ON VOCATIONS “Vocations are born in prayer and from prayer; and only through prayer can they persevere and bear fruit.” Pope Francis “It is not a time to be lamenting; it is a time to be rising to the challenge with courage and Christian enthusiasm.” Archbishop Diarmuid Martin “We, as priests are called to be, like Christ, the Face of mercy to the world. What a wonderful calling! What a challenge, particularly in a world which at times seems everything but merciful.” Archbishop Eamon Martin Today, the Fourth Sunday of Easter or Good Shepherd Sunday is a special day for […]

Here are the dates and times of Sacramental Celebrations in the coming weeks. Sacramental Celebrations in 2016 are as follows: First Holy Communion Saturday 23 April  11 am Mercy and Crinkill Saturday 7 May     11 am St Brendan’s, Killeen & Parish Prep Prog Sunday 29 May     11 am Carrig Confirmation Saturday 14 May   11am Mercy, Crinkill and Carrig Saturday 21 May   11am St Brendan’s, Killeen & Parish Prep Prog

A number of initiatives are ongoing in the diocese at present. Here are some of the links that you can follow the very important topics. Global Catholic Climate Movement Peace Direct Catholic Bishops Justice United for Peace  

Journeys In our third reading [of Easter Vigil] we hear of the efforts Moses made to lead his people to safety. Indeed the Bible contains many stories of such journeys. There is the Christmas story of the flight of the Holy Family from Herod, the journey of the Magi, the Passover flight of the Jews. The struggles and suffering of Moses’s people are well documented in the Old Testament. They were regularly hungry, cold and thirsty. They were often under attack from hostile forces. Often they lost hope and lost faith, felt abandoned and turned away from Moses and God. […]

The Diocese of Killaloe is organising a pilgrimage to Rome during the Holy Year from 1 August to 6 August 2016. Accommodation will be at the Pontifical Irish College in the city centre. There will be an opportunity to attend a liturgy with Pope Francis and to walk through the holy doors in all four Papal Basilicas. The pilgrimage is being organised by Kieran Troy and a guide will be available through-out. The cost per person sharing is €849 including travel, accommodation, breakfast and taxes.  For further information Telephone 057 9355050 (mornings only) or e mail info@culturalconnections.eu You can also find […]

The Diocese of Killaloe is organising a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, direct from Shannon Airport to Tel Aviv for 8 days, departing on Sunday 23rd October 2016 and returning direct to Shannon on Monday 31st October 2016. The cost will be €1430, half board, including all taxes, coaches and tips.  There will be 147 places available to the Diocese.  Booking forms can now  be obtained from Fr. Tom Ryan Shannon  061-364133  or Fr. Brendan Quinlivan in Ennis Cathedral 065-6824043.  The form can also be downloaded here.  A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land is for many people a once in a […]

1 February is the feast of St Brigid According to tradition St. Brigid was born at Faughart near Dundalk, County Louth in 452AD. According to her biographers her parents were Dubhthach, a pagan chieften of Leinster, and Brocca, a Christain Pictish slave who had been baptized by St. Patrick.  Brigid spent her youth laboring on her father’s farm.  Despite her father’s opposition she was determined to enter religious life.  She had a generous heart and never refused any poor who came to her father’s door.  This angered her father and he tried to marry her off.  However, legend tells that […]

We celebrate Catholic Schools Week all this week; we thank all who are involved in our Catholic Schools Communities and we pray for all in our schools. Our school communities will lead our reflections on this year’s theme which is ‘Catholic Schools: Challenged to Proclaim God’s Mercy’ during the coming week in a number of different celebrations. These will be as follows: Tues 2 Feb  Carrig NS at 11am in Carrig NS Weds 3 Feb Killeen NS at 10am Mass in St Brendan’s Church Crinkill NS at 1pm in Crinkill NS Thurs 4 Feb St Brendan’s PS at 10am Mass […]

As we continue to explore the implications of the Lund Principle for our Christian Churches in Birr, material will be published here to help with our understanding of what it is and how it might be worked out in our parish and faith communities. The following is an excerpt from  the World Council of Churches website accessed on 23 January 2016. Click on the link for the full article. www.oikoumene.org   Our vision of the ecumenical movement “Let us do together what we can do together. What we think we cannot do together – together let us find the way […]

In the coming months the Christian churches are engaging in a process of reflection on what is known as the Lund Principle. We will publish more on this process in the coming weeks but here are some thoughts on the principle and its background. (Taken from www.gccuic-umc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=260&Itemid=196  accessed 15 January 2016) First articulated at the Third World Conference on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches held in Lund, Sweden in 1952, the Lund Principle reads in its most popular, abbreviated version:  “We would, therefore, earnestly request our Churches to consider whether they are doing all they ought […]