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TO STRIKE OR NOT TO STRIKE!
We have in the past carried an item on the Morality of Strikes. So
appropriately in the words of Shakespeare we say ‘To strike or not to
strike, that is the question’. The present ongoing industrial dispute and
action by the ASTI is governed by the same principles of morality as any
other dispute. The bottom line in all industrial action is does the end
justify the means and have all efforts been made to reach settlement by
negotiation, and have these efforts failed?
As one perhaps on the ‘outside’ looking in but
concerned about the welfare of our young people and the fair treatment of
our teachers may I make the following observations standing open to
correction!
Our Constitution states that all citizens have a right
to be educated. It seems strange that a Government Minister elected to
uphold the Constitution should be party to our young people being denied
part of the education they are entitled to.
This dispute will be settled in the end so why like two
squabbling teenagers in a school yard is it still continuing. Not much of an
example.
There used to be a regulation whereby those sitting
Junior and Leaving Cert exams must have attended a minimum number of school
days. Given the number lost by the industrial dispute not to mention
students absence as a result of sickness or other reasons one wonders
whether they will all have attended for the minimum number of days!
Yes, those doing Junior or Leaving Cert Exams are a
priority but one should not lose sight of others. For exam students there is
much revision that can be done at home under the supervision of parents with
a two year course well in hand. First Years are only setting out on a world
of a new education system and 2nd and 5th years are
only starting a two year course that has been so interrupted.
The already presumed pressure on students and parents
in the face of state exams is added to by the unease, unrest and uncertainty
of industrial action. Exams would be a lot easier without it.
On the issue of ‘supervision’. In the past
supervision in Religious run Secondary Schools was carried out by the
Religious and not the lay members of staff. Now with the absence of
Religious in our schools the onus has fallen on the lay teachers. Up to now
they have carried out this responsibility without any recompense or
recognition. In the present dispute the Department of Education should not
have stopped wages in this regard. On the days in question the teachers were
present for work. It was the Management who told parents not to send their
children to school. Surely alternate supervision arrangements could have
been made involving parents and management. Schools could also have opened
for half days cutting out any break time! It was interesting to note that
the Insurance Company involved declined an opportunity to comment on the
matter. Perhaps the Management should have paid after all their workers were
present for work!
It was somewhat amusing to see a member of ASTI with
walking her dog on the picket line. At first I wondered if it was to keep
the students out, the teachers in or in case the Minister might drop by!
Realising however that it was more of a greyhound than a rothweiler I
thought it might be in training for Shelbourne Park. I presume it is not
normally exercised in the classroom and that the teacher’s ‘bark is
worse than her bite’.
GETTING MARRIED
Couples
considering marriage are reminded that they must give at least three months
notice to the priest in the parish of both parties. It is also necessary to
give three months notice to the Civil Registrar. Couples who may have
weddings booked with any of the priests of the parish for during the coming
year are asked to confirm their arrangements as soon as possible if they
have not recently done so. Pre-Marriage Courses should be booked direct with
the Diocesan Marriage Agency ACCORD at 01-4784400.
GET WELL
Our Prayers and Good
Wishes are sent to all who are sick at home or in hospital at this time.
Remember if you have a family member who is housebound and who would like to
receive Holy Communion this can be arranged. Please let me know. Also Mass
can be celebrated in your home at any time.
SUPPORTING OTHERS
Please note that when a
funeral occurs within the community the 9.30a.m. Mass is replaced by the
Funeral Mass. As a worshipping community we are called on to support others
and pray for our dead by attending at the Mass if possible. It is times such
as this that give meaning to our daily worship.
CHURCH UNITY
To mark the Week of Prayer
for Christian Unity His Eminence Cardinal Cathal Daly will speak at a Unity
Service in Arklow Parish Church on Tuesday 23rd January at
7.30p.m. All Welcome.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
To Gary Byrne who is 11 years old on 21st January
Love from Mam, Dad, Steven, Samantha, Tigger & Soots.
LISTENING IN
Last week I told you about
our proposed Radio Link with the housebound. This is a facility by which
Church Services can be broadcast on a special radio receiver to homes in the
community. Anyone who wishes may purchase one at £30 each. When installed
our Sunday and Weekday Masses will be broadcast. Work on this will hopefully
begin this coming week. It may be necessary for some to be fine tuned while
the installation is taking place depending on the area it will be used in.
At this time it would help if I had an idea of how many receivers will be
required? If you are interested in one please let me know or leave your name
at the Sacristy.
