A Call to Prayer at the beginning of Holy Week

On Palm Sunday afternoon as part of the Christian call to prayer from 3-4 pm Archbishop Eamon will lead, via the webcam in his oratory, a gentle reading and prayerful meditation on the passion narrative in Matthew’s gospel. All are most welcome. You can access the stream by clicking the link below.

https://www.armagharchdiocese.org/live-feed/

CLOSURE OF CHURCHES AND BURIAL GROUNDS IN NORTHERN IRELAND

All places of worship and burial grounds in Northern Ireland were closed at 11 pm on Saturday 28^th March under the order of government, Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (NI) 2020.  These new regulations were announced late on Saturday night and came into force almost immediately.

The government regulations state that all Church buildings and burial grounds in Northern Ireland are to be closed immediately.  The relevant sections of the law read as follows:

Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (NI) 2020. Section 4, subsections 5,6  and 8:

 (5) A person who is responsible for a place of worship must ensure that, during the emergency period, the place of worship is closed, except for uses permitted in paragraph (6). (6) A place of worship may be used— (a) for funerals, (b) to broadcast an act of worship, whether over the internet or as part of a radio or television broadcast, or (c) to provide essential voluntary services or urgent public support services (including the provision of food banks or other support for the homeless or vulnerable people, blood donation sessions or support in an emergency).

(8) A person who is responsible for a crematorium or burial ground must ensure that, during the emergency period, the crematorium or burial ground is closed to members of the public, except for funerals or burials.

As a result of the limitations on non-essential travel due to the Covid-19 virus, the Diocesan Safeguarding Office number is not currently being attended. However, Safeguarding enquiries are still being dealt with. Should you need to speak with someone regarding a safeguarding matter please contact Mr. Aidan Gordon on 078 4110 1687 if dialling from Northern Ireland, or +44 78 4110 1687 if dialling from the Republic of Ireland. These arrangements will remain in place for the duration of the current restrictions.

Statement by the Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland on the coming in to effect of Westminster abortion legislation in Northern Ireland

Today across NI, all of us, especially our medical staff, are doing all we can to save life. As the number of deaths caused by Coronavirus continues to rise, news reporters frequently remind us that behind the statistics are real people.  Their lives matter regardless of age or ability, gender or background. To limit the loss of life and heart break for many families, the UK Government is investing heavily in providing the resources necessary to treat patients and protect the lives of all staff working to deliver front-line services.

Against this background, we are saddened and dismayed at the Government’s decision to introduce extreme regulations for the delivery of abortion services in Northern Ireland. They go far beyond what is legally required by the Northern Ireland Act (2019), (‘the Act’), and utterly ignore the views of many citizens – women and men – who responded to the consultation exercise last December. Their implementation will facilitate one of the most liberal abortion regimes anywhere in the world. During the pandemic when so much is being done to protect lives, these regulations do not reflect the overwhelming will of most people in Northern Ireland to protect the life of every human being.

From this week onwards, some unborn children will be left completely defenceless. No-one will be able to do anything for them once the decision to abort has finally been made. This is a disturbing prospect for our society, where the majority of people still seek to promote the values of compassion and respect for every human being.

The life of every mother and her unborn baby matters. These new regulations are predicated on the legal assumption that the unborn child has no rights, unless the child is wanted. Every unborn baby matters regardless of age or ability, gender or background. He or she has the right to be protected in a community where everyone belongs and deserves our respect. Every woman faced with an unplanned pregnancy matters too. She has a right to be cared for within a community where she is protected from any pressure to abort her baby.

It is to be noted that members of the Northern Ireland Assembly are not left entirely devoid of influence.  Politicians and all people of good will, who recognise the extreme nature of the Regulations, should not meekly acquiesce to their promulgation.  The Regulations themselves can be debated by the Assembly and insofar as they exceed the strict requirements of the 2019 Act, new Regulations can be enacted by the Assembly.  We intend to make these points in writing to our MLAs in the coming days and encourage others to do likewise.

In a community where the culture of life is promoted and celebrated, these rights of mothers and their unborn babies would always be protected. We, the Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland, remain committed to working with all sectors of society, so that this culture of life becomes a reality for everyone. 

