Ara Coeli
Cathedral Road
ARMAGH BT61 7QY
Tel (028) 3752 2045
Fax (028) 3752 6182
Email: [email protected]
Administrative Staff:
Mrs Caroline Hicks
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Mrs Donna Gray
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Mrs Kathy Lennon
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Opening of the Holy Door & Carol Service in Armagh Cathedral
The Year Of Mercy
The Jubilee Year of Mercy was inaugurated on 8 December 2015, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and will run until 20 November 2016 which is the solemnity of Christ the King. A jubilee refers to a special year of remission of sins and universal pardon. The Catholic Church has called jubilee years every 25 or 50 years since the year 1300 and has also called special jubilee years from time to time, known as extraordinary jubilee years. The last jubilee year was held in 2000 during the papacy of Saint John Paul II and was known as “the Great Jubilee.” The last extraordinary jubilee year was held in 1983 to celebrate 1,950 years since the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Read here Archbishop Eamon’s Pastoral letter for the Year of Mercy.
Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Letter for the Jubilee of Mercy.
Have a look at some photos from the Opening of the Holy Doors in Armagh and also in Drogheda.
Prayer for the Jubilee of Mercy
Lord Jesus Christ,
you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father,
and have told us that whoever sees you sees Him.
Show us your face and we will be saved.
Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved by money;
the adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness only in created things;
made Peter weep after his betrayal,
and assured Paradise to the repentant thief.
Let us hear, as if addressed to each one of us, the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman:
“If you knew the gift of God!”
You are the visible face of the invisible Father,
of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy:
let the Church be your visible face in the world, its Lord risen and glorified.
You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness
in order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and error:
let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved, and forgiven by God.
Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing,
so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord,
and your Church, with renewed enthusiasm, may bring good news to the poor,
proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed,
and restore sight to the blind.
We ask this of you, Lord Jesus, through the intercession of Mary, Mother of
Mercy; you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and
ever.
Amen.
Year of Mercy logo
The logo and the motto together provide a fitting summary of what the Jubilee Year is all about. The motto Merciful Like the Father(taken from the Gospel of Luke, 6:36) serves as an invitation to follow the merciful example of the Father who asks us not to judge or condemn but to forgive and to give love and forgiveness without measure (cfr. Lk 6:37-38). The logo – the work of Jesuit Father Marko I. Rupnik – presents a small summa theologiae of the theme of mercy. In fact, it represents an image quite important to the early Church: that of the Son having taken upon his shoulders the lost soul demonstrating that it is the love of Christ that brings to completion the mystery of his incarnation culminating in redemption. The logo has been designed in s
uch a way so as to express the profound way in which the Good Shepherd touches the flesh of humanity and does so with a love with the power to change one’s life. One particular feature worthy of note is that while the Good Shepherd, in his great mercy, takes humanity upon himself, his eyes are merged with those of man. Christ sees with the eyes of Adam, and Adam with the eyes of Christ. Every person discovers in Christ, the new Adam, one’s own humanity and the future that lies ahead, contemplating, in his gaze, the love of the Father.
The scene is captured within the so called mandorla (the shape of an almond), a figure quite important in early and medieval iconography, for it calls to mind the two natures of Christ, divine and human. The three concentric ovals, with colors progressively lighter as we move outward, suggest the movement of Christ who carries humanity out of the night of sin and death. Conversely, the depth of the darker color suggests the impenetrability of the love of the Father who forgives all.
The logo can be downloaded from here or from clicking on this link.
Official hymn
Click here to listen to the Year of Mercy hymn.
Click here for video of the hymn
Click to download the Year of Mercy hymn – English score
Opening of the Jubilee Year of Mercy in Drogheda
To mark the opening of the Jubilee Year of Mercy in Drogheda, we will have the Eucharistic Congress Bell positioned on the footpath in West Street from 9 to 5. Parishioners will be distributing leaflets and inviting passers-by to ring the Congress Bell to mark the opening of the Year of Mercy.
The ceremony of Opening the Holy Door in St Peter’s Church, Drogheda will take place at the 12.15pm Sunday Mass on 13th December.
The Jubilee Year of Mercy was celebrated in Drogheda, December 8th with the Eucharistic Congress Bell positioned on the footpath in West Street. Parishioners distributed five hundred leaflets to passers-by, most of whom rang the bell to celebrate the opening of the Year of Mercy.
