Ballaghaderreen
Cathedral of the Annunciation and St. Nathy
Friday 22nd April 2016 |
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| Mass of Welcome Celebrated by Bishop Kelly |
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Saturday 23rd April 2016 |
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| Mass and Prayer |
‘Our Mother of Perpetual Help’
A Pilgrimage with the Icon to the Cathedrals of Ireland in the Year of Mercy, April 4th - May 15th, 2016.
Celebrating 150 Years of Redemptorist Devotion.
Ballaghaderreen, Cathedral of the Annunciation and St. Nathy
Friday 22nd April 2016 |
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| 7.30 p.m. | Mass of Welcome Celebrated by Bishop Kelly |
| 9.00 p.m. | Healing Service |
| 10.30 p.m | Prayer around the Icon |
Saturday 23rd April 2016 |
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| 10.00 a.m. | Mass |
| 11.00 a.m. | Mass with children making First Communion |
It gives me great pleasure on behalf of Bishop Kelly, the priests of this parish and the Diocese of Achonry, along with the religious and people of our diocese to welcome, the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help to our Cathedral. The pilgrimage of the Icon arrives to the Cathedral of St. Nathy and the Annunciation on Friday 22nd April 2016.
When Pope Francis announced that 2016 would be a Holy Year reflecting on the Mercy of God, he prayed that the sweetness of Mary’s countenance would watch over us in this Holy Year so that all of us may re-discover the joy of God’s tenderness. We can understand why Pope Francis would call on Mary in this way, in this Jubilee of Mercy, because nobody understands more completely the God of Mercy than Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
There is a strong devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in our diocese due to the numerous parish Missions conducted by the Redemptorists over the years and also due to their popular publications. In our Cathedral, we have an altar dedicated to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. May the presence of this Icon in our Cathedral lead us all to sincere prayer and a love of Jesus her Son.
May it bring help to many people who are troubled in their lives and may it open our hearts to those in need, as we all reflect on the mystery of God’s mercy for us all. There is an ancient prayer inscribed in Latin on the archway over the Icon which captures much of what devotion to Mary has meant to Christians over the centuries.
“Dear Mother of the Redeemer help the fallen people who strive to rise again”
We send our best wishes to all involved with the pilgrimage of the Icon throughout Ireland during this Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Fr Joseph Gavigan ADM