limerick diocese

From April 2023 to April 2024 the Irish church is marking a year of prayer for vocations to the diocesan priesthood with the theme/tag line "Take the Risk for Christ". As part of that effort to encourage men to consider a vocation to the diocesan priesthood here on C&SI we will be hosting a series of interviews with priests over the next few months who will be sharing their vocation story and what it means to them to be a priest in Ireland today.

On this weeks podcast we have a chat with Fr Derek Leonard to share his vocation journey which has brought him to Peru and back again to the banks of the Shannon.

From April 2023 to April 2024 the Irish church is marking a year of prayer for vocations to the diocesan priesthood with the theme/tag line "Take the Risk for Christ". As part of that effort to encourage men to consider a vocation to the diocesan priesthood here on C&SI we will be hosting a series of interviews with priests over the next few months who will be sharing their vocation story and what it means to them to be a priest in Ireland today.

On this weeks podcast we have a chat with Fr Derek Leonard to share his vocation journey which has brought him to Peru and back again to the banks of the Shannon. You can listen to that conversation in part 2 of this weeks full podcast.

Our regular weekly items of course are on this week as well - liturgical odds and ends including our saints for the week and of course a shared reflection on this weeks Sunday gospel (Matthew 21:33-43) which is the parable of the wineyard.

For many people September is like New Years 2.0 with the return to routines with back to school, back to work etc after the breaks over the summer. As part of that people like to plan ahead for time out and also how to prepare for the dark of the winter especially in the northern hemisphere. On this weeks podcast we have two possible suggestions for listeners. 

We are delighted to welcome back to the podcast Noirin Lynch who is the director of the FCJ House of Spirituality in Spanish Point. Noirin reflects for us first off on the Season of Creation which is on-going at the moment until 4th Oct. And then she shares with us the residential course upcoming between now and the end of March each month.

There are a lot of upcoming events, residential, non-residential, some online and also for those living in west Clare things where you could pop in to say hello. The best way to check it out is to look at the website HERE and the events page HERE.

We have our regular run through the liturgical odds and ends including saints of the week. Also  in part one Fr Chris O'Donnell shares with us what is happening with Alpha in the Limerick Diocese over the next while.

We also have our regular sharing on the Sunday gospel (Matthew 18:21-35) which Noirin joins us for as well this week. 

On this weeks programme we are joined by Aine Kirby, Gary Reeves and James Connery who were part of the group from the diocese of Limerick who went to WYD 2023 which was held in Lisbon, Portugal from 1-6 August 2023. Aine and Gary share with us their experience of what is sometimes called the Catholic Woodstock which is held every 2-3 years to gather the catholic youth of the world and the hope that it gives them.

You can find out more about WYD 2023 itself on the official website HERE including the addresses from Pope Francis, videos and photos of the week long celebration. 

On this weeks programme we are joined by Aine Kirby, Gary Reeves and James Connery who were part of the group from the diocese of Limerick who went to WYD 2023 which was held in Lisbon, Portugal from 1-6 August 2023. Aine and Gary share with us their experience of what is sometimes called the Catholic Woodstock which is held every 2-3 years to gather the catholic youth of the world and the hope that it gives them.

You can find out more about WYD 2023 itself on the official website HERE including the addresses from Pope Francis, videos and photos of the week long celebration. 

We have our regular run through the liturgical odds and ends including up coming saints of the week and of course our reflection on the Sunday gospel (Matthew 18:15-20)

Today we also include an audio reflection from our good friend Martina Lehane Sheehan on the wonderful resources she offers at Ruah Rest - including various courses online, days of reflection & meditation, books & cds. More info at  info@ruahrest.com

From April 2023 to April 2024 the Irish church is marking a year of prayer for vocations to the diocesan priesthood with the theme/tag line "Take the Risk for Christ". As part of that effort to encourage men to consider a vocation to the diocesan priesthood here on C&SI we will be hosting a series of interviews with priests over the next few months who will be sharing their vocation story and what it means to them to be a priest in Ireland today.

To get the ball rolling however, John decided to go right to the top - so to speak - and asked Bishop Brendan Leahy to come on the podcast and to share his vocation journey which has brought him all the way to being bishop of our little diocese on the banks of the Shannon

From April 2023 to April 2024 the Irish church is marking a year of prayer for vocations to the diocesan priesthood with the theme/tag line "Take the Risk for Christ". As part of that effort to encourage men to consider a vocation to the diocesan priesthood here on C&SI we will be hosting a series of interviews with priests over the next few months who will be sharing their vocation story and what it means to them to be a priest in Ireland today.

