Saturday 23 August 2008

Feast of Saint Philip Benizi

Don’t forget!!!

Mass in St. Paul’s Church, Emo, Co. Laois, Ireland, at 11 a.m., on Saturday, 30th August. The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin has granted the Plenary Indulgence of the Holy Year of St. Paul to all those who attend this Mass, under the usual conditions.

After Mass, we also hope to visit Emo Court, which is an estate across the road from St. Paul’s Church. The house was built in 1790 by James Gandon for the Earls of Portarlington. The house and grounds are now maintained by an agency of the Irish State, the Office of Public Works. Our visit coincided with ‘Heritage Week’, so please let us know if you are planning to attend, so that we can let the staff know in advance how large our group will be. E-mail: catholicheritagegroup@catholic.org

18 comments:

Quis ut Deus said...

I wish I could be there in dear old Ireland. It sounds magical. Isn't Emo in Queen's County? It must be wonderful to have a reminder of Queen Mary Tudor. Not many folks here remember that Maryland was named in her honour.

Semper Eadem said...

In fact, the county town of Laois or Leix, if you prefer, Portlaoise, was once called Maryborough and the plantation town of King's County (Offaly) was called Phillipstown (Daingain) in honour of Phillip II, Queen Mary's husband.

The Heath outside Portlaoise is still called the 'Great Heath of Maryborough'.

I think memories of 'Good Queen May', the last Catholic Queen regnant of England, may be slightly better in England and Maryland than in Ireland.

Donnelly's Hollow said...

Why has it taken so long for this progress to be made? Why do the laity have to make all these arrangements for themselves?

Jim'll Fix It! said...

Maybe progress is slow but that doesnt matter as long as its solid and steady. Some Latin Mass groups are content with amusing themselves and as long as they have enough Masses to do that they dont care about progress at all.

Semper Eadem said...

From a Dublin point of view the situation in Kildare seems ridiculous.

I've never understood how the suffragans of Dublin, usually staffed by Ordinaries who are ex-Auxiliaries in Dublin, could be so backward regarding what Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos has called the 'Gregorian Rite'.

Ossory and Ferns are hardly models either but Kildare seems particularly slow and unyielding to the new realities.

The secret is to pray for our Bishops and Priests. They need prayers to be protected from the devil, the world, and the flesh. They also need prayers to be protected from self and even from 'experts'.

Shandon Belle said...

I don't think I will be there but it's a good idea. The Tridentine Mass deserves a much wider audience.

Anonymous said...

How do I get to Emo and how much is the visit to Emo Court going to cost?

Shandon Belle said...

Just out of idle curiosity, I'd like to know how to get to Emo too.

Anonymous said...

Is a bus being organised by St. Conleth's? Or is there a local bus service?

Convenor said...

Anyone wishing to travel to Emo should contact us at catholicheritagegroup@catholic.org.

God bless you!

St. Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association

Anonymous said...

I was in Emo for Mass this morning. I just want to give the highest praise to everyone who was involved in organising this. The singing was excellent and the whole congregation was able to join in. I havent sung like that at Mass in years. More of this kind of thing!

Jim'll Fix It! said...

I just got home from Emo Court - I enjoyed it so much I stayed for the talk after the tour after the tea after the Mass. I want to pay tribute to the excellent Priest who celebrated so reverently and who preached with such fire. I want to give credit to the people who played the organ and sang so well. I want to thank the two men who served the Mass so well and encouraged us all to say out the responses. I havent said INTROIBO AD ALTAR DEI in seventy years! I want to say that whoever organised the trip to Emo should get a medal because it was really excellent and I enjoyed it no end. All the thought and effort that must have been put into it was well worth it and really showed. I hope that you were all happy with the result. An attendance of seventy or eighty is nothing to be ashamed of. God bless the work!!!

Anonymous said...

Splendid! First rate! A model liturgy! Just what the Pope ordered!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for letting us know about this wonderful Mass. Who was the Priest? It was a powerful sermon. All the chanting was amazing. Is it possible to have the next Mass near a bus stop for those of us without cars?

Mary

Anonymous said...

And it was great to see all those children there all so well behaved and it was beautiful to see them blessed by the Priest as they came up with there parents at Holy Communion time.

Mary

Convenor said...

Our thanks to all who attended this Mass and especially to the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin for granting the Holy Year indulgence and the Parish Priest for his kindness. Thanks also for all your comments.

If anyone has any suggestions about this or future Masses, if anyone has an urge to help, to serve Mass or to sing in the schola, please let us know.

If anyone has any photographs of the Mass, you can e-mail them to catholicheritagegroup@catholic.org.

God bless!

St. Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association

Doc Hannon said...

Could someone tell me what chant was sung at the Mass in Emo? What schola was singing?

At the Latin Mass in St. Kevin's (Dublin) this morning the Lassus Scholars were in reasonably good voice as they returned from their Summer break. It was good to have some polyphony back again.

Anonymous said...

This lovely little country Church deserves to be much more widely known and visited. Emo is a gem that should be better promoted and preserved by the authorities. Is there now a regular Mass in Emo? If so can you give the time?