News

Bishop Denis celebrated a blessing of hands ceremony in Lourdes yesterday evening (Monday 17th).

The hands of the chief carers, Mary Brennan, Dr Gerry Moran, Anna Corr, Donnacha and Fr Tom Little and Mary Doyle, who are involved in arranging the looking after of the sick while on pilgrimage, were blessed. Bishop Denis invited all the pilgrims to pray for each other with open hands as he prayed,

“Blessed be these hands that have touched life.
Blessed be these hands that have felt pain.
Blessed be these hands that have embraced with compassion.
Blessed be these hands that have been clinched with anger or withdrawn in fear.
Blessed be these hands that have drawn blood and administered medicine. 
Blessed be these hands that have cleaned beds and disposed of waste.
Blessed be these hands that have anointed the sick and offered blessings. 
Blessed be these hands that grow wrinkled with age.
Blessed be these hands that have comforted the dying and held the dead.
Blessed be these hands, we hold the future in these hands.

 

All-powerful God, you always show mercy toward those who love you and you are never far away for those who seek you. Remain with your servants on this holy pilgrimage and guide their work of mercy and of service.

Shelter them with your protection by day, give them the light of your grace by night. As their companion on the journey, help them like Our Lady and St Bernadette to share, to support and to care for all in need.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen”.