Engaging a parish priest in justice, peace, and care of God's creation?

Fr Joe at an environment vigil

I hope these few words are not an attempt at clergy bashing! Having spent 52 years in parish ministry, I feel I might have one or two ideas to be reflected on. There are so many calls on our energies, and these can be overwhelming at times. I don't want to add to that burden.

How can a priest in the parish be more engaged in matters of justice, peace, reconciliation and care of God's creation?

I want to remind you of what you are already doing and making links between different aspects of priestly ministry. You are already making a big difference in people's lives, more than you can ever imagine. Sometimes, we feel that we are getting nowhere and are making no impact. Sometimes it is very hard to see visible results of our ministry.

Yet, day after day, Sunday after Sunday, as a priest, we are leading people in their relationships with God, and with fellow human beings. As people gather for Sunday Mass, they bring with them all their lives, their troubles their challenges and their brokenness. And we as priests have the opportunity to bring all of those varied situations into God's presence. We are invited again and again to launch out into the deep. We feel often - as the apostles felt - we have laboured all night and caught nothing.

When we gather people together for worship, baptisms, funerals and other occasions, we are trying to inspire and encourage others to build God's kingdom on Earth. God's kingdom appears in many guises. We need to be aware that we are part of a master plan. Our approach and attitudes make a deep impression on people, even though we may not realise it. When we speak about the gospel, we are speaking God's words to the people. We are trying to make sense of our messy lives and the turbulent world, which we are all part of. We must not lose heart or lose sight of the larger picture of God's plan.

An image I often use is: Is the glass half full or half empty?

So often we think of the half empty glass. I am suggesting we focus on the half full glass!

As I have said, when people gather together for Mass, they bring with them all of their lives, and the messages in the news media that they have been bombarded with in the previous week. They can feel so helpless, as we do, when hearing of the tragedies, the violence and the inhumane events of our world today.

As long as we can remember, there has been violence and injustice in so many parts of the world. We've had our own wars in Europe, unrest in countries in south and middle America, Rwanda, Nigeria, and many other nations in Africa; civil wars in many countries, and inhumane oppression of so many people.

Now, we have the conflict in Ukraine and the present-day tragedy of Gaza.

How can we offer a word of encouragement in such sad situations?

We still have to believe that God is in control. In our celebrations of the birth of Jesus, we know that he was born into a violent world. He was not immune from the challenges of life. He knew what it was to be a migrant and a refugee. He knew what it felt like to be challenged and rejected when he brought the good news to the poor.

Are we hoping to go unscathed in our pastoral ministry?

I often think I'm walking the streets of heaven and seeing there many, many people with the scars of life very evident, beginning with Jesus himself!

So, what I am saying is that we as Catholics need to be brave. We need to speak God's truth in season and out of season, as Saint Paul reminds us. We need to encourage others that they too can make a difference in our world. We may feel we have little to offer, but that little offering is so vital. When we put all the efforts together they are remarkable. The Lord can multiply and combine our attempts at building the kingdom here on Earth. God's kingdom is one of Justice love and peace. It is a ministry of reconciliation, healing and positive attitudes in an ever-challenging world.

Yes, our efforts can make a difference. Jesus reminds us: 'I was hungry, thirsty, naked, lonely in prison and you came to my help'. Notice the surprise on people's faces. 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and in difficulty and come to your help?

It is in reflecting on these words that we can make connections between our relations with God, and one another. We need to see the links between our ministry and the task of building up God's kingdom on Earth.

We invite other people to go in peace to love and serve the Lord, to proclaim the gospel, and to glorify the Lord by our lives. How do you translate this commission into a reality in our lives, and in the lives of the people we serve?

We begin with our own attitudes, and a willingness to realise that we can make a difference in bringing peace, goodwill and reconciliation. Such realities can be infectious and can support others in their attitudes and an awareness that all of their efforts really matter. We need to move ourselves from attitudes to some form of action.

I am reminded of the late Cardinal Sin of Manila, who spoke about the "Parliament of the Streets'. In other words, our active participation is so important. As a priest, have you ever thought about joining a demonstration to show solidarity with brothers and sisters in difficult situations? At present, the idea of public demonstrations is under question. For the most part, we are invited to stay at home and be good obedient citizens. We are encouraged not to 'rattle too many cages'! We are told that going on demonstrations is a waste of time, a waste of public money and to be avoided. Yet, how do we show solidarity with people who are oppressed? How do we unite with like-minded people who want to make a difference?

Maybe this year, you might consider joining in some public demonstration. It may be risky, but it is rewarding. It means you want to stand up and be counted. It is a means of giving a voice to those who have no voice of their own. We can well remember the words of Edmund Burke: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men and women do nothing."

Clergy Involvement in Justice and Peace Issues

People often ask, why do clergy not speak more about justice and peace in their homilies?

Why do they not get more involved in such issues as climate change and the care of God's creation?

Having been in ministry in parishes for some 52 years, I may be able to offer a little light on the subject. I do not wish to add further burdens and pressure those already overwhelmed.

There are so many calls for priests' attention. It takes in the span of the whole human life from birth to death and all in between.

I feel I have been very lucky in that Celtic Spirituality has been part of my DNA. This approach to theology and spirituality sees God in all creation. There is nobody, or anything created, which does not come into God's plan. A little readjustment in our way of thinking, and in delivering God's word in our homilies can make all the difference. We need to be thinking in wholistic terms when it comes to exploring and speaking about God's plan for humanity.

As our people gather for Mass, Sunday after Sunday, they bring with them, all their lives, their hopes and challenges in the brokenness of a human condition. We need, as priests, to be able to take up their stories. We need to be able to throw some light on the meaning of life in all its complexities. They too, like us, are often overwhelmed and feel they can do little to offer solutions to the many challenges in life. We have a lot to offer. We are all part of God's plan and God's creation. We must never lose sight of this simple and profound reality.

We must remember the many blessings we have in our lives. We must not lose heart or lose sight of the larger picture of God's master plan.

I am not suggesting that we change our style of preaching, but that we tweak our sermons just a little. It is all there in the Scripture passages. Our God is a God of justice, love, peace and reconciliation. We have a God who loves us all and all that has been created. God is asking us to be good stewards of all creation.

Pope Francis gives us all the encouragement we need. His writings are an inspiration in helping us to see a God who is inviting us to build up God's Kingdom here on Earth.

Fr Joe Ryan, now retired, has been a parish priest and is a former chair of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission.