A burglar at one of Ireland’s most famous churches has quickly ended up in the arms of the Gardaí as a result of being caught in full view on the internet television cameras installed some years ago.

According to Fr Bernard, the Gardaí were quick to detain their suspect once they had viewed the image from the internet television cameras and the detained man brought them to a hiding place where the missing chalice and its paten were located.  Unfortunately, both had suffered damage.  Some diamonds that decorated the chalice had been prised off and the paten too had a piece missing from it, apparently in an attempt to get a value for the gold from a dealer.

Asked by CiNews to comment on the role that the internet TV cameras had in apprehending the suspect so quickly, Tony Bolger, CEO at churchservices.tv, said, “We’re very pleased that our technology proved to be so instrumental in this outcome.  Mount Argus is one of the earliest churches in Ireland to use the churchservices.tv system and while the primary purpose is to bring the church into the living room of the visitor, it is clear that with these systems, there is a pair of eyes in the church all the time and this has to be a good thing in these days.”

To read more of this story go to CiNews

According to Tony Bolger, CEO of Church Services TV, While acknowledging the unfortunate act of vandalism and theft of important historical pieces associated with St Charles of Mount Argus, it was indeed fortunate that the Passionist’s had chosen good quality cameras. It was one of these cameras, which doubles as a CCTV system camera which picked up a very clear image of the suspect and which ultimately was of crucial assistance to the Gardai in recovering some of the items and detaining a male for questioning.

The journey of John’s Lane first started back in 1180 when Aelerd the Palmer, who was a Norman living in Dublin at the time, set up a monastery and a hospital after seeing the sick when he was traveling home from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

In 1862, work began on building the Church, this was lead by Fr. Martin Crane, a priest from Co. Wexford.  The architect was a man called Edward Welby Pugin and he was assisted by his partner George C. Ashling.  The plans for the church followed the style of a French gothic church, Pugin’s father was known as one of the main revivers of this style of architecture in the UK and Ireland. The Church was opened to the public in 1874 and the second phase began in 1892 under the architect William Hague. It took till 1895 to complete and they officially opened it on the 15^th of December 1895.

Nowadays, John’s Lane (Augustinians Dublin) still has the highest steeple in the city and it is visible all over Dublin. It still stands out as one of the most interesting and amazing forms of architecture in the whole of the city.

Mass times for Holy Week, live from John’s Lane, can be found on the website.

We hope you all enjoy your Easter.

Kind Regards,

Rachel,

Church Services TV.

Sr. Gabrielle O.Ss.R., the Prioress of the Monastery of St Alphonsus asked Honor McCabe to write this book. Sr Gabrielle wrote the Epilogue to the Book.

The book is called “A Hidden Mystic” written by a Dominican Sister, Honor McCabe OP.In the book she focuses on the mystical spirituality as found in the Venerable Maria Celeste’s life. It is published by Dominican Publications. From the back cover it says:”This book is a brief account of the life and spirituality of the foundress of the Redemptoristine Order – the Venerable Maria Celeste Crostarosa, an eighteenth century Italian mystic -who is still little known outside the Order she inspired.
The author, Honor McCabe OP, was impressed by the fact that much of Maria Celeste’s mystical doctrine resembled the teaching on prayer of saints already Doctors of the Church, Teresa of Avila and Catherine of Siena.”
If you would like to buy this book please contact Sr Gabrielle at : gabrielle.fox@redemptorists.ie

You may also take part in the spirituality and prayer of the Redemptoristine Nuns Live over the internet at 16:50 this afternoon on their Church Services TV page http://www.churchservices.tv/live/Redemptoristine.

Further information is available on their website www.rednuns.com.

Irelands’ first ever Christian Radio station will arrive – January 27^th 2011.

Spirit Radio plans to air a mix of familiar music hits containing positive lyrics as well as a broad selection of contemporary Christian music.  Spirit Radio is to be enjoyed. It won’t preach to the choir by getting stuck into heavy doctrine. It aspires to exemplify the joy of Christianity through its appealing contemporary music, positive lyrics and chat.