An Oasis of Mercy; Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Eamon Martin to the Archdiocese of Armagh for the Year of Mercy 8 December 2015
An Oasis of Mercy
Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Eamon Martin
to the Archdiocese of Armagh for the
Year of Mercy
8 December 2015
“In this Jubilee Year, let us allow God to surprise us. He never tires of casting open the doors of his heart and of repeating that he loves us and wants to share his love with us. The Church feels the urgent need to proclaim God’s mercy. Her life is authentic and credible only when she becomes a convincing herald of mercy.”
(Pope Francis, Misericordiae Vultus, The Face of Mercy, n25)
On 13 December, the Third Sunday of Advent, I have the joy of opening two Holy Doors to mark the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy in the Archdiocese of Armagh. In doing this, I am following the example of Pope Francis who opens the Holy Door of Mercy at St Peter’s Basilica, Rome on 8 December – the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council. Our Holy Doors will be at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh and at St Peter’s Church, Drogheda, home to the National Shrine to St Oliver Plunkett. The Holy Doors will be sealed again on 13 November 2016, one week before the close of the Holy Year.
In this Pastoral Letter I extend a two-fold invitation to all of you and your families: firstly, to come on pilgrimage to the Holy Doors at Armagh and Drogheda; and secondly, to enter fully with your families and parishes into the spirit of the Jubilee Year. Pope Francis has described the Holy Year of Mercy as an ‘extraordinary moment of grace and spiritual renewal’. I pray that anyone who enters through the Holy Doors in our diocese will experience, in a profound way, the love of God who consoles, pardons and instils hope.
Enter through the Holy Door and do the ‘Walk of Mercy’
Jesus is the Door of Mercy. By passing through the Holy Door, we hope to receive His mercy. When Pope Boniface VIII declared the first Holy Year more than seven hundred years ago, he also opened the first ‘Holy Door’ in St Peter’s Basilica, Rome. The Church continues this tradition today. A pilgrimage to the Holy Door symbolises the journey that each of us makes in this life. Life itself is a pilgrimage, and, with the help of God’s mercy, we all journey towards our final destination with God in heaven. I invite you to make a special journey during the Year of Mercy to the Holy Doors at Armagh and Drogheda. On arrival, cross the threshold of the Holy Door and complete the ‘Walk of Mercy’. Consider undertaking the spiritual exercises for the indulgence associated with this pilgrimage. We all know ways in which we could be more open to God’s mercy in our lives – perhaps by turning away from selfishness and sinful habits. We also recognise ways of being more merciful towards others – with someone who has hurt us, or with those less fortunate than us who cry out for the love of Christ. By crossing the threshold of the Holy Doors, may we all find the strength to embrace God’s mercy in our own lives as well as becoming more merciful people ourselves.
Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation
During the Year of Mercy I encourage you to be reconciled with God and to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation. As Pope Francis has said:
“In this Jubilee Year, let us allow God to surprise us! He never tires of casting open the doors of his heart and of repeating that he loves us and wants to share his love with us… From the heart of the Trinity, from the depths of the mystery of God, the great river of mercy wells up and overflows unceasingly. It is a spring that will never run dry, no matter how many people draw from it. Every time someone is in need, he or she can approach it, because the mercy of God never ends” (Misericordiae Vultus n25).
Undertake the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy
The theme of the Year of Mercy is ‘Merciful like the Father‘ and we are all called upon to show mercy because mercy has, first of all, been shown to us. I encourage everyone to learn about the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and to put these into action in daily life. The corporal works of mercy are: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. The spiritual works of mercy are: to counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear patiently those who do us ill, and pray for the living and the dead.
We all know people whose lives are inspired by the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. These works of mercy are found, above all, in the life and teaching of Jesus. They are the criteria upon which we will be judged: whether or not we have relieved poverty, hunger, homelessness and thirst of those around us; whether or not we have reached out to those experiencing isolation, persecution and loneliness, despair or hopelessness; whether or not we have accompanied those who have fallen away from God and gently dispelled their ignorance, doubt or sinful ways; whether or not we are playing our part in bringing the joy of the Gospel into our world and inviting others to come to know Jesus in their lives.
