A DAY OF REFLECTION ON THE EUCHARIST
As part of the celebration of the special year of St. Paul declared by Pope Benedict XVI ( 29 June 2008 – 29 June 2009 ), the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in Dublin will host a day of reflection on the Eucharist as presented by Saint Paul. This will be on Saturday, 27th of September 2008. Very Reverend Father Jesus Malit, SSS, the present Provincial Superior of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in the Philippines, will be the resource speaker. The programme is as follows: Mass at 11.00 a.m.; Refreshments at 11.30 a.m.; Introduction to St. Paul at 12.00; Lunch 1.00 – 2.00 p.m.; Paul and the Eucharist at 2.00 p.m.; Reflections and Prayer 3.00 – 4.00 p.m. Let us pray for the success of this event. May it help the participants deepen their understanding of the...
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3,000 PEOPLE TAKE PART IN DUBLIN LOURDES PILGRIMAGE
The largest ever Pilgrimage from the Archdiocese of Dublin to Lourdes is continuing this week. 2008 is the Jubilee year for Lourdes, the 150th Anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady to St. Bernadette in 1858. Pope Benedict XVI will visit the Shrine for three days, beginning on Saturday next (13th) Among the 3,000 travelling to Lourdes from the Dublin Diocese are 180 sick, 700 helpers, 8 doctors and 55 nurses. 15 secondary schools will be represented by pupils and teachers. The pilgrimage is led by the Archbishop of Dublin Dr. Diarmuid Martin, who is joined by Cardinal Desmond Connell and 50 priests of the Diocese. Archbishop Martin has led the pilgrimage since becoming Archbishop over four years ago. He said he was heartened by the ongoing spirit of commitment, faith and charity shown by all those who take...
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SSS CELEBRATES FOUNDER’S FEAST DAY
The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament celebrates today the feast of its founder St. Peter Julian Eymard. He founded the congregation in 1856 in France. He died in his home town of La Mure on 1st August 1868. Pope John XXIII canonised him on December 9, 1962. During his canonisation, the Pope described St. Eymard as the “Apostle of the Eucharist.” The Blessed Sacrament communities all throughout the world have organised various activities to mark this day of its founder. Among its activities is the nine-day novena to Saint Eymard. In Dublin Ireland, the Blessed Sacrament community invited Fr. Theo Hebing, SSS to lead the novena that started last 24th of July. On this feast day of Saint Eymard, a concelebrated Mass is scheduled at 11.00 am today at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in Dublin. Fr. Jim Campbell, SSS,...
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Message on the Feast of St. Peter Julian Eymard
2nd August 2008 Dear Brothers, Greetings on the Feast of Our Holy Founder, St. Peter Julian Eymard. I take this opportunity to reflect with you again, to remind ourselves again of some of the insights of our recent Amplified Provincial Council in Penmaenmawr. Fr. Bong, in his reflections during the Parallel Eucharistic Congress in Bachelors Walk, told us: “ We do not speak of the Eucharist as something, but as someone. The Eucharist is Jesus himself. To acknowledge Jesus’ presence has consequences in our lives and societies. In the Scriptures, all encounters with Jesus produced an effect” The main theme of the meeting offered by Fr. Jim Campbell and I was: “ Do people recognise Jesus in the way we Break Bread in the Eucharist, in our prayer life and in the daily witness of our lives – our...
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BROTHER FRANCIS BARKER, SSS, 85
THE Province of Saints Peter and Paul (Great Britain-Ireland) announces with deep sorrow the death of BRO. FRANCIS BARKER, SSS. He died peacefully last 6th of July 2008 at the age of 85. Brother Francis is assigned at our Liverpool community at the time of his death. He was born on 29th March 1923. He made his profession in the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament on the 8th of September 1977. Rule of Life Number 13 of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament says ” Comforted by the prayer of the community and by the Eucharist received in viaticum, our brothers will then be ready to die in the Lord.” “The death of a brother shall be celebrated as a paschal event, in a prayer filled with hope. We will faithfully carry out the prescribed suffrages for our deceased.”...
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Homily: Funeral Mass of Bro. Francis Barker, SSS
Gospel of st. John 14: 1-7 Like the disciples in the Gospel, our hearts are troubled. We have lost the one we loved in death. Death seems cruel and beyond our understanding. There is only one in the world who can comfort and console us – Jesus Christ. He told us that if we believe in him we will never die, that we will all rise again. We can believe him, because He proved his words were true by overcoming death himself, when he rose from the dead. In today’s Gospel, just before his own death, he tells us that he is going to prepare a place for us. Although we are sad, we are happy for Francis because he has achieved the goal, the purpose of his life – the place prepared for him by God, the place...
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BR. ADRIAN MAKES HIS PERPETUAL VOWS
THE 7th of June 2008 is a special day for the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. On this day, Brother Adrian Ladines, SSS from the Province of Our Lady of the Assumption (Philippines) makes his Perpetual Profession of Religious Vows in the Congregation of the Blessed SAcrament. The occasion was held at Sta. Cruz Church, Manila, Philippines. Fr. Jhess Malit, SSS, Provincial Superior of SSS in the Philippines presided the celebration. Family members of Br. Adrian as well as his relatives, friends and SSS confreres graced the gathering. The following day, June 8, Br. Adrian was ordained to the Order of Diaconate at Eymard Formation Center (EFC) in Quezon City, Philippines. Let us thank God for the grace of vocation that he has given to Reverend...
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ST. EYMARD’S WRITINGS IN PRINTED EDITION
FR. Fiorenzo Salvi, SSS, the present Superior-General of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament said in his letter to the members of the congregation that “the printed edition of the writings of Fr. Eymard will be available next October.” It consists of 17 volumes of the “Complete Works” of Saint Peter Julian Eymard which were done jointly by the editors of Centro Eucaristico (Italy) and Nouvelle Cite (France). “This printed edition makes all the writings of Father Eymard easily accessible to everyone, including people who do not have direct access to internet”, Fr. General said. Those communities and individuals who want to order this 17-volumes of the printed edition of the writings of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, you are asked to contact the General Curia through email, fax or...
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YEAR OF VOCATION BEGINS
His Grace Diarmuid Martin, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin led the launching of the Year of Vocation for the Catholic Church in Ireland. It was held during the 6.30 p.m. Mass at the Saint Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin City. Previous to it, a press conference was held which was attended by different religious groups in Ireland. The Catholics bishops of Ireland has declared 13th April 2008 to 3rd May 2009 as the Year of Vocation. Several activities that will be highlighted during the Year of Vocation such as a national prayer campaign for students at examination time; a rally for World Youth Day to coincide with the events in Sydney on 15-20 July; and, collaboration with the national pilgrimage centres to reflect on the theme of vocation during their seasons. Last Vocation Sunday, April 13, 2008, a series...
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