News

Kells was the seat of the high kings of Ireland, and later, the location of the thriving Columban abbey, established in the 9th century. We have many precious Christian artifacts today from the Book of Kells to the ancient high crosses, thanks to St. Colmcille and to his monks who lived and worshipped in community there for a few centuries.

Paddy Monaghan, one of the founders of the Evangelical Catholic Initiative, recently felt led by the Holy Spirit to write a Pamphlet about Irish Celtic Christianity with a focus on Kells.

In this pamphlet, Paddy, tells the inspirational history of this town in the context of Ireland’s Christian history. He also shares his testimony linking it to St. Colmcille and gives an invitation to readers to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

It is produced with the support and encouragement of the clergy in Kells.  The Catholic church there has taken 500 Pamphlets, the Anglican Church 500 and Elim Pentecostal took 500.  In addition, Meath Tourism took 500 of them.  Please keep this initiative in prayer so we pay push back against the increasing trend to paganise our Celtic Spiritual heritage.

You can find the electronic .pdf version of the pamphlet on our Resources page or by clicking on the image of the Celtic cross.

If you’d like 50 or more printed leaflets, contact us and we’d be delighted to post them to you for a cost of 50p each plus postage.

New Wine, the largest Christian family conference in Ireland, ran from Sun 14th July to Fri 19th July and was attended by some 2,000 people including Day visitors. It more or less takes over the Institute of Technology in Sligo for the week. There was an outstanding Bible Teaching every morning from Gavin and Rev. Anne Calver from London.

I had the privilege of leading two Seminars. Both were really well attended and more seats were needed for both. The first was Evangelical Catholic – an Oxymoron? It asked and answered the question: Can one be an evangelical Christian and a faithful Roman Catholic?

Annmarie from Co. Down and Theresa Cronin from Cork, who is the Alpha Regional Coordinator for Cork and Waterford and myself all helped answer this question. Each of us shared how we came to know Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. I shared some of the ways I see the Holy Spirit moving in the Catholic Church in Ireland. There is
– a new humility, which is key for Revival,
– an increased yearning to evangelise
– a growing desire to build relationships with Pentecostals and Evangelical Christians,
– the emergence of effective youth ministries and
– a move towards revived Catholic Parishes
– we highlighted two books, Rebuilt and Divine Renovation, which are testimonies of a revived Catholic Parish in Baltimore, USA and Nova Scotia in Canada. These two books are becoming inspirational to many evangelical Catholics in Ireland.

The second Seminar was: Healing the Original Schism in the Church and Dr. Richard Harvey, a Messianic Jewish Scholar from the UK shared it with me. We highlighted how the Holy Spirit is moving in an amazing way among the Jewish people and how the Messianic Jewish Movement is re-emerging. The first split in the Christian Church was between Messianic Jews and Gentile Christians. But Jesus promised that before His return there will be one fold, one shepherd. Jesus prayed “Father, that they may be one”. Richard a Jew and I a Gentile demonstrated how we find real unity when we find Jesus or Yeshua (the Hebrew name).

Next year’s Irish New Wine conference dates are 12th to the 17th July 2020

P. Monaghan

Launching the Waterford and Lismore Diocesan 5 year Plan Go Make Disciples in June, Bishop Cullinan stated that “a radical transformation of ecclesial culture from maintenance to mission is called for in our parishes and diocese.  Pope Francis has called for a missionary Church and for all members to become missionary disciples.  Hence the title of our pastoral plan: Go Make Disciples.” 

Four themes or core strategic directions are identified to realise this vision.  These are:

1. Becoming an evangelising Church
2. Creating communities of faith characterised by hospitality, belonging and acceptance
3. Enhancing the quality of our liturgical celebrations and providing opportunities for spiritual growth
4. Remodeling leadership and governance structures to serve the mission of evangelising and transforming the world.

Core objectives and actions to implement the strategies are outlined under each theme.  Evangelisation is the key to this transformation of culture. The Alpha Programme will be rolled out in parishes to rekindle faith in Jesus as Our Lord and Saviour and thus to rediscover what it means to be a disciple.

The Plan envisages that Alpha ‘graduates’ could be invited to join ‘Connect’ groups which are specifically designed to offer ongoing and continuing support in the form of a caring community. These groups could meet once or twice a month in the homes of parishioners. The meeting would consist of a shared meal, a talk by a member and a time of praying for and with one another. Training will be provided for leaders of these groups.

Bishop Cullinan stated that the book – Divine Renovation by Fr. James Mallon – was a Key Inspiration for this Plan.  See extracts on our website HERE.  The Alpha Course was instrumental in changing the Culture of Fr. James’ Parish – St. Benedicts – in Nova Scotia, Canada. This book has been inspirational to many Irish Catholic Parishes.”

You can view the plan on the diocesan website HERE or Extracts from it prepared by ECI HERE or find it on our Resources page.

Check out this article featured in the Sacred Heart Messenger this past March entitled “Good News Among Irish Youth”.  The magazine is among the top selling magazines in Ireland with over 50,000 copies sold monthly.  The article features how the Lord has raised up at least 5 key youth ministries in Ireland over the past 10 years – each use creative ways of sharing the gospel with young people.  It also focuses on the Alpha Youth Course and the 10 Alpha Youth workers that delivered 77 Alpha Youth courses involving 2,127 students in 2018 in Secondary schools mainly in Transition Year in 35 schools during school time across 10 counties.

You can find out more about the magazine at: www.messenger.ie/magazine

You are invited to check it out in London on Sat 22nd June…

Join UK parishes as they share their mistakes and learnings in an effort to be a parish that makes a difference. You are invited for a day of keynotes and workshops designed to inspire your parish on Saturday 22nd June 2019 at two locations in London.

Divine Renovation Ministry works with parish priests and lay leaders around the world to assist them in moving their parishes from maintenance to mission. The ministry has grown out of the transformation of Saint Benedict Parish, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

For more details and to book please go to www.divinerenovationuk.org

In case you missed it, there was an informative article about how one Dublin Parish –  Johnstown/Killiney in South Dublin – is moving towards being a Transformed Parish, in January’s edition of the Cornerstone section of  Irish Catholic.

Some practical ideas inspired by the books, Rebuilt and Divine Renovation are outlined, which are referenced on the Resources page of this website.  Initiatives include Men’s and Women’s breakfasts, a hospitality team giving refreshments after 10am Mass with a kidszone and prayer offered after the 10am Mass. You can read the article and hopefully be inspired for your own parish by clicking here or on the photo above.

You can buy a copy of the magazine at: https://www.irishcatholic.com/product/cornerstone-january-2019/

In their Jan-Mar 2019 magazine, VOX magazine asked Paddy Monaghan for his perspective on where God is at work in the Catholic church in Ireland. VOX magazine gives voice to irish Christians who want to engage with one another and with the world around them.

Paddy identified seven areas where he feels God is at work.  Also two individuals from Ireland and Northern Ireland share their stories of encounter with Jesus, Jim Donnan, Spiritual Director of Scripture Union Ireland, and Niall McNally, Director of Cast Ministries in Northern Ireland.

It's an encouraging and informative read. Photos of each page of the article are above. Click on each one to open in a new tab and read.
(you can check out the VOX magazine website by clicking here.)