Accompany others with the Mercy of God
The Door of Mercy opens both inwards and outwards. The Year of Mercy challenges us to go out and bring the wonderful invitation to mercy to all God’s people. At the recent Synod on the Family, the participants spoke about the importance of ‘accompanying’ those who may have lapsed from practising their faith, and those who may feel excluded from the Church community. We emphasised that the Church must start “from the real life situations of present day families, all in need of mercy, beginning with those who suffer most. With the merciful heart of Jesus, the Church must accompany its more fragile children, marked by a wounded and confused love, restoring their confidence and hope, like the light of a lighthouse in the harbour or a torch borne aloft to enlighten those who have lost their way in the middle of a storm” (Relatio Synodi 2015 n55).
Celebrating the Year of Mercy
There is so much for us to reflect on, and act on, during the Jubilee Year. I encourage every priest and Parish Pastoral Council to consider practical ways of drawing as many people as possible into the grace of this moment. By participating in liturgies and events, and providing opportunities for faith development and pilgrimage, we can make the Year of Mercy more meaningful in our lives and in the life of the Church. Throughout the Year, especially during Advent and Lent, let us make the Sacrament of Reconciliation welcoming and readily available, particularly for those who may have been away from Confession for a long time. Across the diocese, I invite you to mark in a renewed way the First Fridays and Saturdays of each month, to spend time with the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration and to regularly recite the Holy Rosary with Mary, the Mother of Mercy. Many parishes have places of pilgrimage which might be revitalised during the Holy Year. Families might also consider visiting our national pilgrimage centres of Knock, Lough Derg and Croagh Patrick. I look forward to travelling with pilgrims from the diocese to Rome in June 2016 to visit the seven Churches mentioned by St Oliver Plunkett in his writings.
Significant moments being planned to mark the Holy Year include: the Feast of the Holy Family, 27 December, on which families are especially welcome to go through our Holy Doors in Armagh and Drogheda; Catholic Schools Week, 31 January – 6 February; the Season of Lent (including 24 hours for the Lord on 4-5 March); St Patrick’s Day; the Chrism Mass in the Cathedral on 24 March; Divine Mercy Sunday; School Rosary Crusade in May; Feast of the Sacred Heart celebration of the Works of Mercy on 3 June; July festivals of St Oliver Plunkett and St Brigid; 15 August processions with Mary, Mother of Mercy. Information about the Year of Mercy will be kept up to date on the diocesan website/social media. If parishes organise events to mark the Year of Mercy these can be published on the diocesan website so that the Good News of the Jubilee Year can be made widely known.
Recite the ‘Jesus Prayer’
Dear brothers and sisters, as Pope Francis says: “We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us. Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness.”
To conclude, I offer you an idea suggested to me by one of our priests. During the Year of Mercy, he suggested that we could say the ‘Jesus prayer‘, which is, ‘Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner’. If we recite the prayer over and over again then every moment of every day, every thought, word and action in the Archdiocese could be touched by God’s mercy. The Archdiocese of Armagh would then become an ‘oasis of mercy’. Jesus is the Door of Mercy. Jesus is the face of God, the Father’s mercy. The Jesus Prayer says it all and we could pray it with humility and confidence thousands of times during the Jubilee Year:
Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
+Eamon
Archbishop of Armagh
8 December 2015
Opening of the Holy Doors throughout our Archdiocese
An open invitation to all the people living in the diocese, especially those who may have drifted away from the faith, to enter through the Holy Doors of Mercy which Archbishop Eamon Martin will open in Armagh and Drogheda on Sunday 13th December.
The ceremony of Opening the Holy Door in St Peter’s Church, Drogheda will take place at the 12.15 Sunday Mass on 13th December.
The ceremony of Opening the Holy Door in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh will take place at the 5 p.m. Carol Service on 13th December.
Everyone is welcome to attend one or both of these celebrations.
“On 13 December, the Third Sunday of Advent, I have the joy of opening two Holy Doors to mark the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy in the Archdiocese of Armagh. In doing this, I am following the example of Pope Francis who opens the Holy Door of Mercy at St Peter’s Basilica, Rome on 8 December – the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council. Our Holy Doors will be at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh and at St Peter’s Church, Drogheda, home to the National Shrine to St Oliver Plunkett. The Holy Doors will be sealed again on 13 November 2016, one week before the close of the Holy Year.” Archbishop Eamon Martin
Advent Resources from The Prayer and Spirituality Commission
The Prayer and Spirituality Commission are delighted to supply Lectio and prayer Resources for the 4 Sundays of Advent 2015Download for personal, group or parish prayer this Advent. Click on link supplied.
