Bishop Fintan made a pastoral visit to St. Joseph’s Parish Blackrock Road last weekend, 26th/27th November

In the course of the visit, he celebrated all three weekend Masses and met with parishioners after each Mass. He also joined parishioners at the weekly reception in the priests’ residence after 10am Mass for a cup of tea and chat which was appreciated by all. Fr. Jerome Sassou SMA CC concelebrated each of the Masses as well. Fr. Gus O’Driscoll SMA is Father-in-Charge in St. Joseph’s Parish since September last.

Previously, Bishop Fintan had visited St. Joseph’s Parish for the closing of the Annual Novena to St. Therese in 2019, not long after his episcopal ordination.

Bishop Fintan visits St. Joseph’s Parish. Blackrock RoadBishop Fintan visits St. Joseph’s Parish. Blackrock Road

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Recently Regina O’Sullivan has joined the Diocesan Education Secretariat as co-ordinator for primary schools

She replaces Sean O’Caoimh who has filled this role for the last ten years.

In this role, Regina will support Bishop Fintan in his responsibility for the Catholic ethos and identity of 174 primary schools throughout the Diocese of Cork and Ross under his patronage.

In thanking Sean O’Caoimh for his work in the Education Secretariat over the last ten years, Bishop Fintan spoke of Sean’s excellent relations with all primary schools.

Through his hard work and dedication, Sean has supported the Diocese and its schools in a rapidly changing educational landscape.

Regina O’Sullivan, Bishop Fintan Gavin and Sean O’CaoimhRegina O’Sullivan, Bishop Fintan Gavin and Sean O’Caoimh

Photo: Vitaly Makhnanov

 

Regina O’SullivanRegina O’Sullivan

Regina is a past pupil of St Aloyisius School, Sharman Crawford St, Cork. She graduated from Mary Immaculate College, Limerick in 1982 and has also completed a post graduate Higher Diploma in Educational Leadership from University College Cork.

Regina recently retired from Scoil Mhuire agus Eoin in Mayfield after 38 years on the staff there 20 of which were served in the role of principal.

Regina was involved with the successful amalgamation of the two parish schools in Upper Mayfield Parish in 2017, bringing together Scoil Mhuire Banríon GNS and Scoil Eoin Aspal BNS to form Scoil Mhuire agus Eoin co-educational primary school.

Regina has extensive knowledge of the primary school system and she is particularly familiar with schools in a DEIS context. She is deeply committed to the advancement of Catholic Education and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) nationally.

Her other noted interests in the area of education are a deep interest in partnership with parents and community. The promotion of inclusion in our schools has been the basis of much of Regina's work over the years.

St. Columba's Boys National School in Douglas is Blessed and Officially OpenedSt. Columba's Boys National School in Douglas is Blessed and Officially Opened

School principal, Dan O’Connor | Bishop Fintan Gavin | Chairperson of BOM, Donal MurrayPrincipal, Dan O’Connor | Bishop Fintan Gavin | Chairperson of BOM, Donal Murray

St. Columba's Boys National School in Douglas is Blessed and Officially Opened

Bishop Fintan recently blessed the new school building at St. Columba’s Boys National School in Douglas. The new building is on the same campus as St. Columba’s Girls National School with Facilities for Deaf Children in West Douglas. The new building was completed in 2020 and has been in use since that time however due to covid restrictions, the official blessing and opening has not been possible until October 2022.

Bishop Fintan blessed and congratulated all involved in the development and construction of the new school building in the heart of Douglas especially the students who filled the school hall, school staff, parents, families and the wider school community.

Bishop Fintan is patron of St. Columba’s Boys National School. The chairperson of the Board of Management is Mr. Donal Murray and the school principal is Mr. Dan O’Connor.

 

Sacrament of Confirmation in Parishes 2023

Bishop Fintan has recently issued the dates for the celebration of the Sacrament Confirmation in parishes for 2023. He mentioned that there have been a good number of positive responses to the way in which the Sacrament of Confirmation was celebrated in parishes during the pandemic and that he hopes these can incorporated into parish celebrations next year.

In preparation, Bishop Fintan has convened a group to provide updated resources to parishes and schools for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation to include scripture readings, suggestions for hymns and music, the order of the Mass and prayer responses, the Rite of Confirmation and a checklist for the celebration of the Sacrament. These resources will be available on the diocesan website and will be sent to parishes soon.

Sacrament of Confirmation in Parishes 2023Sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit

Here is the Confirmation Schedule for 2023 throughout the Diocese

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Bishop Fintan visits Blackrock ParishBishop Fintan visits Blackrock Parish

Bishop Fintan Gavin made his first pastoral visit to Blackrock Parish on Saturday 5th/Sunday 6th November for weekend Masses

In his opening remarks, he mentioned that his first visit to St. Michael’s Church was for the Requiem Mass of the late Canon Kieran Twomey on 1st July 2019 which was his first day as Bishop of the Diocese.

