When we celebrate Easter we hold holy the memory of God’s great act in raising Jesus from the dead. We believe that God’s graciousness will be extended to ourselves and that our own death will not be the final word. Our faith educates our hope that we will participate in Jesus’ resurrection on the last day. But a question raises itself: is our faith in the resurrection limited to remembering Jesus’ resurrection and hoping of our own on the last day? What happens between times? What about today?

When we look at our world today we have to go close our eyes and ears not to see and hear how suffering and violence continue to disfigure so many people here today who can feel their wounds.

What does the resurrection of Jesus say to all this today? The challenge of Easter today is to understand the history of human suffering in the light of Jesus’ resurrection. This means that we have to take God’s part in protesting against the violence and the suffering that are accepted so readily as inevitable. As Christians we have to make our protest against death in the midst of life.

Death is not just a fate that we meet at the end of life. We see death all around us in the midst of life. This point was made movingly by the German theologian Jurgen Moltmann in an Easter sermon when he said: Death is an evil power now, in life’s very midst. It is the economic people who are oppressed; the social death of the handicapped; the noisy death that strikes through bombs and torture, and the soundless death of the apathetic soul.

To accept this litany of death as inevitable is to empty the resurrections of its power for today. A resurrection faith faces the cross and protests against the finality of that violence. It educates us to see as God sees; to act as so many of God’s chosen do act today when with enormous courage they refuse to genuflect to the powers of darkness that use suffering and death as their tools to keep power.

The resurrection of Jesus is a proclamation that this outcast from Galilee is the beloved of God who cannot be held in the keep of death because someone else takes action. Jesus did not raise himself; he was raised by all those who want that miracle repeated in the midst of life. They believe that God’s work continues – not least because they believe Jesus’ words: “I am the resurrection and the life”.

We can all catch something of the reality of the resurrection when we experience new life in the midst of hopelessness. We see it in hospital wards, when tired nurses hug people back from death. We see it in the men and women who risk their lives protesting against the mindless violence inflicted on their fellow human beings. We can see it in the beloved disciples who see in the dark what no one else sees. For all this we rejoice. It is Easter in our midst; it is the refusal to accept that anyone should be left for dead.

The Priests of the Parishes would like to wish everyone a Holy and Happy Easter. 

If you wish to join us online for the Easter Vigil you may do so at the following link https://www.churchservices.tv/

To follow the ceremony to the Baptismal Font please click on the tab for the second camera entitled ‘Second’

Bishop Fintan invites all parishioners to the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday (April 2nd) at 10am in the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne.

This special celebration of the diocesan family of faith includes the blessing of oils and renewal of priestly promises. Overflow parking is available at St. Anthony’s Convent, with refreshments afterwards in the Cathedral Visitors’ Centre. All are welcome.

Holy Thursday

 

Chrism Mass

Cathedral 10:00am

 

Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Cathedral 7:30pm
South Parish 7:00pm
St Patrick’s 6:00pm
Ss Peter & Paul’s 5:00pm English & 7:00pm Latin

Blackpool 4:00pm

 

 

Good Friday

Stations of the Cross

Cathedral 12 noon
South Parish 12 noon
St Patrick’s 11:00am
Ss Peter & Paul’s 12 noon
Blackpool 12 noon
The Glen 5:00pm
Ballyvolane 11:00am

 

Solemn Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

Cathedral 3:00pm
South Parish 2:30pm
St Patrick’s 6:00pm
Ss Peter & Paul’s 3:00pm English & 6:00pm Latin
Ballyvolane 6:00pm

 

Prayers at the Tomb of the Dead Christ

South Parish 7:30pm

 

 

Holy Saturday

Solemn Easter Vigil and Mass of the Resurrection

Cathedral 9:00pm
South Parish 5:00pm
St Patrick’s 6:00pm
Ss Peter & Paul’s 4:00pm English & 8:00pm Latin
Blackpool 4:00pm

Ballyvolane 6:00pm

 

 

Easter Sunday

Mass of the Lord’s Resurrection

Cathedral 9:00am & 11:30am
South Parish 11:00am
St Patrick’s 12 noon
Ss Peter & Paul’s 10:00am Irish, 12 noon Latin & 7:00pm English
Blackpool 12 noon
The Glen 10:00am
Ballyvolane 11:00am

 

Dawn Mass

South Parish Nano Nagle Centre
6:00am

On St. Patrick’s Day, we call to mind an unbroken tradition of faith in our diocese, our city and our country, said Bishop Fintan Gavin.
Mass for St. Patrick's Day was celebrated at the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne, Cork by Bishop Fintan.

The congregation included the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Fergal Dennehy, the Lady Mayoress, Karen Brennan; the Chief Executive of Cork City Council, Valerie O'Sullivan; the Lord Mayor of the City of Coventry, Cllr Rachel Lancaster and members of Cork City Council.

In his homily at the Mass, Bishop Fintan said that St. Patrick didn’t only bring the Christian faith to Ireland.

“That faith has helped to shape the values that became part of Irish identity — a sense of community, care for the vulnerable, hospitality to the stranger and an awareness of God in everyday life.”

Bishop Fintan said that Cork has a particular reason to celebrate that living tradition of faith this year.

“We mark the one hundredth anniversary of the great Eucharistic Procession which first took place in our city in 1926.”

In challenges, the people of Cork turned to the Eucharist, gathering in prayer and bringing their faith onto the streets of the city, the bishop said.

“This year we will mark that centenary when we gather once again for the Eucharistic Procession through the city on Sunday 7th June, the Feast of Corpus Christi — renewing that public witness of faith and unity in Cork.”

Bishop Fintan also announced that ahead of the Corpus Christi Procession this year, the diocese will host a visit of the relics of St. Carlo Acutis – the young Italian who was declared the first millennial saint by Pope Leo last September.

Carlo often said that the Eucharist was “the highway to heaven”.

“Patrick in the fifth century and Saint Carlo Acutis in our own time both remind us of the same truth: that an encounter with Christ in the Eucharist has the power to transform lives.”

Vigil Masses Monday 16th March

Ss Peter & Paul’s 4:00pm

Blackpool 4:00pm

South Parish 5:00pm

Cathedral 5:00pm

St Patrick’s 6:00pm

Ballyvolane 6:00pm

Masses on St Patrick's Day

Cathedral 9:00am & 11:00am

The Glen 10:00am

Ss Peter & Paul’s 10:00am (Irish) & 12 noon (Latin)

Ballyvolane 11:00am

South Parish 11:00am

St Patrick’s 12 noon

Blackpool 12 noon

Bishop Fintan Gavin will celebrate St Patrick’s Day Mass at 11:00am at the Cathedral.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh go léir!