The Catholic Chaplaincy At Qub

We present the new Chaplaincy crest. It’s been designed for us by Mark McDonnell (newly begun his PhD at QUB). The crest shows the Lamb of God, identifying Christ by the title given him by John the Baptist and used extensively in the Book of Revelation. Christ who is the Lamb in which the new covenant is established, realises, by his obedience to the will of the Father, a new Passover Lamb of Exodus, the enduring feast which marks God’s deliverance of the People of Israel fr...om slavery in Egypt. Christ, the true Paschal Lamb, is the one who frees us by his own sacrifice on the Cross and his Resurrection. The Paschal Lamb is imposed on the cross keys which recall the service-leadership given to Peter and his successors by Christ in the Gospel of Matthew, after Peter’s confession of faith. Below the central section we have a quotation from Psalm 26, expressing the innermost desire, planted by God in the depth of our being, by which he draws us to Himself and by which we continually seek him in our lives. It is a prayer which we can have constantly on our lips and in our hearts.
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Archbishop Gallagher Marks 70th Anniversary of International Declaration of Human Rights https://zenit.org/…/archbishop-gallaghe r-marks-70th-annive…/

Today we celebrate the memoria of the Most Holy Name of Mary, Mother of God.
We listen to the invitation given to us by St. Bernard of Clairvaux:
In dangers, in hardships, in every doubt, think of Mary, call out to Mary. Keep her in your mouth, keep her in your heart. Follow the example of her life and you will never go astray. Asking for help, you will never despair. Keeping her in your thoughts, you will never wander away. With your hand in hers, you will never stumble. Wit...h her protecting you, you will not be afraid. With her leading you, you will never tire. Her kindness will see you through to the end. Then you will know by your own experience how true it is that "the Virgin's name was Mary".
We pray today especially for all mothers and for all those who have the desire to be mothers.
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Another great day welcoming year 14 students to the QUB campus and Catholic Chaplaincy, we hope all enjoyed their visit today. Thanks to all of our QUB students for their work and outreach. (Jack resting after his busy day with the students!)

Thank you to all who volunteered at the school open days for the year 14 students. It was a great success with many new faces welcomed to the chaplaincy.

In light of the current dispute regarding anti-semitism in the British Labour Party, and its adoption of the definition of anti-semitism formulated by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), we offer the following:
In the spirit of the Stockholm Declaration that states: “With humanity still scarred by …antisemitism and xenophobia the international community shares a solemn responsibility to fight those evils” the committee on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial...
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Today is the feast of Saint Mac Nissi, principal patron of Connor.
He founded the diocese of Connor in 480, and is patron saint of the diocese, which is now part of our diocese of Down and Connor. Happy feast day!

This Thursday and Friday Queens will host Year 14 students for the university's open days. The Chaplaincy will be open to meet and welcome visiting Year 14 students. Let us know if you can come along and help with the stall at the chaplaincy on Thursday and Friday, mornings or afternoons.

Pope Francis reflecting on his recent visit to Ireland to celebrate the World Meeting of Families:
“The Irish people have a deeply-rooted and strong faith,” Pope Francis said, “I say that because that’s what I saw, that’s what I heard, that’s what I’ve come to understand over these two days.”

