The theme of this year’s Novena is ‘God’s Name is Mercy, based on the theme of the Jubilee Year of Mercy which is currently being celebrated in the Universal Church.
The Novena is being organised by the Kilmore Diocesan Pastoral Centre with the assistance of the priests and staff of the Cathedral Parish of Urney and Annagelliff in Cavan.
Pope Francis has a very special devotion to Mary, Untier of Knots. When he was studying in Germany, he was very taken by a Bavarian painting of Holy Mary, Our Lady Untier of Knots. He acquired a copy of the painting and brought it to Argentina to promote devotion to Mary under this title.
In an address given in October 2013, Pope Francis said, “What are the knots in my life? Father, my knots cannot be undone! It is a mistake to say anything of the sort! All the knots of our heart, every knot of our conscience, can be undone. Do I ask Mary to help me trust in God’s mercy, to undo those knots, to change? She, as a woman of faith, will surely tell you: Get up, go to the Lord: he understands you. And she leads us by the hand as a Mother, our Mother, to the embrace of our Father, the Father of mercies.”
Confirmed speakers this year include: Father Tony O’Riordan, a Jesuit priest based in Moyross in Limerick – who was commissioned by Pope Francis as a Missionary of Mercy earlier this year; Father Cathal Deery, CC Clones Parish based in Aghadrumsee and Clogher Diocesan Resource Person on Suicide; Alan O’Mara, former Cavan Inter-County GAA Goalkeeper and author of “The Best is Yet to Come: A Memoir about Football & Finding a Way through the Dark”, who will speak on his own mental health experiences; Father Paddy Byrne, CC Portlaoise; Sister Consilio Fitzgerald of Cuan Mhuire, Brother Philip Mulryne OP, Belfast-born former Manchester United and Northern Ireland footballer; John McAreavey, Tyrone Footballer; Father Owen J. McEneaney, PP Pettigo and Prior of Saint Patrick’s Purgatory, Lough Derg; and, finally, Fr. Paddy O’Rourke SMA – a native of Laragh parish in the diocese of Kilmore and currently based in the Dromantine Retreat and Conference Centre near Newry.
Bishop Leo O’Reilly, Bishop of Kilmore, will be the principal celebrant of the opening Mass of the Novena on Monday 26 September at 7:30pm. There will be special emphasis on the Sacrament of Reconciliation on this evening with individual Confessions available after Mass.
There will be the liturgy of the Anointing of the Sick during the Mass on Thursday 29 September.
There will be a special emphasis on youth during the Novena with participants from the diocese in the recent World Youth Day pilgrimage taking an active role in the liturgy on Saturday 1 October and participants in the Diocesan John Paul II Awards from Cavan parish taking part in the liturgy planned for Sunday 2 October.
There will be a blessing of babies and young children after Mass on Monday 3 October.
All are welcome to participate in the Novena. For more information see www.kilmoredpc.ie.