AD CLERUM 2020 DIOCESE OF GALWAY, KILMACDUAGH & KILFENORA Niccolò Antonio Colantonio (c.1420–c.1460): ‘Saint Jerome in his Study’ (c.1445) ANNIVERSARIES OF NOTE IN 2020 1,750 years ago (270): • Beheading of St Valentine in Rome. • Death of St Gregory of Neocaesarea (Gregory the miracle-worker). 1,600 years ago (420): • Death of St Jerome (Eusebius Hieronymus), translator of the ‘Vulgate’ Bible — featured on the cover removing a thorn from the lion’s paw. 1,220 years ago (800): • Charlemagne, king of the Franks, was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III. 850 years ago (1170): • Birth of St Dominic, founder of the Dominican Order and patron saint of astronomers. 800 years ago (1220): • Dedication of a shrine in Canterbury to Thomas à Becket. 500 years ago (1520): • Martin Luther published To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation. 475 years ago (1545): • Opening of the Council of Trent (1545). 400 years ago (1620): • The Mayflower sailed from Plymouth, bound for the New World. 250 years ago (1770): • Birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, German classical composer. • Death of Jean-Antoine Nollet, French abbot and physicist. 150 years ago (1870): • Declaration of papal infallibility by the First Vatican Council. • Beatification of Pope Urban V. 100 years ago (1920): • Canonization of St Joan of Arc, the ‘Maid of Orléans’. 60 years ago (1960): • Establishment of Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. 40 years ago (1980): • Death of Archbishop Óscar Amulfo Romero y Galdámez, Metropolitan Archbishop of San Salvador. 10 years ago (2010): • Consecration of Basílica de la Sagrada Família by Pope Benedict XVI. 5 years ago (2015): • Publication of Laudato si’, the second encyclical of Pope Francis. CONTENTS Diocesan Office ........................................................................ 1 Pastoral Norms in the Diocese ................................................. 2 Local Deanery Conferences ..................................................... 6 General Deanery Conferences ................................................. 7 Chapter Meetings ..................................................................... 8 Diocesan Finance Meetings ..................................................... 9 Diocesan Retreat .................................................................... 10 Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock ............................................... 11 Our Lady’s Shrine, Knock: Confessions ................................. 12 Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes ............................................ 13 Ceremonies of Confirmation ................................................... 14 Church Collections ................................................................. 16 Electronic Fund Transfer Details ............................................ 23 Getting Married in the Church ................................................ 25 • Requirements for Civil Registration • Verbal Declaration of No Civil Impediment • List of Solemnisers • Further Information • Where can Catholic Marriages take place? • Church Marriage Papers • Information on Marriage & Marriage Preparation • Minimum Age of Marriage • Pre-Marriage Courses • Papal Blessing • The Wedding Ceremony • Music in the Ceremony • Sunday Weddings • Weddings Abroad • Marriage Preparation for Returning Immigrants Vocations ................................................................................ 32 Dates to Note ......................................................................... 33 Parish Contact Details ............................................................ 34 Chaplains ............................................................................... 37 Retired Priests ........................................................................ 38 Religious Orders, Brothers & Personal Prelature ................... 39 DIOCESAN OFFICE OPENING HOURS Monday–Thursday: 9:30am–5:30pm (Closed for lunch 1:00pm–2:00pm) Friday 9:30am–4:30pm (Closed for lunch 1:00pm–2:00pm) Closed Saturday & Sunday CONTACT INFORMATION Tel. 091 563566 [email protected] www.galwaydiocese.ie Rev. Martin Whelan: [email protected] Tom Hansberry: [email protected] — 1 — PASTORAL NORMS IN THE DIOCESE 1. Every priest of the diocese is obliged to offer two Masses for the repose of the soul of a priest of the diocese who has died, and three Masses for a deceased bishop. 2. A priest who celebrates a number of Masses on the same day may apply each Mass for the intention for which an offering was made, subject however to the rule that, apart from Christmas Day, he may retain for himself the offering for only one Mass; the others he is to transmit to the diocesan retired priests account, via the diocesan office (cf. Can. 951). 