A Cork woman is the new Commissioner of the Catholic Girl Guides of Ireland

On the 90th year of the Catholic Guides of Ireland in Cork, a woman from the South West Region has become the organisation's new Chief Commissioner.

Julie Donnelly is a native of Dublin but she has lived in Cork for many years.

Her commissioning was celebrated at a special Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne, Cork, which was celebrated by Bishop Fintan Gavin and concelebrated by Canon John O’Donovan.

Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Deirdre Forde attended and extended congratulations to Julie.

The previous Chief Commissioner, Emily McCann, was also present along with representatives of Irish Girl Guides and representatives of Scouting Ireland.

Julie started out as a Brigin in Harold’s Cross in Dublin in 1970. She continued through Guides and was appointed as a Guide Leader in Ballyroan, Templeogue in 1981. Julie moved to Cork in 1985 and was a Guide Leader in Carrigaline for several years.

Addressing the congregation at the Mass, Bishop Fintan Gavin, thanked all the guides for their commitment.

Speaking to the new Commissioner, he said:
“My prayer for you today Julie as you are commissioned as the chief commissioner of the Catholic Guides in Ireland, is that you will always know the closeness of God’s love for you so that you will have the courage, strength and the vision to lead this organisation with its rich and dynamic traditions and values so that they can be offered to young women today in an ever changing world more in need than ever for them.”

At the Mass celebrated by Bishop Fintan Gavin at the Cathedral for schools in Cork City and suburbs.

Recently Bishop Fintan invited people from 174 primary schools in his patronage to a Mass for the opening of the School Year.  

Included were all school principals, chairpersons and members of Boards of Management, teacher and parent representatives.

Two Masses were celebrated in Clonakilty Parish Church on Tuesday 27th September and in the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne on Wednesday 28th September.  In his invitation, Bishop Fintan said that since his appointment as Bishop of Cork and Ross in 2019 he ‘looked forward to meeting with school communities.  

This was not possible due to the pandemic and these have been an incredibly difficult few years for schools.  As we begin this new school year, I invite you to join me for a Mass to call on God’s blessings for the year ahead’.
 

Bishop Fintan's pastoral visit to Uibh Laoire parish (pic. Nóirín Uí Thuama)

Uibh Laoire parish, which includes Inchigeela and Ballingeary, hosted a visit from Bishop Fintan Gavin to mark the traditional pilgrimage connected with St. Finbarr’s feast day.

Bishop Fintan celebrated Mass in Inchigeela and in Ballingeary and also met parishioners and visitors.

On Sunday 25th, Bishop Fintan was the principal celebrant of Mass at St. Finbarr’s Oratory in Gougane Barra.

Co-Parish Priest Fr. Anthony O’Mahony concelebrated as did newly ordained Fr. Ronan Sheehan who also preached the homily.

Priests across the diocese who have begun ministering together in families of parishes have met at meetings organised by the diocese

Bishop Fintan said that the purpose of these meetings is to help priests tease out what working together as a team means and how this will impact on their shared ministry in Family of Parishes.  The meetings were facilitated by Elizabeth Garry Brosnan and there were three similar meetings across the diocese: in Rosscarbery, Innishannon and in Cork City.

Twelve of the planned 16 families of parishes have been formed this year with each involving between three and six parishes.  Priests in each family of parishes will meet regularly to discuss, together with our parish communities, practical considerations such as Mass schedules, time off, ways of supporting each other and new ways of sharing responsibilities.

The annual collection for the Priesthood Education Fund in the Diocese will be taken up on the weekend of 24th/25th September

The collections funds the costs of training seminarians, permanent deacons and also funds further study of priests of the diocese.

Bishop Fintan has written to parishes asking for their support in prayer and in funds for two new students who have commenced studies for the Diocese of Cork and Ross at Valladolid in Spain and another candidate who will begin studies for the Permanent Diaconate.

The Priesthood Education Fund will finance their studies as well as costs for ongoing training and education of priests.  In the region of €110,000 will be needed to meet these costs in the coming year.  Last year €34,364 was raised in this collection so you are invited to be generous to the Priesthood Education Fund Collection this weekend.

Bishop Fintan has also announced that recently ordained Fr. Ronan Sheehan has been appointed as curate in the Family of Parishes of Ballincollig | Ballinora | Ovens & Farran with effect from Saturday 1st October. Fr. Ronan will reside in Ballincollig Parish.

Fr. Ronan will work with a team of priests including Fr. Liam O hÍcí Co-PP, Fr. Alan O’Leary Co-PP, Fr. Kamil Bachara CC and Fr. John Collins AP.

If you’d like to make a secure donation online to the Cork and Ross Priesthood Education Fund, please use this secure link

Donate to the Priesthood Education Fund

Gougane Barra

The annual pilgrimage in honour of St. Finbarr to Gougane Barra will take place on Sunday the 25th of September (the feast day of St. Finbarr).

The rosary will be recited at 2:30pm and Mass will be celebrated by Most Rev. Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross at 3pm.

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the dedication of St. Finbarr’s Oratory, Gougane Barra.  The Oratory was built in 1900, opened in 1901 and dedicated on the 15th of August 1902.  Among those present on that day was Pádraig Pearse who was on a cycling tour of Ireland at the time.

Fr Ronan Sheehan (27) was ordained in his own parish church in Newcestown, Co Cork, on Sunday 18 September 2022 in a church packed with family, clergy, parishioners and friends

This was the West Cork church’s first ordination of a priest in its 150 year history.

Fr. Sheehan was ordained by Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross, and he becomes the youngest priest in the diocese.

The congregation included his parents Bud and Denise Sheehan, his sisters Ciara, Leona, Orlaith and Aoibhe, and extended family.

Deacon Ronan Sheehan will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Fintan on Sunday 18 September at 3:00pm in the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Newcestown

Ronan is a native of Newcestown and is son of Bud and Denise Sheehan and has four sisters. He was ordained a Deacon this time last year and completed his seminary training at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

He will celebrate his first Mass in his native parish on Monday and will receive an appointment from Bishop Fintan in due course to serve as a priest of our diocese.

Let us accompany him with our prayers today and keep all priests in our prayers.

Ronan with Bishop Fintan Gavin, Ronan's sister Eabha and their mother Denise Sheehan on the day of Bishop Fintan’s Ordination as bishop in 2019

Photo: Tony O'Connell

Bishop's pastoral visit to the parish of Frankfield/Grange

Frankfield/Grange Parish was delighted to welcome Bishop Fintan Gavin on his first pastoral visit to the parish last weekend

Bishop Fintan celebrated the three weekend Masses, accompanied by Fr. Kevin O’ Regan P.P.

During his homily, Bishop Fintan spoke about the recent pastoral letter “Putting Out Into Deep Waters”. He said that twelve of the sixteen Families of Parishes had come into being that weekend.

Frankfield/Grange joins the parishes of Douglas and Turners Cross in forming a Family of Parishes next year.

At the conclusion of each Mass, Fr. Kevin thanked Bishop Fintan on behalf of all in the parish.