Bishop Fintan Gavin initiated a Year of Prayer, Listening and Discernment in the Diocese of Cork and Ross at the annual pilgrimage at St. Finbarr’s Oratory in Gougane Barra in September 2024
At that time, Bishop Fintan published a “Prayer from the Boat” and asked people across the diocese to pray it at Mass, for personal prayer and various liturgical gatherings during the year.
Bishop Fintan also published a pastoral message which was also read at Masses in the diocese and widely circulated in print and online
A series of gatherings was also to be held in each family of parishes across the diocese and with other faith communities, including the Catholic communities of people who have migrated to live in the diocese. The meetings in families of parishes were attended by members of each parish’s parish assembly or pastoral council, members of the parish finance committees as well as clergy. The focus of the gatherings was to be the principal questions posed by Bishop Fintan in his pastoral – on Baptism, the Eucharist and Families of Parishes. These gatherings were convened by the Office for Mission and Ministry. The template for the gatherings was piloted in Autumn 2024 with the family of parishes which includes Carraig na bhFear, Glanmire, Glounthaune and Watergrasshill.
year of prayer, listening and discernmentDuring the Spring of 2025, the other 15 families of parishes also convened for three meetings each. These were facilitated by Eilis Casey and Lorraine Buckley from the Office for Mission and Ministry and they were assisted by volunteer facilitators from across the diocese.
Gatherings were also convened with members of religious communities in the diocese along with the Brazilian community, Polish community and people from India who are members of the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites in our diocese.
Report from Religious Communities
Report from new Catholic Communities
At each gathering, participants completed written responses which were collected at each venue. These were all transcribed into digital format. These transcripts have been made available to each family of parishes. The responses from each family of parishes and each faith community were analysed separately to create a thematic summary for each family of parishes.
These thematic summaries are published here:
Aughadown | Castlehaven & Myross | Kilmacabea | Rath and the Islands | Skibbereen
Ballincollig | Ballinora | Kilmurry | Ovens and Farran
Ballinhassig | Clontead | Courceys | Kinsale
Ballyphehane | The Lough | Togher
Bantry | Caheragh | Goleen | Muintir Bháire | Schull
Carrigaline | Crosshaven | Monkstown | Passage West | Tracton Abbey
Carraig na bhFear | Glanmire | Glounthaune | Watergrasshill & Glenville
Clogheen & Kerry Pike | Farranree | Gurranabraher | Knocknaheeny & Hollyhill
Drimoleague | Dunmanway | Kilmichael | Uibh Laoire
Ballineaspaig | Curraheen Road | Sacred Heart | Wilton
Ballinlough | Blackrock | Blackrock Road | Mahon
St. Joseph’s Mayfield | Upper Mayfield | Pastoral Care of Holy Family Church, Military Hill
Douglas & Rochestown | Frankfield & Grange | Turner’s Cross
Responses from families of parishes were also compared and analysed based on the scale and geographical location of each of the 68 parishes.
A diocesan synthesis was also compiled from the data of the 68 parishes, the other Catholic faith communities and the communities of religious.
Diocesan Synthesis Report 2025
Bishop Fintan has published a pastoral response which acknowledges the journey so far by the faithful of the diocese and also indicates what steps are to follow.
