A quiet space offers staff a chance to relax and recharge

This week’s Mediahuis Irish regional newspapers’  column.

Michael Commane

A cousin of mine, who works here in Ireland for a multi national corporation, received a call from a colleague in Paris, asking what was the possibility of the company having a ‘nap room’.  

My cousin’s initial reaction was that it was a ridiculous idea but he decided to survey other sites around the world. To his surprise he found that several of them had a room set aside for either prayer or meditation, sometimes called a ‘Calm Room’.

Whether it was a coincidence or because it was on his mind, the following day he saw a colleague in a small room roll out a mat to say their prayers facing Mecca. 

The room is usually used for private phone calls and not suitable for much else. 

It dawned on him that this is exactly what the caller from Paris was talking about. And he could see why there was need for a private space, where people can get away from their work,  meditate and yes, maybe on occasion have a short nap. 

I can hear you laughing and saying to yourself that I’m suggesting people should be allowed sleep while on the job. 

I spent eight years working in a hospital, which provides a silent room where staff can relax and take a short break. It is a brilliant idea and is proving a great success for staff. 

I found it a great place to relax, unwind and power up my batteries.

People use it at all hours of the day and I think I can say with certainty that it is not being abused.

How easy it is for something to be lost in translation. Of course the French man was not looking for a place to sleep, he was looking for a space where staff could take a few minutes out, gather their thoughts and relax. And how such a room, besides giving new life to body and soul, also improves a relationship of goodwill between management and staff. A ‘nap room’ is a powerful and positive addition to the workplace. It provides a sanctuary, gives staff more energy and drives us on to do a better job.

Besides that, it helps break down the ‘them versus us’ mentality that can so easily plague the workplace. 

Less stick more carrot always works. When workers are content and happy in their employment they have a far better chance of giving of their best. It has often crossed my mind that companies and organisations are inclined to use HR departments as the mouthpiece of management. HR is what it says on the tin - human resources - and a major part of its remit is to take good care of employees.

When staff feel appreciated and wanted it’s as sure as night follows day that they will give of their best to the job. A chill-out room certainly goes a long way in making staff feel good towards their employer, 

Indeed it will also help give workers a sense of their own worth. But not a good idea to it call it a ‘nap room’. And for all sorts of reasons.

Al Pacino experience on near death and a father again

Al Pacino was interviewed by Colin Paterson on BBC News last evening. It was a most interesting and powerful 30 minutes of television. 

Pacino spoke about his near encounter with death and how it’s fun to be a father again at 84. How he misspends his money and lost it all.

The interview was first broadcast on BBC 2 on October 25 at 9pm.

It’s well worth a watch.

Is it possible for Ukraine to turn the tide on Russia?

In recent days a senior Ukrainian general has criticised the tactics of his president, pointing out that Ukraine is too dependent on Western support. The general said it as the Russians continue to make advances in the east.

On this day, October 4, 1956 Soviet troops entered Hungary to quell the uprising that began on October 23. Thousands of Hungarians were killed and close to 250,000 people left the country.

Without Nato direct intervention is it possible for Ukraine to defend itself against the vast resources of Russia? 

It looks bleak and bleak for the world too.

Today is also the anniversary of the assassination  in 1995 of Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin by an extremist Israeli. A great blow for peace and justice in the Middle East.

Twenty second anniversary of death of John O’Gorman OP

Today Sunday November 3 is the 22nd anniversary of the death of John O’Gorman. Sunday November 3, 2002 was also a Sunday.

John was a friend and colleague of mine.
The appreciation, which is printed below, appeared in 'The Irish Times' some days after John's sudden death in Limerick.

It is the first anniversary of the death of former Dominican Brian O’Neill. Brian left priesthood some short few years after ordination. He was a gentleman to his fingertips, a kind and gracious person.

JOHN James O’Gorman was born in Blarney Street in 1945, attending the North Monastery Christian Brothers School in Cork. He was one of their brilliant young men, obtaining a scholarship to UCC. But John instead of going on to university joined the Dominican Order in September 1962. He was professed the following year and ordained a priest in 1969.
John O’Gorman stood out as a shining light. Most of all he was a man of absolute integrity. But he was also endowed with brilliant intelligence.

After priestly ordination he did post graduate theology in Rome and remained on at the Irish Dominican community in San Clemente as bursar.

He spoke Italian like a Roman, at least so said his neighbours on the Via Labicana. But he never lost his Blarney Street accent.

John was not happy with Rome and the Roman scene. His first love was always science and mathematics. He began postgraduate work in Maths while in Rome.

