THE Eucharistic Congress Bell tolled for the first time in Duhallow last Friday as it was greeted by enthusiastic parishioners in St Patrick's Church, Ballydesmond.
The visit was part of a nationwide pilgrimage in preparation for the 50th International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin next June.
Fr Pat Mccarthy, PP Ballydesmond, welcoming the visit, said "at this particular time in Ireland, the church is going through a period of great pressure.
"No country in Europe has become secular in such a short time as Ireland has — what took 100 years to happen in Europe has occurred in 20 here. Many people have lost faith, and an estimated 25% of people resident in Ireland at this time want an end to the Catholic church. A lot of priests feel sad and depressed over this, and feel that the service they have given for 30, 40, or maybe 50 years has somehow amounted to nothing, so it is surely divinely inspired that the Pope has chosen Ireland as a venue for the International Eucharistic Congress when representatives from different countries all over the world will congregate in Dublin, and hopefully this great event will lead to spiritual renewal in Ireland and indeed the whole world".
Made in 1903, the bell includes four symbolic icons which represent the four stages of the preparations for the congress and the four parts of the Mass.
The message the bell brings is; 'Ring and the door will be opened to you'.
Ballydesmond National School children were first in line to ring the historic bell whose pilgrimage through Ireland invites people to renew and deepen their faith, and invites everybody to attend the Congress in Dublin form June 10-17, 2012.