PA PAL NUNCIO ENJOYS GREAT DAY IN BALLYHEIGUE
THE Pope’s special envoy to these shores was the cherished guest of honour in a major celebration in Ballyheigue on Sunday involving the opening and blessing of a newly-created spiritual space there and the launch of a massive book chronicling the community’s religious over the decades.
Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Browne was the man of the hour as the parish came out in droves to welcome him to the coastal community.
Beginning with a special Mass at St Mary’s Parish Church at which Archbishop Browne was chief celebrant, the festivities moved on down to Our Lady’s Well and Grotto.
It was here the Apostolic Nuncio blessed and opened the stunning new Gáirdín Mhuire - a special space sculpted and set aside as a meditative and prayerful retreat for whoever might wish to visit it. It was the brainchild of the recently-departed parish priest Fr Tom Leane, who all were delighted to welcome back too to take part in the day. The afternoon revolved around the Community Centre where the Nuncio was welcomed by Mayor of Kerry Michael O’Shea and treated to numerous performances of song, dance and much else.
Events culminated in the launch of the massive new tome Going Global for God, a publication the Nuncio was apparently very impressed with containing as it does a comprehensive account of all the religious of Ballyheigue to have served in missions overseas - written by historian Mícheál Ó hAllmhuráin.