12th August 2018 - Visit of the relics of Saints Louis & Zélie Martin and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux to Limerick

On this weeks programme (via some very dodgy Skype connections!) John and Shane are joined by Sr Beatrice Cotter from the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia in Nashville (and also of St Saviours Parish Limerick!) to tell us about the up coming visit of the relics of Saints Louis & Zélie Martin and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux to Limerick and the example of the Martin's to us in our daily lives. We have our regular run through the saints of the week, local notices and of course a short reflection on the Sunday gospel.

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

Visit of the relics of Saints Louis & Zélie Martin and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux to Limerick

Sr Beatrice Cotter joins us on this weeks programme with a reflection on the example of the Martin family as saints for us. While one member of the family may be more well known than all the others, the example of St Louis and Zeile Martin cannot but have influenced St Therese of Lisieux and her sisters - three of whom also entered Carmel and one became a Visitation sister.

The Dominican Church, Glentworth St, Limerick will be hosting the relics of Saint Therese of Lisieux, and of her parents, Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, on Saturday 18 August, beginning with the 1pm Mass. Blessing of roses, veneration of relics, and reflections by the Dominicans will follow, with sung Vespers concluding the event at 5pm.


You can listen to Sr Beatrice reflection on the example of the Martin's HERE.

Gospel - John 6:41-51

Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do not complain among yourselves. No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy
Sunday Reflections

Liturgical odds and ends

Liturgy of the Hours - Psalter week 3

Saints of the Week

13th August - Bl Con O'Rourke
14th August - St Maximilian Kolbe
15th August - Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
16th August - St Stephen of Hungary
17th August - Our Lady of Knock (as per the revised Irish liturgical calendar)
18th August - St Ronan of Iona

The Relics of Saints Louis & Zélie Martin and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux are visiting Ireland - August 4 to Sept 9 2018

In conjunction with the organisers of the World Meeting of Families, the Irish Order of Carmelites, Order of Discalced Carmelites, Carmelite nuns and Lay/Secular Carmelites have arranged that Relics of Saints Louis, Zélie and Thérèse will come from Lisieux and be in Ireland for the World Meeting of Families. The relics will arrive on August 4 and remain in Ireland until September 9

The Relics of Saints Louis & Zélie Martin and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux visiting Whitefriar Street Church, Dublin

The Relics will be at the Opening Ceremony in the R.D.S., Dublin, on Tuesday, August 21, and they will also be in the sanctuary in the Phoenix Park for the Papal Mass on Sunday, August 26. The Carmelites have also been invited to give a forty-five minute presentation on the spirituality of the Martin family in the Phoenix Park before the Papal Mass. This will consist of interviews with people on aspects of the Martin spirituality, texts from the writings of the saints and intercessions and have engaged the services of Kairos Communications to ensure that this will be done to a professional standard. Music will be provided by the Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Eireann orchestra.

The Relics will also travel to several places across Ireland before and after the World Meeting and this gives a much wider group of people who cannot the Congress in the R.D.S. or the Festival of Families in Croke Park or the Papal Mass at the close of the World Meeting to participate in the Meeting in a different though tangible way. Given the short time the Relics will be in the country it is not possible to visit every diocese and every part of the island, but the hope is that given the time available, that as many people as possible will be able to spend time with the Relics and to consider the life of this saintly family. The journey of the Relics through Ireland is a form of pilgrimage leading up to the World Meeting itself and leading away from it afterwards.

Each place that will receive the Reliquaries will organise their own liturgical celebrations and times for veneration and these will be made known over the coming weeks. Information regarding the preparations in each place can be had direct from each place.

You can find more information from the Carmelites website here.

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The Dominican Church, Glentworth St, Limerick will be hosting the relics of Saint Therese of Lisieux, and of her parents, Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, on Saturday 18 August, beginning with the 1pm Mass. Blessing of roses, veneration of relics, and reflections by the Dominicans will follow, with sung Vespers concluding the event at 5pm.

