Arthur Downer, Editor of The Pope Speaks – current edition can be read HERE
Arthur Downer was one of those wartime babies who were reared in Ireland at a time when the Catholic Church was the primary source of morality. Many young people chose the priesthood or consecrated life as their life-time career.
Arthur Downer as a child went to daily Mass. The family said the Rosary each night together followed by the ‘trimmings of the Rosary’.
It was only natural that he join the first religious order which welcomed him into their congregation. This happened to be the Redemptorists.
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From age 12 years he was a happy boarder in the St Clements secondary school in Ireland from 1955 to 1960.
He then completed five happy years in Cluain Mhuire Seminary – studying Scripture, Philosophy and Theology – before illness caused him to leave.
His happiest memory is Chapter 2 of St. Alphonsus Ligouri’s ‘Verita del fide’ where he deals with the existence of God:
The existence of God is proven from the existence of created things, which could not exist if they had not had a first principle.
We look at this land, men, beasts, mountains, seas, rivers and, plants.
Then we look up, and we see sky, stars and planets.
You ask: who ever made all these creatures?
They can’t have their being out of nothing;
because what is nothing, can do nothing,
let alone give the being to those who don’t have it,
what is the creation, so you need a summation and infinite power.
Nemo dat quod non habet (i.e. no one can give what one does not have).
University degree and Third Level Education
Arthur Downer passed his Chartered Institute of Management Accountants Examinations in 1973.
He subsequently became a practicing member of the Institute of Incorporated Public Accountants (IIPA) – which later merged with (CPA)
At the same time Arthur Downer re-ignited his desire to study Theology in St. Patrick’s College Maynooth from 1986 to 1989.
In 1989 he completed his three year Bachelor of Divinity Course in St. Patricks College, Maynooth and was awarded his Bachelor of Divinity Degree (BD) there.
He retired from his accountancy practice in August 2017 with a view to concentrating on publishing “The Pope Speaks”.
Publications
“The Pope Speaks” was first published as a monthly booklet in June 1990.
PDF Copies of all 8 issues published during 2019 can be previewed at arthurdowner.com
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