PRESS RELEASE
22 SEPTEMBER 2006
THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF KILDARE AND LEIGHLIN
REACHES OUT TO YOU
AT THE NATIONAL & WORLD PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS
All are welcome! – Stand 324 – Row S
The Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin will, for the first time have an exhibition
stand at the National & World Ploughing Championships in Grangeford, Tullow, Co Carlow
from Wednesday 27th to Saturday 30th September 2006. The theme of the initiative is The
Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin Reaches Out to You!
Commenting on the initiative the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Dr Jim Moriarty said:
“The tradition of fáilte or welcome is one of which Irish people are justly proud. It
is this same sense of welcome that we, in the Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin,
wish to extend to all who are attending the ploughing championships – those who have
travelled from around the world and those who have come from just down the road.
“The Ploughing Championships offers us a unique opportunity to reach out and offer a
gesture of welcome to those we meet. When we welcome each other we are also welcoming
Christ himself and acknowledging his presence among us.”
Bishop Moriarty continued: “Our diocese has been engaged in a campaign of reaching out
and welcome for the last three years. The people of the parishes challenged us to reach
out to and find new ways of welcoming young people, those who have become disillusioned
or disconnected from the church and newcomers to our communities.
“During this coming year our Faith Development Team will focus on providing resources
to our parish communities about the sacrament of welcome, baptism.
“We are also preparing to welcome and install the first Polish Chaplain to minister to
the growing Polish community in our diocese. A Welcome Liturgy will take place in
Portlaoise Parish Church on Saturday October 7th at 7.30p.m. All are welcome. It is
hoped that other initiatives will enable us to minister more effectively to the many
newcomers to Ireland who have chosen to live among us.”
Bishop Moriarty concluded: “In our Irish language we greet each other with a simple
prayer, we say ‘Dia dhuit’ (God be with you) and the response is always the same,
‘agus leat féin’ (and also with you). In a very real sense this reflects a God that
is always with us, a God who is present in the bits and pieces of everyday life.”
People attending the Ploughing Championships are invited to visit Stand 324 where
information will be available on the various ministries, services and initiatives
in the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin e.g. youth ministry, faith development services,
vocations etc. There will also be a sacred space area on the stand where visitors
will be invited to leave their prayer intentions. Visitors will also be encouraged
to take one of the specially prepared Prayer Cards available at the stand.
The following events are scheduled to take place at the Kildare and Leighlin Stand:
There will be prayer each day at 12.00 noon and 4.00pm
Each day between 1.00pm and 3.00pm visitors will be able to see a traditional
St Brigid’s Cross being made and will have the opportunity to try making one
themselves.
Wednesday 27th September – 2.00pm:
Launch of ‘Do This in Memory 3’ a parish preparation programme for First Eucharist.
Thursday 28th September – 2.00pm:
Welcome our new Polish Chaplain Father Tadeusz Durrajczyk
Saturday 30th September 2006 – 2.00pm:
Focus on vocations to the priesthood and religious life in the diocese of Kildare
and Leighlin. Some of the seminarians who are studying for our diocese and novices
from some of our religious congregations will visit the stand.
Ends
19th September 2006
Further information:
Mícheál Murphy Tel: 086 8244629
Brenda Drumm Tel: 087 233 7797
Notes to Editors:
* The Kildare and Leighlin Reach Out campaign was launched on 29th November 2004
as a response to the issues raised by people in the diocese following publication
in 2003 of Together in Christ, the draft guide to the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.
The publication of Together in Christ marked the start of a conversation in the
diocese about what should be the key priorities for the diocese in the coming years.
* Further information is available on the Reach Out campaign at www.kandle.ie
* The Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin has: 56 parishes; 110 priests/parish pastoral workers;
a Catholic population of approximately 200,000 and 117 Catholic Churches.
* The Patrons of the Diocese are St Brigid, St Conleth and St Lazerain. (see below)
* The Diocese includes County Carlow and parts of Counties Kildare, Laois, Offaly,
Kilkenny, Wicklow and Wexford.
PATRONS OF THE DIOCESE
Until 1678 there were two separate dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin and this is reflected
in the patrons of the diocese. The diocese of Kildare (Church of the Oak Tree) grew from
the monastic settlement believed to have been founded by Saint Brigid who is also the
second national patron saint. Her feast is celebrated on February 1st. She worked closely
with Saint Conleth who is credited with being the first Bishop of Kildare, consecrated
about 490. We celebrate his feast day on May 4th.
Saint Laserian also known as Molaise was ordained a priest in Rome and sent back to
Ireland. He settled in the monastery at Leighlin in Co. Carlow and became abbot there
about 630. Around this time there was great controversy about the date of Easter in
Ireland and Laserian went to Rome in 633 in an effort to resolve the issue. While there
he was consecrated a bishop and sent back to Ireland as papal legate. He is credited
with resolving the controversy for the southern half of Ireland. His feast day is
celebrated on April 18th.
