Below is an excerpt of a report from the Catholic News Agency about a donation given by Pope Benedict XVI to the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham to help support its clergy and work.

“England’s Catholic jurisdiction for former Anglicans has received a $250,000 donation from Pope Benedict XVI, prompting an expression of thanks from its top cleric.

“I am very grateful to the Holy Father for his generosity and support,” said Monsignor Keith Newton, head of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, in a May 1 statement.

The monsignor, himself a former Anglican bishop turned Catholic priest, said the Pope’s gift was “a great help and encouragement as we continue to grow and develop our distinctive ecclesial life, whilst seeking to contribute to the wider work of evangelization in England and Wales.”

Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the Vatican’s apostolic nuncio to Great Britain, helped the ordinariate obtain the Pope’s financial support. He said Pope Benedict’s gift was “a clear sign of his personal commitment to the work of Christian unity and the special place the ordinariate holds in his heart.”

From CNA

Read more here

Below is an excerpt of an article on CiNews about the launch of a ‘Pilgrim Walk’ ahead of IEC2012, which encourages people to visit seven designated churches in the city centre and spend time in reflection and prayer in them

“Pilgrims participating in June’s International Eucharistic Congress have been invited by leaders of the Catholic and Anglican Churches to take part in a specially devised Dublin ‘camino’.

Details of the Pilgrim Walk were announced at an ecumenical prayer service in St Ann’s Anglican church in Dublin’s Dawson Street last week.  The Pilgrim Walk will be held from June 2 – 16, and during this time pilgrims who wish to undertake the camino will be invited to visit seven designated churches in the city centre and spend time in reflection and prayer in them.

All pilgrims will be issued with a Pilgrim Passport, which will be stamped by each of the seven churches they visit.  The walk concludes at St Mary’s Pro Cathedral, and those who visit all seven churches will receive a certificate of completion of their pilgrimage.

According to the organisers, a Pilgrim Walk is a sacred journey during which pilgrims seek to strengthen and renew their faith.  The aim of the camino is to draw pilgrims closer to God.

Speaking at the launch in St Ann’s, Bishop Ray Field said, “The essential nature of pilgrim walks remains a powerful experience for the spiritual life of Christians.”  He invited and encouraged as many as could to, “walk with us in the days leading up to and during the Congress.”

The seven churches that will form the basis of the pilgrim walk are:

• St Ann’s Dawson Street
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Whitefriar Street
• John’s Lane, Thomas Street
• St James’s, James Street
• St Mary of the Angels, Church Street
• St Michan’s, Halston Street
• St Mary’s Pro Cathedral, Marlborough Street

by Sarah Mac Donald

Read more here

Below is an excerpt of an interview Rev. Michael Jackson, the Anglican Archbishop of Dublin recently gave to Vatican Radio in which he talks about his involvement in the upcoming IEC2012 where he has been invited to preside at a special Ecumenical Liturgy on the first day.

“If you thought that the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, Ireland, this June was just for Catholics, you would be wrong. “There is a genuine sense of excitement and expectation right across the Christian traditions in Ireland”, says Rev. Michael Jackson, the Anglican Archbishop of Dublin.

It may be the 50^th global gathering of the Catholic Church on the Eucharist, but from the outset the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Diarmuid Martin, decided this Congress should also become an opportunity to further the ecumenical journey in Ireland, which for historical reasons has often been an uphill climb. On the opening day of the Congress, Monday June 11^th, pilgrims will explore the theme, Communion in One Baptism with key-note addresses from Br. Alois Löser (Prior of the Taizé Community, France), Dr Maria Voce (President of Focolare) and Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev (Metropolitan Archbishop of Volokolamsk -Russian Orthodox).

Archbishop Jackson has been invited to preside at the main liturgy of the first day, a special Ecumenical Liturgy. “The whole world knows of the current economic and social difficulties that we have in Ireland”, he notes. “This I think is a tremendous invitation to all of us who carry the Cross of Christ to make a contribution together to try to formulate and shape a fresh direction for our society”.