17th November 2017 - Sharing the Limerick apostolate of the Nashville Dominican Sisters

On this weeks programme, John and Shane touch base with Sr Mara Grace of the Dominicans of St Cecilia (Nashville Dominicans) on how they are doing since they arrived in Limerick just over 12 months ago. We have a quick reflection on this weeks Sunday gospel on this weeks programme as well as some liturgical odds & ends.

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

Sharing the Limerick Apostolate of the Nashville Dominican Sisters

On this weeks programme Sr Mara Grace from the Dominican Sisters on Glentworth St in Limerick has a chat with John and Shane about what the sisters have been doing since they arrived in Limerick and the different apostolates and works they have been active in and how they are aware of the immense contribution religious men and women have made to Limerick before them. She also reflects on vocation and what it means to be a Dominican and the challenges of communicating the faith in Ireland today.

You can listen to the interview with Sr Mara Grace excerpted from main programme podcast HERE.

You can follow the community on their Facebook page HERE.

Gospel - Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.
After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
Sunday Reflections
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours - Psalter week I; 33rd week in Ordinary time

Saints of the Week

November 20th - St Edmund
November 21st - The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
November 22nd - St Cecilia
November 23rd - St Columbanus
November 24th - St Andrew Dung-Luc & Companions (the Vietnamese martyrs)
November 25th - St Catherine of Alexandria also St Colman of Cloyne 

"Stay with me" Mondays

An initiative of the Dominican Sisters and Franciscan Friars in the north of Limerick city, led by Fr Bernardino of the Friars ...

In response to a request for prayer and devotional time with the Lord  - especially for adults in their 30s/40s - we are creating 'Stay with Me' Mondays and hosting them across the city for all. 

All are invited to a 'Stay with me' Mondays, but we ask you to especially invite and encourage young adults (30s/40s) to see this as a place of welcome, prayer and fellowship for them.

11th December 2016 - Third Sunday of Advent (Year A) - Gaudete Sunday

On this third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday - we are joined on this weeks programme by Sr Mara Grace from the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia who are have moved into Limerick at St Saviours on Glentworth St. She reflects on Advent and also joins us for our regular weekly reflection on the weekly gospel. We have some liturgical odds and ends as well.

You can listen to this weeks programme podcast HERE.

Gaudete Sunday
Certain Sundays throughout the liturgical year have taken their names from the first word in latin of the Introit, the entrance antiphon at Mass. Gaudete Sunday - the third Sunday of Advent is one of these. The Introit for Gaudete Sunday is taken from Philippians 4:4,5: "Gaudete in Domino semper" ("Rejoice in the Lord always").

"Rejoice: the Lord is nigh." 

As Christmas draws near, the Church emphasizes the joy which should be in our hearts over all that the birth of our Saviour means for us. The great joy of Christians is to see the day drawing nigh when the Lord will come again in His glory to lead them into His kingdom.  The oft-repeated Veni ("Come") of Advent is an echo not only of the prophets but also of the conclusion of the Apocalypse of St. John: "Come, Lord Jesus," the last words of the New Testament. Like Lent, Advent is a penitential season, so the priest normally wears purple vestments. But on Gaudete Sunday, having passed the midpoint of Advent, the Church lightens the mood a little, and the priest may wear rose vestments. The change in colour provides us with encouragement to continue our spiritual preparation—especially prayer and fasting—for Christmas. For this same reason, the third candle of the Advent wreath, first lit on Gaudete Sunday, is traditionally rose-coloured. 

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Sr Mara Grace joins with Lorraine reflecting on Advent as a preparation season for Christmas and reminds us that no matter where we are in our lives we are wanted for ourselves to be present in this present moment no matter what to experience that current joy. Together they reflect on prayers and ideas to help us prepare including reflecting on the weekly readings and to take the opportunity to receive the sacrament of confession. Simple and repetitive suggestions but presented as a reminder to us to renew and turn again before the celebration of the Christ child.

Sr Mara Grace's reflection is excerpted from the main programme HERE.

