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Job Advert – Manager (part-time) Armagh Diocesan Pastoral Centre

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Manager (part-time) Armagh Diocesan Pastoral Centre

The Armagh Diocesan Pastoral Centre offers a range of spiritual, pastoral, diocesan and community programmes across a range of interests for the benefit of the people of the Archdiocese of Armagh.

The Centre is undergoing a period of transition as it seeks to implement the objectives of the new Diocesan Plan.

The Archdiocese of Armagh is seeking to engage a Manager (part-time) of the Pastoral Centre, Dundalk, for the period of transition (September 2015 – August 2016). This is a part time position (25 hours per week). Remuneration   €20,000 – €22,000

The Manager will report to the Director of the Pastoral Centre and will require the experience and pastoral disposition to manage the Centre in a manner that is consistent with the ‘Diocesan aim’.

The successful applicant will be responsible for the day to day running of the Centre in conjunction with the other staff and with those engaged under a Community Employment Scheme.

Manager: Armagh Diocesan Pastoral Centre

Essential Requirements

: Management experience at an appropriate level

: Garda Vetting clearance

: Excellent interpersonal skills

 

Desirable Requirements

: High level of IT skills and knowledge and use of social media

: Excellent written and verbal skills

: Willingness to work irregular hours

: Flexible in approach

: Full driver’s licence and own transport.

 

Manager(part-time) applic. form

Manager (part-time) job spec.

Annual Novena at Knock Shrine

Layout 1

 

Click below to access the Novena Poster with full details of all the services

Novena Poster

www.knockshrine.ie

 

Youth 2000 Summer Festival, Cistercian College, Roscrea

Youth 2000 Summer Festival, Cistercian College, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary from Thursday 13th – Sunday 16th August 2015.   This is a four day celebration of faith for young people aged 16-35. There is an action packed programme of inspiring talks, workshops, testimonies, prayer, music,  drama and much more.   The festival is donation only.  Free buses available from all around Ireland.  For more info and to book online, see www.youth2000.ie

Y2K_Summer2015_A4

Homily of Archbishop Eamon Martin for Mass on the occasion of his investiture with the pallium

Investiture with the Pallium of Archbishop Eamon Martin St Patrick's Cathedral Armagh 4 July 2015 Credit: LiamMcArdle.com

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, Saturday 4 July 2015 

  • The pallium reminds me that God expects a lot from me, but He gives me all the grace I need to do His will, and to be prepared to sacrifice my own will and desires in order to follow His way.
  • But we will need to find a language of faith and truth which can speak in fresh and powerful ways about the depth of the love of Christ to those who are finding life increasingly shallow or despairingly empty of meaning and purpose. 
  • We should not be altogether surprised if, like Jesus Himself, our message is completely rejected by some, even in our own country.

Please see below the text of Archbishop Eamon Martin’s homily which will be delivered this evening at Mass in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh on the occasion of Archbishop Martin’s investiture with the pallium. The pallium symbolises the bond and union between an archbishop and the Pope. His Excellency Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, will conduct the investiture which will take place in the presence of representatives of the nine dioceses of the ecclesiastical province, as well as priests and people from the diocese.

Homily: 

Just over five months ago on the 21st January, the feast of the young martyr Saint Agnes, two little lambs were carried in baskets up to Pope Francis for his blessing.  They were a gift from the Trappist monks of Tre Fontane in Rome to the Benedictine sisters of Saint Cecilia in Trastevere. The lambs had been specially chosen to provide their first wool for the pallium given to the new archbishops of the world by the Holy Father on Monday last.

The pallium is a simple white woollen stole decorated with crosses and edged in black so that when it drapes over the shoulders of the new archbishop it invokes the image of a lamb being carried fondly by its shepherd.  When Pope Francis blessed the pallium last Monday on the Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, he reminded us that it is a symbol of the pastoral care which we, as bishops, are called to give in imitation of Christ, the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for His sheep.

By calling us all to the Basilica of Saint Peter  for the blessing, the Holy Father was reminding us always to exercise our ministry as archbishops in unity with each other and in communion with the Pope and the Church in Rome.  Until the moment of blessing the pallia rested beneath the altar at the tomb of Saint Peter. I couldn’t help thinking of that line from the creed: I believe in one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church.

This evening back home  in Armagh I recall my predecessor Saint Malachy who, nine hundred years ago, travelled twice to Rome to seek the pallium – at first for Armagh and then for Armagh and Cashel. As you know he was unsuccessful and he died on the journey at Clairvaux  in the arms of his beloved friend Saint Bernard.  But only a few years later, following the Synod of Kells, four pallia were indeed sent by the Pope to Ireland symbolising the recognition from the Holy See for the four new ecclesiastical provinces of Ireland: Armagh, Cashel, Dublin and Tuam.

