Eucharistic Congress Information
Posted on 16. Feb, 2012 by afd admin in Diocesan News, featured, Upcoming Programmes
Information for the Eucharistic Congress 2012
All over the world, people are preparing to come to Dublin in June 2012 to participate in the 50th International Eucharistic Congress. By the end of 2011, almost 5,000 people from over 50 countries had already booked their places. Will you join them? International Eucharistic Congresses usually take place every four years. The last two were in Quebec City (Canada) in 2008 and Guadalajara (Mexico) in 2004. The Congress has been described as a Spiritual Olympics, a kind of Spring Show or a World Youth Day for Adults. The daily celebration of the Eucharist is at the very heart of the Congress. The wider programme, including keynote addresses, workshops and cultural events, will help deepen our understanding, enrich our celebration and renew our commitment to the lifestyle of justice and service inspired by the Eucharist. There will be a Youth Space with its own dedicated programme. Our exhibition area will include a special display of memorabilia from the 1932 Congress, some of which has been sent to us by people all over Ireland and even further afield.
The events of the Congress will take place at the RDS. The celebration which concludes the week and launches the next stage of our journey of faith will take place at Croke Park on June 17th.
Please find the following attachments
- Brochure with information about Ossory Day, Tickets for each parish for the Statio Orbis, Croke Park, Special Train arrangements, booking for the Eucharistic Congress etc. To download the brochure click here.
- Expression of Interest forms {applications forms} to apply for our “Diocesan Tickets” requested by IEC Headquarters…..to be complete by the parish and returned to Sr. Ena Kennedy…. To download the Expression of Interest forms click here.
Thank You
Fr. Martin Tobin
Confirmation Dates 2012
Posted on 27. Jan, 2012 by afd admin in Carousel, Diocesan News
Each year Bishop Seamus Freeman travels around the diocese to celebrate the sacrament of confirmation in the parishes of the diocese. This celebration is an important day not only for the children themselves and their families, as a result of all the preparation they have put into it, but also for the parishes for the same reason. It is aways a great celebration filled with the hope and energy so appropiate to the Spirit and so much a part of the young. The dates for the celebrations in 2012 are..
DIOCESE OF OSSORY DATES FOR CONFIRMATION 2012
JANUARY
Sunday, 15th Conahy
Saturday, 21st Camross
Sunday, 22nd Danesfort
Saturday, 28th Aghaviller
Sunday, 29th Dunamaggan
FEBRUARY
Saturday, 4th Ballycallan
Sunday, 5th Freshford
Saturday, 11th Johnstown
Sunday, 12th Lisdowney
Mid Term
Saturday, 25th St. Patrick’s
Sunday, 26th Mooncoin
MARCH
Saturday, 3rd Ferrybank
Sunday, 4th Seir Kieran
Saturday, 10th Kilmacow
Sunday, 11th Thomastown
Mid Term
Saturday, 24th St. John’s
Sunday, 25th Windgap
Saturday, 31st St. Canice’s
APRIL
Easter
Saturday, 21st Castlecomer
Sunday, 22nd St. Mary’s
Saturday, 28th Tullaherin
Sunday, 29th Galmoy
MAY
Saturday, 5th Castletown
Sunday, 6th Tullaroan
Saturday, 19th Rosbercon
Sunday, 20th Aghaboe
Lourdes
JUNE
Saturday, 2nd Slieverue
Sunday, 3rd Templeorum
Eucharistic Congress
Lourdes 2012
Posted on 27. Jan, 2012 by afd admin in Diocesan News, featured
LOURDES 2012
The Ossory Pilgrimage to Lourdes, led by Bishop Seamus Freeman S.A.C. will take place from May 22nd. to May 27th.
Bookings may be made by contacting Eleanor at Glenmore@ossory.ie or Telephone 051 880 414 on weekdays except Wednesday from 10.30a.m. to 2.30p.m.
Bell in Mooncoin
Posted on 20. Jan, 2012 by afd admin in Diocesan News, featured
Eucharistic Congress Bell
The aim of the Bell travelling around the Diocese and all around the other Irish Dioceses is to call people to prayer and bring them to a greater awareness of the forthcoming International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin next June.
The Diocese of Ossory received the Bell on Sunday the 8th of January 2012 from the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore and will passed it on to the Diocese of Ferns on Thursday the 19th of January
The Eucharistic Congress Bell makes its way around the Diocese of Ossory. Below are pictures of the arrival of the bell in Mooncoin.
