17th February 2019 - 2019 Dublin Divine Mercy Conference & Limerick Diocese publishes Guidelines for Pastoral Units & Team Ministry

This weeks programme is a little busy for the SS102fm team, with an interview with Don Devaney about the 2019 Dublin Divine Mercy Conference which takes place next weekend. In addition we have a quick chat with Rose O'Connor about the publication of the Guidelines for Pastoral Units published by Limerick diocese. We have our regular reflection on this weeks Sunday gospel as well as notices and other liturgical odds & ends.

You can listen to the podcast of this weeks full programme HERE.

2019 Dublin Divine Mercy Conference

John chats with Don Devaney about the Divine Mercy conference which takes place next weekend in the RDS in Dublin next weekend. Starting on Friday 22 February with a special evening for the youth - including testimonies, talks and music. Saturday 23 February starts at 10am and goes on to finish with a healing service led by Fr Brendan Walsh at 19.30pm. Sunday 24th February starts again at 10am and finishing with Mass at 15.15 - the main celebrant will be the papal nuncio - Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo.

• You can find out more about the conference (including videos and live stream of the talks) HERE.
• You can listen to the interview with Don excerpted from the main programme podcast HERE. 

Limerick diocese publish Guidelines for new Pastoral Units and Team Ministry

Rose O'Connor joins the SS102fm team to discuss the publication of the new guidelines by the diocese of Limerick. Limerick Diocese has issued Guidelines for Team Ministry and Pastoral Units . The Guidelines deal with the roles and responsibilities of:

• Pastoral Unit
• Moderators & co-parish priests
• Pastoral Unit Council
• Local Mission Group
• Continuation of existing finance practices within the existing parishes.

It is a follow up from the revised structure initiated in the diocese from 2nd December 2018 where teams of clergy are ministering in pastoral units or collectives of parishes but existing parish identity is being maintained. The new units involve a number of parishes operating together, with two or three priests ministering together as a team to the pastoral needs of these parishes. Each of the priests is a “co-Parish Priest” and will be moving around the pastoral Unit, resulting in different priests saying masses in parishes week on week.

You can listen to the interview with Rose excerpted from the main programme podcast HERE.

You can read about the Guidelines HERE.

Gospel - Luke 6:17, 20-26

He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon.

 Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
‘Blessed are you who are poor,
   for yours is the kingdom of God. 
‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
   for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
   for you will laugh.

 ‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. 
‘But woe to you who are rich,
   for you have received your consolation. 
‘Woe to you who are full now,
   for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
   for you will mourn and weep.

 ‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
Sunday Reflections
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours - Psalter week 2, 6th week in Ordinary time

Saints of the Week

February 18th - St Colman of Lindisfarne
February 19th - Bl John Sullivan SJ
February 20th - St Jacinta Marto - Seer of Fatima
February 21st - St Peter Damian
February 22nd - Feast of the Chair of St Peter
February 23rd - St Polycarp

Limerick Diocese issues guidelines for new Pastoral Units and Team Ministry

Following on from the establishment of pastoral units and teams from 2nd December 2018, this week Limerick Diocese has issued Guidelines for Team Ministry and Pastoral Units . The Guidelines deal with the roles and responsibilities of:

• Pastoral Unit
• Moderators & co-parish priests
• Pastoral Unit Council
• Local Mission Group
• Continuation of existing finance practices within the existing parishes.

It is a follow up from the revised structure initiated in the diocese from 2nd December 2018 where teams of clergy are ministering in pastoral units or collectives of parishes but existing parish identity is being maintained. The new units involve a number of parishes operating together, with two or three priests ministering together as a team to the pastoral needs of these parishes. Each of the priests is a “co-Parish Priest” and will be moving around the pastoral Unit, resulting in different priests saying masses in parishes week on week.

Bishop Leahy commented at the launch of the Pastoral Units that “The main goal in establishing pastoral units and team ministry is greater co-operation between parishes. The hope is that there will be a greater critical mass of energy, competencies and lay volunteers at the service of a number of parishes. As the Irish saying puts it, Ní neart go cur le chéile - our strength lies in unity,” in the pastoral letter.

