"As we face the future, we must remember that the Lord who called us, whom we surrendered to on the day of our ordination, the Lord who placed His hands upon our head, that same Lord is calling us now!" – Bishop Dempsey.
Our parishes have taken to cyberspace like never before! We’ve been flooding the digital highways with Eucharistic celebration and other prayer moments – so much so that we’ve crashed our live-feeds – Archbishop Eamon Martin.
In his Chrism Mass homily at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, Bishop Denis Nulty said the Covid-19 crisis had in a matter of a couple of weeks turned upside-down the economy, personal lives and our understanding of ‘normal’.
“This action, which is not taken lightly, is ... the only way of guaranteeing that vulnerable people, who might be so inclined to call into the church to pray or light a candle, are more encouraged to stay at home and keep within the regulations” – Bishop Nulty.
Diarmuid Martin expresses distress and indignation at interim report on Mother and Baby Homes. “I find it hard to believe that evidence has simply vanished and that no one can remember.”
Bishop Kevin Doran extends special invitation to families of "other religious traditions and of none". At Chrism Mass he stresses encouragement, healing and responsibility of diocesan family.
“As a diocese, as a faith family, we have so much this Chrism Night to give thanks for; our priests and the witness they give, sometimes at a cost to their own health and mental well-being” - Bishop Denis Nulty.
One of the biggest challenges facing the Irish Church at the moment is the shortage of candidates coming forward to priesthood and religious life – Bishop of Ferns.
At the annual Chrism Mass, Dr Nulty said he was “acutely aware of the ... strains that exist ... where the age profile of the priesthood continues to rise, and where sometimes even to organise relief cover is next to impossible”.
"We live in a world which is often harsh and violent. We have witnessed horrific, hate-filled violence and retaliation on our streets again," Archbishop of Dublin.
Bishop reminds his priests "we were never promised a rose garden" and "rejection is often the fruit of fidelity".
The instinct would, understandably, be to pull back and close in on ourselves but that would give in to those behind such attacks, who want separation, mistrust and fear.
Good Friday collection supports the Holy Land shrines connected with the life of Jesus as well as for providing pastoral care to the region's Catholics.
The Church needs to be rebuilt, not just repainted or tinkered suggests Bishop of Derry.
Expressing his gratitude to priests, Archbishop says, “At times, it is not easy for them."
Vatican announces location for Holy Thursday ceremony.
