Young Irish Catholics have been urged to text, tweet, blog or email their friends about next year’s International Eucharistic Congress and to relay the good news about Saturday’s National Eucharistic Congress, which was attended by up to 14,000 pilgrims from parishes across Ireland.
In his homily at a concelebrated Mass at Ireland’s national shrine on Saturday, Cardinal Seán Brady urged the hundreds of young people gathered for the annual Knock Youth Festival to use all the modern technological forms of communication available to them to tell their friends of the “gathering of friendship and faith.”
The packed basilica heard Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam read out a special Apostolic Blessing sent by Pope Benedict XVI to the Irish Church’s National Eucharistic Congress.
In his message, which was issued by the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Pope said he is “spiritually united” with the Irish Church in this time of “renewal” as it pursues “the gift of purification from sin by seeking and offering pardon” and as it walks “the path of conversion in truth, justice and charity.”
Cardinal Brady was joined by members of the Irish hierarchy, the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza and 160 priests for the anointing of the sick and the blessing of 26 candles, which were brought back to the country’s Catholic cathedrals on Sunday to act as a symbol of the Irish Church’s preparations for next year’s international congress (IEC2012) in Dublin from June 10 to 17, 2012.
Speaking to reporters, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, who is President of the 2012 Congress, described Saturday’s ceremonies in Knock as, “an important moment in the preparation” for next year’s celebrations, the theme of which is The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and with one another.
He described these preparations as ,”a mirror of the renewal that is going on in the Church” and added that “spiritual renewal is needed to give new dynamism to people’s commitment to their prayer life and the real challenge of passing on the faith from one generation to the next”.
Archbishop Dermot Clifford told the press conference that there is “enthusiasm” for the International Eucharistic Congress that marks not only the 50th such international congress but also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the start of Vatican II.
But he underlined, “we need to build on it between now and this time next year.”
He added, “We look forward to a very very special occasion in Croke Park.”
Addressing pilgrims, some of whom were forced to watch the ceremony on a large screen outside of the basilica due to the numbers, Cardinal Brady said, “This is a time for renewal in the Church in Ireland.”
The Primate of All Ireland added, “It has to involve all of us sitting down and listening with the help of the Holy Spirit to his Word to discover what sort of Church he wants the Church to be at this time, in this place.”
Cardinal Brady underlined that one thing that the Church must learn is, “We should always be and always have been a humble servant Church.” For those returning to the practice of their faith, he expressed the hope that they would discover “a community that in recent years has recognised more clearly its faults and failings.”
“May this National Eucharistic Congress and the International Congress next year help us to bring healing to the social, economic, spiritual and moral wounds that have so deeply afflicted our country and Church in recent times,” Cardinal Brady prayed.
Speaking after the ceremony, Bishop Raymond Field of Dublin described the day’s events to ciNews as “a wonderful coming together – really we are one body, celebrating our togetherness in Christ.” He praised Cardinal Brady’s homily as “most inspiring.”
Of the national Congress’ importance as a preparation for the international congress next year, Bishop Michael Smith of Meath told ciNews that if it “draws people into praying – no matter how many it brings – then it is worthwhile.”
Fr Kevin Doran, Secretary General of IEC2012, described Saturday’s liturgy as “a staging point on a journey.”
He said it is “a journey which we began about two years ago when we invited parishioners in every parish around the country to engage in a pastoral preparation programme which would help them to understand more deeply the different elements of the Eucharist - and to live that, to celebrate it and to bring it out in the work of justice and service into the community in which they live.”
Meanwhile Ann Griffin, General Manager of IEC2012, appealed for volunteers willing to be trained to assist in the organisation of next year’s congress, which will see 12,000 international pilgrims from around the world in Dublin for the week’s programme of workshops and liturgies.
Up to 3,000 volunteers are needed.
According to Peter O’Brien, Chair of IEC2012’s Volunteer Committee, a dedicated recruitment campaign for these volunteers will commence in September.
Amongst those who gave workshops in Knock as part of the national Eucharistic congress celebration were Professor Robert Enright of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the USA, who spoke about forgiveness, as well as Fr Kieran O’Mahoney who spoke on the theme, Recognising the Body: St Paul responds to a divided church.
Saturday’s celebration in Knock was held alongside the annual pilgrimage of St Joseph’s Young Priest Society, which was founded by Irishwoman Olivia Taaffe to support seminarians in Ireland and across the world.
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