You can listen to an interview with Bishop Brendan Leahy about the Pastoral Units with SS102fm in December 2018 HERE.

The new Guidelines are available HERE

Introduction to the Guidelines from Bishop Brendan Leahy

In introducing team ministry and pastoral units, I believe God is at work. Change isn’t easy but just as it is necessary in our own personal lives (for instance, a child changes to become an adolescent and then an adult with many changes through life), likewise in the Church we too constantly need to reform and renew our Church life.

Priests will always be necessary. But it is also true that today we are seeing a deep discovery that every baptised person has a vocation. Pope Francis writes that each baptised person “is” a mission. Lay people live out their baptismal vocation in different ways – in family life, in the workplace, in various social projects. But one way today of living out our baptismal vocation is to take a more direct role in the organisation and day-to-day life of the Church in our local area.

I believe that through all that is going on God is drawing out a new lay profile of the Church. We will see a more prominent role of lay people in the running of parishes in the future. There is a considerable decline in the number of priests, the age profile of priests is rising, there are increasing demands, bureaucratic and otherwise on priests today. It is clear that on a practical level, something needs to be done.

Our new arrangements are not, however, just about responding to the decline in the number of priests. For the past fifty years, the Catholic Church throughout the world recognises we need to work more in a team spirit. It is something Pope Francis underlines when he speaks of “synodality”. We journey to God together. We need to promote arrangements that encourage greater co-operation and exchange between parishes.

The steps we are taking together are in tune with the phenomenon the world over, that is, a realisation that there needs to be greater collaboration and togetherness than before, whether it be in dealing with the issue of global warming, peace-keeping or combatting social problems. The Spirit of God is prompting this new sense of inter-dependence.

It is worthwhile hearing Pope Francis’ words who urges us to take new steps for the sake of mission:

I dream of a “missionary option”, that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channelled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation. The renewal of structures demanded by pastoral conversion can only be understood in this light: as part of an effort to make them more mission-oriented, to make ordinary pastoral activity on every level more inclusive and open…1

The 2016 Synod offered us important signposts to guide us in the steps we need to take at this stage of our journey in the Diocese. One of these steps is the development of “team ministry”. In the past two years we have worked on this and consulted widely and are now at a point of arranging our Diocese into Pastoral Units with teams of clergy ministering in each unit.

22nd October 2017 - SS102fm has a catch up with Bishop Brendan Leahy

On this weeks programme (despite some horrendous technical difficulties!), John and Shane are joined by Bishop Brendan Leahy for a chat about various things including the Limerick Pastoral Plan, WMoF2018 and whether the Pope is coming to Ireland.

This Sunday also happens to be Mission Sunday 2017 and here on SS102fm we remember in a special way all missionaries who work in the "vineyard of the Lord".

You can listen to the podcast of this weeks full programme HERE.

Mission Sunday 2017

From World Missions Ireland:

World Mission Sunday takes place on the second last Sunday of October each year. Since 1926, the Church has traditionally remembered its universal mission during the month of October. This year Mission Sunday will be celebrated globally on the 22nd October 2017. The theme is ‘Reach Out, Spread the Joy.’ Throughout the world the faithful will reflect on the universal call to Mission of all the baptised. They will be invited to contribute what they can to support the development and growth of young churches internationally. Mission Sunday is celebrated by every Church worldwide, including the poorest. This special Sunday in October provides Catholics with the opportunity to unite with their missionary sisters and brothers overseas, and to recommit themselves to bringing the Joy of the Gospel to everyone they meet in their daily lives at home and at work. 

In October and especially on Mission Sunday Catholics are invited to be specifically conscious of the Church’s missionary activity abroad (Ad Gentes) through prayer, sacrifice and financial contributions. The funds collected are used to assist Churches who need financial support and directed towards communities in need, both spiritually and materially. 

In October 2016, Irish Catholics contributed more than €1.5 million on Mission Sunday. The Mission Sunday collection is made available to be distributed to as many as 1,100 young Churches who are supported by the generosity of Churches that have been blessed with a greater quantity of financial and material gifts. Our Mission Sunday figures for October 2016 are available to download here. 

