2nd September 2018 - Humanae Vitae @ 50

On this week's programme the SS102fm team is joined by Dr. Tom Finegan from Mary Immaculate college to discuss the 50th anniversary of the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae published in July 1968 by Pope Paul VI. We have our regular saints of the week and Sunday gospel reflection as well as other odds and ends. 

Humanae Vitae @ 50
2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Encyclical Humane Vitae (on the transmission of human life) by Pope Paul VI. This week Shane and Dr. Finegan chat about the background leading up to the Encyclical, what is actually contained in Humanae Vitae, why it was prophetic in terms of sexual morality today and what we can still learn from Humane Vitae today. If you would like to read the encyclical it is available on the Vatican website HERE. 

You can listen to the full programme podcast HERE.

You can listen to Dr. Finegan's reflection on Humanae Vitae excerpted HERE

Gospel for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:

This people honours me only with lip-service,
while their hearts are far from me.
The worship they offer me is worthless,
the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.

You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.’ He called the people to him again and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.’

Reflections on this week's gospel:

Word on Fire
Centre for Liturgy
Sunday Reflections 
English Dominicans

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours: Psalter week 2

Saints of the week

3rd September - Pope St. Gregory the Great
4th September - St. Mac Nissi
5th September - St. Teresa of Calcutta
6th September - St. Bega
7th September - St. Cloud
8th September - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

29 July 2018 - The Irish Institute for Pastoral Studies MIC presents "The Future of the Irish parish: Lessons from around the world"

On this weeks programme Fr Eamonn Fitzgibbon, director of the Irish Institute for Pastoral Studies (IIPS) at Mary Immaculate College (MIC) joins John and Shane on the programme to discuss upcoming conference which will take as its theme "The Future of the Irish parish: Lessons from around the world"". 

We have our regular reflection on the Sunday gospel as well as a quick run through the liturgical odds and ends and some local notices.

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

"The Future of the Irish parish: Lessons from around the world" (28th & 29th August 2018) - IIPS -MIC St Patrick's Campus, Thurles 

The Irish Institute for Pastoral Studies at Mary Immaculate College is a new part of MIC which is based on the campus of St Patrick's College in Thurles. It is intended that Thurles will serve as a centre for theological, pastoral and spiritual renewal in the entire region.

Fr Eamonn Fitzgibbon joined the SS102fm team on this weeks programme to introduce the IIPS-MIC to WL102fm listeners and also to promote an upcoming exciting conference to be held at IIPS-MIC in August immediately after the WMoF2018 in Dublin.

The conference has as its theme "The Future of the Irish parish: Lessons from around the world" which brings together sharing's and experiences from all corners of the globe about the changing nature and meaning of parish life both within the church but also as an external manifestation of identity.

Parish life in Ireland both urban and rural has been under going massive change over the last number of years but is still a key part of Irish self identity and understanding. It is not for nothing that often the first question an Irish person asks another is not who are you, but rather where are you from?

With the forth coming decline in the number of priests in active ministry, the challenge has been for the Irish church to get to grips with how we understand and celebrate parishes as vibrant, living expressions of lived communities of faith with a model which is no longer so centred on the role and identity of the parish priest. 

The aim of the conference is to look to examples of this from around the world and to remind ourselves of the words of Pope Francis that "the parish is not an out-dated institution" (E.G.28, Pope Francis).

Speakers and topics at the conference are:

• Lessons from New Zealand, Launch Out: Lay Pastoral Leadership Roles, (Cardinal John Dew, Archdiocese of Wellington, New Zealand)
• Lessons from South Africa, The Parish as a Community of Communities (Bishop Michael Wüstenberg, Bishop Emeritus, Aliwal, South Africa)
• Lessons from Liverpool,  The Experience of Widnes as a Witness to Team Ministry (Rev. Matthew Nunes Episcopal Vicar for Formation, Archdiocese of Liverpool)
• Lessons from Canada,  Rites and Responsibilities: The Role of the Clergy and the Laity in the Catholic Church, (Dr Margaret Lavin, Professor Emeritus at Regis College, Toronto)
• Applying the Learnings, Facilitated by Martin Kennedy and Dr Jessie Rogers.

