May 8, 2012 by h2onews A Ring for Irish Renewal

May 8, 2012 by h2onews The Pope rang it. As did so many others over the week leading up to St. Patrick's day in Rome. It's the International Eucharistic Congress Bell. Tommy Burns IEC 2012 Bell Pilgrimage co-coordinator: "The pilgrimage of the bell began on St. Patrick's Day last and over the last 500 days leading up to the congress we have been in Churches and chapels, nursing homes and hospitals, travelers lodging sites. We've been up and down rivers. We've been to the chapel of Kirkpatrick, out to the islands, Bear Island, the Irish Gaelics. And, we've been to hundreds of schools, and I have to say that I have been heartened by the response of local faith communities up and down the country. North, South, East and West, and it's been marvelous to see. -- The bell has been adopted as a symbol of the International Eucharist Congress, I suppose principally because in 1932, St. Patrick's bell which is now in the museum in Dublin was used in the principal ceremonies and also, St. Patrick used the bell as he moved around the country over 1500 years ago and he left a bell in each Christian community that he founded. And, it's recorded that when he crossed the river shannon, he brought 50 bells with him. So there's a great Christian tradition in Ireland of bells. " A quarter of a million people, including these pilgrims gathered at the Irish Franciscan College in Rome have given it a "ring for renewal." It's a call to the Eucharist. Colette Furlong Pastoral Services Manager: "Our invitation to people is recognize that Christ gathers us. He gathers us to speak to us. He gathers us to feed us and to confirm our identity as his body." And, it's all leading up to the 50th International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin this summer. There were prayers here at Mass that the week-long meeting bring much-needed hope to the Catholic Church in Ireland. Fr. Kevin Doran Secretary General, IEC 2012: "I think the congress is an important milestone in the process of renewal. That's the way I would put it. No single event is going to bring about renewal but I think it's about an event that goes back about a thousand years when St. Francis of Assisi heard the voice telling him to rebuild my Church in Assisi. And, originally he set about rebuilding the church physically, but very quickly he realized that what was called for was a whole process of renewal of faith, the rebuilding of communion with Christ and with one another. And, I think very much in the same mold, the Congress is not about specifically the renewal of structures, but about the re-positioning of people's hearts. And all the themes of each day: Monday, baptism and ecumenism; Tuesday, family and marriage; Wednesday, priesthood and ministry; Thursday, reconciliation; Friday, healing; and Saturday, the word of God. Those are the central themes that will challenge our sense of renewal and invite people to engage with it." All of these aspects of the sacrament, as well as the worship of Jesus Christ in Eucharistic adoration, will be highlighted in different ways during the eight-day celebration of faith. Fr. Kevin Doran Secretary General, IEC 2012: "The Eucharist is central to it. As Pope John Paul said, the Church draws her life from it. Pope Benedict describes the Eucharist as the "womb of the Church". So, a similar kind of idea. Our communion with Christ begins with baptism but it's nourished through the Eucharist, and by the Eucharist we mean the sacrament and sacrifice of the Eucharist but also all the other elements of it. The fact that Christ gathers us and forms us into a community around the altar, the fact that he speaks his word to us and that he nourishes us with his body and blood." Organizers are expecting one and all to answer the ring and be in Dublin from June 10-17.

h2onews A Ring for Irish Renewal

h2onews May 8, 2012 A Ring for Irish Renewal