Celebrating Altar Servers:

Altar servers are a really important ministry in each of our Parishes. Since Covid some Parishes have struggled to reengage Altar Servers. The Office for Mission and Ministry and the Coordinator for Youth Ministry are looking at ways of supporting Parishes to develop or introduce Altar Servers.

A first step is to gather with all of our Altar Servers and those priests and adult volunteers who look after them to celebrate Altar Serving in a fun atmosphere and to look at how we can together develop this ministry. We are gathering on Saturday, January 25th from 2.30pm to 4.00pm (venue to be confirmed).

Come and Discover Alpha: Would your Parish or Family of Parishes like to find out more about Alpha? We are hosting a ‘Come and Discover Alpha’ day from 10am to 4pm in the Visitor Centre of the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne on Saturday, January 18th from 10am to 4pm. In the morning, you will have the opportunity to experience a full Alpha session, and we will be offering workshops in the afternoon on how to run Alpha. Registration is essential: https://tinyurl.com/mission-ministry

The Greater Chernobyl Christmas Fair - Sun 8 December The Greater Chernobyl Christmas Fair
Sunday 8 December 

 

The Greater Chernobyl Christmas Fair
Sunday 8th of December 
11am  - 5.00pm
Marian Hall Ballinhassig  Co Cork  T12 PN2X

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voting in electionsVoting in Elections

‘To be a people of hope! Bishops’ statement for Election 2024 and questions for candidates

Key takeaways:

  • All eligible to vote should exercise their right to maximise the common good
  • Homelessness is unacceptable.  The inability to acquire a home affects social cohesion and is a scandal
  • Politicians should lead by welcoming all immigrants who come with a willingness to contribute to our society
  • The deliberate taking of human life undermines civilised society
  • Political parties must urgently address pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity
  • The war in Gaza and the Middle East must stop now.  Enough is Enough!
  • Church-State structured dialogue is not functioning and in need of review

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Trócaire Christmas Gifts of Change bring real hope and opportunity to families and communities living with poverty and injustice across our world, and a chance to create lasting and positive change from Somalia to Guatemala, from Sudan to Palestine. 

There are gifts for everyone starting at 5 euro for the Gift of Soap.  You can support the gifts by buying them online at trocaire.org/gifts; by phone 1800 408 408/021-4275622; by post or in person to Trócaire, 9, Cook Street, Cork. T12 F583. 

 

Poem for Paul O Donoghue

"Even the winds and seas obey Him""Even the winds and seas obey Him"

Bishop of Cork and Ross invites people to respond to Church changes with a time of prayer, listening and discernment

On a weekend when heavy rain and winds had blown across his diocese, it seems more than coincidence that a new pastoral message from the Bishop of Cork and Ross should begin with a scripture quote: “Even the wind and the seas obey Him”.

Bishop Fintan Gavin read his message on Sunday to pilgrims attending the annual Mass at St. Finbarr’s Oratory, Gougane Barra.

Bishop Fintan’s message is a call to the people of the diocese to commit to a year-long time of prayer, listening and discernment about the future of the Catholic Church in the parishes and chaplaincies of the diocese.

In a time of unprecedented change in society and the Catholic Church in Ireland, people are understandably concerned about their parish’s future, he said.

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