Holycross Novena: 40th annual Holycross Novena commences today

The annual Solemn Novena to Our lady of Perpetual Help commenced this morning in Holycross Abbey with the 7:00am session drawing hundreds to the ancient place of worship.

This is the 40th year of the Novena in Holycross and preaching in the Abbey throughout today is Eamon Fitzgibbon on the topic of Mary and the Family of Nazareth. In the new marquee which has been upgraded and looks splendid, Jessie Rogers will also speak on the same subject.

Preparations have been underway for the Novena for some weeks now under the watchful eye of new Parish Priest, rev Fr Celsus Tierney who was joined today for the first session by Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly.

The preachers for Saturday's sessions as Fr Seamus Enright and Fr Kevin Browne, and they will speak on the subject - Jospeh: The role of fathers. 

The remaining themes will be: (Sunday): Family and Prayer.
(Monday): Family - The domestic Church.
(Tuesday): Addiction and the Family.
(Wednesday)- The hurting/broken family
(Thursday) - Social media and family.
(Friday) - Bereavement and family
(Saturday) - Supporting family.

Confessions will be heard before, during and after all the sessions which get underway at 7.00 a.m.; 10:30 a.m.; 4.30 p.m.; 7.30. p.m; 9.30. p.m. However, confessions on the weekend days are restricted due to priests involvement in their own parishes.
There will be extra sessions of the Novena on Sunday at 12:30 and 2:30pm with the Anointing of the Sick to take place at the Saturday afternoon session at 2:00pm September 9th, and the Blessing of Babies on Sunday 10th at 2:30pm.