The Galway Solemn Novena, will begin this Monday 15 February and run until Tuesday 23 February, with over 10,000 expected to attend over the nine-day celebration. To facilitate parking for Novena Gaol Road, along the Southern and Western boundaries of Galway Cathedral will be temporarily closed. An alternative route is available along the Eastern boundary of Galway Cathedral. Local access will be maintained at all times. Advance diversion signage will be in place prior to work commencing.
As part of this year’s Novena, the new Galway Arch Diocesan Magazine, New Horizon will be officially launched on Tuesday February 16 at each session of the day. The magazine will be launched by members of the clergy and well known Galway personalities and will be available to buy in the Cathedral.
The Novena this year is asking “What’s the Point?”through its theme “Stories of God, Stories of You” for this year’s Novena. Ireland is a nation of storytellers and the country loves nothing more than a good tale, so this year the Novena is centred around stories, focusing on nine specific Parables told by Jesus in the Bible, which are simply stories with a point. The 2016 Novena is reclaiming these stories for today and for the now.
The mindful messages in these parables range from the importance of our relationship with God, living in the moment, being present, gratitude, kindness, second chances, fresh starts, new beginnings, how greed can creep into all of our lives and how we can find grace to offer positive and fulfilling life gifts to others and ourselves.
This year’s Novena is unusual in that it takes place during Lent and we hope people will make it part of their Lenten observance.
The Galway Solemn Novena will run from Monday 15 February until Tuesday 23 February at Galway Cathedral. Week day Mass times are at 7:45am, 11am, 1:10pm, 3:30pm, 7:30pm, 9pm and mass will be said at 9am, 10:30am, 12:30pm, 4:30pm, 6:30pm and 8pm on Sunday. The Candlelight meditation sessions will take place at 10pm on Wednesday 17 and Monday 22 and last about an hour.
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