Interview: Maura Garrihy – Elation
June 20, 2012
During the week of the International Eucharistic Congress, Elation have rocked the Youth Space with a young approach to worship. They have played songs with electric guitars and drums giving faith a real rock band feel with lyrics such as “Your grace is enough for me” and “Come, Holy Spirit, power from above”.
Interview: Full Set
June 19, 2012
Each day of the Congress in the Main Arena, people witnessed a programme called Music & Continuity and it highlighted Irish Religious music in many formats. Full Set, which includes Sean, Michael, Andy, Robert & Teresa, has performed at festivals and theatres all around Europe and the United States, and last week they added the Main Arena at the 50th Eucharistic Congress to that impressive list.
Interview: St. Laurence O’Toole School, Greystones
June 19, 2012
Each day of the Congress in the Main Arena, people witnessed a programme called Music & Continuity, and it highlighted Irish Religious music in many formats. During the week the boys and girls of St Laurence O’Toole School, Greystones, performed a brilliant set of 3 songs.
Has the Rhondda really moved to the RDS?
June 16, 2012
Strolling through Hall 1, relaxing between blogs on Thursday 14th June, I thought perhaps I was asleep? “All I have to do is dre-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-eam.” No, I was wide awake and it was the sound of the Valleys, wafting through the air and bringing me back to the terraces of the old Landsdown Road with ‘Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah’ (AKA ‘Bread of Heaven’) ringing out to the enraptured crowd. We were then treated to "Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves," Va, pensiero, from "Nabucco" by Verdi; ‘You raise me up’ and, for our American friends, ‘Dixy/Glory glory halleluiah’ - similar to Elvis, but with more harmonies!
Events Otside the RDS - Anecdotes about Youth Ministry in Merrion Church
June 16, 2012
Wandering through the youth space this morning I met Maura Jennings who has been doing great work for youth evangelization in Ireland for years. She is singing with the group Elation this week, but also spent a lot of her time in Merrion church, giving workshops during their wonderful youth ministry programme.
Danielle Rose – A Music Missionary with a message to Relay
June 16, 2012
One of the most inspiring performers to take to the stage on Saturday morning was a musician from the USA by the name of Danielle Rose. As a Music Missionary, Danielle spreads the gospel worldwide through her music, and has been on the road for the past ten years.
Tommy Fleming sings the praises of the International Eucharistic Congress
June 16, 2012
Tommy Fleming, the man introduced to the International Eucharistic Congress as the Voice of Ireland, experienced mixed emotions after his performance at this year’s International Eucharistic Congress.
Prayer, praise, procession and pipes!
June 15, 2012
Having heard that the stewards were short of people to marshal the Blessed Sacrament procession, I volunteered to be an ‘extra’ in this role last night and found myself marching into position under the watchful eye of Steward leader Paul, an ex-army man, so the very person for the job! After distributing the Procession service leaflets, we witnessed rows and rows of priests pass by, ahead of the privileged people who raised aloft a golden canopy, under which the Blessed Sacrament was held high, which was then followed by thousands of pilgrims.
Video of the Youth Space
June 13, 2012
The youth space is a vibrant area in the congress with great talks, testimonies, catechesis, workshops and music for teenagers and young adults. The activities run each morning and evening and there has been great attendance each day. This video gives a small glimpse of some of the activities in ...
Interview: James Kilbane
June 13, 2012
James Kilbane has played his music on several stages including the Voice of Ireland, on Pilgrimages to Knock Shrine, at the Inspirational Country Music Convention in Nashville, and now he has added the Main Arena of the 50th Eucharistic Congress to that impressive list. For him it is a great celebration of Faith, but also a great honour to have country music play a part in the Congress.
Beautiful, Sacred Music Filled the Air
June 13, 2012
Just before 4pm Mass today, Pilgrims shared the wonderfully uplifting experience of hearing Sarah McCourt singing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Pie Jesu and Shubert’s Ave Maria, along with one of her own father’s compositions, De Profundus. She was accompanied by her father, organist and composer, Brendan McCourt.
Interview: Fiona Walsh, Choir Director Ennis Gospel Choir
June 13, 2012
During the week of the Congress, readers, singers and dancers from all over the world perform in the main arena between one and two o’clock. One of the groups taking part on Wednesday was the Ennis Gospel Choir from Co Clare.
Youth Space – Fully Loaded!!!!
June 13, 2012
The 50th International Eucharistic Congress will go down in history for many reasons, but on Monday night, history was made when the first ever Youth Space was opened and kicked off with “Get Set Go – Communion in One Baptism”. It was a lively kick off to the Youth Space, with prayers through music, and different forms of games.
Discovery Gospel Choir – Music From The Heavens
June 12, 2012
The Discovery Gospel Choir, set up over 8 years ago in the Dublin area with a simple mission statement, adopted a motto for the band from Romans 12:17-21, “Discover Beauty in everyone”.
Feast of Culture and Spirituality in the Sunshine at the IEC2012 Opening Ceremony
June 11, 2012
There was a great “Cead Mile Fáilte” to the world from the Eucharistic Congress at the RDS Arena on Sunday. Bathed in beautiful sunshine throughout, the Opening Ceremony of the Congress was a spectacle of Irish culture and spirituality, with a very strong theme of Irish evangelisation.
A different Corpus Christi
June 11, 2012
“Though we are many, we are one body, we who come to share this living bread;” are the opening words of the hymn specially written for the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, and it was sung with gusto many times yesterday at the Opening Ceremony and Mass.
Comments on the Opening Ceremony
June 11, 2012
The Papal Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Charles J Brown:
It’s God’s Party – He Is Not Going To Let It Rain!
June 10, 2012
Our Lady of Victories Gospel Choir members have been singing together for 5 years, but today was one of their highs. They sang two pieces with the Maynooth Gospel Choir: My Help and Go Out and Tell. For them, the Opening Event was both uplifting and spiritual, and they thought it was a great honour to perform after the Three Tenors of Ireland. In true Irish fashion, we talked about the weather –and one of them very aptly remarked, ‘It’s God’s party – He is not going to let it rain!’
Memories from the last Irish Eucharistic Congress
June 10, 2012
The last Eucharistic Congress in Ireland was 80 years and. And to celebrate that memory, there is a 1932 Exhibition at the RDS Library (open today in the morning only, but longer opening hours during the week). This blogger actually attended that Congress all of 80 years ago. And of course I found the exhibition fascinating. However it is hard for it to quite convey the how different times were back. My overarching memory as a 10-year boy is the stunning voice of the renowned signer, Count John McCormack, wafting through the air. For people at the time who would have had almost no access to radio or records, such singing was divine as it was unexpected. That’s maybe easy to forget with music so omnipresent today.
Voices of angels herald start of Eucharistic Congress
June 09, 2012
The angelic voices of the Palestrina Choir echoed across the wide expanse of the huge warehouse that contains the rehearsal and volunteer areas at the back of the Simmonscourt building, next door to Dublin’s RDS complex.
You Tube
Facebook
Twitter
Flickr
Audioboo
IEC2012 App
iCatholic