REMARKS AT A RECEPTION FOR FR. MICHAEL SINNOTT ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN TUESDAY, 15TH DECEMBER, 2009
REMARKS AT A RECEPTION FOR FR. MICHAEL SINNOTT ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN TUESDAY, 15TH DECEMBER, 2009
Dia dhíbh a cháirde agus fáilte céad míle fáilte chuig Áras an Uachtaráin inniu. I am delighted to welcome Fr. Michael Sinnott and his family here today. 2009 is a year many of us are unlikely to forget for it has been such a difficult year in a variety of ways but some of its stories of triumph in the face of adversity brought us delight and renewed hope.
One such story was yours Fr. Michael. It started out badly, for the kidnapping of a priest of almost eighty, who was not in the full of his health had the potential to be a tragedy with small chance of a happy ending. Yet here you are among us today Fr. Michael and it is a privilege to welcome here a man of remarkable resilience, courage and grace under fire. I welcome you warmly and your family, your colleagues in the Columban Fathers, your friends and those who participated in the effort to secure your release.
Ironically your kidnapping gave us an opportunity to learn more about the work you do so quietly and modestly in the Phillipines and which brings such benefit to the people and such high regard for the Columbans and for Ireland. We were reminded of the ongoing, low-profile but high-impact work of care and goodness that Irish missionaries perform around the globe as they have done for generations. It is work which is fraught with danger as you have good cause to know and as we saw so savagely this week with news of the dreadful murder of yet another Irish missionary in Kenya, Fr. Jeremiah Roche. To his family and Kiltegan colleagues we send our condolences. Ar Dheis De go raibh a anam uasal.
Fr. Micheal, you will by now know of the enormous effort both publicly and discreetly which went in to securing your safety, your health and your release. Your family, your colleagues in the Columbans, the Irish government and people refused to countenance defeat and were tireless in their efforts and their prayers. So too were the President and Government and state agencies of the Philippines and I offer to all of them the sincere thanks of the Irish people. I thank too Ireland’s EU and international partners and the Red Cross all of whom generously supported the efforts that led to this happy outcome.
I mark out for very special thanks Minister Michéal Martin and his team of officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs, both those based in Dublin and those who were on the ground in the Philippines, in particular our indefatigable Ambassador, Dick O’Brien. They were engaged in the most intense diplomatic efforts to bring you home as safely as they had previously brought Sharon Cummins home. They all did a job to be proud of.
Fr Michael I was struck when talking to you by phone soon after your release how forgiving you were and how anxious to simply get back to work with the minimum of fuss.
Instead of cursing your captors and your captivity you took comfort in the times they were good to you and delighted in the fact that despite living in awful circumstances your health held up well. Your positivity and ability to count your blessings in dire circumstances are inspirational and timely in your homeland. You arrive home in time to celebrate a very important birthday on Thursday. From all of us may you have the happiest of birthdays, the happiest of Christmases, ad multos annos.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.