30 Sept 2014

Synod 2016 - Pastoral Letter from Bishop Leahy

 
Synod 2016
 

 
Following on from Bishop Leahy's announcement of the convocation of the diocesan synod in 2016 on Saturday, the pastoral letter setting out the aims and vision for the synod is now available online HERE on the diocesan website.
 
Coverage of the announcement of the synod from the diocesan website HERE including the letter read out at Masses over the weekend.
 

UPDATE:

28 Sept 2014

28th September 2014 - VIDES - 26th Sunday in Ordinary time (Year A)

On this weeks programme John is joined by Sr Dympna Clancy from VIDES to talk about the work which is a group of volunteers who have given time abroad and who share their experience with those wishing to offer their services for limited periods working with the Salesian sisters in development projects abroad.

We have our regular Sunday gospel reflection as well as some other odds and ends. You can listen to the podcast of this weeks programme HERE.

VIDES

VIDES (Voluntary International Development Education and Service)which is an international association supported by the Salesian Sisters which consists of groups of volunteers who give time abroad and who share their time and their gifts for limited periods working with the sisters in development projects abroad.
Vides Ireland continues to operate and invite volunteers to make contact if they are interested in giving time abroad. The Irish delegate is Sr. Dympna Clancy who can be contacted at dymclan@eircom.net or phone 086-3708652 or 061-348510

We hear from two returned Vides volunteers who have returned from Zambia and hear their story and experience of working in the City of Hope outside Lusake - Maire Ni Choistealbha and John Reidy.

Gospel - Matthew 21: 28-32


"What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' And he answered, `I will not'; but afterward he repented and went. And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, `I go, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him."





Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
Sunday Reflections
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy

Liturgical odds and ends

Saints of the Week

September 29th - Archangels St Michael, Raphel and Gabriel
September 30th - St Jerome
October 1st - St Therese of Lisieux
October 2nd - Guardian Angels
October 3rd - Bl Columbia Marmion
October 4th - St Francis of Assisi

Rome Reports - Pope: Vain Christians are like bubbles. They may look nice, but they're bound to pop





During his Thursday morning Mass, Pope Francis talked about vanity. He explained why it's critical for Christians to not give into this temptation.

"How many Christians live for appearances? Their life seems like soap bubbles. The soap bubble is beautiful, with all its colors! But it lasts only a second, and then what? Vanity is a liar, a fantasist, it deceives itself and it deceives the vain, because in the beginning they pretend to be something they're not and ultimately the vain believe it. They actually believe it. Poor thing!”

The Pope also added that when a Christian does penance, it must be done with joy.

 Summary of Pope's homily
(Source: Vatican Radio)

If you "do not have something substantial, you too will pass like all things.” Pope Francis took his cue from the Book of Ecclesiastes to dwell on vanity. Vanity is a temptation not only for the pagans but also for Christians, for "people of faith.” Jesus, he noted, often rebuked those who boasted. He told the teachers of the law that they should not "walk down the streets” with "luxurious outfits,” like "princes.” When you pray, the Lord warned, do not do it to be seen, do not pray so that people will see you; "pray in secret, go to your room.” You should do the same, the Pope said, when you help the poor: "Don’t sound the trumpet, do it secretly. The Father sees it, and that is enough.”

"But the vain man [says]: ‘Look, I’m giving this check for the work of the Church’ and he shows the check; then he scams the Church from the other direction. But this is what makes the vain man: he lives for appearances. ‘When you fast,’ the Lord says to this, ‘please do not be melancholy, sad, so that everyone will notice that you’re fasting. No, fast with joy; do penance with joy, so that no one will notice.’ This is vanity: it is living for appearances, living to be seen.”

"Christians who live that way”, he continued, "for appearances, for vanity, seem like peacocks, they strut about like peacocks.” They are the people who say, "I am a Christian, I am to that priest, to that sister, to that bishop; my family is a Christian family.” They boast. But, the Pope asked, "what about your life with the Lord? How do you pray? Your life in the works of mercy, how’s that going? Do you visit the sick? Reality.” This, he added, is why "Jesus tells us we must build our house – that is, our Christian life – on the rock, on the truth.” On the other hand, Jesus warned that "the vain build their house on sand, and that house falls, that Christian life falls, slips, because it is not able to resist temptations.”

