It would be terrible if we were fooled in the two worlds

This week’s INM/Mediahuis Irish regional newspapers’ column.

Michael Commane

It’s a year since Fr Ned Foley died. He died on December 18, 2021 at the noble age of 99. I’m sure I’ve mentioned him in this column on more than one occasion. He was a wonderful human being. 

He had great pair of hands. He made the fruit bowel on my kitchen table and explained to me the intricacies of the working of a domestic hot water system.

In one of our conversations before he died I asked him did he believe in God and the afterlife. He looked at me and said: ‘Yes, I do, but if there be no God Michael, we’ll never find out. Clever. I was reminded of his comment last week, when someone recalled how her aunt once turned to an elderly man, who was recognised as a holy person, and said to him ‘wouldn’t it be terrible if we were fooled in the two worlds’.

It’s a brilliant comment. It’s funny but it’s a lot more than funny, it’s sharp, cuttingly sharp, indeed, so sharp it immediately confronts one with the entire mystery of our lives and makes us ask the ultimate question, is there anything beyond the grave. I can still see the questioning face of Fr Foley when I asked him did he believe in God.

Another Dominican, John O’Gorman, who died far too young at 57 in 2003, also an extremely talented and gifted person, was a strong advocate in allowing men to retire from priesthood if they so wished. The rationale behind his thinking was that he knew priests who no longer believed in God and would have served the church far better by leaving ministry.

The God question is a big one and like all big questions it’s easy to shirk away from it.

The older I get the more intriguing I’m finding it all. When I hear people say they don’t believe in God an emotional sadness comes over me. And then when I hear people shout from the rooftops about the existence of God I’m inclined to slink away and say to myself surely God can’t be like that. When I hear people talk about religious obligations and commands I’m more than confused.

But something I cannot at all take is when people say to me that because I am a priest I must know more about heavenly matters and God. That is bunkum. For example I know that my parents were far holier and better than I could ever be.

I’d love if there were some space, some possibility where there could be a genuine and open dialogue or conversation about what it means to believe in God. How do I see God? Is it possible for me to paint a picture of God in a different way than my antecedents?

I’m thinking of Patrick Pearse’s line, The beauty of the world hath made me sad…

The mystery and beauty of God is beyond my comprehension. But when I meet good and honest people I think I’m reminded of God. My parents remind me of God.

What about making a new year’s resolution to ask some serious, outside the box questions about God and our relationship with God.

Happy New Year.