Advent and Christmas 2014

18 Dec 2014

Copy of Christmas 2013 by Tom Long aged 7 from Dunboyne, Co Meath

(Drawing by Tom Long aged 8)

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…”

Advent Calendar

Please check out our online Advent Calendar and our Thought for the Day pieces which will be made available right up to and including Christmas Eve, December 24th. You can access the Advent Calendar by clicking here.

Pope Francis schedule for Christmas 2014

•  Tuesday, December 24, Christmas Eve, 20:30-22:30 hours, Midnight Mass, presided over by Pope Francis in Saint Peter’s Basilica.
•  Wednesday, December 25, Christmas Day, 11:00-11:30 hours, Christmas Message and the “Urbi et Orbi” blessing of Pope Francis from Saint Peter’s Square.

Christmas messages and homilies from bishops 

18 December: Joint Christmas message from the Archbishops of Armagh

18 December: Joint Christmas message from the Bishops of Derry

19 December: Christmas message from Bishop Noel Treanor

19 December: Joint Christmas message from the Bishops of Clogher

22 December: Christmas message from Bishop Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin

This will be updated as more messages and homilies become available. 

Christmas reflections and prayers (video and audio) 

Bishop Brendan Kelly, Bishop of Achonry on our preparations for Christmas

An t-Easpag Breandán Ó Ceallaigh ar an ullmhúchán againn do Bhreith ár dTiarna. 

Bishop Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin on Midnight Mass and the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • Click here to watch this video reflection
  • Click below for an audio version of the same reflection

NATIVITY

Family table prayer for Christmas Day – Click here.

family at meals

A poem called The Present read by Cathal Tobin aged 1o.  Click below to listen.

Broadcast of ceremonies for Christmas 

  • Christmas Eve (Vigil)

Midnight Mass: After five years of mourning, loss and painstaking restoration work, Saint Mel’s Cathedral has risen from the ashes of the devastating fire in the early hours of Christmas morning 2009 and the people of Longford will once again celebrate Christmas in their beloved cathedral.

  • Christmas Day

10.00am Mass for Christmas Day will be celebrated by Bishop Francis Duffy, Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise from Saint Mel’s Cathedral in Longford. This will be the first Christmas Day Mass in the cathedral since it was gutted in a fire after midnight Mass of Christmas 2009.

Programmes of interest on Television for Christmas 

On Christmas Eve there will be a special programme on Saint Mel’s Cathedral, Longford called The Bells of Saint Mel’s broadcast on RTÉ Radio One at 10.00pm.

On Tuesday 30 December there will be a Would You Believe special on Saint Mel’s Cathedral at 6.30pm. The programme is entitled The Longford Phoenix. 

At 11.00am on Christmas Day RTÉ One Television will air the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing of Pope Francis live from Saint Peter’s Square.

At 12.15pm on Christmas Day RTÉ One Television will broadcast the traditional Christmas message from the Archbishops of Armagh – Archbishop Eamon Martin and Archbishop Richard Clarke.