Eucharistic Bell Itinerary
Posted on 05. Jan, 2012 by afd admin in Diocesan News, featured, News, News, Resources, Upcoming Programmes
Eucharistic Congress Bell
The Eucharistic Congress Bell will be travelling around the Diocese of Ossory from January 8th to 19th. The aim of the Bell travelling around the Diocese and all around the other Irish Dioceses is to call people to prayer and bring them to a greater awareness of the forthcoming International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin next June.
Eucharistic Congress 2012 in the Diocese of Ossory
Eucharistic Bell Itinerary
The Diocese of Ossory will be receiving the Bell on Sunday the 8th of January 2012 from the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore and will pass it on to the Diocese of Ferns on Thursday the 19th of January. It is the responsibility of each Parish what they wish to do with the Bell.
Sunday 8th January
- 2pm – Bishop Freeman is to receive the Bell from the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore on Rice Bridge.
- Bell to travel by boat to Polerone/Mooncoin.
- 8pm – Templeorum.
Monday 9th January
- 9 – 1 – Ferrybank.
- 1.15 – 2 – Kilmacow.
- 2.15 – 5 – Glenmore.
- 5 – 9 – Slieverue. Mass at 7.30pm.
Tuesday 10th January
- 9 – 10 – Mullinavat.
- 10:15 – 12 – Ballyhale.
- 12 – 1:45 – Aghaviller.
- 2 – 6 – Callan.
- C.B.S. 2-3;
- St. Brigids 3-4; Nuns Chapel 4.30;
- Christian Brothers Westcourt 5-6.
- 6 – 9 – Dunamaggin and Windgap.
Wednesday 11th January
- 9 – 10.30 – Ballycallan
- 10.30 – 12 – Tullaroan
- 12 – 2 – Freshford
- 2 – 6 – Urlingford
- 6 – 9 – Johnstown
Thursday 12th January
- 9 – 10 – Galmoy
- 10 – 1 – Durrow and Aghaboe
- 1 – 3 – Rathdowney.
- 3 – 5 – Borris-in-Ossory and Camross
- 5pm – Seir Kieran.
Friday 13th January
- The Bell will be arriving in Kilkenny City at 10am.
- 10 – 2 – Primary Schools.
- St. Johns (10 – 10:30)
- C.B.S. (10:45 – 11:15)
- Presentation (11:30 – 12)
- St. Patricks de la Salle (12:15 – 12:45)
- St.John of God (1 – 1:30)
- 2 – 3 – St. Kieran’s College.
- 3 – 6 – Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Convents etc.
- 6:30pm Arrival – Youth Mass at 8pm in St. Fiacre’s Church – Bishop Freeman and Fr Mark Condon.
Saturday 14th January
- 8 – 10.30 – St Patricks. (9.30 Mass). St. John of God.
- 10.30-11.45 – Black Abbey
- 12 – 1 – Capuchin Friary.
- 2 – 4 – Town Hall and High Street.
- 4 – 6 – MacDonagh Junction.
- 6 – 7.15 – St Johns. (6.30pm Mass)
- 7.30 – Meet the Mayor and Borough Councillors at Town Hall for procession to the Cathedral.
- 8 – Mass in St. Marys Cathedral. – Bishop Freeman.
Sunday 15th January
- 9.30am – Mass in Jenkinstown Church
- 11am – Confirmation in Conahy.
- 2 – 6 – Muckalee.
- 6 – 9 – Ballyragget. Mass at 7pm.
- 9 – Aislinn.
Monday 16th January
- 8.30 – 12 Lisdowney.
- 1 – 5 – Castlecomer.
- 5pm – Clogh.
Tuesday 17th January
- 10 – 12 – Inistioge
- 12 – 4 – Thomastown.
- 4 – 6 – Tullaherin.
- 6pm – Gowran.
Wednesday 18th January
- 9 – 10.45 – Clara.
- 11 – 1 – Danesfort.
- 1pm – St. Canice’s Parish – St. Canice’s Cathedral and Kenny’s Well.
Thursday 19th January
- 8.30 – Arrival in Rosbercon
- 9.30am – Mass in Church of the Assumption Rosbercon.
- 12.30pm – Rosbercon – Bishop Freeman to hand the Bell over to Bishop Brennan of Ferns.
