Catherine Ryan(Borrisoleigh) and Margaret Egan (Murroe-Boher) assisting with St Bernadette’s Relic in Holycross Abbey on Thursday September 19th
The Relic of St Bernadette will leave Holycross Abbey today(Friday September 19th) after a very successful two day visit to the iconic building famed for it’s own permanent display of the Relic of the True Cross.
Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dr Kieran O’Reilly will celebrate Mass at 10am on Friday and share some of the petitions included by the faithful over the last two days. Fr Joe Tynan, Parish Priest in Knocklong will give the homily.
A steady flow of people visited Holycross Abbey on Thursday – Fr Jimmy Donnelly, PP Doon led the Rosary at 5pm. The 7.30pm Mass on Thursday was celebrated by Dr O’Reilly with the glorious weather making the occasion all the more special for those attending.
The Abbey Religious Goods Shop was open as was the Café overhead. Two vendors set up outside the Abbey giving those attending plenty of opportunity to purchase medals, rosary beads, prayer cards, holy water fonts or statues. Most of those attending availed of the opportunity to press their item against the glass case containing the relic – for many an opportunity to pay homage to St Bernadette without a trip to Lourdes. Nurses from across the Diocese and others that helped on previous Pilgrimages to Lourdes assisted over the course of the day to help pilgrims gain a blessing from the relic – with some having their glasses or watches blessed by the Saint. Full details of the St Bernadette Relic Pilgrimage to Ireland which continues across the country until November 5th can be found at this link here.