It was with profound sadness that the Chaplain received news of the death of Queen’s Chancellor Dr Thomas J Moran in New York on Saturday 11 August following a short illness. Dr Moran’s passing will be felt across the University family, the Irish-American community and the business world.
In a statement, Professor Greer, Vice Chancellor, said: We are grateful for Tom’s unwavering support and commitment to the University since he was appointed Chancellor in May 2015. Tom con...sidered it a privilege and honour to be our Chancellor and embraced the role with passion and excitement, often commenting how special it was for him to be part of the Queen’s family. He particularly enjoyed engaging with our students during the Graduation Ceremonies and, for him, Graduation was the highlight of the year. He travelled regularly from the US to support University events and joined colleagues in 2016 for the award of our sixth Queen’s Anniversary Prize at Buckingham Palace.
Tom was a native New Yorker with ancestral roots in Fermanagh and Cavan. He graduated from Manhattan College with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics. He was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mutual of America Life Insurance Company since October 1994, the first person to have been appointed President from within the Company, until his retirement in 2016. He was also Chairman of Concern Worldwide (US), Inc., an international humanitarian relief organisation that operates in 30 of the poorest countries of the world.
A noted philanthropist when it came to the arts, culture, business and heritage worlds, Tom contributed to many humanitarian and community causes. He was also an influential voice in the peace process, acting as one of a group of unofficial peace envoys to Northern Ireland throughout the 1990s.
Tom was recognised for his steadfast commitment to helping others and for his charitable, philanthropic and educational work. In 2006, the University awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Science (Economics) for services to business, commerce and to public service and he was appointed our tenth Chancellor in May 2015.
Tom was a real inspiration to all those who knew him and will be sorely missed.
The Chaplain and his staff extend our deepest sympathy to his wife Joan and the wider family circle and assure them of a remembrance at Masses celebrated here at the Chaplaincy.
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We bid farewell to Christina Martin who has served this past year in the Chaplaincy as Pastoral Manager. We thank her for all the work and service which she has given in so many ways to the Chaplaincy and our University community. Christina will still be seen on campus, however - in September she will embark upon postgraduate study here at Queen's! We assure her of our prayers and wish her every success.
The Chaplain is delighted to announce the appointment of Mark McGoran as... the new Chaplaincy Pastoral Manager. Mark graduated from Queen's with a degree in law and furthered his studies in the School of Biological Sciences to pursue a career in the sphere of environmental protection. Mark has been an active member of the Chaplaincy community, serving on the Pastoral Team from 2017-2018 as a member of the Trust Lunch staff.
In his new role as Pastoral Manager he sees an opportunity to learn more about the social justice and Catholic ethos of a vibrant community on campus. Having seen the community in action last year and the great work done through various organisations which make up the life of the Chaplaincy, Mark is very much looking forward to the new year and welcomes all new and old to the Chaplaincy for the year 2018-2019!
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St Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430)
Today is the feast of St Augustine of Hippo.
He was born in Thagaste in Africa of a Berber family. He was brought up a Christian but left the Church and embraced the Manichaean heresy, later seeing how nonsensical it was and becoming a Neoplatonist instead. He led a wild and dissolute youth. He took a concubine by whom he had a son, Adeodatus. He had a brilliant legal and academic career. At length, through the prayers of his mother, and the ...teaching of St Ambrose of Milan, he was converted back to Christanity. He was baptized in 387, shortly before his mother’s death. He returned home to Africa and led an ascetic life. He was elected Bishop of Hippo and spent 34 years looking after his flock, teaching them, strengthening them in the faith and protecting them strenuously against the errors of the time. He wrote an enormous number of works: the Office of Readings has many extracts from them. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1308.
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Commissioned 2018, is an upcoming youth conference happening in Victoria College Belfast on Saturday 18thAugust 2018 from 9am-9.30pm.
The theme of Commissioned comes from the gospel of John 17:14-19. The input to young people will focus on God’s call for them to be ‘Called’, ‘Commissioned and ‘Consecrated’ in the life they are living as missionaries at Universities and in their local situations throughout Europe.
Commissioned is being organised by the Catholic, Anglican and M...ethodist chaplaincies of the Queen’s University in Belfast in conjunction with Kairos International Student ministry, with input from other groups such as YWAM, Ulster University Chaplaincies, Youth Initiatives, Youth for Christ, Exodus International, and University Christian Outreach.
The conference will include prayer and worship, three plenary key note addresses from internationally recognised speakers, a choice of eight workshop sessions on various aspects of mission and ministry to young people and a mission fair at which each ministry and apostolate can present their work. The Conference includes lunch and dinner as well as regular tea/coffee breaks throughout the day. Featured workshop leaders and speakers include, Bishop Donal McKeown, Fr Gerard Magee, and Katie Ascough.
For more information please visit: www.commissioned2018.co.uk
There are also opportunities to get involved with preparations for the conference. If you would be interested in helping out or in training to be part of a prayer team for the day, please contact either Fr Gerard on g.magee@downandconnor.org or Christina on qubcc@downandconnor.org, or call the Chaplaincy on 02890669737.
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Just a reminder that there will be Mass celebrated at 12.45pm in the Chaplaincy each day of the QUB Graduations. We invite you and your families to come to the Chaplaincy for Graduation Mass and to stay for a cup of tea/coffee and other refreshments after Mass!

