Irish shrines hope for Pope Francis boost

Some of Ireland’s most-prominent religious sites are hoping for a ‘Pope Francis effect’ boost during the Jubilee of Mercy which the Pontiff has proclaimed this year.

Representatives were amongst a delegation of pilgrimage leaders from around the world who were in Rome to hear Pope Francis outline his view that pilgrimage is key to the celebration.

Sharon Hearty of St Patrick’s Purgatory, Lough Derg said the Pope “very much put into perspective that pilgrimage is part and parcel of our expression of our faith”.

While many cathedrals have already opened a Holy Door to mark the year, she said the pilgrim island will join in the jubilee when papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown opens Lough Derg’s Holy Door on May 1.

Fr Richard Gibbons, rector of Knock Shrine, gave the first of two catechesis sessions to the jubilee’s English-language group. He focused on the idea of a shrine as a source of mercy. He told The Irish Catholic he was inspired by the centrality of the Sacrament of Reconciliation at Knock. “It was ideal for Knock because of Confessions here and the busyness of the confessional, which I describe as our ‘engine room’”.

Questions after his catechesis focused on practicalities, he continued, with informal sharing of ideas afterwards. “It was a learning experience for us all,” he said.