Posted on 09. Dec, 2011 by ntmcconnell in Bishop, News, Welcome
Second Sunday of Advent 4 December 2011 Homily One of the most basic of our human needs is to find an explanation for things and a sense of purpose and direction in our lives. The search for an answer usually involves a long journey and often many wrong turns. A little fish in the ocean [...]
Posted on 01. Dec, 2011 by ntmcconnell in Bishop, News, Welcome
The First Sunday of Advent 27 November 2011 Homily My dear friends, this evening’s Mass is the Mass of the first Sunday of Advent, and with it we begin a new year of liturgical worship in our Church. Straight away the Word of God, in the readings from Scripture, challenges us. Isaiah cries out to [...]
Posted on 25. Nov, 2011 by ntmcconnell in Bishop, News, Welcome
Feast of Christ the King 150th Anniversary of St. Mary’s Church Castleblayney 20 November 2011 Introduction My dear priests and people of the parish of Muckno I welcome you warmly to St. Mary’s Church this morning. We will celebrate together the Mass of the Feast of Christ the King which closes the liturgy of the [...]
Posted on 29. Oct, 2011 by ntmcconnell in Bishop, News, Welcome
Bi Centenary Mass St. Patrick’s Corracrin, Mission Sunday 23 October 2011 Homily Brother priests and brothers and sisters in Christ, Many years ago a Major Fawcett journeyed down one of the magnificent rivers of the world, the Amazon, to trace some of its uncharted tributaries. When he came back, he seemed extremely uncomfortable, even [...]
Posted on 29. Oct, 2011 by ntmcconnell in Bishop, News, Welcome
Pioneer Mass St. Patrick’s Church, Ballybay 16 October 2011 Homily A chairde uile, The Gospel reading of today’s Mass is very familiar to most Christians. It touches on something which is precious to most people – what they own, their wealth and how this is taxed. There was a rich man who had read a [...]
Posted on 14. Oct, 2011 by ntmcconnell in Bishop, News, Welcome
Twenty-Eighth Sunday of the Year 9 October 2011 My dear friends, In the first reading of this Sunday’s Mass, Isaiah looks forward to better times in the future, when the Lord will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, and will wipe away the tears from every check. In the second reading, Paul [...]
Posted on 05. Oct, 2011 by ntmcconnell in Bishop, News, Welcome
Twenty Seventh Sunday of the Year St. Macartan’s College Reunion Mass 1 October 2011 Homily My dear friends, In the vine-growing regions of the world they say vineyards are different from other forms of agriculture. They say the vine grower is more of a passionate gardener than a farmer. Many vines outlive their owners and, [...]
Posted on 26. Sep, 2011 by ntmcconnell in Bishop, News, Welcome
Centenary Mass Church of the Immaculate Conception Monea Sunday, 25 September 2011 Homily My dear friends, brother priests and sisters, people of the Parish of Botha, Almost every little rural parish inIrelandis steeped in history and has its own story to tell. You are fortunate in this parish in having your own chroniclers. One of [...]
Posted on 23. Sep, 2011 by ntmcconnell in Bishop, News, Welcome
Mass of Blessing and Thanksgiving 22 September 2011 St. Joseph’s Church, Ederney Homily My dear friends, brother priests and parishioners of Cúl Máine, A man from the East decided to go on a trek into the desert. He summoned his camel men and told them to load the camels for the journey. The day of [...]
Posted on 23. Sep, 2011 by ntmcconnell in Bishop, News, Welcome
Twenty-fifth Sunday of the Year 18 September 2011 Homily My dear friends, There is a wisdom which teaches us : we get what we work for; if we want something, we must earn it; we get what we pay for; we are rewarded according to our efforts. This is the normal pattern of things and [...]
