Comments on: Remembering Tom Flatley http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/ Cardinal Seán shares his reflections & experiences. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:00:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Vincent Sherlock http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/#comment-15836 Vincent Sherlock Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:04:47 +0000 http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=4481#comment-15836 Cardinal Seán, Glad to read your blog again this week and see that so much good is being done by so many. As a priest of the Diocese of Achonry, Mr. Flatley's diocese of origin, I would like to offer our sympathy to his wife and family in these days of loss and search. May they cherish the memories of Tom as husband and father and find God's consoling words in their search for peace and hope. I am a Sligo man, but don't begrudge Mayo its mention and especially the naming of the truth of its Religious landmarks in the towering stength of Croagh Patrick and the gentle silence of Knock. "Though your message was unspoken, still the truth in silence lies, so we gaze upon your vision and the truth we try to find ...." (Lady of Knock) May Tom rest in peace and may the rest of us seek always to live in and by peace. God bless you all. Cardinal Seán, Glad to read your blog again this week and see that so much good is being done by so many. As a priest of the Diocese of Achonry, Mr. Flatley’s diocese of origin, I would like to offer our sympathy to his wife and family in these days of loss and search. May they cherish the memories of Tom as husband and father and find God’s consoling words in their search for peace and hope. I am a Sligo man, but don’t begrudge Mayo its mention and especially the naming of the truth of its Religious landmarks in the towering stength of Croagh Patrick and the gentle silence of Knock. “Though your message was unspoken, still the truth in silence lies, so we gaze upon your vision and the truth we try to find ….” (Lady of Knock) May Tom rest in peace and may the rest of us seek always to live in and by peace. God bless you all.

]]> By: Dan Flatley http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/#comment-14188 Dan Flatley Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:32:44 +0000 http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=4481#comment-14188 Your Eminence: I want to wish you and the rest of the good folks of the Archdiocese best wishes as you move into your new offices in Braintree. I dropped by this morning (Thursday, July 3) to see how well the move was going and I had a chance to speak with Kevin Kiley and Father Kickham. Everybody seems thrilled. I can't help but feel so sad that my father did not live to see his beloved Archdiocese see a bright brand new day. The smiles on the faces of every employee Kevin introduced me to were wonderful to see. Someone sent my the text of the remarks delivered recently by Cardinal Avery Dulles at his final McGinley Lecture and I could not help but reflect on my father. Cardinal Dulles did not bemoan his suffering; he embraced it as a true follower of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are indeed fortunate to have such good men within the Church. Again, Your Eminence, let me thank for your support and leadership. May God continue to bless you. Dan Flatley Your Eminence:
I want to wish you and the rest of the good folks of the Archdiocese best wishes as you move into your new offices in Braintree. I dropped by this morning (Thursday, July 3) to see how well the move was going and I had a chance to speak with Kevin Kiley and Father Kickham. Everybody seems thrilled. I can’t help but feel so sad that my father did not live to see his beloved Archdiocese see a bright brand new day. The smiles on the faces of every employee Kevin introduced me to were wonderful to see. Someone sent my the text of the remarks delivered recently by Cardinal Avery Dulles at his final McGinley Lecture and I could not help but reflect on my father. Cardinal Dulles did not bemoan his suffering; he embraced it as a true follower of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are indeed fortunate to have such good men within the Church. Again, Your Eminence, let me thank for your support and leadership. May God continue to bless you.
Dan Flatley

