RTÉ Sunday Mass Broadcast for Catholic Schools Week

25/01/2021

Dr Gareth Byrne, the Director of the Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education at DCU celebrated Sunday Mass broadcast on RTE One television on 24 January 2021, at the beginning of Catholic Schools Week and during the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity. Catholic Schools Week Mass

The theme for Catholic Schools Week this year is ‘Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith and Resilience’, reflecting the need for us all to be available to each other and dig deep in these COVID-19 times.

The Gospel was the call by Jesus of the fishermen, Peter and Andrew, James and John, to come follow him. ‘Catholic schools’, Fr. Gareth noted, ‘are communities built on that same call, communities of faith built around Jesus Christ. Listening to his Word, the Catholic school forms a community here and now in the spirit of Jesus, open and alert to all he has to say to us.’ Homily 24.01.21

Fr. Gareth was joined today by Solas, who provided beautiful music and song for the celebration. The readers were also members of St Gabriel’s Parish community in Dollymount, Dublin.

The Scriptures were set in a place of honour at the studio Mass as this was also the Sunday designated by Pope Francis each year on which to take time to appreciate the Word of God and the constant dialogue created between God and his people.

Fr. Gareth speaking afterward said he found the celebration a wonderful start to Catholic Schools Week. Many people had commented to him by text, email, WhatsApp and on Twitter about how the Mass had meant so much to them and touched their hearts. ‘The music, the reading of the Word, the prayers, the support from the RTE personnel, the atmosphere created was all very special’, he said. ‘Faith in Jesus Christ, and reflection on the resilience he helps build within us; now there is something for us all to think and pray about.’

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