Calendar

Mar
3
Fri
Armagh celebrates St Patrick’s Festival 2017 @ Armagh Parish
Mar 3 – Mar 17 all-day

The March Bells: Friday 3 March – Sunday 19 March

Listen as the Churches and places of worship in Armagh come together to symbolically celebrate our island’s patron saint by ringing their bells for a short time at 17:17 for the 17 days of the festival. This project is inspired by St Patrick’s own special bell and is a joyful means of uniting religious beliefs and different communities and individuals across the city of St Patrick.

St Patrick & The Book of Armagh – Cardinal O’Fiaich Library: Friday 3 March, 7pm

Tickets £6 Pre Booking essential through The Market Place Theatre

This talk by Roddy Hegarty will explore what the Book of Armagh tells us about St Patrick, by discussing the themes within and focusing on the earliest biographies of St Patrick. What do these tell us about the man, his mission in Ireland and importantly, his association with the city of Armagh. Light refreshments afterwards.

Cantabelles – St Patrick’s RC Cathedral: Friday 10 March, 8pm

Tickets £8 Pre Booking essential through The Market Place Theatre or Armagh Parish Office

A new and exciting vocal ensemble combining rich harmonies and sumptuous vocals to old classic and the more modern hymns. They will present a selection of uplifting liturgical pieces including St Patrick’s Breastplate, Ag Criost an Siol, Hail glorious St Patrick and many more. The evening which will reflect the life and mission of St Patrick will be presented in the beautiful transept of the  Cathedral. During 2016 the group had the pleasure of performing with “The Priests” and they also recorded with BBC Radio Ulster.

Illumination – Toni Watts – St Patrick’s RC Cathedral: Saturday 11 March

Toni Watts is one of the few remaining professional manuscript illuminators working in the UK today. Drop in between 3pm and 6pm to see her demonstration taking place in magnificent spiritual surroundings, to watch her working on a page inspired by the Irish insular tradition using 24 carat gold leaf and traditional pigments. See how pigments were extracted from natural sources and how paint and ink were made.

An Evening with Patrick – The Navan Centre & Fort: Wednesday 15 March, 8pm

Free but booking essential through The Market Place Theatre

Armagh Cathedrals Partnership invite you to An Evening with Patrick at The Navan Centre and Fort, Armagh. In addition to some music, story, poetry and prayer, a guest speaker will invite those present to reflect on “Patrick and Ireland today”. It promises to be a very special evening as we celebrate the St Patrick’s Festival in Armagh. The guest speaker will be Archdeacon Gordon Linney and light refreshments afterwards.

St Patrick’s Lecture – The Market Place Theatre: Wednesday 16 March, 1pm

Free but booking essential through The Market Place Theatre

On the eve of St Patrick’s Day, the Primates of the two principal Churches in Ireland, Archbishop Richard Clarke and Archbishop Eamon Martin will speak about what St Patrick means to them in a modern world. In conversation with Tara Mills, the two will discuss how St Patrick’s words still resonate and have relevance for many of the challenges we face today. This year the lecture will explore the theme of Patrick The Exile.

St Patrick’s Vigil – St Patrick’s Cathedrals: Thursday 16 March

The Vigil will commence at the Church of Ireland Cathedral at 9pm where Archbishop Clarke will lead a prayer. Visitors will then be led by both Archbishops in torchlight to the Roman Catholic Cathedral where Archbishop Martin will conclude with a prayer. This symbolic expression of the unity of the Churches is a reflection of Patrick’s own journey of uniting the Irish people with Christianity. Light refreshments will be served in The Synod Hall after this event.

St Patrick’s Tea Party, The Synod Hall, St Patrick’s R.C Cathedral: Friday 17 March, 3 – 6pm Free admission

A special tea party to celebrate St Patrick in the lovely surroundings of this unique hall. Enjoy a special afternoon tea as well as a feast of Irish traditional music and song. People are encouraged to wear something green and come along and enjoy the afternoon’s festivities as we celebrate the feast of our national apostle and what’s a special day in our yearly calendar.

Mar
6
Mon
Praying the Beads Exhibition @ Scoil Uí Mhuirí
Mar 6 – Mar 10 all-day
Mar
10
Fri
Discernment Weekend: Dominican Contemplative Nuns Drogheda @ Siena Monastery
Mar 10 – Mar 12 all-day

Monastic Contemplative Life

Anyone who has discovered Christ must lead others to Him.  A great joy cannot be kept to oneself. It has to be passed on.” (Pope Benedict XVI – World Youth Day at Cologne, August, 2005)

Discernment Weekend:

10th – 12th March 2017

(Friday evening – Sunday afternoon)

Dominican Contemplative Nuns

Welcome single young women (20-40) to our retreat house and offer the opportunity to experience our life of Prayer:-

Liturgy – Eucharistic Adoration – Talks –

Sisters’ testimonies – Lectio Divina –

Question time – Food and Fellowship

 

Those who cannot come for full weekend are welcome to join us onSaturday 9.30 am – 7.00 pm

(Early  booking advisable as places are limited)

 

Venue: Siena Monastery, The Twenties, Drogheda, Co Louth

Contact: Sr Breda OP –

Email: [email protected]  or Phone 041-9838524 www.dominicannuns.ie  

Cantabelles to present an evening of Sacred Music and Song @ Armagh Cathedral
Mar 10 @ 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Cantabelles to present an evening of Sacred Music and Song @ Armagh Cathedral

Cantabelles to present an evening of Sacred Music and Song in St Patrick’s Cathedral, ARMAGH as part of the St Patrick’s Festival.