From news.va

Read more here

Below is an excerpt of an article in independent.ie about the number of primary schools who appealed planned staff reductions and have won a reprieve against this decision.

“Over 200 primary schools which were scheduled to lose a teacher this year, have won their appeals against the decision.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said fears that many smaller schools would be badly hit have been allayed.

A total of 367 schools appealed the planned staff reduction to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board and 200 appeals were upheld.

Seventy-two small schools submitted applications to the appeals board and 34 of those were upheld so in fact there hasn’t been the massive decimation of rural Ireland, as had been claimed by some spokespersons,” Mr Quinn said.

The cutbacks, where schools needed 14 rather than 12 pupils to secure a second teacher, provoked major protests….”

From independent.ie

Read more here

St. Augustine’s in Cork will celebrate its first ordination in 25 years later today, on the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel. The ceremony begins at 4.00pm and will be celebrated by the Bishop of Lancaster Michael Campbell OSA (Augustinian).

The man being ordained is Br. Colm O’Mahony OSA.  A native of Cork city Br. O’Mahony joined the priesthood having graduated with a degree in Social Science from UCC and having worked for a period of time for the Brothers of Charity in Cork.  Upon joining the priesthood, he spent time with the Augustinian community in Galway, as hospital chaplain In Cork University Hospital and in Good Counsel College New Ross as an Assistant Chaplin, prior to his ordination as a deacon last year.  Following his ordination later today, he will celebrate his first mass at St. Augustine’s in Cork at 4.00pm.

Today’s ordination ceremony and the newly ordained Fr. O’Mahonys first mass tomorrow, can be viewed live via Church Services TV 

Below is an excerpt from a report from the Vatican Today about the contribution one enclosed order of nuns in Ireland, is making towards the IEC2012.

“Over the past few months, in the silence of an ancient Abbey nestled amid the woodlands and waterways of Ireland’s Blackwater Valley, a community of 35 nuns have been praying and working towards Congress. They are Ireland’s only community of enclosed Cistercian women religious from St Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn and they have been given the task of producing the 250 thousand Eucharistic breads for consecration at the Masses that will be the focal point the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, taking place in Dublin, Ireland June 10-17 next.

In their own way and according to their specific charism, they are answering the call to Congress, to “Communion with Christ and with one another”. Listen: “We feel very, very privileged to work towards the Eucharistic Congress”, says Sr. Fiachra Nutty, a former horticulturalist and late vocation to the Order, who hopes to make her solemn profession later this year. “

Our whole existence here revolves around the Eucharistic celebration, and being an enclosed order we don’t leave the premises, we are very focused on God and His presence here with us”. It’s no surprise as then that this Community was chosen by IEC2012 organisers to produce the hosts for the June Congress.

The breads themselves, Sr. Fiachra, reveals will only have two ingredients: a special altar-bread flour and Glencairn’s own pure spring water. “We are making them in a variety of sizes”, says Sr. Fiachra, “we have discovered that Cathedrals require a very large host, and then all the sizes down to what we call the people’s host”. She continues: “Our whole focus here as Cistercians is to make life as simple as possible and focused on God” she continues, “so we tend to steer away from making them ornate in any way.”

From news.va

Read more here

Below is an excerpt of an article in Independent.ie about the ongoing investigation into the recent theft of the preserved heart of St Laurence O’Toole from Christ Church Cathedral.

“An Irish gang, who Gardai believe to be members of the Travelling community and which has been linked to the international trade of rhino horns for the Chinese market, is suspected of the theft of the preserved heart of St Laurence O’Toole.

The 890-year-old relic was stolen last month from Dublin’s Christ Church Cathedral by two men, who prised open the cage that had protected the relic and had been in place since the Middle Ages.

It follows the theft of a silver press, containing a relic said to be of St Brigid, from the church of the same name in Killester, Dublin, on January 30 and the stealing last October of a piece of the “true Cross” from Holycross Abbey in Thurles. The latter was returned in January.