Once more I am humbled at the honour that God has bestowed on me by calling me to serve Him in this way.  The pallium reminds me that God expects a lot from me, but He gives me all the grace I need to do His will, and to be prepared to sacrifice my own will and desires in order to follow His way. Pope Francis, in his homily on Monday, challenged us new archbishops to be masters of prayer, and of faith, and to be courageous witnesses in the world.  ‘No Christian community’, he said, ‘can go forward without being supported by persistent prayer’.  ‘Be ever faithful to the deposit of faith’, he went on, and be courageous witnesses, ‘who are not ashamed of the Name of Christ and of His Cross’.  I know that if I am to meet these challenges, if I am to be true to God’s calling in my life, then I must try to conquer my sinfulness and selfishness and instead to offer my life for my sheep.

To be honest, I sometimes feel daunted by this challenge.  On Wednesday in Rome I visited the catacombs where the early Christian martyrs were buried. On the way I had the privilege of celebrating Mass in the little Church of Domine Quo Vadis, where it is said Saint Peter, who was running away from the dangers of persecution in Rome, met Jesus going the other way into the city to be with his flock.  It was all the more poignant for me because it was the Feast of Saint Oliver Plunkett who I know was not afraid to die for his people and his beliefs.  In my room at the Irish College in Rome this week there was a striking painting of Saint Oliver Plunkett, Archbishop of Armagh, kneeling before the gallows just before his martyrdom.  In the painting his pallium lies discarded on the ground where his executioners have hurled it; in its place over his head and shoulders is wrapped the hangman’s noose.

I also read recently about Primate Edmund O’Reilly another great hero of the penal times (he was the archbishop who ordained the future Dean Bryan McGurk to the priesthood). Primate O’Reilly had to travel in secret around the country hiding in caves and in the woods. Apparently his pallium was once hidden for safekeeping in the hollow of a great oak tree, but it was stolen. When the archbishop got it back it was cut to pieces – we know all this because he wrote to ask His Holiness at the time if he could still use it, or should he seek another!

Please God my ministry will be less hazardous. But I can’t help thinking that all of us, as Catholics and Christians are entering a time when we will need the gift of courage to stay faithful to the teachings of the Gospel. We are living in the midst of a more insistently secular culture which expects conformity and compromise with the thinking of the day, and which sometimes tends to ridicule and even reject those who witness to timeless or absolute truths.

The world of today still yearns for the Good News of Jesus Christ. But we will need to find a language of faith and truth which can speak in fresh and powerful ways about the depth of the love of Christ to those who are finding life increasingly shallow or despairingly empty of meaning and purpose. We should not be altogether surprised if, like Jesus Himself, our message is completely rejected by some, even in our own country.  We will need the fortitude of the prophet Ezekiel who in this evening’s First Reading heard the Lord calling him to stand up and teach those who had turned against Him, whether they listen or not.  Likewise we will need the humility and endurance of St Paul in Corinth who, whilst being constantly aware of his own weaknesses, was able to withstand insults, hardships and persecutions for Christ’s sake, knowing that when he was weak, he was truly strong.

I am certain that I have no chance of being God’s brave witness without the support and warmth of your prayers, for I am weak and my need for your prayers is great.  I am so grateful for the power of prayer which has already sustained me until today.  Pope Francis asked me on Monday with the other archbishops to “Teach prayer by praying, to announce the faith by believing; to offer witness by living!” What gives me hope in responding to this challenge is the knowledge that you are supporting me by your prayers; you are strengthening me by your faith; you encourage  me by your witness every day.  And so, this evening I place my hope and trust in the efficacy of a beautiful prayer which the Holy Father himself prayed for me and the other new archbishops in Saint Peter’s on Monday. He prayed to God the eternal shepherd, that we may take up the yoke of the Gospel placed on our shoulders, and may we find it so light and easy that, as we guide others by our example and fidelity in the way of God’s commandments, we may one day merit a place in God’s eternal pastures.  Amen.

+Eamon Martin

  • Archbishop Eamon Martin is Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.
  • The Archdiocese of Armagh includes almost all of Counties Armagh and Louth, approximately half of County Tyrone and parts of Counties Derry and Meath.

