In the region of 2500 people were present in Gougane Barra on Sunday 1st October for Rosary and Annual Mass for Gougane Sunday.
Many of those present remarked that this was one of the largest attendances in many years and the occasion was blessed with beautiful autumn weather. This was a unique occasion in that this year marks the 1,400 anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr.
People gathered from many parishes and different groups for the Rosary and Annual Mass.
Large Gathering for Gougane SundaySome of the groups in attendance were the Catholic Guides of Ireland, Guides and Scouts of Europe - Ireland, St. John’s Ambulance Group, pupils and staff members from Mater Dei Academy, members of the Syro Malabar, Syro Malankara, Ukrainian Catholics and Polish Chaplaincies in the Diocese.
Cllr Frank O’Flynn, County Mayor was present and the Lord Mayor of Cork was represented by Cllr Dan Boyle.
Bishop Fintan was main celebrant for the Mass. The Ballingeary Church Choir sang beautifully and the Ballingeary Pipe Band also participated in the Mass as well as leading the procession before the Mass.
at the Mass in Gougane Barra to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr. (Photo: Nora Ní Luasa))
A section of the large congregation at the Mass in Gougane Barra to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr. (Photo: Nora Ní Luasa))
at the Mass in Gougane Barra to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr. (Photo: Nora Ní Luasa))
at the Mass in Gougane Barra to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr. (Photo: Nora Ní Luasa))
at the Mass in Gougane Barra to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr. (Photo: Nora Ní Luasa))
The Mass in Gougane Barra to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr. (Photo: Nora Ní Luasa))
Members of Ballingeary Church Choir who led the singing at the Mass in Gougane Barra to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr. (Photo: Nora Ní Luasa))
Members of Catholic Guides of Europe - Ireland were among the large attendance at the Mass in Gougane Barra to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr. (Photo: Nora Ní Luasa))
Bishop Fintan with Fr. Roman Biletskky and members of the Ukrainian Catholic Community at the Mass in Gougane Barra to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr. (Photo: Nora Ní Luasa))
at the Mass in Gougane Barra to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St. Finbarr. (Photo: Nora Ní Luasa))
Photos: Nora Ní Luasa
In his homily, Fr. Bernard Cotter, speaking of St. Finbarr, said that ‘what makes Finbarr a true missionary is not that he was a hermit here, but that he managed to leave this beautiful place, Gougane, loved by brides and grooms from all over the world, truly sceptred isle, who could leave this heavenly place but only a missionary with a message to share, Good News.
And so he went to Cork, so dismally described as "Corcach Mór na Mumhan", the great bog of Munster. Who but a missionary could make that transition!
But the harvest was rich and the labourers were few....So Finbarr had to become a missionary disciple - and so must you!
And how? Well parish life is changing. The parish which used to be so priest-centred has a new face - yours! What talents can you share in your parish community to advance the kingdom? What gifts can you make available that will turn your parish into a magnet, drawing people in, people who are searching for faith?
Evangelisation isn't standing in the middle of Patrick St with a loudspeaker;
it's a word of comfort to a friend facing an awful trouble;
it's sharing your own faith in life-without-end with someone whose own life is suddenly limited and fading;
it's a word to someone in your family about what faith means to you, a kind invitation, a gesture of encouragement, a silent prayer.
Everyone who believes can evangelise, can share what is good about our faith, the hope it brings us, the joy we share.
The way to evangelise is to be an example of a Christian, loving , forgiving, tolerant, peace making, truthful, just - to be all that Finbarr was, that his Good News may shine through you!
For the harvest is rich but the labourers are few....
so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest:
but be careful what you pray for — for he could just send you!
Photos: Nora Ní Luasa
Here is the full text of the Homily offered by Fr Bernard Cotter
"The harvest is rich but the labourers are few...."
(cf Matt 9:35-37)
As it is today, so it was in Finbarr's day.
So Finbarr had to become a missionary disciple - and so must you!
That's the short form of the homily, if you remember that, you have the message of today!
The slightly longer form: when I was asked to preach today, I decided to see how widely St Finbarr is known, with the help of our old friend, Father Google. I did this by researching how widely churches called after Finbarr are spread. I never realised there were so many!