You can visit the website of the Irish Institute for Pastoral Studies HERE.

Register for the conference 28th and 29th August HERE which also includes the full schedule and back ground information on each of the presenters and facilitators.

You can listen to Fr Eamonn's interview excerpted from the main programme podcast HERE.

Gospel - John 6:1-15

John 6:1-15, 24-35 by Kathleen Rushton
Source

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him,because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. 

Jesus went up on the mountain,and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,he said to Philip,"Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" He said this to test him,because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him,"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little."  

One of his disciples,Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;but what good are these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people recline." Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.  

Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,and distributed them to those who were reclining,and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,"Gather the fragments left over,so that nothing will be wasted."  

So they collected them,and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."  

Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours - psalter week 1

Saints of the week

July 30th - St Peter Chrysologus
July 31st - St Ignatius Loyola
August 1st - St Alphonsus Liguoiri
August 2nd - Our Lady of the Angels also the Indulgence of St Mary of the Portiuncula
August 3rd - St Senarch of Clonard (First Friday)
August 4th - St John Vianney (First Saturday)

Pope's Intentions 
The Treasure of Families
That any far-reaching decisions of economists and politicians may protect the family as one of the treasures of humanity.

Summer courses 2018 at the Irish Institute for Pastoral Studies (IIPS)

"Lets talk family; Lets be family"

Lets Talk Family: Let's be Family! - Limerick prepares for WMoF2018

Preparing for the World Meeting of Families 2018 at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick 

Thursday 13th July 2017 - Tara Building

Hosted by The Irish Institute for Pastoral Studies (in association with the Irish Institute of Catholic Studies)

PROGRAMME

2.00pm Prayer and Words of Welcome by Bishop Brendan Leahy, Bishop of Limerick

2.30pm Amoris Laetitia by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, O.P., the Archbishop of Vienna, Austria

4:00pm Parallel Workshops

• Millennial Youth, Generation X and the Regeneration of the Disconnected - An exploration of ways in which the upcoming Synod on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment could be integrated in to our preparation for the World Meeting of Families 2018. by Gerard Gallagher.
• Introducing the Catechetical programme for WMOF 2018 with Petra Conroy, Martin Kennedy, and Jessie Rogers.
• An academic seminar on the theme of ‘Amoris Laetitia one year on: status quaestiones’. Led by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

7.00pm Public Lecture “The Parish: Family of Families” by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, O.P.

To book your place: go online to www.irishinstituteforpastoralstudies.com or call Deirdre on 061 204507 or email: Eamonn.Fitzgibbon@mic.ul.ie Cost: €20 (full programme) or €10 (Public Lecture only)

Lourdes book launch - Fr Michael Liston - Nov 25th

Friend of SS102fm and one of our contributors who always gets a great response is Fr Michael Liston! And after being indisposed for a while, Fr Michael is back and has finished his book on Lourdes and next week will join us on the programme to discuss it.

But you are also  invited to a special book launch!

Come and See: The Story of Lourdes
An tAth. Micheál Liston

All proceeds on the night to the Limerick Lourdes Invalid Fund

'Come and See: the Story of Lourdes' will be launched by Bishop Brendan Leahy
Monday, November 25th 2013

The Forum, Mary immaculate College
(Enter by Courtbrack gate, Ashbourne Ave, opposite Scotts)

Book Signing from 7pm
Book Launch at 7:30pm
Light refreshments at 8pm

Publisher Veritas.

All proceeds on the night to Limerick Lourdes Invalid Fund

J'ai vu une lumiére douce avec la forme d'une belle fille

I saw a gentle light in the shape of a beautiful young girl

Chonaic mé solas séimh i gcló álainn

- Bernadette

25th November 2012 - Jesus Christ, Universal King

On this weeks programme we are joined by Fr Eamonn Conway, head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick who recently attended the Synod of Bishops in Rome on the Transmission of Faith and New Evangelisation as an expert advisor and he shares with us his experience of the Synod. We also have our regular reflection on the Gospel as well as some saints of the week and local notices.

This weeks full programme is available in podcast HERE.

