We approach Holy week together aware of the Lord and all he had to face and endure.
Key moments in Holy Week to reflect upon
Jesus setting his face towards Jerusalem;
The welcome he received and the subsequent rejection he experienced;
His desire to be obedient to his vocation from the Father;
The scene in the Upper Room, where in word and sign he anticipated the manner of his death and gave the Church the sacrament which is both a source and an expression of the grace which lies at the heart of our mission;
His arrest in the garden, under the paschal moon;
His betrayal by a close friend and his denial by another before the cock crowed at dawn;
His “trial” before the keepers of orthodoxy in Israel, and then before the civil magistrate whose casual cynicism has marked him out as one of the dark figures of world history;
The courageous little group – mostly women – who “…stand not far off…” and the reordering of relationships at the foot of the Cross: “Woman behold your son; son behold your mother…”
The sordid, lonely and ignoble death which has given the world its most powerful religious symbol – the Cross;
The kindness of strangers in his burial;
The abject bewilderment of his followers, lying on the floor in the dust behind locked doors;
The various encounters by women of the risen Lord – unrecognised, but somehow known;
The dawning conviction that everything in every age has been changed utterly.
( Taken from The message for Holy Week and Easter 2023 by Archbishop John McDowell and Archbishop Eamon Martin)
ICN Resources article for Lent 2023 with links to sites.
Ellen Teague
Feb 20th, 2023
Llanberis – Image ICN/JS
Enlarging the Space of our Tent’: Small Group Faith-sharing Resource
This Lent 2023 booklet was written by Fr Dominic Robinson SJ and Colette Joyce from the Westminster Justice and Peace Commission for the Agency for Evangelisation. The resource consists of five 60-90 minute sessions, each focusing on a theme covered by Justice and Peace, including poverty and homelessness, racial justice, care of creation, migrants and refugees, and peace. Each session explores the theme in the light of a piece of Scripture from the coming Sunday (beginning with the Second Sunday of Lent and finishing with Palm Sunday), prayer, a reflection on experience from a local example in Westminster diocese, and questions to support group sharing.
A Lent Resource 2023 written by Australian Columban Fr Charles Rue. Every year, Earth’s ecological and human social systems evolve, raising new situations. During Lent, Christians around the globe ask themselves: What is God asking of me this year? The resource offers individuals and groups a short introduction to happiness, through scriptural texts about creation, and the human journey. See: www.columban.org.au/media-and-publications/multimedia/videos/educational-resources/what-is-god-asking-of-me-during-lent-this-year
Kevin Mayhew Resources:
Wild Lent: Discovering God Through Creation by Rachel Summers
The author is a Forest School Practitioner and runs forest school sessions. The activities in Wild Lent include:
In these reflections for Lent, Barbara Glasson leads through 40 days, focusing on the theme of water: its power, potential, terror and gentleness, providing a deep well of daily prayer and meditation. Covering issues both domestic and international, Barbara seeks to centre Lenten reflections on the water that both gives life and which challenges us to live for justice.
As Barbara herself says: ‘Our relationship with water is primal: all life depends on the abundance of a fresh, clean water supply. And yet so many live with drought, thirst and wilderness. In these reflections, I hope you will come to understand the power and beauty of water, and how it relates to the transformative, sustaining power of prayer.’
A guided Lent journal for prayer & mediation. It offers a “healing journey” with Sr Miriam James Heidland, SOLT. In this beautiful guided journal for prayer and meditation, Sr. Miriam invites you to meet the tenderness of God’s mercy, the power of his love, and the restoration of your heart and life as you practice prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Restore features stunning original art by Valerie Delgado of Pax. Valerie along with daily meditations on a passage from scripture, reflection questions, guided prayer, and space for journaling and notetaking.
A spiritual programme of study for those who want to journey side by side with our Lord during Lent, either individually or in small groups. We begin our journey in the wilderness and finally sit with him at the table before accompanying him to the cross. The main purpose of the book is to encourage the reader to think about Jesus’ journey and their own. How can the story of Jesus throw light on your own?
This Lenten season, Franciscan Media presents a daily email series inspired by the life and legacy of St Clare. Sign up to learn more about St Clare and receive daily messages of inspiration and hope, reflections on how St Clare’s holiness can remind us to focus on God today, brief prayers, and videos to enhance your Lenten practices.
( Please also check the ICN Listings Page – we are receiving details of more events each day.)