Fr John Heuston, a brother of the 1916 man, himself a fine mathematician, admitted that he had never before met someone with such mathematical talent.

John came home to Ireland in 1976 and moved to the Dominican Community at Newbridge and did his H.Dip at Maynooth.

Without any formal degree in Mathematics, he blazed a trail of brilliance through Newbridge College. What were just normal results, John turned into spectacular performances. And by the time of his last year at the school, there were two streams in sixth year doing Higher Level Maths in the Leaving Cert.

But he was also there for the not so clever. Anyone who sat at John’s feet in Newbridge will remember him as a brilliant and fair teacher.

John was endowed with both a practical and speculative intelligence.

In the early ’80s he began to develop an interest in Computer Science and did a PhD in computing at the University of Limerick.
This led to a career in lecturing at the college, a job he much loved.

He was meticulous in everything he did. While Mathematics and teaching were his first love there were other sides to this faithful son of St Dominick.

He walked every by-road of Ireland, climbed to the top of every mountain and had a knowledge of roads and rivers and mountains that was just simply breath taking.

John also took his theology seriously and had a profound knowledge of the Bible and was familiar with modern theological thinking.
But he was never at home with his priesthood. 

It might have been his Roman experience, it’s difficult to say. In the mid eighties he requested permission to resign from priesthood while remaining a Dominican. As he expected Rome found it difficult to put its head around such an idea and John’s request was placed on a shelf somewhere and forgotten. But John, the man of faith and logic that he was, retired himself from all sacramental ministry. The Order granted John his request.

But most of all John was a dear friend, someone who was always there to give the best of advice and help.

He had absolutely no time for show or pretension and lived the most simple of lives.
He carried his intelligence easily but never used it as a tool to lord it over anyone.

He was a member of the provincial council of the Irish Dominicans and took his responsibility in a most serious fashion.

John, the man of integrity and vision, had no time for bluff or show. But above all, any signs of obfuscation annoyed him intensely.

He had little time for people in authority who attempted to take short cuts and he had no mercy for Dominican superiors whom he felt were not living up to their responsibility.

He was a true democrat, moulded by the constitutions of the Order, so when he felt superiors or communities where lack lustre in their living out their calling to St Dominick he had no problem letting people know his views.

He was in some ways a private man but was always there for his friends and he would go to any distance to help and support. I know.

John was a physically fit man, could walk up to 20 miles a day. He took good care of himself. And yet, John died in his room in the Dominican Community in Limerick on Sunday evening of a massive heart attack.

He is survived by his brother Andrew, sister-in-law Emer, niece Fiona, nephews, Rory and Mark, and his Dominican brothers.
I have lost a dear friend.
May he rest in peace.
Michael Commane.

Halloween is gaudy but not an intoduction to paganism

The Irish Catholic of October 31 carries a number of articles on topics including The re-paganising of Ireland; No country for young people; Halloween being a wasteland of tack and pointless gory imagery; Simplistic to present the 1980s as a dark and repressive time; Love in the age of anti-Catholicism, Halloween and the worship of false gods.

Is Ireland really as bad and nasty as this? Unlikely.

Yes, Halloween has become a commercial  tawdry event, where silly skeletal figures are placed in shops and houses are festooned with gaudy vulgar plastic. It is nonsensical, making a lot of money for the grocery and other trades. Children are persuaded to indulge in the worst of food and waste money on ugly plastic rubbish.

There may well be  something about it all that is not right but is it not an exaggeration to argue that it is a sign of our returning to paganism?

There are many questions to be asked, reality is always nuanced.

Anyone who saw Leathered on RTÉ 1 Television on Wednesday evening would realise that our State was a sick place when children were systematically tortured in the classroom, many of them by religious sisters, brothers and priests. The State allowed it to happen. Provincials and bishops turned a blind eye to the bad behaviour of their members. Our schools are a much safer and healthier place today. Today children like going to school. In ‘Catholic Ireland' they were frightened beyond belief as a result of the savagery that was meted out to them.

Ireland is a far better place today under the law of the State than it was under the control of Canon Law.

All words of kindness are much more effective, far more convincing and authentic than condemning and criticising the  vagaries of the day.

Self-respect is a central key to democracy

Most likely it was ‘the deplorables’ that finished it for Hillary Clinton. Will it be Joe Biden’s ‘garbage’ that will ruin Kamala Harris’ chances of being US president.

Is democracy nearing its use-by-date? It seems as if it has passed its best-by-date.

"To safeguard democracy the people must have a keen sense of independence, self-respect, and their oneness.”

- Gandhi