Issue 5 April 2014 OSSORY ADULT FAITH DEVELOPMENT OSSORY TIMES Sharing the life of our Diocese A community A fortnight’s A Weekly gathering Three summer school Class once a retreat in the 7pm-9pm month experiences west of Ireland Subject Theology/Religious Education Programme Title/Award Diploma in Catholic Education (DCE) NFQ Level Level 8 Credits (ECTS) 30 Programme Duration 1 Year Entry Requirements Participation or completion of a recognised teaching qualifi cation Interview Programme Fee €1,000 A PROGRAMME FOR TEACHERS IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS DCEDiploma in Catholic Education The Diploma in Catholic Education at St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny, is an initiative borne out of the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) programme, administered by the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, USA, and St Patrick’s College Maynooth. St Kieran’s is perfectly placed to offer the Diploma in Catholic Education, continuing its proud tradition as Ireland’s oldest Catholic secondary school. This programme seeks to encourage and support committed enthusiastic teachers, from all academic disciplines, to be aware of their own faith and how it should impact their role as educators in Catholic schools. Course Director: Mr Ken Maher For further information contact St Kieran’s College Kilkenny 056 7753624 [email protected] APRIL 2014 OSSORY TIMES Editorial Welcome to the latest edition of the Ossory Times. inthisissue Lent, which we have just journeyed through, is a time Editorial .......................................................... 1 of reflection that leads us to the celebration of the Spirituality Matters ........................................ 2 Lord’s resurrection. It points us in the direction of that which is at the heart of the good news we proclaim. The building of Templeorum Church .......... 5 It is the reason for the joy of our faith. The Benemerenti Medal ............................... 9 Morality Matters ............................................ 10 If we reflect for a moment on the activities of our diocese we see, very quickly, that we have much St Canice’s Musicians .................................. 12 to be joyful about here in Ossory too. Our parishes Pontifical Commission on Safeguarding .... 14 are alive with activities, celebrations, and people who reflect that Easter joy in their daily faith lives. The Kilkenny Novena and RISE ................... 18 Sometimes we can take it for granted so it is no harm Bible Matters ................................................. 20 that, on occasion, we stop and reflect on what is actually going on. Once again this edition of the Diploma in Catholic Education ................... 22 Ossory Times helps us to do this. From the vide variety Music Matters ................................................ 24 of articles in this magazine you get an insight into the life of our church and diocese: a reflection on A group in Malawi ........................................ 26 the canonisation of the two Popes; a history of the Circle of Light ................................................ 30 building of the church at Templeorum; a history of Rosbercon; the Benemerenti medal; the musicians Rosbercon Church parish history ................ 32 of St Canice’s Parish School; the new Pontifical Urlingford Lenten Programme ..................... 38 Commission on Safeguarding; the Kilkenny Novena; Quiz Pages .................................................... 43 a Diploma in Catholic Education and much more... not to mention the educational pieces on scripture, morality and music ministry.. our magazine reflects a diocese with parishes and people alive and active. 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: Ossory Adult Faith Development St Kieran’s College, College Road, Kilkenny. Tel. 056-7753624 Email: [email protected] The opinions expressed in the articles are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the editors or the Diocese of Ossory. Ossory Adult Faith Development Tel 056 7753624 Email [email protected] Web www.ossory.ie PAGE 1 OSSORY TIMES APRIL 2014 For the first time in her history, the Church will declare the unique holiness of two Popes on the same day. PAGE 2 APRIL 2014 OSSORY TIMES SPIRITUALITY MATTERS Two Popes: Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II Tom Norris For the first time in her history, the Church will declare the unique holiness of two Popes on the same day. They are Pope John XXIII (1958-63) and John Paul II (1978-2005). Further surprise is that both are associated with a great Church Council, Vatican II, John summoning it and a young Polish bishop, Karol Wojtyla, participating vigorously in each of its four sessions (1962-5). John was 77 when elected the 263rd successor of St Peter. Public opinion saw in his advanced years the idea of a conclave choosing an