Sharing the good news
Monthly newsletter for dioceses and parishes. Issue 20 – August 2015
Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference
Columba Centre, Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, Co Kildare
Annual Knock Novena focuses on Faith and Family
The annual novena will take place from 14 t0 22 August at Our Lady’s Shrine, Knock, on the theme ‘Faith and Family’. Daily ceremonies will be held in the Basilica at 3pm and 8.30pm and workshops will take place at 12noon and 6pm.
The 2015 novena will begin at the National Marian Shrine on Friday 14 August with His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, who will preach on ‘Faith and Family’. Primate of All Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh will celebrate Mass for the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August to mark the conclusion of the Rise of the Roses tour. Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam will speak about the Knock Shrine Society and its witness to service. Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin has chosen the theme of ‘the gift of family’ and Ms Kate Liffey, National Director of the Bishops’ Council for Catechetics, will speak on what family life teaches us about faith.
Workshops at the novena will include: ‘Faith at the Kitchen Table’; ‘Passing on the Faith in Family’; and, a workshop on ‘Caring for Marriage and the Family’, by Mr Harry Casey, Coordinator of Accord Catholic Marriage Care Service. For more information see knockshrine.ie and catholicbishops.ie.
Faith offers us hope in our lives – Archbishop Michael Neary
The theme for this year’s Croagh Patrick pilgrimage addressed how faith offers us real hope in our lives. At Mass in Lecanvey Church near the Reek, Archbishop Michael Neary said: “Faith and religious values are central to the identity of many individuals and to the family as the crucible of personal relationships, enabling us to discover who we are. In our culture, these may have been eroded but they are not eclipsed. We may be tempted to consign faith and religion to private life and attempt to edit God out of the market place.” Archbishop Neary concluded by reminding us that like Saint Patrick we too are challenged to answer a Gospel call that is profoundly counter-cultural. Read the full homily on www.catholicbishops.ie.
Pope’s encyclical letter Laudato si an Irish bestseller
Interest in Laudato si (Praised be), the new encyclical letter from Pope Francis on care for our common home, has placed the Veritas publication at the top of the bestsellers’ list for non-fiction. The original print run has sold out and the publication has been sent for a second print run.
Laudato si is available in all Veritas stores around Ireland and is priced at €4.99. Parishes get a 20% discount and free delivery on all orders. The encyclical can also be purchased on veritas.ie.
For more information on Laudato si please see catholicbishops.ie.
News SNIPPETS
- Addressing the MacGill Summer School in Donegal, in July, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin said, “Christianity is not a religion of cheap repentance. But is a religion of a God whose mercy heals and restores the converted into being the people that God wants them to be and never doubts the ability of any person to be so, even within the framework of continued brokenness.” Read the full text on catholicbishops.ie.
- The three-day pilgrimage season is offered by Lough Derg until 13 August 2015.
- A National Eucharistic Congress will take place at Knock Shrine on 26 and 27 September on the theme ‘Christ, Our Hope’. The Congress will have a particular focus on Marriage and the Family. All are welcome – see catholicbishops.ie.
- View a short video highlighting ten quotes from Pope Francis from Laudato si on icatholic.ie or scan this QR code with your smartphone.
- Sign up to our quarterly eZine by going online to catholicbishops.ie/newsletter.
Pope Francis Tweet of the Month: “What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up? ” Follow Pope Francis on Twitter @Pontifex and @news_va.
Produced by the Catholic Communications Office. See www.catholicbishops.ie for more information.
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