Tuesday, June 05, 2012

IEC2012 and Magis offer joint youth programme

The 50th International Eucharistic Congress is, “not a seven-day wonder beginning on 10th June and ending on 17th.  

The morning after the Congress ends, we have to start again,” Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said.

Speaking to reporters at Clonliffe College, Archbishop Martin said there is a need to build up strength within the Church and that this year’s Congress is taking place in, “a very different Ireland,” to the previous Congress of 1932.

The Archbishop, who is President of IEC2012, explained that next month’s event, “will be very different to the past. It will be more modest and there will be a strong element of formation and information about what is going on in the Church.”

“There is a need to build up strength within the Church. There is an obligation on me to look and see what the Church will be like in years to come. I have a responsibility to build that Church so that it can do what it is charged to do to, which is witness to the Gospel and to see what its role in future society will be,” he said.

He added that the challenges for the Church are not about one person or any particular event but a very deep crisis of faith.  

“This is the fundamental thing that the Congress will be looking at,” he said.

Meanwhile, IEC2012 has teamed up with MAGIS Ireland to offer a programme that gives young people an opportunity to understand the Congress’ daily themes in an interactive way through visits to different parishes and social initiatives in Dublin’s inner city.

Anna Keegan, IEC2012's Youth Programme Officer, explained, “The Magis programme shows us Eucharist in action; reminding us how, as part of our Christian call, we are asked to serve others. The Magis programme also shows how the Congress is not just about one group of people but extends out beyond the venue to engage with the whole community, inviting everyone to be an active participant.”

Participants in the joint IEC2012-MAGIS project will spend a day in an inner city Dublin parish, learn about the faith traditions of the Travelling people and explore the theme of reconciliation with refugees.  

The programme is part of the Chiara Luce Youth Space programme at IEC2012 running in the RDS from June 11 to 16, which is open to all 18-35 year olds.

Highlights of the MAGIS IEC2012 programme include:
  • Monday June 11, tour Christian Churches in Dublin City and a meeting with young people from other Christian traditions to share the faith;
  • Wednesday June 13, spend a day in the life of an inner city Dublin parish, or a day in the life of the travelling community learning about minority cultures;
  • Thursday June 14, experience reconciliation by walking and talking along Howth Head or hanging out with young refugees in Dublin;
  • Friday June 15, explore the theme of suffering and healing with people living with HIV/AIDS at Open Heart House or with the L’Arche community: a day of listening, conversation, fun, food, faith and friendship;
  • Saturday June 16 will explore the theme of The Word through a visit to Spirit Radio.
Up to 25,000 pilgrims expected to attend each day of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress at the RDS, including 12,000 international pilgrims representing over 100 different countries.  

IEC2012 will transform the RDS into a Eucharistic Village for an eight-day festival of faith and culture.  

The Eucharist will be celebrated in the liturgy and adored in the Prayer Space.

The theme of the Congress is, The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and with one Another.  

There are a total of 223 keynote speakers as part of the IEC2012 programme of events, which includes 38 speakers in the main arena delivering catechesis, personal testimonies, homilies and addresses.

A total of 144 presenters will deliver workshops during Congress week.  

There are 41 speakers delivering addresses at the Chiara Luce Youth Space for young people between 17 and 25 years old.  

A total of 160 workshops including talks, addresses, group reflections, meetings, concerts and plays.

On June 17, more than 80,000 people are expected to gather and celebrate Statio Orbis, the Final Mass of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 at Croke Park Stadium.

The full programme is available at http://www.iec2012.ie/programme.  

More information: www.iec2012.ie Registration for the Congress is now live on http://www.iec2012.ie/registration