This article is from page 13 of the 2012-06-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
HUNDREDS of pilgrims from Clare are set to attend the Eucharistic Congress that is expected to attract over 40,000 people to the RDS in Dublin between June 10 to 17 next.
The Clare contingent will be led by Bishop of Killaloe, Kieran O’Reilly, while a spokesperson for the diocese has revealed that busloads of pilgrims from all parts of the country will attend the weeklong event.
“This is the 50th Congress and it is a very big event,” said Killaloe Diocesan secretary Brendan Quinlivan. “There is a very big ecumenical theme to this year’s Congress and the dialogue between the different churches.
“There are people coming from all over the world to this Congress – from eastern Europe, from Africa and Clare will be very well represented with people from all parishes attending,” added Fr Quinlivan.
“Next Monday is the big ecumenical day of the Congress,” revealed Fr Jerry Carey, “and young people from around the country will be gathering in the RDS on that day for special prayer services. There are young people from all over Clare who will be attending,” he added.
Eucharistic Congress organiser in the Diocese of Killaloe, Essie Hayes, revealed that many volunteers from the county will play their part transforming the RDS centre in Ballsbridge into a Eucharistic Village.
“It’s all about volunteerism,” she said, “and a big part of the village will be an exhibition that will remember when the last Eucharistic Congress came to Ireland in 1932,” he added.
Over 1,000 people from Clare attended the 1932 gathering, the 31st Congress since it was established in 1881 the Vatican as a gathering of clergy and laity to bear witness to the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.