My friends,
I wish to draw your attention to the new “Light a Candle” feature on the Diocesan Website.
This is not a virtual candle. For those who wish to participate, a candle will be placed in the Cathedral in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament for your intentions.
For the month of November, the focus will be on remembering our deceased loved ones. “Indeed, the church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian Religion, has honoured with great respect the memory of the dead.” (Directory on Popular Piety and the liturgy, 251)
Themes will vary during the year, following to some extent the Liturgical Calendar but also including other celebrations and occasions as they arise.
Donations received will be used for the ongoing maintenance of St Colman’s Cathedral.
With gratitude always for your support and prayer.
Yours sincerely,
+ Wm. Crean
Most Rev. William Crean, D.D.,
Bishop of Cloyne.
February
Ballyclough - Tuesday 11th
Banteer - Wednesday 12th
Glantane - Thursday 13th
Meelin - Tuesday 18th
Milford - Wednesday 19th
Aghabullogue - Thursday 27th
March
Blarney - Tuesday 4th
Ballyvourney - Thursday 6th
Clondrohid - Tuesday 18th
Inniscarra - Wednesday 19th
Mallow - Thursday 20th
Ballyhea - Tuesday 25th
Charleville - Wednesday 26th
Mourneabbey - Thursday 27th
Thousands of people came to pray, reflect, and give thanks and to venerate the relics. The crowds included people of all ages - from children brought by parents, to children from National Schools and students from Secondary Schools - to adults of all ages, healthy and sick, mobile and wheelchair bound
The experience is difficult to put into words, it had to be experienced. Lourdes has often been described as a little bit of Heaven here on earth. The visit of the relics of St Bernadette brought some of that experience to the thousands who attended, many people noting that what they experienced during the visit could not be put into words. For this to have happened, gratitude and thanks are due to so many people who volunteered their time and talents and gave freely so that all of us would have this wonderful experience.
All are welcome to participate in this joyful celebration of the Dominicans contribution to our history of faith and their spreading of devotion to Our Lady of Graces.
For full details please see below.
Munster Konkans, a community of families originating from Mangalore in South West India, and currently living in and around the Munster region, gathered together for the celebration of ‘Monthi Fest’ (Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary) on Sunday, 8th September.
This is the biggest family feast of the year in the Konkan culture, and is also celebrated as a harvest festival, where the first fruits, vegetables, and grains of the season are offered to God in a gratitude for His blessings.
𝗦𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰
The Relics of St Bernadette will be in the Diocese of Cloyne in September. The relics will be in 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 for 𝟏𝟏𝐚𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 and 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐧 on 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, time to be confirmed.
The visitation of the holy relics is an opportunity to have Lourdes come to our diocese so that we can all experience the pilgrimage in Lourdes at home in Cloyne.
Petitions
There will be an opportunity for pilgrims to leave petitions and personal intentions to Our Lady of Lourdes and St Bernadette.
Petitions should be written at home and brought to the churches. A petition box will be located at the Marian shrines in the churches.
Veneration of the relics ends at 9pm each evening in both churches.
Our Lady of Lourdes help our faith!
Bishop William Crean, Bishop of Cloyne, has made the following new appointments which will come into effect on Saturday September 14th 2024.
I, as Bishop, and the people of the Diocese are deeply grateful to our priests for their generosity of spirit and commitment.
I’m grateful to those involved in these new appointments. Change always involves uprooting from the familiar to new and less known people and situations. We are indebted to all for their generous spirit of service to the people of God entrusted to them.
Their ministry is a sharing in the commitment of so many people, priests, religious and lay women and men who quietly, yet so effectively, nurture faith and life in our parishes.
The Jubilee Year 2025 (Holy Year) has been designated a celebration of Hope – which never disappoints. Sadly, the lives of too many are marked by despair and darkness. Our faith enables us to be people of light. But we need each other to nurture that hope in and for one another.
We, in the Diocese of Cloyne, are blessed with the ministry of so many priests still. It is important that parish communities who have witnessed the decline in attendance wake up to loss of purpose and meaning that is taking place in and among us.
Let this Year of Jubilee be a graced time for us to put fresh heart into our families, schools and parishes.
Let us pray for those taking on new assignments. We pray the blessing of contentment upon them.
+ William Crean
Bishop of Cloyne
Further information: Contact Fr Jim Moore
Bookings are now open and early booking is advised. The cost is €280 residential and €180 non-residential
For further information click here or to book a place on this Retreat, please call 01 4048189 or by email to
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