The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Fr Shay: Award is for human rights victims
IN a moving speech in Killarney last Saturday, Fr Shay Cullen accepted the Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty Humanitarian Award “on behalf of all who work and risk their lives to defend the oppressed, and victims of human rights violations”.
The award creates awareness of Kerry Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty’s deeds during the Second World War, when he and his colleagues in the Rome Escape Line saved thousands of people in Nazi-occupied Rome. Dublin-born Fr Cullen, a Columban missionary based in the Philippines, was named as the 2016 recipient of the award over the summer.
In 1974, he co-founded the Philippines-based PREDA Foundation, which now has more than 60 professional staff. The group rescues sexually abused children from prisons, brothels, and traffickers, and provides them with care.
“This award is a statement that all life is precious, that every person is of great value and has invaluable dignity. Everyone is worth saving,” Fr Cullen said.
“Silence is consent in the face of human rights abuse. We have to take a stand and speak out for life and against death. If you look at what’s happening in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, the commitment and saving action of Monsignor Hugh is needed today more than ever.”
He went on to praise Ireland for its commitment to relocate and resettle 4,000 refugees but said more can be done ‘to help those fleeing oppression, war and dire poverty.’
“Our depth of compassion, empathy and self-sacrifice calls us to rise and meet challenges like Hugh O’Flaherty did,” Fr Cullen said. “He reached out in Rome and saved 6,500 people. We can do no less wherever we are, whoever we are.”
Chairperson of the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Committee, Jerry O’Grady, described Fr Cullen as someone who ‘has given his life to protecting the rights of oppressed and exploited children.
“He has fearlessly challenged those who were not prepared to shoulder their responsibilities, including local and national governments” he added.
The memory of Monsignor O’Flaherty was also honoured by students, as the Hugh O’Flaherty School Literary Competitions attracted entries from around Kerry and neighbouring counties.
The winning Primary School essay was penned by Sean Thibeaud, who opined ‘Monsignor Hugh’s heroism shines through this young boy’s eyes and thoughts. God Has no Countr - there are no borders in life, so why should there be walls?’
Sean’s school, Ardfert National School, also took the prize for Best Collective Entries.
Students in Second Level Schools were invited to submit a poem on the theme of humanitatianism, and Donagh McMahon of Mercy Mounthawk’s beautiful effort, ‘Man’s Achilles Heels,’ was judged the winner.
Organisers praised Donagh for his composition, saying ‘the effort and work he put in to finding the right words, and the remarkable range and use of vocabulary throughout, makes this poem stand out.”
Donagh will be presented the Fr Pat Horgan Perpetual Trophy for Poetry at the prize-giving ceremony in Killarney Library at 11.00am today (Wednesday).
On a weekend that remembered Hugh O’Flaherty, Fr Cullen brought events to a close with a beautiful ending to his speech:
“On this planet, my friends, we are all one. We can make this a better world today, and for the next generation.”