PLANNED GIVING
At present the boxes for the
New Planned Giving Year are being organised and distributed. Sincere thanks
to those involved with this work and to our collectors. New Collectors are
required in some areas such as Beech Road, Mountain Bay, and Ferrybank. If
you are willing to help please let us know. If you are not already
registered as a subscriber and are willing to support this means of Parish
Fund Raising please leave your name and address at the Sacristy.
BLESSING OF CANDLES
The annual blessing of
Candles for use in Church and homes takes place at Mass on Friday 2nd
February the Feast of the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple also
known as Candlemas. If you wish to order Candles for your home or to be
burned for you in the Church you may do so at the Sacristy. Candles are £1
each.
SAINT AGNES
During our visit to
Rome in November last we visited the place where St. Agnes was martyred and
the Church where the relic of her skull is kept. She was only 13 years old
when she suffered martyrdom in the year 303. Agnes a beautiful and wealthy
child consecrated her virginity to God at an early age. The young noblemen
of Rome vied with one another to win her hand in marriage but finding her
resolution unassailable accused her to the Governor of being a Christian.
Agnes ignored the alluring promises of the judge stating repeatedly that she
could have no other spouse than Jesus Christ. He then made use of threats
but Agnes remained adamantly courageous even desiring racks and death. She
responded to the threats and allurements of her executioners –“It
would be an insult to my spouse to think that I would consent to you. He who
chose me first shall possess me”. The Governor greatly exasperated at
seeing himself out-witted by one so young condemned Agnes to be beheaded.
The executioner tried to get her to relent instead she said a short prayer,
bowed her neck to adore God as the executioner with a trembling hand cut off
her head at one stroke. The spectators wept at seeing one so young and
fearless in the face of death. The Feast of St. Agnes is celebrated on 21st
January.
CHURCH
CLEANERS
Church
Cleaners this week are Group B.
IN
REMEMBRANCE
Our
Masses next weekend 27th/28th January will be offered
in remembrance of-
Saturday 7p.m.
Denis Dempsey Anniv.
Sunday 9a.m.
Tom Lambert Anniv.
Sunday 11.30a.m.
Paddy Lyons Anniv.
ANTHONY
KEARNS
In
Concert at the Arklow Bay Hotel
On
Sunday 28th January at 8p.m.
In
aid of Arklow Maritime Museum
Tickets
£13 available at the Hotel, from Committee Members or 32249/31513
MUSIC
CLASSES
The
Irish Music Classes on Saturdays at 11a.m. in the school hall. New members
always welcome. Contact 0402-39242.
MEALS
ON WHEELS
It is proposed to set
up a “Meals on Wheels” Service in the Arklow area in the near future.
Interested volunteers (male or female) should contact Jim at Arklow
Community Enterprise in Ormonde House, Main St. See Arklow Notes for more
information.
ear that continued to see loss of life on our roads, at sea, in the air and
from floods and natural disasters. Pope John Paul visited the Holy Land and
we visited him in Rome. House prices continued to rise and the value of the
Punt continued to fall. There were more 00 registered cars in Dublin than
the number plates could hold. Industrial disputes continued with the Taxi
men almost closing Dublin Airport, the Railway men closed IFI and the
Teachers closed the schools. The Health Services worsened with waiting lists
getting longer and the hospitals left without nurses. The Woodworm continued
to come out with the Tribunals and plenty more to come. They say the higher
you climb, the harder you fall.
During
the year we all got a year older, Coronation Street celebrated its 40th and
young and old became obsessed with ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’.
France won the Euro 2000 and Kerry won the All Ireland. There was snow in
Skerries in August and the floods destroyed many homes in our own community.
The year ended with Snow last week which claimed the life of an old lady in
Donegal, a teenager in Swords and two young cousins were drowned in a lake
in Monaghan. A sad ending to a Millennium Year. A further trip down memory
lane of Y2K reminds us of the following:
JANUARY
32
people were killed in Norway Train crash. 7 Scottish fishermen drowned in
the Irish Sea and 88 killed in Alaskan airline crash. Our Pantomime ‘Jack
and the Beanstalk’ packed the house.
FEBRUARY
An
Afghan aeroplane was hijacked at Stansted. The Northern Ireland Assembly
failed and direct rule was imposed after only 72 days. Four Irish Soldiers
were killed in a road accident in the Lebanon on Valentine’s Day. Three
women were killed in an accident in Co. Laois and four people in Waterford.
MARCH
Floods
in Africa and Mozambique killed 500 and left 650,000 homeless. 80 Miners
were killed in a mine collapse in Ukraine. Three young Irish women were
killed in an accident in Bolivia, South America. 500 members of a doomsday
cult committed mass suicide in Uganda. Pope John Paul made historic visit to
the Holy Land. There was a three day bus and rail strike.
