Diocesan News
What do climate crisis, care for the earth and biodiversity have to do with parishes?
The answer is “much more than we may think”!
Local parishes and faith communities in three neighbouring dioceses are sending representatives to a conference taking place in Cork this month to tease out this question.
But they won’t be the first catholics talking about connecting faith and nature.
As long ago as the 13th century, St. Francis of Assisi composed a prayer called the Canticle of the Creatures, which glorifies God through natural elements like the sun, wind, earth and water.
St. Francis also included in his prayers and writings the phrase “Praise be to you, my Lord”.
In 2015, Pope Francis published his second official papal letter and he entitled it “Laudato Sí” (Praise to you – in Italian).
Now with the support of Trócaire, the dioceses of Cork and Ross, Cloyne and Waterford and Lismore are inviting their parishioners from 180 parishes to take up the challenges arising from our care for the earth and to see how parishes may act on the message of Pope Francis.
There will be 3 speakers in the morning and workshops in the afternoon
Br. Martin Kenneally, Michael Tierney, Bishop Fintan Gavin, Andrew Lim and Br. Simon Fernandez at Mardyke House, Cork.
Three Cork based members of the Presentation Brothers Community leave on a visit to Ghana with a blessing from the bishop.
Sacrament of Confirmation in Parishes 2027
Bishop Fintan has announced arrangements for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation in parishes for 2027.
Bishop Fintan hopes to visit a significant number of parishes himself for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation next year as well as delegating some retired bishops, the Vicars General and a number of other priests when more than one parish is celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation on the same day
Here is the Confirmation Schedule for 2027 throughout the Diocese
Bringing neighbouring parishes together as Families of Parishes encourages parishes to build on their strengths, share ideas and support one another.
By working together, they can find practical ways to strengthen parish life and create more opportunities for people to grow in faith and become involved in their local faith communities.
With this in mind, the first of a series of meetings in Families of Parishes took place on Wednesday evening, 14th October, in the Parish Centre of the Way of the Cross, Togher, bringing together parish leaders from Ballyphehane, The Lough and Togher.
Organised by the Office for Mission and Ministry, in collaboration with Jim Deeds, these meetings will take place across the Diocese of Cork and Ross between now and January 2027. We ask you to keep them in your prayers, that the Holy Spirit may guide all involved and help these conversations bear fruit in our parishes.
Parish leaders from the Family of Parishes of Ballyphehane, The Lough and Togher
Fr Larry Kapitbahay OFMCap, Rosebelle Martir, Lyn Barbas, Jub Quiton and Nora Esparto who visited Bishop Fintan.
Representatives of the Filipino Catholic Community visited Bishop Fintan at the Cork and Ross Diocesan Offices on Tuesday, 13 October.
The group briefed Bishop Fintan on the various activities of the Filipino community, including a Filipino Mass which is celebrated on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month in Holy Trinity at 6pm.