Like everywhere in the Catholic world, being deprived of the ancient Liturgy and the Sacraments in recent “Covid” years was devastating for Traditional Catholics in Ireland, small in number though they are.
The situation necessitated a look to the Church’s teachings, to Her history, to Her devotions, to our own Catholic history in Ireland and to the example of Traditional Catholics in other countries. As to the latter, what is inspiring are the many Traditional Catholic walking pilgrimages throughout the world and the impact they are having on those who participate in them. The pilgrimage to Walsingham in the UK, to Kevelaer in Germany, those in Spain, the USA, Canada, Argentina and especially the great Pentecost pilgrimage to Chartres all come to mind. Whether they can be described as Archimedean fulcrums or not, they are certainly points of intense contact with the Traditional Latin Mass and places where networks are formed to face current and future battles.
If there ever was a time for Ireland to follow the lead of the Catholics in these countries, it had surely come. Now, we knew, was the time to take a step to re-establish our true Catholic identity here, to express it unashamedly and publicly, to witness to it and make some sacrifice for it – in short, to re-establish the social kingship of Christ at least in one corner of His empire! As Pope Leo XIII’s prayer for the consecration of the human race proves, there is no devotion which encapsulates this teaching better than the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is the spiritual expression of the doctrine of the Kingship of Christ.
Hence, in June 2021, thirty souls set out from St. Mary of the Rosary Church in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary to walk eighty kilometers, arriving for Traditional Latin Mass on the Feast of the Sacred Heart at the Sacred Heart Church in Limerick City, home of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest in Ireland. Along the way the pilgrims sought the intercession of, among others, local saints and martyrs, particularly St. Senan, the Nenagh Martyrs, and Blessed Terence Albert O’Brien O.P. – former Bishop of Emly martyred after the Cromwellian siege of Limerick City.
Here's a short video with some footage:
This coming June 22nd– 24th will mark the second such Sacred Heart pilgrimage and like last year Traditional latin Mass will be offered every day and there will be opportunity to frequent the Sacrament of Confession along the way. Your prayers for its success would be welcome and if you have friends or relatives in Ireland that may be interested the website details are below.
