A Novena to the Holy Spirit is taking place in parishes in the Archdiocese of Dublin from 21 to 29 May 2023. The purpose of the Novena is to provide a period of prayer, reflection and planning for the renewal of the Church as part of the Building Hope Parish Partnership; and you are invited to join in prayer here at each Mass over the nine days of the Novena, commencing Sunday, 21 May.

Webcam Link: www.churchservices.tv/firhouse

The Novena (nine days of prayer) commences on the Feast of the Ascension (Sunday 21 May), through the Feast of Pentecost (Sunday 28 May) and ends on the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church (Monday 29 May).

As parishioners will be aware from our various parish gatherings concerning synodality (the process of making Christ’s way our own) and Building Hope (an initiative in our own Archdiocese of Dublin), we are together on a journey of renewal. As Archbishop Farrell said at the Holy Thursday Chrism Mass:

“In our Diocese, the Building Hope initiative involves people and priests creating a joint mission – a mission together – in which new pastoral areas will comprise a number of parishes in partnership.  This necessarily involves a “letting go” of the past and an embrace of what is to come. For this pastoral initiative to be successful, there needs to be a shared appreciation of the rationale, and a shared conviction of the necessity to embrace change….

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Rather than viewing change as a negative, the real challenge is to see change as an opportunity for creative ways to sustain a viable and vibrant future for the faith communities of our Diocese ….

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Let us not be under any illusion as to the demand and depth of that change. In fact, it might be more accurate to call it a conversion.”

Here in our parish, we are in partnership with:

• St Anne’s, Bohernabreena,
• Holy Rosary, Ballycragh, and
• St. Martin de Porres, Aylesbury,

and we have already begun our joint pastoral conversations in our parish partnership.

Pope Francis encourages times of prayerful reflection, listening and sharing, so that we can better hear the voice of God’s Spirit, to help direct the Church into the future. The Novena to the Holy Spirit, which we begin on Sunday 21 May, is a critical part of our Building Hope process of prayerful listening, dialogue and planning.

You are warmly invited to join in prayer here at each Mass over the next nine days. We hope this prayerful period will be fruitful for ourselves, our parish, our diocese, our Church. Should particular thoughts or ideas strike you during these nine days, please be in touch with the PPC through the Parish Office:

• Phone: 01 4524702
• e-mail: olmcfirhouseparish@gmail.com