Training & Formation

Courses, workshops and formation opportunities for parish volunteers, ministry teams, readers, catechists, safeguarding personnel and all who wish to deepen their faith across the Diocese of Ardagh & Clonmacnoise.

Starting in September:

Deepening Our Understanding of the Sunday Eucharist

The Diocese of Ardagh & Clonmacnois invites parish liturgy teams and all those involved in the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist to take part in this three-evening formation programme.

What Will the Course Cover?

Participants will explore:

  • The importance of Sunday as the Lord’s Day.
  • The Eucharist as the heart of parish life.
  • The document Why Sunday Matters.
  • Practical ways to enrich the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist.

Course Dates

Longford – The Family Centre, St Mel’s Road –  9, 16 & 23 September

 7.30pm (Tea & refreshments from 7.00pm) Registration

Preparing the Sunday Eucharist A three-week workshop series will begin on Wednesday, 9 September at the Family Centre, Longford, exploring the celebration and preparation of the Sunday Eucharist.

Tea and coffee from 7.00pm Workshop begins at 7.30pm

Week 1 – Why Sunday Matters Led by Mary Connolly from the Council for Liturgy, reflecting on the role and understanding of the Sunday celebration.

Week 2 – Understanding the Celebration A step-by-step journey through the Eucharist, helping participants understand what we are doing in the liturgy.

Week 3 – Looking to the Future Exploring how parishes can develop their Sunday Eucharistic celebrations in the context of reduced or no resident priest. Parishes are encouraged to send at least two parishioners involved in liturgy preparation or the Pastoral Council, ideally for all three evenings.

Please book by 1 September with Fr Turlough Baxter: 087 997 2259 [email protected]

 

 

“The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.”
— Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324

Parish Funeral Ministry

The Diocesan Parish Pastoral Council is offering 3 nights of training for Parishes that would like to develop a funeral Ministry team in their Parish. The idea would be that a minimum of 4 people would be trained to assist families in their journey through bereavement with the loss of a loved one.

This would include: Meeting with the family of the bereaved. Preparing the Liturgy for the Funeral Mass/Service. Leading prayers in the presence of the body in the family home, funeral home, or church. Accompanying the family during the funeral Mass.

The Parish Pastoral Councils are asked to identify and invite 4 people from our Parish to attend 3 nights of training that will be given in:

The Clonmacnois Room, Athlone on Tuesday 29th September, Tuesday 6th October and 13th October at 7pm.

or

The Family Centre, Longford on Wednesday 30th September, Wednesday 7th and 14th October @ 7pm.

It is very important that the names of those attending should be forwarded to [email protected] before Wednesday 23rd September.