Have you ever wondered where the roots of Irish Catholicism come from? Have you ever wondered ho this faith runs so deep it it's people. in this episode Fr. Gabriel Burke discusses the origin of Celtic spirituality.
This episode of Forgotten Treasures continues in the theme of social commentary. In this episode Fr Gabriel Burke share his thoughts on the Catholic Church’s fall from absolute prominence in the eye’s of the Irish people. Three factors that entered into the culture to make the church weaker and in some cases even shut down. Fortunately Ireland still leads all of Europe in those that profess belief in God. Please join Father as he points out the cause of Ireland choice to be more secular....
This episode is a departure from the normal episode of Forgotten Treasures in that is a social commentary on current events. This episode, are some of the thoughts that Fr. Gabriel Burke has regarding the war in Ukraine. The advice and opinion given in this episode is based on historical observation and Catholic social teaching. It is a reminder to pray for peace.
In this episode of Forgotten Treasures, Fr. Gabriel Burke discusses reception of the Host on the tongue verses in the hand. Where did this practice of Communion on the hand come from and is it a practice born out of rebellion? Why is it that Latin Christian continues this way of reception after the 5 year experiment has long since ended. Join Fr. Burke as he gives the history of this practice and gives advice on the proper reception of the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our blessed Lord....
In this episode Fr. Gabriel Burke discusses the role of Cannons in the church and the election of Bishops. Comparing the modern day church to that of a corporation with a CEO and branch manager instead of each Bishop being the Vicar of Christ for His Diocese. Forgotten Treasure’s continues with a historical understanding of church hierarchy.
In this episode Fr. Gabriel Burke discuss the minor orders that have been turned to ministries. This episode will give you a much better understanding of how the process has changed from the pre Vatican II times till today.
This episode of Forgotten Treasure’s is truly a departure from past episodes. In past episodes Father Gabriel Burke has reminded listeners of the forgotten blesseds Irish history. Father has discussed The Irish contribution worldwide. He has told us of the wonderful places of pilgrimage in Ireland and of Ireland’s devotions that have bit different in that it deals with the aftermath of Vatican II. Please join Fr. Gabriel Burke as he discusses the power of the Pope. I you have a question you woul...
The Bobbio Missal (Paris, BNF lat. 13246)[1] is a seventh-century Christian liturgical codex that probably originated in France. The Missal contains a lectionary, a sacramentary and some canonical material (such as a penitential). It was found in Bobbio Abbey in Italy by the Benedictine monk Jean Mabillon between June 4 and June 9 of 1686. The Missal is the earliest liturgical manuscript surviving from the medieval period. Its specific authorship and provenance is much disputed, though general a...
The Stowe Missal (sometimes known as the Lorrha Missal), which is, strictly speaking, a sacramentary rather than a missal, is a small Irish illuminated manuscript written mainly in Latin with some Old Irish in the late eighth or early ninth century, probably after 792. In the mid-11th century, it was annotated and some pages rewritten at Lorrha Monastery in County Tipperary, Ireland. Between 1026 and 1033 the manuscript was encased within a protective cumdach (a reliquary book-shrine), which was...
THE CONFESSION OF ST. PATRICK 1. I, Patrick, a sinner, most rustic, the least of all the faithful, and utterly despised by many. My father was Calpornius, a deacon, son of Potitus, a priest, of the village Bannavem Taburnia; he had a country seat nearby, and there I was taken captive. I was then about sixteen years of age. I did not know the true God. I was taken into captivity to Ireland with many thousands of people—and deservedly so, because we turned away from God, and did not keep His comma...
The Catholic Church worldwide has been passing it’s beauty and wisdom for generations. In this episode of Forgotten Treasures Fr. Gabriel Burke introduces us to the oldest Latin hymn. This song of worship is a rich reminder of Eucharistic theology that sets Catholic doctrine above the rest because of its direct connection to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Please listen to this beautiful hymn at; https://youtu.be/BS386lslDSw?si=JtCtqfqze491qPax
On a wet dark August evening in 1879, the villagers of this place had spent the day doing the usual work of the harvest time of the year – gathering winter fuel and fodder. As evening approached, the heavy mist that had been persistent throughout the day, turned to a steady downpour. The villagers gathered around the turf fires in their homes, taking comfort and shelter on a terrible night. Suddenly word spread throughout the village that something extraordinary was happening at the Church and s...