Rev. Professor Eamonn Conway on the Synod of Bishops and the New Evangelisation

Image source: Mary Immaculate College

Rev. Professor Eamonn Conway is a priest of the Tuam Diocese.  He studied philosophy and sociology at the National University of Ireland and theology at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth and the University of Tuebingen.  He was awarded his doctorate in theology in 1991 and taught Systematic Theology for seven years at All Hallows College, Dublin.  He was appointed Head of Theology and Religious Studies at Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick in 1999 and in 2000 he also became co-director at the Centre for Culture, Technology & Values.

Fr. Eamonn speaks to us this week about his experience of attending the recent Synod of Bishops in Rome on the theme of New Evangelisation which examined ways of trying to renew and bring back people to a more active participation in their faith.  Fr. Eamonn explained in general terms what a Synod of Bishops is and what it does and shared a fascinating account of what it meant to be an expert advisor at a Synod and some of the topics that arose there.

You can listen to the interview with Fr. Conway excerpted from the programme HERE.




Gospel - John 18: 33-37 - Solemnity of Jesus Christ the Universal King

Source

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe was instituted by Pope Pius XI in the Encyclical Quas Primas in 1925.  This solemnity is always celebrated on the last Sunday of the Church's liturgical year.  It is fitting to reflect on the Kingship of Jesus at this time of the year.  Every time we pray the Our Father or the Creed, we are praying for the fulfilment of the Kingdom of God.  If we truly believe that Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords, then we will reflect this in our lives. Perhaps during this coming week and as we move into the new season of Advent we can reflect on the following questions:

(1) Who is the king of my heart and mind and life?  Do submit every part of my day and life to Jesus Christ?  Do I live as if Jesus is the Universal King or do I prefer to keep some parts of my life under my own control and dominion? 

(2) Do I work for the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of man?  Do I pour my energies into working for peace, love, justice, unity and harmony or do I spend most of my energies in the pursuit of status, power, wealth?

And as we say goodbye shortly to the Alleluia for the season of Advent, we take this opportunity to play one of the Sacred Space team's favourite hymns: the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah, directed here by Andre Rieu:

 

 

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The kingdom of this world

is become the Kingdom of the Lord,

and of His Christ, and of His Christ;

and He shall reign for ever and ever,

for ever and ever, for ever and ever.

King of kings, and Lord of lords,

and Lord, of lords,

and He shall reign forever and ever!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Other reflections on this weeks gospel:

• SS102fm archive for Christ the King here and here
• Word on Fire
• English Domincans
• Sunday Reflections by Jesuits in India
• Centre for Liturgy

Liturgical odds and ends

Divine Office - Week 2

Saints of the Week

November 26th - Blessed Hugh Taylor
November 27th - St. Fergal, Bishop and Missionary
November 29th - St. Saturninus, Bishop
November 30th - St. Andrew, Apostle
December 1st - St. Edmund Campion, Martyr (First Saturday)
 

9th September 2012 - 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Upcoming Pastoral Events in Limerick Diocese and the Year of Faith

On this weeks programme we are joined by Noirin Lynch from Limerick Diocesan Pastoral Centre we lets us know what is coming up in the diocese over the next few months and in particular the Limerick preparations for the Year of Faith called by Pope Benedict XVI which starts in October 2012. We have our regular reflection on this Sunday's gospel as well as some liturgical odds and ends.

This weeks podcast is available HERE.

 
Up coming events in Limerick Diocese
 

We are joined on this weeks programme by Noirin Lynch from the Limerick Diocesan Pastoral Centre who gives us a run down on up coming events being organised in the diocese as we head into the Autumn and get back into the swing of things after the summer break.
 