The following information and resources may be of some assistant to prepare for the Congress Bell’s visit! Click on the name of the particular resource below to view or download the documents:
- EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS BELL ITINERARY
- BELL VISIT RESOURCES
- PASTORAL FORMATION AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- FOR FURTHER RESOURCES YOU MAY GO TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Bishop Freeman’s Christmas Message 2011
Posted on 21. Dec, 2011 by afd admin in Diocesan News, featured
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2011
The writer, Anton Cechov, once wrote: “Just as the wood-lice devours plants, and rust devours metal, so the lie devours the soul.” St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians writes a similar message: “So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another. … Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear” (Eph.4:25,29). And Jesus said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life (Jn. 14:6). We are about to celebrate the feast of the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians are those who have been baptised into “the way, and the truth, and the life” of Jesus Christ. This is what makes Christmas so important for us. Christmas calls all of us to deepen our awareness of being Christians. This should mean something special and important to each one of us. As St. Paul reminds us, as Christians we are members of one another. Many people this Christmas will not be as happy as they would wish to be. This should be a concern for all people of good will. For the past number of years Irish generosity and solidarity has been so generous to help the various victims, in different parts of the world, with extraordinary generosity. This year the greatest need is probably as home, at least for many of our citizens. Let us pray that our generosity can be as effective as is our tradition. People are without their homes, their jobs, and their dignity. Let us all do whatever we can to alleviate the pain of so many of our brothers and sisters.
The second point I would like to share with you all is the need to protect and develop the faith that is our heritage from time immemorial. Faith is not something of the past. It is also vital for the present and the future. How can we protect this treasure of faith for our future generations? I would like to mention some of the initiatives that are significant in our Diocese at this time:
A) THE 50TH INTERNATIONAL EUCHARIST CONGRESS 2012, 10TH-17TH JUNE. Fr. Martin Tobin, Chair of the Preparatory Committee, shares the following reflection with us. “The 50th Congress 2012 is very important for us in Ireland. Modern Ireland is losing sight of Christ, of reducing the Christian heritage to the annals of history. Christianity has been central in forming the Irish character; our generosity and kindness are the fruits of our Christian heritage. It has been the person of Christ who has taught us how to live and forgive; how to welcome the stranger and give generously to the poor. We must not allow Christ to be pushed to the sidelines of our culture. The Congress is an ideal opportunity for us to put Christ back in the centre of our lives and also of our social lives. What can we do? First, we can register, online, to attend some if not all of the Congress. Secondly, the Congress is looking for 3000 volunteers. Why not become a volunteer? Again you can register online at www.iec2012.ie.
B) JOHN PAUL II AWARD IN THE DIOCESE OF OSSORY: At the launch of the John Paul II Award in St. Kieran’s College, October 27th of this year, 150 young people from the Diocese of Ossory applied to take part in the Award. Fr. Willie Purcell, Director, has these words to share with us: “Through the John Paul II Award, young people will be enabled to take an active part in the life of the Church, in the life of their community and society and also become more aware of the social teaching and role of the Catholic Church in the world. It will enable young people to understand that religion and faith is not just for learning, nor is it a list of rules, but that it is for living. Parishes are encouraged to affirm and support each young person through involvement in the liturgical and community life of the parish. Through the support of Parish Pastoral Councils and the involvement with groups such as St. Vincent de Paul they will realise their place as young people who have many gifts and abilities to offer in making the Kingdom of God a living reality in the world we live in.”
C) ADULT FAITH DEVELOPMENT: There is a world of difference between knowing a person and having knowledge of a person. Knowledge comes from having the facts. Knowing comes through friendship and relationship. To know God, we need to have a personal relationship. During this past year an Adult Faith Development Group was set up to promote faith as relationship with Christ. Fr. Dermot Ryan, a member of the group, offers us this reflection: “As we celebrate Christmas we commit, or re-commit, ourselves to deepening our relationship with Christ our Saviour. As the child of Bethlehem grew in his wisdom of the mission entrusted to Him by the Father (Lk 2:52), we too must follow his example by listening to the Word of God and deepening our relationship with Him. Christmas calls us to a new relationship with God. It invites us to know and love Him more deeply. This is a lifelong journey for all of us. The understanding of God we have as children is not sufficient as we move through life. In this Diocese, the Ossory Adult Faith Development Group has a special role in helping us to develop and mature our faith as we live the reality of today. During this past year, this group has helped facilitate us in deepening our faith in God. Through a variety of initiatives – CDs, books, courses, debates, lectures, lunchtime theology, twitter and the internet – we have been helped to pray, to share and to deepen our faith in God in an ever more meaningful and mature way. Many more initiatives are planned for next year. What a wonderful way this could to respond to the Infant God whose arms are outstretched in the crib inviting us to come close and to get to know him better.