Irish chaplaincy online Lent Retreat 6-10 March Daily zoom at 9.30am with a reflection and different speakers each day contact eddie.gilmore@Irishchaplaincy.org.uk
LENT PROGRAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE and the things that give us joy At Our Lady of Victories Parish Hall, 235a Kensington High Street, London W8 6SA on Thursdays during March –
9 March 7-8pm: What are the things that give you joy? What things stand in the way?
16 March 7-8pm: Showing the Letter Part 1, followed by reflections and telling your story.
23 March 7-8pm: Showing the Letter Part 2, followed by invitation to a journey forward.
30 March 7-8pm: The world is better with you in it. How can we use our talents?
Pax Christi England and Wales and Christian CND are hosting an online Ash Wednesday Witness, lamenting the UK’s involvement in war and the supply of arms and, as we approach the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, praying for a ceasefire and peace rather than the escalation our political leaders seem to be encouraging. The event begins on 22 February at 7pm on Zoom and you can register to attend here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUld-iorD8oHdRrsG-F93vdZZX1u63sScOC
Pax Christi Merseyside is inviting all members and supporters in the North West to join them at St. Luke’s, Liverpool (the Bombed out Church) at 11.45am. From St. Luke’s, there will be a procession to the Town Hall and the group will be calling on the Government to sign up to the UN Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons. For more information contact Jan Harper on janharper1@yahoo.co.uk
Pax Christi Lent Reflections on the Icon of Peace
From Wednesday 1st March, Pax Christi will be hosting five weekly online reflections on the Icon of Peace. Starting at 7pm on Zoom, each week we will focus on one image from the icon and pray for a conflict situation in one part of the world. You can register for one or all of the reflections here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkceCrqDIsE9HflpiHPzlRHeRdgrfVztCy or email admin@paxchristi.org.uk for more details
Lenten Journey 2023 ‘The Common Good’
Scottish Laity Network
Thursday 23 February: Catholic Social Teaching and the Common Good
TROCAIRE has a new program suitable for young people.
My name is Laura and I am the Development Education officer at Trocaire.
I would like to share The Tree of Justice with you, Trócaire’s latest education resource. This is the first year of a three-year learning journey on justice, and this year the resource explores what global justice means by focusing on Somalia, Guatemala and Palestine. The resource is intended for use in the Primary, Post-Primary and youth sectors. This is the first year we have adopted this new digital platform and we plan to develop this over the coming years to make it more interactive and innovative.
Please do share these with any teachers you might know and encourage them to use the materials. They are intended for use at any time throughout the academic year.
May the blessing of light be on you, light without and light within. May the blessed sunlight Shine upon you and warm your heart till it glows like a great peat fire, so that the stranger may come and be warmed and also a friend. And may the light shine out of your eyes, like a candle set in the window of a house, bidding the wanderer to come in out of the storm. And may the blessing of the rain be on you – the soft sweet rain; May it fall upon your spirit so that all the little flowers may spring up, and shed their sweetness on the air. And may the blessing of the great rains be on you, may they beat upon your spirit and wash it fair and clean, and leave there many a shining pool where the blue of heaven shines, and sometimes a star. And may the blessing of the earth be on you – the great round earth; May you ever have a kindly greeting from them you pass as you’re going along the roads. May the earth be soft under you when you rest upon it, tired at the end of a day, and may it rest easy over you when, at the last, you lie out under it. May it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be off from under it so quickly, and up and off, and on its way to God. And now may the Lord (and Lady) bless you and bless you kindly Amen.
A Prayer to St Brigid of Faughart.
Brigid Patroness of the Irish and woman of deep faith
We salute you as with Patrick you helped the Irish come to faith in Jesus.
Your love for the Master drove you to be an apostle of the faith.
Your compassion for the poor and sick knew no boundaries.
People recognised in your heart the Light of the world. Your love for all creation drew wild creatures to trust you .
You were always a woman of action more centred on people than bricks and stones.
A woven cross of reeds helped a dying man grieve for his sins resulting in forgiveness and reconciliation.
Encircle us with your cloak of charity and help us all find a renewed faith in Jesus our common Master.
Help us reach out to the Christ we meet daily in the faces of those in need who approach us for comfort, help us to seek their Blessing upon us as we wash their feet and try to bind their wounds.
Mary of the Irish show a mother’s protective care to all who call upon you in need. Help us always to care for our beautiful planet Mother Earth.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins on Wednesday 18 January and continues until 25 January.
The theme this year is “Belonging: Praying for Unity amidst Injustice”. Following dialogue between the Holy See’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the World Council of Churches, the resources for this year have been compiled by the churches in Minneapolis. They seek to challenge us in how we witness to Christian Unity in the midst of turmoil and racism in our world.
Here in Ireland, this year of 2023 marks two important anniversaries of key events of the journey towards Christian Unity. This year is the centenary of the formation of the Irish Council of Churches and it also marks the 50th anniversary of the Ballymascanlon Meetings between the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches on the island of Ireland in 1973, a structure that is now the Irish Inter-Church Meeting.
Today, these are the bodies for inter-church dialogue in Ireland as we continue to work together for peace, reconciliation and social justice. As we know, that work is unfinished; sectarianism is still, sadly, a major problem in communities and political life in the north while the growth of racism is increasingly evident across the island. The current cost of living crisis and the effects of the war in Ukraine add to this turmoil.
It is in this context that we mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this year- giving thanks for the progress made by the Churches at various levels over the decades but seeking to place our continuing journey of witness to Christ’s desire for unity alongside his radical call to discipleship and social justice.
So let us journey onwards with a reconciling vision of hope, singing together an anthem of “be-longing”: “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:5-6).” Amen.