Contributions will be used to build simple mission churches, to educate and nurture our future leaders of the Church including seminarians, religious novices, lay catechists and pastoral workers. The Mission Sunday gift may also be used for building health facilities for children and adults as well as for providing emergency aid in times of war or natural disaster or to assist missionaries in their efforts to care for refugees. 

On Mission Sunday, in a special way, we celebrate the work of circa 1,300 Irish born missionaries and all missionaries throughout the world. We thank God for them, for all who support them in our own country and during mission month we unite ourselves in prayer with them and with the communities with whom they work.

You can read Pope Francis message for Mission Sunday HERE.

A Catch up with Bishop Brendan Leahy

On this weeks programme, we were delighted to have an opportunity to catch up with Bishop Brendan Leahy to discuss a few things including the progress being made on the diocesan plan after Synod 2016, forthcoming WMoF2018, the possibilities of a 2018 Papal visit and how it wont be confirmed by the papal household officially until next March at the earliest, reflection on the Irish bishops Ad limina visit to Rome as well as Bishop's Brendan visit to Zimbabwe with Trocaire.

You can listen to the interview excerpted from the main programme HERE.




Gospel - Matthew 22:15-21

"The Tribute Money." Peter Rubens, 1512.

The Pharisees went offand plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying,"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful manand that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion,for you do not regard a person's status.Tell us, then, what is your opinion:Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" Knowing their malice, Jesus said,"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax." Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" They replied, "Caesar's."At that he said to them,"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesarand to God what belongs to God."

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
Sunday Reflections
English Dominicans
The Sunday Website of St Louis University
Vatican Radio
Religion is always political, but it can never be partisan: What’s Jesus telling us today?

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours: Psalter week 1, 29th week in ordinary time

Saints of the Week

October 23rd - St John of Capistrano
October 24th - St Anthony Mary Claret
October 25th - Bl Thaddeus McCarthy - read A saint for the persistent but discouraged
October 26th - Ss Chad & Cedd
October 27th - St Otteran
October 28th - St Simon & Jude

Limerick Diocesan Assembly 2017

The Diocese of Limerick has a 10 year Pastoral Plan based on our Diocesan Synod in 2016. On September 3oth representatives from all parish pastoral councils, finance councils, clergy and other interested parties were invited to a Diocesan Assembly where progress report on the first steps in our 10 year journey was shared.

Over 300 people, representing parishes from across the diocese; gathered in Castletroy last Saturday (30th September - editor) to hear a progress report on our Pastoral Plan and to hear some initiatives that they might consider for the year ahead. 

There was great listening in the hall as parish groups were led through the six strands of the theme, and an overall consensus that there is far more happening than most of us realise or credit. We also all agreed that we need to develop better communication - at diocesan, local and parish levels so that people can be inspired and supported in their work in the year ahead.  

In line with the title of our Pastoral Plan, 'Moving forward together in Hope', Bishop Brendan thanked and encouraged all, and noted that in June each parish will be asked to share some success stories from their community - so that we can meet each September for a progress report, celebrating all that has been achieved in the previous year! 

Please click HERE to read the original 10 year Pastoral Plan for our Diocese

Please click HERE to read the September 2017 Progress Report on our Pastoral Plan

Some photos are HERE

The diocese is sharing some short videos that were presented at the Assembly on the Diocesan FB page HERE across the week - showing how we are working together and moving forward in hope!

19th March 2017 - Beginning to explore the Ministry of Public Prayer

On this weeks programme, John and Shane are joined by Noirin Lynch from Limerick Diocesan Pastoral Centre who joins us to discuss the steps being taken to explore, develop and support the Ministry of Public Prayer in the diocese of Limerick following on from the request expressed during Synod 2016.

We have a short reflection on this weeks Sunday gospel as well as our regular liturgical odds & ends and notices during the programme.

You can listen to this weeks programme podcast HERE.

Extended Notices

On this weeks programme we covered a lot of forthcoming events. To find out more about what was mentioned please check out the weekly newsletter from the Limerick Diocesan Pastoral Centre for further information or contact the LDPC at 061 400133

Beginning to explore the Ministry of Public Prayer

During Synod 2016, one of the questions which arose was what happens as a praying community when we want to gather prayer but due to circumstances no priest is available to take their role as presider of the praying community could we build up lay people to assist in leading at times of prayer.

