PREPARATIONS are well underway for the annual solemn novena in honour of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. The novena, which takes place from June 16 to 24 at the Redemptorist Church in Limerick City, is the biggest religious event in the Mid West. More than 5,000 people are expected to attend each day.
This year’s novena, entitled ‘a new vision of Church’, looks forward to the synod in Rome in October called by Pope Francis to consider the major challenges facing the Church in the 21st century.
“During the novena we will look at issues that are bound to come up at the synod. This is a major event in the history of the Church and we want as many people as possible to know about it,” says novena director Fr Nolan.
The novena starts on June 16 and continues until June 24, with six sessions daily from 7.30am to 9.00pm. People can also join online from anywhere in the world through Novena.ie, and submit their prayers of petition and thanksgiving.
Confession and a free walk-in counselling service will be available as well as the traditional novena highlights – the special session for the sick and elderly on Saturday 24, the blessing of babies and children at every session on Sunday 18, and a celebration for First Communion classes on Monday 19 at 11.30am.
There will also be special sessions in the Ukrainian and Brazilian languages, as well as in Limerick prison.
