Capuchin Post Novice Pilgrimage to Assisi

Recently I had the privilege to attend the Capuchin Pilgrimage for Post Novices to Assisi. Please follow the link below to see some images of our journey following in the footsteps of Sts Francis and Clare from our gallery

http://www.capphotogallery.blogspot.ie/

Would you like to experience life in a Capuchin Friary?

If you feel that coming to see what life is like in one of our Friaries could help you discern God's call, then you are most welcome!I have listed the Friaries in Ireland, their addresses, phone number and contact person

Dublin
St Mary of the Angels, Church St, Dublin 7
Ph: 01 8730599 Contact: Br Terence Harrington

Capuchin Friary, Raheny Road, Raheny, Dublin 5
Ph: 01 8313886  Contact: Br John Wright

St Francis of Assisi Parish, Priorswood, Clonsaugh Road, Coolock
Ph: 01 8474469 Contact: Br Sean Kelly

Cork
Holy Trinity, Father Matthew Quay, Cork City
Ph: 021 4270827 Contact: Br Sean Donohue

Rochestown, Cork
Ph: 021 4896244 Contact: Br Dermot Lynch

Carlow
Capuchin Friary, Dublin Street, Carlow
Ph: 059 9142543  Contact: Br John Manley

Kilkenny
Capuchin Friary, Friary Road, Kilkenny City
Ph: 056 7721439 Contact: Br Donal Sweeney

Donegal
Ard Mhuire, Creeslough, Co Donegal
Ph: 074 9138005 Contact: Br Kieran Shortan

Vocations Director
Br Terence Harrington, Capuchin Friary Church St
Ph: 086 3230638  email: capuchinvocation@gmail.com

Franciscan Sunday at Knock Shrine

Processional Statue of Our Lady of Knock

Yesterday, I travelled to Knock Shrine with a group from Church Street to join the National Franciscan Pilgrimage. Weather held out and allowed the Rosary procession to take place outside. There was a good turn out and the a very nice atmosphere. Our very own Br Michael Duffy was the preacher and spoke, in true Capuchin style, about how, in light of the Congress, we are all called to become agents of renewal in the Church. Carmel Lyons SFO from Raheny read the second reading for the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist. We were lead in beautiful music and singing by the Knock Choir.

Br Michael Duffy OFM Cap delivering his Homily with Br Pius OFM,  celebrant, in the background

Carmel Lyons SFO

Rosary procession with Shrine Volunteers

Banners and Flags representing the different pilgrim groups lead the procession

50th Eucharistic Congress

We have had welcomed huge crowds to our Friary Church on Church St since the Dublin Camino began on June 2nd. Again, the idea of the Camino was to invite pilgrims to the Eucharistic Congress to visit the seven oldest churches in Dublin; St. Annes, Dawson St; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Whitefriar St, St. John and Augustine, John's Lane, St. James, James's St, St. Mary of the Angels, Church St, St. Michan's, Halston St, and St. Mary's Pro Cathedral. We expected a fair turnout over the two weeks but the pilgrims that came were well beyond expectations. There has been an amazing response to the Dublin Seven Church Camino with waves and waves of pilgrims from all over the country and all over the world coming in all weathers. And all with a smile on their face. Good humour, banter and enthusiasm was met with our helpful Pilgrim Ambassadors at the doors of all churches.

Pilgrims came from all over and the visitors book is a testimony to these 'United Nations' of visitors. Kildare; Killester; Dun Laoghaire; Baldoyle; Skerries; Malahide; Meath St; Blanchardstown; Finglas; Iona Road; Cork; Toronto; Vancouver; Pensacola, Florida; Glasgow Scotland; The French speaking pilgrims from Montreal; Korea; San Antonio, Texas; Italians, and Chinese Canadians; And these were some of the groups I met. Other Friars and Ambassadors met so many more. The interesting news is; more who were at the RDS and who couldn't make the pilgrimage still wish to do so, so there may be plans to extend it going forward. Watch this space.

There were major liturgies in the RDS and a final 'Statio Orbis' Mass in GAA H.Q. Croke Park, and there were other more local liturgies. We were involved with the Legion of Mary as they welcomed many Legionaries from all over the world. We welcomed different groups to Church St and Halston St and spoke to them (In French, Gaeilge, and Korean) about the history of the Churces.

We had two big Masses during the week of the Congress. We welcomed the Korean Delegation along with two of their Bishops for a Mass on Wednesday, 13th of June and we had the main IEC Mass for the Legion of Mary on Friday, 15th of June in which Bishop Eamonn Walsh, Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin was the main celebrant along with a full church and 30 concelebrants. The Legion's Concilium Headquarters are in the Capuchin Parish bounds on Morning Star Ave. It's founder, Ven. Frank Duff was a regular visitor to our friary in Church St.

So, we are almost at the end of this historic Internatonal Eucharistic Congress in Dublin 2012. We look forwaed to the final 'Statio Orbis' Mass and the broadcast of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. The whole occasion has been a reminder of the fact that the church is not only a church in Ireland, but a church worldwide and the work and ministry of all who are baptized is primarily about proclaiming the Kingdom of God in our time.

Part 4: As Call & Response

Continuing on from our last reflection on Eucharist as Humility, we recall Francis’ words to the Entire Order ‘Hold back nothing for yourselves, that He who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally!’ (Letter to the Entire Order, 29-30).

Eucharist means communion. To live in communion means not living in isolation. It means entering into the lives of those that surround us and allowing them to enter into ours. Communion is dynamic, it is a process of call and response.

In his Admonitions Francis writes ‘Blessed is the person who supports his neighbour in his weakness as they would want to be supported were they in a similar situation….Blessed is the servant who does not consider themselves any better when they are exalted and praised by people than when they are considered worthless, simple and looked down upon, for what a person is before God, they are and no more’ (Admonitions, XVIII, XIX).

Eucharist for Francis was a call to service, a call to take the living Christ, received hidden under bread and wine, and to bring Him to all we meet. We cannot celebrate Eucharist in isolation and the Mass is just the beginning of Eucharist not the end, ‘Go forth to Love and Serve the Lord!’

Over the course of our day we meet many people, some friends and some strangers to us. Our call is to be Christ to each and every one of these. Our call is to go out of our comfort zone and extend our hand, the hand of Christ, especially to those society has left behind: the homeless, addicts, poor, marginalised or those we have difficulties with. Before his conversion, Francis was horrified by the mere sight of the Lepers around Assisi and tells us they made him feel physically sick. When he met Christ and recognised Him as living in all of Creation ‘all that seemed bitter, now became sweet’. Francis heard the call and responded, extending his hand to the lepers. He lived with them, cared for them, bathed them, dressed their wounds, begged for food for them and defended their rights to be recognised and respected as fellow human beings. This is the Eucharistic call and response in action.

As we continue to walk as pilgrims and strangers in this world, let us be attentive to the unique call God has for each one of us. Let us listen deeply to the echoes in the cave of our hearts and to have the courage to respond in whatever way we can, in order to proclaim to the world that Eucharist binds us together and to Christ…one bread, one body.