Where God Lives

The morning sun filters through the windows,
stained glass with ancient saints portrayed.
The high temple roof, Wooden pews and kneelers
on which countless penitents have prayed
Gaze on the high Altar, the brass candlesticks gleam
Ornate vestments, and the flowers, their beauty supreme.

The man sits alone, and in another corner so does she
Lost in a place and time of silent release.
But are they alone? If they were, they would never stay
A voice speaks to them, consoling them, they are at peace.
God is with them, Here God lives.

The Office, the noise, rush and pressure
Crammed in a space dictated by cost
Productivity is the rule, Can God live here?
Or is this a cause lost.
But no, in the middle of the rush, in this uncaring land
A smile, a gift, then by offering a helping hand.
God remains, for here also God lives.

The cry of a newborn infant, the love on its mother's face
The joy of a rainforest garden, a slowing down of pace
The thrill of a game hard fought,
The joy of a lesson taught.
An offering from one's purse, the care of a nurse
The provision of the bail, to help someone from jail.
Making time to talk, helping someone walk.
For no matter what we do, God is with us too.
For Here our God Lives.

Br Jeff Daly CP (see below)

(From his booklet "From the Pen of The Scribe")

© The above work is copyright, however it may be reproduced for non-commercial use.

If reproduced please acknowledge Br. Jeff Daly CP as the author and include this notice.

Background and stained glass at Malvern Priory, England,
and Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin pictured by Stan O'Loughlin
Note: The former Benedictine Monastery (until Henry VIII) is 925 years old.

Brother Jeff Daly CP

Passionist Brother Jeff Daly CP early 2009 passed into Eternal Life after a short illness although he struggled with other health problems for many years. He was a South Australian and as a Passionist was familiar to many people from various parishes who visit the Monastery from time to time. I knew Jeff very well and along with many others, regarded him as a good friend. I last saw him in October 2008 when he picked me up from the Marrickville Railway Station and took me to The Passionist Monastery and Church of St. Brigid at Marrickville, where he had been stationed for the past 4 or 5 years. We spent a few happy hours together and he showed me the Passionist Province Archives for which he was responsible and introduced me to some people I hadn't previously met. He showed me the beautiful St. Brigid's church in great detail and also the Marrickville Monastery. We lunched together with the other Passionists before my return with him to the Railway station.

Brother Jeff was a very talented man. He served God well and he served his vocation with distinction. In doing so he performed many functions. He was a missionary in Papua New Guinea, a pastoral associate - he was a worker and a diligent archivist. He performed as Klutzo the Magician to the delight of children and the elderly. As a hobby he ran a ham radio station from the back of the Monastery at Glen Osmond. He also had an interest in spinning and weaving, using wool from his friends' alpaca farm. Jeff loved birds and animals and seemed to know the names of everyone's dog. He also dabbled in caring for bonsai plants. He was an artist - a painter, sculptor a cook and in fact a practical man who could turn his hand to many things. Brother Jeff produced two booklets of verse during his time at The Monastery at Glen Osmond and much of his verse was reproduced on The Monastery website during my time as webmaster.

Possibly Brother Jeff's cheeky sense of humour was one of his most well used and greatest talents. At a memorial mass at The Monastery at Glen Osmond on Tuesday 9th June, Jeff's brother, Bob Daly, recollected some humour about his viewing the Passionist Archives where Jeff meticulously maintained all sorts of curios from the past. Bob had asked the significance of an old clothes iron (the type heated on top of a wood stove). Jeff instantly said "Oh that's very important. - It was a wedding gift to the young couple at Cana from the Holy Family." Likewise there was an odd-shaped key hanging in a frame - and when Bob asked about it, Jeff quipped " Oh, that's for the old Toyota out the back that Jesus used to drive the traders out of the Temple."

The great sense of humour was retained right up to the time of Brother Jeff's death to which he was courageously resigned and ready to go to God. As Jeff remembered and memorialised all his late Passionist brothers with great care as archivist, may we also remember him with love and affection.

May he enjoy eternal happiness with the Lord; the angels and saints, his loved ones and all God's good creations.

Stan O'Loughlin
Web-minister
13th June 2009

Back to Main Page