Page 43 - The Gonzaga Record 1986
P. 43
In 1971 I was permitted to go to
Toro.nto, .Canada for theological
studies. This was a great experience as
the Canadians were at the time far
more advanced than we in the study
and practice of Jesuit spirituality and
the Spiritual Exercises, in pastoral
training (it was the age of the encoun-
ter gr~mp and o~ Rogerian counselling)
~n.d m. ecumemsm. The college was
JOmed m a consortium of seminaries
that included Anglicans (High and
Low), United Church and Presbyterian
as well as three Roman Catholic
Institutions. Students were encouraged
to take lectures in Colleges of the other
John Macken, SJ
denominations, although the main ex-
aminations and the syllabus remained
that of one's own college. I was
cision very private. I'm sure we weren't
the only ones to whom the idea especially grateful to a Scotsman Dr
occurred, but it wasn't something to be David Hay, for a lively introducti;n to
Presbyterian theology. My ordination
discussed.
The two years noviceship in Emo in Gonzaga Chapel in 1974 alongside
Park were much as they had been David Murphy was a memorable ex-
described in Ben Kiely's There was an perience. But it was followed, not by
andent House twenty-five years pastoral activities, but by three years
before, monastic and quiet - too of administrative work with the Jesuit
quiet some of the time! In UCD I was Provincial. I was leader of a team of
asked by Fr Charles O'Conor to study management consultants for the Irish
subjects that would prepare me for Jesuits. (The experiment has since
theology later on, so I took Hebrew been dropped!) Thereafter I was still
with Prof Dermot Ryan (later Arch- wondering what I would do when I
bishop) and Greek with Prof. Michael grew up! In fact, I returned to Fr.
Tierney jun. We took as much part in O'Conor's vision of me and went to
College life as we were allowed - Ge.rmany for seven years, studying
philosophy and theology in Tiibingen
joining College societies was permitted and Munich under Prof. Walter Kasper.
except for L & H and Dramsoc. I
enjoyed UCD and continued with it My Presbyterian training stood me in
for two more years, doing an MA good stead and I returned with a thesis
simultaneously with philosophical on the famous Swiss theologian Karl
studies in Milltown Park. But Mill- Barth, whose centenary occurs this
town was the more exciting place to be May. I began teaching theology this
then, studying with Philip McShane, year (1985-86) in Milltown Park (now a
an uncritical enthusiast for the consortium of eleven religious orders)
transcendental Thomism of Bernard and am enjoying it thoroughly.
Lonergan. A welcome interruption to
studies was the two years I spent
teaching in my old school, Crescent Charles Davy sJ
College in Limerick, which was then
beginning to go comprehensive. There Charlie was born in Dublin in 1949 .
I also did a HDip in UCC under the He came to Gonzaga in 1957 and left
direction of Fr James Good. in 1967. Was in the Jesuit novitiate
41
Toro.nto, .Canada for theological
studies. This was a great experience as
the Canadians were at the time far
more advanced than we in the study
and practice of Jesuit spirituality and
the Spiritual Exercises, in pastoral
training (it was the age of the encoun-
ter gr~mp and o~ Rogerian counselling)
~n.d m. ecumemsm. The college was
JOmed m a consortium of seminaries
that included Anglicans (High and
Low), United Church and Presbyterian
as well as three Roman Catholic
Institutions. Students were encouraged
to take lectures in Colleges of the other
John Macken, SJ
denominations, although the main ex-
aminations and the syllabus remained
that of one's own college. I was
cision very private. I'm sure we weren't
the only ones to whom the idea especially grateful to a Scotsman Dr
occurred, but it wasn't something to be David Hay, for a lively introducti;n to
Presbyterian theology. My ordination
discussed.
The two years noviceship in Emo in Gonzaga Chapel in 1974 alongside
Park were much as they had been David Murphy was a memorable ex-
described in Ben Kiely's There was an perience. But it was followed, not by
andent House twenty-five years pastoral activities, but by three years
before, monastic and quiet - too of administrative work with the Jesuit
quiet some of the time! In UCD I was Provincial. I was leader of a team of
asked by Fr Charles O'Conor to study management consultants for the Irish
subjects that would prepare me for Jesuits. (The experiment has since
theology later on, so I took Hebrew been dropped!) Thereafter I was still
with Prof Dermot Ryan (later Arch- wondering what I would do when I
bishop) and Greek with Prof. Michael grew up! In fact, I returned to Fr.
Tierney jun. We took as much part in O'Conor's vision of me and went to
College life as we were allowed - Ge.rmany for seven years, studying
philosophy and theology in Tiibingen
joining College societies was permitted and Munich under Prof. Walter Kasper.
except for L & H and Dramsoc. I
enjoyed UCD and continued with it My Presbyterian training stood me in
for two more years, doing an MA good stead and I returned with a thesis
simultaneously with philosophical on the famous Swiss theologian Karl
studies in Milltown Park. But Mill- Barth, whose centenary occurs this
town was the more exciting place to be May. I began teaching theology this
then, studying with Philip McShane, year (1985-86) in Milltown Park (now a
an uncritical enthusiast for the consortium of eleven religious orders)
transcendental Thomism of Bernard and am enjoying it thoroughly.
Lonergan. A welcome interruption to
studies was the two years I spent
teaching in my old school, Crescent Charles Davy sJ
College in Limerick, which was then
beginning to go comprehensive. There Charlie was born in Dublin in 1949 .
I also did a HDip in UCC under the He came to Gonzaga in 1957 and left
direction of Fr James Good. in 1967. Was in the Jesuit novitiate
41