29th June, Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
The martyrs had seen what they proclaimed.
This day has been consecrated for us by the martyrdom of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul. It is not some obscure martyrs we are talking about. Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. These martyrs had seen what they proclaimed, they pursued justice by confessing the truth, by dying for the truth.
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The Chaplaincy would like to congratulate all students who are graduating in the coming days after completing a course of studies at Queen’s University Belfast. We assure you of our prayers as you embark on the next step of your journey.
We invite you and your families to come to the Chaplaincy for Graduation Mass which will be celebrated each day of the graduations at Queen’s at 12.45pm. Stay for a cup of tea/coffee and other refreshments after Mass!

The Catholic Faith Community Welcomes and invites you:
if you would like to explore and enquire into the catholic faith with a view possibly of baptism…
if you would like to explore and enquire into what it is Catholics believe ...
... if you need to get a deeper understanding of your catholic faith…
if you are seeking to return to celebrating your faith… THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PROMPTING YOU … and the RCIA is for you.
RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and is for individuals from any faith background (and none) who want to explore and enquire into the catholic faith.
It is a weekly series of classes and discussion covering a wide range of aspects of the catholic faith. The weekly sessions last 1hr.30mins.
Participants on RCIA programmes come from all walks of life, ages and backgrounds. What they all have in common is that they felt the call of God urging them to change the direction of their lives.
RCIA is also for cradle Catholics who want a deeper understanding of their catholic faith and for Catholics who have lapsed from the practice of celebrating their faith and whom God is inviting to come back to him.
Ultimately, RCIA is a journey of faith exploration and development, culminating in the reception of the catechumens/candidates into the catholic community at Pentecost, if after their exploration and enquiry into the catholic faith the Holy Spirit inspires them to do so. (Catechumen participants are those who were never baptized. Candidate participants are those who were baptized into another faith denomination).
The RCIA begins at St. Mary’s, Chapel Lane on Thursday 18th October 2018.
Please contact Anne McCrossan ASAP to arrange a meeting and register. Tel: 02890 320482 or Email Fr Brian McCann: stlukes@downandconnor.org; or Fionnuala E Fionnuala.mclernon@btinternet.com
Please pass on the news of RCIA to others!
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Feast day of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More
St John Fisher (1469 - 1535) He was born in Beverley, in Yorkshire, in 1469. He studied theology at the University of Cambridge, and had a successful career there, finally becoming chancellor of the University and bishop of Rochester: unusually for the time, he paid a great deal of attention to the welfare of his diocese.
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The Vatican has presented the Instrumentum Laboris for the upcoming Synod on Young People.
The working instrument of the October 3-28, 2018 XVth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, on the theme “Young people, faith and vocational discernment,” was published today, June 19, 2018, in Italian. Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, confirmed…that the Vatican’s official English translation, along with the other languages, will be ma...
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I'm not what you would call religious but seems to be run by v genuine and compassionate people. Great to have a support network like this up at campus. Keep up the good work!

I was given an amazingly warm welcome at this wonderful place on my recent visit. I’ll be back.

Great place to meet other active Catholics. Love the tea and biscuits after mass. They should do this in every church to get people to interact more with each other. Interesting talks and seminars to help you in your faith journey.

I'm not what you would call religious but seems to be run by v genuine and compassionate people. Great to have a support network like this up at campus. Keep up the good work!

I was given an amazingly warm welcome at this wonderful place on my recent visit. I’ll be back.

Great place to meet other active Catholics. Love the tea and biscuits after mass. They should do this in every church to get people to interact more with each other. Interesting talks and seminars to help you in your faith journey.

I'm not what you would call religious but seems to be run by v genuine and compassionate people. Great to have a support network like this up at campus. Keep up the good work!

I was given an amazingly warm welcome at this wonderful place on my recent visit. I’ll be back.

Great place to meet other active Catholics. Love the tea and biscuits after mass. They should do this in every church to get people to interact more with each other. Interesting talks and seminars to help you in your faith journey.

I'm not what you would call religious but seems to be run by v genuine and compassionate people. Great to have a support network like this up at campus. Keep up the good work!

I was given an amazingly warm welcome at this wonderful place on my recent visit. I’ll be back.

Great place to meet other active Catholics. Love the tea and biscuits after mass. They should do this in every church to get people to interact more with each other. Interesting talks and seminars to help you in your faith journey.

I'm not what you would call religious but seems to be run by v genuine and compassionate people. Great to have a support network like this up at campus. Keep up the good work!

I was given an amazingly warm welcome at this wonderful place on my recent visit. I’ll be back.

Great place to meet other active Catholics. Love the tea and biscuits after mass. They should do this in every church to get people to interact more with each other. Interesting talks and seminars to help you in your faith journey.