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Rosary for world peace at BallincolligLast 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.
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)
Bishop, clergy and parishioners at Sacred Heart Parish, Western Road
The late Archbishop Patrick CoveneyBishop 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.
Bishop Fintan Gavin met with the Diocesan Primary School Advisors for a day of reflection, sharing and planning for the future.
The diocesan advisors are lay people with extensive educational involvement appointed by the Bishop to support our parish schools in the delivery of the Catholic religious education curriculum.
Bishop Fintan affirmed the work of the diocesan advisers and the support they have offered to schools across the diocese by visiting the schools and by appraising teachers of resources available to support their work. Together with the bishop they began a conversation about how this can be best done into the future in rapidly evolving religious and educational landscape.
“It is part of our mission as a faith community to reach out to others with the Good News of Jesus Christ,” Bishop Fintan said. “And the diocesan advisors have made an important contribution to this.”
The meeting on Thursday 20th October took place at Presentation Brothers, Mardyke House, Cork and was facilitated by Br. Martin Kenneally.
"We had a very worthwhile meeting,"
At the meeting of Diocesan Primary School Advisors are; (l to r.) Brid O Callaghan, Catriona Ui Shuileabhain, Phil Deasy, Regina O'Sullivan (Diocesan Education Secretariat), Br. Martin Kenneally, Eddie Moloney, Bishop Fintan Gavin, TJ Coakley, Seamus O’Dálaigh, (Primary Religious Education Coordinator), Con McCarthy and AnnMarie Barry.
Bishop Fintan Gavin at the Cathedral
Bishop Fintan Gavin has issued updated guidance to the clergy of the diocese which acknowledges that most Covid19 restrictions were lifted last February with ongoing caution needed.
Noting that "that we will have to learn to live with Covid19 in the safest way possible", the bishop's guidance allows for the careful restoration of most church practices which were routine before the pandemic.
Reception of Holy Communion
People may receive either in the hand or on the tongue.
Face Coverings
While people are no longer obliged to wear face coverings in churches some may continue to do so by choice. However, for the distribution of Holy Communion, Priests, Deacons and Ministers of the Eucharist should continue to wear a face covering and to sanitise their hands before and after distributing Holy Communion.
Parish Ministries
All ministries such as choirs, music ministry, Ministers of the Word, Ministers of the Eucharist, altar servers, funeral ministry, baptism ministry and other such parish groups should be reinstated.
At CONNECT2 young adult Catholics with Bishop Fintan
It was pouring rain outside around the UCC campus on Sunday but over one hundred young people took their coats off and got stuck into discussions and debates about their faith.
The Diocese of Cork and Ross hosted CONNECT 2 at UCC's Devere Hall and Honan Chapel as part of a planned engagement with young adults about their faith.
This was a follow up to the CONNECT event held in the same venue in May.
Young adults from around the Diocese gathered for a day which included a talk, workshops, testimonies, lunch and finished with Mass celebrated by Bishop Fintan Gavin.
It is hoped that many of the attendees will join the Diocese in August for its first journey to World Youth Day in Lisbon with Pope Francis.
During the annual retreat for Priests of Cork and Ross Diocese the priests prayed the Rosary for the people and priests of Creeslough, Co Donegal.
The rosary was led by Fr Cian O'Sullivan who is a classmate of Fr John Joe Duffy of Creeslough.
More than 60 of the priests of the diocese are on a retreat and the retreat director is Donegal native Fr Michael McCullough CM.
World Mission Sunday 2022World Mission Sunday is the Holy Father’s annual appeal for spiritual and financial support so that the life-giving work of overseas mission and missionaries can continue
It always falls on the second last Sunday in October, meaning this year it will be celebrated over the weekend of Sunday 23rd.
All offerings made on behalf of World Mission Sunday become part of the Holy Father’s Universal Solidarity Fund. This Fund supports missionary activities in over 1,100 young dioceses, mostly in Africa, Asia, and Latin
America. As young dioceses grow, so do their needs. On top of this, they are often found in remote areas devastated by conflict or natural disasters. The Universal Solidarity Fund provides aid so that missionaries can continue to go to these places to share the love of God.
Every year to enhance World Mission Sunday celebrations we prepare the Mission Month Pack. These resources are designed to help individuals, parishes and communities celebrate not just World Mission Sunday, but the entire month of October.
Feel free to use and share these resources with your wider community in any way you wish – in person, from the pulpit, on your website, or over social media!
The church which hosts one of Cork’s best known clocks has marked its 300th year
The celebrations at the Parish Church of Saint Anne, Shandon, culminated in a Service of Thanksgiving on Sunday, 2nd October 2022. The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Rev. Dr Paul Colton presided over the service, which was led by the Priest-in-Charge, the Rev. Meghan Farr. Dr Paula Gooder, Canon Chancellor of Saint Paul’s Cathedral, London, preached at the service.
The congregation included people from all over the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross and Ireland, with current and past associations with the parish. Special guests included Simon Coveney TD, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Deirdre Forde, Colm Burke TD, Senator Jerry Buttimer, and Cllr. Oliver Moran, as well as representatives from local history and community groups. The ecumenical guests included the Most Rev. Dr Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross, the Rev. Andrew Robinson (Munster Methodist Circuit), the Rev. John O’Donovan PP (North Cathedral), the Rev. Mike O’Sullivan (Unitarian Church), as well as representatives from the Religious Society of Friends.
Clergy and guests outside Saint Anne’s Church, Shandon, after the service
Bishop Fintan GavinBishop Fintan Gavin has asked that prayers be said in parishes and communities across the Diocese of Cork and Ross this weekend for all those affected by the tragedy in Creeslough, Co Donegal.
"We will pray for those who have been injured, those who lost their lives and all who are still awaiting news, as well as all those who have lost loved ones in this tragedy."
"Our prayers will include gratitude for all the emergency servces and all who are assisting those in need," Bishop Fintan said.
The most southerly diocese is offering the prayers and support of the people of the diocese to the community in Creeslough and to Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ and everyone in the Diocese of Raphoe.
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October 2026
- Confirmation Dates 2027
- Families of Parishes Working Together to Strengthen Parish Life
- Filipino Catholic Community Visits Bishop Fintan
- Parish in Cork suburb marks 50 years of its church
- Priests of the diocese return refreshed after retreat
- Bishop Antony Mar Silvanos Visits Bishop Fintan in Cork
- Presentation Brothers open St. Carlo Acutis Prayer Garden at Mardyke House
- Orientation session for recently appointed primary school teachers
- Diocesan Alpha Teams Gathering
- Ballinora Parish celebrates its fortieth anniversary
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September 2026
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August 2026
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July 2026
