The Ferns diocese was out in strength at the National Ploughing Championships this year. The diocesan stand was a combined Churches Together effort, buzzing with Catholics, Presbyterians and those from Church of Ireland.
All were offering sustenance for body and soul, with shelter and cups of tea during the very wet and cold periods, and a quiet space for prayer and reflection with some of the many prayer leaflets on offer.
Bishop Brennan attended the opening ceremony at the National Ploughing Championships at Heathpark, New Ross on Tuesday at noon, along with President Higgins and many other dignitaries.
President Higgins commented on the symbolism of the plough, turning over the sod and of beginning anew and moving on. He said that the Irish people are living in difficult times but we have a sense of hope and we are moving forward. He commented that the Ploughing Championship is a celebration of something authentic in Irish life.
Bishop Brennan visited the diocesan stand to greet people after the opening. Among those present on the stand were representatives of the very many active Catholics and Christian organisations in the area.
Martin Colfer of Adamstown parish told ciNews, “The Ploughing Championship is very good, very well organised and there has been steady stream of visitors to the stand. Even if it is a bit damp it is all going very well.”
Martin has been involved in the Knights of St Columbanus and the revival of the diocesan group. Its members meet every month, help provide meals for the poor in Kilkenny at Christmas and are involved in drug awareness programmes for young people.
Also on the stand was Sheila Jackman from Gorey who is involved in the Legion of Mary.
She told ciNews that there are up to 70 people involved in the 13 Legion groups within the diocese. One of those is the junior group with members of primary school age.
This group is now going into its third generation.
The Legion of Mary had its own stand at the event but Sheila was on the diocesan stand.
The national pilgrimage of Legion of Mary to Knock was attended by thousands from all over the country last weekend.
World Youth Day 2013 (WYD) was ably represented on the stand by Ann Marie Murphy. She was handing out leaflets to young people interested in the event but also to mothers who might encourage their family members to attend.
She was all too aware that the ploughing event is national and that the leaflets she was handing might result in young people from other diocese contacting their local pilgrimage group.
“It is nice to reach out to people who are not very active in their faith and those who would not hear of World Youth Day otherwise,” she told ciNews.
She attended the previous WYD in Madrid, Spain with more than 30 young people from the diocese. WYD 2013 is in Rio, Brazil so costs will be higher making it more difficult for young people to attend.
The Ferns young people plan to go almost a week before WYD and work with the Kiltegan Missionaries in the Sao Paulo area. They had an information evening in Clonard on Friday and Ann Marie Murphy emphasised that interested people need to sign up to go by the end of October.
Also present on the stand was the Parish Cells group, Adamstown / Raheen Prayer group amongst many others. The latter is currently campaigning for the re-opening of the Irish embassy to the Holy See in the Vatican.
Vocations Ireland had its own stand and regular visits of the many congregations it represents. The newly appointed director Ann Marie Gallagher was present.
Other Catholic and Christian groups at the ploughing included the Mothers Union with the only baby changing facilities at the event; Bóthar charity, which donates livestock to third world countries; Simon charity for the homeless; Wexford Parish; Carmelite Monastery promoting vocations and their hermitages in Delgany Co Wicklow and many more.