Ossory Times Sharing the Life of Our Diocese DIOCESE of OSSORY ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL RESTORATION FUND DRAW
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October 2016 – Issue 12 OSSORY ADULT FAITH DEVELOPMENT OSSORY TIMES Sharing the life of our Diocese DIOCESE OF OSSORY ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL RESTORATION FUND DRAW Monthly Prizes - 12 MONTHLY DRAWS - March 2016 to February 2017 1st Prize ........€2000 2nd Prize ......€1000 3rd Prize .........€500 4th Prize .........€300 5th Prize .........€300 6th Prize .........€200 7th Prize .........€200 8th Prize .........€100 9th Prize .........€100 10th Prize .......€100 Promoter 1st Prize winner gets €100 Promoter 2nd Prize winner gets €100 Subscription €10 per month. Draw will be held at 8pm on the last Wednesday of each month in the Chapter Room, St Mary’s Cathedral, James’ Street, Kilkenny. All are welcome to attend each draw. ank you for your support! OCTOBER 2016 OSSORY TIMES Editorial Welcome to the latest edition of the Ossory inthisissue Times. Editorial ........................................................ 1 The faith that we profess in prayer is lived out Diocesan Administrator ............................. 2 in so many ways in our parishes, school and Aim High ...................................................... 4 communities. In fact, it happens to such an extent that we can even take it for granted. St Patrick's De La Salle................................ 8 The Ossory Times is an attempt to avoid doing Morality Matters ........................................ 10 that. In this edition, as in all previous editions, we attempt to draw attention to the many AFD Pilgrimage to Rome .......................... 12 and varied ways our belief in God impacts Pilgrimage to Rome Diary ........................ 16 upon our daily lives. The colour of these pages Ossory Pastoral Plan Coordinator ........... 20 and the faces there-in stand as testimony to all that is going on: a new unit in St Patrick’s Goalsetting ................................................ 21 De La Salle to care for children with special Vocations .................................................. 22 educational needs; a new programme of faith and involvement for young people in The Kilkenny Novena ............................... 24 our diocese; work continues on bringing our Edmund Ignatius Rice .............................. 28 Pastoral Plan to life; a focus on vocations to the priesthood; a pilgrimage to Rome for this year Mother of Fair Love School ...................... 31 of Mercy; a festival of faith in Rathdowney; Rathdowney Parish Faithfest 2016 ........... 34 a chance to re-hear words spoken at The Kilkenny Novena, St John’s Parish; the Diocesan Quiz Pages ................................................ 39 Administrator helping us to care for each other as people of the Gospel as we await the appointment of a new Bishop; Rathdowney Parish and so much more... The faith is alive in Festival of faith Ossory and we don't take it for granted! As always we hope you enjoy this publication. Comments, suggestions and contributions are most welcome for future editions. Articles or advertisements for upcoming events or of recent events, can be sent to: St John's Parish Ossory Adult Faith Development The Kilkenny Novena St Kieran’s College, College Road, Kilkenny. Tel. 056-7753624 Email: [email protected] Ossory Adult Faith Development Tel 056 7753624 Email [email protected] Web www.ossory.ie PAGE 1 OSSORY TIMES OCTOBER 2016 Diocese of Ossory Diocesan Administrator Michael Ryan On the 29th July 2016 Bishop Séamus I see my role in the first place to affirm Freeman, SAC, Bishop of Ossory, announced and support my brother priests in all their that Pope Francis had accepted his early pastoral ministries in their parishes. At retirement due to ill health. In a letter to this time of year there is great activity in the people of Ossory he wrote: "I thank the parishes with the Preparation Programmes good Lord for bestowing on me the grace for the Celebration of First Eucharist and to serve Him, to serve His Church and to Sacrament of Confirmation. Parish Finance serve His people – I extend my deepest Committees and Parish Pastoral Councils are meeting again after the summer break. gratitude to the People of Ossory whom I Adult Faith Programmes are in place and have served for almost nine years". When Pre-Marriage Courses will be held between he was chosen as our Bishop he appointed now and Christmas and in the New Year. me to be his Vicar General, a position I held You might say that this is all ‘ordinary and under Bishop Forristal. routine’ parish life and in one sense it is, but when it comes to a family sitting down When a diocese becomes vacant it is the with their priest to arrange the Funeral duty of the College of Consultors (a group Liturgy for a member of their family it is far of