For media contact: Catholic Communications Office Maynooth: Brenda Drumm 00353 (0) 87 310 4444

 

 

Parish of Cooley, Our Lady Star of the Sea, Boher, 150th Anniversary Celebrations

Boher 150 Years Program – download the full programme of events here

 

‘Rekindle in us the fire of God’s Love’.

Friday 24th July

6.00pm Opening of Flower Festival

8.00pm Mass – Main Celebrant: Fr. Michael O’Dwyer P.P. Portadown, speaker, Mr Francis Campbell, Vice Chancellor of St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London and Former UK Ambassador to the Vatican. Pope mobile used by Pope St John Paul and built by British Leyland in 1982 for the Pope’s visit to Britain, the six-wheeled converted truck has since been used by the late Pontiff during his visits to Zimbabwe and Botswana in 1988 and Zambia in 1989.  The ‘pope mobile’ will be on display throughout the celebrations.

10.00pm Youth Liturgy in Festival Marquee. Celebrating faith with young people – an evening of song, dance, poetry

and prayer – featuring a new faith based group ‘The Rise of the Roses’.

 

Saturday 25th July

3.00pm Procession from St James’ Well 4.00pm Healing Mass – Main Celebrant: Fr.

Tommy McNulty.

Speaker: Mr Eddie Stone with the Sacrament of the Annointing of
the Sick, followed by refreshments in the Festival Marquee.

7.00pm Set Dancing Workshop 9.00pm Ceíli

 

Sunday 26th July

11.00am Mass with Blessing of Graves,

Archbishop Eamon Martin

(There will only be one celebration of Eucharist in the Parish this weekend)

12.30pm Parish Barbeque – a family day of fun and entertainment.

9.00pm Our celebrations conclude with an evening of entertainment with internationally renowned Nathan Carter. Tickets E20. Available from 042 93 76105.
In aid of The Maria Gorretti Foundation.

 

 

World Youth Day Krakow: 25th July – 1st August 2016

wyd poster 2World Youth Day (WYD) is an International encounter with the Pope. WYD is celebrated every three years in a different country. The most recent WYD was celebrated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in July 2013 and the next World Youth Day will be held in Krakow, Poland from 25th July – 1st August 2016.

WYD is open to all young people who want to take part in a festive encounter with their contemporaries centered on Jesus Christ. This event is an opportunity to experience in first person the universality of the Church; to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who want to commit themselves to Christ and others.

World Youth Day is a unique way to deepen your faith and grow closer to Christ, by means of prayer and the sacraments, together with millions of other young people who share similar interests and ambitions.

It is expected that 3 million plus young people will attend WYD Krakow.

 

Armagh Diocesan Youth Commission (ADYC) is bringing 100 pilgrims to WYD Krakow 2016.  We feel that this is a wonderful faith development project to enable young people to celebrate and experience the joy of the Gospel.

 

ADYC have conducted a lot of research and planning.  A delegation from Ireland, including myself (Dermot Kelly, Diocesan Youth Director) travelled to Krakow recently to visit WYD Office, see some of the key sites and visit accommodation sites. From past experiences of WYD I was surprised by the city.  I loved its Catholic identity and historic narrative.  While the city was calm on our visit, I can imagine how the City of Krakow will be transformed during WYD.

What’s Next?

We have reserved and paid for 100 places.  We will be bring different age groups on the one pilgrimage experience.  If you are 16-18 years old and 18-30 years old and are willing to be part of this worldwide encountering of faith, then we would like you to complete your registration TODAY.  See below link with registration form.

http://www.armagharchdiocese.org/wyd2016/

We hope that all recruitment for pilgrimage will be completed by Autumn 2015.  After this ADYC aims to journey with young people& leaders by providing a six month preparation programme that will involve; catechesis, fun and friendship.

An Timire

Timire an Chroí Ró-Naofa or an Timire as it is better known is the oldest Irish Language magazine in the world, in print since 1911 and now available on the web. It comes out 4 times per year, Spring Summer Autumn and Winter. The anchor articles offer reflections on the intentions of Pope Francis for the coming 3 months. Each issue contains a variety of other articles in social, cultural and spirituality areas that would be of interest to our Catholic Christian readers.

From the Pope’s Intention June ’15 :

Fáilte is Fiche?

Sa mbliain 2014, don chéad uair ó aimsir an dara cogadh domhanda ar aghaidh, chuaigh líon na ndaoine a raibh iallach orthu teitheadh óna dtithe cónaí thar 50 milliún. Ní mór dúinn an taobh daonna den imirce seo a thuiscint. Taobh thiar de gach uimhir agus de gach staitistic, tá daoine ann a bhfuil aghaidheanna agus ainmneacha acu. Tá scéal faoi leith ag gach aon imirceach.
….

