Receive diocesan news and announcements direct to your email
Bishop Fintan made a Pastoral Visit to Mount Mercy College
On Thursday November 20th Bishop Fintan made a Pastoral Visit to Mount Mercy College, Model Farm Road, Cork.
Upon arrival, he was warmly welcomed by School Principal Ms. Tricia Ryan, Deputy Principal Ms. Ellen van Walleghen, Mr. Colm Ó Corcora, Chairperson of the Board of Management, Fr. Donal Cotter, Co-PP Ballineaspaig, and members of the Student Leadership Team.
The visit began with a Prayer Liturgy on the theme of Remembrance, attended by students, staff, and guests. During his homily, Bishop Fintan offered students four key points for living a meaningful life: faith, family, friendship, and fruitful service. He encouraged them to recognise their uniqueness, to remember that they are loved by God, and to be courageous, kind, and attentive to God’s guiding voice.
During our Year of Prayer, Listening and Discernment, people shared a desire for a deeper and more united experience of worship during the Sunday Eucharist.
In responding to this desire, we’re introducing the use of common postures at Mass, as outlined in the Missal, starting on the First Sunday of Advent. It is hoped that this will help make people feel even more welcome and at home in whatever church in our diocese that they attend the celebration of the Eucharist.
We have designed a poster and pew card outlining these postures with a brief explanation of why we stand, kneel and sit at Mass. These simple aids are meant to help our communities worship as one body, united in prayer before the Lord.
Watch the short video of common postures at Mass hereAlongside these printed materials, a short video is also available to help understand the meaning behind the postures at different parts of the celebration of the Eucharist and how they reflect our shared faith.
Bishop Fintan Gavin has made his first pastoral visits to the two post-primary schools in Clonakilty and was warmly welcomed by students, staff and the school communities
Sacred Heart Secondary School and Clonakilty Community College serve the post-primary educational needs of a large community in the parishes in and around Clonakilty. Sacred Heart Secondary School is an all-girls school established by the Sisters of Mercy and now in the trusteeship of CEIST. Clonakilty Community College is co-educational and its trustees are the Cork Education and Training Board.
The bishop’s visits were coordinated by Paul Kelly, the Diocesan Coordinator for Post-Primary Schools who accompanied the bishop on his visits. Bishop Fintan took part in a prayer service in both schools during which representative students and staff also took part and led singing.
Bishop Fintan visits Clonakilty Community CollegeThe annual Cork and Ross Post Primary Religious Education Teachers’ In-Service gathering took place today at Innishannon House Hotel.
This year’s event was very well supported, with 65 teachers registered from 40 post-primary schools across Cork City and County.
The keynote speaker for the day was Fr. Hugh Lagan SMA, who delivered an engaging presentation titled Leaning into the Light – Reclaiming Meaning, Purpose and Passion in Religious Education. Fr. Hugh, a member of the Society of African Missions and a chartered clinical psychologist, offered rich insights into nurturing purpose and hope in both teaching and faith life.
65 teachers from 40 post-primary schools across Cork City and County attended the in-service day
Bishop Fintan made a pastoral visit to Bandon Parish
Bishop Fintan makes a pastoral visit to Bandon Parish, celebrates Mass and meets parishioners.
On Sunday, Bishop Fintan visited Bandon Parish and celebrated Mass at the parish church in Bandon and at the Lady Chapel, Gaggin.
Friday October 24th brought together members of three generations of the extended Dwyer Families and the Cork Poor Clare Community along with Bishop Fintan Gavin
The occasion was to celebrate the centenary of the death of Walter Dwyer September 2nd 1925 – 2025, founding benefactor of the Cork Poor Clare Monastery in 1914.
Walter Dwyer is especially remembered for funding the building of the Monastery. Together with the Servant of God Fr. Willie Doyle SJ and with the permission of the Bishop of Cork at the time, Most Rev. Bishop Callaghan, Walter facilitated the arrival of his daughter Sr. Maria Dwyer and some Carlow Poor Clares in the Cork Monastery. Eleven years later, his death occurred on September 2nd 1925 in the Bon Secours Hospital next door and his body reposed in the Poor Clare Chapel overnight. Forty years later, on the same day, in 1965, his beloved daughter Sr. Maria died.