"How many Christians live for appearances? Their life seems like a soap bubble. The soap bubble is beautiful, with all its colours! But it lasts only a second, and then what? Even when we look at some funeral monuments, we feel it’s vanity, because the truth is returning to the bare earth, as the Servant of God Paul VI said. The bare earth awaits us, this is our final truth. In the meantime, do I boast or do I do something? Do I do good? Do I seek God? Do I pray? Substantial things. And vanity is a liar, a fantasist, it deceives itself, it deceives the vain, because in the beginning he pretends to be [something], but in the end he really believes himself to be that, he believes. He believes it. Poor thing!”

"And this”, he emphasized, "is what happened to the Tetrarch Herod who, as the day’s Gospel relates, asked anxiously about the identity of Jesus.” "Vanity,” the Pope said, "sows wicked anxiety, takes away peace. It’s like those who put on too much make-up, and then are afraid the rain” will come "and all that make-up will come streaming down.” Vanity does not give us peace, he repeated. "Only the truth gives us peace.” Pope Francis said Jesus is the unique rock on which we can build our life. "And we consider that this proposal of the devil, of the demon, also tempted Jesus to vanity in the desert,” saying to Him: "Come with me, let us go up to the temple, let us make a spectacle. Throw yourself down and everyone will believe in you.” The demon presented to Jesus "vanity on a platter.” Vanity, the Pope said, "is a particularly grave spiritual illness.”

Catholic Grandparents Association - Grandparent to give her testimony to the Pope (Vatican Radio)

What is the role grandparents play in keeping prayer at the heart of the family in the 21st century and how important are they in passing down the faith to a new generation?

That is what grandparent and founder of the Catholic Grandparents Association, Catherine Wiley will be highlighting when she gives her testimony on the vocation of grandparents to Pope Francis on Sunday.

Listen to Catherine Wiley's interview with Vatican Radio HERE.

You can listen to her interview with SS102fm a few weeks ago HERE.

Saint John Paul - Mass of thanksgiving, 35th Anniversary of his visit!

 
“There is no such thing as an ordinary lay person”
Saint John Paul, Freeman of Limerick
 
October 1st 1979 at Greenpark Racecourse, Limerick
A special Mass of Thanksgiving
to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the visit of Saint John Paul
Thursday, October 2nd 2014 7pm St Josephs Church
Afterwards refreshments and an small exhibition of memorabilia from the visit will be on display in St Joseph’s Hall next door.

All welcome – please spread the word!

You can re-read the Pope's homily from the Mass in Limerick HERE.

Homily of Bishop Donal Murray to mark the 30th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s visit to Limerick HERE.

Bishop Brendan Leahy calls the first Irish diocesan synod in Ireland since Vatican II

 
 
Limerick Diocese to hold Diocesan Synod in 2016

In a historic announcement, Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick has formally announced the convocation of a diocesan synod for Limerick diocese to be held in 2016. It will be the first diocesan synod in Limerick since the 1930's and the first in Ireland since the holding of the second Vatican Council which lead to reforms in the Roman Catholic Church between 1962 and 1965.

A diocesan synod is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In some christian denominations it often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not. It is also sometimes used to refer to a church that is governed by a synod.

In a letter to parishs formally convoking the synod, Bishop Leahy announced that the synod will take place in Spring 2016. It will be a three day meeting with around 400 delegates from across all aspects of the diocese. The official launch of the Synod will take place on December 7th 2014 (feast of St Ambrose of Milan) with a liturgy in St John's Cathedral. Fr Eamonn Fitzgibbon has been appointed Director of the Synod and his task will be to co-ordinate the many and vast strands of preparation for the Synod.

Stressing that the Synod wasn't just to be a talking shop involving a few people, Bishop Brendan emphasised that "if the Synod were only to be a meeting of a few days in Spring 2016 it would be a waste of time. The risk would be thta it would only produce a report gathering dust on the shelf. The Synod will have to mark a real step forward for our Diocese, indicating a realistic pathway of genuine renewal for all of us who feel faith is important.....The Synod has to be about more than changing structures..."

