50th International Eucharistic Congress marks 100 Days to IEC2012
The 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 (IEC2012) is calling the people of Ireland to get involved with ‘Ring for Renewal’, a special event on St Patrick’s Day this year to mark the final 100 days of preparation for the Congress.
The 100-day milestone falls on Friday 2 March and Congress organisers are launching ‘Ring for Renewal’ as part of the final countdown.
‘Ring for Renewal’ invites people to pause for a moment in their day to ring a bell on St Patrick’s Day and reflect on how they can be renewed as individuals and members of the Church as they prepare for the International Eucharistic Congress.
Bells are associated both with celebration and with a readiness to respond and take action. The Congress Bell, like St Patrick’s Bell, conveys God’s call for people to gather for the Eucharist. In a particular way, at this time, the invitation is to participate actively in the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, as part of a process of renewal.
To mark the last 100 days of preparation for the Congress, Cathedrals and churches across Ireland and internationally are being asked to ring their bells for two minutes at 12 noon and 6pm, as a symbol of renewal and a call to gather in preparation for IEC2012. By ringing a bell on St Patrick’s Day, everyone can join the journey towards the Congress in their own personal way. Parishes are encouraged to leave a bell in a suitable place within their chapel for people to ring in the context of a visit to the Church on St. Patrick’s Day, for mass or for personal prayer.
St Patrick’s Day 2012 also marks exactly one year since the key symbol of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012, the Eucharistic Congress Bell, began its Pilgrimage to invite people from all 26 Dioceses to IEC2012. So far more than one million people have rung the bell, which hails from the Dominican Convent of Portstewart, Co Derry.
‘Ring for Renewal’ extends an open invitation to everyone to ring a bell on 17 March, IEC2012 organisers have also made the chiming of the Eucharistic Congress Bell available to download as a mobile phone ringtone, please visit: www.iec2012/ringforrenewal
Whether people are working, travelling, or attending the St Patrick’s Day Parade, Fr Kevin Doran, Secretary General of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012, encourages everyone to take a moment to ‘Ring for Renewal’ on the Feast of St Patrick. “We invite you, wherever you are, to pause for a moment from the activity of your day, and to allow the ringing of the bell to speak to your heart.”
On St Patrick’s Day this year, the Bell will travel to Rome, bringing an international aspect to this call for renewal in the Catholic Church. For further information on the Eucharistic Congress Bell Pilgrimage and itinerary, please see http://www.iec2012.ie/bell
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Further information:
• Aisling Harmey, Media Relations Manager, 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012,
Tel: 00353 (01) 234 9903 Mob: 00353 (0) 87 137 2447 , Email: [email protected]
• Aoife Connors, Media Officer, 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012,
Tel: 00353 (01) 234 9940, Mob: 00353 (0) 87 628 0580, Email: [email protected]
Notes for Editors:
• The 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 will take place in Dublin from 10 – 17 June 2012 with up to 25,000 pilgrims expected to attend each day at the RDS, including 12,000 international pilgrims representing 95 different countries.
• IEC2012 will transform the RDS into a Eucharistic Village for an eight day festival of faith and culture. The Eucharist will be celebrated in the Liturgy and adored in the Prayer Space.
• The Congress is an international gathering of people, every four years somewhere in the world, which aims to promote an awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Catholic Church; to help improve our understanding and celebration of the liturgy and to draw attention to the social dimension of the Eucharist. These aims are achieved through a programme of pastoral preparation in the years leading up to the Congress and a programme of liturgical and cultural events, lectures and workshops over the course of one week.
• The theme of the Congress is ‘The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and with one Another’ (Communion – like Solidarity – means a relationship of mutual love and self-giving).
• On 17 June, more than 80,000 people are expected to gather and celebrate the Final Mass of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 at Croke Park Stadium.
• There will be 18 keynote addresses by international speakers.
• The full programme is available at: http://www.iec2012.ie/media/IEC2012ProgrammeofEvents1.pdf
• Previous Congresses took place in Quebec (2008) and Guadalajara (2004)
• For more information: www.iec2012.ie
• Registration for the Congress is now live on http://www.iec2012.ie/registration
• Images are available on request
