Homily given by Bishop Denis for Safeguarding Sunday, February 9th, 2025, in Bennekerry, Carlow.
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C: 09.02.25
Mass in St. Mary’s Church, Bennekerry @ 11.30am
Introduction:
“Duc in altum”[1] … that wonderful Latin phrase … “Put out into the Deep …”[2] Jesus tells the fishermen to throw out their nets for a catch, they laugh at him; all night long they’ve caught nothing! The rest is well known, the best catch ever recorded on the Lake of Gennesaret!!
This Sunday is designated as ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ in our diocese. The fact that it happens in the middle of Ordinary Time in our Church tells us that this is something that is par for the course right across the yearly calendar. It’s a reminder to be vigilant, but also to ensure that there is life in our parish.
Fishermen who followed Jesus; fishermen who left behind the mucking about in boats; the hauling of nets; the catching of fish to live out discipleship and all that that entailed. Discipleship that challenges the status quo of society; discipleship that confronts behaviours and attitudes; discipleship that is as real as hauling in the nets along the Lake of Gennesaret; discipleship that respects and cherishes the youngest and the most vulnerable … we pray for God’s love and mercy for failures of the past …
- Is tusa Tobar na Trócaire – You are the wellspring of mercy: A Thiarna, déan trócaire.
- Is tusa Slí na Fírinne – You are the way of Truth: A Chríost, déan trócaire.
- Bí linn i gconaí, ós ár gcomhair amach – Be with us always, showing us the way. A Thiarna, déan trócaire.
Homily:
“Duc in altum”[3], “Put out into the Deep …”[4] is also the title of the diocesan wide conversation looking at the parish and ministerial landscape as it unfolds into the future. Only last Friday evening 31 lay people, varying in age from 32 to 77 began a discernment programme that will lead to their training where they will qualify as Lay Pastoral Ministers in two and half years time. While they come from 20 parishes across the diocese, they will serve in groups of parishes, in whatever entity or capacity is determined indeed by then. I look forward to our Clergy Gathering this coming Tuesday as we continue the broader conversation around easing the administrative, financial and governance burden that weighs heavy on many.
A cursory glance at today’s scripture offers us three characters full of dissappointments and failures – the prophet Isaiah, the compulsive writer St. Paul and the impetuous fisherman Simon Peter. Simon Peter, with whom today’s gospel ends, made history that day at the lake. Not in the catch of Orange Roughy or Rainbow Trout, but in how Jesus responded to his request. Jesus never refused anyone in scripture … ‘Heal Me’ … ‘Save Me’ … ‘Forgive Me’ … a touch, a gesture, a word changed everything. Jesus says ‘No’ to Peter’s request to “Leave me, Lord, I am a sinful man”[5] and aren’t we glad. Our imperfections and those in the wider Church is what makes us honest, humble and at times, yes hypocritical. Who are we to dare to follow Peter into the deep, into the ‘altum’, with all our baggage of sin, doubt and uncertainty?
Safeguarding has been a robust lesson for all of us who love our Church. Recent decades have cast a long dark shadow on discipleship and on ministry here in Ireland. Different revelations, enquiries and reports have shown failures in governance, in oversight and most importantly in behaviour. We can never say sorry enough, and sometimes saying it alone doesn’t ease the pain, but it is a start. But safeguarding is not just a response to a crisis or a scandal, it is rooted in gospel values, the values Luke’s Jesus speaks of today.
The deep of which Luke speaks is not measured in meters or fathoms, the comment “we have fished all night and caught nothing”[6] might speak to the experience of many in ministry today, an experience that can seem relentless. In a world where great committed and dedicated priests are seeing so few following their way of life, has to be shattering. The damage that abuse revelations has done to victims, to survivors, to ministry, to good priests who populate our parishes is enormous. That is why a day like today is so necessary, an opportunity to acknowledge the many who ensure safeguarding policies and procedures are adhered to.
The new title of the Church’s all-island safeguarding policy is ‘A Safe and Welcoming Church’ reminds us that safeguarding is not just preventative; its proactive. How can we make our parish a safe and living place for the young and the vulnerable? In my special message for ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ I suggest “the life of the parish is often defined by the active engagement of young people in that parish. Safeguarding Sunday is a reassurance to all that being involved in the parish is goverened by best practices in safeguarding”.
The mission of the Church will always be to launch out into the deep, the mission is always to be counter-cultural. We have to go against the tide; we can no longer content ourselves with the minnows we find in the shallow waters! Putting out into the deep is searching for those who feel lost, neglected and indifferent in a changing and expanding parish community. Peter’s unanswered prayer … “Leave me Lord”[7], is our greatest moment of faith! Because so often it’s our prayer also.
[1] Lk.5:4
[2] ibid
[3] ibid
[4] ibid
[5] Lk.5:8
[6] Lk.5:5
[7] Lk.5:4