Emphasising the fact that this will be a gathering of the diocesan faith community Bishop Brendan emphasised that "the spiritual attitude with which we approach the period of discernment ahead of us is important. Our journey towards the Synod in 2016 needs to be a spiritual experience of journeying together in communion with one another, deepening our knowledge of the Faith and spending time in prayer."

"We are about to set out on a journey. It's a chance to ask ourselves: what Church do we want to be as we face the challenges ahead of us? What face of the Church do we want to present to society today in order to serve it with humility? How best can we be salt, light and leaven in the world?"

20 Sept 2014

21 September 2014 - Noirin Lynch and Martina O'Sullivan - Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

On this week's programme we are joined in the studio by two special guests - Noirin Lynch and Martina O'Sullivan. We have our regular reflection on the Sunday gospel as well as some other odds and ends.

You can listen to the podcast of this week's programme HERE.

Eolas Autumn 2014



Noirin Lynch, the Pastoral Development Co-ordinator for the Diocese of Limerick, came on our programme to speak with John about the new issue of Eolas and what is happening in the Diocese during the next few months. Eolas is the information flyer of the Limerick Diocesan Pastoral Centre. Twice a year they send parishes a calendar of events which parish pastoral councils and other groups will find helpful. It is created so that it can be opened up into a poster in a parish church, or folded neatly to send to parishioners homes.  This term's Eolas is as full as always  - Bishop Brendan Leahy is hosting 2 meetings for parish pastoral council chairpersons and for parish ministry team members. We also have adult faith formation opportunities  being held across the Diocese. Youth Ministry events and trainings, Safeguarding training and Ministry formation is also listed.  The flyer is available for download HERE.  

If you would like regular updates about what is happening in the Diocese of Limerick and resources, prayers and good news events, please consider signing up for the free weekly e-newsletter from the diocese HERE.


Abbeyfeale Faith Camp 2014


Martina O'Sullivan rejoined us on our programme this week to share the experience they had in Abbeyfeale during the summer when they had a week-long faith camp for 60 children week from age of 5 to 13. Each day the children participated in mass, learnt about saints, took part in arts and crafts and had loads of fun. She also spoke about children's adoration.

Noirin and Martina's interviews are excerpted from the programme HERE.


Gospel - Matthew 20:1-16




Now the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day, and sent them to his vineyard. Going out at about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place and said to them, “You go to my vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage”. So they went. At about the sixth hour and again at about the ninth hour, he went out and did the same.Then at about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing round, and he said to them, “Why have you been standing here idle all day?” “Because no one has hired us” they answered. He said to them, “You go into my vineyard too”.

workers-parableIn the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first”. So those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner. “The men who came last” they said “have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day’s work in all the heat.” He answered one of them and said, “My friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the last comer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why be envious because I am generous?”

Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.’

Reflections on this week's gospel:


Word on Fire
Sunday Reflections
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy

Liturgical odds and ends

Saints of the Week

September 22nd - St. Thomas of Villanueva
September 23rd - St. Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)
September 24th - Martyrs of Chalcedon
September 25th - St. Finbarr
September 26th - St. Cosmas and St. Damian
September 27th - St. Vincent de Paul


Notices


22 September 2014: Chairpersons of Parish Pastoral Councils

Last call for chairpersons of Parish Pastoral Councils!! We have over 20 parishes booked in and expect at least 30 more bookings this week - so please make sure your parish is not left out of the loop for this important meeting!

Host: Bishop Brendan Leahy. Facilitator: Noirin Lynch
Date: Monday 22nd September
Venue: Limerick Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Denmark St, Limerick.
Time: 8:00pm -9:30pm

Booking: Please reserve your place by calling 061-400133 immediately. 

19 Sept 2014

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction - St Janusarius (feast day of Sept 19th)


Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction. In the case of relics and incorruptibles, not to mention other Catholic-y things, this very often rings true. St. Januarius, whose feast we celebrate today, is one such case. Fr. Damian Ference gives a riveting account of his martyrdom and the miraculous occurrences surrounding St. Januarius' most famous relic - his blood!
 
Read about it HERE

You can read more about the miracle HERE and HERE.