To get the ball rolling however, John decided to go right to the top - so to speak - and asked Bishop Brendan Leahy to come on the podcast and to share his vocation journey which has brought him all the way to being bishop of our little diocese on the banks of the Shannon. You can listen to that conversation in part 2 of this weeks full podcast.

Our regular weekly items of course are on this week as well - liturgical odds and ends including our saints for the week and of course a shared reflection on this weeks Sunday gospel (Matthew 16:21-27) where once more we have the call to radical discipleship from Jesus to daily take up our cross to follow him.

On this weeks podcast we are joined by Jane Mellet (Trocaire) and Rose O'Connor (Limerick diocese) to talk about the Season Creation 2023. This year’s theme is “Let Justice and Peace Flow” taking inspiration from the Prophet Amos who declares: “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24).

Season of Creation 2023 #SoC
The Season of Creation has a special significance for the Catholic Church, particularly since Pope Francis established 1 September as an annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. The Season of Creation is marked throughout the Christian world from 1 September to 4 October (Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi) and celebrates the joy of creation as well as encouraging awareness-raising initiatives to protect the natural environment.

This year’s theme is “Let Justice and Peace Flow” taking inspiration from the Prophet Amos who declares: “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24). And so we are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the loss of biodiversity. As the people of God, we must work together on behalf of all Creation, as part of that mighty river of peace and justice.

Resources mentioned on the podcast are listed below. A lot of the resources link to each other.

• Laudato Si page on the Irish Conference of Bishops
• Season of Creation resources from Irish Conference of Bishops
• Trocaire website for Season of Creation 2023
• Season of Creation international website 

For our more local listeners in Limerick:

• River Walk (ecumenical event on ‘Let Justice and Peace Flow’) Sunday 10th September 3pm to 4:30pm.  Beginning at King John’s Castle, over Thomond Bridge to Treaty Stone & St Munchin’s Church, down Clancy Strand, on to Sarsfield Bridge, on to Arthur’s Quay, finishing at St Mary’s Cathedral. (No charge)
• ‘God in a Leaf’ bookclub. Three-week programme with input each night from author Brian Grogan SJ. Information here (scroll down the page).
• Blessing of Pets – feast of St Francis of Assisi. Blessing of pets in the garden by St Lelia’s Church, 11am Wednesday 4th October.
• For parishes, resources for prayers of the faithful, a template for tree planting, a creation walk, and a green policy have been circulated to the usual parish contact points as well. 

On this weeks podcast we are joined by Jane Mellet (Trocaire) and Rose O'Connor (Limerick diocese) to talk about the Season Creation 2023. This year’s theme is “Let Justice and Peace Flow” taking inspiration from the Prophet Amos who declares: “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24).

We have our usual run through the liturgical odds and ends including saints of the week and of course our reflection on the Sunday gospel (Matthew 16:13-20) where the question posed by Jesus to the apostles is very much the question to be posed to each and every Christian today - "Who do you say I am?"

Season of Creation 2023 #SoC
The Season of Creation has a special significance for the Catholic Church, particularly since Pope Francis established 1 September as an annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. The Season of Creation is marked throughout the Christian world from 1 September to 4 October (Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi) and celebrates the joy of creation as well as encouraging awareness-raising initiatives to protect the natural environment.

This year’s theme is “Let Justice and Peace Flow” taking inspiration from the Prophet Amos who declares: “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24). And so we are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the loss of biodiversity. As the people of God, we must work together on behalf of all Creation, as part of that mighty river of peace and justice.

Resources mentioned on the podcast are listed below. A lot of the resources link to each other.

• Laudato Si page on the Irish Conference of Bishops
• Season of Creation resources from Irish Conference of Bishops
• Trocaire website for Season of Creation 2023
• Season of Creation international website 

For our more local listeners in Limerick:

• River Walk (ecumenical event on ‘Let Justice and Peace Flow’) Sunday 10th September 3pm to 4:30pm.  Beginning at King John’s Castle, over Thomond Bridge to Treaty Stone & St Munchin’s Church, down Clancy Strand, on to Sarsfield Bridge, on to Arthur’s Quay, finishing at St Mary’s Cathedral. (No charge)
• ‘God in a Leaf’ bookclub. Three-week programme with input each night from author Brian Grogan SJ. Information here (scroll down the page).
• Blessing of Pets – feast of St Francis of Assisi. Blessing of pets in the garden by St Lelia’s Church, 11am Wednesday 4th October.
• For parishes, resources for prayers of the faithful, a template for tree planting, a creation walk, and a green policy have been circulated to the usual parish contact points as well. 