This new and exciting vocal ensemble combine rich harmonies and sumptuous vocals to old classic and the more modern hymns. They will present a selection of uplifting liturgical pieces including St Patrick’s Breastplate, How great Thou art, Hail glorious St Patrick, Ag Criost and Siol and many more. The evening which will reflect the life and mission of St Patrick will be presented in the beautiful transept of St Patrick’s  Cathedral on Friday 10th March at 8pm. Tickets are limited for this unique event and they are available from Armagh Parish Office (028 37522813) or alternatively online through the Market Place Theatre, Armagh.

Mar
19
Sun
Joy Bells Initiative
Mar 19 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Throughout the country, churches are being asked to join the bell-ring if they can at the same time, or a time of their choosing on the day, and for as long as is practical in their circumstances.  Churches that do not have bells may choose to plan a special prayer dedicated to building a culture of tolerance and love for immigrants and refugees or sing a suitable hymn at the end of their Sunday Mass.

The world ecumenical Joy Bells initiative which is being launched at Waterford’s Christ Church Cathedral on 19 March 2017 at 11.00 a.m. Irish time.  The Church of Ireland Cathedral bells will peal for one hour to send a message of love and hope to refugees and immigrants everywhere and to counter the growing tide of intolerance. 

Mar
20
Mon
Praying the Beads Exhibition @ St Ciaran's High School
Mar 20 – Mar 24 all-day
Mar
23
Thu
Seasons of the Year and Heart by Sr Rita McCrystal RSM @ Dromantine Retreat & Conference Centre
Mar 23 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Mar
24
Fri
24 hours for the Lord in Armagh Parish
Mar 24 @ 12:00 pm – Mar 25 @ 5:00 pm

For the fourth year, Pope Francis has asked that parishes organise a special time for Prayer and Confessions during the Season of Lent. He has suggested that parishes organise 24 hours for the Lord on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 March. The 24 hours for the Lord will take place in St Malachy’s Church, Armagh from 12noon until 12 midnight on the Friday and from 5am – 5pm on the Saturday. During the 24 hours, there will be special times of prayer and reflection. There will also be opportunities for Confessions during the 24 hours and people are encouraged to make a special effort in this season of Lent to celebrate the love and mercy of God.

Programme for the 24 hours for the Lord

Friday 24 March

12noon Midday Prayer

3pm Way of the Cross

7pm Evening Prayer and Benediction

7.30pm Mass

10pm Night Prayer

12midnight Rosary

Saturday 25 March

5am Rosary

7am Morning Prayer

12noon Midday Prayer

3pm Way of the Cross

4.30pm Evening Prayer & Benediction

5pm Exposition of Blessed Sacrament ends

From 12noon to 12 midnight on the Friday and from 5am to 5pm on the Saturday, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in St Malachy’s Church. The Adoration Room in St Malachy’s Church will be closed during these 24 hours!  Confessions will be heard from after Mass on the Friday evening in St Malachy’s Church until 10pm and on the Saturday in St Malachy’s Church from 11am – 3pm.

Lent has traditionally been known as a time for fasting, a time to tame one’s body so that we may concentrate on higher things. The three spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving go hand in hand and the Church invites us to practise all three at this special time of year. Pope Francis reminds us that our fasting must never become superficial and he reminds us that Lent is a good time for penance and self denial and our Lenten activities must enrich others. He also challenges us by saying that if we’re going to fast from anything, we must fast from indifference towards others. As part of our special 24 hours, we might challenge ourselves to fast from something for those hours as a special offering to the Lord!

Mar
31
Fri
Irish Augustinians Vocation Weekend
Mar 31 – Apr 2 all-day

The Irish Augustinians are hosting a Vocation Weekend from Fri  March 31 – Sunday April 2. This will be in their Drogheda Community and is open to any interested male over the age if 18. The Augustinians have been in Ireland close to 800 years and our charism is “community” as well as seeking God with a “restless heart”. For more information please contact Fr Colm O Mahony osa on  086 88 45 747  or  augustinianvocations@hotmail.com

Apr
8
Sat
Lenten conference by the Tedemptorists @ Carlton Hotel Dublin
Apr 8 all-day