16 Sept 2014

Day of Prayer for the Synod on the Family



From the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops: A request for special prayers on Sunday, 28 September, for the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

Day of Prayer
for the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops
Sunday, 28 September 2014

Sunday, 28 September is to be set aside as a Day of Prayer for the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, scheduled to take place from 5 to 19 October to treat the topic: The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization.

Particular churches, parish communities, institutes of consecrated life, associations and movements are invited to pray for this intention during Mass and at other liturgical celebrations, in the days leading to the synod and during the synod itself. In Rome, in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, prayers will be recited each day in the chapel of the icon, Salus Populi Romani. The faithful, individually but above all in families, are invited to join in these prayers.



The suggested prayers include the Prayer to the Holy Family for the Synod, composed by Pope Francis, and the following proposed intentions during the Prayers of the Faithful which can be adapted at Sunday Mass on 28 September and during the synod. These intentions can also be included in the petitions at Lauds and Vespers. The recitation of the Holy Rosary is also recommended for the duration of the synodal assembly.


I - Prayer to the Holy Family for the Synod

Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
in you we contemplate
the splendour of true love,
to you we turn with trust.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
grant that our families too
may be places of communion and prayer,
authentic schools of the Gospel
and small domestic Churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
may families never again
experience violence, rejection and division:
may all who have been hurt or scandalized
find ready comfort and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
may the approaching Synod of Bishops
make us once more mindful
of the sacredness and inviolability of the family,
and its beauty in God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
graciously hear our prayer.
Amen.
 
 
II - Prayers of the Faithful.

14 Sept 2014

A Virtual Choir of Carmelites




"Nada Te Turbe" is one of two virtual choirs produced for the celebration of St. Teresa of Jesus's 500th birthday. The choir is made up of Carmelite Nuns from around the world and is accompanied by the Teresian Orchestra of St. James Cathedral in Seattle, Washington, USA. Music composed by Claire Sokol, OCD.

The prayer — which is more of a sort of contemplative pulse — is this:

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.







"Salve Regina" is the second of two virtual choirs produced for the celebration of St. Teresa of Jesus's 500th birthday. This virtual choir is made up of Carmelite Nuns and Friars from around the world and highlights the internationality and diversity of the Carmelite Order. Music composed by Claire Sokol, OCD.


13 Sept 2014

14 September 2014 - Sr. Teresia Byrne - The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

On this week's programme we have an interview with Sr. Teresia Byrne. We have our regular reflection on the Sunday gospel as well as some other odds and ends.

You can listen to the podcast of this week's programme HERE.

Sr. Teresia Byrne
This week Sr. Teresia Byrne, Good Shepherd Sister, shares her story with us and brings us on a journey from Carlow to Egypt followed by Sudan for a total of 50 years and now Roxboro in Limerick. From a family with very strong faith Sr. Teresia wanted to work on the missions from an early age. After hearing a talk on the Passion of Jesus while a teenager she made up her mind to devote her life to God and joined the Good Shepherd order and got her first taste of working abroad in 1955 teaching in Egypt. In 1980’s she had the opportunity to work in Sudan in ‘all kinds of areas’ mainly helping women. When asked what keeps you going she tells us – ‘My relationship with Jesus’. She remembers the sacrifices made by her family as left Ireland not knowing if she would ever return again.  Sr. Teresia tells us that at this stage of her life she sees her mission as praying for others. 


Based in Roxboro, Sr. Teresia is very involved in various parish activities and twice a year organises a Prayer Guides week. As she shares with us, being a religious Sister is anything but boring!!  Sr. Teresia's interview excerpted from the programme is available HERE.  



Gospel - John 3:13-17



Jesus said to Nicodemus:

No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who came down from heaven,
the Son of Man who is in heaven;
and the Son of Man must be lifted up
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so that everyone who believes
may have eternal life in him.
Yes, God loved the world so much
that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.’