Over the last few years Limerick diocese has made efforts to support Pastoral Lay Ministries in the diocese which we have shared previously on the podcast. On this weeks programme we are catch up with Pat Higgins from Athea parish who was one of the lay pastoral workers commissioned at the Chrism Mass on April 5th 2023 at St John's Cathedral. Pat shares his experience of discerning the process of applying for the 2 year course and the work ahead as he enters into his formal ministry in the diocese.

On this weeks podcast John and Shane sit down virtually with Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick to catch up on a few things including his thoughts on the contribution of the late Pope Benedict XVI, where things are at with the Irish Synodal Pathway, the current pastoral situation in the diocese and the hard choices we face in the next 3 to 5 years and the issue of vocations to the priesthood. 

We have  our regular run through all things liturgical for the coming week as well as a reflection on this Sunday's gospel which is Luke's account of the Road to Emmaus. 

On this weeks podcast John and Shane sit down virtually with Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick to catch up on a few things including his thoughts on the contribution of the late Pope Benedict XVI, where things are at with the Irish Synodal Pathway, the current pastoral situation in the diocese and the hard choices we face in the next 3 to 5 years and the issue of vocations to the priesthood. 

At the moment in church circles the great buzzwords are "Synodality" and "Synod". But for the vast majority of Catholics it is not something they are overly familiar with but which could have massive impact on us as a faith community.

On this weeks podcast, the C&SI team have part two of a four part series looking at what it all means, what has been happening and what is next. We look at what happened in the diocesan phase talking through the Limerick diocesan experience with Rose O'Connor and Nessa Breen.

We have our regular run through notices and saints of the week and of course our reflection on the Sunday gospel which this week is John's account of the meeting with the Woman at the Well.

Synod on Synodality
In October 2021 Pope Francis formally launched the two-year global consultation process leading to the 2023 synod (and now the 2024 synod) on synodality which focuses on the theme, “For a Synodal Church, Communion, Participation and Mission". Pope Francis has called for the widest and deepest consultation globally, inviting each person to “look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say.” 

Each Diocese in Ireland engaged in this process of listening and consultation and submissions from each Diocese were returned to the Episcopal conference which in turn was forwarded as the response of the Irish Church to the Holy See. We look at what happened in the diocesan phase talking through the Limerick diocesan experience with Rose O'Connor and Nessa Breen.

• Limerick diocese webpage on Synod 2023
• Limerick diocese synthesis 

C&SI - Synod on Synodality Series

• Synod Series Part 1 - Synod on Synodality - What is all about and what is happening?
• Synod Series Part 2 - Synod on Synodality - The Diocesan Phase
• Synod Series Part 3 - Synod on Synodality - Writing and sharing the Irish National Synthesis
• Synod Series Part 4 - Synod on Synodality - Discerning the European response for the Synod on Synodality

At the moment in church circles the great buzzwords are "Synodality" and "Synod". But for the vast majority of Catholics it is not something they are overly familiar with but which could have massive impact on us as a faith community.

On this weeks podcast, the C&SI team have part two of a four part series looking at what it all means, what has been happening and what is next. We look at what happened in the diocesan phase talking through the Limerick diocesan experience with Rose O'Connor and Nessa Breen.

Synod on Synodality
In October 2021 Pope Francis formally launched the two-year global consultation process leading to the 2023 synod (and now the 2024 synod) on synodality which focuses on the theme, “For a Synodal Church, Communion, Participation and Mission". Pope Francis has called for the widest and deepest consultation globally, inviting each person to “look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say.” 

Each Diocese in Ireland engaged in this process of listening and consultation and submissions from each Diocese were returned to the Episcopal conference which in turn was forwarded as the response of the Irish Church to the Holy See. We look at what happened in the diocesan phase talking through the Limerick diocesan experience with Rose O'Connor and Nessa Breen.