Bishop Fintan celebrated all three weekend Masses and met with parishioners after each one. He was welcomed by Fr. Colin Doocey Adm at the beginning of each Mass.

 

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A new Adoration Chapel has just opened in Saints Peter and Paul's Church in the heart of Cork City, just off Patrick Street

If you are in town, pop in and say a prayer for the Holy Souls during this month of November.

It is open on Wednesdays (10am to 8pm), Thursdays (8am to 7.30pm) and Fridays (8am to 7pm).

Ss Peter and Pauls Church, Cork was dedicated for worship in 1866. The architect was G. W. Pugin and the sanctuary was designed by George C. Aishlin. The original plans for the church included a tall spire but this was never built.

See SS. Peter and Paul's Parish

SS Peter and Pauls chapel in Cork citySS Peter and Pauls chapel in Cork city

November blessing of graves and cemetery prayers

Here is a list of November Blessing of Graves and Cemetery Prayers throughout the Diocese

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Rosary for world peace at BallincolligRosary for world peace at Ballincollig

Last Thursday evening parishioners of Ballinora, Ballincollig and Ovens/Farran united in prayer as one of the newly created Families of Parishes.

This report is from Fr. Kamil Bachara CC

It was a good start, a first step on the journey as we want to build a real family, where everyone is welcome and there is a place for everyone.

More than 100 people gathered in St. Mary’s and St. John’s Church in Ballincollig to pray together The Rosary for World Peace. They were welcomed by Sr. Nan O’Mahony who also gave a lovely reflection on Our Lady. Then the Rosary started. Each decade was led by a rep of a different community and followed by a hymn sung by one of the choirs. There were choirs from Ovens, Ballinora and Ballincollig involved.

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Bishop Fintan has visited Sacred Heart Parish, Western Road, Cork and also presided at Mass at which a new parish priest was installed. 

Fr Con Doherty MSC was installed as the parish's new parish priest who will minister there withFr. Des Farren MSC.

Both priests are Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

The parish includes Western Road, Mardyke, Victoria Cross, Lee Road, (from Our Lady’s Hospital gate eastwards) and Sunday’s Well Road (to Daly’s Bridge).

(Image: Mike English)

Clergy and parishioners at Sacred Heart Parish, Western RoadBishop, clergy and parishioners at Sacred Heart Parish, Western Road

The late Archbishop Patrick CoveneyThe late Archbishop Patrick Coveney

Bishop Fintan Gavin has announced that the death has occurred of Archbishop Patrick Coveney who has resided in Crosshaven Parish since his retirement as Apostolic Nuncio to Greece in 2009.

Archbishop Coveney was born in 1934 and is a native of Tracton Abbey Parish.  He was ordained as a priest of the Diocese of Cork and Ross in Rome in 1959.  

His first pastoral appointment was in Kidlington, Archdiocese of Bermingham, for one year before joining the staff of St. Finbarr’s Seminary, Farranferris from 1960 – 1966. 

In 1966 he joined the Secretariat of State in the Vatican and then entered the Pontifical Ecclesial Academy in 1969. He served as Secretary to the Apostolic Nuncio in Argentina from 1972 -1976 after which he returned to Rome to rejoin the Secretariat of State until 1982. He then moved to New Delhi until 1984 as counsellor to the Nunciature there and then to Khartoum in Sudan until 1985.

He was consecrated as Titular Archbishop of Satrianum in the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne in the Diocese of Cork and Ross on 15th September 1985 and was appointed as Apostolic Pro Nuncio to Zimbabwe and Apostolic Delegate to Mozambique until 1990.  He then served as Apostolic Nuncio to Ethiopia residing in Addis Ababa as well as Apostolic Delegate to Djibouti until 1996.  

He was appointed as Apostolic Nuncio in New Zealand, the Marshall Islands, Samoa and Apostolic Delegate for Oceania in 1996 until 2005 residing in Wellington.  

In this period he also served as Apostolic Nuncio to Samoa, Tonga, Marshall Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Vanuatu, Nauru, Cook Islands and Palau.  

He was then appointed as Apostolic Nuncio to Greece from 2005 residing in Athens until his retirement in 2009.

Archbishop Coveney returned to the Diocese of Cork and Ross to reside in Crosshaven Parish. He assisted in Crosshaven parish as well as celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation in many parishes throughout the Diocese of Cork and Ross at the invitation of Bishop Gavin and Bishop Buckley.

May he rest in peace.

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