By Gretchen R. Crowe
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 11/18/04)

Nestled 3,405 miles away from Northern Virginia, All Hallows College in Dublin, Ireland, is seemingly in a different world. But the connection between this small "centre for mission and ministry" and St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington is concrete. Father Gerry Creedon, pastor, attended All Hallows before he traveled from Ireland to Northern Virginia to become a priest in what was then the Diocese of Richmond.

On Saturday, Nov. 13, nearly 50 parishioners gathered at St. Charles for a special presentation by All Hallows lecturer Father Tony Draper called "Footprints of God in the Poetry of Ireland." The presentation, using poems such as "Mary Magdalene" by Brendan Kennelly and "Good Friday" by Francis Harvey, explored aspects of spirituality in modern Irish poetry with the goal of giving Arlington parishioners the opportunity to experience a taste of an All Hallows education.

Father Draper, head of the departments of English and spirituality, is known for delving into modern Irish poetry to find spiritual meaning, thereby providing, as Father Creedon says, a "very interesting way of capturing faith in the world of imagination."

The presentation was part of an ongoing campaign focused on raising support and awareness for the "oasis of spirituality," he said.

In the 162-year span of All Hallows history, 1,500 priests have traveled to the United States to minister. Currently 270 All Hallows graduates, including Father Creedon, serve in the United States either in churches as pastors, associate pastors or youth ministers, or in education as lecturers, teachers or university administrators. Three even serve as bishops — including Bishop Raymond J. Boland of Kansas City, Mo., who made a special appearance at the conference.

According to Father Creedon, with the current shortage of priests, the school that once produced so many religious men has now taken on the new role of providing a "spiritual home for people" and a place of "renewal for priests and sisters." As well as serving as a place of renewal for religious, the school is also a popular training ground for lay ministers, he said.

With the vocation shortage, more and more lay people are taking active roles their parishes, Father Creedon said. All Hallows serves as "an accredited university where they get training."

He also said that All Hallows is known for its hospitality. "I would love to think that my parishioners think of All Hallows as a spiritual home."

Father Mark Noonan, president of All Hallows, was also at St. Charles promoting All Hallows and encouraging support — both financial and spiritual — from the attendees. "We want to develop our courses to provide the best possible training and information," he said. Although there are a number of ways in which the school needs revitalizing, the biggest problem, he said, is that the libraries are "totally inadequate and outdated."

Father Noonan said that although the campaign for All Hallows has visited many locations in the United States and held small receptions to encourage support, this was the first time they attempted to integrate a poetry seminar into their campaign.

Those who attended the program gave a variety of reasons for doing so. Mary Beth Campfield said she was present because of her interest in poetry and of the "integration of spirituality and prayer into poetry," and was hoping the experience would help her grow.

Rayna Richardson, a parishioner at St. Charles, said she was interested in learning about the history of All Hallows.

Jane Richardson, also from St. Charles, has an Irish heritage and said she was "intrigued by the invitation" and "fascinated by the fact that the college is Father Creedon’s alma mater." Richardson also said she was hoping that the program would help renew her spiritually.

"I am hoping to get a closer relationship to God and looking for a clearer meaning," she said. "I hope I can feel that."

As Father Draper began his lecture, he told his audience that "trying to see God at times is like trying to see a footprint in water."

But, he said, some poems "intertwine literature and poetry with spirituality" resulting in "finding God in the intricate wonder of words."

As the presentation progressed, Benedict Hall was transformed into a classroom, with grown-up students bantering back and forth on meanings of words and interpretations of lines — one claiming preference of one poem over another, only to have another claim it back.

"That’s the beauty of poetry," Father Draper said, sparking laughter.

Jane McCarthy, a member of the All Hallows College Washington Advisory Committee, said that it was important to give communities in the United States an idea of what goes on at All Hallows College and how important it is for it to continue, saying that "the seminars bring All Hallows to you in the hopes that you will go to All Hallows."

In the meantime, pick up a modern Irish poetry book and read "Holy Thursday" by Paul Muldoon.