]]> By: Pamela Ruigh http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/#comment-13242 Pamela Ruigh Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:00:22 +0000 http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=4481#comment-13242 What a wonderful blog and website! Our paths have crossed in many ways. I taught English to immigrants in Washington, DC from the late 70s to 2004. I remember watching you on TV when you went to Boston to help with the problems there. You seem to be a man truly with his inner and outer matching. Maybe you can let me discuss something weighing on my heart. I am 67 and a new Catholic. I was an Anglican but there is no Episcopal Church in the town to which I retired and the Catholic Church here is very nice. I attended RCIA for about a year and finally jumped into the Tiber and swam across. Unfortunately RCIA did not really prepare me for the recent actions of some bishops who excommunicate women who in following their call and conscience disobey Canon Law and become ordained illegally. I attended the illegal ordination of the Anglican women in the seventies and it was so life affirming and joyous. The edict of May 30 really cut me to the core of my being. I have no desire to be a priest but the fact that there is not even a dialogue with women about sharing the church structures with men and having a say on important issues is scary. Everything is all about men. Even the abuse was all about men and I think that this is why it occurred in the first place. The feminine is not embraced and integrated here. Only in Mary is there any sense of the feminine and she is so pure and holy almost as to be unreachable.Then in the same period of time, a man was refused communion from a priest because he supported Obama. Did I make a mistake in becoming a Catholic? I have always admired the Catholic church because of its contemplative spirituality and service to the poor and marginal of society. I am really in pain because the blush of new conversion was kind of slapped away by all of this. I did not receive communion today because I wanted to feel what the Sister in St Louis who was "disciplined felt. I have almost left the church over this and I can hardly bring myself to pray. I have mentioned it to my priest but he can't really say a whole lot. But I saw your website and it looked refreshing and not "right" or "left." I think RCIA needs to be more specific when dealing with "hot" issues especially with Anglicans. I had no idea how tough it would be to separate my spirituality from the "Laws" of the Church. I keep telling myself that the Trinity is above and beyond the institutional church. If I had known some of these things would happen I might have stayed a "high church" Anglican who believes in the Real Presence. You know I love Latin and Gregorian Chant and the "bells and smells" of the Catholic Church and I care little about the other so called liberal issues. I am neither conservative nor liberal. If I were younger I might have been a nun or hermit. But having been an Anglican, RCIA did not prepare me well for issues of obedience and things that just could not be discussed or done. Please pray for me. I can't even bring myself to go back to the Daily Office. In Christ, Pam What a wonderful blog and website! Our paths have crossed in many ways. I taught English to immigrants in Washington, DC from the late 70s to 2004. I remember watching you on TV when you went to Boston to help with the problems there. You seem to be a man truly with his inner and outer matching. Maybe you can let me discuss something weighing on my heart. I am 67 and a new Catholic. I was an Anglican but there is no Episcopal Church in the town to which I retired and the Catholic Church here is very nice. I attended RCIA for about a year and finally jumped into the Tiber and swam across. Unfortunately RCIA did not really prepare me for the recent actions of some bishops who excommunicate women who in following their call and conscience disobey Canon Law and become ordained illegally. I attended the illegal ordination of the Anglican women in the seventies and it was so life affirming and joyous. The edict of May 30 really cut me to the core of my being. I have no desire to be a priest but the fact that there is not even a dialogue with women about sharing the church structures with men and having a say on important issues is scary. Everything is all about men. Even the abuse was all about men and I think that this is why it occurred in the first place.
The feminine is not embraced and integrated here. Only in Mary is there any sense of the feminine and she is so pure and holy almost as to be unreachable.Then in the same period of time, a man was refused communion from a priest because he supported Obama. Did I make a mistake in becoming a Catholic? I have always admired the Catholic church because of its contemplative spirituality and service to the poor and marginal of society. I am really in pain because the blush of new conversion was kind of slapped away by all of this. I did not receive communion today because I wanted to feel what the Sister in St Louis who was “disciplined felt. I have almost left the church over this and I can hardly bring myself to pray. I have mentioned it to my priest but he can’t really say a whole lot. But I saw your website and it looked refreshing and not “right” or “left.”
I think RCIA needs to be more specific when dealing with “hot” issues especially with Anglicans. I had no idea how tough it would be to separate my spirituality from the “Laws” of the Church. I keep telling myself that the Trinity is above and beyond the institutional church. If I had known some of these things would happen I might have stayed a “high church” Anglican who believes in the Real Presence.
You know I love Latin and Gregorian Chant and the “bells and smells” of the Catholic Church and I care little about the other so called liberal issues. I am neither conservative nor liberal. If I were younger I might have been a nun or hermit. But having been an Anglican, RCIA did not prepare me well for issues of obedience and things that just could not be discussed or done. Please pray for me. I can’t even bring myself to go back to the Daily Office.
In Christ,
Pam