APRIL
Easter came late with a live lamb and Easter Eggs for all.
MAY
Two
of the Children of Fatima were beatified. More than 20 killed in a
Netherlands Fireworks Factory fire and five in a similar fire in Spain. Tow
young Gardai killed in a car crash in Finglas. The ‘darling buds of May’
received their First Holy Communion and the older buds their Confirmation.
JUNE
Children
held hostage in Luxembourg Kindergarten. Exam time for many. Irish Tenor
Frank Patterson died. Rioting at Euro 2000 football game in Belgium. 58
Chinese people found dead in container at Dover. 220 die in Plane and Ferry
disasters in Chine. 15 backpackers including one Irish died in hostel fire
in Australia. 8 people killed in crush at Rock Concert in Denmark.
JULY
France
won the Euro 2000. 20 Spanish Students killed in Bus Crash. Four women found
dead in house in Leixlip. IFI closed because of Rail strike. 59 die in
Indian Air Crash. Youth Fun enjoyed sunshine all the way. 113 died in
Concorde Crash in Paris en route to New York. Three Irish women died in car
crash in Australia.
AUGUST
97
killed in India flash floods. 11 killed in Moscow bomb. Bombs in Spain.
Millions homeless in India floods. Forest fires in US from Canada to Mexico.
118 Russian Sailors killed in submarine. WE travelled on our Pilgrimage to
Lourdes. 143 killed in Gulfair Crash in Bahrain. Murders in the North. 10
week train drivers dispute ended. Snow in Skerries despite the good weather.
Four members of English family died in car crash in Cork.
SEPTEMBER
Three
members of one family died in fire in Roscommon. Truckers blockaded because
of fuel prices. Over 70 died in ferry disaster off Greece. Family of four
killed in tragic circumstances in Kilkenny.
OCTOBER
Eight
fishermen died off Kerry coast on French trawler and 12 on Spanish trawler
off Connemara. Israelis and Palestinians clash over coming months with over
250 killed. People of Yugoslavia took to the streets to overcome Melosovich
in Belgrade. Kerry won the All Ireland replay against Galway. Train Crash in
London killed 4 and injured 25. 81 killed in Taiwan air crash with Irish
woman among the survivors.
NOVEMBER
Floods
in England which soon hit here. We travelled on our Jubilee Year Pilgrimage
to Rome and Assisi. Four fishermen lost off the Cork coast. Teachers, Taxi
men and Railway men on strike.
DECEMBER
Bill
Clinton visited while the Americans tried to sort out the next President.
The Winds came again on Christmas Eve. Santa came and went. Over 300 died in
fire in China and the snow and ice brought tragedy.
The year is past; what did we give?
What did you gain, and what regret?
Was it a year you’d like to live
Right through again, or just forget?
Were there mistakes? Did you cause pain?
Withhold your love from someone dear?
Did all your efforts seem in vain
And every hope turn into fear?
Remember you can start anew,
Resolve to live a better way,
Forget past errors, sadness, too.
Tomorrow is another day!
A THOUGHT FOR THE NEW YEAR
I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year,
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown”
And
he replied,
“Go
out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be
to you better than light and safer than a known way”.
THE BLESSING OF AARON
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May he look upon you with kindness and give you his peace.
(Numbers 6:24-26)
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
To Darragh De Courcy who was 11 years old on 1st January
Love from Dad, Mam, Claire, Eimear & Sooty.
DID
YOU NOTICE?
That
the first day of the New Year was dated in abbreviated form as 01/01/01. How
long will it be until we have a repeat?
SYMPATHY
Our
Prayers and Sympathy are extended to the family of the late Doney Dempsey,
St. Patrick’s Terrace who died before Christmas
and
to the family of the late John Kavanagh,
Johnstown North who died during the week.
May
they Rest in Peace.
IN
REMEMBRANCE
Our
Masses next weekend 13th/14th January will be offered in
remembrance of:
Saturday
7p.m. - Breda Clancy Anniv.
Sunday
9a.m. - Edward and Dora Kelly Anniv.
Sunday
11.30a.m. - Mary Waldron Anniv.
CHURCH
CLEANERS
Church
Cleaners this week are Group G.
ANTHONY
KEARNS
In
Concert at the Arklow Bay Hotel
On
Sunday 28th January at 8p.m.
In
aid of Arklow Maritime Museum
Tickets
£13 available at the Hotel, from Committee Members or 32249/31513
MUSIC
CLASSES
The
Irish Music Classes will resume after the Christmas break on Saturday
13th January at 11a.m. in the school hall. New members always
welcome.
Contact
0402-39242.
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