On Easter morning the Christian family celebrates the central mystery of faith, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. He suffered on the cross and died for us, but now he is risen! Filled with the spirit of Easter joy, Christians proclaim the might and glory of God.
At the Easter Vigil, we gather around the Easter candle, inspired by its light and heated by the Spirit of God, celebrating the Lord’s resurrection. With that light to illumine our way, we remember how God has cared for humanity from the dawn of time. The readings read this night remind us what happened at the highpoints of our history.
The liturgy that begins at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper continues until Easter begins. At the Mass, we are at the start of a three-day celebration of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. We journey from the Last Supper to Gethsemane the first night, from there to Calvary on the second day, and from the tomb to resurrection and new life on the third day, which ends with the Vigil of Easter Sunday.
About twenty five priests attended the meeting in Ovens on 12 April, as did Tony Flannery from the Leadership Team. It was a lively, energetic meeting, with plenty of contributions from the people present. The first item on the agenda was a report on the survey conducted among ACP members in Munster in preparation for the Apostolic Visitors. Respondents said that their own personal morale was high, but that they believed that priests’ morale generally was low….
Some time ago we published here an open letter written by Fr. Mike Fallon to the Bishops of Scotland relating to the liturgical texts. He received no reply from any of them, so he has decided to write a second letter. We publish this here, and also the text of an interview he gave on the subject. For those of us involved in the issue here, there is a ring of familiarity about his experience.
This liturgy, for use in parishes in Holy Week, is a celebration of God’s forgiveness, and of our reconciliation with God and one another. The service has four parts. After a brief introduction (the first part), people listen to God’s word and reflect on it. Then all celebrate the Rite of Reconciliation, during which everyone will have the opportunity of going to Confession. The service ends with an Act of Thanksgiving.
Priest members of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) from the Diocese of Limerick met at the Woodlands House Hotel on April 12th. Three issues were highlighted: the lack of consultation and questionable quality of the new translation of the Missal; concerns around accusations against priests of sexual abuse; the future of Catholic Education.
Today’s liturgy gives us a preview of the events we will celebrate in the Easter Triduum later this week. The passion, death and resurrection of Jesus are the focus of this and every Sunday celebration.
In just over ten days time, the Easter Triduum will begin, on Holy Thursday evening. The time when baptism is celebrated is now very close. We ask God’s help for all the adults and children preparing for baptism this Easter, and pray that we may be fit and ready to renew our baptismal vows at the same feast.
An Association of Catholic Priests meeting for Limerick Diocese will be help in the Woodlands House Hotel on Tuesday next, April 12th at 3.00pm. Sean McDonagh of the Leadership Team…
Lent acts as an annual call to renewal, and can easily be used as a seven-week period of formation. New ministries can be started and existing ones renewed, while the whole parish becomes refreshed and ready to answer its baptismal call to service…
The next meeting of the ACP in Cork & Ross takes place on Tuesday 12 April at 2.30 pm at Ovens parish Centre. Tony Flannery from the Leadership team will…
Traditionally, this Sunday is called Laetare Sunday, which means ‘a day for joy’. Lent is half over, and the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus is nearer. At this midpoint of Lent, it is traditional to honour mothers, treasuring those still with us and praying for those we have lost to death.
WHAT A MISTAKE ! Dear Editor, I am becoming more and more annoyed as expensive advertisements for the New Missal arrive in the mail. Having reviewed the text of this…
A very good and well attended meeting of priests ministering in Clonfert on Monday afternoon, March 21st. It was organised and hosted by Fr Ciaran Kitching, in Killimor. There were 18 priests…
We have decided to put this letter on the website, since it gives a context and explains our Press Statement; and members have been asking us for it.
To the Leadership Team: Three cheers and then three cheers more! Whether or not your Association of Irish Catholic Priests makes any headway regarding the New Roman Missal, the courage…
As a result of our meeting with the Bishop’s Commission, and their response to that meeting, which we regarded as very inadequate, we have decided to issue the following statement to the media.
It also contains notice of a general meeting to discuss this subject on June 2nd in Portlaoise.
Opening Comment
Today’s readings about water and thirst remind us that this is a baptismal season. During Lent, many people all over the world look forward to their baptism, while those already baptised prepare to renew their promises.
Opening Comment
Now that we are ten days into the season of Lent, our goal is clarified in today’s liturgy. The Gospel of the Transfiguration reminds us that we are destined for glory. Like the disciples, we keep this glimpse of glory in our hearts in the dark days ahead. Resurection will follow, as surely as day follows night.
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