6 years ago, ‘Spirit FM’ operated a temporary 3-month license as a forerunner to the Spirit Radio we know today. One particular story relates to a young chartered accountant working for KPMG, Niall Leahy. Like many Irish, Niall hadn’t considered his Catholic roots seriously. Dipping into depression and exploring Buddhism, Niall one day stumbled across Spirit FM. He was immediately intrigued by what he considered quality music and inspiring speech content. Later he heard an advertisement for a Youth2000 retreat and decided that he at least needed to see what Catholicism had to offer before looking elsewhere. Niall attended the retreat and started a journey back to God and the Catholic Church. Today Niall is into his second year training for the priesthood and continues to be an enthusiastic supporter of Spirit Radio.

The station is located close to RTE on the 88-92kHz FM band in Dublin (89.9), Cork (90.9), Galway (91.7), Limerick (89.8) and Waterford (90.1).

Church Resources is a sister organisation of Church Services TV.  It operates the websites www.churchresources.ie and www.churchresources.co.uk.

These websites are designed for the sole purpose of saving their members money.

They partner with companies that they believe bring you the quality products or services for the best value price.

Membership is Free to all Christians (both individual and church organizations) that are part of the Anglican, Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian churches in Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

Profits made by Church Resources are used to partially fund Church Services TV.

So we would encourage you register with them as an individual and or a church body today at www.churchresources.ie  or www.churchresources.co.uk .

Click on the Image or Link Below to read your Newsletter for January 2011.

http://www.churchresources.ie/newsletter/20_01_2011/newsletter.pdf

They have many new products coming on line in the next few months so keep watching this space.

Maria

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are heading in the same as we are.

When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. These geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly or until he is dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation until they catch up with their group.

So mentioned Cardinal Sean Brady speaking in All Hallows College Dublin while launching an interesting and essential new book ‘Parish Pastoral Councils’ written by Debra Snoddy, Andrew McNally and Jim Campbell,
Done in a creative and responsible fashion, the creation and operation of a parish pastoral council can be that catalytic agent that brings new life and hope to the parish and its people. We should expect nothing less of our colleagues and ourselves in the task of being the local parish – the future of the Church.

Available from Veritas bookshops and www.veritas.ie

Tony

St Vincent Pallotti was born in Rome in 1795. Even from a very early age people called him a ‘Little Saint’. He became a Doctor of Theology and confessor to the Pope and spiritual director of the Roman Seminary, The Irish College and the College for the Spread of the Faith. His two great loves were The Missions and the Apostolate of the Laity.

In 1835 he founded the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, a group which included lay people as well as clergy, and insisted that every baptized person is called to be an Apostle. Almost a century later Pope Pius XI commented that the Society had come close to the ideal and reality of modern Catholic Action.

St Vincent died in 1850 aged just 55 years. A century later he was declared Blessed by Pope Pius XII and on January 22nd 1963 he was declared Saint by Pope John 23rd, with January 22nd being designated his feast day.

A novena in Honour of St Vincent Pallotti, founder of the Irish Pallottine Fathers, will take place In St Anne’s Parish Shankill Co Dublin beginning on Friday 14th January 2011.

The novena prayers will be included in the daily masses at 10am and 7.30pm. The Novena may be followed daily online at www.churchservices.tv . More information is available on www.stannesparishshankill.com and www.irishpallottines.org

‘Share the Good News’ – the first ever National Directory for Catechesis in Ireland was launched today in Dublin by Bishop William Murphy. It is historical as it’s the first ever directory, researched and written over the past five years, and presented within an Irish context. It offers a genuine opportunity for adult education of Catholics about their faith. It is written in understandable language, beautifully illustrated and presented. The contents will appeal to Catholic people wherever they find themselves on their faith journey. Guidance, understanding, thought provoking and call to appropriate action are some of the results of delving into this book. It is for all Catholics. Parish and family life are once again acknowledged and promoted as the basic units of Christian and Catholic community.   Catholic religious education is an important topic today in a changing Ireland.  This debate will continue. The future of the faith is the responsibility of all Catholics. ‘Share the Good News’ is required reading for all who wish to be Catholic in Ireland. It is available from Veritas bookshops or on www.veritas.ie.

The addresses given by Cardinal Seán Brady and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin at today’s launch can be viewed on www.catholicbishops.ie –News section.

Tony

Le gach dea-ghuí i gcomhair na Nollag
agus na h-athbhliana