Fr Seamus Maguire

Today we begin a series of short stories by Fr Seamus Maguire that have been inspired, for the most part, by his experiences as chaplain at the San Fernando GeneralHospital.
Fr Seamus hopes that this series of anecdotes may help to foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
In an introductory note he writes: “If we can help any young man (even ONE) recognise the ‘call’ that is in his heart, we have done a wonderful thing.”
Fr Seamus served the San Fernando Parish between 1995 and 2006. He has since returned to West Virginia, USA.

When they moved the AIDS patients from the “old hospital” to the “New AIDS Ward”, Ursula was one of the first to go there. Her mother used to visit her quite often, but she could ill-afford the $6.00 or $7.00 for transportation from Princes Town.

Through the help of Fr Rex, I got some booklets in large print on the basic Catholic prayers. Ursula would read these prayers and reflect on them, as she tried to bring some meaning and spirituality into those otherwise bleak days in the AIDS ward.

But she had an added cross placed on her shoulders. Her child of about three years had contracted HIV. When he was feeling energetic he would run all over the ward as he played with his toys, giving an occasional squeal or scream, which no doubt irritated the other patients.

He was finally sent to the hospital for children with AIDS and when he returned after a few months, he had deteriorated so much that even Ursula prayed that God would take him soon.

Ursula wanted him baptised, and that was an honour and privilege for me to perform. As you can see, there is no “happy ending” to those in the AIDS ward except in the “spiritual sense” i.e. knowing that these good people had suffered so much in life, God would lovingly embrace them after their death.

To these good souls, Pope John Paul II was a wonderful example of how to persevere in pain and sufferings, until God finally called them home.

Oh, there was one bright spot in Ursula’s later years. It was in the person of a young man named Matthew. He had AIDS, but was not yet a “bed” patient, so he would come almost daily just to sit by the bed of Ursula, and murmur a word now and then. He always muttered.

Ursula had become a good friend of mine, so the least I could do was pay for a proper funeral, and say the service at the funeral home. She was Catholic.

So often people see the priest say Mass, give a homily, attend funerals or give the Sacrament of Penance, Baptism etc… but there is another side to a priest’s life. He does get involved in LIFE. He is there when people need him most.

He cannot afford to worry about picking up diseases of one sort or another. Those who don’t know his full life can easily despise him because he has chosen such a “dull life”.

These anecdotes should disillusion such people. I challenge all who feel the thrill in giving themselves to others, as I do, to read these articles weekly and see if a priestly life is essentially dull, or if on the contrary it is full of excitement.