He is to address the congregation on the topic, The Future of the Church in Ireland on the final day of the event, which takes place from August 14 to 22.
Other speakers at this year’s National Novena at Knock are the former Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, Baroness Nuala O’Loan, and Justin Kilcullen, the director of Trócaire.
They will address, respectively, the topics of Living a Eucharistic Faith Today on August 16 and. The Eucharist - A Project of Solidarity for All, on August 20.
Other speakers at Knock will be Fr. Pat Farragher, Castlebar, (The Legacy of the Eucharistic Congress), Fr Benny McHale, Athenry, Co. Galway (The Assumption), Fr. Michael Drumm, chairperson of the Catholic Schools Partnership (What makes a School Catholic?) Bishop of Raphoe Philip Boyce (The Eucharist as Prayer), Bishop of Elphin Christopher Jones (Eucharist Forms Community), the new parish priest of Knock, Fr. Richard Gibbons, (Eucharist and Renewal).
As usual, there will be two sessions of the Novena each at 3:00pm and 8:30pm, apart from August 15 and 19 when ceremonies will begin with anointing of the sick at 2:30 pm.
The Papal Nuncio is also to preach the opening sermon at this year’s pilgrimage at Our Lady’s Island.
Bishop of Ferns Denis Brennan has announced that Archbishop Brown will address pilgrims on August 15.
Launching the programme for the 2012 Novena, the bishop said that the Our Lady’s Island pilgrimage, “holds a special place in the tradition and mission of the diocese and indeed the country. The presence of the Pope’s representative to Ireland at this year’s pilgrimage emphasises its importance in the faith life of the Church. The opening ceremony is open to all and you are most welcome to come and share the Eucharist with us on the day.”
The pilgrimage begins with Mass at 3:00pm followed by a procession of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Other themed events during the 2012 season will be a Gathering of Families of the Missing on August 18; a Mass of anointing of the sick at 3:00pm on August 19; a Mass with the theme, Come Aside and Rest Awhile, at 8:00pm on August 22; a Ferns diocese Legion of Mary Mass at 8:00pm on August 23), a Pioneer Pilgrimage Mass at 3:00pm on August 26; a Mass focusing on the work of the Wexford St. Vincent de Paul Mass at 8:00pm on August 27.
The theme, Time to Heal will be the used for Mass on August 28 followed on September 2 by a pro-life pilgrimage Mass on September 2 and finally, a Mass taking its theme from the work of SVP in Dublin on September 6.
Individual parishes of Castlebridge and Kiltealy in Wexford and Ballybeg in Waterford also have pilgrimage Masses.
Traditionally, pilgrims walk quietly around the island, either in organised groups or individually, reciting the Rosary or stopping at the Shrine at the head of the island, which is the halfway point.