Weekly Connect From: Dermot Cowhey dermot.cowhey@limerickdiocese.org

28^th February, 2022:

Dear Chaplains/RE Teachers,

Message of Archbishop Eamon Martin asking for prayer and sacrifice this Lent for the people of Ukraine

The people of Ireland are well aware that we can never take peace for granted.  We must always continue work for peace, to pray for peace and to make sacrifices for peace.

The scenes from Ukraine in recent days are distressing and frightening.  They remind us how fragile peace in the world is.  To think that only days ago the people of that country were getting on with their lives, making plans for their families, their businesses, their education, and now suddenly their lives, homes and futures are under threat.  One of the awful things about war is the way that it suddenly destroys everything in its path.  It disrupts normal life and overnight introduces death, destruction, violence, fear, sorrow and grief.

Watching our screens from Ireland we feel powerless to help.  Our hearts and our prayers go out to the people of Ukraine who didn’t ask for this war, and who simply wanted to be left to get on with their lives, their jobs and with bringing up their families.  Now they must hide, shelter, and even run for safety to protect themselves and their children.

We can never take peace for granted.  We must always work for peace, pray for peace and make sacrifices for peace. All of us have the capacity to build peace by our words, our actions and our attitudes to others.  We choose to sow peace or conflict, love or hate, to build up, or to tear down, to heal or to hurt, to forgive or to resent, to soothe or to inflame.

The current situation in Ukraine appears to be motivated, at least in part, by abuse of power and by the desire to control and dominate.  It is alarming to think that despite the lessons learned last century in Europe about the horrors of war, that our continent could so easily be plunged back into chaos and uncertainty.

Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Peace I leave you, my own peace I give you, a peace that the world cannot give, that is my gift to you’.

The Pope's Monthly Intentions for March, 2022:

For a Christian response to bioethical challenges …

We pray for Christians facing new bioethical challenges; may they continue to defend the dignity of all human life with prayer and action.

https://www.popesprayer.va/popes-prayer-intentions

To watch the Pope Video - https://youtu.be/aJpxgGQywX8

Thought for the Day: We publish a ‘thought for the day’ every morning at 7am on the Diocesan Facebook page. (For Lent, there will be a special Lenten Thought for the Day.)

‘Little by little … mountains are moved.’ (Leunig)

https://www.facebook.com/dioceseoflimerick

Ash Wednesday and Lenten Resources will be sent in a separate email.

Liturgical Calendar

1^st March: Feast of Saint David of Wales

2^nd March: Ash Wednesday

6^th March: First Sunday of Lent

8^th March: St John of God

Please see Attachment 2 for more information.

Social Justice Module: Following on from a Social Media campaign last year, we have now developed a resource pack on Catholic Social Justice. The pack contains images, ideas for discussion, projects, activities and also points to other resources that might be useful. We have also compiled some prayers, reflections, speeches and poems, all relating to social justice themes which might help you to prepare liturgies or moments of prayer and reflection. We hope that this resources will be useful to you and help you to raise awareness about these important issues. Please feel free to make your own of them!  

The link to access these is

https://www.limerickdiocese.org/what-we-offer/young-people/youth-ministry/youth-ministry-news/catholic-social-justice-resource-pack-for-secondary-school/

We are deeply grateful to Aoife Walsh of Youth Ministry for generously sharing these.

Credible Catholic: Thank you for your interest in the Credible Catholic programme. Please see the link to the recording of the webinar in case you missed it. Please share with RE teachers and promote the programme in any way you can as it a viable alternative to exam based senior cycle course work: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUphbW-_rS4&t=365s

M.A in Spirituality: Applications are invited for 2 funded (EU fees) places on the unique MA in Applied Spirituality which is awarded by Waterford Institute of Technology and hosted and supported by the Spirituality Institute for Research and Education (SpIRE) in Dublin. The scholarships are funded by All Hallows Trust.

The scholarships are designed to support those who meet the entry requirements for the MA but are limited by finance from taking a place on the programme. It is a requirement that the minor dissertation in the taught MA address some aspect of spiritual care arising from the pandemic.

For further information / application form, contact Director of SpIRE: Dr Michael O’Sullivan; mosullivan@spiritualityinstitute.ie Applications close at the end of March 2022. Places will be allocated after interviews in early April.

Nua Origins: From Jonny Somervile of Nua Origins … Some of you have registered for NUA:Origins recently but others a long time ago. So I just wanted to let you know that all videos have been finalised. The links remain the same but all the videos have been replaced with updated animations & graphics and some much needed fine tuning!

NUA Origins Package:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jt107vbIk_doeYqedJUHr4BkL3RoAoLQ?usp=sharing

We have also launched the NUA:Origins Journal. If you are currently using NUA:Origins or will use it again we highly recommend getting a Journal for every participant! It would add immense value to the whole experience.

Purchase the NUA:Origins Journals:

https://nuafilmseries.org/nua-store/nuaorigins-journal 

Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, 2^nd March, 2022 – Sacred Space

Lent, a holy time of introspection and penance in preparation for the passion, death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ, can be further enriched with Sacred Space for Lent 2022, a daily prayer experience from Sacred Space, the internationally known online prayer guide. Sacred Space for Lent invites readers to develop a closer relationship with God during this season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. What we know and trust about the Sacred Space online prayer experience is now available in a compact print format to heighten our Lent prayer practice in a way that is accessible, engaging, and meaningful to daily life.

Throughout the Lenten season, each day includes a Scripture reading and points of reflection, as well as a weekly topic enhanced by six steps of prayer and meditation. With its small size and meaningful message, Sacred Space for Lent is a simple way to build a richer relationship with God and embrace the Lenten season as a sacred space. https://www.sacredspace.ie or www.veritaspublications.com

‘Look Up’ Programme: Many of you have made enquiries regarding the journal for the ‘Look Up!’ Programme. Veritas is exploring the possibility of making the journal available in digital format at the moment. I will let you know when this has been finalised. In the meantime, I have been asked to let schools who are enquiring know that this should be available in the near future. 

Attachments –

1. Attachment containing the usual links and resources. If you can add to this list, please forward all information to me.
2. Liturgical Calendar

If you are accessing this from the diocese website and would like to have these resources, please email dermot.cowhey@limerickdiocese.org

To conclude … as we approach Lent, we pause and take a well-earned rest so we might reflect on the following …