Recently appointed primary school principals meet for diocesan event

Twenty recently appointed principals of primary schools throughout the Diocese of Cork and Ross gathered in Cork International Hotel to meet as a group with Bishop Fintan as school patron.

Bishop Fintan assured the gathering of his support for them in their leadership and management role through the Diocesan Education Secretariat as well as in their role as faith leaders via the Diocesan Co-ordinator of Faith Formation in primary schools.  Bishop Fintan acknowledged that while school principals, staff members and Boards of Management face many challenges in a changing faith landscape in families, the Catholic ethos of schools centred on the Person of Jesus is even more needed than ever.

Ms. Susan O’Hanrahan, Diocesan Co-ordinator for Faith Formation in Primary Schools, outlined initiatives to support the faith formation of children as well as nourishing the faith lives of staff members including an upcoming Day of Reflection for teachers on Saturday 30^th November in Mardyke House, the roll-out of a pilot programme for the introduction of Christian meditation in primary schools, the development of a pilot retreat for Confirmation candidates with NET Ministries, Bishop Fintan’s on-going pastoral visits to schools and her own on-going school visits to support teachers with the Grow In Love Programme.

CONNECT 5 - Sun 17 Nov 2024

Diocese of Cork and Ross announces CONNECT 5 event for Young Adults

CONNECT 5, an event for young adults aged between 18 and 35 years, will take place in UCC on Sunday November 17th 2024 from 9.30am to 4pm.

Previous CONNECT events have been very successful in bringing young adults together to celebrate their faith and to find support and nourishment for their faith journey today.  It also reaches out to those who are searching and not sure.

We are very excited to announce that our guest speakers for CONNECT 5 are Fr Columba Jordan CFR and Katie Ascough, who are both from Ireland. They both work for the Catholic online platform Called to More

Katie Ascough is the founder of this platform and Fr. Columba Jordan, a Friar with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, is the host.  This platform is very popular and has a huge following among young people online. They will be joining us on the day to speak on this year’s Connect theme which is “In a troubled world, Dare to Hope”. 

As well as presentations and sharing the day will include Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and an opportunity for Confession. There is a registration fee of €10, which includes lunch on the day.

Bishop congratulates Ballincollig on its TidyTowns win

Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross, has joined with local priests in congratulating Ballincollig on its historic first in the Supervalu TidyTowns Awards.

Ballincollig has been named Ireland’s Tidiest Town and overall winner of Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre.

Bishop Gavin joins with Fr. Alan O’Leary, Co-PP, Ballincollig, and Moderator of the Family of Parishes which includes Ballincollig, Ballinora and Ovens, and the other priests in sending best wishes to Tom Butler, Chairman of Ballincollig TidyTowns Committee and the many volunteers who have reaped the rewards of consistent dedication and community spirit.

“This only comes about,” Bishop Fintan said, “because so many people have put their community and their place first. I congratulate everyone involved in putting Ballincollig deservedly on the list of towns with pride in their places”.

At Masses in the diocese to celebrate the visits of the relics of St. Bernadette of Lourdes, Bishop Fintan Gavin quoted lines from the saint...

“Through Bernadette, we hear and hope again that no matter what ‘if your dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces … never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again. That’s the beauty of being alive … we can always start all over again’.”

Bishop Fintan celebrated Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne, Cork and at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Clonakilty, where both churches were filled to overflowing.

“Make no mistake about it,” Bishop Fintan said, “this place, this night, is filled with the transforming power of the presence of God.”

The first ever visit to our diocese of the relics of the French saint was witnessed by thousands of people who took time to visit and pray near the relics

Bishop Fintan’s Pastoral Visit to Regina Mundi College Cork

On Wednesday October 23^rd Bishop Fintan made a Pastoral Visit to Regina Mundi College, Douglas, Cork.

The Bishop received a warm welcome from Principal Ms. Yvonne Lucey, Deputy Principal Mr. Paul Finn and Head Girl Ella Delamere Cooney and Deputy Head Girl Kate Russell, along with Ms. Corrigan representing the school Management.

During the visit, Bishop Fintan took part in a liturgical celebration with students and staff and encouraged them to build a personal relationship with Jesus. He emphasised the importance of community, faith and education and provided some insights into the life of Blessed Carlo Acutis as a model of how young people can develop their own inner life of faith.

Bishop Fintan made a pastoral visit to Rosscarbery and Lisavaird Parish - one of the parishes in the Clonakilty Family of Parishes.

The Bishop celebrated Mass at Rosscarbery and Lisavaird last weekend and met parishioners after each of the Masses.

Bishop Fintan expressed his delight at being able to visit the parish. He spoke about the recent Pastoral Letter –“Even the Winds and the Seas obey him” which the Bishop launched at the recent Gougane Barra Pilgrimage Mass on Sunday October 6^th last.

Bishop Fintan emphasised the importance of the future of the Church in Cork & Ross, making reference to his Pastoral Letter. He informed the people that in a short number of years the number of priests under 60 years of age will be very few.

Children from two schools sang at the Masses

Bishop Fintan Gavin welcomed school principals, teachers, chairpersons and members of Boards of Management and parent representatives across the 174 catholic schools in the Diocese of Cork and Ross to two Masses for the opening of the school year.

They were celebrated in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Clonakilty, on Monday 14^th October and in the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne on Tuesday 15^th October. 

Ireland's Catholic Bishops’ issue pastoral letter on immigration: A Hundred Thousand Welcomes?

The Irish bishops’ have launched a new pastoral letter A Hundred Thousand Welcomes? and Bishop Fintan invites all people to read it and reflect on it.

The theme of A Hundred Thousand Welcomes? is about people welcoming the migrant in contemporary Ireland as modelled by the parable of the Good Samaritan.  

The pastoral letter encourages people to welcome the migrant and to reject voices that attempt to sow division and also calls on State authorities to provide more services at a community level.

In the video clip, Bishop Donal Roche introduces the pastoral letter.

There is a short version of the pastoral letter as well as the expanded text at this link:

Bishops' Pastoral on Migration

Post Primary Religion Teachers meet for In-service gathering

The annual Cork and Ross Post Primary RE Teachers In-service gathering was held at Innishannon House Hotel on Thursday September 26^th. 

Sixty Religious Education Teachers and School Chaplains representing 33 Post Primary schools from across the Diocese participated. 

They were joined by Bishop Fintan Gavin for the duration of the event.

Morning Prayer was provided by teachers Anne Marie Nolan, Matthew Sweeney and Collette O’Donovan from Coláiste Éamann Rís in Cork City.

Presentations were given by Nodlaig Lillis from the Youth and Adult Ministry Office in the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore who facilitated a very productive session on “Resources for Junior and Senior Cycle Religious Education”.  After morning break Brother Richard Hendrick O.F. M. Cap. engaged delegates in a very insightful and thought-provoking presentation on “ The Challenge and Promise of Religious Education in Ireland today”.