IN THIS SECTION:

2024 Orientation Course for Incoming Pastoral Ministry Workers

Autumn 2024 Orientation Course is FULL.

Applications for The Autumn 2024 Orientation Course for Incoming Pastoral Ministry Workers have now closed and the course is full.
The fully residential course, over 10 working days in two 1-week blocks, is crafted by Spiritan Mission Ireland (SMI) and is designed to prepare newcomers to pastoral ministry in Ireland for effective ministry in both parish and congregational settings.

Themes covered include:
– Acculturation, Communication and Collaboration
– Ministry in Ireland
– Ministry in Action
– Introduction to the Margins in Irish Society
and
– Safeguarding (a 2-day NBSCCI-certified module).

Expressions of interest to hello@spiritan.ie in participating in a Spring 2025 course are now welcome.

Download the brochure for more information on courses (PDF)

Marking World Day of the Poor

Sunday 14 November 2021

A Resource to assist communities and individuals

In service of those in greatest need

World Day of the Poor, an initiative of Pope Francis first held in 2017, is marked annually across the whole Church on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is a Day of the Poor not a Day for the Poor. As Christ’s presence among us, poor people are hosting us. We join them in active solidarity with their struggle but also to

allow ourselves to be enriched by what they can teach us about life, sharing and dependence on God. Pope Francis has marked World Day of the Poor with Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica with people who are poor and those who work with them, followed by a meal in the Vatican (pre-Covid).

Video: Catholic News Service, 18 Nov 2019.

Prayer

Prepare a simple prayer space – a lighted candle, a crucifix, a Bible and some flowers and background instrumental music if possible.
Introduce the prayer as follows:

“At the heart of all the many concrete initiatives carried out on this day should always be prayer. Let us not forget that the Our Father is the prayer of the poor. Our asking for bread expresses our entrustment to God for our basic needs in life. Everything that Jesus taught us in this prayer expresses and brings together the cry of all who suffer from life’s uncertainties and the lack of what they need”

(2017 World Day of the Poor Message of Pope Francis, No. 8).

Let us recite the Our Father now, the prayer of those who know their need of God, getting in touch with our own vulnerability and neediness, and in solidarity with people who are poor today, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Moment of Silence

Our prayer, too, is for the generosity to reach out to those around us who are in need. “The Our Father is a prayer said in the plural: the bread for which we ask is ‘ours’, and that entails sharing, participation and joint responsibility” (2017 World Day of the Poor Message of Pope Francis, no. 8).

Music – for example, the song ‘Whatsoever You Do’ composed Willard F. Jabusch, such as the version performed by Chris Brunelle – https://youtu.be/Wl_sapbbSEE

Reflection

Please read these quotes from the 2021 World Day of the Poor Message of Pope Francis and, when used in a community setting, invite comment:

“As I never tire of repeating, the poor are true evangelizers, for they were the first to be evangelized and called to share in the Lord’s joy and his kingdom (cf. Mt 5:3) (2). Believers, when they want to see Jesus in person and touch him with their hands, know where to turn (3).

“Unless we choose to become poor in passing riches, worldly power and vanity, we will never be able to give our lives in love; we will live a fragmented existence, full of good intentions but ineffective for transforming the world” (4). “There are many forms of poverty among the “rich” that might be relieved by the wealth of the “poor”, if only they could meet and get to know each other! None are so poor that they cannot give something of themselves in mutual exchange” (6).
• “We cannot wait for the poor to knock on our door; we need urgently to reach them in their homes, in hospitals and nursing homes, on the streets and in the dark corners where they sometimes hide, in shelters and reception centres. It is important to understand how they feel, what they are experiencing and what their hearts desire” (9).

Reaching out

By way of marking World Day of the Poor: Who in my life and world am I/we being called to reach out to at this time?

Hospitality

In a community context, before concluding, share a cuppa in as safe a way as possible.

The Spiritan Mission Ireland Animation Commission (SMIAC) – December 2021

Set up in 2021, SMIAC has as its objectives: to animate, facilitate, coordinate and resource the work of all who are actively involved in mission in Ireland, and to progress Spiritan commitment to same.

Activities in hand include: The Marino Institute Migrant Teachers Project; appointment of a youth worker and / or chaplain to be shared by Templeogue College and Kimmage / Greenhills parishes; the development of both a mission-focused adult faith-formation programme and a youth-at-risk apprenticeship programme. Current membership (until 2024) comprises the following 11 individuals:

Brendan Carr C.S.Sp. (chair of the commission) served in Angola. An ex-board-member of Spirasi and Misean Cara, he ministered in Kimmage Parish and spent 6 years on the Spiritan leadership team.

Patricia Carroll is a Pastoral Coordinator (Dublin archdiocese) and a PhD student. A former Director of Education for Parish Services in the UK, she has worked in pastoral development for over 20 years.

Séamus Claffey has been a parish pastoral worker and university chaplain. A member of SET’s ethos sub-committee, he has written on faith and justice matters, and has done facilitation / animation work.

Peter Conaty C.S.Sp. worked in Africa, Mexico and the USA. In Ireland he has served in formation, and as a member of the PLT. He is based at the Spiritan Retreat and Spirituality Centre in Ardbraccan.

Amanda Dillon has a PhD in Biblical Studies. Principal Investigator of her NISAR Project which is researching the spiritual development of women readers of the Bible, she has lectured in Biblical Studies, Theology and Spirituality.

Rachel Harlowe is a History and French teacher and 2nd Year Dean in Blackrock College. From Dublin, she studied in Loreto Dalkey, has a Diploma in Catechetics and recently completed an M Ed.

Daithí Kenneally served in education and parish ministry in Sierra Leone. In Ireland, he has worked in formation, parishes and safeguarding, was Kimmage Community Leader and served on the PLT.

John Laizer C.S.Sp. is from Tanzania. Ordained in 2000, he ministered in Zimbabwe before coming to Ireland. He has served on the leadership team, in promotions and in parishes in Dublin and Elphin.

Deirdre Markey is a qualified accountant who worked at a senior finance level in the private sector for many years. Following a career break and further study, she has been with Spirasi since 2017.