Pope rings bell for
Irish spiritual renewal
March 14, 2012
Pope Benedict XVI has joined the ranks of the quarter of a million pilgrims to 'ring for renewal' of the Church in Ireland on the International Eucharistic Congress Bell.
Ahead of his weekly general audience the Holy Father met with a delegation from the IEC-2012 organizing committee from Dublin, Ireland, led by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, beneath the ‘Arch of the Bells’ to the left of the Vatican Basilica.
Fr Kevin Doran, Secretary General of IEC2012 said: "The Pope blessed the bell, rang it vigorously, and paused to admire the icons as Archbishop Martin explained their significance. He was also presented with Shamrock by Colette Furlong and with the first copy of the Congress Commemorative Medal, by Sheena Darcy."
"To the surprise of its critics, the Eucharistic congress is taking shape as a genuine moment of renewal in the church," said Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, when he launched the “Ring for renewal” initiative earlier this week.
Recalling the Eucharistic Congress that took place in Dublin back in 1932, the Archbishop said that gathering marked a moment of reconciliation for people who had recently emerged from a bitter civil war.
In a similar way, he said, the year’s event aims to be “a moment of healing within the Irish Church” after these “very difficult times”.
Archbishop Martin noted that the pilgrimage of the bell – a symbol of gathering people in and stressing their communion with Christ and with one another – comes exactly two years after Pope Benedict’s letter to Irish Catholics on March 19th 2010 at the height of the
[Media Frenzy Chapter II over the] sexual abuse crisis.
The pilgrimage of the bell started in Dublin one year ago, he stressed, "so these are two processes that belong together”.
The CNS story has a few more details...
Pope rings bell symbolizing call
to turn out for Eucharistic Congress
by Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY, March 14, 2012 (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI blessed and rang the official International Eucharistic Congress bell, which has been on tour across Ireland for nearly a year, in preparation for the world meeting in June.
An Irish delegation, led by the 2012 congress president Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, presented the Pope with the small brass bell before the start of his weekly general audience March 14. Before the Pope was driven into St. Peter's Square, he met with the delegation and rang the bell.
Congress organizers said a quarter of a million Irish pilgrims have rung the bell since the start of its pilgrimage March 17, 2011.
The bell has been brought to parishes, schools, nursing homes and hospitals throughout Ireland to raise awareness about the Eucharistic congress and to call people to attend the event.
According to tradition, St. Patrick left a bell in every church he consecrated as a way to call people to the Eucharist, congress organizers said.
The delegation also presented the Pope with a medal commemorating the congress, and a bowl of Irish shamrock to mark the March 17 feast of St. Patrick.
The 50th International Eucharistic Congress takes place in Dublin June 10-17 with the theme: "The Eucharist: Communion With Christ and With One Another."
[The rest of the story is about the Pope's catechesis at the GA.][Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 14/03/2012 23:12]