Bishop Of Kerry Ray Browne Inaugural Epsicopal Homily

Dia dhiabh! Ó mo chroí cuirim fáilte róimh go léir anseo inniu. 

Fáilte róimh ó gach áit ar fud na tíre.

For the past two hours all twelve hundred of us have been like Martha’s sister Mary in the gospel gathered at the Lord’s feet, attentive to his presence, listening to him speak. 

The occasion has been my Ordination as Bishop of Kerry.

Thank you to everyone for this afternoon. Thank you to so many people who have worked so hard since early May to prepare this afternoon’s Ordination ceremony. 

So many people were involved with preparations concerning both inside and outside the cathedral: liturgy, printing, choir, invitations, stewarding, car parking, catering.

I thank especially Cardinal Brady and Archbishop Brown the Papal Nuncio for being with us. 
I thank Bishop Murphy for his assistance, advice and support to me since our first contact in late April. I thank my family and Bishop Christy and the whole family of Elphin diocese. 

Especially I thank the people of the diocese of Kerry who have been so kind, welcoming and encouraging over the past months. Without naming anyone, from the bottom of my heart I thank all who have made today possible.

In the history books the following is written of St. Brendan, the Patron Saint of our diocese:
‘In his journey to the country of Connaught Saint Brendan was accompanied by a younger brother Faithleach. When he had founded what was probably the first monastery in Connaught at Cloontuskert within the present county of Roscommon, among the exiled Ciarraige who had settled there, he left that foundation in charge of his brother Faithleach. The year in which the brothers Brendan and Faithleach arrived at Cloontuskert was approximately 520.’

I have been parish priest of the Parish of St. Faithleach, for the past five years. St. Faithleach is prominent there as his name is on the parish GAA club. Thus, almost fifteen hundred years after St. Brendan, a priest from the parish of St. Faithleach is chosen as Bishop of the diocese of St. Brendan. 

With the eyes of faith can we see it in this a sign of the hand of God at work? It is a simple gesture that the Holy Water in the fonts in the Cathedral today is water from the parish well of St. Faithleach on the shores of Lough Ree in County Roscommon.

In welcoming everyone here today I welcome especially the parish representatives, and the religious and priests of the diocese, of the fifty three parishes in counties Kerry and Cork. It is the lived vibrant faith of your home communities that gives meaning to our being here. 

The water in St. Faithleach’s well is as fresh today as it was the day St. Faithleach came ashore nearby. We can be confident the water will still be fresh in three generations time. 

The faith here in Kerry diocese is as fresh today as it was in St. Brendan’s time. Ours is the sacred responsibility to ensure it is as fresh in three generations time.

We are celebrating a ‘Year of Faith’. The boat in the ‘Year of Faith’ logo reminds us of the boat of St. Brendan and his ocean journeys. Hence our theme in the Ordination Booklet: 

‘St. Brendan navigated the seas,
Ours to tend the home shores.’
 
The boat of St. Brendan points to all the missionaries who have gone forth from our parishes in the past century, and also to the way so many of our emigrants have enriched their local parish wherever worldwide they made their homes. The missionary call to spread the Good News of the Gospel is always there. 

There is also the great task of tending with courage and confidence the faith of the home shores. I pray God’s blessing on all the parish communities of the diocese of Kerry. We are proud of the faith of past generations. Let us give of our best that with God’s grace future generations will be proud of us. 

‘St. Brendan navigated the seas,
Ours to tend the home shores.’

 The motto in the coat of arms of the diocese in the years ahead will be ‘love one another’ (Jn 15:12). We are called to love one another as Christ loves each one of us. For a moment be mindful of all the love that is shown every moment of every day in all our communities. Our loved ones who have gone before us; what loving lives so many of them lived.
 
We live in very difficult economic times. It is by no means certain that good times will soon return. In recent years how many people have got through their problems relying on the kindness and practical help of others; family, extended family, neighbours and friends? If we are to give a chance to those in need, will it mean that some who have plenty will make do with a little less? ‘Love one another’ is a down to earth call that can bear abundant fruit.

It is natural that as we gather today we are full of the joys of life. However, remember those in our communities who this day are struggling, be it with unemployment, or financial difficulties, or the reality of a recent tragedy, or some serious illness, or depression or addiction. 

Remember our young people who this year or in recent years have graduated from college. 

For so many of them a first job in their chosen career is just not available. This day let us believe in our hearts that an important part of bringing light to such darkness is that we respond from our hearts to the loving plea of Jesus, ‘Love one another’. 

In all we do, as Christians and as citizens, let us be gentle, kind, caring and giving, as Jesus was.
This weekend young people are journeying from all over the world with Pope Francis to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day. Our hopes and prayers go with them. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always’ (Phil 4:4) is their theme.

Let us go forth from this ceremony with the same words on our lips, ‘Rejoice in the Lord always’. In the words of Our Lady, ‘My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour’. Thank you all for gathering this day.