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Archbishop Francis’s Easter Message April 2023
Christians believe in and live according to what is called the ‘Good News’. At the very core of the Good News is the Easter message, Christ has died, Christ is risen. This is always fresh, always relevant, and always good news for us as individuals and for all people.
During Holy Week each year, in the Cathedral, the oil of chrism is consecrated. Every Catholic is anointed with sacred chrism, at baptism and again at confirmation. That anointing has marked each one of us out as special in ourselves and special to God, and with the chrism we also are anointed for mission. Ours is the task to be continually animated by the Good News, and to share it with others.
Of course, the reality of suffering is a feature of human life. At the moment, we are acutely aware of the suffering experienced by those from our own country or from abroad who are looking for a place to live; we are conscious of those whose current reality is war and how they long for peace; and those who contend with many other kinds of suffering – visible and invisible.
The suffering of Jesus during his final days in Jerusalem was very human. He knew what it was to experience betrayal, disappointment, injustice, abandonment, humiliation, pain and death. Therefore, he can identify with us when we have these or similar experiences.
Jesus also knows what it is to be raised from the dead, and to live with God the Father eternally, never to suffer or die again. He has paved the way to eternal life with God for us. He invites us to follow him there – in the first place by ongoing personal conversioin, by carrying our crosses, but also by journeying together in joy and in hope as we reflect together on the magnificence of his Good News.
Created in God’s image, you are special to him. He has given you life in abundance; he has shared the Easter message with you, and he invites us to share in the fruits of his Son’s resurrection forever. I wish you all a happy Easter.
St Cronan’s Centenary
‘This day was made by the Lord let us rejoice and be glad’ is a line taken from the Psalms. It could well sum up the celebration taking place within our parish this Sunday May 27th. We celebrate the centenary of our beautiful St. Cronan’s church. It is indeed a noble structure with its many outstanding features. It is a truly fitting place of worship and today we celebrate and honour the people who in very hard times funded and built the it.
We think of our many emigrants in the United States and elsewhere who donated hard earned money to ensure that St. Cronan’s became a reality. We honour and give thanks for all those who worked hard and long hours to build it. We thin too of all those who have gathered within its hallowed walls to pray over the decades, those who were baptised here, those who were sealed with the oil of chrism on confirmation day, those who committed themselves in love through the sacrament of marriage, those who prostrated themselves before the altar on ordination day and all those who welcomed the Lord’s mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation and His presence in the Eucharist. We also commend to the Lord today all whose funeral liturgies have taken place here. We pray that they now rejoice in the halls of heaven .We think too of all those who have sat in these seats and lifted up their hearts to the Lord in times of petition and likewise in thanksgiving.
Today we give thanks for all who have passed on this beautiful building to us. As a community let us commit to ensuring that this sacred place is maintained as a fitting monument to generations past. Let us pray also that we will be true to our faith and ensure that it is passed on to those that come after us. Faith inspired the people of Balla to build this church 100 years ago. May our faith enable us to appreciate it and ensure that it remains a place where we continue to lift up our hearts in prayer to God.
On this day of celebration I would also like to remember all the priests who have ministered in this parish over the years and the priests and religious who have left here to share the Christian message with other people at home and abroad, and to acknowledge the tremendous work that over 300 people do in various ministries in both Balla and Belcarra. Without their generosity of service our parish could not operate.
On this centenary celebration day I thank all who are helping to make it a happy and positive occasion for everyone and I pray that God will pour down many blessings on us and on our parish as we give thanks for the past, celebrate the present and pray for the future.
‘This day was made by the Lord let us rejoice and be glad.’ Psalm 117:V24/
Denis Carney,
Parish Priest.
27th May 2018.
Photos courtesy of Colin Redmond, Kathy Lyons and Michael Durkan.
Balla Dawn Oak 2000
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