A PRIESTLY PEOPLE
The Acts of the Apostles tells of the appointment of deacons and of the distribution of roles within the early Church. “There are many different gifts, but it is always the same Spirit; there are many different ways of serving, but it is always the same Lord” (1 Corinthians 12: 4-5). In our different roles and using the different spiritual gifts God has given us, we all share in the one Priesthood of Christ.
In his farewell discourse at the Last Supper in today’s gospel reading Jesus reveals something of his Father who: “did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for the sake of all of us” (Rom 8: 32). We are to have faith and trust in God’s love for us, trust in the welcome he has for us. The very words Jesus speaks, he tells us, come from his Father, who lives in him. In today’s reading from the first letter of St Peter we are told that we are “a royal priesthood, a people set apart.” We come together at Mass as that priesthood to offer a holy and living sacrifice to God. We ourselves too are called to be a “living sacrifice, pleasing to God. The Eucharist is not just the centre of the Church, it makes the Church. Christ died once for all, and at Mass the historical event is not just represented, it is made present again as priest and people together make the offering of the Body and Blood of Christ.
The SMA National Novena in honour of our Lady of Knock will begin on Friday 19th May 2017 aa the African Missions Church, Blackrock Road, Cork, and will close with our Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine on the 27th May, 2017. The novena will be celebrated each evening at 7.30 (except Saturday 27th May at 7.00pm). For further information please contact: SMA Blackrock Road at 021-4292871 or SMA, Wilton at 021-4541069
Pope Francis seeks the views of young people. Young people aged 16-29 are invited to complete the survey for Pope Francis with their views on church today, at http://www.corkandross.org
Annual collection for the Diocesan Pastoral Development Office this weekend. The annual collection to fund the work of the Cork and Ross Pastoral Development Office will be taken up this weekend Saturday/Sunday 13th and 14th May. This annual collection funds the costs of training for Parish Assemblies and Pastoral Councils; training and resourcing parish ministries such as Parish Catechists, RCIA teams, Visitation teams, Baptism Preparation Teams, Young Adult and Youth Ministry; and ongoing formation for all engaged parish ministry such as talks, conferences and courses for clergy, religious and laity.
Bring flowers of the rarest – this hymn to Mary will be sung during May. We encourage you to pray the Rosary, (even one decade), particularly during these weeks of May. The Rosary is prayed every morning here before the 10.00 am Mass.
Our Students are remembered in our Shared Mass every Friday at 10am. Special Cards are available in the Sacristy for those doing and preparing for exams.
St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society Day Pilgrimage to Knock Saturday June 24th 2017. Contact Gretta Lynch 021 4291409 or 086 3524336.
WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES: On Thursday 4th May Bishop Buckley launched the preparation programme for the parishes of our Diocese which include a variety of faith activities over the months leading to August 2018. The five day event will culminate in the proposed visit by Pope Francis for the closing of the gathering.