• Limerick diocese webpage on Synod 2023
• Limerick diocese synthesis 

C&SI - Synod on Synodality Series

• Synod Series Part 1 - Synod on Synodality - What is all about and what is happening?
• Synod Series Part 2 - Synod on Synodality - The Diocesan Phase
• Synod Series Part 3 - Synod on Synodality - Writing and sharing the Irish National Synthesis
• Synod Series Part 4 - Synod on Synodality - Discerning the European response for the Synod on Synodality

It is hard to believe how quickly the liturgical calendrical wheel turns as we are just out of Christmas, settling into Ordinary time and we find ourselves down the door of Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the season of Lent!  To help us to prepare ourselves to celebrate this "joyful" season we are joined by Fr Frank Duhig who shares a reflection with us as we enter Lent. Fr Frank examines the origins of Lent, the counter-cultural message of self denial and how a well lived Lent can force us to examine our comfort zones and how we can integrate the three traditional exercises associated with Lent (prayer, fasting and alms giving) into our modern lives.

We have our regular run through the saints of the week (abbreviated of course for Lent!) and Fr Frank and John reflect on the Sunday gospel (Matthew 5:38-48).

On this weeks podcast we get a small bit parochial to west Limerick and we repeat a segment we did back originally in Jan 2012 where Michael Keating tells us about St Ita of Kileedy who is one of the co-patron saints of the diocese of Limerick and is know as the Brigid of Munster and foster mother of the saints of Ireland. St Ita's feast day falls on 15th January.

As part of the celebrations just to note that Bishop Leahy offers Saint Ita Feast Day Mass for memory of the late Pontiff and he noted in his homily that "the example for the future of the Church can be drawn from both prophetic words of the late Pope Benedict from over 50 years ago and the lives of Saint Ita and Brigid over 1,500 years ago"

In addition to our piece on St Ita we also have our run through the liturgial odds and ends for the week and of course our reflection on the Sunday gospel.

Resources for Liturgical odds and ends

• Sunday of the Word of God resources
• Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
  • WCC & Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity resources
  • Churches together in Britain and Ireland resources
• Saints name Generator for 2023

On this weeks podcast we get a small bit parochial to west Limerick and we repeat a segment we did back originally in Jan 2012 where Michael Keating tells us about St Ita of Kileedy who is one of the co-patron saints of the diocese of Limerick and is know as the Brigid of Munster and foster mother of the saints of Ireland. St Ita's feast day falls on 15th January.

As part of the celebrations just to note that Bishop Leahy offers Saint Ita Feast Day Mass for memory of the late Pontiff and he noted in his homily that "the example for the future of the Church can be drawn from both prophetic words of the late Pope Benedict from over 50 years ago and the lives of Saint Ita and Brigid over 1,500 years ago"

Pope Francis has called for prayer and fasting during Lent seeking peace for Ukraine in these troubled times.  On this weeks podcast we share with you the Liturgy for Peace which was recorded on 27th March from St John's Cathedral in Limerick. A Liturgy of Peace took place in solidarity with people suffering in Ukraine and Russia. Led by Bishop Brendan Leahy, Sr Phyllis Moynihan, and the pastoral outreach team, join them in praying the Stations of the Cross.

On the podcast we also have our regular run through the liturgical odds and end for the coming week including the saints of the week. We also have our reflection on the Sunday gospel which this week is John's account of the Woman taken in Adultery (John 8:1-11). 

C&SI brings together a series of reflections to share over the Christmas Season. Originally available for listening on Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day, we are sharing the individual reflections to allow listeners a bite size moment over the days of Christmas - to allow us to pause and reflect for a few moments and also as a reminder that Christmas is not just "the day" but a season of faith where we celebrate the wonder of the coming of Emmanuel into the messiness of human suffering and existence.

Fr Frank Duhig PP Newcastle West gives us a reflection entitled "Our second Covid Christmas". He reflects that we are asked each Christmas is there room for Jesus in the Inn of our lives? Covid has encouraged us to trim our lives down to the bare essentials - a slight wilderness. But perhaps the "wilderness" of covid has given us an opportunity to work out the essentials for us in our lives. 

C&SI brings together a series of reflections to share over the Christmas Season. Originally available for listening on Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day, we are sharing the individual reflections to allow listeners a bite size moment over the days of Christmas - to allow us to pause and reflect for a few moments and also as a reminder that Christmas is not just "the day" but a season of faith where we celebrate the wonder of the coming of Emmanuel into the messiness of human suffering and existence.

In this reflection by Fr Chris O'Donnell we listen to what he calls the message of hope. We can be strong on faith and love but especially at this time we need hope to keep alive both faith and love in our lives. 

Fr Chris chooses  'The Circle of Love' as a piece of music as he says it captures within its lyrics the message of Christmas.