Daniel O’Connell Anniversary Mass
St Andrew’s, Westland Row
10th May 2025
Homily of Bishop Paul Dempsey
In the Holy Land it is common to see several different flocks of sheep on the side of a hill with different shepherds responsible for them. Amazingly, if one of the shepherds calls his flock, only his sheep will respond to his voice and make their way down to him, the others stay put. This is what Jesus is referring to in the Gospel. He is the shepherd, we are invited to listen to and respond to his voice, his call.
That image of listening to a voice is a powerful one in our lives today too. The late Pope Francis emphasised the importance of listening, listening to one another and listening with a discerning heart to the voice of the Holy Spirit deep within. The Cardinals did this during this historic week, listening to the Holy Spirit, resulting in the emergence of our new Pope, Pope Leo on Thursday evening. We remember him in prayer as he begins his calling to be our Universal Shepherd.
As we reflect upon the world today, we are experiencing war and strife, economic uncertainty, a crisis of meaning, a struggle of identity deep within many hearts. Amid these challenges, it is important to reflect on what voices we are listening to, what voices are influencing us? Is it the voice that tells us our worth is equated with how productive we are, that we are mere cogs in an economic wheel, leading to a sense of despair or is it the voice of hope and liberation, knowing that we have a dignity given to us by God and that God’s love will always invite us into a brighter future? As Christians we might ask the question where is the hope filled voice of the Gospel in our society today? The Church’s influence has changed in our society over recent years because of the revelations around some of the sinful aspects of its life, but that cannot cloud the importance and relevance of announcing the Gospel and the profound meaning it has to offer today. The humbling of the Church in recent years is bringing the Church itself back to the centrality of the Gospel, something perhaps it lost as it followed the way of power and prestige.
As we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday or Vocations Sunday, it is the day set aside to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. On a worldwide scale vocations are strong today with the emergence of the Church in Africa and Asia. But we know things are very different in this part of the world. Some propose, what I might suggest, are overly simplistic solutions to the Vocations crisis. For instance, many say that if the celibacy rule was changed it would solve the problem of vocations, I am not so sure. I think the challenge is deeper than a single issue such as celibacy. Perhaps the deeper challenge today in Western society is that of lifelong commitment. This is true of marriage also. In the past commitment to another in marriage, or the call to the priesthood was understood as taking on a lifelong commitment. In addition, in our own culture, when one entered a lifelong ‘steady pensionable job’, it was perceived as ‘making it in life’. Today, in the post-modern age, this sense of commitment has diminished. If something does not work out, one can give it up and go on to do something else. While this is advantageous in certain spheres of our lives, perhaps at a deeper level there can be a sense of fragmentation and a lack of direction. Giving one’s heart to a way of life or to someone, in faithful commitment, offers great witness and is of great value.
We have many examples of this; one very powerful example is who we celebrate today, Daniel O’Connell. He was a man who committed himself whole heartedly to two celebrated causes, Catholic Emancipation and the repeal of the Act of Union. He is generally known as a pious Catholic; however, in his formative years he was known to struggle somewhat with mainstream faith. Later he became a parishioner in Westland Row and was very close to this church, worshipping here regularly. He donated the Baptism Font – originally, I understand, a wine cooler! It has found its home here where thousands were baptised in the waters that flowed through it.
When one reflects on Daniel O’Connell’s life, one sees the value of commitment lived out in such a profound way. One could truly call it a vocation to service and justice. This weekend thousands of people across the country participated in the ‘Darkness into Light’ walk. This imagery was reflected in Daniel O’Connell’s life, liberating the Irish People from the Penal Laws, a time of darkness and brought us into an era of light and hope. He was committed to this process by peaceful means. His motivation was that every person had a unique dignity given to them by God. What a great witness and example this is to us today when we see many unjust, oppressive situations in our world where the powerful disregard the human dignity of others and crush them under the philosophy ‘might is right’. This approach would have appalled Daniel O’Connell. He was a true advocate for peace, injustice and oppression abhorred him. He wanted change, but he wanted it brought about by peaceful means. A truly prophetic approach that speaks so powerfully to us today.
I have no doubt that it was his faith in Jesus Christ that fuelled his passion for justice and peace. In his mission he faced many challenges, but he had a quiet determination, knowing deep within his own heart that the cause for justice would one day win out. As he said, and I quote: ‘I will go on quietly and slowly, but I will go on firmly, and with a certainty of success.’ Only a person of deep faith, with real hope in his heart could make such a statement. Daniel O’Connell was born 250 years ago, something that will be marked later in the year. However, his life and witness illustrate to us today how commitment to a vocation can touch the lives of so many.
As we reflect upon his witness on this ‘Good Shepherd’ Sunday, we might ask ourselves how we are living out our commitment, our vocation in life? Whether that vocation is in marriage, as a parent, as a grandparent, as a religious, as a single person, a deacon or as a priest. Is all going well or do we need to work on certain areas? Today, Vocations Sunday offers us the opportunity to reflect on our call in life and the witness we give to others.
As a community of disciples, we pray that those the Lord is calling to the priesthood or religious life would listen to his voice and respond to it without fear. Through prophetic voices and lives of witness, may the Gospel of liberation be offered anew to those who are seeking hope in a world where so many are struggling with a crisis of identity, purpose and meaning.
Bishop Dempsey with parishioners at St Andrew’s, Westland Row, after the Daniel O’Connell Mass
