BIG TIPPERARY VISIT: Fr Paudie's worldwide family
On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, Savio Domingos Amstalden, with his wife Maria Alvina Krahenbuhl and their children Cecilia and Martin, visited the grave of the late Fr Paudie Moloughney in Two Mile Borris.
On the occasion of his 70th birthday, when Savio was offered a trip to Europe by his family, his first priority was to come on a pilgrimage of gratitude to Ireland, meet with Paudie’s family and experience at firsthand his native place and culture.
The Amstalden/Krahenbuhl family is part of the Helvetia Colony in the town of Indaiatuba, north of Sao Paulo City.
The colony began in 1854 when a small number of Swiss families emigrated to Brazil to work in the coffee plantations.
By 1888 other families had arrived, and a cooperative was formed. Land was purchased for dairy farming, some of which was set aside for a school, a church and a community centre.
Over the years, this centre has kept alive their Swiss language, folklore, music and dance.
Their values are those of family, faith in God, courage and hard work. June 17 is their annual festival day ([email protected])(Helvetia Colony Brasil).
In the early 1970s, when Fr Paudie was working in his first parish in Vila Penteado, Sao Paulo, Savio was a young seminarian who helped with community meetings and sang at weekend masses. During four years, a friendship and mutual respect grew between them that has outlasted a lifetime.
This may be due in part to the fact that both came from families where the love of traditional culture and music was highly valued. Savio also plays the accordion, and Maria Alvina is an organist in their parish church.
After leaving the seminary, Savio worked in banking and currently produces tailor-made craft chocolate for business companies and shops. Maria is a retired professor at Unicamp, SP.
The university is currently establishing contacts with the CERN project in Switzerland. Cecilia has completed her PhD and works in the area of medical research. Martin is completing his doctoral studies in bacterial research. Both live in Wurzsburg, Germany.
It is worth mentioning that St Killian(640-689), who brought Christianity to the Wurzburg region, came from Cloughballybeg, Mullagh, in county Cavan. The Cathedral in Wurzburg bears his name, and a Killianfest is held yearly on July 8 in his honour.
Arriving midday at Thurles train station, they were met by John and Mary Moloughney.
Also, present was Joe Mc Carthy from Ringaskiddy, county Cork who, as a friend of both families, organised the trip.
Baggage was left at Ryan’s Daughter, and an introductory open-air coffee in Brazilian style sunshine was drank at Heyday Cofee House in the Square.
On arrival, a large Brazilian flag was spread by Mary Moloughney on her brother’s grave.
A copy of the Derrynaflan Trail booklet was presented to all, and a brief rundown on local history was given by Matt Purcell.
Joe Mc Carthy introduced the prayer service, which included an article and photo by John McElroy from the Irish Catholic, on May 11, 2016, entitled One for the Road. It outlines the start of Fr Paudie’s two-thousand-mile pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostella.
Also included was the Indonesian Creed, Mother Teresa’s prayer, Give the world the best you have and the Gospel reading of the day from Mark 10:28-31.
“Truly I tell you there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake or for the sake of the good news, who will not receive now in this age-houses, brothers, and sisters and mothers and children and fields with persecution and in the age to come eternal life.”
In speaking as a Gospel brother, Savio said that he had come to express his deeply felt gratitude and that of his family for the privilege of having known and worked with Fr Paudie in what was a vibrant parish community facing the challenges of poverty and injustice.
Fr Paudie’s simplicity of lifestyle, his open friendship, his sincerity, his joy and fun in everyday things, his service to the poorest of the poor, his courage in denouncing injustices, and his unique way of doing things had been an inspiration that lasted all through his lifetime and had been passed on to his family.
Savio recalled the song of one of Brazil’s best-known singers, Roberto Carlos, I want to have a million friends.
He said Fr Paudie, during his life’s missionary work in three areas of Brazil, Sao Paulo, Recife, and Mato Grosso in Nigeria and his worldwide travels, had made more than a million friends. In thanksgiving, he sang the Our Father in a Portuguese harmony with his wife, Maria Alvina.
All had a chance to share their special memory. The fact that Fr Paudie visited so many, often calling to five houses on the way to mass in Two Mile Borris, his holiday visitations and those with his brother Seamus all over Ireland, his often quoted phrase “use any excuse to visit somebody,” was a reminder that friendships must be kept alive through visitation.
Musical airs on the bagpipes by his brother John, which included Tommy Tullys Air, Silver Threads among the Gold, O’Neill’s March and the Boys of Fair Hill, helped us capture again the inspiration of Fr Paudies life.
A visit to nearby St Jame’s Church allowed time for personal prayer and remembering of where he had begun his famous walks.
On such a warm day, a welcome cool drink in Bannon's was a time for a further sharing of memories and local history.
Our next stop was Fr Paudie's home in Laharden and the Crann Beannaithe.
With a beautiful view of the south Tipperary mountains, memories were shared of Mass in Penal Times, how the Holy Ash Tree has regrown and the large community gatherings that took place for his ordination anniversary masses.
Afternoon tea was provided alongside Eileen and John Costello in their very beautiful and varied flower, bee and vegetable garden.
Left to rights: Cecilia, Maria Alvina and Martin getting a feel of the turf at Newhill Bog, Littleton
As time was running out, it was a quick visit to Sandra Purcell and family in Littleton before heading on to O’ Gormon’s in Bohernacrusha, where a welcome evening meal was enjoyed by all.
Our final call was to the delightful Community Singing in the Horse and Jockey.
Some of the traditional songs and music must have recalled memories of their own Swiss Community, now influenced by a wider Brazilian culture.
Before returning to Dublin the following morning, they were shown Semple Stadium and other Thurles landmarks.
The following message has been received from Maria Alvina:
“It was amazing to get in touch with your family and friends and to see the things that Paudie had usually been seeing at home.
“We will maintain contact. Brazilian greetings to all. No words can express our gratitude.
“Perhaps you will come to visit Brazil. We have a place for you all. Many thanks and many kisses. May God bless you all.”
Fr Paudie’s anniversary mass will be celebrated in Littleton on July 2 at noon.