+Eamon Martin
Archbishop of Armagh and Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Dromore

+Noel Treanor                                  
Bishop of Down and Connor          

 +Donal McKeown    
Bishop of Derry        

+Larry Duffy
Bishop of Clogher

+Michael Router
Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh

Death of Fr. Tom Hamill

The death has taken place on Friday 27 March, of Fr Tom Hamill.  May he rest in peace

Due to the coronavirus restrictions, Fr Hamill’s funeral took place privately with family today in Holy Family Church Dundalk please remember him in your prayers. 

It is hoped to arrange a Mass in memory of Fr Tom at a later date so that his many friends can attend.

CURRICULUM VITAE
Rev Thomas Hamill

Born:              13 April 1939, Dundalk

Studied           St Patrick’s College, Armagh            

                        St Patrick’s College, Maynooth         

Ordained:       21 June 1964

Appointments

Curate, Monasterboice                                           1967-69

Lecturing, Mount Oliver, Dundalk                             1969-73

Studies, Rome                                                        1973-74

Director, Mount Oliver, Dundalk                                1974-92

Sabbatical, Irish College Rome                                 1992-93

Coordinator, Armagh Diocesan Biblical Initiative         1993-2016

Retired                                                                   2016-20

Date of Death: 27 March 2020, Dundalk

During the current Covid-19 Pandemic the Archdiocese of Armagh wishes to provide all families and especially the children of the Diocese with resources and activities whilst the schools of the diocese are closed.  With this in mind the pastoral team at OPRFM have compiled and collated a number of quality resources which will be released over the coming days and weeks.

Please access www.armaghprays.com for messages or support and also for prayer from Archbishop Eamon and Bishop Michael.  The website will be updated with new resources in the coming weeks.

Mindful that we cannot attend mass and also mindful that this can be difficult for children to understand, Catholic Icing have prepared an excellent activity resource on Spiritual Communion that can help children to understand this and grow their faith.  Click here to access. 

Home school tips During the Coronavirus School Closings

For weekly mass resources when you cannot attend Church click here. 

For Tips For Non-Homeschoolers During Coronavirus School Closings click here. 

For Printable Boredom Busters click here.

You can access all other resources via the links below:

For Brother Francis free downloads click here.

For Brother Francis free printable colouring pages click here.

For Catholic Icing resource on teaching children how to pray the Rosary click here. 

For Jesus Heals the Blind Man activities click here.

For Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead activities click here.

On this the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, Archbishop Eamon Martin joined Pope Francis and Church leaders from around the world in praying the Our Father at 11am. 

Archbishop Eamon recited the Lord’s Prayer in Irish and than after the Angelus bell at noon he joined his fellow Bishops, and all priests throughout Ireland in the act of Consecrating the people of Ireland to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  

We pray that this act will protect all throughout Ireland from the effects of the current Covid-19 Pandemic.

Click here for Archbishop Eamon praying the Our Father as gaelige 

Click here for the Consecration of the people of Ireland to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by both Archbishop Eamon

Click here for the Consecration of the people of Ireland to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by Bishop Michael Router by clicking the links below.  

Click here for the Act of Consecration

Archbishop Eamon is inviting priests and bishops to join with him, after the Angelus on the Feast of the Annunciation on 25 March, in consecrating Ireland and her people to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for protection from the coronavirus. From Saint Patrick’s Day, in preparation for the Feast, you are invited to pray a daily Novena to help us reflect on God’s Word especially so in the absence of public Mass. The faithful are encouraged to prepare a suitable prayer space with a crucifix, holy picture, or simply a candle. The Rosary can be prayed after the Gospel and before the Novena prayer given for each of the nine days.

Act of Consecration for 25 March  

Click here to download the Act of Consecration for use on 25 March.

Click here at 12.00 noon on 25 March to join Archbishop Eamon on the wecbcam of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, as he consecrates Ireland and her people to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for protection from the Coronavirus.

Background to the Feast of the Annunciation:

The Solemnity of the Annunciation celebrates the
coming of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to announce to her the special
mission God had chosen for her in being the mother of His only son.

We are continually reminded of the importance of
this feast to our salvation in various devotional prayers. Two examples that
highlight the importance of this feast are the Angelus and the joyous mysteries
of the Rosary.

This feast is very important in the defence of
the life of unborn children. Even with small children, this is a good day to
begin teaching about the high value God places on human life. He loved us so
much that he became one of us, took on our human nature and became an innocent,
completely dependent infant.

Click the following link for some suggested activities –

https://www.armaghprays.com/feast-of-the-annunciation-25th-march-2020