Pilgrimage at Croagh Patrick Trócaire praises parishioners for weekend support
Trócaire has thanked parishioners for their support of the national Church collection last weekend in aid of the crisis in East Africa.
The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference called for a collection to respond to the 25 million people who face food shortages and starvation in Somalia, South Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia. “Our health centres and feeding programmes are saving lives but we urgently need to scale-up our response. Last weekend’s collection will enable us to reach even more people with life-saving aid,” said Director of Trócaire, Éamonn Meehan.
“The support of the Catholic Church in Ireland will make a significant contribution to saving lives in east Africa over the coming weeks and months.”
Preach to modern world by example
Catholics cannot rely on culture to help evangelise in the modern world, and must witness to the Faith by example, Achonry’s Bishop Brendan Kelly has said.
Dr Kelly was speaking at the ordination of Rev Declan Lohan at Church of the Immaculate Conception, Oranmore, Co Galway on Sunday, July 23.
A former barrister, Fr Lohan began his training in 2007 in France, returning to complete his studies at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. He gives much of the credit for his vocation to the example of many people he has encountered in his life including his family, his teachers, his neighbours and his friends.
Achonry diocesan changes
Bishop Brendan Kelly has announced this year’s diocesan changes for the Diocese of Achonry.
Archdeacon Patrick Kilcoyne, parish priest of Kiltimagh will be retiring, and will be succeeded at Kiltimag h by Carracastle’s Fr Michael Quinn, PP Swinford curate Fr Gerard Davey will succeed Fr Quinn at Carracastle.
As Fr Thomas Mulligan, PP, Attymass, is also retiring, Kilkelly curate Fr John Maloney will become Administrator at Attymass.
The appointments will come into effect on the first weekend of September.
Family focus on Reek Sunday
Archbishop Michael Neary will lead the annual pilgrimage at Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo this weekend, with a special focus on the family as preparations begin for the World Meeting of Families 2018 (WMOF2018).
WMOF2018 are inviting Reek Sunday pilgrims to pray for families and wear a special sticker as a symbol of bringing families with them in prayer as they make their ascent to the summit. The stickers will be distributed by WMOF2018 volunteers at St Patrick’s statue at the start of the ascent to the sacred mountain.
Procedural challenge to prayer ban quashed
Questions have been raised over the legitimacy of the process which led to the prohibition of pre-meeting prayers in Galway City Council.
A “re-jigging of the agenda” in May allowed Mayor Pearse Flannery (FG) to take “advantage of the situation”and move the prayer removal amendment to the Standing Orders up the agenda, resulting in a vote with only 14 out of the 18 members present, according to Fianna Fáil Cllr. Peter Keane.
That vote was evenly split, with the mayor’s casting vote pushing through the change.
Attempts to reverse this decision on procedural grounds have been voted down 15-3, however. “At the end of the day, democracy counts, and we lost,” said Cllr. Keane.