My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I am writing to you all as a form of alert and general advice in relation to the whole issue of suicide.The one thing that I have come to accept in this job is that one day is never the same as the next and one does not know what tomorrow shall bring.
This is especially true of earlier this week when I received a telephone call from a young man who felt that the only way that he could deal with life was by ending it all and thus ending his pain.
There is nothing more distressing and heart wrenching than receiving such a call, and I had to bargain with him that he would not do anything until such time as he and I would meet.
That was the longest drive of my life and no matter how quickly I drove, it was not fast enough as my greatest fear was that he would have taken that final earthly journey...
He had kept his word and was waiting for me which I can assure you was an answer to my prayers well recited on the road up to see him...and I believe he was somewhat relieved to see me also.
We spoke for some time and I eventually managed to persuade him to walk away from the edge and come with me to a safer place, but the Gardaí turned up and he ran...3 hours later he was still missing and the full force of the search and rescue teams was brought to the fore in the attempt to locate him.
I walked roads looking for him and my heart was heavy with the possibility that we may not find him alive, and each passing minute was almost like an hour...my prayers were going up and all I wanted was a reply. There is nothing worse than that feeling that perhaps just perhaps he will be still with us and yet not actually wanting to accept that but then again...
As time passed, hope was not being lost but light was and the search was called off, and my heart sank, but I was not willing to resign myself to the possibility of him being dead so I decided to stay in the area where I had first met him and pray for a while.
I walked the area and let my heart go to God and hope that something would come of it...and it did...
The call came through that there was a possible sighting of him and a positive identification was required so I was needed to do so...and the drive to the location was not happening fast enough as with my previous initial trip to meet with him...
When I got to the location, those who had gone searching for him earlier were waiting for me outside and they as hopeful as I that it indeed was him inside but being cautious in case it also was not...and Deo Gratias indeed it was him.
My dear friends, my heart was crying with happiness inside once I had placed my hand on his shoulder and he turned to face me and there he was...as calm as I would have wished him to be considering all that had happened.
We spoke for a few minutes and he understood that time was now on his side to get help and thank God he came round to that way of thinking as well...we got him to hospital where he is now receiving the best of everything to help him recover.
My request to all of you is that you keep him in your prayers and thoughts over the next few days and weeks as he undertakes his journey of healing and please God he shall be filled with the knowledge that he is loved.
I ask you also to pray for me as I daily visit him and try to pastorally tend to him and may the Lord give me the strength as it does take energy...
May I ask you all to also take a moment to look around you and Be Aware and Care...you may not know who is in difficulty but let them know you are there...
In Manus Tuas...in your hands O Lord, and in your mercy, keep me safe and loved
Sotto Voce