A Pastoral letter, or a pastoral, is an open letter addressed by a Bishop to the clergy and/or laity of his diocese. It teaches, offers reflection & may contain instruction, consolation, or directions for behaviour in particular circumstances. In the Catholic Church such letters are also sent out regularly at particular liturgical seasons, particularly at the beginning of Lent and Advent.
Lent 2004
To Rekindle the Amazement
Twenty-five years ago , in his first encyclical, Pope John Paul struck what has been a keynote of his pontificate – the extraordinary dignity of human life in Jesus Christ. When we understand ourselves in the light of the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, he said, not only will we adore God, we will also have a deep wonder at ourselves. That is the heart of the Good News
Lent 2003
The Face of Christ
"WE WISH TO SEE JESUS"
The first Holy Week had already begun when some Greeks came to Philip saying that they
wished to see Jesus
Advent 2002
Light Shines in Darkness
Trusting in God is not an excuse to be complacent. Pope John Paul tells us that, "all pastoral initiatives must be set in relation to holiness" and he spells that out in a way that leaves no doubt about how demanding that is
June 2002
How can we know the way?
‘How Can We Know the Way?’ could be described as a work in progress. By identifying
and expanding on three essential strands Bishop Murray outlines a working framework
for us in the Limerick Diocese.
Lent 2002
We are God's Temple
In 1181 or 1182, a baby was born in a town about 150 kilometers north of Rome. He was
christened John, after St John the Baptist. But his father, who was away on business in France
at the time of the birth, decided that the child should be called Francesco, „the Frenchman?.
June 2001
Visit of the relics of St Thérése
When a young Carmelite sister, not yet 25 years of age, died in Lisieux on September 30th
1897, nobody could have imagined that millions of people in Ireland would be honouring her
more than a century later.
Lent 2001
Put out into the Deep Water (Lent 2001)
We have every reason to thank God as we look back on our celebration of the Jubilee Year. Many of the events have left me with happy and grateful memories. I had the privilege of accompanying our diocesan pilgrimage to Rome in April and our Jubilee pilgrimage to Lourdes in June.
Lent 2000
Christ be our Light (Lent 2000)
Christ be our Light has been chosen as our Jubilee Hymn. I am glad to hear it being sung so
enthusiastically in different parishes around the diocese. It is a song of prayer and praise to Jesus
Christ, ‘the true light that enlightens everyone’. In this Jubilee Year, we celebrate the 2000th
anniversary of the coming of the true light.
Lent 1999
Companions on our Journey (Lent 1999)
It is almost twenty years since Pope John Paul visited Limerick. He came, he told us, to speak in the
name of Christ, who gives dignity to every member of the Church and who gives a mission to each
one.