On this weeks programme Noirin Lynch joins us to discuss how as a diocese we are beginning to explore and think about the Ministry of Public Prayer - the idea of the leadership of public prayer where as praying communities we have a few people in the parish who can help us to lead, to start us off in public prayer where the need may arise. 

The exploration of the Ministry of Public Prayer is looking at the balance between maintaining our sense of community where we gather together but also preserving the understanding of special-ness of the Sunday Eucharistic gathering of the community.

During the discussion we explore the idea of what is the difference between public prayer (e.g. rosary, taize prayer, pilgrimages, chaplets etc which can be quite diverse, based on different spirituality's and ways of prayer) and the Liturgy (the core public official rituals of the Church as a faith community).

As a diocese we want to be in a situation where if the need arises that each parish has a few people who are comfortable to be able to lead public prayer and also Lay led liturgies - Liturgy of the Word (maybe with a Communion service) and/or Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office)

The journey of exploration of this renewed type of ministry is first off recognising that in many ways it is already happening already with people who lead rosaries or assist with prayers during Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament etc and also resourcing and encouraging members of communities in this role. It is also about creating the backup plan for situations where maybe a priest isn't available at short notice and Liturgies are required. 

Part of the exploration is also about recognising the loss and grief of people will have because we may not be able to attend to daily Mass as often in the future - a loss and grief from love of the Mass. In a sense the journey of exploration is asking how we talk about how can we pray in the morning if we can't have Mass? Lets look at the options and how we as a praying community will still gather to pray.

As part of the process, every parish is to have one lay led liturgy on 25th April 2017.

The interview with Noirin can be listened to excerpted from the main programme HERE.

Gospel - John 4:5-42  - The Samaritan Woman at the Well

Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.Jacob's well was there.Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.It was about noon.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water.Jesus said to her,"Give me a drink."His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.The Samaritan woman said to him, "How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?"—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—Jesus answered and said to her,"If you knew the gift of Godand who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink, 'you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."The woman said to him, "Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water?Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?"Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in hima spring of water welling up to eternal life."The woman said to him,"Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.
"I can see that you are a prophet.Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."Jesus said to her,"Believe me, woman, the hour is comingwhen you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews.But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth."The woman said to him,"I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything."Jesus said to her,"I am he, the one who is speaking with you."
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him.When the Samaritans came to him,they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days.Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, "We no longer believe because of your word;for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
Centre for Liturgy
English Dominicans
Sunday Reflections

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours - Psalter week 3; 3rd week of Lent

Saints of the Hours

March 20th - St Joseph (Solemnity)
March 21st - St Enda of Aran
March 22nd - St Nicholas Owen
March 23rd - St Turibius de Mogrovejo
March 24th - St MacCartan also Bl Oscar Romero
March 25th - The Annunciation of the Lord (Solemnity)

Synod 2016 - Presentation of the draft Pastoral Plan - Address by Bishop Brendan Leahy

"No going back"

 

Speaking Notes

Bishop Brendan Leahy

Meeting with Synod Delegates

Strand Hotel

October 15th 2016 

I am very pleased that we are gathered here today, reliving the memory of our Synod experience, reviewing the work that has gone on over the past few months and writing together our Diocesan plan. I thank all involved in preparing this day.

I want to say straightaway that both at the Synod and since, I have been very grateful for what we experienced and what the Synod produced. I very much look forward to doing my part as we take the steps outlined in the Diocesan plan that we are working on today.

Now that some months have passed since our amazing gathering in April, I would like to share a little of how I view the Synod. There are four aspects that I would like briefly to highlight.

The Synod as Event of the Holy Spirit

The first thing that strikes me about the Synod is the Synod itself! It was an event of the Holy Spirit. The image I keep is one on our website – the hall in Mary Immaculate College full of circles of people, lay, priests, single and married, young and older, working hard but joyfully at discerning what God was calling us to as a diocese. We were learning together to be “synodal”. And it’s something we can’t take for granted. We are all in this together, learning a way of synodality. It’s a theme Pope Francis emphasises a lot.

