www.prisonsweek.org/2010

For some time in our Justice and Peace group we have been trying to find some way to highlight the fact that prisoners, irrespective of what they have done, must be treated with humanity and respect. This is probably the most difficult project we have ever been involved in. While it is easy to drum up support for people affected by floods or famine and our parish of St Mary's have supported our projects very well, support for prisoners is proving difficult even for members of our own group.

Once again Prisonsweek is upon us 21st - 27th November and we in St Mary's Justice and Peace group have set ourselves the challenge to do something to mark the week. Through work I found the website http://www.prisonsweek.org/2010 which has a wealth of stuff to download. There is a lovely prayer leaflet on the home page and about halfway down the page there is a link to another page which is full of reflective diaries from prisoners, chaplains, governors, mothers and many more involved in the day to day life of prisoners.
I am hoping that our parish will be able to use these resources in the liturgies over this week.
The church in Ireland have, in their wisdom, dropped prisoner week from the liturgical calendar and replaced it with Restorative Justice Sunday.

Pains and Aches

Plans for Saturday went pear shaped.  Back from the NCT centre and feeling horrible, could not get heat into my body even sitting on top of the fire.  Went to bed about three o clock with two hot water bottles shivering with the cold and slept until 7pm, out for the count I went and woke feeling somewhat better.  I don't know what it was, maybe emotional but I was just exhausted.  Sunday was little better so I took it easy, watched 84 Charing Cross Road and Miss Potter and knitted almost the back of a cardigan.
Since the weekend I have had sleepless nights, joints all along my right side are painful even to the fingers on my right hand.  I cannot sleep on either side or it is painful I have to sleep on my back.  It could be a virus, couple of days if it is not any better I will visit the doctor.  Brenda said to have a blood test, I could not even consider what the upshot of that might be.
Work was very busy today being pulled from Billy to Jack, well at least Brian to Jim.  It was just the same in every office in the building, a sense of stress and the Conference isn't even on next week.  I refused to get drawn into the panic and stress.   I find saying a few Hail Mary's or singing a chorus of a song helps to calm my mind.  I am inclined to obsess about things at times and find that helps.
What also helps is finding a really difficult song and trying to learn it, singing it over in your mind endlessly, its like cracking a puzzle.
Now watching George Clooney as Batman, nice.

This is my life

I am sitting in the waiting room at the NCP test centre in Fonthill. Some people stand at the window and watch their cars progress up the test lane. I sit as far back as I can. I don't want to witness the mechanic finding out whats wrong with it.

Broken tail light, will they fail me on that, problem with the cooling system which I have spent a fortune on and still not right, will they find that. Will they write the car off? Bit of torture this early on Saturday morning. Ok angels, see what ye can do. A sausage sandwich would be nice now.

Today I will try and catch up with some housework, tidy my bedroom, put away summer clothes.
It is very definately autumn now, leaves are changing colour rapidly this is a great chance for photographers to get out and about and get some nice shots. There is something about the light in autumn, it is softer and kinder than summer light.

Back home now from the NCT test centre. The car failed on 4 things. Low brake oil, broken tail light, two broken lights nearside and other side. I have to fix them and bring it back and they will check it, no cost. Not so bad I guess.

Called into Boots on the way home to get shower cream and shampoo and other bathroom essentials, I shopped wisely and got a pile of stuff for €28 which should keep us clean for another month.

I have been troubled and upset about something over the last day or so, the details I cannot go into here and leaving Boots this morning, having mulled it over in my mind and decided to make a clean break. I sat into the car, which had been cleared out for the NCT and at the corner of my eye I saw a picture of St Therese down in the pocket of the door, it had not been there earlier, I picked it up and read the lines underneath which were a quote from St Therese, "Love is all that matters, that's all I have to say". The tears spilled out of my eyes and I had a good cry, what it meant I don't know. Maybe it is just a coincidence, but there have been too many of them of late.

The song I am going to learn, This is my life I think it just about sums it up for me.

Funny how a lonely day, can make a person say:
What good is my life
Funny how a breaking heart, can make me start to say:
What good is my life
Funny how I often seem, to think I'll find never another dream
In my life
Till I look around and see, this great big world is part of me
And my life
This is my life
Today, tomorrow, love will come and find me
But that's the way that I was born to be
This is me
This is me

This is my life
And I don't give a damn for lost emotions
I've such a lot of love I've got to give
Let me live
Let me live

Sometime when I feel afraid, I think of what a mess I've made

Of my life
Crying over my mistakes, forgetting all the breaks I've had
In my life
I was put on earth to be, a part of this great world is me
And my life
Guess I'll just add up the score, and count the things I'm grateful for
In my life
This Is my life
Today, tomorrow, love will come and find me
But that's the way that I was born to be
This is me
This is me

This is my life
And I don't give a damn for lost emotions
I've such a lot of love I've got to give
Let me live
Let me live

This is my life
This is my life
This is my life

Fed Up

I'm so fed up with AIB - thats Anglo Irish Bank
With Fine Gael and Brian Cowen
And all the beer he drank

With bonds and billions
record highs 
Economists and bale outs

While every day
they mess around 
with our wages for their payouts

Why should WE pay for their screw ups?

Why should WE toe the line?
Why should the Government expect it?

of this Tiger in decline?

But today I ask a question

That causes me unease

WHO THE BLAZES OWNS ME?

AND CAN I HAVE ME BACK PLEASE

Wednesday

Sleepless night last night went into a deep sleep at 7 when Mary went. Good that Mary and Bernadette sharing a room. The morning was bright when I finally woke at 8. There ws a beautiful view from my window overlooking the nearby mountains. Showered and got ready to go out. Grotto Mass was 9.15 Meeting at quarter to nine at the rose statue. When I got there none of the group were there so I went to the grotto but they were not there either. After waiting a while they started to gsther.

Lourdes Pilgrimage

One day a few weeks ago I was looking at an article about Lourdes and just thought that it would be nice to go there again. It was out of the question of course with two sets of college fees to be paid and all that went with them. Something was nagging at me to go and I said a prayer to OurLady that if she wants me there to get me the fare somehow. Two days later I was presented with a bank draft which would pay my fare. Why? I don't know. Did Our Lady want me there or was it just a coincidence. Only time will tell. Sitting here in Dublin Airport flight delayed an hour. No hurry no fuss.

God bless all on this Pilgrimage.