ARDAGH AND CLONMACNOISE: 
The Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise Bishop Colm O'Reilly will celebrate Mass at 
Clonmacnoise preceded by prayers in the monastic grounds where Pope John Paul walked  
during his visit to Ireland in 1979.  Some Polish people will participate.  

ARMAGH: 
The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland Dr Seán Brady, will be the main 
celebrant at Mass in St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh at 11.00 am on Sunday 2nd April 
to mark this occasion. It is hoped that members of the Polish community in the Armagh 
area and members of other migrant groups will take part in this anniversary Mass. 

The Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh Dr Gerard Clifford will celebrate an anniversary Mass 
for the late Pope John Paul II on Sunday 2 April, at 11.00 am, in St Peter's Church, 
Drogheda. 

Archbishop Brady has also encouraged parishes to mark this occasion in some way at 
local level.

CASHEL AND EMLY
Archbishop Dermot Clifford will be administering the Sacrament of Confirmation in 
the Cathedral to 120 children at the weekend.  He will remind the confirmation 
candidates and the congregation of the first anniversary of Pope John Paul’s death.  
He will also remind them in particular of Pope John Paul’s apostolate to young people.  
All the children remember Pope John Paul’s famous sentence, “Young people of Ireland, 
I love you”.  He will refer to Youth Week in Rome in 2000 AD when two million young 
people attended the Mass said by Pope John Paul.  Even though the young people had 
the freedom of the city, including all the gardens, and free travel on public transport, 
there wasn’t a single incidence of vandalism during the whole week.  He will quote the 
words of St. Catherine of Sienna of which Pope John Paul II was fond; “Young people, 
if you are what you should be you will set the whole world ablaze”.

The following Prayer of the Faithful will be said at all Masses in the Archdiocese of 
Cashel & Emly over the coming weekend.   

On this the first anniversary of his death, we thank God for the life of Karol Wojtyla, 
and in particular, we thank Him for his twenty-six and a half years of ministry as Pope 
John Paul 11.  We remember with gratitude his unselfish service to the world and the 
inspirational witness he provided.  His authentic witness to Christ was celebrated by 
young people searching for the right path, and his example in bearing physical suffering 
gave courage to many who are called by God to carry similar crosses.  We pray with 
confidence that he has entered the Father’s House and from there will continue to 
guide us. 
Lord hear us. 

CLOYNE: 
The Bishop of Cloyne, Dr John Magee, will participate in the Anniversary Mass for 
the late Pope which will be held on Monday evening, 3 April, in St. Peter’s Basilica 
in the Vatican.  Bishop Magee is a former private secretary to Pope John Paul II.

CORK AND ROSS: 
To mark the first anniversary of the death of  Pope John Paul II Bishop John Buckley, 
Bishop of Cork and Ross will be Chief Celebrant this Sunday 2nd April, 2006 at the 
Mass for the Polish Community resident in Cork, at 6pm in St. Augustine’s Church, 
Washington Street, Cork, where over 1,000 Polish people will be in attendance.

Bishop Buckley will be paying tribute to the late Pope, especially his respect for 
the dignity of every human person and the example and inspiration that he gave to 
so many people throughout the world.  

DOWN AND CONNOR: 
The Bishop of Down and Connor, Dr Patrick Walsh will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's 
Cathedral, Belfast on Sunday 2nd April at 12.00 noon.  There will be prayers for 
Pope John Paul II at all Masses in the Diocese on 1st/2nd April.

DUBLIN:
Parishes throughout the Dublin Diocese will this weekend be taking part in a unique 
commemoration of the late Pope John Paul II on the first anniversary of his death. 
 
In conjunction with Trócaire the Diocese has launched an initiative where the seeds 
for flowers in the papal colours of yellow and white will be planted in Church grounds. 

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said that it was a tribute to the late Pope and his commitment 
to justice and peace in the world. It is one of a number of events taking place this 
weekend in the Archdiocese marking the first anniversary of his death.

