On Sunday, 8th February 2015 we were privileged to have the Papal Nuncio, His Excellency The Most Rev Charles John Brown come to visit and celebrate Sunday Eucharist with us, in another landmark occasion for our Bicentenary year. Archbishop Brown was a most gracious and warm guest of the college who took time in a busy day (he was moving on to The Mass of Installation for the new Archbishop of Cashel and Emly in Thurles later that day) to chat to parents and students for some time in the concourse after Mass. It was here that he was presented with a painting by Irish Artist Jazz Crowley- Long of the front door of the Castle, for which he expressed great delight.
The Papal Nuncio gave a most engaging and incisive homily to the gathered student body and many parents at our Sunday Eucharist in the Sports Hall. In it he spoke movingly about the conversion of a Greek Orthodox friend of his to Roman Catholicism and subsequent priesthood and the influence of his short life on others. His theme centered on preparation and he especially exhorted the students to use this time in CWC to develop a ‘prayer life’, an interior life with God through prayer and the Rosary, which would withstand the vicissitudes of their adult life when they leave the college.
The Archbishop’s animated and persuasive style elicited a rapt engagement hearing from the entire congregation. He seemed very at ease with our new dispensation in the Sports Hall and was warm in his comments afterwards about the liturgy in general and the participation of the students. At the beginning of our Eucharist he officially blessed the Sports Hall and at the conclusion moved to the New Science and Arts Block and blessed it also.
Afterwards the Nuncio was guest of honour at a lunch hosted by the Rector in the castle which, given his time constraints, precluded him from having dessert! We look forward to a return visit from Archbishop Brown to our college at some stage in the years ahead for another such homily…and dessert!
Mr Cyril Murphy
Director of Liturgy
