28th June 2015 - Interview with Bishop Phonsie Cullinan

On this weeks programme John interviews Fr (as he was then) Phonsie Cullinan in advance of his consecration as bishop of Waterford and Lismore. Bishop Phonsie had been a guest on the programme and a great supporter of SS102fm and the SS102fm wishes him the very best as he takes up his new ministry in Waterford & Lismore.

You can listen to the podcast of this weeks programme here.

Interview with Bishop Phonsie Cullinan

Bishop Cullinan was born in Lahinch, County Clare in 1959 to Christy and Rita and has four sisters and five brothers.  He was a priest of the diocese of Limerick.  His family moved to Limerick city where he attended the Salesians for early education, John F Kennedy National School and the Crescent College Comprehensive (SJ) for his secondary education.  From 1978-1981 he attended Mary Immaculate College of Education Limerick and qualified as a primary teacher (B.Ed) in 1981, and taught for six years in Castleconnell, County Limerick. He worked part-time during that time for four years with the Bunratty Castle Entertainers before going to Spain where he taught English for two years in a school in Valladolid.  

Bishop Cullinan studied at Saint Patrick’s College Maynooth from 1989-95 where he completed an STL (Licentiate in Theology).  He was ordained by Bishop Jeremiah Newman in 1994 in Saint John’s Cathedral, Limerick, and appointed Curate in Saint Munchin’s Parish Limerick city 1995-1996.  Father Cullinan’s next appointment was as chaplain to the Regional Hospital in Limerick from 1996 until 2001.  He studied for his doctorate in moral theology in the Alfonsianum in Rome 2001-2004.  Appointed chaplain to the Limerick Institute of Technology 2004-2011.   He was appointed Parish Priest of Rathkeale , County Limerick in 2011.

On April 12th 2015, Bishop Cullinan was consecrated bishop of Waterford & Lismore. The Diocese of Waterford & Lismore includes County Waterford, and part of Counties Tipperary and Cork.  There are 45 parishes, 85 Churches and a Catholic population of 152,107.  The patrons of the Diocese are Saint Otteran, Saint Carthage and Saint Declan.

You can listen to the interview with Bishop Phonsie extracted from the main programme podcast here.

Coverage of the episcopal ordination here.

Gospel - Mark 5: 21-43

The Healing of a Sick Woman by Bulgarian Artist Julia Stankova
(painting on wood panel; 2010).
Source

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ He looked all round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’

While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Sunday Reflections
Centre for Liturgy
Ennis Blue
Word on Fire
Limerick Diocese weekly newsletter

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours: Psalter week 1; 13th Week in ordinary time

Saints of the Week:

29th June - Ss Peter & Paul (Apostles)
30th June - The First Martyrs of Rome
1st July - St Oliver Plunkett
2nd July - Saint Bernadine Realino
3rd July - St Thomas (Apostle)
4th July - St Elizabeth of Portugal