Nashville Dominican Sisters Facebook in Limerick

Gospel - Matthew 11:2-11

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ,
he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question,
“Are you the one who is to come,
or should we look for another?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”
As they were going off,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John,
“What did you go out to the desert to see?
A reed swayed by the wind?
Then what did you go out to see?
Someone dressed in fine clothing?
Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.
Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.
Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy
Sunday Reflections

Liturgical odds & ends

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

Saints of the week
December 12th - Our Lady of Guadalupe
December 13th - St Lucy
December 14th - St John of the Cross
December 15th - Saint Florentius of Bangor
December 16th - Martyred Women of North-West Africa
December 17th - Saint Lazarus of Bethany

CNS - US Nuns do Lord's work in Ireland

Vigal of All Saints - St Saviours Church, Glentworth St Limerick 30 October 2016

Nashville Dominican Sisters arrive in Limerick

Sr Eileen Lenihen RSJ (Vicar for Religious), Fr Frank Downes OP, Sr Mara Grace OP, Sr Beatrice OP, Bishop Brendan Leahy DD, Sr Rose Miriam OP, Sr Caitriona OP
(Source - Fr John Walsh OP)

Regular listeners to the programme may remember an interview we did back on 7th February 2016 with the Nashville Dominican Sisters in Tennessee. Well after the sad departure of the Dominican Friars, Limericks Dominican tradition has been renewed with the arrival of the four sisters to St Saviours in Limerick!

We welcome them to Limerick and to the diocese and look forward to having them back on the programme again!

Update - Irish Dominican coverage

7th February 2016 - Interview with the Nashville Dominicans - 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

On this weeks programme the SS102fm team are joined by a special guest all the way from Nashville, Tennessee - Sr Mara Grace Gore who introduces us to the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia. We have our regular reflection on the Sunday gospel as well as some liturgical odds and ends and notices.

The podcast of this weeks programme available HERE.

Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia (Nashville Dominicans)

(left to right): Sr. Rose Miriam, Sr. Mara Grace, Sr. Beatrice, Sr. Caitriona,
Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia who are coming to Limerick in Aug 2016

Sr Mara Grace joins us on this weeks programme to introduce us to the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia.

The Nashville Dominicans are establishing a community in Limerick diocese from August 2016 with the plan being for them to take up residence in the Dominican Friary on Glentworth St as the Dominican Friars will be withdrawing after over a 750 year association with Limerick.

Sr Mara Grace tells us about their order, the work that they do and reflects also on the meaning of consecrated life in the world today.

Our interview with Sr Mara Grace was recorded on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord which is also the World Day for Religious Life and this year also marked the end of the Year for Consecrated Life.

Previous post from SS102fm including a couple of YouTube videos about the Nashville Dominicans.

The interview with Sr Mara Grace is excerpted from the main programme and is available here.

Gospel - Luke 5:1-11

From Limerick Diocesan Weekly Newsletter:

This Sundays gospel account sees Simon and ther fishermen listening to Jesus. They must have been impressed, for when he asked to go out in their boats they willingly let him. From Simons boat, Jesus taught the crowd and then afterwards he encouraged the disciples to put down their nets for a catch.

We have been on a special Synod journey in this diocese. Maybe you have watched from the shoreline, maybe you were in the boat or maybe you were encouraging others to listen .... no matter where you were up to now, now you are invited to put down your nets. 

• Have you an opinion on what we should vote on in this Synod? If so speak to your delegates this week (not next week)
• Did you intend to pray for this Synod, but forgot. Start again this week
• Are you struggling to think of proposals for the Synod? Ask for help and ideas, this week not next week! 

Let no one say next Autumn that 'someone should have ...' or 'where is the thing I thought was important'. Simon was not invited to lower everyones nets for them - every fisherman was called to work. And every Limerick parishioner, staff member, cleric or religious is called on this Synod jounney now.  

‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch’. ‘Master,’ Simon replied ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets for a catch.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point.

