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Telcordia
Technologies is an American company commanding 80% of the
telecommunication business in the U.S.A.
In January of this year they decided to expand their business to
Europe and came to Ireland to recruit new staff. In their advertising
campaign “How far will your vision take you”, they outlined the
calibre of the people they were looking for.
They
were seeking creative thinkers, possessing the ability to see beyond
current needs, could overcome obstacles and achieve results with teamwork,
versatility,and focus. The successful candidates would be expected to build
relationships with key decision makers and achieve accord in complex
situations.
We
can see clearly why this company commands 80% of the market. They
understand the truth in the saying, “that we can build a future as
great as our dream will allow.”
Our future is limited only by the vision within us. The prophet
Habakkuk recognizes this same truth when he encourages the people of
Israel:
“Write
the vision down, inscribe it on tablets to be easily read,
since this
vision is for its own time only: eager for its own fulfilment, it does not
deceive; if it comes slowly wait, for come it will, without fail.”
 Fr.
Thomas Fagan, CM is also a man who believed in encouraging people to
fulfil their dreams. It is with great sadness that we received the news of his
death last week. He first arrived in St. Peter’s in 1971, after
thirty-three years in All Hallows College, working with young men enabling
them to fulfil their dreams of becoming priests. He had the distinction of
becoming our first Parish Priest in 1975 with the establishment of St.
Peter’s as a parish. The vision he possessed was to carry the parish to
places only dreamed of. In the period of his leadership he guided the
community and parish to negotiate the changes of the Second Vatican
Council, overseeing the restructuring of the sanctuary, and the founding
of Phibsboro Aid, to help elderly women who had become homeless. The
parish also saw the introduction of the Luncheon Club, which provided
meals and a social gathering for the elderly of the neighbourhood. His
passing brings to an end an important chapter in our history. With his
death we might hear him say the words of St. Paul “You have been
entrusted with something precious; guard it with the help of the Holy
Spirit that lives in you.”
In
this community we have women and men drawing their inspiration from the
person of Jesus Christ and St.
Vincent de Paul. Over the years they have fanned into a flame the gift of
baptism, that God gave them. However, Habakkuk reminds us that the vision
is for our time only. A new vision is needed now if we are to keep the
flame alive.
If the
Vincentian tradition is to be preserved, we need to encourage our young
people to draw inspiration from Jesus Christ and St. Vincent; to be
creative in their thinking, to write down their vision for their time and
to work together as a team building a future as great as their dreams
allow. The only thing that can stop them is their failure to dream dreams.
Fr.
Sean Farrell, CM.
Fr.
Fagan R.I.P. - A
Parishioner pays tribute
My
earliest recollection of being the recipient of Fr. Fagan’s kindness was
many years ago when my father was gravely ill. I has no transport and he
carried myself and my sister to the hospital some miles away, and waited
quietly and patiently for us while we spent a long visit with my dad.
He
was always so happy to welcome a new family member into the church. He had
an obvious “soft spot” for new babies, and his signature appears on the
Baptismal Certificate of most of my children. He always made the ceremony a
warm and memorable occasion. Sometimes he did not look well, but he would
grin and joke, with a twinkle in his eye that told the world... Here was a
man so happy to be doing God’s work.
When
death visited our home and enveloped us all in indescribable grief Fr. Fagan
was first into our kitchen… to pray with us… to offer comfort where
comfort was not possible… to be with us. I remember once on a bitter
winter day, when terrible trouble had come to our door, he braved biting
winds and driving rain, his frail figure arched against the storms in
determination to be our support.
More
recently I visited him in his place of retirement. I found him sitting
contentedly in his chair, facing the bright sun-light that was streaming in
the window “Are you alright Father?” I inquired. He gestured towards the
sun and said “Sure, I’m alright… God our loving Father is up there
waiting to call me home”. Now that he is gone home, I’m sure he’ll
never cease to pray for all of us he left behind.
Elena
(Parishioner of St.
Peter's Phibsboro)
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