Kosovo Visit

Soldiers from Sarsfield Barracks Limerick under the command of Lt Col Matt Murray have been deployed in Camp Clarke near Pristina since last November. Bishop Donal Murray was accompanied last weekend for a three day pastoral visit by Msgr Eoin Thynne, the Head Chaplain to the Forces.

A full schedule for the visit provided many opportunities for Bishop Murray to see the work of Irish personnel and to pray with them and other contingents deployed in Kosovo. Mass was celebrated on Saturday evening in Pristina where the congregation included many of the international UN staff in various appointments in Kosovo.

Sunday morning’s visit to personnel at Camp Clarke started with the inspection of a Guard of Honour and an overview of military taskings and a tour of the camp. Sunday Mass was offered in the canteen and was concelebrated by Bishop Murray, Msgr Thynne and Fr Séamus Madigan (Chaplain to 37 Inf Gp).

Bishop Murray distributed prayer-cards and lapel pins to all personnel as a sign of his spiritual support for the soldiers. His rendition of “There is an Isle” was much appreciated by all in the canteen too!! An afternoon visit to Serbian-Orthodox monasteries in Decani, Pec and Gracanica followed a memorable and delicious Sunday lunch.

Monday morning’s visit to various monuments and cemeteries provided an historical dimension to the sad and difficult inter-ethnic difficulties of Kosovo. Of particular note were the monument at Kosovo Polje where Mr Milosevic’s speech unleashed ethnic hatred and also the graveyard at Racak, scene of a major atrocity against the Albanian population.

Speaking on his return home from Kosovo, Bishop Murray paid tribute to the manner in which the soldiers have combined their professional military skills with a Christian dimension. He feels that Irish soldiers have made a genuine improvement in the peace and security situation for the various villages and ethnic groups in their care.

Bishop Murray looks forward to keeping up the good contact through Fr Séamus Madigan (Chaplain at Sarsfield Barracks) and to meeting many of the soldiers and their families during the course of this year’s Confirmation ceremonies.

Photos from Bishop Murray’s visit are available on www.militarychaplaincy.ie