’Tis hard to beat a bit of hope. It gets the sap rising, gets the dream machine working over time. Gives us the reason to get up in the morning, the pursuit of it exhausts us during the day, and helps us through the night until we start all over again. Ever the optimist, I’m a great believer that tomorrow holds the potential to be the best day ever. And if it doesn’t, well, there’s always another tomorrow. I know it’s difficult to be summoning up optimism at times like this, but we must do it. The world has been kicked in the gut over the past 22 months, and everyone feels it, but you just have to drag yourself up by the scruff.
Last weekend, the pursuit of hope came as Galway felt like it was being thrown back to medieval times. In one of our ancient county towns, a new Archbishop was being installed. In another, a king was beginning his reign. Both emblems of bygone eras, new players in Galway’s very own Game of Thrones. Two new leaders for Galway — one from the north east and one from the south east. Both imported to instil belief and resilience.
In one of Tuam’s two cathedrals, Cavan man, Francis Duffy was installed as the new Archbishop of Tuam. In what might be a hurray for the Galways, he is also the first non-Mayoman to hold the position for almost two centuries.
When I worked in Tuam many moons ago, it was often remarked why there were so many Mayos in the clergy in the area, and it was explained to me on Sunday by Fr Stephen Farragher, native of The Neale and now PP in Ballyhaunis. “When anyone asked me why there were so many of us Mayos in the clergy in Galway, I used to joke that they had no faith in Galway and we had no jobs in Mayo, so we compromised.”
I spoke to Archbishop Duffy afterwards and he did not shirk from the many issues challenging the church in the Tuam archdiocese. He acknowledged that many people had been hurt by their experience of church and that he is is keen to listen. He is also acutely aware of the drop in vocations and that he is eager to look at new ways in which parishes can organise themselves with regards to the faith.
Down in Ballinasloe, a different but no less important sort of faith was being discussed on the pitch where the King began his reign. Here, there was also hope. My friends in Kilkenny tell me that the Galway gig is only warming Henry Shefflin up for the Cody post and I respond by telling them that in the interim, Henry may find a few different ways to skin a cat.
Both appointments signal change, and change always offers a hope, a freshness, a new way. And God knows, we need new ways now. Of living, of working, of respecting difference, of tolerance. It has been a horrible few weeks in terms of violence and tragedy across our nation, so we need to mind each other and find hope in the unlikely places.
Our front page story tells of the demolition of the former Corrib Great Southern Hotel. More change too on the approach to the city. Now that it is almost gone, we hope that its owners, proud Galwaymen, work to create an impressive gateway to the city by proposing a development that is sustainable, worthy of admiration and brings something to the community.
It’s only the start of January, yet there is talk of hope and change, of possibility and fulfilment. Bring on the year…bring it on.
