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Cardinal Seán Brady welcomes Ireland’s participation in the Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration

This Sunday, the Feast of Corpus Christi in Ireland, cathedrals and parishes throughout the island – North and South – will mark this Year of Faith with an hour of Eucharistic Adoration in their local churches.  At 4.00pm (5.00pm Rome time) the Universal Church will be synchronised with Rome in prayerful communion with Pope Francis as part of this Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration.  Archbishop Eamon Martin, Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh, will be representing Irish bishops in Saint Peter’s Basilica for this special liturgical event.

Cardinal Brady said, “The proposal of Pope Francis to hold a Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration as part of this Year of Faith is a wonderful idea: for one hour the faithful of the world are invited to be united in prayer.  Adoration of the Eucharist reminds us of the importance of the Sacrament of the Eucharist in our faith, a faith which will lead us to bring the message of Christ to our homes, our families, our communities and our world.  This opportunity for Eucharistic Adoration brings to mind the theme of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress held in Ireland last year: ‘The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and with one another’.”

Cardinal Brady continued, “Eucharistic Adoration is a period of time set aside for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament which Catholics believe is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion.  I encourage the faithful to attend their local church on Sunday afternoon and to pray before the exposed Blessed Sacrament for the specific intentions that Pope Francis has set out for this Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration.”

Below is a video where Pope Francis presides over the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Peter’s Basilica together with the parishes throughout the world.

On the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Holy Father will preside over a special Eucharistic adoration that will extend at the same time all over the world involving the cathedrals and parishes in each diocese. For an hour, at 5pm (Rome time), the whole world will be united in prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

The Holy Father has asked that an hour of prayer be organised on that day in all Cathedral Churches and it will be an opportunity for people to unite spiritually and with the successor of Peter in adoration of Jesus alive in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

A special Holy Hour will take place on that day in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh 4.00-5.00pm.

Cardinal Seán Brady welcomes Ireland’s participation in the Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration

This Sunday, the Feast of Corpus Christi in Ireland, cathedrals and parishes throughout the island – North and South – will mark this Year of Faith with an hour of Eucharistic Adoration in their local churches.  At 4.00pm (5.00pm Rome time) the Universal Church will be synchronised with Rome in prayerful communion with Pope Francis as part of this Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration.  Archbishop Eamon Martin, Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh, will be representing Irish bishops in Saint Peter’s Basilica for this special liturgical event.

Cardinal Brady said, “The proposal of Pope Francis to hold a Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration as part of this Year of Faith is a wonderful idea: for one hour the faithful of the world are invited to be united in prayer.  Adoration of the Eucharist reminds us of the importance of the Sacrament of the Eucharist in our faith, a faith which will lead us to bring the message of Christ to our homes, our families, our communities and our world.  This opportunity for Eucharistic Adoration brings to mind the theme of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress held in Ireland last year: ‘The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and with one another’.”

Cardinal Brady continued, “Eucharistic Adoration is a period of time set aside for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament which Catholics believe is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion.  I encourage the faithful to attend their local church on Sunday afternoon and to pray before the exposed Blessed Sacrament for the specific intentions that Pope Francis has set out for this Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration.”

Congratulations to the following who were ordained to the diaconate in Saint Patrick’s College Maynooth on Sunday 29 May 2013:

• Seán Flynn for Archdiocese of Tuam
• Stephen Gorman for Diocese of Raphoe
• Ben Hodnett for Diocese of Cork & Ross
• Seán McGuigan for Archdiocese of Armagh
• Dominic Meehan for Diocese of  Cashel & Emly
• Colum Murphy for Diocese of Dromore

There are a number of steps throughout priestly formation that direct the path to ordination. During time in seminary you would be formally accepted as a candidate and would also be instituted into the ministries of acolyte and reader. One final step before becoming a priest is ordination as a deacon. The diaconate is an ordained ministry in its own right, which involves preaching the Gospel and also assisting at the altar. A deacon has the authority to baptise and to marry, but he cannot preside like a priest at Mass or hear confessions. Once you become a deacon the obligations of celibacy, obedience and regularly praying the Divine Office become part of your life.

In his homily during Mass for the ordination of deacons Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said: “The deacons we ordain here this morning are called to a particular mission within the Church: they are called to witness to Jesus who serves.  This is not a mission which is separated from the life of the Church. Deacons are called, rather, to witness to one of the essential characteristics of the mission of Jesus: to serve.  Anyone who is called to ministry in the Church is called not to be served but to serve. A self-serving Church is not the Church of Jesus Christ. ”

The full text of the Archbishop’s homily is available here 

We wish Rev. Sean McGuigan all Gods blessings as he returns to St Patrick’s College, Maynooth to complete this last year of study before his ordination to the Priesthood.

The Pro Life Campaign is helping organise another National Vigil for Life, to be held on Saturday, 8^th June from 3 to 4pm at Merrion Square Dublin. Around this time the Government will be publishing the actual legislation that will come before the Dáil.

As the heads of the Bill show, the legislation will not be restrictive as senior members of the Government claim.  What matters is not the assurances that are being given by Ministers but what is in the legislation. It is clear that the Government is proposing an abortion regime with no time limit, and a suicide ground similar to legislation that has led to wide-ranging abortion in other jurisdictions.

Right now our Government proposes dangerous and unjust abortion legislation. The Taoiseach says it’s restrictive. Nothing could be further from the truth. It departs from essential medical treatment for women which we all support. Abortion for a suicide threat means abortion on request. No time limit is possible if the X case is legislated for.

The Government plans to rush this legislation through in July even avoiding a vote in the Dáil if possible. Your presence in Merrion Square is vital to challenge this.

Please do as much as you can to make this event a success. Invite family, friends and colleagues. Bring a car-load or fill a bus!