We gathered in April in the company of the representatives of other churches and other religions along with representatives of the civic and social agencies of the City and County Council. I felt it was a glimpse of a church that we want to be – a community of communities with Jesus among us, serving the society of Limerick at all levels, offering it a soul, wanting to give our spiritual and social contribution that builds up the fabric of society.

I recall more than one person saying to me how moved they were to find themselves sitting side by side with priests, chatting about future directions of the Church. It was something new and they were delighted. Some young people said to be – I’m sure if other young people could see this, they would be hugely impressed and really begin to understand more about the Church.

So I thank God for the Synod. It has given us an experience, an image, a benchmark that remains in our hearts and minds for the future.

The Synod as an Event of Looking at Reality with New Eyes

A second point that struck is that the Synod provided us with an opportunity to look around us with new eyes. Pope Francis often invites us today to have what he calls a “contemplative gaze”, that is, we need to look around us in our home, our streets, our village, our town, our city and discover God dwelling among us, “fostering solidarity, fraternity, and the desire for goodness, truth and justice”. Perhaps those around us aren’t coming to Church but they are searching for meaning in their lives. And even in the negatives and apparent rejections that we find, something of God’s work can be uncovered.

Our Synod journey has been a time of looking at the reality around us with eyes of hope and, in this Year of Mercy, we could also say, with eyes of mercy and tenderness, one of the great themes of our times. We made a realistic assessment. The proposals we’ll be looking at today reflect our assessment. There are less priests and we need new models of leadership; young people find it hard to connect, we need to find new ways to be with the young church; families need support in handing on the faith and in facing difficulties as a family, liturgy today is being called to link more with life, and, above all, as a Church community we recognise our desire to reach out much more beyond the sacristy, beyond the church, beyond the usual structures that we are used to.

The Synod as an Event that calls us Forward to a Community of Communities with Jesus among Us

It seems to me the Synod has called us to a more Mission-shaped Church, less relying on the priest-on-his-own, and indeed not just a parish council and a priest. Let me offer some images to share what I mean.

Synod 2016 - Presentation of draft Pastoral Plan to Delegates

On Saturday 15th October, Synod delegates gathered together for one final time to complete the formal event that was Synod 2016. Limerick diocese's draft Pastoral Plan 2016 - 2025 was presented to delegates to ask for affirmation of the implementation plan based on the proposals discussed and voted on during the formal sessions of the synod in April 2016.

[Photos from the meeting on 15/10/2016 can be seen on Synod Facebook page]

The Synod vote has given an overall direction for the diocese and also a clear thrust for each of the six themes thus providing a Vision to guide the diocese in the years ahead. It has also enabled prioritisation of the proposals within the theme and devise a strategy for delivering the broad range of actions identified.

In each theme the aim is to begin by doing something at diocesan level to increase our ability to move on this theme – this is achieved by training, employing or appointing people to key positions. Then, in turn the aim is to similarly develop the ability on the ground to make progress on actions by providing training and resources and ensuring there are people at local level who can deliver actions in this theme.

There are many proposals and many actions named in the plan – the intention is that local communities approach many of these (the ones that are not core or essential) as they would a menu and choose those that are appropriate to their circumstances.

Finally, there are two other categories of proposals for which we have employed a different strategy.
Firstly, there are those proposals brought forward by groups or agencies who are already working in this area and who have experience and expertise, for example Compassionate Communities, Bedford Row, Children’s’ Grief project. Here the strategy is to work with and support these groups rather than working in parallel. Secondly some proposals have been brought forward by delegates themselves who have a passion and experience in the particular area, for example, Inter and Intra faith dialogue, Living with disability, Laudato Si and care for the Environment, or the JP II Awards. Again here the strategy is to go back to those delegates and work with them to act upon their proposals.

There was broad agreement on the thrust of the implementation plan with good discussion, and lots of ideas on how the diocese can progress the next steps. 

At the end Bishop Brendan reminded delegates, the event of Synod and the process which the diocese has undergone means there is no going back!

On Wednesday 19th October at the diocesan conference, clergy, PPC chairpersons and pastoral area delegates will hear the details of the new pastoral plan and consider how it will apply to their parishes over the next number of years.

You can read the draft pastoral plan HERE.