I wish to thank, very especially, all those people of goodness and generosity who do succeed in being a “a light in the darkness” (Jn.1:5) of the sorrows and difficulties of our time. I wish each and all of you a happy and blessed Christmas, and peace and joy in the New Year.
+ Seamus Freeman, SAC
Bishop of Ossory
Eucharistic Bell Resources
Posted on 15. Dec, 2011 by afd admin in Carousel, Diocesan News
BELL RESOURCES FOR THE DIOCESE OF OSSORY
PREPARING FOR THE VISIT OF THE EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS BELL
After Christmas, from the 8th-19th January 2012 the Eucharistic Congress Bell will be travelling from parish to parish in the diocese of Ossory.
Your parish may be involved in this unique and, indeed, historic event as we prepare for the International Eucharistic Congress, June 10th-17th, 2012 in Dublin RDS with the Final Mass on Sunday 17th June in Croke Park. The following information and resources may be of some assistant to prepare for the Congress Bell’s visit!
Resources below, click on the name of the particular resource to view or download the documents:
- EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS BELL ITINERARY
- BELL VISIT RESOURCES
- PASTORAL FORMATION AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- FOR FURTHER RESOURCES YOU MAY GO TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Click the PDF to view or download the following resources:
| Resource for dioceses preparing for the visit of the Eucharistic Congress Bell | Download PDF |
| - Suggestions on how to include all members of the community in the Eucharistic Congress Bell pilgrimage | Download PDF |
| - Suggestion on prayer and liturgy during the Eucharistic Congress Bell pilgrimage | Download PDF |
| - Suggestions for visiting a school with the Eucharistic Congress Bell | Download PDF |
| - Suggestions for ceremony when passing on and receiving the Eucharistic Congress Bell | Download PDF |
| - Resource for the Eucharistic Congress Icons and Prayer (PDF) | Download PDF |
| - Resource for the Eucharistic Congress Icons and Prayer (PowerPoint) | Download PowerPoint |
For further information contact:
Martin Tobin
Email: martintobin@ossory.ie
Tel. 056-4442135
Knock 2011
Posted on 02. Jun, 2011 by afd admin in Diocesan News, featured, News
The National Eucharistic Congress Knock June 25th 2011
People from every diocese will gather together in Knock on June 25th and there will be a liturgical celebration in each diocese the following day, June 26th, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. (In Ossory this will take place on the previous Sunday 19th June in Kilkenny)
It is hoped that parishes or cluster of parishes here in Ossory will organise coaches for pilgrims to attend The National Eucharistic Congress in Knock this June. The National Coordinator would “be very grateful if you can advise me with the number of Coaches each Parish will have travelling to Knock for the NEC next month, this is solely for planning purposes.” So, if your parish or a parish organisation is taking a group to Knock for NEC this June please let me know by email at: martintobin@ossory.ie
Programme
On Saturday 25th June, pilgrims will travel from every corner of Ireland, some arriving in time for a celebration of Morning Prayer in Knock at 11am. This will be followed later in the morning by four workshops on themes related to Communion and Eucharist, which will be repeated on Saturday evening and again on Sunday morning.
Space will be limited and people will be invited to register on line in advance for these workshops, which will be presented by Fr. Kieron O’Mahony OSA, Prof. Robert Enright, Rosemary Swords and Fr. Tom Norris. Full details will be posted shortly on IEC website: www.iec.ie
National Eucharistic Congress, Knock (Schedule of Events)
Knock Youth Festival has a separate Schedule except where indicated
| Saturday 25th June | Event | Location |
| 10.00am | Pilgrims Begin to Arrive | |
| 11.00am | Morning Prayer | Basilica |
| 12.00pm | Workshops 1-4 | Marquees |
| 2.30pm | Sacrament of Anointing | Basilica – With Youth Festival Participants |
| 3.00pm | Celebration of the Eucharist | Basilica – With Youth Festival Participants |
| 5.30pm | Workshops 1-4 Repeated | Marquees |
| Evening | Celebration of Reconciliation | Basilica – With Youth Festival Participants |
| Sunday 26th June | ||
| 11.00am | Workshops 1-4 Repeated | Marquees |
| A Liturgical Celebration will take place in each Diocese at a time to be decided locally (Ossory: Sunday 19th June Kilkenny) |
Ossory Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Posted on 09. Feb, 2011 by ossory team in Diocesan News, featured
Ossory Pilgrimage to Lourdes
The annual diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes takes place from May 22nd to May 27th (incl.) 2011. Bookings can be made for ordinary pilgrims and the sick now by phoning Eleanor 051-880414. (during office hours Mon. Tue. Thurs. Fri. 10.30 to 2.30). Download application form fill in and return before 29th April, 2011 to the parish office.
