Procession with the Blessed Sacrament 2021

Date/Time
3 Jun 2021 until 13 Jun 2021
12:00 am

Procession with the Blessed Sacrament 2021
On Sunday 29th May 2021 at 3.00pm, the priests of St Joseph’s Parish, Mgr Shane Mc Caughey and Fr Sean Mulligan, set off from the Parish Church and processed around the town of Carrickmacross with the Blessed Sacrament in a Monstrance, returning to St Joseph’s for Benediction of the faithful, in the grounds of the Church. In doing so they were continuing an annual tradition in the town which goes back over a hundred years.
The concept of a Eucharistic Procession itself originated in the 13th century by St Juliana, and later at the Council of Trent in 1551 it was decreed that “the Blessed Sacrament should be honoured with festive celebrations and solemnly carried in procession”. The Eucharist is recognised by the Catholic Church as the “source and summit of the whole Christian life”. A Eucharistic Procession, therefore, is a public witness of the veneration toward the most holy Eucharist, conducted through public streets.
It takes place in this way: A consecrated host – that is, the real and substantial presence of Jesus Christ: body, blood, soul and divinity – is placed within a monstrance, which is then lifted and carried by a priest who leads the faithful in procession. Like a pilgrimage, this earthly journey reminds the Catholic faithful of their spiritual journey toward eternal life with God. By processing with the Holy Eucharist in a reverent, prayerful and joyful manner, Catholics can honour Christ in the Eucharist and serve as witnesses to the intimate presence of God in the world and in each individual. Processions powerfully display the Incarnation, or God becoming human, and thus speak of his merciful love for all who journey to eternal life with him.
This year as in 2020, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the faithful were not permitted to assemble and join in the procession around the town, but instead they decorated their homes and gardens and businesses, and stood in prayerful reverence while the Procession went by, and a small representative number received the Benediction at the door to St Joseph’s.
We give thanks for the wonderful weather and the assistance of so many volunteers who enabled the Procession to take place. May the blessings of the Eucharist come upon all the faithful during this time of Pandemic. Images of the procession can be viewed on the following media platforms – Our Parish website – www.carrickmacrossparish.ie ( on home page , under quick -links ) stjosephs Church facebook page; Machaire Rois utube channel .
( Fr Shane)

Thank You – Procession with the Blessed Sacrament 2021
We would like to share a word of sincere thanks to Michael Callan who co – ordinated the event , Pat Caroll and Maureen Flanagan , Padraig Reilly and Malachey Marron , PJ Mc Cabe, Martin Hughes, Breda Duffy and Teresa Linden , Tom Clarke and Paddy Doherty , Grainne, Aoife and Roisin Malcolm and Pat Byrne , and to all in our community , who helped in making this day a memorable one for all.