• Pray for Life Novena:

The Council for Life are, for the fourth year, inviting people to a join a “Pray for Life” Novena from 23 – 31 May.  Below is a short notice for parish newsletters with image attached. 

Pray for Life Novena

The Pray for Life Novena is an invitation to join thousands of people across Ireland to pray for the protection of human life, from Friday 23^rd May to the Feast of the Visitation on Saturday 31^st May. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life in Ireland. Visit www.prayforlife.ie for the daily novena prayers and to sign up for daily reminders. The prayers will also be posted on facebook.com/PrayforLifeNovena @PrayforLife_ie on X and @prayforlifenovena on Instagram. This is an initiative of the Council for Life of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference. 

FW: Catechism/Youcat Pilgrimage to Knock Saturday 31st May 2025

Suggested wording for parish newsletters -

Knowing and Living our Catholic Faith

Catechism/YouCat pilgrimage to Our Lady's Shrine, Knock on Sat 31 May, 2025. Guest speaker: Rev. Fr. John Harris O.P. Prior Provincial, Irish Dominican Province. See Church Notice Board for details of Pilgrimage. Further enquiries: Máirín 087 7950325. Radio Maria Ireland - Fundraising Appeal - For inclusion in parish newsletters

Radio Maria Ireland receives no commercial advertising, no state funding, we rely totally on Divine Providence and the generosity of listeners. We are facing an extraordinary financial shortfall of €69,000. Without your help, we may not be able to pay our wonderful staff, who bring you daily Mass, Rosary, Adoration and Catholic teaching. We are launching our Miracle Appeal Day and we are praying for 69 people who could give €1,000 or 690 people who could give €100. Would you help sustain the mission of Radio Maria Ireland with a gift? Visit our website www.radiomaria.ie to see how you can donate.  

Pope Francis Remembrance

Following the announcement by the Holy See that Pope Francis has ‘returned to the
House of the Lord’, Bishop Fintan Gavin invites the people of the Diocese of Cork and
Ross to unite in prayer to God at this time. “I invite the parishioners, priests, deacons
and religious of our diocese to join as one with the faithful across the globe as we
commend Pope Francis to the Lord.

We give thanks to Almighty God for the gift of Pope Francis as shepherd of the people
of God and we thank God for his selfless service and dedication to the end of his
earthly life. We remember Pope Francis as one who challenged us to reach out to those
on the margins and to bring God’s mercy to all those we encounter. We pray together
that Pope Francis’ call to all of us to make this Jubilee Year a Year of Hope may be
fulfilled.

In what was to be his last pastoral message to the faithful on Easter Sunday, Pope
Francis said: ‘All those who put their hope in God place their feeble hands in his strong
and mighty hand; they let themselves be raised up and set out on a journey. Together
with the risen Jesus, they become pilgrims of hope, witnesses of the victory of love
and of the disarmed power of Life.’

We pray together now that Pope Francis prayer will be answered and that his soul
may be in eternal peace with God.“
An online Book of Condolences has been opened by the Irish Bishops' Conference and
people are invited to submit their messages of sympathy. Here

40^th All Ireland Rosary Rally

Join 0ver 10,000 people in Knock on Saturday June 7^th for the 40^th All Ireland Rosary Rally.

There is a full day programme with great speakers. Mass with anointing of the sick and much more.

See www.allirelandrosaryrally.com for more details.

Bus from Togher church. To book contact John Joe Murphy on 087 1302763.

Jubilee Pilgrimage of 7 Altars of Repose | Cork City | Holy Thursday Evening

There will be a special walking Jubilee Year Pilgrimage of seven Cork City Churches on Holy Thursday Evening led by Bishop Fintan. 

This will begin after the 7.30pm Mass in The Cathedral with a brief period of adoration at the altar of repose. The pilgrim walk will then proceed to St Mary's, Holy Trinity, the South Parish, St Augustine's, St Francis', and finish with Night Prayer at Ss Peter and Paul's at 10pm. 

People are also welcome to make their own pilgrimage starting at any of the churches on the pilgrim route. 

This is a special way to mark the Jubilee year and as part of this there will be a plenary indulgence granted to those who participate in the Night Prayer in Ss Peter and Paul's at 10pm, whilst meeting the usual necessary conditions (see corkandross.org for more details).

CHRISM MASS

Bishop Fintan invites parishioners to join in the celebration of the Mass of Chrism on Holy Thursday (April 17^th) at 10am at the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne, Cork.

At this Mass with priests and parishioners from the diocese, the Oils of Baptism and the Sick will be blessed, and Bishop Fintan will consecrate the Oil of Chrism, which will be used in parishes during the year. Bishop Fintan and our priests will also renew their priestly promises.

People from throughout the diocese are invited to join us in the Cathedral. 

It would be wonderful to see people from every parish there, especially those involved in ministry.