Eucharistic Congress – there’s an App for that

There’s an App apparently for everything. There is no aspect of our lives, no matter how obscure, how bizarre that doesn’t have an associated smart phone feature that can make our lives more hassle free. Today I found out that these handy features now extend to our upcoming Eucharistic Congress. Fair play to Dominican Friar Luuk Dominiek Jansen and the Congress team for all their work.

There is a real sense of anticipation growing about the upcoming Eucharistic Congress. The line up of speakers and workshops is impressive, with a range of themes and topics explored. Pilgrims are traveling to Ireland from all around the world, not just from England and Europe, but from North and South America, Africa and Asia. There are expected to be 20,000 people attending each day, with a total of 80,000 attending for the final Mass in Croke Park. It will be an opportunity to experience the true universality of the Catholic Church and to celebrate it in prayer, song and fellowship.

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On Thursday there’ll be a special focus on vocations to priesthood and religious life and the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart will be there in force for the week. If you around drop in to Stand 71 and say hello. If I can borrow a Nespresso machine in the meantime there may even be a coffee on the go! For more information on the Eucharistic Congress check out their website http://www.iec2012.ie/

Sean Moncrieff Surveys Irish Priests

Newstalk’s Moncrieff Show National Priest Survey 2012

Last week I got a hurried phone call from a friend to switch on Newstalk, because Sean Moncrieff was doing a show on priests in Ireland. My first reaction was not again! Sometimes you can script these programmes, from the questions they raise to the issues they discuss, without ever having to listen to them. When I finally drummed up the energy to listen in, and download the full programme later, I found one of the most thoughtful reflections on the state of the Church in Ireland today. (more…)