Welcome / Fáilte Romhat!
The Franciscan Abbey in Multyfarnham was founded in 1268 and continues to be an active centre of Franciscan mission in Ireland. The only Franciscan Abbey in Ireland still standing on the footprint of its original foundation, the Franciscan fraternity continues its commitment of service from this special place.
CHRISTMAS 2024
Christmas Mass Times
CHRISTMAS EVE |
| 8:30PM Carol Service |
| 9:00PM Christmas Midnight Mass |
CHRISTMAS DAY |
| 10:30AM Christmas Day Mass |
Christmas Confession Times
Saturday, December 21 |
| 11:00AM to Noon |
| 3:00PM to 5:00PM |
Monday, December 23 |
| 11:00AM to Noon |
| 2:00PM to 4:00PM |
Tuesday, Christmas Eve |
| 11:00AM to Noon |
| 2:00PM to 4:00PM |
Gaudete Sunday – being surprised by joy!
For many of us, when we trawl back through early memories of the celebration of Advent, we will often recall that Sunday in the middle of the season called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudate – Rejoice! It is also the Sunday when the pink coloured candle on the Advent wreath was lit. And so, just as the candle stood out on the wreath, so the Sunday stands out among those of Advent.
Fr Kieran’s reflection for this Gaudete Sunday considers the idea of joy. Yes, of course, there is the awareness of the joy that awaits at Christmas of the birth of Jesus. And Kieran goes further, pointing out how time and again in the scriptures, God’s response to conversion is that of joy. In the parables of the lost sheep, or the lost coin, or most especially in the parable of the Prodigal Son, it is joy experienced when what was lost, was found. And this joy is illustrative of the love of God the Father.
On this Gaudete Sunday, Kieran invites us to be “surprised by joy” when we do what John the Baptist encourages us to do in the Gospel reading.
Latest Updates
The arrival of Oliver Cromwell in Ireland -1649
Following the rebellion of 1641 and the assertion that was it conceived in the Friary of Multyfarnham, it was no surprise the friary would suffer in its aftermath and in particular, during the Cromwellian campaign in Ireland (1649 to 1653.) Since 1641, the English...
Participating online via our webcam
We invite you to join us via our webcam for all of our services here in the Friary church. These include our weekday Mass with the Franciscan Community, Sunday Mass (and Vigil Mass on Saturday evening) and our very popular Novena Mass to St Anthony, which is...
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From the desk of Fr Kieran OFM
Gaudete Sunday – being surprised by joy!
For many of us, when we trawl back through early memories of the celebration of Advent, we will often recall that Sunday in the middle of the season called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudate – Rejoice! It is also the Sunday when the pink coloured candle on the Advent wreath was lit. And so, just as the candle stood out on the wreath, so the Sunday stands out among those of Advent.
Fr Kieran’s reflection for this Gaudete Sunday considers the idea of joy. Yes, of course, there is the awareness of the joy that awaits at Christmas of the birth of Jesus. And Kieran goes further, pointing out how time and again in the scriptures, God’s response to conversion is that of joy. In the parables of the lost sheep, or the lost coin, or most especially in the parable of the Prodigal Son, it is joy experienced when what was lost, was found. And this joy is illustrative of the love of God the Father.
On this Gaudete Sunday, Kieran invites us to be “surprised by joy” when we do what John the Baptist encourages us to do in the Gospel reading.
Tribalism, The New Face of Individualism?
This month, Kieran leads us through a reflection on the idea of tribes and tribalism. We are mostly familiar, in one way or another, with our own idea of tribes and tribalism. Maybe it is American Indian tribes so familiar to us from the great western movies of times past (they don’t seem to make them any more!), perhaps we think of present day tribal groups in, say, the South American jungles or in the countries of Africa.
For sure, these are tribes, and, in a way, Kieran draws some of his ideas from these examples of tribes and tribalism. But he takes us a little further on this journey, away from these stereotypical images and look at the ideas through the lens of the life that we each live, our lives in our families, the places we live, our country. Having set the scene, he then invites us to consider how these tribal instincts (our DNA?) affect how we live, what we think, and what we do.
At the end, Kieran brings us back to the Gospel, to the person of Jesus and His message to us, who encourages us – challenges us – to step outside the direction of our human flawed genes and truly live in accord with his greatest command, to love one another.
Mixed Metaphors: Blessing or Curse?
For our reflection this month, Fr Kieran draws inspiration from the writings of St Paul, especially in his letter to the Ephesians, and using St Paul as his example, Kieran takes us into the land of metaphors.
Our normal discourse might be seen as somewhat bland if we did not resort to metaphors from time to time. And it isn’t just in our everyday speech. Can anyone say that she or he is unfamiliar with Elvis Presley’s hit: “You Ain’t Nothing but a Hound Dog.” And it might be argued that literature too, would be too plain with recourse to metaphors. Even the title and first line of Emily Dickinson’s poem is metaphor: ““Hope” is the thing with feathers.”
And so, Kieran explores this idea and reaches into the Gospel stories, illustrating his reflection with metaphors and their first cousins, mixed metaphors, to give us an insight into how St Paul uses them to draw us ever closer to Christ.