Would you like to come and see life in a Capuchin Friary?

If you feel that coming to see what life is like in one of our Friaries could help you discern God's call, then you are most welcome!I have listed the Friaries in Ireland, their addresses, phone number and contact person

Dublin
St Mary of the Angels, Church St, Dublin 7
Ph: 01 8730599 Contact: Br Terence Harrington

Capuchin Friary, Raheny Road, Raheny, Dublin 5
Ph: 01 8313886  Contact: Br John Wright

St Francis of Assisi Parish, Priorswood, Clonsaugh Road, Coolock
Ph: 01 8474469 Contact: Br Sean Kelly

Cork
Holy Trinity, Father Matthew Quay, Cork City
Ph: 021 4270827 Contact: Br Sean Donohue

Rochestown, Cork
Ph: 021 4896244 Contact: Br Dermot Lynch

Carlow
Capuchin Friary, Dublin Street, Carlow
Ph: 059 9142543  Contact: Br John Manley

Kilkenny
Capuchin Friary, Friary Road, Kilkenny City
Ph: 056 7721439 Contact: Br Donal Sweeney

Donegal
Ard Mhuire, Creeslough, Co Donegal
Ph: 074 9138005 Contact: Br Kieran Shortan

Vocations Director
Br Terence Harrington, Capuchin Friary Church St
Ph: 086 3230638  email: capuchinvocation@gmail.com

Irish Capuchins welcome two brothers

Good Morning
This month we welcome back Br Liam Quinn from the USA where he has successfully completed his Novitiate year. Liam, in his early thirties, hails from Kilkeel, Co Down. Before joining the Capuchins, Liam worked in the UK with the National Immigration Agency. Liam will profess his first vows in our Raheny Friary on the 11th of August next and will be assigned to our Church Street Friary, Dublin following his profession.

Also joining the family, as a Postulant, is Sean Oberc. Sean comes all the way from Detroit but has lived in Ireland and worked for the L'Arche Community in Kilkenny and Cork for the last number of years. Sean is an excellent traditional Irish musician and multi-instrumentalist. We are delighted the Lord has asked him to join our number and wish him every success. He will begin his Postulancy in Raheny, Dublin in September.


Blessed John Paul the Second said at the Vigil Mass of World Youth Day 2000 and also at his inaugural Mass as Pope :

'Have no fear of entrusting yourself to Christ. He will guide you, He will grant you the strength to follow

Him every day and in every situation'

If you feel the Lord is asking you to follow St Francis, Liam and Sean, take courage in the words of John Paul and make the first step towards a life that makes a big difference in the lives of so many, especially those most in need. 

Pax Br Martin

'Explore A Way' discernment programme from Vocations Ireland

Good Morning

Vocations Ireland, the national office for vocations promotion, have developed an excellent programme to assist anybody wishing to discern a religious vocation. It is called 'Explore A Way' and all the details are available on their website http://www.exploreaway.net/

The programme aims to help you search a vocation and help you discern what type of vocation you may be called to whether as a Brother, Priest, Nun, Sister or what religious charism suits your call best (Franciscan, Dominican, Carmelite, Diocesan etc).

It is well worth a look and a great resource

Pax Br Martin

Capuchin vocation to the poor in action!

This weekend a charity cycle is taking place to help fund our outreach to the Homeless of Dublin. Attached is the article carried in the Irish Times (18/06/2011)

THERE IS a “worrying increase” in levels of depression and anxiety among the homeless and poor in Dublin, one of the foremost advocates for the sector has said.

Br Kevin Crowley, who runs the Capuchin Day Centre in Bow Street, Smithfield, Dublin, said it was particularly acute among the “new poor, people who have lost their jobs and are really desperate, who are on the verge of losing everything.

“People are very worried and it’s the not knowing, the worry. It’s increasing and is very much a new thing. It’s very worrying.”

The day centre serves about 200 breakfasts and 500 hot lunches a day and hands out about 1,000 food parcels of basic groceries, such as butter, tea, canned foods, sugar, bread once a week, on Wednesday mornings.

Br Crowley was speaking yesterday morning as a group of about 30 gardaí and prison officers set off on a two-day cycle across the State to raise money for the centre. The cyclists rode to Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim, yesterday and are due to complete the journey to Belmullet, Co Mayo, today.

He said he hoped the venture would “raise awareness about the increasing issues of homelessness and poverty”.

People tended to contribute donations after the cycle, he added, and it was hoped that about €10,000 would be raised.

Running costs for the centre are increasing and stand at about €1.3 million a year at present. A grant of €450,000 comes from the HSE annually, with the rest raised though fundraising.

www.homeless.ie

Pax 

Br Martin

What's Pentecost all about?

What is Pentecost? Video - Click here

Good Morning

Tomorrow we celebrate Pentecost Sunday, a very big day in the liturgical year. This excellent 2 minute video gives the background

My your lives, hearts and homes be filled with the Spirit of God and all His abundant gifts!!

Pax
Br Martin

What's Pentecost all about?

What is Pentecost? Video - Click here

Good Morning

Tomorrow we celebrate Pentecost Sunday, a very big day in the liturgical year. This excellent 2 minute video gives the background

My your lives, hearts and homes be filled with the Spirit of God and all His abundant gifts!!

Pax
Br Martin

21 young men join the Capuchin Pre-Novitiate in America

Peace be with you all on Ascension Sunday! 

So some good news! 21 young men have joined our Inter-Provincial Pre-Novitiate Programme in the US. There is a lot of jargon there, so let me explain.

Inter- Provinical means that different Provinces (Territories) have come together to pool resources and work in solidarity as Brothers to provide this programme.

Pre-Novitiate is a time, after their first year (called Postulancy), for these young men to get to know each other before they enter the Novitiate year. The Novitiate is a time of deeper living of our life in prayer, simplicity and fraternity. It lasts a year and a day!

We send our congratulations, prayers and best wishes to all in the programme and we thank them for having the courage to listen to and respond to the Lord.

Pax

Br Martin