Gardai investigating possible links between the reliquary thefts in Ireland are understood to have established a connection with a gang suspected of involvement in the highly lucrative theft of rhinoceros horn, which is sold in powdered form as a traditional medicine in China.

There are now growing concerns about the vast amount of religious relics on public display throughout Europe in the light of the theft of St Laurence O’Toole’s heart in Dublin. Gardai are trying to establish if the gang have found yet another niche market for stolen relics. They are in contact with other European police forces.”

By Jim Cusack

Read more here

Below is a short excerpt of an article on CiNews about a special event being held today to honour people who took part in the 1932 Eucharistic Congress in Dublin eighty years ago.

“A special event on Monday will honour Irish people who participated in the 1932 Eucharistic Congress eighty years ago in Dublin.

More than 100 invited guests from across Ireland will attend the Gathering and Remembering 1932 event at the Brennan Green Isle Hotel in the capital to share their first-hand memories and show any memorabilia they have.  The commemorative gathering will commence with a short screening of a Radharc film that illustrates the significance of the 1932 Congress for Ireland and the hundreds of thousands of people who attended.

A traditional music session will be followed by the celebration of Mass and lunch and there will be an exhibition of 1932 memorabilia.

The 1932 Congress was celebrated throughout Ireland, but the main events took place in Dublin.  Thousands of people travelled to the Congress to welcome the Papal Legate, Cardinal Lorenzo Lauri, while streets and houses in Dublin were decorated with bunting and floral arrangements.  Many surviving participants have vivid memories of Ireland’s international tenor and papal knight, Count John McCormack, singing Panis Angelicus at the closing Mass in the Phoenix Park.

As part of June’s IEC2012 programme, participants will be invited throughout the week to listen to short talks from speakers on a range of topics relating to the Christian faith.  Organisers of IEC2012 have confirmed that popular Alpha pioneer, Rev Nicky Gumbel, is to headline as one of the main speakers at June’s gathering.”

By Sarah MacDonald

Read more here

Below is an excerpt of an article in the Irish Catholic about Vatican plans to reduce the number if Irish Dioceses.

“There is “deep unease” among some members of the hierarchy over Vatican plans to slash the number of Irish dioceses, The Irish Catholic understands.

Despite this, however, the Vatican is intent on pushing ahead with the reform a well-placed source has confirmed.

In comments to the Irish Catholic, theologian Fr Vincent Twomey has also predicted that “they [Irish bishops] will resist it tooth and nail”.

The proposal – which could see the current 26 dioceses cut to just 11 – has been a key part of the Vatican’s plan for reform of the Church in Ireland.

The dioceses have been substantially unaltered for almost 1,000 years and the Vatican believes that fewer dioceses – and consequently fewer bishops – would make the Church here easier to run and more ‘fit for mission’ in a dramatically changed Ireland.

However, a well-placed source confirmed to The Irish Catholic that many Irish bishops are “massively resistant” to the move and this is why the Holy See has agreed to a “joint reflection” on the issue.”

By Michael Kelly

Read more here

Below is an excerpt of an article in the Catholic Herald about the recent developments in the relationship between the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) and the Vatican.

“The superior of the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) has signed a doctrinal preamble set out by the Vatican as a basis for further reconciliation talks, a top Vatican commentator said yesterday.

Andrea Tornielli, journalist for the Italian newspaper La Stampa, said Bishop Bernard Fellay had signed the document “with some slight modifications”.

The news could pave the way for the traditionalist group to be made a personal prelature, a non-geographical body like Opus Dei whose leader is appointed by the Pope.

The Vatican has confirmed that it had received the response. Fr Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said it was “encouraging” and marks a “step forward”, according to the Catholic News Service. He said it would be examined “quickly” and passed on to the Pope “within a few weeks”.

French spokesman Fr Alain Lorans told the Swiss news agency APIC/KIPA that “we are still in a stage of studies” and that “not everything is already fixed”.

By Mark Greaves

Read more here

Photo from CNS