Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, will celebrate Mass in Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth tomorrow Saturday 9 January with the Irish pilgrims who will be attending the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu in the Philippines from 24 – 31 January. A total of 26 pilgrims, representing 11 Irish dioceses, will travel to Cebu with the majority of this delegation departing Ireland on Thursday 21 January.
Saturday’s Mass is part of a final preparatory meeting which is being hosted by Bishop Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin. Bishop Doran was secretary general of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress which was hosted in Dublin in June 2012.
The theme of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress is ‘Christ in You, Our Hope of Glory’. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, who was President of IEC2012 in Dublin, will be the principal celebrant for the main Congress Mass on Friday 29 January in Cebu. Bishop Kevin Doran will be the main celebrant for the English language Mass on Wednesday 27 January. There will be fourteen language Masses in various parishes around Cebu that afternoon. Other Irish pilgrims involved in the Cebu Congress are Father John Coughlan from the Diocese of Elphin who will be speaking at the Theology Symposium and Ms Frankie Berry, Chaplaincy to Deaf People, who will be speaking at a workshop on Thursday 28 January. Ms Anne Griffin, General Manager of IEC2012, will be attending the Congress as part of the Holy See delegation along with Archbishop Piero Marini, the president of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses, and his team.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s gathering in Maynooth Bishop Kevin Doran said: “Christians are a small minority of the population of Asia, but a very significant presence in the Philippines. This gives the Congress in Cebu a strong missionary dimension. The theme is a reminder to the Filipino Church that through Christ who lives in them, they are carriers of Hope for the whole of Asia. The pilgrimage to Cebu will be an opportunity for the Irish delegation to consider how we can become once again carriers of hope, not just for ourselves, but for the people of Europe.”
For more information on the 51st International Eucharistic Congress please see www.iec2016.ph.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- Cebu is often called the “Queen City of the South” and the “Seat of Christianity in Asia”. It is the Philippine’s oldest city.
- The Cebu Congress events will be live streamed on http://iec2016.ph/live-streaming/
- A Eucharistic Congress is an international gathering of people aimed at promoting an awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Catholic Church.
- Irish pilgrims attending the Cebu Congress are available for interview both ahead of their departure and whilst they are there. Please contact CCO for more information.
For media contact: Catholic Communications Office Maynooth: Brenda Drumm 00353 (0) 87 310 4444.