If we are willing to step our of our comfort zone in prayer, word and deed - we know that God will bless our work, a thousand fold.

So let us be brave and reckless and confident this month.

Let us engage and discuss and propose and listen. 

Let us be disciples not observers on this Synod journey.

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Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
English Dominicans
Sunday Reflections
Centre for Liturgy

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours -  Psalter - Sunday - Tuesday - week 1
                                                   Wed - Sat - Week 4

Saints of the Week
February 8th - St Josephine Bakhita
February 9th - St Ronan of Lismore
February 10th - Ash Wednesday - Day of Fast & Abstinence
February 11th - Our Lady of Lourdes  also St Gobnait
February 12th - St Ethelward of Lindisfarne
February 13th - St Catherine del Ricci also Bl Jordan of Saxony

Christmas present for Limerick Diocese - Nashville Dominican Sisters to arrive in Limerick August 2016 - UPDATED

Limerick Diocese Script (Christmas 2015):

Limerick is set to turn a religious tide by attracting a new order to the city in 2016 with the arrival of Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia (a.k.a. Nashville Dominicans) to take over the Priory and breath new life back into St Saviour's Church, Glentworth Street.

Four sisters will arrive in Limerick from the US in August 2016 and begin their work of prayer and community outreach.

The move will take effect less than two years after the Dominican Friars in Ireland announced it had embarked on a process of re-organising its commitments in Ireland in view of falling numbers and would be withdrawing from Limerick.

It will also take place in a special year for the Dominicans worldwide with the 800th anniversary of their foundation by the Spaniard, St Dominic. The Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia itself is a community founded in Nashville in 1860 and flourishing in the United States today.

The remarkable turn of events that has led to the Sisters of St Cecilia coming to Limerick started with an initial speculative contact by Limerick Bishop Brendan Leahy to the Sisters' headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee.

"I knew I would be in a long line of bishops making such requests but I decided at least I'd put my name down on the list," he said.

To Bishop Leahy's amazement, he got an immediate reply as the sisters came back to say they were interested in exploring the possibility. Two sisters came last summer and were taken with Limerick, where they were hosted by the Mercy Sisters in Westbourne. Bishop Leahy and Diocesan Secretary Fr Paul Finnerty spent a day showing the sisters around Limerick and soon after they returned to the States the community made the decision they wanted to come to Ireland and Limerick seemed the right place. Commenting on their new move to Limerick Mother Ann Marie, the Prioress General of the Order said, "Our entire community is very excited about being part of the life of the Church in the diocese of Limerick....This is a gift and privilege for us. In our community's early history, we had several sisters who were from Ireland, and a good number of our sisters are of Irish descent. The four sisters who will begin serving in the Diocese of Limerick in August of 2016 are eager to learn more about, and come to know personally, a people who have given so much to the Church".

The timing of the sisters arrival comes almost 800 years since the Order of Preachers (as they are known) came to Limerick in 1227 and established in a number of locations including Kilmallock and Limerick city. They are in Glentworth Street since 1815. The four Dominican sisters will live in the Dominican Priory in Glentworth Street, thereby providing continuity of prayer and the Dominican presence in St Saviour's.

With their distinctive while habits, the Sisters of St Cecilia, whose work is mainly in education, pastoral outreach and youth ministry, will be a significant presence in Limerick.

[snip]

Bishop Brendan Leahy continued," I think this is a wonderful development. It will be a clear sign of hope for us all in this year when we are having a Synod. I look forward to welcoming the sisters and I know they will get a warm reception from the good-natured Limerick people who appreciate the contribution that Religious sisters have made in Limerick as we saw earlier this year when a civic reception was held to mark that contribution.

In this year dedicated to Consecrated Life, it is like a gift from God to us that we can now look forward to the arrival of new young Dominican Sisters who will surely also be an inspiration to young people".

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UPDATE:

 

Some initial coverage of the news from Limerick Leader

 

Some questioning of the logic behind the move in terms of understanding of roles