3. Recording of Mass intentions: every priest must accurately record the Masses that he has accepted to celebrate and those that he has in fact celebrated (cf. Can. 955 §4). 4. Mass stipends: in accordance with Can. 952 §1, the recommended stipend for a Mass is €10. In regard to bequests for Masses where the stipend is not specified by the testator, the stipend should be €20. 5. Missa pro populo: when he has taken possession of his parish, the parish priest is bound on each Sunday and holy day of obligation in his diocese to apply the Mass for the people entrusted to him. If he is lawfully impeded from this celebration, he is to have someone else apply the Mass on these days or apply it himself on other days (cf. Can. 534). 6. Surplus Mass intentions: Canon Peter Rabbitte, PP, VG, is designated by the Bishop to act as an intermediary to receive surplus Mass stipends and to transfer them to priests at home and abroad who may not have sufficient Mass stipends. 7. Signed Mass cards: “Having signed or stamped Mass cards for sale to the public in shops and other commercial outlets is a practice that is not approved by the Episcopal Conference, the Major Religious Superiors or the Superiors of Missionary Societies. It undermines correct Eucharistic theology and is unacceptable. We ask that this practice, wherever it exists, be discontinued.” (Episcopal Conference, November 2010). — 2 — 8. Celebret: every priest who holds a diocesan appointment must apply for and be issued with a current diocesan celebret. 9. Last Will: within six months of ordination, each priest of the diocese is advised to make a Will, and it is recommended that an original or a true copy should be forwarded to the Diocesan Office, having noted the names of the Executors and the date on which the Will was made on the outside of the sealed envelope. It is recommended that at least one of the Executors should be a priest. Ideally the Will should be renewed every ten years. 10. Priests’ Revenue Fund: each priest has a duty to ensure that contributions to the Priests’ Revenue Fund for his parish are diligently collected and returned. A minimum of three parish collections for the support of the clergy are to be held each year, at Christmas, Easter and autumn. Each parish is obliged to deliver a collection envelope, complete with name and address, to every household in the parish, for each of the major collections, and to ensure that they are collected. November offerings, rent from land, salaries from convents or institutions, stole fees for baptisms, weddings, funerals and any other priests’ collections will be part of the Priests’ Revenue Fund. A priest may deduct the agreed stipend for weddings and funerals and for each November Mass offered. With regard to surplus priests’ revenue at the end of each year, 60% is to be sent to the Diocesan Office, and, at the discretion and by permission of the Ordinary, 40% retained by the priests of the parish. The annual surplus on priests’ revenue is the income for the year after deducting legitimate priests’ salaries and the annual diocesan levy on the priests’ revenue account. 11. A church building is not, in any circumstances, to serve as a funeral home. 12. Communion Services: communion services are not approved in the diocese. 13. Ministers of Holy Communion: the correct term for those laity commissioned to distribute Holy Communion is ‘Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion’. — 3 — 14. Building legislation: all buildings and facilities owned or operated by the diocese must comply with all fire and health and safety legislation. 15. Wheelchair accessibility: all buildings and facilities owned or operated by the diocese must be wheelchair accessible. This includes the provision of accessible toilet facilities. 16. First aid: all buildings and facilities owned or operated by the diocese must have an adequate first aid box, easily accessible and regularly updated. 17. Loop system: all churches must have a suitable ‘loop’ system for those with impaired hearing. 18. Safeguarding children policy: all churches must display permanently and prominently in a public area the Safeguarding Children Parish Handbook. 19. Alterations to buildings: the care of parish property is primarily the responsibility of the parish priest. Significant alterations to the fabric or structure of any building or facility under the control of the diocese can only be undertaken following consultation with Mr Tom Hansberry, the Diocesan Buildings Advisor. Advice in respect of re-ordering churches that are protected structures should be sought from the Historic Churches Advisory Committee (HCAC) for Tuam, Galway and Clonfert, under the arrangement agreed with the church and the Department of the Environment. 20. Testimonial letters: each priest wishing to work in the