DIOCESE OF OSSORY KNOWING OUR OSSORY FAITH Ossory Adult Faith Development Tel 056 7753624 Email [email protected] Web www.ossory.ie We are called Christian because we are followers of Christ. Jesus Christ was also called Jesus of Nazareth because that is where he lived most of his life - It was there people saw what he did… We are Christian when we are... (Go find the …ing words live my faith that show we are Christian) 2 Knowing our Ossory Faith Baptism is our welcome by God - we are given our faith by our parents. It is important to them and they want us to share in it. They, in turn, were given it by their parents too - a gift passed on often for generations in our families. Colour Name ........................................................ live my faith Baptised .................................................. Who Baptised me? .................................. What parish was I in? ............................. Who are my Godparents? ...................... ................................................................. You might my faith need help - ask for some help! My parents were baptised by ................................................................... ................................................................... baptised where? ................................................................... ................................................................... Knowing our Ossory Faith 3 We live our faith in a community. It is a help to us to have other people who believe near us. Our parish is a community we belong to. We pray with the other people who are part of that parish. PEOPLE Name of Parish: IN MY ............................................................. Priests: PARISH ............................................................. ............................................................. Name of Churches & year it was built ..................................... ................. ..................................... ................. Mass times in my parish: .............................................................. Is my church open each day: ............. A parish is made up of many communities like GAA clubs Can you name 3 other groups of your parish ............................................................................... ............................................................................... ............................................................................... 4 Knowing our Ossory Faith OUR PARISHES ARE FULL OF PEOPLE WHO HELP OTHERS PEOPLE People who give of their time to bring You might need help our parish to life. Can you match the - ask for IN MY proper name for what these people do some help! with the work that they do? PARISH I help prepare the church making Minister of the Word sure it is ready and welcoming for people Eucharistic Minister I help give out Holy Communion at mass and to those who are sick Sacristan I read the Word of God at Mass Teacher I help during Masses doing small but important ‘jobs’ around the altar. Altar Server I help them prepare families for their baby’s first sacrament Baptismal Team I think homework is good and I also teach you about your faith Knowing our Ossory Faith 5 HISTORY OF OSSORYA number of parishes collected We believe that the Christian faith together are called a diocese. was brought to this part of Ireland COLOUR THE by St Kieran of Saighir and he The Diocese, then, has a name. started near Aghaboe in Laois. We call our diocese Ossory St Canice started a monastery after an ancient Kingdom that here in the 6th century. The boundaries of our diocese were was in this part of Ireland. set in 1111 and they take the shape of an ancient Kingdom. Only Ossory and Meath dioceses are now called after these ancient kingdoms that once existed all over Ireland. The diocese of Ossory covers an area of 1972 kilometers. It has a total population of nearly 90,000 and a Catholic Population of over 85,000. Match an average year in our Diocese Priests in our parishes 254 The number of churches 89 The number of schools 155 The number of baptisms 49 The number of marriages 82 The number of weekend Masses 1414 number of marriages 254; the number of weekend Masses 155 Masses weekend of number the 254; marriages of number Priests in our parishes 49; the number of churches 89; the number of schools 82; the number of baptisms 1414; the the 1414; baptisms of number the 82; schools of number the 89; churches of number the 49; parishes our in Priests 6 Knowing our Ossory Faith MAP OF DIOCESE OF OSSORY TO COLOUR You might need help - ask for some help! COLOUR THE PARISHES Our Diocese is in Kilkenny, Laois and Offaly. We have parishes in each of those counties. There are 42 parishes in total in our Diocese. Aghaboe Dunamaggan Rathdowney Aghaviller Durrow Rosbercon Ballycallan Ferrybank Seir Kieran Ballyhale Freshford St Canice’s Ballyragget Galmoy St John’s Borris-in-Ossory Glenmore St Mary’s Callan Gowran St Patrick’s Camross Inistioge Slieverue Castlecomer Johnstown Templeorum Castletown Kilmacow Thomastown Clara Lisdowney Tullaherin Clogh Mooncoin Tullaroan Colour Conahy Muckalee Urlingford Danesfort Mullinavat Windgap Knowing our Ossory Faith 7 ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL In a Diocese there is one church which is the Mother Church. It is called a Cathedral because there is a bishops chair in it - In the Latin language the word for chair is cathedra - that is how we got the name cathedral. The cathedral is built at the highest point in Kilkenny City. Our Cathedral had its foundation stone laid on Sunday 18th August 1843 - after the 8pm Mass. Work was finished and the building The Cathedral blessed by Sunday 4th October has a triple title, viz. 1857. Some holy items from St Clement are placed under St Mary’s, Cathedral the main Altar, and of the Assumption and items from the life of St Church of St Kieran Cosmos and St Damien were placed under the high Altar. 8Knowing our Ossory Faith Fun Facts on Bishop Dermot Farrell Our Bishop ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL Each diocese has a bishop to help Born 22 November 1954 in Co lead the people of the diocese. Westmeath. The bishop along with the people and priests plan for the future of the Studied in Meath, Maynooth and diocese. He cares for the people in Rome. his diocese and makes sure they are looked after in their parishes. Our Bishop is a scientist! He will probably celebrate your If I was a Confirmation with you in a few Bishop I would…. years. He makes sure that people in all parishes are cared for. Became Bishop of Ossory in March 2018. His original diocese is also called after an ancient kingdom - can you name it? Knowing our Ossory Faith 9 ColourIn every parish there is a church,my or sometimes church a number of churches. We come to pray and to celebrate other occasions in the church. Some people celebrate all their sacraments in the one church - they might live in the one parish all their life. Colour 10Knowing our Ossory Faith Knowing our Ossory Faith 11 Jesus asked us to do one thing in his memory - we do that every time we celebrate Mass. It is a time for us to say thanks to God and to pray with each other. Find the parts of the Mass... TEACH A PRAYER 12Knowing our Ossory Faith TEACHPrayer is just A a fancy PRAYER word for our talking to God. We speak to him like we would a friend. Here are some prayers you can use each day…. MORNING PRAYER BEFORE MEALS Now, before I run to play, Bless us, O God, as we sit together, Let me not forget to pray Bless the food we eat today, To God who kept me through the night Bless the hands that made the food, And waked me with the morning light. Bless us, O God. Help me, Lord, to love you more Amen. Than I have ever loved before, In my work and in my play PRAYER AFTER MEALS Be with me throughout the day. Thank you, God, for the food we have eaten. NIGHT PRAYER Thank you, God, for all our friends. Now I lay me down to sleep, Thank you, God, for everything. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. Thank you, God. May God guard me through the night, Amen. And wake me with the morning light. Amen. Knowing our Ossory Faith 13 We pray to God for loads of reasons. Sometimes we are happy and tell him why, sometimes we are asking for a favour, sometimes we are just telling him how our day has been. Sometimes we pray for other people asking God for something for them. when I turn to God... Happy To ask God to be with me Playing a Match To ask that the day goes well When someone is sick To say sorry If I make a mistake To say thanks Morning To ask that they get better Frightened To ask that I might play well 14Knowing our Ossory Faith Church Seasons Just like a year has different seasons - summer, autumn, winter and spring. The Church year has different seasons too: These different seasons help us to think of different parts of the story of Jesus. Each one points to some particular area of his life. Knowing our Ossory Faith15.