Reflections on this week's gospel:


Word on Fire
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy

Liturgical odds and ends

Saints of the Week

September 15th - Our Lady of Sorrows
September 16th - St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian
September 17th - St. Robert Bellarmine
September 18th - St. Joseph of Cupertino
September 19th - St. Januarius
September 20th - St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon and St. Paul Chong Ha-Sang and Companion Martyrs

12 Sept 2014

Good News - Six men make solemn profession with Irish Dominicans


Six Dominican brothers made their definitive commitment to living as Dominican friars - "solemn profession" - in Dublin on 7th September.

Brothers Conor McDonough OP, Damian Polly OP, Daragh McNally OP, (back row, left to right) Eoin Casey OP, Ronan Connolly OP and David McGovern OP (front row, left to right) made their profession in the hands of Fr Gregory Carroll OP, prior provincial.

The celebration took place during conventual Mass on Sunday 7th September in St Saviour's Church, Dublin, with the local Dominican community, parishioners of Dominick Street parish, visiting Dominican friars, family and friends of the six brothers who travelled from far and wide.

The six brothers joined the Order in Cork in 2009 as part of a group of twelve. They are the first to make solemn profession from the eight of the original group who are still in the Order.

The large group of brothers making solemn profession should not be considered an exceptional increase in the vocations statistics for the Irish Dominicans.

The average annual intake of the province remains less than three and the average number of priestly ordinations for the same period remains slightly more than one per year.

You can see more pictures of the ceremony from Dominican Interactive HERE.


 
It has been a joyful year for the Irish Dominicans with a number of priestly ordinations earlier in the year:
 


Vatican Announces Feast Days of Newly Canonized Pontiffs


From Zenit:
The Feast Days of Saints John XXIII and John Paul II will be on October 11th and October 22nd respectively, the Vatican has announced.

In a decree published in today’s edition of L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican said Pope Francis had approved putting the saints on the Church’s general Roman calendar of feast days in light of "countless requests from every part of the world.” The decree, issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, stated they will be optional and not obligatory memorials.

Vatican watcher Sandro Magister notes that the saints will join fifteen other popes - in addition to St. Peter - mentioned in the calendar. Only four of these are an "obligatory memorial": St. Gregory the Great (Sept. 3), St. Cornelius (Sept. 16) and St. Leo the Great (Nov. 10). The only holy pontiff of the second millennium with a mandatory feast day is St. Pius X (Aug. 21).

New norms regarding obligatory and mandatory feast days were implemented in 2007 on account for the relatively large number of saints who are now celebrated in the Church.

9 Sept 2014

Habemus Episcopum Anglicanam - We have a new bishop!

SS102fm extends cordial congratulations to the Church of Ireland United diocese of Limerick & Killaloe on the election of their new bishop is succession to Dr Trevor Williams (who was interviewed on SS102fm here).


From the diocesan website:

Canon Kearon is Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, a position he has held since 2005. Born in 1953, he is a native of Dublin. Educated at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), he served his curacy in All Saints Raheny and St John's Coolock, before becoming Dean of Residence at TCD in 1984, a position he held until 1990. He was Rector of the Parish of Tullow (Dublin) from 1991 to 1999 after which he became Director of the Irish School of Ecumenics (1999-2005). Dr Kearon is a Canon of Christ Church Cathedral Dublin and an Honorary Provincial Canon of Canterbury Cathedral, St Paul's Cathedral London and St George's Cathedral Jerusalem. He also has an extenisive list of publications to his name, including "Medical Ethics: An Introduction" published in 1995 by Columba press.

Our new Bishop elect is married to Jennifer and they have three adult daughters: Gillian who lives and works in New Zealand, Rachel and Alison, both of whom live and work in Ireland.  
The Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, Archbishop of Dublin, said, 'Canon Kearon has expressed his delight at returning to work in Ireland and his intention to serve the people of Limerick and Killaloe and the communities of which they are a part. I have known Canon Kearon for many years and have always appreciated his personal friendship. I wish Kenneth and Jennifer all that is best within the love of God in their time in Limerick and Killaloe.'

The bishop-elect said: 'I am honoured and delighted to have been elected to the Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe, and I look forward to getting to know the diocese, its people and its clergy well in the near future. Ireland has been through a very difficult period in its history, and I look forward to helping the diocese play its part and making its contribution to shaping the future. This diocese has made a distinctive contribution to the Church of Ireland in the past, in part through the work of its bishops and most recently through Bishop Trevor Williams, and I hope to be able to continue in their footsteps.

