12,000 attend Knock Eucharistic Congress

12,000 attend  Knock Eucharistic Congress


Michael Commins

CARDINAL Sean Brady of Armagh led the National Eucharistic Congress celebrations in Knock on Saturday. A crowd in the region of 12,000 were present for the ceremonies, the highlight of which was the concelebrated Mass in Knock Basilica, attended by the Bishops of the 26 dioceses and close on 200 priests.
In his homily, which was relayed to people outside the Basilica via a major screen in the church grounds, Cardnal Brady said he hoped the focus by so many in the various parishes in the run-up to the International Eucharistic Congress would encourage many who had fallen away from regular Mass attendance to return to the fold.
The Cardinal told the congregation that, while faith is increasingly mocked and ridiculed in some quarters of society these days, Ireland continues to have one of the highest rates of weekly Mass-going in Europe.
Referring to the manner in which the faith has been interwoven into the fabric of Irish life down the centuries, he said the Book of Kells and the Ardagh and Derrynaflan Chalices are two of Ireland’s most important national treasurers. “It is amazing how many of our natinal treasures are connected with the celebration of the Eucharist. And then again maybe it is not amazing ...as the Eucharist has been the treasure of our hearts for centuries,” he reflected.
“We live in stressful anxious times. The theme of this Congress is communion with Christ and one another. May these days here in Knock and the days of the Eucharistic Congress and the International Congress next year help to bring healing to the social, economic, spiritual and moral wounds that have so deeply afflicted our country and church in recent times,” said Cardinal Daly. 
Directly addressing the young people present, many of whom were attending the Knock Shrine Youth Festival, the Cardinal said: “Thank you for being such a great sign of hope among us. With you the church in Ireland will always be young.”
Msgr Joe Quinn, PP, delivered the address of welcome at the start of the ceremonies.