Diocesan News
Joint Christmas Message from the Bishops of Kilmore
We wish all in our Diocese a very happy and peaceful Christmas! We wish all from our Diocese who are in other parts of the world peace and joy at Christmas. We warmly welcome to the Diocese all who have come here from other parts of the world since Christmas last year. May your first Christmas in Ireland be a blessed one.Christmas celebrates the birth of the Prince of Peace. It is the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah that "the wolf will lie down with the lamb". It's message is summed up in the words of the angelic choir: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those who enjoy his favour". Peace, in the biblical sense, is not just the absence of conflict. It is the state of one who lives in harmony with himself or herself, with nature, with others and with God. In that sense, the work of peace is very much unfinished. We still need to work and to pray for peace.
We see that lack of peace in families and communities devastated by drugs, in a world increasingly devastated by global warming, in countries devastated by war, by poverty, by authoritarian regimes and by corruption. Perhaps, if we look closely enough, we might see it in our own lives and families and communities, and indeed our own country. Christmas is an invitation to allow the Prince of Peace to come into our own lives with his gift of peace. Christmas is also a challenge to work for peace and to share Christ's gift of peace with others.
There were significant Church events in Ireland at each end of the year that is coming to a close. The Most Reverend Alan Harper, Bishop of Connor, was elected Archbishop of Armagh on 9 January and was enthroned on 16 March. His appointment was warmly welcomed in Armagh and far beyond, while well-deserved tributes and good wishes were offered to his distinguished predecessor, Archbishop Eames, on his retirement. Then on 24 November Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI. This was a cause of general rejoicing throughout the country, North and South, but especially in the Cardinal's diocese of Armagh and here in his native diocese. Warm tributes were paid to the new Cardinal by President McAleese and by Archbishop Harper, among many others. We had an opportunity to celebrate with the new Cardinal on his first official visit to Cavan on Sunday last, and to mark appropriately the historic event of the appointment of the first Cardinal of the Church from the county of Cavan and the diocese of Kilmore. We congratulate both Archbishops on their appointments and wish them God's choicest blessings in their new roles.
All of the tributes paid to Cardinal Brady mentioned the great contribution he made to peace in Northern Ireland through his quiet work of cultivating good relationships and encouraging and supporting all who worked for peace and reconciliation. The greatest gift that the year brought to us was surely the new beginning of peace and co-operation in Northern Ireland with the restoration of devolved institutions on 8 May. In his responses to the tributes paid to him the Cardinal highlighted the quiet efforts and prayers of many, many people in bringing about the peace which we now enjoy. There were many times over the past nearly forty years when Church leaders appealed for prayers and I'm sure there were many times when even they themselves must have been tempted to ask, does God listen? Does prayer work? We now know it does. We are privileged to see the fruits of persevering prayer for peace and those who were once enemies working together for a shared future.
Speaking of sharing reminds us of a very pleasant celebration in which both of us took part in October this year, namely the annual dinner of the Cavan Association in Luton. This year was special as they celebrated their silver jubilee as an Association. To mark it the Association had an extra fund-raising campaign so that in addition to their usual donations to two local charities they also donated € 7,500 each to our two Cathedrals. This was indeed a very generous gesture of sharing and we thank the Association and its committee members for their great generosity.
Once again we wish you all a very happy Christmas.
| Bishop Leo O'Reilly | Bishop Ken Clarke |
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The Diocesan Communications Officer
Revd Arthur Barrett
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