Archbishop Eamon acknowledges that while Ash Wednesday 2021 will be mostly without ashes, families can still pray, fast and be generous this Lent.

Speaking as the Church prepares to celebrate the Season of Lent in the context of Covid-19 restrictions.  

Archbishop Eamon said, “The season of Lent is a forty day penitential period leading up to Holy Week and Easter when Christians mark the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For Catholics the beginning of  Lent is traditionally marked by a day of fasting and by the distribution of ashes on the foreheads of church-goers.  Believers are encouraged to make a commitment to prayer, charity and fasting or self-denial. Many Catholics make Lenten promises or resolutions to mark the importance of this holy season.

The Video above offers some ideas on how all can mark Ash Wednesday at home this year. 

“This year, with the strong ‘Stay at Home’ message from public health authorities, north and south, it will not be possible for Catholics to gather in Church buildings to receive the ashes, which are normally applied to the forehead in the shape of the sign of the cross. The words used are Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return”, or “Repent and believe in the Gospel. 

At this time when gathering for public worship is suspended, parishes will continue to mark Ash Wednesday using online services over webcam and also by encouraging family prayer services in the home. The Northern Pastoral Network, for example, has prepared resources which are being made available to families (see armaghprays.com).  Instead of the usual ashes, families are being encouraged to keep the fast, to make their normal Lenten promises, and to consider making little crosses to wear using black ribbon or card.

“Even in parts of the world where there are less restrictions on gathering for worship, the Vatican has asked that ashes would not be applied to the forehead in the usual manner, but would be sprinkled on the top of people’s heads.

“Some parishes are making small envelopes of blessed ashes available for those who will be visiting their parish churches in the early days of Lent for individual prayer when out for their daily exercise. People will also be able to collect their Trócaire Box from parishes in the same way.”

Trócaire’s Lent 2021 campaign

“Here are my hands, hold them. Please don’t leave South Sudan alone. We need your prayers. We need your support. We need your love.” Fr. James Oyet Latansio, South Sudan Council of Churches.

Trócaire’s Lenten campaign for 2021 tells the stories of two families in South Sudan whose lives have been impacted by conflict. Awut and Ajak are shining examples of resilience, friendship and solidarity. This Lent we hear not only about the enormous challenges they have faced, but also about how they support each other through these challenges.  

Due to the ongoing challenges of Covid-19, Trócaire has developed a variety of resources for use in your parish and that will support you in raising awareness about the Lent 2021 campaign: 

1. Resources 

The below resources focus on the stories and voices of families and communities with whom Trócaire works, and looks at how our faith calls us to act for justice. We also hear from one of Trócaire’s partners, the South Sudan Council of Churches, and learn about the role that the Christian churches are playing in working for peace in South Sudan. We encourage you to use these resources during Mass, at your Parish Council meeting, Liturgy Group or with any other active parish group. All resources are available on the Trócaire website. The below are available in English and Irish: 

• Parish resource, which includes a workshop, reflection and prayers 
• Stations of the Cross
• Exploring the Gospels with Children

You will also find the following resources on the website that you can use during mass to inform your congregation about the Lent campaign: 

• Homily Notes
• Script that can be read during Mass
• Short PowerPoint presentation on the 2021 Lent campaign
• To access Trócaire Mass talk with Caoimhe de Barra. Click here 

2. Awareness raising 

Furthermore, please find below some other ways that you can raise awareness about the 2021 Lent campaign: 

• Insert for parish newsletter
• Suggested posts for use on social media
• An audio recording of the Mass script that can be shared on your website and social media 

To provide ongoing support to you throughout Lent, you will also receive a short email from Trócaire on three occasions during Lent, containing prayers and reflections which can be used during Mass. 

3. Box distribution 

You will also have received information recently about your Trócaire boxes. We want to support you as much as possible during the ongoing challenges of Covid-19. We have compiled some simple ideas about ways in which your parishioners could collect their boxes, mindful of safety and well-being being of the utmost importance as well as compliance with current government guidelines. 

4. UK Aid Match

This year, the Lent campaign is part of UK Aid Match, meaning public donations* given between 17 February 2021 and 16 May 2021 will be doubled by the UK government, up to £2m. Furthermore, if a donor signs up for a monthly gift, or increases their monthly gift, before the 16th of May 2021, up to three of their instalments will be matched! We will be able to support thousands of people in South Sudan to grow enough food to feed their families. Don’t’ forget that donations will only be matched up until the 16th May.

5. Lent online workshops 

Finally, we want to make you aware of a series of online workshops that Trócaire will be delivering during Lent. These workshops are open to all, and you can find out more and sign up here.

The Mass script is available online for your use. If you are interested in hearing from a Trócaire staff member or volunteer for a mass talk or workshop, please contact colm.hogan@trocaire.org (ROI) or  [email protected] (NI). We will do our best to accommodate your request. You should also have received a large Trócaire box for display in your church.  

