Official Diocesan Welcome for Polish Chaplain to the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin

07 Oct 2006

PRESS RELEASE

7 OCTOBER 2006

OFFICIAL DIOCESAN WELCOME FOR POLISH CHAPLAIN

TO THE DIOCESE OF KILDARE AND LEIGHLIN


 
“It is hoped that this and other initiatives will enable us to minister more
effectively to the many newcomers to Ireland who have chosen to live among us”
 – Bishop Jim Moriarty   

The official diocesan welcome for the newly appointed Polish Chaplain for the
Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin will take place in the Church of St.s Peter and
Paul, Portlaoise at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 7th. Fr Tadeusz Durrajczyk
(a member of the Divine Word Missionaries) is the first such full-time diocesan
chaplain to be appointed in Kildare & Leighlin.  

This Mass will be the formal liturgical welcome for to the diocese and will also
recognise others who are ministering to newcomers in the diocese.

Bishop Moriarty will welcome groups from India, Poland, Nigeria, The Congo, The
Phillipines, and Brazil at the Mass. He will also welcome the following who are
involved in ministry to the large migrant population in the Diocese of Kildare
and Leighlin: Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ sisters from Nigeria,
Sr. Beata, Fr. McNamara (ministering to Brazilian community), Fr. Jaroslav
representing polish ministers in the country and the provincial of the Divine
Word Missionaries  Fr. Finbarr Treacy.

The official welcome ceremony will comprise a special Mass concelebrated by
Bishop James Moriarty and a reception afterwards in Portlaoise Parish Hall during
which Fr Tadeusz and others involved in ministering to newcomers in the diocese
will be able to meet people from the parish and the diocese.

This diocesan liturgy will be followed by parish based liturgies and initiatives
of welcome across the diocese during the week of 15th -22nd October.

The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Dr Jim Moriarty said: “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.
At baptism we say to the child: the Christian community welcomes you with great
joy. In a society that too often leaves people feeling isolated and excluded,
the need to offer a word of welcome, encouragement and invitation is now never
more important. In every gesture of welcome, every encounter, every act of
friendship, we meet the Lord himself. In reaching out to and welcoming newcomers
we are welcoming Christ in a special way into our lives.”

Bishop Moriarty continued: “It is hoped that this and other initiatives in the
Diocese will enable us to minister more effectively to the many newcomers to
Ireland who have chosen to live among us. A special invitation and Cead Mile Failte
to this Mass is extended to all newcomers living in the diocese.”

Ends

Further information:
Ms Brenda Drumm (087 233 7797)
Fr Mícheál Murphy (086 8244629)  

NOTES TO EDITORS:

– The Diocesan Reach Out campaign was formally launched by Bishop Jim Moriarty
in November 2004 as a response to issues raised by people in the diocese following
publication of Together in Christ, the draft guide to the diocese of Kildare
and Leighlin. The launch of the Reach Out campaign set in place a campaign to address
these and other issues, which began in parishes in December 2004.
– In May 2005 the official diocesan welcome for the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary, Mother of Christ Missionary Order took place in Kildare Parish Church. The
Sisters took up residence in Kildare Town in the house formally occupied by the De
la Salle Brothers at the invitation of Dr James Moriarty the Bishop of Kildare and
Leighlin as part of the on-going effort in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin to
develop a ministry to the very large migrant population in the diocese.
– Additional information on the Diocese and on the Reach Out campaign is available
on the diocesan website – www.kandle.ie
– Photographs are available on request from Brenda Drumm (087 233 7797).
– 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.
The Diocese includes County Carlow and parts of Counties Kildare, Laois, Offaly,
Kilkenny, Wicklow and Wexford.