PAUL CASTLEY MSC, BOOK LAUNCH, A TIME TO HOPE.
St Thomas’ parish, Blackburn, and its PP, Terry Bowman MSC, hosted the occasion of the launching of Paul Castley’s new book, A Time to Hope.
Brian Gallagher was MC and launching the book was Greg Bourke of Melbourne Archdiocese, Executive Secretary of the Bishops Commission for Church Ministry and Director of its Office for Clergy Life and Ministry. Paul responded as did publisher Hugh Mc Ginley of Coventry Press. (This is the 7th book in the last 18 months by MSC authors published by Coventry Press.)
Greg began by remembering the contribution of the MSC to the Northern Territory, the time of Cyclone Tracey…
This is our time…it is in the threshold of paradox that we stand. This is what we hope for and this area of paradox is where, I feel, Paul pitches his book. Is it mere optimism or a matter of cheering up? What is Hope? Is Christian hope a pious form of denial?
Paul suggests and quotes many mystics who describe this paradox of our times. That it is not a matter of pressing the resurrection button and all the lights go on. Rather, it is a mature process of a life-long acknowledgment of becoming more aware as he says in Chapter 7 when we are paralysed, to pray as we are, and not as we think we ought to be, to be open to life experience, feelings and thoughts. Here the missionary spirit of the heart is expressed by Paul. To move away from the scandal of harshness in spirituality to the qualities of Jesus (according to the MSC perspective) tenderness, affection, loyalty, courage and challenge.
I loved the encouraging comment by Julian Norwich that God is grateful to us.
We are encouraged by Paul to lament the aging of our congregations, the declining numbers, the absence of the young, the lack of influence the church has, indeed the end of Christendom.
Paul paints a picture for us imagining Baruch, Jeremiah’s secretary writing his lamenting texts sitting in the ruins of Jerusalem after the Babylonians left, at another stage he invokes psalm 22… My God My God, why have you abandoned me, which concludes with calm, praise and mission.
Brian Gallagher
It made me think of the MSC spirituality which oozes from his book, of the destruction of the church in France post revolution.
Another image of the cyclone which, yes, brings destruction but therefore great change, a death but paradoxically a birth; a flourishing of new vitality, new spirituality of the heart. A time for hope.
This book had its genesis in addressing the hearts of priests. The request to publish came from their sense of connection, that somewhere hope was stirred, by Paul, a hope that is more than optimism. Using some of the chapter titles of Paul’s , these are Pastors who know well what it is like ‘When the Well Runs Dry’ but who still find a reason to hope, in the middle of lament, and when feeling a paralysis in ministry remember they are being united to the Passion of Christ, knowing once again that He is Risen. And so the men asked for publication. Why wouldn’t they?
Hugh McGinley.
Walter Bruggeman, the scripture scholar says there are three signs of a prophet…1. One who weeps, laments…2. One who offers a vision of the Gospel… 3 one who suffers and dies and grows.
In this sense the book is prophetic.
I loved the scene described by Paul when, he after walking from Canterbury to Rome, finds himself welcomed into St Peter’s sacristy, standing in the smelly, dirty rags only a pilgrim knows in the presence of prelates and princes of the church who welcome Paul’s humility and vulnerability. Earlier in the book, Paul described a Mr Robinson, equally dirty and smelly who came to Paul’s door, hopefully. Is this the face of Christ?
Michael Casey of Tarrawarra , describes the School of Christ as…1. Following 2. Imitation…3. Likeness…4. Participation in the heart of God
Paul through his writing demonstrates he has been well formed in the School of Christ.
Paul’s book A Time to Hope, with encouragement, reminds us that these are truly exciting times to be a Christian. This is so because we stand on the threshold of a new time, God’s graciousness is alive. We can nod in agreement with Julian of Norwich… all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.
This is not an optimism. There is a saying… where there is life there is hope… but this is not true because sometimes life is hopeless. Rather, what is true is that where there is hope there is life. This is a Time to Hope.
