The Monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II on 24 November 2004, to promote Eucharistic Adoration and encourage prayers dedicated to vocations, will, over a two-week period from 15 to 29 November, journey to twelve dioceses across the island of Ireland.
The Monstrance has been brought to Ireland by three members of Serra International who have been gifted this Monstrance by the United States Catholic Bishops’ Conference where it was used throughout the US to facilitate prayer for vocations before the Blessed Sacrament. Father Willie Purcell, National Vocations Coordinator of the Irish Bishops’ Conference, collaborated with Serra to bring the Monstrance to Ireland for the national ‘Come and See’ vocations discernment weekend. This event, held over the weekend of 15 to 17 November in the national seminary of Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, was a collaboration between the Irish Bishops’ Vocations Office, and the SPCM seminary formation staff.
Dublin Deacon Rev Eric Cooney, administrator of the Bishops’ Vocations Office, arranged for the Monstrance to be brought to the twelve Irish dioceses. The first church that the Monstrance visited was Saint Patrick’s Church, Monkstown, in the Archdiocese of Dublin, where there was Exposition from 2.30pm to 5.00pm and also later that evening for Holy Hour from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.
Commenting on the visit of the Monstrance to Ireland, Bishop Phonsie Cullinan of Waterford & Lismore, who is chair of the Irish Bishops’ Council for Vocations, said, “I am delighted to see this Vocations Monstrance, as it is called, going around the country. Of course it is not the Monstrance which is important but what it holds. But the Monstrance is, as it were, an excuse to gather people to pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood. I sincerely thank the three wonderful volunteers from the USA who have gone to so much trouble to bring the Monstrance to our island. May their work not be in vain, and may many people come out to pray so that we will have more priestly vocations through the intercession of Pope Saint John Paul.”
As well as Dublin, the Monstrance is currently visiting the dioceses of Dromore, Down & Connor, Derry, Raphoe, Elphin, Galway, Limerick, Cloyne, Waterford & Lismore, Ossory and Kildare & Leighlin. To view details of churches and times of adoration visit vocations.ie.
ENDS
