Interview with Father Michael Cusack Ahead of Pope's Visit

Pope Francis is due to visit Luxembourg on Thursday 26 September, at the invitation of Grand Duke Henri.

600 members of the public were chosen at random, from thousands of applicants, to meet with Pope Francis at Luxembourg's Notre-Dame Cathedral at 16:30 on the day of the visit. Many more are expected to line the streets, to greet the Pope, during his tour of the city, in the "popemobile", for around 30 minutes either side of 13:00. Among these will be members of the English-speaking Catholic Community in Luxembourg.

Chronicle.lu recently had the opportunity to speak with Father Michael Cusack, Priest of the International English-speaking Catholic Community, which is part of the parish of Luxembourg Notre-Dame, ahead of this papal visit.

Fr Michael, who arrived in Luxembourg in October 2020, is known for the energy and enthusiasm with which he serves the richly diverse community, from over 50 countries, within his parish.

Chronicle.lu: You ministered in Ireland for many years. What prompted your move to Luxembourg?

Fr Michael: I was in Ireland for 20 years, having spent some time prior to that in Brazil. There is a system within our congregation that allows a priest to stay only a certain length of time in a place, particularly as a superior. As I had been a superior for four terms, in our community in Dundalk, Co. Louth, my time there came to an end in 2019.

I took a year out, to help care for my mother at home and, towards the end of that year, I went looking for a new mission. An available position in Luxembourg was mentioned to me. I had spent the summer of 1982 in Luxembourg, staying in St Alphonse and working in what was then the Holiday Inn in Kirchberg. I always had a wish to return to Luxembourg someday.

I visited Luxembourg for a weekend, during Covid, to explore the option of moving here, and immediately decided that it was for me. I discussed this with my superiors and they thankfully agreed to my transfer.

Chronicle.lu: What have been the most memorable aspects and highlights of your time here so far?

Fr Michael: For me, my experience here has been completely different to my church experience back in Ireland, which was always within a Catholic community and parish that was tightly located within the confines of a geographical area. In Luxembourg, the international English-speaking Catholic community is a community of people from so many different nationalities and it has been great getting to know them. We are not geographically located, the only geographic thing we have is where we worship. That has also varied since I came here. Following the closure of St Alphonse church for renovation, we were temporarily without a church. We are now happily located in Église St Pie X in Belair, in St Michel and also in the garden chapel in St Alphonse.

There have been lots of memorable things in my time here so far including coming out of Covid and being able to meet with people again. I have two cousins in Luxembourg and we have a great time together as a little family unit. I have made lots of new friends, many outside of the church including non-church goers, people of other faiths and none. I am a social animal and I enjoy being out on the street. I live in the centre of the city and the street is my church in many ways. I enjoy that. I love meeting and chatting with people, as well as listening and learning from them. Luxembourg has taught me a lot.

Chronicle.lu: The English speaking Catholic community in Luxembourg continues to grow, and currently stands at over 1,000 parishioners. This includes a large community of young people.  When many people are leaving the Church, what do you believe is influencing the growth of this diverse community here in Luxembourg?

Fr Michael: When people come to the International English-speaking Catholic community in Luxembourg, there is always a welcome, a welcome that is non-judgemental. This is a credit to the members of our parish. There is a group of welcomers waiting to meet, greet, and show people to a seat. This is not the norm in other settings, but is a lovely thing to have.

There is a continual influx of new people here as well, mostly Catholic, but also of other faiths. The door is always open for everyone. We continually let people know, in the spirit of Christ, that we do not judge. We want people to feel at home and feel welcome.

I also think we have all the other elements that make it a good experience for young people including good music, a bit of humour, a warmth in the people and a concern for the poor. We encourage a joyful presence within our community and aim to have people feel good about themselves and to bring that goodness into the world.

Chronicle.lu: How are you and the English-speaking Catholic community here preparing for the visit of Pope Francis this week?

Fr Michael: There has been no real preparation in place for us. Unfortunately, it has been difficult for parishioners to secure a ticket to see the Pope. As this is a state visit, there will be many officials present. This means only a very limited number of ordinary people can attend and partake of the immense privilege of meeting the Pope.

The Archdiocese of Luxembourg has created a  preparation booklet and novena in preparation for the Pope’s visit. We have distributed these within the church and are praying for a successful visit. We also are praying for the safety of the Holy Father. He is an elderly man and, in a world where there is a lot of hatred and bitterness, he is a man of peace.

Chronicle.lu: In your opinion, what effect will Pope Francis' visit have on your parishioners?

Fr Michael: I think that those that get to see him will feel very privileged and a great joy. I believe this is true also for those who are in the crowd, waving to the popemobile.