Diocesan News
A Solemn Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis will be celebrated at the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, Cork, on Friday evening 25th April at 7.30pm.
The principal celebrant will be Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross, who has issued an open invitation to all.
Parishioners, priests, deacons and religious from across the diocese will gather to give thanks for the life of Pope Francis and to entrust him to God’s mercy on the evening before his funeral takes place in Rome.
Parking will be available at the Cathedral and nearby at St Anthony’s Convent / St Vincents.
Let us entrust Pope Francis to God’s mercy and continue to pray for the Church as she prepares to elect a new successor of St. Peter.
Mass for Pope Francis
Online Book of Condolence is open
Following the announcement by the Holy See that Pope Francis has ‘returned to the House of the Lord’, Bishop Fintan Gavin invites the people of the Diocese of Cork and Ross to unite in prayer to God at this time.
“I invite the parishioners, priests, deacons and religious of our diocese to join as one with the faithful across the globe as we commend Pope Francis to the Lord.
We give thanks to Almighty God for the gift of Pope Francis as shepherd of the people of God and we thank God for his selfless service and dedication to the end of his earthly life.
We remember Pope Francis as one who challenged us to reach out to those on the margins and to bring God’s mercy to all those we encounter.
We pray together that Pope Francis’ call to all of us to make this Jubilee Year a Year of Hope may be fulfilled.
There was standing room only at the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne on Thursday as Bishop Fintan presided at the Mass of Chrism
Parishioners travelled from across the diocese to join in the only Mass celebrated in the diocese on Holy Thursday morning.
The Mass was concelebrated by dozens of priests from the parishes, chaplaincies, religious orders and missionary societies in the diocese.
Deacon Frank McKevitt also ministered at the Mass along with Ministers of the Word and Eucharist, the Cathedral Choir directed by John Casey and altar servers from Cork and Barryroe.
Fr. Christy Fitzgerald and Fr Fergus Ryan were Masters of Ceremonies.
Mass of Chrism, Holy Thursday, Cathedral of St. Mary and St. AnnPicture: Brian Lougheed
The Holy Thursday Mass of Chrism will be celebrated at Cork's Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne this Thursday morning
Bishop Fintan Gavin welcomes parishioners, priests, deacons and religious from across the diocese.
The Mass of Chrism begins at 10.00am.
The Mass gets its name from the fact that it includes the:
- Renewal of Priestly Promises
- Blessing of the Oil of the Sick
- Blessing of the Oil of Catechumens
- and the Consecration of the Chrism
These blessed oils are taken to each of the parishes, hospitals, and faith communities of the diocese for use in the sacraments throughout the year.
This is the only Mass celebrated in the diocese on Holy Thursday morning. This highlights our unity as one diocese and our membership of the one family of God.
Later on Holy Thursday evening, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated in parishes and faith communities to mark the start of the Easter Triduum.
Each parish takes three sets of holy oils back to the parish
The annual Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession is scheduled to take place on
Sunday 22 June 2025
This year marks the 99th anniversary of the inaugural Procession.
Change to the Route
There is one significant change to the Procession for 2025. To accommodate the large gathering, the Procession will conclude at a specially constructed Altar near the monument on the Grand Parade
Invitation to All
Bishop Fintan Gavin warmly invites everyone to participate in this cherished tradition and important expression of our faith. Please mark this date in your diary.
