Remembering Bishop Owen Dolan

 

In today's Gospel, Jesus says, ''I am the bread of life.'' (John 6:35). Whenever I hear those words I remember my time in Chile when I had the opportunity to arrange for groups of youth to go on summer holidays. On one occasion with 30 youth we went to farm in the South owned by a New Zealand friend. Once we were out all day, walking and swimming and arrived home tired and hungry. A meal was ready but there was no bread. Not one of the young people would eat without bread. It took an hour and a half to mix and knead the flour then cook it. Only then did the youth sit down to eat. Jesus is reminding us that his presence in our lives is like the bread that is such an important part of a meal in some cultures. As Christians, we know how the teaching of Jesus, his presence, not just in the Eucharist, but in the orientation that he gives to every aspect of our lives is as important for us as bread was for the Chilean youth.

 

Yesterday, we attended the funeral of a great friend of the Columbans whose lifelong motto was, ''May the same mind be in me that was in Christ Jesus.'' He was Bishop Owen Dolan, retired auxiliary bishop of Palmerston North who died at the age of 96. When he was young, Owen wanted to join the Columbans but doctors advised against it because of a health problem. He was finally accepted as a diocesan priest in Wellington Diocese where he served in parishes and as Vicar General before finally fulfilling his dream by going to Peru as a Columban associate. On his visits to Wellington from Palmerston North, he always stayed with us here in Lower Hutt regaling us with many stories and memories. He was a great friend to us and hundreds of others. Adios Amigo.