]]> By: Sara-Jane http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/#comment-8764 Sara-Jane Fri, 30 May 2008 14:44:49 +0000 http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=4481#comment-8764 Dear Cardinal Sean, A week from today, 48 8th graders will graduate from St. Charles School in Woburn. As their homeroom and English teacher I am looking forward to that day! Before then, I would like to have the opportunity to read them the peom you said at Mr. Flatley's funeral. It is wonderful to read at the end of someone's like, but more importantly, to read it at the beginning. Thanks, also, for the blog. It always amazes me how much you do in the course of one week! I love reading about all the places you go and the people you see. God Bless You, Sara-Jane Griffin Dear Cardinal Sean,
A week from today, 48 8th graders will graduate from St. Charles School in Woburn. As their homeroom and English teacher I am looking forward to that day! Before then, I would like to have the opportunity to read them the peom you said at Mr. Flatley’s funeral. It is wonderful to read at the end of someone’s like, but more importantly, to read it at the beginning.

Thanks, also, for the blog. It always amazes me how much you do in the course of one week! I love reading about all the places you go and the people you see.

God Bless You,
Sara-Jane Griffin

]]> By: buffy http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/#comment-8744 buffy Thu, 29 May 2008 19:41:39 +0000 http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=4481#comment-8744 Dear Cardinal Sean, I didn't know how else to reach you and I didn't want to wait until September to share this with you. On December 2nd, at the Bicentennial opening Mass, I had asked if you would give my niece Jordan a blessing, which you did. My niece Jordan had her first biopsy done, since that blessing, on May15th. We have just received the results and for the first time, in 9 years, everything was fine. I cannot thank you enough for what you did for Jordan. I hope your summer is the best. I know my family will now enjoy theirs. Thank you again, Buffy Dear Cardinal Sean,
I didn’t know how else to reach you and I didn’t want to wait until September to share this with you. On December 2nd, at the Bicentennial opening Mass, I had asked if you would give my niece Jordan a blessing, which you did. My niece Jordan had her first biopsy done, since that blessing, on May15th. We have just received the results and for the first time, in 9 years, everything was fine. I cannot thank you enough for what you did for Jordan. I hope your summer is the best. I know my family will now enjoy theirs. Thank you again, Buffy

]]> By: Dan Flatley http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/#comment-8727 Dan Flatley Thu, 29 May 2008 02:20:00 +0000 http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=4481#comment-8727 To Your Eminence and to so many others: I would like to express the depth of my gratitude to you, Your Eminence, and to Father Kickham, for your support at the time of my father's death and during the difficult days since he passed on. We have a great team leading the Archdiocese. The words of support my family has received from so many people, in letters, cards, e-mails, phone calls, etc., have been extraordinarily comforting. This has restored my faith in the good people of the Greater Boston area - most of those who responded to your blog and to the articles in the Boston Globe or the Quincy Patriot Ledger were from people I did not even know. My father carried his cross with heroic dignity; he never complained, though he lived as a virtual prisoner in his own body. ALS is a ruthless and relentless killer. I was proud to have served him through his illness. He will be missed. I will think each and every day on his Christian witness. Suffering is a part of one's life as a Christian. I believe it brought him even closer to his Master, though it wounded each of us to our very souls as his children to witness his suffering. I can have no doubt whatsoever now in the mercy of God. My father and now his brother are together, young and healthy, in a better place, beyond pain and suffering. May they rest in peace. Dan Flatley To Your Eminence and to so many others:
I would like to express the depth of my gratitude to you, Your Eminence, and to Father Kickham, for your support at the time of my father’s death and during the difficult days since he passed on. We have a great team leading the Archdiocese. The words of support my family has received from so many people, in letters, cards, e-mails, phone calls, etc., have been extraordinarily comforting. This has restored my faith in the good people of the Greater Boston area - most of those who responded to your blog and to the articles in the Boston Globe or the Quincy Patriot Ledger were from people I did not even know.
My father carried his cross with heroic dignity; he never complained, though he lived as a virtual prisoner in his own body. ALS is a ruthless and relentless killer. I was proud to have served him through his illness. He will be missed. I will think each and every day on his Christian witness. Suffering is a part of one’s life as a Christian. I believe it brought him even closer to his Master, though it wounded each of us to our very souls as his children to witness his suffering. I can have no doubt whatsoever now in the mercy of God. My father and now his brother are together, young and healthy, in a better place, beyond pain and suffering.
May they rest in peace.
Dan Flatley