aged cardinal until a better emerged to succeed the great Pope Pius XII. But John had both vast experience and a young heart, and neither age nor youth may be simply measured in years. Born on a farm in northern Italy, he aspired to being a parish priest. However, the church asked him to enter her diplomatic service. He was posted to eastern Europe for long decades. He came to know Orthodox Christians PAGE 3 OSSORY TIMES APRIL 2014 and many Muslim people, and in that for them! He detected in materialism, way expanded greatly his own horizons. whether its imposed form in the Soviet Life taught him to live by the diplomacy empire or its chosen subtle form in the born from the Gospels, giving priority to West, ‘the abolition of man.’ The human relationships with the widest range of being was no longer someone sacred, people. After the war, he was appointed in fact, someone ‘made in the image Nuncio to Paris where General Charles and the likeness of God.’(Gen 1:27) As de Gaulle, a practising Catholic, made a result, the unborn, the aged and the requests that were quite difficult for the unproductive are now vulnerable, even new Nuncio. His wisdom, goodness and disposable, according to the hidden legendary humour endeared him to an dictates of a new worldview. A ‘throw- ever expanding range of people. Thus away’ culture is born. he often threw meals in the nunciature to gather members of the diplomatic corps Only 58 years of age on his election in and to exercise a ‘pastoral ministry.’ 1978, he had the physical energy to treat Convinced that Jesus had come and suffered and risen for all, he aimed at a the wide world as if it were his parish. sincere love for each and every person He was to travel over 1.5 million miles he met. with the good news of Christ pushing him. Surviving an assassination attempt In his opening address to the Council in in St Peter’s Square in 1982, he visited October 1962, he declared that he had over 120 countries and more parishes to disagree with ‘the prophets of doom,’ of the diocese of Rome than any of his who forecast only disaster. His great predecessors. He enriched the Church desire was to build unity, unity among with several magnificent encyclicals. Catholics, unity with the other Christians, unity with the great religions as much Perhaps one initiative of his as a pastor as was possible, and with the men and stands out. It is that of the ‘World Youth women of good will. When he died in Days’, the most recent one of which June 1963, four months short of only five took place last Summer in Brazil with over years in the shoes of the fisherman, the three million young people on the move. world wept. His love for God imprinting John Paul’s love for young people can itself on his humanity left an imprint of be vividly sensed in these words from goodness on the world. What made him his first encyclical, The Redeemer of tick may be read in his spiritual diary, The Man. ‘In reality, the name for that deep Journal of a Soul. A Lutheran pastor wrote amazement at man’s worth and dignity is a collection of his witticisms called, When the Gospel, that is to say, the good news. a Pope Laughs, and a renowned Jewish It is also called Christianity.’ The next WYD philosopher an obituary. will appropriately take place in Krakow, where Karol Wojtyla was archbishop Pope John Paul II hailed from a very before his election as bishop of Rome. different background, besides being the first non-Italian pope in over four hundred years! The son of a Poland that had A great wave of excitement is gathering experienced the horrors of totalitarian for the canonisation of both Popes on regimes in Nazism and Communism, he the Sunday after Easter, Mercy Sunday. saw close-up the attack on the very idea Preparations are under way in Rome for of God and the dignity of the human pilgrims from around the world. The Irish person. Since in the Communist system pilgrims will have a Mass on the Monday the primary realities were seen as the after the canonisation at 4.00pm in Santa economy, technology and their products, Maria in Domnica which is the parish human beings were deemed to be made church where the Irish College is situated. PAGE 4 APRIL 2014 OSSORY TIMES The Church of the Assumption at Templeorum will be two hundred years standing in September 2014. The building of Templeorum Church 1810-1914 a synopsis Mary O’Shea The rural people of Templeorum in 1810- of Waterford and Lismore, Fr Laurance 14 were unaware of the ins and outs of Morrisssey, which in turn gave rise to one the Napoleonic War and the Waterloo of the most unseemly disputes to occur bother. Earning enough to pay their rents in the diocese of Ossory, involving three and rear their families was foremost and parties, Fr Morrissey, his parishioners and secondly to build a church fine enough to Episcopal authority, namely the Bishop of be the Parish Church of the Catholic parish Ossory.