Mass in Roscommon to present national Catholic Schools Week 2013
- Theme – ‘Catholic Schools in the Community of Faith: Sharing the Good News’
Bishop Christopher Jones, Bishop of Elphin, was the chief celebrant at Mass today, Church of the Sacred Heart, Roscommon, to celebrate Catholic Schools Week 2013 which takes place next week in all 26 dioceses on the island of Ireland. Along with Bishop Jones the Mass was concelebrated by Bishop Brendan Kelly, Bishop of Achonry – who delivered the homily; Bishop Leo O’Reilly, Bishop of Kilmore; Monsignor James Cassin – Bishops’ Council for Education; Canon Eugene McLoughlin, Parish Priest of Roscommon; Father Michael Drumm – Chair Catholic Schools Partnership, and other priests drawn from the Dioceses of Elphin and from throughout the country. Pupils and teachers of the town’s six schools as well as guests also participated in the liturgy.
After the Mass a discussion took place in Scoil Mhuire National School, Roscommon, which was addressed by keynote speaker Dr Daire Keogh, President of Saint Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin. This address was followed by an interactive forum, facilitated by Ms Elaine Mahon, catechetical specialist at Veritas Publishing, and involved pupils and teachers from all six schools of the town.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- The objective of CSW 2013 is to celebrate the contribution of Catholic schools to society and to our faith. In this ‘Year of Faith’ schools are encouraged to take time in prayer giving thanks for the gift of faith and praying for growth in faith. In addition, during the week, schools are invited to reflect on the witness of the Christian life that is available in the lives of those around us and in the lives of the saints that we celebrate during CSW (28 January, Saint Thomas Aquinas; 31 January, Saint John Bosco; 1 February, Saint Brigid). Finally CSW 2013 encourages us to look to Christ because faith has its starting and finishing points in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
- See the dedicated CSW 2013 web feature including video comment by Bishop Brendan Kelly on http://www.catholicbishops.ie/2012/12/03/catholic-schools-week-2013/.
- The six Roscommon schools participating in the national launch of CSW 2013 are:
Post Primary Schools
C.B.S.Roscommon, Abbeytown, Roscommon. Tel: 090 66 26496. Principal: Ms Josephine Connaughton. Ethos: Catholic. Enrolment: 380 (Boys). Patron: Edmund Rice Schools Trust.
Scoil Muire Gan Smal, Convent of Mercy, Roscommon. Tel: 090 66 26321. Principal: Ms Miriam Hunt. Ethos: Catholic. Enrolment: 567 (Girls). Patron: CEIST
Roscommon Community College, Lisnamult, Roscommon. Tel: 090 66 26670. Principal: Mr Frank Chambers. Ethos: Multi-denominational. Enrolment: 113 (Boys) 49 (Girls). Patron: Roscommon VEC.
Primary Schools
Abbey Boys NS, Circular Rd., Roscommon. Tel: 090 66 25100. Principal: Ms Teresa Hand Campbell. Ethos: Catholic. Enrolment: 185 (Boys). Patron: Bishop Christopher Jones
Scoil Mhuire Convent Primary School, Roscommon. Tel: 090 66 26872. Principal: Ms Una Feeley. Ethos: Catholic. Enrolment: 102 (Boys) 330 (Girls): Patron: Bishop Christopher Jones
Gaelscoil de hIde, Cnoc na Crúibe, Ros Comáin. Tel: 09066 – 28860. Principal: Orla Ní Chuinneagáin. Ethos: Catholic. Enrolment: 187 (Boys & Girls). Patron: An Foras Patrunachta
- As part of CSW 2013, RTÉ One Television will broadcast 11.15am Mass on Sunday 27 January from its Donnybrook studios. Father Kevin Heery, chaplain to Saint Joseph’s Mercy Secondary School, Navan, will celebrate this Mass. Students and staff from Saint Joseph’s will be in attendance. Two choirs from Saint Joseph’s will participate in the liturgy: the Schola and the All Schools Choir. The Schola is a specialised choir made up of girls proficient in music who are given tuition in organ, cantoring, Gregorian chant, choral singing and choral direction. The Schola programme is supported by Bishop Michael Smith, Bishop of Meath. The All Schools Choir is made up of students who take music to Junior and Leaving Certificate. It offers them the opportunity to improve the performing element of the music syllabi and correlates music learning in the class room. The choirs are under the direction of Mr Ephrem Feeley.
- From Monday 28 January to Friday 1 February on RTÉ Radio 1, the daily A Living Word broadcast will be presented by Mr Sean Goan, a member of the steering committee of Catholic Schools Week 2013.
- RTÉ One Television will broadcast Mass from its Donnybrook studios in Dublin on Sunday 3 February to mark the conclusion of CSW 2013. Students and staff from the Cistercian College at Mount Saint Joseph, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, will participate in this Mass and provide the liturgical music. The celebrant will be the Abbott of Mount Saint Joseph Abbey, Roscrea, the Right Reverend Dom Richard Purcell.
- For CSW 2013 the following resources are available to schools and are available to download from a special web feature: www.catholicbishops.ie/2012/12/03/catholic-schools-week-2013/ These include:
– Catholic Schools Week 2013 resources for Primary Schools
– Primary Schools Resources in Irish
– Primary Schools Resources in Polish
– Catholic Schools Week 2013 Post-Primary Schools Resources
– Post-Primary Resources in Irish
- Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that the universal ‘Year of Faith’ is a time to ‘rediscover the joy of believing’. Share the Good News highlights the synergy between the aims of the of the Year of Faith and the day to day work of the Catholic School: ‘Catholic primary schools in the Republic and in Northern Ireland are required to follow a religious education and formation programme that fosters and deepens children’s Catholic faith.’ (#100 Share the Good News p. 14). The directory comments further that ‘the local Catholic school, a constitutive part of the parish, contributes generously to the children’s faith development, seeking “to inculcate in pupils the qualities of personal integrity and moral courage which are marks of an authentic Christian personality”.’ (#91 Share the Good News p. 131).
For media contact: Catholic Communications Office Maynooth: Martin Long 00353 (0) 86 172 7678