]]> By: John http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/#comment-8725 John Thu, 29 May 2008 00:43:43 +0000 http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=4481#comment-8725 Hello, My name is John and I attend St. Paul's School in Hingham I just wanted to say that your blog has been very inspiring to me for the past several months and this weeks blog I like especially because I like how you mentioned Tom Flatley,and how you honored him by saying some of his goals and dreams (which were to get to heaven).My school year is ending on June 11 and I was wondering if before school ends if you would come and visit my class. This wouls be greatly appreciated. Hello,

My name is John and I attend St. Paul’s School in Hingham I just wanted to say that your blog has been very inspiring to me for the past several months and this weeks blog I like especially because I like how you mentioned Tom Flatley,and how you honored him by saying some of his goals and dreams (which were to get to heaven).My school year is ending on June 11 and I was wondering if before school ends if you would come and visit my class. This wouls be greatly appreciated.

]]> By: Hugh http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/#comment-8724 Hugh Thu, 29 May 2008 00:25:29 +0000 http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=4481#comment-8724 Hello, I am a 7th grade student from St. Paul's school. It seams as though this week's blog was once again packed with events. Tom Flatley seamed like an incredible person and a true follower of Christ. I am very glad that there was a nice funeral in honor of him and I will keep him in my prayers. Also, Cardinal Sean, I, along with many others from St.Paul's school would really appreciate it if you could stop by at or school in Hingham. Thank you for another great blog! From, Hugh Hello, I am a 7th grade student from St. Paul’s school. It seams as though this week’s blog was once again packed with events. Tom Flatley seamed like an incredible person and a true follower of Christ. I am very glad that there was a nice funeral in honor of him and I will keep him in my prayers. Also, Cardinal Sean, I, along with many others from St.Paul’s school would really appreciate it if you could stop by at or school in Hingham.
Thank you for another great blog!

From,
Hugh

]]> By: Johnny http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/#comment-8723 Johnny Thu, 29 May 2008 00:21:10 +0000 http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=4481#comment-8723 Dear Cardinal Sean, My name is Johnny and I attend St. Paul's School in Hingham, Massachusetts. What another great blog! This was one of the best blogs I have read. I enjoyed ever part of this week's blog but the part I enjoyed most was the part about you getting to do the honors for the Mass for Tom Flatley. It sounds like he was a great person and I am sure that God will take care of him well. I hope that the family realizes that he is now in a better place with God. I will try to keep him and his family in my prayers. Hopefully you will be able to make it to the South Shore this year or maybe even next year. Hope to see another great blog from you again next week. Dear Cardinal Sean,
My name is Johnny and I attend St. Paul’s School in Hingham, Massachusetts. What another great blog! This was one of the best blogs I have read. I enjoyed ever part of this week’s blog but the part I enjoyed most was the part about you getting to do the honors for the Mass for Tom Flatley. It sounds like he was a great person and I am sure that God will take care of him well. I hope that the family realizes that he is now in a better place with God. I will try to keep him and his family in my prayers. Hopefully you will be able to make it to the South Shore this year or maybe even next year. Hope to see another great blog from you again next week.

]]> By: Caroline K. http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/05/23/remembering-tom-flatley/#comment-8721 Caroline K. Wed, 28 May 2008 23:31:48 +0000 http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/?p=4481#comment-8721 Dear Cardinal Sean, My name is Caroline K. from St. Paul School in Hingham, Ma. I always enjoy reading your blog! I am sorry to hear about the death of Tom Flatley. As we finish out the year, my seventh grade class always looks forward to reading your blog. We would all appreciate a visit from you before our summer vacation. ~~~Caroline K.~~~ Dear Cardinal Sean,
My name is Caroline K. from St. Paul School in Hingham, Ma. I always enjoy reading your blog! I am sorry to hear about the death of Tom Flatley. As we finish out the year, my seventh grade class always looks forward to reading your blog. We would all appreciate a visit from you before our summer vacation.
~~~Caroline K.~~~

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