Address by Archbishop Eamon at St Annes Cathedral Belfast
I came across an article for grownups about the meaning of Advent from a number of perspectives. I cannot recall where or who wrote it. It is worth a read as we enter these 4 weeks together.
Children love to colour and write a birthday message / Card for Jesus. See attached. This could be placed on Christmas night or morning by the crib at home, or the parish crib, or school crib.
Our theme for this year is ‘Catholic Schools: Walking together in Faith and Love’. During this week, we celebrate how Catholic Schools help all our young people to achieve their full potential and journey together with the Lord in faith and in love. We will focus and pray using the story of the Disciples walking together with the Risen Lord on the Emmaus Road.
ARCHDIOCESE OF ARMAGH CELEBRATIONS:
This year we hope to have a downloadable video for class or school in-house celebrations and /or assemblies. In addition, we are planning two Armagh Diocesan Liturgical Celebrations. It will be great for folk to return to gathering as a Diocesan Faith Community.
Tuesday, January 24th Led by Archbishop Eamon St John The Baptist Church, Drumcree Portadown starting at 11.30 am.
Seinn will be celebrating on Wednesday, January 25th at The Redeemer Church, Ard Easmuin Dundalk starting at 11.30 am. Archbishop Eamon will speak and participate.
“A movie entitled The Letter was recently released which focuses on Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si and the impact of climate change and many other environmental issues. The theme of this year’s Catholic Schools Week is “Walking together in faith and love”. The Armagh diocesan Youth Commission is hosting showings of The Letter to highlight the need to walk together with all of creation in Faith and Love.
Barbican Centre Drogheda – One Showing which will take place on Wednesday 1st February 2023. 10am – 1pm
Market Place Theatre, Studio – Two Showings on 23rd January 2023 1oam and 2pm A further showing will take place in the Market place Theatre on the evening of the 23rd at 7pm for young adults. This showing will be available for booking with the Market Place Theatre”
NATIONAL RESOURCES
Reflecting on the theme, and on the process of synodality, the writers for Catholic Schools Week 2023 identified three features of synodality helpful to exploring ‘Walking Together in Faith & Love’:
• Communion • Participation • Mission
The resources will reflect on these features within the overarching theme and will make use of scriptural reflection on journey, prayer, student voice, and (spiritual) wellbeing.
DAILY THEMES:
Monday: Walking Together in Faith
Tuesday: Walking Together in Love (In our school community, themes of inclusion)
Wednesday: Walking Together to Celebrate – Grandparents’ Day (Celebrating those who help us on the journey of faith, themes of inclusion of the elderly in society – Pope Francis’ Message for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly 2022)
ACN is again inviting parishes, kindergartens, schools, and families to join in the annual prayer initiative “A million children praying the Rosary”, which will take place on 18 October, the Feast of St Luke this year. The purpose of this prayer campaign is to pray for peace and unity throughout our broken world while encouraging children and young people to trust in God during difficult times says the president of ACN, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza.
The ACN webpage offers free materials for those praying in parishes, schools, children’s groups and families. The free information pack contains instructions on how to pray the Rosary, short meditations for children on the Mysteries of the Rosary, and an Act of Consecration to Our Lady for children.
The origins of the prayer initiative “A million children praying the Rosary” date back to the year 2005 when a group of children was seen praying the Rosary at a local shrine in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, and some of the adults who witnessed the scene were reminded of the words of Padre Pio, who once said: “When a million children pray the Rosary, the world will change.”
Since then, the campaign has spread rapidly and become a worldwide phenomenon.
C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) believed that interest in his books would quickly fade when he was gone. Sixty years after his death and 200 million copies later he has, for once, been proved mistaken. While his influential works on English Literature, Christian apologetics and science fiction remain popular it is his beloved stories for children, the Chronicles of Narnia which continue to keep him firmly in public view. His wonderfully imaginative landscape and gift for storytelling owe much to his Irish origins. Ireland was his constant holiday destination throughout his life. Thanks to a long relationship with Janie Moore whom he called ‘mother’ the ‘Wee’ County of Louth where she had been brought up became an important refuge for him and his brother Warren. Those previously unexplored links are addressed in this anniversary tribute to the creator of ‘Asian the lion of Narnia, son of the Emperor-Beyond-The-Sea.
Father Paul Clayton-Lea spoke to our Religious Education Community some time ago. I know you really appreciated his input and great sense of humour then. He has always had a huge interest in CS Lewis and I am delighted he has written a new book developing that interest alongside his love for Co Louth. I thought you might to like to know this has been published recently and you may wish to read it.
978 1 91622 347 9
Paul Clayton-Lea is a priest of the Archdiocese of Armagh in Ireland.
A graduate of St Patricks College, Maynooth, and Fordham University New York
he has worked as a teacher, college chaplain, and parish priest.
He is currently editor of Intercom magazine, a Catholic pastoraland liturgical resource.
His previous publications include,
In the Light of the Word – Family Life through the Lens of Scripture(published by Veritas 2018)
Pass it On – Ronan Drury 1924-2017 with Maria Flood (2019).
RE SOURCE 
