Time passed and remembered

Time passed and remembered

Spent a few hours in New York – went to meet someone for lunch and later decided to go to a Broadway Show.  I had never seen Phantom of The Opera and tried to get a good value ticket.  Went to the theatre and got one at a good rate and decided to go for it.  There was time to kill then so decided to go to the 9/11 memorial and spend some time there.  I wanted to remember there, in a special way, Kieran Gorman and his family.

Kieran’s name is on the South Memorial – one of the two memorials that stand on the site of the original towers.  They are impressive and the flowing waters remind us of the lives of all whose names are recorded there and the difference they made.

I didn’t go into “Freedom Tower” – there was a long line waiting to do so and, to be honest, having spent a few minutes there and with Kieran having been remembered, I felt I had achieved my aim.  The tower is an impressive building and stands tall in world of tall buildings.

Leaving the memorial, I walked to Vesey Street to visit again the Irish Famine Memorial.  I hadn’t been there in sometime but wanted to see it again.  It’s story, rooted in the Diocese of Achonry and Parish of Attymass, centres around the ruins of an old family house.  The house, taken down stone by stone, was transported to New York and rebuilt in its fallen state on the site of the Famine Memorial.

It is a truly amazing piece of work.  It makes the point that following the famine and the resulting emigration homes were left to fall in, uncared for and unoccupied.  A reminder that people are the true cornerstone of the home and without them the building cannot stand.

I met a man and his wife there.  He was taking a picture of a stone from Co. Roscommon because his people came from there.  He had never been to Ireland and his wife is Chinese.  He was explaining to her the importance of this stone for him.  We chatted for a while and I wondered how many people came there to connect with stories they have been told – stories handed through the generations.  It is a good connection and good to have a place to make those connections.

The time passed, I came away glad to have re-visited both places and I had the Phantom of The Opera to look forward to …..

“The angel of music ……” maybe that’s another story!

PHANTOM’S VOICE: Brava, brava, bravissima . . .

MEG:
Christine, Christine…
(Phantom: Christine…)

Where in the world
Have you been hiding?
Really, you were perfect!

I only wish
I knew your secret!
Who is your great tutor?

CHRISTINE:
Father once spoke of an angel
I used to dream he’d appear
Now as I sing, I can sense him
And I know he’s here

Here in this room
He calls me softly
Somewhere inside hiding

Somehow I know
He’s always with me
He – the unseen genius

MEG:
Christine, you must have been dreaming, stories like this can’t come true

Christine, you’re talking in riddles, and it’s not like you!

CHRISTINE:
Angel of Music!
Guide and guardian!
Grant to me your glory!

MEG(to herself):
Who is this angel? This…

BOTH:
Angel of Music!
Hide no longer!
Secret and strange angel

CHRISTINE:
He’s with me, even now…

MEG:
Your hands are cold…

CHRISTINE:
All around me…

MEG:
Your face, Christine, it’s white…

CHRISTINE:
It frightens me…

MEG:
Don’t be frightened…

People make places …

People make places …

Well into the “holidays” now and enjoying the days very much.  That said, I’ve been very connected with home too, as I remember Ger Regan, R.I.P., whose Funeral takes place today.  I had Mass here around the same time and remembered Ger, his family and friends there.

Over the past few days I’ve had the chance to do what I really like doing when I come here, connecting with old friends (and meeting some new ones too!). Last Sunday evening I went to New York to meet Joe, Liz and Keenan who have been friends of mine for many years.  With them were some people from Kiltimagh, two of whom I’d met before.  We had a lovely time and it was good to catch up.  The other visitors were going to see “WICKED” on Monday evening and asked if I’d like to join them as they had an extra ticket.  Needless to say I said yes, though I knew nothing about the show.

It’s one I need to think about but there’s a very positive message running through the show.  Leave it with me!!  This seems to be the central song in the show – “Defying Gravity”.  I think it’s a message about not being kept down but finding and reaching your potential.

https://youtu.be/wGDoNp2Mmmg?rel=0

The Cathedral here has gone through quite a face lift since my last visit.  It is covered in scaffolding just now but the work on the interior has been completed.  Very impressive.

On Wednesday evening I went back into NY and met an old friend from Maynooth days.  We had a lovely meal, walked around for a while.  He took me to a Roof Top bar where there’s an excellent (and free!!) view of NY and NJ.  I just took one photo there.

IMG_0090

I stayed in NY that night and the next day wandered around for a while.  It was gloriously hot (though people were complaining about the heat – I was happy enough to be in it – great weather for the bog!!) I enjoy walking and noticing bits and pieces as I go.  I spotted one of “New York’s Finest” doing his duty and couldn’t help but notice his Patrol Car.  I can’t see Bruce Willis saving New York in one of these … only saying!!

IMG_0119

Later in the day I met a good friend, Seán, whom I’ve missed out on meeting in recent years.  We went for a bite of lunch and chatted away as if we’d met the day before.  That’s always a good sign of friendship for me.  From there I went to Crestwood and met the McEnerney family.  I’ve met them every time I’ve visited here and had the privilege of baptizing their children.  The older of the two is about to go to College this year and is so excited about that.  Hard to believe how quickly the years pass.  His younger sister will be making the same trip next year.  My memories of her go a bit further back to a young girl playing the piano for me and suggesting I stop “filming” when a few stray notes wander into her performance!!

At Mass this morning, here in the Cathedral at Rockville Centre, I noticed two people at Mass that I get the chance to meet each year. – Mary and Caroline Hunt – they are among the most faithful visitors to these pages and I was happy to see them.  Mary’s husband, Martin (RI.P.) was from Ballaghaderreen parish and that’t the link.

What I like to think is running through these days is “connection” with people.  At day’s end, I see that as one of the greatest gifts we have and I am blessed to be able to avail of it.

West Point

West Point

Recently had the pleasure of celebrating a Wedding Mass in West Point, NY.  This is the Cadet School for the US Army and the groom, James Malinda, graduated from there in recent weeks.  His bride, Dominique Robbins, is a cousin of my cousins – if that makes sense! In recent years, I celebrated the marriages of two of her first cousins in Rockvile Centre.  I met Dominque and her parents at both weddings and they kindly asked me to officiate at Dominuque’s Wedding.  I was happy to do so.

It was good to catch up with my cousins again, to meet some old friends and, hopefully, make a few new ones.  The setting at West Point was very special and the Church, beautiful.  I’m told it’s the only Catholic Parish attached to a Military Base anywhere in the world. The Catholic Community at West Point has its own parish and clergy. The town of West Point is a separate parish and is actually in another diocese.

There was a great dignity to the celebration and it was a refreshing experience.  One I am very glad to have been part of.

God bless this newly married couples and, for that matter, all married people.

And a short moment from their First Dance.  The song “Jersey Girl” sung by Bruce Springsteen is obviously chosen since Dominique’s childhood years were spent in Jersey.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/TugxnviAg70?rel=0]

Where do you go?

Since August 1997 I have been coming to Long Island, New York for a few weeks each year.  It started when I worked in the Marriage Tribunal, Galway and our office used to close for the month of August.  I spent two “Augusts” in St Patrick’s Parish, Huntington and, since August 1999, I have been coming to St Agnes’ Cathedral in Rockville Centre.  I enjoy coming here a lot, meeting people and priests here in the parish and having a chance to visit family and friends in New York and beyond.  It’s a lovely opportunity to get away and, being the creature of habit that I am, it’s an easy choice!  I went out earlier and took a fairly short video clip of the cathedral and surrounds and thought I might include it here.  (In hindsight I shouldn’t have included the background music so hit MUTE!!)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy787Eg11-E]

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