Some 5,000 pilgrims from all over Ireland will flock to Knock Shrine on Saturday, June 27 – and one of their missions will be to pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Special buses are being organised from every diocese for the annual pilgrimage of the St Joseph’s Young Priests Society, a society of lay people founded in 1895.
“We support seminarians in a variety of ways, through prayer, personal support, and, when necessary, financial support. The work of the society is crucial nowadays, and I am delighted that over 100 years since we were founded by a Corofin woman, we are still playing an important role in the church,” said society president Marie Hogan.
“The foundress of the Society was 64 year-old Olivia Taaffe, who believed that all Catholics had a responsibility for the wellbeing of the Church. She focused her efforts on supporting priestly vocations in whatever way she could.”
The society now has a membership of more than 100,000 in 470 branches around Ireland.
“Our pilgrimage is a way of celebrating the work of priests through prayer, and also of reminding the laity that they have a role to play in fostering vocations,” added Hogan.
Society chaplain Fr Eamon Burke has produced a special booklet — Honestly! The Questions People Ask — for those who feel they may have a priestly vocation.
Fr Burke will be the chief homilist at the pilgrimage, and Most Rev John McAreavey, Bishop of Dromore, is the chief celebrant. More details are available from the St Joseph’s Young Priests Society office at 23 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, phone (01 ) 676 2593, [email protected]
Anointing of the sick will take place at 2.30pm, conducted by Bishop Leo O’Reilly, Kilmore, followed by Mass at 3pm. More details can be found on www.stjosephsyoungpriestssociety.com
