Programme for 2016 Novena to Mary, Untier of Knots in Cavan announced

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ANNUAL NOVENA TO MARY, UNTIER OF KNOTS

CATHEDRAL OF SS. PATRICK & FELIM, CAVAN

MONDAY 26 SEPTEMBER TO TUESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2016

‘“What are the knots in my life?  Father, my knots cannot be undone!” It is a mistake to say anything of the sort! All the knots of our heart, every knot of our conscience, can be undone. Do I ask Mary to help me trust in God’s mercy, to undo those knots, to change?  She, as a woman of faith, will surely tell you: “Get up, go to the Lord: he understands you”.   And she leads us by the hand as a Mother, our Mother, to the embrace of our Father, the Father of mercies’. Pope Francis, October 2013

The third annual novena to Mary, Untier of Knots, will take place from Monday 26 September to Tuesday 4 October 2016 inclusive, in the Cathedral of SS. Patrick & Felim, Cavan, with a Novena Mass each evening at 7:30p.m. except Sunday 2 October when there will be Novena Devotions, also at 7:30p.m. 

The theme of this year’s Novena is “God’s Name is Mercy”, based on the theme of the Jubilee Year of Mercy which is currently being celebrated in the Universal Church.  The Novena is being organised by the Kilmore Diocesan Pastoral Centre with the assistance of the priests and staff of the Cathedral Parish of Urney and Annagelliff in Cavan.

Pope Francis has a very special devotion to Mary, Untier of Knots.  When he was studying in Germany, he was stunned by a Bavarian painting of “Holy Mary, Our Lady Untier of Knots.”  He acquired a copy of the painting and brought it to Argentina to promote devotion to Mary under this title.

Confirmed speakers this year include: Fr. Tony O’Riordan, a Jesuit priest based in Moyross in Limerick – who was commissioned by Pope Francis as a Missionary of Mercy earlier this year – on Monday 26th;  Fr. Cathal Deery, CC Clones Parish based in Aghadrumsee and Clogher Diocesan Resource Person on Suicide, on Tuesday 27th with a relic of Pope St. John Paul II available afterwards for veneration; Alan O’Mara, former Cavan Inter-County GAA Goalkeeper and author of “The Best is Yet to Come: A Memoir about Football & Finding a Way through the Dark”, who will speak on his own mental health experiences on Wednesday 28th with a relic of St. Therese of Lisieux available afterwards for veneration; Fr. Paddy Byrne, CC Portlaoise, who will bring a relic of St. Teresa of Calcutta with him on Thursday 29th; Sr. Consilio Fitzgerald of Cuan Mhuire on Friday 30th after which a relic of St. Faustina will be available; Brother Philip Mulryne OP, Belfast-born former Manchester United and Northern Ireland footballer on Saturday 1st; John McAreavey on Sunday 2nd after which a relic of St. Pio of Pietrelcina will be available; Fr. Owen J. McEneaney, PP Pettigo and Prior of St. Patrick’s Purgatory, Lough Derg on Monday 3rd; and, finally, Fr. Paddy O’Rourke SMA – a native of Laragh parish in the diocese of Kilmore and currently based in the Dromantine Retreat and Conference Centre near Newry – on Tuesday 4th after which a relic of St. Bernadette Soubirous  will be available for veneration. 

The Bishop of Kilmore, Most Reverend Leo O’Reilly, will be the principal celebrant of the opening Mass of the Novena on Monday 26 September at 7:30p.m.  There will be special emphasis on the Sacrament of Reconciliation on this evening with individual confessions available after Mass.  There will be the liturgy of the Anointing of the Sick during the 7:30p.m. Mass on Thursday 29 September.  There will be a special emphasis on youth during the Novena with participants from the diocese in the recent World Youth Day pilgrimage taking an active role in the liturgy on Saturday 1 October and participants in the Diocesan John Paul II Awards from Cavan parish taking part in the liturgy planned for Sunday 2 October.  There will be a blessing of babies and young children after Mass on Monday 3 October.

All are welcome to participate in the Novena.

For further information on the Novena, please contact Kilmore Diocesan Pastoral Centre, on 049 4375004, or by email to seancoll001@gmail.com

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