This past year has brought many challenges to parishes and communities around Ireland, and the impact of Covid-19 continues to be felt by many. We are continually humbled by and grateful for the generosity shown by you and your parishioners. Now more than ever, families like Awut and Ajak’s need our compassion and our support as they continue to carry their immense burdens with dignity. 

Pioneer Association Short Term Pledge Lent 2021

World Day for Consecrated Life 2021

On this the feast of The Presentation of the Lord  The Church celebrates World Day for Consecrated Life.  We pray for all men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving the Lord through a vocation to consecrated life.

On this special day we pray also for vocations to the priesthood and religious life and encourage those who are discerning a call to priesthood or religious life to contact their local vocations team. 

Here in the Archdiocese of Armagh you can contact Fr Peter McAnenly who is Vocations Director for the Archdiocese.

Address: Parochial House, 42 Abbey Street, Armagh, BT61 7DZ
Phone: (028) 3752 2802
Email: [email protected]

Prayer For Vocations to Consecrated Life

Loving and Generous God,
it is You who call us by name
and ask us to follow You.
Help us to grow in the Love
and Service of our Church
as we experience it today.

Give us the energy and courage
of Your Spirit
to shape its future

Grant us faith-filled leaders
who will embrace Christ’s Mission
of love and justice.

Bless the Church here in the Archdiocese of Armagh
by raising up dedicated and generous leaders
from our families and friends
who will serve Your people as Sisters,
Priests, Brothers, Deacons and Lay Ministers.

Inspire us to know You better
and open our hearts
to hear Your call.

Amen

Knock Shrine to host special online faith discussions during Lent

Ash Wednesday falls on 17 February and heralds the beginning of Lent 2021.  This year Knock Shrine will host a new series of online discussions to help engage Christians during Lent, under the title ‘Living Christian Faith – Lenten Conversations’.

What nurtures our faith and what challenges it today?

Where do we find hope and joy in our lives?

How can our faith build mental strength, wellbeing and resilience?

How has the Covid pandemic impacted upon our faith? 

These are just some of the questions that will be explored over the 6 weeks of Lent during a new series of online discussions on the topic of ‘Living Christian Faith’. Faith Renewal at Knock Shrine is all about reaching out to people. This will open a conversation on contemporary issues of faith and church life.

Chaired by Father Eamonn Conway DD, Priest in Tuam diocese and Professor of Theology at Mary Immaculate College, the conversations will explore a different theme each week and guest speakers will discuss some of the important questions we all face in living out our faith.

The discussions will be streamed online via the Knock Shrine website offering people from all over the world the opportunity to engage in relevant topics and to hear from a range of people, from those in public life such as Baroness Nuala O’Loan and Senator Ronan Mullen to groups of young teachers and members of the clergy.

Thursday 18 February ‘Living Christian Faith in the Family’                  
Saint John Paul spoke about how the future of humanity passes by way of the family. Patrick and Linda Treacy, who have four children and run a centre for domestic spirituality called Integritas from their home, will speak about the joys and challenges of living Christian Faith as a family today. 

Thursday 25 February ‘Living Christian Faith as Young Adults’              

A group of young Irish adults, for whom Christian Faith is of great importance, will discuss the strength it gives them and how we can better communicate the joy of the Gospel today. 

Thursday 4 March ‘Living Christian Faith in the Classroom as Young Teachers’

Three recently qualified primary teachers explain how their religious faith is important to them and how it influences their work as teachers in the classroom. 

Thursday 11 March ‘Living Christian Faith in Public Life’           

Baroness Nuala O’Loan, Senator Ronan Mullen and discuss their own faith, how it informs their public service and the challenges people of faith encounter in the public sphere today. 

Thursday 18 March ‘Proclaiming Christian Faith as a priest or religious today’

Sr Ursula Lawler, lecturer in Christian Ethics at Mary Immaculate College, returned missionary and editor of the Africa Magazine, Father Sean Deegan SPS; Ballyhaunis Parish Priest Father Stephen Farragher and Father Eamonn Conway will discuss living priesthood and religious life today in conversation with young Irish Catholic journalist Jason Osbourne. 

Thursday 25 March ‘Studying Christian Faith’

Máire McDonald is Vice Principal of a busy secondary school in Dublin. Judith King is an internationally recognised psychotherapist and Margaret Naughton is a busy hospital chaplain. Yet they have all found time to fulfil their passion of doing a PhD in theological studies. They share with us how their theological studies enriches their faith and their work. 

The talks will be streamed at 8.30pm every Thursday during Lent.

Join us at www.knockshrine.ie/watch-live

or on Facebook @knockshrine

Videos Created by National Office for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland

Every month for the nine months beginning on the 21st January 2021, the National Board will place a short video on an aspect of a Theology of Safeguarding on their website.