An Comhthéacs Éireannach

In Éirinn, is é an rud is mó atá ag cur as d’iarrthóirí tearmainn ná an tréimhse fhada ama a chaitheann gach duine acu istigh sa gcóras ag fanacht ar chinneadh deiridh ar a chás. Tá ceatharacha faoin gcéad de na hiarrthóirí ag fanacht le cuíg bliana ar a laghad, ón am a chuir siad isteach ar thearmann don chéad uair.

What’s happening in Rome
In 2014, for the firs time since the Second World War, the number of those forced to flee their homeland passed 50 million. We need to grasp the human side of this migration. Behind each number, each statistic are the faces of people who have names. Each migrant has a story to tell.

www.timire.ie

Fáilte agus Fiche?

Eoghan Ó Cuinn

An Comhthéacs Domhanda

Sa mbliain 2014, don chéad uair ó aimsir an dara cogadh domhanda ar aghaidh, chuaigh líon na ndaoine a raibh iallach orthu teitheadh óna dtithe cónaí thar 50 milliún. Ní mór dúinn an taobh daonna den imirce seo a thuiscint. Taobh thiar de gach uimhir agus de gach staitistic, tá daoine ann a bhfuil aghaidheanna agus ainmneacha acu. Tá scéal faoi leith ag gach aon imirceach.

Ar an 3ú Deireadh Fómhair 2013, chuaigh long a bhí ag tabhairt imircigh ón Libia go dtí an Iodáil go tonn poill taobh leis an oileán Iodáileach, Lampedusa. Tuairiscíodh gur báthadh 360 duine agus tógadh 155 duine ina mbeatha ón bhfarraige. Faraoir, níl ann sa tragóid a tharla i Lampedusa ach eachtra amháin as an iliomad eachtraí a mbíonn an bás mar thoradh orthu, a tharlaíonn go rialta sa Meánmhuir.

Is é an toradh a thagann as an dearcadh atá ag údaráis na hEorpa maidir le smacht a choinneáil ar theorannacha ná go bhfuil polasaithe agus bearta ann a thugann tús áite do chúrsaí slándála seachas do cibé gníomhaíocht a mbeadh sé mar aidhm aige daoine a shábháil. Chuaigh an Pápa Proinsias i ngleic le ceannairí na mballstát ar an ábhar seo nuair a bhí sé ag labhairt do Chomhairle na hEorpa ag deireadh na bliana 2014: “Tá géarghá le cur chuige aontaithe i leith cheist na hImirce. Ní féidir linn a ligint don Mheánmhuir a bheith tiontaithe ina reilig ollmhór. “

An Comhthéacs Éireannach

In Éirinn, is é an rud is mó atá ag cur as d’iarrthóirí tearmainn ná an tréimhse fhada ama a chaitheann gach duine acu istigh sa gcóras ag fanacht ar chinneadh deiridh ar a chás. Tá ceatharacha faoin gcéad de na hiarrthóirí ag fanacht le cuíg bliana ar a laghad, ón am a chuir siad isteach ar thearmann don chéad uair.

Tá go leor impleachtaí daonna ann dóibh siúd atá ag maireachtáil go fadtéarmach sa gcóras Soláthar Díreach. Buailtear síos iad maidir le sláinte, idir chorp agus mheabhair, agus maidir le deiseanna traenála ; tá siad thíos leis, sa réimse teaghlaigh agus clainne agus ó thaobh na féidireachtaí atá ann chun ról a ghlacadh sa tsochaí. Ní féidir leo a dhul ag lorg oibre agus ní ligtear dóibh ach oiread cúrsaí oideachais triú-léibhéal a dhéanamh – nuair a chuirtear an dá bhac seo le chéile ar bonn fadtéarmach, is buillí an-trom go deo iad.

Is duine ón Afraic é Theo agus tá sé ag maireachtáil sa gcóras Soláthar Díreach le seacht mbliana:

Theith mé ó mo thír dhúchais toisc go raibh mé i mbaol an bháis. Ach ón am gur tháinig mé go hÉirinn tá sé tuigthe agam go bhfuil go leor bealaí ann chun duine a mharú. Táim ag fanacht ar chinneadh ar mo chás le seacht mbliana agus dáiríre is éard atá ann ná bás mall.

