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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 6th 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.
Sacrament of Confirmation in Parishes 2025
Bishop Fintan has announced arrangements for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation in parishes for 2025. These arrangements have been made available to parishes and schools involved.
In announcing these arrangements, Bishop Fintan added that he hopes to visit a significant number of parishes himself for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation next year as well as delegating some retired bishops, the Vicars General and a number of other priests when more than one parish is celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation on the same day.
Here is the Confirmation Schedule for 2025 throughout the Diocese
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 14th October and in the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne on Tuesday 15th 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:
Bishop of Cork and Ross invites people to respond to Church changes with a time of prayer, listening and discernment
On a weekend when heavy rain and winds had blown across his diocese, it seems more than coincidence that a new pastoral message from the Bishop of Cork and Ross should begin with a scripture quote: “Even the wind and the seas obey Him”.
Bishop Fintan Gavin read his message on Sunday to pilgrims attending the annual Mass at St. Finbarr’s Oratory, Gougane Barra.
Bishop Fintan’s message is a call to the people of the diocese to commit to a year-long time of prayer, listening and discernment about the future of the Catholic Church in the parishes and chaplaincies of the diocese.
In a time of unprecedented change in society and the Catholic Church in Ireland, people are understandably concerned about their parish’s future, he said.
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 26th.
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”.
Ever thought about opening your mind and spirit to explore theology in the company of other young adults?
Through the success of ‘Sycamore’, the diocese and partners are launching a brand new 10-week introductory programme exploring the fundamentals of our Christian faith, called ‘Foundations in Theology’
This 10-week introductory course/programme is designed for young adults aged 18-35 years presented by various experts in the area. It will run concurrently to the ‘Sycamore’ programme on a Wednesday evening in Mardyke House, Cork, T12 W8RP.
It will begin on Wednesday 2 October 2024, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, and will run for 10 consecutive weeks.
Sign Up Here for Foundations in Theology
To sign up to either course, or for more information, email Sheila at
For young people who are searching, seeking meaning, wondering about God and the place of the Divine in one’s life.
‘Sycamore’ may be the answer! It’s a formation series, which will take place in Mardyke House, Cork, T12 W8RP. It will begin on Wednesday 2 October 2024, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, and will run for 10 consecutive weeks.
It’s not a study course. It’s based on watching videos and then discussing and exploring their content with a group of other young adults.
This programme is a great starting point for young adults who want to explore the Catholic faith. This project is in collaboration with UCC Chaplaincy and the Presentation Brothers LEAF Project – but you don’t have to be a student!
Find out more email
You can find out more about Sycamore
in this video by Fr. Wang, its main presenter
The values of a hospital are the values of the people who work in the hospital, Bishop Fintan Gavin has said as he celebrated Mass for Mercy Day at Mercy University Hospital in Cork.
“It’s the values of the people that patients meet and experience when they come into the hospital for treatment and care,” he said.
The Catholic faith which informs these values in a Catholic Hospital, Bishop Fintan said,
is a very practical faith and finds expression in how we meet Christ and respond to him in the other person.
“This is something very public and not simply private. We are called to be as as the Gospel reminds us – “a light for our world” – in other words, people should know our actions and experience our values not just by our words but by our deeds.”
The Diocese of Cork and Ross has announced its intention to create a diocesan pastoral centre to serve the current and future needs of the local Church in Cork and Ross.
The current and future needs of the diocese and its parish faith communities rest on priests, deacons and lay people sharing responsibility for the life and mission of the Church, Bishop Fintan Gavin said.
The Cork and Ross Pastoral Centre will be used to help train volunteers for leadership and ministry in the families of parishes in the years and decades ahead.
The new Centre will bring all Diocesan functions under the one roof, including Education, Mission and Ministry, Youth Ministry, Safeguarding, Communications and administrative functions including the Bishop’s Office and the Diocesan Secretariat.
Latest News
News
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December 2024
- Primary school teachers in the Diocese attend a Day of Reflection
- Death of Fr. Seamus Mac Ginneá
- Bishop Fintan visits Edmund Rice College Carrigaline
- Bishop Fintan’s Pastoral Visit to Scoil Bernadette
- Brazilian Community in Cork celebrates as 14 members are Confirmed at the Cathedral
- Reps of over 28 parishes gather for final diocesan information meeting
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November 2024
- Over 200 parish reps. expected at final diocesan information meeting on Sunday
- Room filled to over capacity for West Cork gathering
- Storm didn’t put first information meeting for Year of Prayer, Listening and Discernment off course
- Polish Chaplaincy Transfers to Holy Cross Church Mahon
- Year of Prayer, Listening, and Discernment enters New Phase
- Death of Fr Des Campion SDB, CFC
- In a troubled world, Dare to Hope
- Holy Well National School, Carrigaline, welcomes Bishop Fintan
- Diocese launches ‘Maranatha’ for Post-Primary Students
- Recently appointed primary school principals meet for diocesan event
- Diocese of Cork and Ross announces CONNECT 5 event for Young Adults
- Bishop congratulates Ballincollig on its TidyTowns win
- "Through Bernadette, we hear and hope again"
- Bishop Fintan’s Pastoral Visit to Regina Mundi College Cork