Pope John Paul II today is urging priests throughout the world "to carry out with confidence and courage their duty of guiding the community to authentic Christian prayer".
In his annual Holy Thursday letter to priests, he says: "This is a duty which no priest may ever forsake, even though the difficulties caused by today's secularised mentality can at times make it extremely demanding for him." He pays tribute to the "humble and faithful work" of priests, while acknowledging "the limitations and shortcomings of past Christian generations, and, therefore, also of the priests of those times".
Marking the start of Holy Week today, priests and representatives from Dublin's 200 parishes will gather with Archbishop Desmond Connell and auxiliary bishops for Mass at 10 a.m. at the Pro-Cathedral for the blessing of Holy Oils.
In the same church at 6 p.m. representatives of caring agencies will join in the celebration of the Mass of the Lord's Supper. A children's Mass will also be held at 5 p.m. today at the Church of the Resurrection, Bayside, Sutton.
The main ceremony in the Dublin diocese tomorrow will be the "Solemn Celebration of the Lord's Passion" at 3 p.m. in the Pro-Cathedral.
A Good Friday justice and peace liturgy, organised by AfrI and Pax Christi, also takes place tomorrow, starting at 1 p.m. at Department of Foreign Affairs at St Stephen's Green in Dublin. Reflecting on the State's proposed joining of NATO's Partnership for Peace, the ceremony will proceed to the Dail under the theme "Resisting Partnership for War".
On Easter Saturday Dr Connell will be the principal celebrant at the Pro-Cathedral's Easter Vigil at 9.30 p.m.
Christ Church Cathedral is holding a series of events for Holy Week, starting with the "Chrism Eucharist and Affirmation of Ordination Vows" at noon today. A choral ceremony will take place tomorrow at 3.30 p.m. while the Easter Vigil will be held at 9 p.m. on Saturday.
The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev Dr Walton Empey, will conduct a three-hour ceremony of devotion at St Ann's Church, Dawson Street, tomorrow.