As well as this Oratory of St Finbarr, this parish of Uibh Laoire has two churches, however here, poor Finbarr has to share the glory in each place, in Inchigeela, the parish church, it's St Finbarr & the Holy Angels; i mBéal Átha an Ghaorthaidh, it's Naomh Fionn Barra & Naomh Rónán atá curtha le chéile.
Neighbouring parishes give Finbarr more prominence, Bantry to the West and Kilmichael to the East each has a parish church of St Finbarr, solely. And then we have St Finbarr's South Chapel in Cork and the former St Finbarr's West at the Lough, and between them, St Finn Barre's Church of Ireland cathedral, as well of course as St Finbarr's Hospital, St Finbarr's Cemetery, and UCC with its great motto honouring our saint: 'Where Finbarr taught, let Munster learn'. Finbarr is in Dublin too, with a GAA Club in Cabra and a school, and a ward in Beaumont Hospital - and there's also a St Finbarr's Ward in University Hospital Galway. But there's only one other place on the island of Ireland that has a church commemorating our saint - that's St Finbarr's Church of Ireland church in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan — believe it or not!
St Finbarr has made his mark on the neighbouring island, with a Church of St Finbarr or Finbarrus in Fowey in Cornwall (pronounced Foy) and another in Aylsham in Kent, near Canterbury. The Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland has a Catholic Church of St Barr, and Scottish migrants no doubt took the name to the New World, where St Barra has a church in his name at Cape Breton in Nova Scotia (Canada).
The other end of North America shows more signs of our saint's influence - the first cathedral of Charleston, SC was named after St John & St Finbarr, and Chicago also once had a church of St Finbarr on 14th St.. Churches is his name still flourish in Brooklyn, NY, in Naples FL, in Burbank, CA, and in San Francisco too. (And there's one in Trinidad & Tobago too, on Diego Martin, and in Nigeria a St Finbarr's Church in Rayfield Jos and another in Umuahia near the southern border.)
But the country with the greatest number of churches currently dedicated to St Finbarr is none of the above, not Ireland nor these islands, not even North America, but right down under, in Australia, with its nine sacred places dedicated to his name, at:
San Souci in Sydney; Glenbrook in Parramatta;
Byron Bay, NSW; Bayside in Melbourn,
Ashgrove in Brisbane; Quilpie, Toowomba,
Salisbury North, Adelaide; Yalgoo, WA & Invermay, Tasmania
It is right and fitting that Finbarr's name should be known around the world, for he was a true missionary at heart.
Born, they say in Murragh & Templemartin, and baptised at Kilmurry, his monastic foundation was in this beautiful place, so well captured by Uibh Laoire native Cardinal Timothy Manning of LA, whose words are inscribed on the gate-pillar outside:
“This hallowed shrine of St. Finbarr [was] where he communed with God. The surrounding mountains were his cloister and the lake was for him the mirror of God’s grandeur....."
What makes Finbarr a true missionary is not that he was a hermit here, but that he managed to leave this beautiful place, Gougane, loved by brides and grooms from all over the world, truly sceptred isle, who could leave this heavenly place but only a missionary with a message to share, Good News.
And so he went to Cork, so dismally described as "Corcach Mór na Mumhan", the great bog of Munster. Who but a missionary could make that transition!
But the harvest was rich and the labourers were few....So Finbarr had to become a missionary disciple - and so must you!
And how? Well parish life is changing. The parish which used to be so priest-centred has a new face - yours! What talents can you share in your parish community to advance the kingdom? What gifts can you make available that will turn your parish into a magnet, drawing people in, people who are searching for faith?
Evangelisation isn't standing in the middle of Patrick St with a loudspeaker;
it's a word of comfort to a friend facing an awful trouble;
it's sharing your own faith in life-without-end with someone whose own life is suddenly limited and fading;
it's a word to someone in your family about what faith means to you, a kind invitation, a gesture of encouragement, a silent prayer.
Everyone who believes can evangelise, can share what is good about our faith, the hope it brings us, the joy we share.
The way to evangelise is to be an example of a Christian, loving , forgiving, tolerant, peacemaking, truthful, just - to be all that Finbarr was, that his Good News may shine through you!
For the harvest is rich but the labourers are few....
so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest:
but be careful what you pray for — for he could just send you!
