Easter in Limerick is centre-stage at a nation level this weekend as Good Friday ceremonies and the Easter Vigil celebrations are being broadcast live by RTE from St. John’s Cathedral to the city’s status as National City of Culture.
The Good Friday ceremonies today include a symbolic presentation of a Limerick Diocese ‘Garment of Suffering’. The patchwork quilt was made up of over 1,000 squares of cloth – symbols of suffering in parishes across the diocese and in solidarity with those who are struggling or have lost their struggle with illness of any kind over the past year.
Said Bishop Brendan Leahy, Bishop of Limerick: “Easter is the most special time of the year for the Catholic Church. It’s a time when we remember the suffering of Christ but, moreover, celebrate the resurrection. In this year, when Limerick is designated the National City of Culture, we are taking a new look at the Christian message of hope that has shaped so much of our culture.
“Because of Easter, negativity, limits, setbacks are never the end of the story for Christians. There’s always room for positive thinking, encouragement, giving it another go, precisely because at the heart of the Easter story is the message that death has been overcome, cynicism has not won out, new life is possible.
“We are delighted to have RTÉ here to broadcast our celebrations. It’s a privilege for any community and all the more so because of Limerick’s status as the City of Culture 2014. Each liturgy is, in a sense, a cultural event. The televising from Limerick of the Easter celebrations is a great opportunity to highlight the role of Christ and the Church in Limerick culture.”
Today’s broadcast includes 9-minute introduction, a film produced by Kairos Communications. The contributors to this film are:
· Kathleen Leddin, Mayor of Limerick who welcomes viewers and listeners to St. John’s Cathedral on Good Friday and reflects on what this liturgy means to her
· Damien Varley, Munster rugby player who speaks about the importance of faith in his life and that he always has a medal in his right sock
· Tiernan O’Neill, principal of Corpus Christi Primary School in Moyross who speaks about a school project for the Year of Culture
· Barbara O’Donnell who speaks about the garment of suffering, pieces of cloth sewn together to represent the sufferings of different people in the diocese. This garment will be placed around the cross during the liturgy
· Tony O’Sullivan, a carpenter who speaks of his trade and the huge cross that he made that will be used for the Good Friday liturgy and he shares his own personal reflections on the Cross and the Passion of Christ
· Bishop Trevor Williams, Church of Ireland, sharing his reflections on the Cross and the Passion of Christ
· Bishop Brendan Leahy, Bishop of Limerick, who will lead the Liturgy of the Passion of Christ on the Cross.
The Church of Ireland Bishop of the united Dioceses of Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert, Bishop Trevor Williams, will join with Bishop Brendan Leahy in this Good Friday commemoration of the Passion of Christ. Music will be from the Diocesan Youth Choir under the direction of Lorna Byrne.
Meanwhile, the Easter Vigil tomorrow night, beginning at 11p.m., will open with a night shot of the city of Limerick and the Cathedral of St. John. The Mass will have representatives from parishes across the diocese coming together with main celebrant Bishop Brendan Leahy. This Mass will be the first occasion when a new Mass setting composed by Glenstal Monk, Father Columba McCann, OSB, especially for the Diocese to mark Limerick’s designation as the 2014 National City of Culture, will be performed.
Music is from the Saint John’s Cathedral Choir under the direction of Bernadette Kiely. The Mass will be simulcast on RTÉ One Television and RTÉ Radio One LW 252/ Digital Platforms. The broadcast will conclude at 12:30am, Easter Sunday.