Graduation Day
Last Friday twenty four parishioners from the Archdiocese of Armagh graduated with Honours Degrees in Theology and Lifelong Education at a lovely ceremony in Clonliffe Church, Dublin.
It was the culmination of six years of study and the men and women who received their Degree parchments from Prof. Brian MacCraith, President of Dublin City University, were worthy recipients of their awards. They were warmly congratulated by Dr. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, who celebrated mass prior to the Award Ceremony and by Dr Martin McAleese, Chancellor of DCU, who was the keynote speaker at the event.
Many of our graduates are already using their skills and expertise in a variety of church settings such as schools, Pastoral Councils and Commissions.
Under the auspices of the Adult Faith Commission, each of them has been invited to participate in the implementation of the Pastoral Plan and over the next few months, a range of short programmes and initiatives will be presented in local parishes by many of the new graduates. We congratulate them and their families and wish them every blessing for the future!
Pastoral letter from Archbishop Eamon on current Refugee Crisis
A Pastoral Letter from
Archbishop Eamon Martin
Sunday, 25 October 2015
Some of the most moving contributions at the Synod on the Family have been about the plight of migrant and refugee families in many parts of the world. I found myself deeply moved on several occasions as we listened to accounts of families separated, grieving and oppressed because of war and persecution in their homelands. An African bishop told us that massive numbers of refugees have poured into Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Malawi. Some of the poorest countries in the world such as Malawi have been inundated with people fleeing war and destruction. Malawi has been dealing with over 400,000 refugees. So far, we have been asked to take only a small fraction of that number into Ireland as a whole.
Church
Like the blind beggar Bartimaeus in today’s Gospel, sitting on the side of the road, members of these unfortunate families cry out to us: ‘Have pity on me’. The Church has been playing its part in responding. Great work has already been done by a host of individuals, groups and parishes across the diocese such as Trócaire and St Vincent de Paul, Parish Pastoral Councils, schools and other agencies. I thank all of you for your generosity and solidarity with the plight of these tragic people. Many of you have contributed financially to support the work of charities dedicated to relieve the sufferings of the refugees and you can continue to do so by donating to their work at
http://www.trocaire.org/refugee-crisis.
Government
Although the resettlement of refugees is a complex issue, the governments in both parts of Ireland must do more to protect the human rights of refugees. We are being confronted with a human tragedy that requires a generous political and church partnership to help meet the needs of these vulnerable people. We have not always handled refugees with the respect that they deserve and lessons need to be learned from the mistakes we have made in the past. There is a pressing need for prompt strategic action that weds together a cohesive plan for welcome, integration and provision of sustainable resources for the refugees. I ask you to stress this to all political figures local, national and international.
What next?
In today’s First reading the prophet Jeremiah speaks about the way that God comforts his people by reaching out to them in their need:
‘See, I will gather them from the far ends of earth…
They had left in tears,
I will comfort them as I lead them back;
I will guide them to streams of water,
by a smooth path where they will not stumble.
For I am a father to Israel…’
As we look to the future and make initial preparations for the arrival of the first cohort of refugees into our diocese, I encourage Parish Pastoral Councils to continue to liaise with other agencies and to coordinate our resources and our response. Many of you are looking at this issue as a response to the call of Pope Francis to reach out to the poor and disadvantaged and of course it is a key objective of our diocesan plan. We can garner the rich array of talents and gifts that are readily present in our communities and use them to meet the human, practical and spiritual needs of the brothers and sisters who will come to us.
Finally, as Christians, I ask that we commit ourselves to pray for those who have been caught up in all these terrible conflicts and I ask you to pray with me the prayer for refugee and migrant families everywhere.
+ Eamon
A Prayer for Refugees
Almighty and merciful God,
Whose Son became a refugee
And had no place to call his own;
Look with mercy on those who today
Are fleeing from danger,
Homeless and hungry.
Bless those who work to bring them relief;
Inspire generosity and compassion in all our hearts;
And guide the nations of Europe towards that day
When all will rejoice in your Kingdom of justice and peace.
We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, Amen.