From Jerusalem, the call for an Extraordinary Action of Prayer by the Church for Reconciliation, Unity and Peace

On January 28 2012, Christians are invited to join again in a great intercessory prayer for our time held at the Coptic Orthodox Church of St Anthony, close to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

With Our Lord’s help, on January 28, 2012, at 5 pm Holy Land time, all Churches will join again via a four continent live broadcast by Christian channels in a great intercessory prayer for Reconciliation, Unity and Peace for our time, beginning from Jerusalem.

In a spirit of communion, the seventh Extraordinary Prayer of all Churches for Reconciliation, Unity and Peace coincides, as in January 2011, with the Jerusalem Week of Prayer for Unity. It also coincides with the start of the 4th International Intercessory Prayer Day for Peace in the Holy Land, an initiative that gathers prayer groups in over two thousands cities all over the world and is patronized by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. The Catholic Church, promoter of the latter initiative, chooses with this coincidence to be in communion of prayer with all the participating Churches.

In these times of change, more than ever, it is urgent and necessary to ask for Our Lord’s Mercy. May He, insistently requested to do so, touch our hearts and inspire in them the irresistible desire to convert and to renew our faith, to reconciliate, to unite, and to live in the interior Peace of Christ, both as single Christians and as Christian Churches.

The Coptic Orthodox Church, who has often and also recently given witness of her profound faith in Jesus Christ, up to martyrdom, will propose a simple and very intense celebration, reflecting her rich and profound tradition.

May the intense call of the Church to Our Lord and Father be heard! May He bless His sons and daughters, those who hear the Word, those who listen to the Spirit of Life.

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Background to the Extraordinary Prayer by the Church for Reconciliation, Unity and Peace beginning and proceeding from Jerusalem

22nd January 2012 - 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Interview with Dean Maurice Sirr, retired Dean of St Mary's Cathedral Limerick

January 18th to 25th is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and this year, Sacred Space 102fm decided to get out and make the acquaintance of our christian neighbours in the Church of Ireland United Diocese of Limerick & Killaloe. John has a special interview with Maurice Sirr, the retired Dean of St Mary's Cathedral in Limerick City.

This weeks programmes podcast is available HERE.

Dean Maurice is originally from county Monaghan - "Drumlin country" -  was born the son of a rector, he attended boarding school in Dundalk, studied in Dublin at Trinity College before ordination for ministry, served in Belfast where he met and married his wife before serving in Sligo for eighteen years and then to Limerick where he became the Dean and Rector of Limerick City parish. As Dean, he has had responsibility for the cathedral church of a diocese; responsible with the team supporting him for administrating the cathedral and services.


The Church of Ireland is an episcopal church (i.e. it has a bishops in charge of its dioceses) in the Anglican tradition and is a member of the Anglican Communion. It is an independent self-governing church through its General Synod consisting of the Houses of Bishops, Clergy and Laity in various proportions. The General Synod makes the rules for the governance of the Church of Ireland with the bishops.

Traditions within the Church of Ireland would be a strong focus on being a biblical church often demonstrated by the tradition of the family bible and its daily use in the prayer life of the families. The Church of Ireland highlights two Gospel sacraments - Baptism and Holy Communion. Other sacraments in the church include marriage and penance.

John and Dean Maurice discuss some of the differences between our two faith communities but also stress how many are the things that unite us far out way what divides us. Various topics discussed include the differences in methods to handing on the faith education through Sunday schools, the tradition of singing in church, the challenges of youth ministry, the challenges of ministry and vocations to ministry in the Church of Ireland. They look at the different forms of devotion, types of liturgies and services,  discuss the different emphasis on the role of Mary and the traditions in both traditions towards the Mother of God.

More information about the Church of Ireland is available from Association for Promoting Christian Knowledge leaflets about the various aspects of beliefs and traditions.


Gospel - Mark 1:14-20

While we didn't have a gospel reflection this week, for those that may wish to have some reflections and resources for this weeks gospel:

• Word on Fire
• Renewal Ministries
• English Dominicans
• Sunday Reflections 

Saints of the Week

For our regular readers and listeners just for your information our celestial guides for the coming week:
Psalter: Week 3

January 23rd - St Colman of Lismore
January 24th - St Francis de Sales
January 25th - Conversion of St Paul the Apostle
January 26th - Ss Timothy and Titus
January 27th - St Angela Merici
January 28th - St Thomas Aquinas

Vatican Youtube: Pope Benedict XVI blesses the lambs for the feast of St Agnes

Marking the feast of St. Agnes Pope Benedict blessed the two lambs from whose wool the pallium will be woven in the monastery of Saint Cecilia in Trastevere. The pallium are narrow white bands worn by metropolitan archbishops around their necks as a symbol of their authority and unity with the Pope. The Holy Father presents them to newly-appointed metropolitan archbishops each year on June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. Agnes means "lamb" in Latin. The saint of the same name was a martyr of the early 4th century, known for her consecrated virginity, who was killed for refusing to worship pagan gods.