Forty Shades of Green

In mid-September, Sister Katherine Maria and Sister Marie-Therese introduced the works of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to the Emerald Isle. Landing in Shannon, they first spent a few days with Sister Brigid Mary’s family, Grace and Jim Rock, in Johnstown, West Cork, where they visited churches and shrines, distributing books.
Next stop was Cobh, to visit Sister Marie-Therese’s family. Cobh has the safest harbor in Ireland and it was the last port of call for the Titanic and the origin of the fateful Lusitania. Towering over the beautiful historic town is the Cobh Cathedral, a magnificent stone building on the outside and just as beautiful inside. On the side walk of the street leading up the hill to the cathedral are the stations of the cross, signs of the Faith so intrinsic to Irish culture. Sad to say the influence of the media has emptied the many convents that occupy almost every corner of the town.
From Cobh the windy roads led the Sisters to Knock, a little-known shrine on the West Coast, County Mayo. Beautiful in story and faith, people filled the streets and chapels, praying. The Sisters were blessed to visit the graves of the seers of the apparition that took place there in 1871.
Ballina was the next stop, where the Campbell family extended their hospitality to the Sisters in many ways. Several meetings were arranged in home schooling groups to discuss the possibility of having a Morning Star Camp Program there in the future. The Sisters felt very hopeful at the possibility, having made these initial contacts.
Then the highlight of the trip arrived. Early in the morning they began their journey from Mayo to Donegal to a little town called Pettigo, where Lough Derg, Saint Patrick’s Purgatory is located.
This small monastic island, legend has it, contains the mouth of Purgatory and was host to the penances of Saint Patrick. From May to August, pilgrims from Ireland go there barefooted, for three days of fasting, prayer and vigils to atone for their sins. The Sisters arrived the last two days of the year left to go on the island! But only one day retreat was allowed during this time. Crossing the rough lake, an organized day of prayer was provided for all attendees beginning in the Cathedral and ending in the wind and howling rain outside. It was a rare reliving of an ancient medieval custom in the place that inspired Dante to write the Divine Comedy. Many pictures were taken for a future article in the Housetops publication.
Coming to a close, the trip could not end before the Sisters at least attempted to climb Croagh Patrick and to stand on the spot at the ocean where Saint Patrick cast the snakes out of Ireland forever.
Although materialism has made its inroads in Ireland, the Faith is still very visible and its fire is just waiting to be re-enkindled. If God wills it, the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary may help through the light of the Morning Star.