The tribute is linked with Trócaire’s Let’s Live Lent programme, which this year focuses 
on the issue of child labour in Nicaragua. “As a tribute to Pope John Paul” said 
Archbishop Martin, “and inspired by the gospel of the Fifth Sunday of Lent (John 12:20-33) 
I commend the Seeds of Justice initiative as a sign of our commitment to this important 
mission.” Representatives from Trócaire will speak in a number of Dublin Churches over 
the weekend.

Archbishop Martin said he hoped Seeds of Justice would “help us become people of justice, 
aware of our responsibility for each other and committed to bringing new life to our 
broken world.”       

While Pope John Paul II will be remembered at all Masses in the Diocese this weekend, 
particular events are taking place in St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Dublin on Saturday 
April 1st.  At 6.00pm Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will celebrate Mass. Music on this 
special occasion will be led by the choirs of Ampleforth College and Abbey. At 8.00pm 
there will be a reflective celebration in music and word 'Totus Tuus' led by the 
Palestrina Choir and attended by members of the Polish community. At 9.00pm there will 
be a Polish Mass.  
 
FERNS:
The Apostolic Administrator of Ferns, Bishop Eamonn Walsh will celebrate the 10am 
Mass in St. Aidan’s Cathedral, Enniscorthy on Sunday 2nd April. A special 
invitation has been extended to members of the Polish community to attend.

GALWAY: 
Galway Diocese will celebrate  Pope John Paul II 's  Anniversary on Monday April 
3rd at 6pm in Galway Cathedral. 

KILDARE AND LEIGHLIN: 
The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Dr Jim Moriarty will celebrate Mass in the Cathedral 
of the Assumption, Carlow on Sunday 2nd April at 11.00am. Later that day Bishop Moriarty 
will travel to St Conleth's Parish in Newbridge to join members of the Polish Community 
for their weekly Mass in Polish. 

KILLALA: 
The Diocese of Killala will mark the First Anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul 
II with an Anniversary Mass in St Muredach's Cathedral, Ballina, on Monday evening, 
April 3rd at 6.10.pm. The Bishop of Killala Dr John Fleming will celebrate this Mass. 
 
KILMORE: 
On Sunday 2nd April there will be a special holy hour with benediction in St Clare's 
Chapel, Cavan beginning at 7:30pm. On Monday 3rd April Bishop Leo O’Reilly will 
celebrate a special Mass for Pope John Paul II in the Cathedral of St Patrick and St 
Felim, Cavan at 10.00am. There will also be prayers offered at all Masses in the diocese over 
the weekend of 1/2 April. 

LIMERICK: 
Bishop Donal Murray will celebrate the 12 noon Mass at St. John's Cathedral, Limerick 
on Sunday 2nd April at which Pope John Paul 11 will be remembered. Members of 
the Polish community resident in the Cathedral parish will be attending. Prayers to mark 
the Anniversary will be said at Masses in Churches throughout the Diocese also. 

MEATH:
To commemorate the 1st anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II the Diocese of
Meath has produced resources for parishes and for schools including the prayer for 
the beatification of Pope John Paul II. These resources are available on the diocesan
website at: www.dioceseofmeath.ie/pope

OSSORY: 
There will be mass in St John’s Church Kilkenny at 7.30pm followed by exposition of 
the Blessed Sacrament.  At 9.57 the Divine Mercy Chaplet will be recited and a candle 
light procession will take place from this church to the City Hall.  The organisation
of this has been jointly handled by the Parish Team and the Polish nationals who 
participate in the evening mass, which includes readings and prayers in Polish, in St 
John’s every Sunday evening.

WATERFORD AND LISMORE: 
The first anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II will be marked in the diocese 
of Waterford and Lismore by Mass celebrated by Bishop William Lee in St. John’s Church, 
Waterford City, at 12.00 noon on Sunday 2nd April 2006. At Masses throughout the diocese 
on Sunday 2nd April the late Holy Father will be remembered in prayers, particularly in 
the Prayers of the Faithful. 


This section will be updated further as information on additional diocesan events                    
is received.