The cost is €720 PPS which this year includes the bus to and from Cork Airport, which is the airport we will use this year. The price includes insurance, full board, full pilgrimage programme, travel to and from Cork and Lourdes airport and the services of the JWT travel agency staff.
Manual for Parish Councils
Posted on 20. Jan, 2011 by ossory team in Diocesan News
Cardinal launches new formation manual for parish councils
“We live in a deeply individualistic time where everyone loves to be independent but we are all interdependent whether we like to admit it or not”, the Primate of All Ireland, Cardinal Seán Brady, said as he launched a new formation manual for parish pastoral councils in Ireland.
Described as a ‘how-to-do-it’ workbook, Parish Pastoral Councils: A Formation Manual is intended to be a support to parishes seeking to organise and motivate a parish pastoral council in its work of leadership in the ministry of the Church.
“This book is about the creation and sustainment of a parish pastoral council. It outlines, in great detail, what needs to be done to form, enable and sustain a group of people who will work, with the clergy, to enhance the ministry of the parish”, Cardinal Brady said in All Hallows, where the book was launched.
He added, “I like the honesty that says that the formation of a parish pastoral council is but a step on the journey of renewal. But it is the kind of step that can bring new life and love to the parish and its people.”
Paying tribute to the three authors, Debra Snoddy, Jim Campbell and Fr Andrew McNally, Cardinal Brady asked for prayers for Fr McNally who is seriously ill. He said they all had considerable experience of life in parish communities and had done “outstanding work” in combining their familiarity with the Word of God with the particular needs of parishes today.
He added that the new manual was the latest of a trilogy of Church publications in recent times that gave him great hope.
The first of these was The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church; the second was the Directory of Catechesis in Ireland – Share the Good News. He described the formation manual for parish pastoral councils as “the final beacon of hope.”
Underlining that biblical faith insists that the God of Hope is most powerfully present in a season of hopelessness, the Cardinal said, “A few years ago self-confidence reigned supreme – the sky was the limit and the world our oyster. Although expectations were unrealistic, warnings went unheeded. Then the sudden change. What went wrong? Where do we turn?”
Noting that Israel met God in the crisis of the desert, the Archbishop of Armagh said that in the New Testament “the desert is the time of testing and temptations and of failure but it is also a time of triumph when the Chosen People found favour with God. Many would say that we are in the desert at this moment. We meet God in times of crisis. Crises abound right now. People feel lost, confused and helpless at these times.”
While stating that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Good News, the Cardinal acknowledged that “there are a lot of other Gospels out there proposing their own version of the Good News.” These included “those who consider God as irrelevant and the presence of God as a violation of personal freedom.” But many of the things in which we were often tempted to put our trust had “proved ephemeral – passing.”
“The blunt truth is that it is useless to waste time on those things which have shown themselves incapable of fulfilling the deepest yearnings of the human heart. So a new realism is called for,” Cardinal Brady said in his address in All Hallows. He added that those who build their hope on the Word of God possess that realism.
“With the dimming of the light which comes from God, to quote a phrase of Pope Benedict – ‘humanity loses its bearings’. That is a sad place to be. But humanity can rediscover its bearings,” he said.
Published by Veritas, Parish Pastoral Councils: A Formation Manual presents guidance on how the parish pastoral council can be a transforming agent at the heart of the parish, as well as a catalyst to bring new life and energy to the parish community.
The three authors, Debra Snoddy, Jim Campbell and Andrew McNally have backgrounds in pastoral education and adult and community learning.
Debra Snoddy is a full-time lecturer in Biblical Studies and is Chair of the Continuing Education Committee for the School of Adult and Community Learning at All Hallows College, Dublin.
Jim Campbell has been a member of the staff of the Institute of Cultural Affairs since it began in 1972. He currently teaches courses in Facilitation at All Hallows College.
Fr Andrew McNally is currently Administrator of St Patrick’s Parish, Dundalk. He has served as a curate, diocesan adviser for religious education and as Director of pastoral renewal and family ministry in the Archdiocese of Armagh.
According to the authors, the parish is the grassroots and core of the Church. They compare parish councils to the rudder that steers the parish in a particular direction, saying the council shares with the priest and is co-responsible for the shepherding of the community.
“A strong and active parish council can prove instrumental in developing community faith and unity,” the book states.
Parish Pastoral Councils: A Formation Manual costs €16.99/£14.50.