The Poor Clare Sisters, Cork with Bishop Fintan GavinBishop Fintan recently made the Pastoral Visit to Presentation Brothers College, Cork.
He received a warm welcome from School Principal Mr. David Barry, Members of the Presentation Brothers Congregation, the Past Pupils Union, the School Chaplain and Student Leaders.
Bishop Fintan joined an assembly of students, staff, and guests for a Prayer Liturgy based on the theme of 'Gratitude and Kindness'.
In his homily, Bishop Fintan reflected on the life of Saint Carlo Acutis, the recently canonised Italian teenager who became the first “Millennial Saint” when he was canonised by Pope Francis in Rome.
Pastoral Visit to Presentation Brothers College, Cork
This week Bishop Fintan Gavin celebrated two Masses for the beginning of the new school year for the primary schools in the Diocese of Cork and Ross; on Monday 13th October at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Clonakilty and on Tuesday 14th October at the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne, Cork.
Those involved in supporting our primary schools throughout the diocese gathered together to call on God’s blessings for their school communities. To mark the Jubilee Year of Hope, the theme was Our Catholic Schools: Communities of Hope.
Bishop Fintan paid tribute to the enormous voluntary contribution of Boards of Management which are part of the Irish primary education system since 1975 and thanked members, past and present, for their service.
Mass for the beginning of the New Primary School Year celebrated in the Cathedral of St Mary and St AnneSacrament of Confirmation in Parishes 2026
Bishop Fintan has announced arrangements for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation in parishes for 2026. 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
Sealed with the gift of the Holy SpiritHere is the Confirmation Schedule for 2026 throughout the Diocese
The West Cork orientation session for recently appointed teachers in primary schools under the patronage of the Bishop of Cork and Ross was held on Thursday 25th September at the Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery.
The teachers met with Bishop Fintan Gavin, Regina O’Sullivan (Diocesan Education Secretariat) and Mary Anne Collins (Coordinator for Faith Formation in Primary Schools).
Bishop Fintan thanked the teachers for their important work in schools and emphasised his wish to connect with teachers and support them in their work. The unique challenges and opportunities of multi-grade teaching were acknowledged and the availability of the Grow in Love Teaching Schemes for Multi-Class Situations was welcomed by teachers. The teachers also had the chance to review the differentiated resources for the 2nd class Grow in Love programme which will help teachers to prepare pupils for the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.
Regina O’Sullivan (Diocesan Education Secretariat), Stephanie Cannon (Bandon Primary School), Jenny Byrne (Dreeny NS), Mary Anne Collins (Coordinator for Faith Formation in Primary Schools), Rachel Crowley, Kate-Anne Fenton (Bunscoil Fachtna), Bishop Fintan Gavin, Jess Henry (Bandon Primary School), Micheál Ó Duinnín (Scoil Mhuire agus Bharra), Erin Leahy (Clogagh NS), Bríd Hartnett (Knockavilla NS), Oran Mullally (Knockavilla NS)
Latest News
News
-
January 2026
- Vacancy: Parish Life Coordinator
- Annual Service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Celebrated in Cork
- Bishop Fintan Visits Schools During Catholic Schools Week
- Vacancy: Diocesan Director of Safeguarding
- Catholic Schools Week takes place from 18th - 24th January
- Bishop Fintan visits Scoil Mhuire agus Bharra, Bantry
- Bishop closes Jubilee Year at Cathedral Mass
-
December 2025
- Bishop Fintan's greeting and blessing for the new year
- Highlights of the past year in our diocese
- Two priests take sabbaticals; two priests appointed
- Cork's bishops issue joint message for Christmas
- Fr Bernard Cotter Publishes New Book
- Bishop Fintan’s live crib Christmas message 2025
- Bishop Fintan’s Live Crib Christmas Message 2025
- Almost 800 pupils participate in Confirmation retreats with NET Ministries
- Br. Simon Fernandes Makes Perpetual Profession of Vows
- Light Fever taking place this Sunday in Ss. Peter and Paul's Church
-
November 2025