Cuireann sé as go mór dom nach bhfuil mé in ann obair a fháil toisc gur iarrthóir tearmainn mé. Tá fonn oibre orm. Níl fonn orm a bheith mar ualach ar éinne. Bliain ó shin,nach mór, bhuail an dubhach mé toisc nach raibh cúis ar bith ann dom fiú éirí as mo leaba ar maidin. Ní dhéanann sé sin maitheas ar bith do dhuine. Chaill mé mo dhóchas agus thosaigh smaointe gruama ag brú isteach orm.

Clabhsúr

Mar Chríostaithe, iarrtar orainn cabhrú le himircigh a raibh iallach orthu a dtíortha dúchais a fhágáil – cibé cé acu in Éirinn atá siad, nó san Eoraip nó in aon áit ar bith ar fud na cruinne. Thug an Pápa Proinsias rabhadh dúinn ar an ábhar seo: “ An cultúr atá ann faoi láthair a chuireann béim ar an tábhacht a théann le dea-bhraistint an duine é féin, tá an baol ag dul leis go ndéanfadh muid neamhaird ar dhaoine eile. D’fhéadfá a rá go bhfuil domhandú imeartha ar an neamhaird seo.” Ag an am céanna, tugann sé cuireadh dúinn “ fáilte a chur roimh gach éinne gan teorainn ná idirdhealú, chun a fhógairt gurb éard atá i nDia ná grá, sa gcaoi go mbeidh an eaglais, déanta na fírinne, gan teorainn ar bith.”

Intinn Uilechoiteann do mhí an Mheithimh, 2015

Inimircigh agus Dídeanaithe
Go bhfaighe inimircigh agus dídeanaithe fáilte agus urraim sna tíortha ina mbíonn siad

Bosca: “Ní féidir linn a ligint don Mheánmhuir a bheith tiontaithe ina reilig ollmhór.” (An Pápa Proinsias)

Foclóirín: an iliomad = go leor leor; tiontaithe = iompaithe; impleachtaí = rud a éiríonn de bharr rud eile; iallach = iachall, rud a chaitear a dhéanamh.

(Summary in English: Eoghan Ó Cuinn writes about migrants an refugees drowned trying to flee to Europe, of security rather than life saving measures and of the human cost of direct provision in Ireland.

Theo’s Story: Theo is from an African country and has been in the Direct Provision system for more than seven years:

I fled my country because I feared for my life. But since I have come to Ireland, I have found that there is more than one way to kill a person. I feel that while I am waiting for a decision these last seven years I have been dying slowly.

I am deeply frustrated as an asylum seeker that I cannot work. I want to work. I do not want to be a burden on anyone. I want to pay my own way. About a year ago, I found myself getting depressed because there was no reason to get up in the morning. No reason to get out of bed. This is not good for a person. I lost hope and started to think bad thoughts.)

Timire an tSamhraidh summer 2015

All-Ireland Rally for Life

The ”All-Ireland Rally for Life” taking place in Dublin on Saturday 4 July

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will celebrate Holy Mass in St Saviour’s Parish, Dominic Street at 1pm just prior to the Rally. Priests are welcome to Con-celebrate.

 

“All Ireland Rally For Life”

Right Now there is a push to bring in abortion

by removing the 8th Amendment of our constitution.

Join thousands of others to help make the

All-Ireland Rally for Life the biggest pro-life event of the Year!

Bring all the family to this friendly event with face painting, balloons, live music and much more!

Celebrate LIFE & STAND UP for LIFE.

Sat 4th July 2015 – 2PM – Parnell Square, Dublin.

Archbishop Eamon Martin investiture with the pallium in St Patrick’s Cathedral Armagh

Archbishop Eamon invites you to join him at his formal investiture with the pallium in St Patrick’s Cathedral Armagh at 7.00 p.m. Mass on Saturday 4th July 2015.

Pope Francis will bless and present the pallium to Archbishop Eamon privately after concelebrated Mass in St Peter’s Basilica, Rome on the Feast of St Peter and St Paul, 29th June.

Archbishop Eamon will return to Armagh for the formal investiture by Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, in the presence of bishops and representatives from the nine dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Armagh, including our own.
The pallium is a white woolen strip, worn around the Archbishop’s neck, which symbolises the bond between an archbishop and the Pope. The wearing of the pallium dates back to the fourth century. It predates the miter and the crozier as episcopal symbols.

Pallium

New Theology Programme

From September 2015 we will be starting a two year programme called, Theology, Adult Education and Pastoral Ministry (THAEPM).  This will take place in two venues, Dundalk and Armagh and is in partnership with St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth and the Office of Pastoral Renewal and Family Ministry, Armagh Diocese.

For more information click here:  Certificate in THAEPM        THAEPM Application form 2015