15 Jun 2013

"Horizon of Hope" - The Irish Catholic Newspaper celebrating 125 years

The Irish Catholic is Ireland’s biggest and best-selling religious newspaper. It was founded in 1888 by T.D. Sullivan, a former Lord Mayor of Dublin. The Irish Catholic, published weekly, provides a lively mix of news, analysis and informed commentary about the Church and social issues as they affect Ireland and the wider-world. To mark its 125th anniversary a major conference on the future of the Irish Church was held in All Hallows College, Dublin on June 8th. The conference titled ‘Horizon of Hope’ featured contributions from prominent columnists such as Mary Kenny, David Quinn, Breda O’Brien, John Waters, Nuala O’Loan, and Sarah Carey, exploring various themes in relation to the faith in contemporary Ireland. RTÉ’s Eileen Dunne also chaired a discussion on some of the major issues facing the Church in Ireland.

Speaking at the conference, Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown said he has seen “shoots of new life springing up” in Ireland during visits to dioceses.

Published on May 5, 1888, the first editorial insisted “it is time that the sentiments of Irish Catholics should be boldly and faithfully spoken”. One of the aims of the newspaper was declared to “preserve the character of the Christian Irishman, to make secure the Christian home, to build out of these elements a Christian self-governing democracy in the land; these are the political and social aims which we shall devote our most strongest endeavours”.

Some of the contributors to the conference will be familiar to SS102fm listeners and readers including David Quinn of the Iona Institute and Maura Garrihy of Youth 2000.



Other videos are available at iCatholic of:
  • John Waters - reflects on how our modern society avoids fundamental questions of being and meaning. The absence of those deeper questions is eroding our longstanding christian culture.
  • Mary Kenny -  reflects that over the passage of time in our lives we can witness how the values of a previous generation can come back to the fore.
  • David Quinn reflects on how Christianity has positively influenced many aspects of modern society including social care and social justice.
  • Nuala O’Loan reflects on Catholicism and public life and the need to resist any move to have religious conviction removed from the public square
  • Breda O’Brien highlights that faith is not an isolated act. Each believer is a link in the great chain of believers who hand on the faith through word and example.
  • Joe Sheridan - Meath footballer Joe Sheridan speaking on the importance of encouraging young people in the faith, the joy of WYD in Madrid and the benefit of practicing our faith.

13 Jun 2013

Limerick's Solemn Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help


This year Limerick's Solemn Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is being held at Mount St Alphonsus Church (the Redemptorists community) from Friday June 14th to Saturday June 22nd 2013
Further information in relation to the Novena, the daily prayers and homilies, links to submit petitions and thanksgivings and the times of the various sessions are available at the website of the Redemptorist community HERE.
Times of the sessions each day:
7am, 8am, 10am, 11.30am, 1.10pm, 4.30pm, 6pm, 7.30pm, 9pm, & 10.30pm.
Special Sessions:
  • Blessing of Babies and Small Children on Sunday, 16th June at 4.40pm (No Mass at this session).
  • A special novena session for First Communion Classes on Monday, 17th June at 11.30am.
  • Novena session with the Anointing of the Sick and the Elderly on Saturday, 22nd June at 11.30am.
  • Confessions available in the church and caravans everyday, except Sunday when no confessions are heard.
  • Reconciliation Services (without Mass) on Wednesday, 19th June at 10am, 4.30pm, 6pm, 9pm & 1030pm sessions. Mass is celebrated at the other sessions. No confessions in the boxes or caravans today,
  • Counselling Services available during the novena from Monday, 17th June to Friday, 21st June, 10.45am to 1.15pm & 5pm to 9pm.
 

11 Jun 2013

9th June 2013 - 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) - Reflection on Life with Geraldine Creaton

And now as our regular coverage resumes with apologies to our regular listeners and readers as your blog editor got a little caught up with various things and then had some technical difficulties into the bargain.

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On this weekends programme, John was joined again by Geraldine Creaton from the Emmanuel Community who has been on to share with us a number of times before. This week they were discussing the understanding and meaning of life in advance of the March for Life which was held in Dublin on Sunday and which 40,000 people attended. We had our regular sharing on the gospel of the day as well as some liturgical odds and ends including saints of the week.

As noted before, this weeks programme podcast is available HERE.

Understanding of life and human dignity

Geraldine leads us in a reflection on the christian understanding of life and the dignity of each human person from conception to natural death - the seamless garment of life. It is a scripturally deep reflection with an encouragment of life and living. How do we know that we are alive? More often then not it is through pain and being transformed through pain. “Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” - CS Lewis.

Life is about giving yourself - a self donation. Life most livable, a life most real is a life poured out for others. Life is always giving, like  that in a relationship where you surrender yourself to the other to create a greater force of love in the world. 

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

Gospel - Luke 7:11-17


Source - Corinne Peters


This week we return to the gospel of Luke and we are presented with Luke's recounting of the raising of the son of the widow of Nain. But the focus of the gospel is on the compassion of Jesus for this woman who was on the margins of her society and was about to be further cast out with the death of her son. It challenges us to be open and compassionate to those around us and asks us are we aware of the needs of those near us? Are we bringing God to those we meet each day through out our journey through life.

Other reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
Blue Eyed Ennis
English Dominicans
Sunday Reflections
Centre for Liturgy

Liturgical odds and ends

Liturgy of the Hours - Week 2 Psalter; 10th week in Ordinary time

Saints of the Week

June 10th - St Primitivus of Tivoli
June 11th  - St Barnabas (Apostle)
June 12th - St Christian O'Morgair of Clogher
June 13th - St Anthony of Padua
June 14th - St Davnet
June 15th - Bl Thomas Scryven