Priests drawn mainly from the Council from ‘ordinary’ for them. In years to come of Priests) to meet and elect a Diocesan they will recall how they were treated by Administrator whose duty it is to manage their priest, and similarly so for a couple the affairs of the Diocese until a new bishop arranging their marriage ceremony. is appointed. I was elected to that position by my brother priests, a position I had held I believe we have in this diocese a wonderful for short periods between the retirement record of genuine pastoral care for people of Bishop Forristal and the Ordination of whatever the occasion. Every day I see Séamus Freeman as Bishop of Ossory and examples of the sincerity and dedication again for a few months following his illness of my brother priests in their work – building up the faith of people and bringing the light in 2013. and love of God’s message to their lives. I’m conscious too of my responsibility to In a tribute to Bishop Freeman I said: ‘I am care for brother priests who are undergoing humbled to be asked to take on this new ongoing treatment and insist on continuing responsibility and I hope to continue the generously in Ministry. We now have two good work that Bishop Séamus oversaw retired bishops and sixteen retired priests. in our Diocese for the past nine years. I They are very important members of our wish him well in retirement and pray for his priest’s fraternity. We have good reason continued health. I hope to do all that I can to be grateful for their many decades of to facilitate the continued implementation Pastoral Ministry and their continued love of our Diocesan Plan and the many other for the Diocese through their prayers and good works in the Diocese which gives us serene acceptance of the burdens of old life and hope". age. PAGE 2 OCTOBER 2016 OSSORY TIMES I believe we have in this diocese a wonderful record of genuine pastoral care for people whatever the occasion... Mgr Michael Ryan Probably the most significant decision in of the Holy Spirit in a new Pentecost.” My the Diocese of Ossory for many years was fervent wish for our Diocese is that we will the appointment of Ms Gemma Mulligan be able to rejoice in the talents and gifts of as Co-ordinator of the Ossory Diocesan all God’s people from the youngest to the Pastoral Plan by Bishop Freeman. She oldest, recognising in particular the hugely took up her work under the protection important role that the laity will have in the of the Blessed Virgin Mary on 15th August future shape of our diocese and parishes. 2016. Bishop Séamus put it very well when introducing her to the Priests, Religious and God grant that we will be able to foster in Laity he wrote: As I have said many times, one another a deep desire not only to live the Plan for our Diocese is not the bishop’s our Christians lives but be truly anxious to plan, nor is it the priest’s plan, it is a plan for share it within our family circle first and then all of us, all 85,000 baptised members of the the wider community. Catholic Church in our diocese’. In my role I intend to support in every way this new I ask all readers of the Ossory Times to and important initiative for our diocese. continue to pray for our diocese at this time As the vision Statement for the Plan says: and I in turn promise to pray for you and “The Diocesan Pastoral Plan is asking us to your families as we await the appointment accept that the future shape of the Church of our new bishop, successor of St Kieran, of Ossory is in our hands, under the guidance first Bishop of Ossory. PAGE 3 OSSORY TIMES OCTOBER 2016 The diocesan programme is open to young people aged sixteen years and over. aim high a programme for young people of the Diocese of Ossory Noeleen Lynam This month sees the launch of the Aim seek out and encourage people to High programme in the Diocese of Ossory; become active. taking inspiration from the words of Pope Francis to young people: The participants are asked to make a “Dear young people, the Church commitment to their parish, to actively expects great things of you and develop their Spiritual life and to take you generosity, don’t be afraid to one some voluntary, supportive role in Aim High”… their parish. The programme is designed to encourage and acknowledge the contribution Participation in Parish Liturgies could made by young people in our parishes include becoming a Minister of the Word and communities. or Minister of the Eucharist; joining the choir as singer or musician, preparing Too often we adults bemoan how few Prayer of the Faithful, getting involved teenagers and young adults are part of in Church events like decorating the our weekly celebration of Eucharist. Yet Church for the Liturgical Seasons, in every parish there are willing, generous, stewarding at Confirmation, being part eager young people who perhaps only of the church cleaning group, joining a need to be asked, to be encouraged to parish pilgrimage.