There are still some procedures to be completed, including the formal approval of the House of Bishops, so there is, as yet, no date set for the consecration. Nevertheless we look forward to welcoming our Dr. & Mrs Kearnon as Bishop Kenneth and Jennifer to their new home amongst us here in the Mid-West of Ireland and offer our prayerfull support as they prepare for the upheaval of moving."

We welcome the new bishop-elect and his family to Shannon side and perhaps look forward to inviting him on the programme at some future date.

Update:

Comments from Bishop Brendan Leahy on the election news.

7 Sept 2014

7 September - Catholic Grandparents Association - 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

On this week's programme we have an interview with Máire Printer from the Catholic Grandparents Association. We have our regular reflection on the Sunday gospel as well as some other odds and ends.

You can listen to the podcast of this week's programme HERE.

Catholic Grandparents Association



Máire Printer joined us on this week's programme to tell us about the Catholic Grandparents Association which was set up by Catherine Wiley to support the vocation of grandparents in passing on the faith and keeping prayer at the heart of family life.  Máire tells us about the history of the Association and shares with us some of the prayers for grandparents written by their grandchildren and why it is so important to support the vocation of grandparents today. Máire also invites everyone, but especially grandparents and grandchildren, to the National Grandparents pilgrimage to Knock next Sunday: 




Maire's interview excerpted from the programme is available HERE.  More information about the Catholic Grandparents Association is available at www.catholicgranparentsassociation.org 

Gospel - Matthew 18:15-20




Jesus said to his disciples: 

‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves.  If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.
If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you:
the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge.

But if he refuses to listen to these,
report it to the community;
and if he refuses to listen to the community,
treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.

‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’

In this week's gospel, Jesus gives us the model for fraternal correction.  If one of our brothers or sisters does something wrong, we are not to gossip about them behind their back or moan about the injustice that was done.  We are to approach the person alone first.  It is only after we have done this that we are to progress to the next option.  Fraternal or neighbourly correction is difficult and we must only do it out of love - the true love that wishes good for the other person.  Do you love your brother or sister enough to tell them the truth in love?  Correction will only be effective if it is exercised out of this genuine type of love.  It requires both honesty and kindness.  It involves loving our neighbour as ourselves and asking ourselves if the shoe was on the other foot, what way would we like our brother or sister to correct us?







Other reflections on this week's gospel:

Word on Fire
Sunday Reflections
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy

Liturgical odds and ends

Saints of the Week

September 8th - The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
September 9th - St. Ciaran
September 10th - St. Salvius of Albi
September 11th - St. Paphnutius
September 12th - St. Ailbe
September 13th - St. John Chrysostom

Notices

September 8th: Mass & Candlelight Procession for Our Lady's Birthday

This is the third year that a special procession has been held in Limerick to honour the birthday of Our Lady. The procession is inspired by the torchlight procession of Lourdes. 

This year Bishop Brendan Leahy joins the Monks of Moyross and the Corbett Suicide Prevention Group to lead the celebrations. 

Mass will be celebrated at 7pm in St Johns Cathedral and a torchlight processions will follow through the streets of Limerick, stopping for a minutes silence on Thomond Bridge where a wreath will be laid for those who have died by suicide. 

Everyone is asked to bring their own candles for the procession. At the end of Mass scapulars of Our Lady will be distributed free and people can participate in an enrolment prayer.  The processions will end in Arthurs Quay park and the Monks have baked a cake for a small celebration there!

2 Sept 2014

Passion: A Would You Believe special - RTE 1

Last Easter in the parishes of Pallasgreen/Nicker (Co Limerick, Diocese of Cashel & Emily); a local group worked with the whole community to recreate The Passion of Our Lord over a 24 hour period, from Holy Thursday to Good Friday, including [in real time] the agony at Gethsemane, the flogging and crown of thorns, and His trial and Crucifixion.

For the 6000 + people who attended this was not a performance, It was an experience! The event was recorded by RTE TV and will be shown as part of the ‘Would You Believe’ series on Sunday 14th September at 10:30 pm.

Watch this video for a taster of this powerful experience....