Pastoral Resources and Training
 
Liturgical:

Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist Pastoral Centre Sat 24th Nov. 10-4

Reflection Evening: Min of Word & Eucharist Pastoral Centre Nov. 5th 7:30-9

Music Ministry - Fr Liam Lawton Woodlands, Adare Oct 2nd 7-9pm

Liturgy Resources - Advent Pastoral Centre Nov 7th 7:30-9 Newcastlewest Nov 14th 8-9:30

 

 

Parish Ministry

Baptism Team training, Cathedral Pastoral Area Milford Parish Oct. 10, 17, 24th  

Bereavement Team evening Milford Care Centre Sat, Sept 22nd 

 

Pastoral Leadership

 

Training for new Pastoral Area teams takes place in September

Parish Pastoral Council: 2 talks. St Bridget’s Hall, Limerick. Mon, Oct. 8, 15th

Year of Faith - October 2012 to November 2013
 

 

“In our days too faith is a gift to rediscover, to cultivate and to bear witness to” because the Lord “grants each one of us to live the beauty and joy of being Christians.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Jan 10th 2010)

Pope Benedict XVI has called for a Year of Faith from October 2012 to November 2013 to encourage people to get back to the basics of our Catholic Christian faith - in a sense echoing the call of the second Vatican Council Fathers to go back to the sources and basics of our faith to renew of knowledge and faith in the person of Jesus Christ. As we mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the second Vatican Council, it presents each of us with a personal opportunity to take time to explore what does my faith mean to me and perhaps to take simple steps to explore our faith in new ways.

Saturday 13th October launch of Year of Faith in Limerick Diocese at the South Court Hotel which is open to all people in the Limerick diocese. A one day workshop for Parishes and Pastoral Areas. Speakers, workshops, and a wide variety of resources from over 20 faith development programs, groups and networks. We will post more details on the blog during the week.

International Conference discussing "Religion and the Public Good - Fifty Years after the Second Vatican Council". The Conference commemorates the opening of the Second Vatican Council and is being organised by the Dept of Theology at Mary Immaculate College. It will be held from October 10th & 11th, 2012 at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.

Speakers will include:

• Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor (UK);
• Prof. Myriam Wijlens (Germany);
• Prof. Mathijs Lamberigts (Belgium);
• Dr Kevin Williams (Ireland);
• Dr Leon Hooper SJ (USA);
• Mgr Eamon Martin (Ireland);
• Dr Anthony Towey (UK);
• Ms Mary Kenny (UK),
• Bishop Noel Treanor (Ireland).

 

Further details from: Dr Patrick Connolly, E: patrick.connolly@mic.ul.ie or Ms Eileen Daly, E: eileen.daly@mic.ul.ie T: +353 61 204962

 

Talks on the Legacy of Vatican II to be held during October at the Southcourt Hotel in Raheen.

 

§ Fri 5th Oct: Bishop Michael Smith 

§ Tuesday 9th Oct: Cardinal Murphy O’Connor

§ Fri 19th: Diana Corkery

§ Fri 26th Bishop Donal Murray

§ Fri 3rd Nov: Fr Eamonn Conway

More details to follow

 

Other resources available for the Year of Faith:

• Resources for the Year of Faith are available from the international website HERE.
• The Irish Bishops Conference will be adding Irish resources and events-links HERE.
• Here are some Irish resources might be helpful to you and your parish as you consider the Year of Faith

'Share the Good News' is the Irish catechetical directory and contains suggestions for faith formation for all groups, times of life, etc. More details HERE.

iCatholic - a website of short, informative Catholic videos which can be watched by individuals and groups. These include talks from the Eucharistic Congress, Alpha information, etc. HERE.

Further information and up to date information available from Limerick Diocesan Website including the calendar, timeline and weekly newsletter. The Limerick Diocesan Pastoral Centre can be contacted at 061-400133

 
Gospel - Mark 7: 31-38

 
This weeks gospel is a very timely gospel this week on a number of levels. We have Jesus curing a deaf man who has a speech impediment. The gospel reminds us that we are very much a people who depend on our senses to understand and communicate with the world around us. The miracle in this mornings gospel reminds us that perhaps we have a deafness in our lives to maybe people or events, is there times we don't really listen and communicate with each other.  Are we really listening? What am I deaf to in my life today?

Other reflections on this weeks gospel:
 
Sunday Reflections
Word on Fire
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy
 
 
Liturgical odds and ends
 
Psalter - Week 3 - Divine Office
 
September 10th - St Salvius of Albi
September 11th - St Theodora of Alexandria
September 12th - St Ailbe
September 13th - St John Chrysostom
September 14th - The Exaltation of the Cross
September 15th - Our Lady of Sorrows