| 1. Eucharistic Congress - free downloads |
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Eucharistic Congress hymn:
 A theme-song has been written for the 50th Eucharistic Congress, called "Though We are Many". This is available on the IEC2012 website. Follow the directions to download the file and then you can burn it to a CD.
You can also download a backing-track to use for accompaniment.
Sheet-music is the final great resource. You can download and print out 12 pages of music for Keyboard/organ, guitar, C instrument, SATB choir or congregational music sheet.
Click on the following link to download these resources:
http://www.iec2012.ie/index.jsp?p=160&n=170&a=0
[OR from the Home page, click on Pastoral Preparation > Music > The Congress Hymn]
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| Though We Are Many - (Bernard Sexton) |
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Refrain:
Though we are many, we are one body,
we who come to share this living bread;
Cup of salvation, shared among all nations,
nourishing us now and evermore.
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We gather in this place
round the table of the Lord.
Christ's presence is revealed
in our communion and his Living Word.
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2.
Now our communion recalls
Christ's death and resurrection.
This living sacrifice
is our salvation now and evermore.
3.
And through this shared Eucharist
we are the living Church.
We witness to Christ's love
His living body active in our world.
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| 2. Eucharistic Congress 2012 |
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The 50th International Eucharistic Congress will be held in Dublin from 10-17th June, 2012. Congresses take place every four years and offer liturgical and cultural events along with lectures and workshops to the faithful. The event will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the Second Vatican Council. The theme for this 2012 International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) is "The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and with one another".
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| The Congress Logo |
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The Logo, entitled People in Communion, was designed by Martin Barlow of Portadown, Co. Armagh. The design concept is based on the idea of people “from every nation, race, tribe and language” [Rev.7:9] being drawn together in Communion as “One Body” formed by faith in the person of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, and the sacrifice he made upon the cross.
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Our sense of community, belonging, celebration and acceptance is captured in the design by the graphic representation of the people with both arms outstretched
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Congress Website and E-zine
http://www.iec2012.ie/ is the official website of the Congress and already it has impressive comprehensive information and resources which can be downloaded. The pearl on the site is the on-line magazine:
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"E-Congress" is the on-line magazine (e-zine) of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress. This will be issued regularly and the first one, which can be downloaded from the website in either English or Irish versions, is beautifully presented and gives an outline of the programme of preparation. Future editions will provide links to a variety of articles, as well as catechetical and liturgical resources for use in parishes, family or schools.
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Reading the e-zine on the web, you can click on the many buttons throughout, which in turn bring you to articles, gospel voice recordings, art illustrations and a Powerpoint presentation on the theme of "Gathering". [For those who have not got Office 2007, the file in .pptx format may be changed to .ppt format instantly by going to https://secure.convert-doc.com/converters/pptx-to-ppt.html and following the simple instructions.] |
| Preparing our Hearts |
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Preparation began in Autumn 2010 with the Congress committee inviting people in parishes throughout the country to participate in a process of reflection on what it means to be a Eucharistic people in the 21st Century.
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| A Call to Prayer |
| At the 49th Eucharistic Congress in Quebec in 2008, Pope Benedict said: |
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"... I take this opportunity to greet warmly the people of Ireland as they prepare to host this ecclesial gathering. I am confident that they, together with all the participants at the next Congress, will find it a source of lasting spiritual renewal."
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Your prayer is an important source of support for the Eucharistic Congress. The Congress Committee invite us all, over the next year, to join them in asking God for the wisdom to prepare a Congress which responds to the needs of this particular time.
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Your prayer is an important source of support for the Eucharistic Congress.
"Pray that the generosity of Christ's gift of himself in the Eucharist may be reflected
in our own openness to growth and our willingness to give of ourselves in service."
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| 3. Year of Evangelisation |
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The Year of Evangelisation logo was designed through a competition in the National College of Art and Design.
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Rebecca Roughneen, a final year student, won the competition. Rebecca took as her inspiration a text from St. Mark’s Gospel – The Calming of the Storm (Mark 4: 35-41).
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Year of Evangelisation continues in spirit
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"The hope of the Year of Evangelisation is that all people
will deepen their relationship with Christ and that will be
reflected in the way we live our lives in parish and in society.”
[Archbishop Diarmuid Martin]
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While the year of Evangelisation ended on 27th November last, its spirit will continue with the initiation of preparations for the Eucharistic Congress.
Let us continue to pray that many, both through the preparations and the Congress itself, will enter into a deeper relationship with Christ, which in turn transforms our parishes, our neighbourhoods and our country.
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| Prayer for Evangelisation |
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God our Father,
You sent Your only Son Jesus
to live among us.
Jesus shows us your love for us.
Help us to bring the Good News of Your love to one another. |
| Send Your Spirit |
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To live in us, to work in us,
To pray in us. |
Bless everyone with peace
and forgiveness,
so that we may share your good news
with everyone we meet. |
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We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen
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