that I have now no desire or wish except His. I have told Him that He may do just as He pleases with me, and take all, even my life. This has brought me great peace and a sense of great security in the midst of danger, since I know I am in His hands. COMMENT: Fr Doyle wrote these words in April …
April 25, 2017
Venerable Fr John Sullivan SJ It has just been announced that Fr John Sullivan SJ, the Irish Jesuit who was ordained alongside Fr Doyle on 28 July 1907, will be beatified at 11am on 13 May in Gardiner Street Church in Dublin. This will be the first beatification ever to take place in Ireland. This is excellent news. The Church in Ireland needs more saints, especially more contemporary examples of …
April 5, 2017
Fr Doyle made these notes in his diary on this day in 1914. They record what he perceived to be a divine locution on the anniversary of his entry into the Jesuit novitiate. It is interesting to note some areas he felt he was being called to work on with greater vigour – control of his eyes (against curiosity), control of his tongue and overcoming human respect (too great a …
April 1, 2017
St Francis Xavier Vince teipsum – conquer yourself. This is the secret of the Spiritual Exercises. “I learnt no other lesson from my master Ignatius,” said St. Francis Xavier, referring to his first retreat at Paris. Here we all fail good men, zealous men, holy men. Prayer is easy, works of zeal attractive; but going against self, till grace and perseverance give facility, is cruel work, a hard battle. COMMENT: …
March 12, 2017
Venerable Fr John Sullivan SJ I hope every single one of you will have broken every resolution you made in the retreat before the end of the week, and if not then, at least in a fortnight. It will do you good and humble you provided you get up and begin again and do not flop down and lie there on the broad of your back, saying “It’s no use, …
February 19, 2017