Top speakers for Graigue Novena
A PRIEST who challenged the handling of child clerical abuse within the Catholic Church as far back the 1990s will be among a list of high profile speakers set to speak about their work and how their faith guides them at the Solemn Novena in Graiguecullen in the coming weeks.
The fourth Solemn Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help begins on Monday, April 12 and will run for nine consecutive Monday nights to June 7 at St Clare’s Parish Church Graiguecullen.
Perhaps the most challenging speaker will be Fr Kevin Hearty, a priest in Belmullet, Co Mayo who is a former editor of church’s pastoral and liturgical resource magazine Intercom. He will speak on April 26. Fr Hegarty was moved out of his job as editor after he raised questions over the handling of clerical child sexual abuse.
The first Novena speaker on April 12 date will be Brian Crowley MEP while Irish Champion jockey, Johnny Murtagh will speak on April 19. David Begg, General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions will speak about his faith on May 3.
The now legendary manager of the Kilkenny Hurling team Brian Cody will give a talk on May 10 while a week later, on May 17, the author of 'To School Through The Fields', Alice Taylor, is the invited speaker.
RTE sports presenter Bill O'Herlihy will speak on May 24. On May 31, Special Olympic MD, Mary Davis will speak. The final week, will hear the emotional journey of Limerick woman, Mary Fitzpatrick whose son Michael was killed in an unprovoked attack outside a pub in the city ten years ago.
During Lent people have been placing their petition in the boxes provided in both the church in Graiguecullen and in the Holy Cross Church, Killeshin. These petitions will be placed at the front of the cross in our sacred place during lent and will be offered up in prayer during the Solemn Novena. Fr Liam Lawton will lead the music at the Solemn Novena.
The Novena gets underway each Monday night with the Rosary 7.10pm. For further details contact the Parish Office in Graiguecullen 059 9141833
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Portlaoise
Monday 21 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