Nine videos have been commissioned from theologians, scripture scholars and ethicists who live and work in Ireland, Italy and the United States. In month 10, October 2021, the National Board will host its National Conference on the theme of Towards a Theology of Safeguarding at which the questions posed by the video contributors will be addressed.

January 2021

The first presentation by Fr Hans Zollner can be accessed below.  Fr Hans Zollner SJ is founding President of the Centre for Child Protection and Professor at the Institute of Psychology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He is member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and consultor to the Congregation for Clergy. He is honorary professor at Durham University, UK. Lectures and conferences have taken him to many countries on six continents

February 2021

The second presentation is from Sr. Nuala Kenny who is a Sister  of Charity of Halifax.  

Sr. Nuala was the paediatrician member of the St John’s, Newfoundland Archdiocesan Committee on Child Sexual Abuse which produced a “landmark report’ in 1992. This committee identified both individual and systemic/cultural factors at work in the crisis.  In 1990-1992, she was appointed to the Canadian Conference of Bishops Ad Hoc Committee on Clergy Sexual Abuse. This Committee produced From Pain to Hope, the first set of national guidelines on this topic.

Following this involvement, Sr Nuala returned to her academic and clinical career as paediatrician and medical ethicist and has travelled extensively giving reflections to clergy and laity from her books “Healing the Church: Diagnosing and Treating the Clergy Abuse Crisis”(Novalis, 2012) and Still Unhealed: Challenges for Conversion and Reform from the Clergy Sexual Abuse Crisis (Novalis and Twenty Third Publications, 2019. Her newest book focuses on pathology needing personal and ecclesial conversion in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Titled Prophetic Possibilities for the Post Pandemic Church it is due from Novalis in January, 2021.

March 2021

Dr. Ethna Regan CHF is Associate Professor in Theology and Ethics in Dublin City University.  A Holy Faith Sister, she taught for over a decade at the University of the West Indies, and worked with Credo Foundation for Justice in Port of Spain with socially displaced children, and in the campaign for the abolition of the death penalty in the Caribbean. She also worked for five years in Samoa. Her PhD from the University of Cambridge was on theology and human rights, and she has also published in the areas of Catholic social thought, theological anthropology, and ecclesial responses to child abuse.

April 2021

Fr Paddy Boyle

A priest of the Archdiocese of Dublin, Administrator St. Benedict’s Grange Park and St. Monica’s Edenmore. Chaplain to the Deaf Community in Dublin. 2004/2005 trained with VDA as child Safeguarding Trainer. Training and Development Co-ordinator with the Dublin Diocese 2005 – 2016. Currently Tutor with the National Office for the Safeguarding of Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland. Part-time lecturer in Biblical Theology in All Hallows College, Dublin 1998 – 2014.

The video presentation will be available on the 15th April.

You can find out more about the speakers, the conference and theology of safeguarding by following this link https://www.safeguarding.ie/national-conference-2021 .

For those interested in reading more about the work of the National Board for Safeguarding you can access their December Newsletter by Clicking Here

Statement by Archbishop Eamon Martin on the publication of Research Report on Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalene Laundries in Northern Ireland

The month of January 2021 will go down in history as the time when the people of Ireland – north and south – came face to face with a stark reality of our past which we preferred would remain hushed and hidden – the way we stigmatised and harshly judged many vulnerable pregnant women in crisis and treated them and their children in such a cold and uncaring manner.  We made them feel guilty and ashamed.

As a Catholic Church leader in Ireland it is I who now feel embarrassed and guilty over the way in which we in the Church contributed to, and bolstered, that culture of concealment, condemnation, and self-righteousness.  For that I am truly sorry and ask the forgiveness of survivors.  How did we so obscure the love and mercy and compassion of Christ which is at the very heart of the Gospel?  Shame on us.

The persistence and the powerful testimonies of these same courageous survivors has lifted the lid on this dark chapter of our shared history and exposed our hypocrisy to the glaring light.

The important work of Dr McCormick, Professor O’Connell and their team is another step on the journey towards revealing the full truth of our past.  I thank them for their Report and encourage everyone to spend time with it, reflecting in particular on the striking oral history section which grounds their research in the testimonies of mothers and their children.

The story of Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalene Laundries in Ireland – north and south – touches the lives of countless families across this island.  No doubt it will rekindle troubling memories and raise difficult questions for many of us.  However we can all play a part in the journey towards healing and reparation.  We can also ensure that lessons are learned for the present and the future.  No mother or child today should be made to feel unwelcome, unwanted or unloved.  No father today should shirk his responsibilities.  No priest or bishop or religious sister or any lay member of the Church today should deny the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus.  No family today should shun their child to protect some misguided notion of “respectability” in the parish community.  We still have so much to learn and so much work to do.

It is clear from the Research Report that there is scope for further investigation or inquiry into aspects of this complex story.  I encourage all in leadership within the Church and State to extend their full cooperation with the work of the independent investigation announced today so that those who have been most impacted can be helped to find hope and peace for the future.