News

ST. PIO RELICS TO VISIT HOLYCROSS ABBEY, THURLES, CO. TIPPERARY.
Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th May.

Five relics will be on display: St. Pio’s Crust of the Wounds, a lock of his hair, a piece of his Mantle, his white fingerless glove, and his handkerchief.

On Saturday, the relics will be available for veneration from 10am to 8pm. On Sunday, we open at 9am for
veneration followed by our traditional St. Pio Day events beginning at 1:30pm. The day will culminate with Mass in honour of St. Pio at 3pm, followed by continued veneration until 8pm at which point the Abbey will close and the relics will be returned to the St. Pio Foundation.

We look forward to welcoming you to Holycross Abbey. Should you require any additional information or promo-tional material, please feel free to contact us at 0504-43124 (Monday to Friday offce hours) or by email at hbparishoffce@gmail.com

ST.COLMAN’S, REILLY’S TRENCH: Rosary in church, Tuesday evenings at 6.30pm. All welcome.

We would like to mark very casually a significant milestone in the life of St. Patrick’s Church.

On the weekend of 6th April Fr Eamon who has been with us for 25 years will be celebrating a landmark birthday occasion. We couldn’t let the occasion pass without inviting him to the Centre after 12 noon Mass on Sunday 6th April. There will be an informal small celebration and presentation.

All are welcome.

All enquiries please to Parish Secretary.
(P.S: He knows nothing about this – so please keep it quiet!!!)

Calling ALL ADORERS of the Blessed Sacrament in Down and Connor Diocese National Eucharistic Adoration Pilgrimage to Knock Sun 6 April (weekend of 5th Sunday of Lent). Full Bus details on www.eucharisticadoration.ie

THE PASSION STORY: “A WORK OF INFINITE LOVE” (Saturday, 12 April from 9:30 am – 4 pm).
A Day of Prayer and Reflection with Fr Aidan Troy CP.
Fr Aidan will lead us in a day of prayer and reflection as we enter into Holy Week, where we are invited to immerse ourselves in this story of hope and unconditional love. To book a place(s) or for further details, please contact Drumalis during office hours (Mon-Fri, 9 am – 5 pm) – 028 28276455/28272196 or email drumalis@btconnect.com Further information also available on Drumalis website: http://www.drumalis.co.uk

Those who are discerning a vocation to the permanent diaconate are encouraged to make contact with the Diocesan Director for the Permanent Diaconate, Rev Brett Lockhart on b.lockhart@downandconnor.org

SOUTH ULSTER SINFONIA present A Spring Concert in St. Patrick’s Pastoral Centre, on Saturday 5th April at 7.30pm. Music included J S Bach’s Concerto for 2 Violins, SCHUBERT’S Rosamunde Ballet Music, John Williams Jurassic Park, Mama Mia & Disney. Tickets £10, Concession £8, children under 14 £5.

‘A Pilgrimage of Hope’ is the theme of this year’s Holy Week Retreat from 17-20 April at Drumalis Retreat and Conference Centre in Larne. It will be led by a joint team from Drumalis & Belfast Jesuit Centre and is offered on a residential or non-residential basis. To book a place(s) or for further details, please contact Drumalis during office hours (Mon-Fri, 9 am – 5 pm) – 028 28276455/28272196 or email drumalis@btconnect.com Further information also available on Drumalis website: http://www.drumalis.co.uk

Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your Son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled In our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us Into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, Your glory will shine eternally.May that grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,a yearning for the treasures of heaven.May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen

PILGRIMS OF HOPE – 24 HOURS FOR THE LORD
A key moment in this Jubilee Year 2025 is the celebration of “24 hours for the Lord”. This is an initiative of
Pope Francis who writes, “special care should be taken to prepare priests and faithful to celebrate the sacrament of Confession and to make it readily available in its individual form” (SNC 5).
In Down and Connor “24 Hours for the Lord” will be celebrated on Saturday, 29th March, in three centres:
St Mary’s Church, Belfast, from 11.00am until 5.30pm;
All Saints Church, Ballymena, from 12 noon until 5.30pm;
St Patrick’s, Church Downpatrick. 10.30am until 4.00pm.

Extract of letter from Bishop Alan McGuckian:
“I believe, that “24 Hours for the Lord” will be welcomed by the faithful – particularly by those for whom the habit of Confession has been broken by the recent pandemic. Those who journey to one or other of the churches mentioned, are participating in the Holy year as “pilgrims of hope” seeking a “genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the “door” of our salvation” (SNC 1)