In 1997, a Pilgrim Paths Project was started by the Irish Heritage Council focused on seven medieval routes of pilgrimage. In 2013, Pilgrim Paths Ireland (PPI) was founded at a meeting in Nenagh "as an umbrella body for the volunteer groups promoting Ireland’s penitential trails". Irish hillwalking guidebook author and journalist John G O'Dwyer, was elected Chairman and highlighted the "spiritual tourism" potential for Ireland.
Sacred mountains have featured in many religions so we should not be surprised to find them in Ireland. The best known example is Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo and also Mount Brandon in Co Kerry. While there is much legendary material connected with these mountains, claiming a role for them in the Christian order was a very obvious thing to do. There were several other mountains which attracted hermits to do the same, especially Slieve Donard (Co Down) , Slieve League (Co Donegal) . Holy mountains a...
Ireland’s holy wells are sacred places steeped in long held traditions and customs. Holy wells hold an important place in Ireland’s cultural heritage and religious tradition, offering visitors a peaceful place for personal devotion, prayer and healing. Some holy wells may have their origins in prehistory, however they are largely associated with Christian devotions from the medieval period (5th-16th centuries AD) onwards, being well established by the 17th century and declining in use by the mid...
Ireland is known for its many roadside grottos and Marian shrines, which are often well-maintained and can be found in most towns and villages. Many of the statues are of Mary, and many were erected in 1938 during the Marian Year. The grottos and shrines are a product of Ireland's Catholic past, but people of any faith can visit and pray there.
Our Lady of Banada Prayer Association seeks to bring families together to spiritually raise a cloud of prayerful incense to Our Lady of Banada for her to present before the throne of God for the conversion of family members. We have a particular focus on those family members who have fallen away from the practice of the Catholic Faith. Many parents are concerned about their adult children who no longer practice the Catholic Faith into which they were baptised. Many grandparents are concerned for...
The Oratory Chapel is dedicated to the memory of boys from the local Christian Brothers School. In 1914 and 1915, they joined the army and fought in the First World War, in the trenches and mud of the western front. The regiment they joined fought mostly in Belgium, where many of these young Irishmen died. After the war, Belgium people from the local town were touched by the sacrifice. As a memorial to the young Irishmen, the townspeople donated and dedicated this sacred heart figure of Christ t...
Local legend with tenuous documentary support suggests that the statue originated in St. Mary's Abbey on Mary Street in Dublin which was dissolved as part of the Henrician reforms in 1539 (see: Dissolution of the Monasteries). The first concrete historical mention dates from 1749 in a survey of the Catholic Chapels of Dublin, which refers to a statue in St. Mary's Lane Parochial Chapel. The chapel was torn down in 1816 to make way for a new school and no further mention of the statue is recorded...
Waterford City is the oldest city in Ireland . The vikings first established themselves there in 853 but where later pushed out . they later resettled in waterford in 918 . The dominicans came to waterford in the 1226 and it was their first convent in Munster . sometime after the Statue of our lady of waterford was brought to the church there. The dominicans left Waterford city in 2022. How ever a new Religious congregation , The Home of the Mother now administer the Church and have continued th...
The image originally belonged to the Dominican priory of Youghal Co Cork. The priory of Youghal, was founded in the 13th century and was rededicated to ‘Our Lady of Graces’ in the late 15th century, reflecting the fact the image was the focus of very popular Marian cult and pilgrimage. There are a number of legends and folk traditions pertaining to the origin of Our Lady of Graces and its arrival in Youghal all of which are detailed in the book Wells, Graves, and Statues: Exploring the heritage ...
Queen Elizabeth I had outlawed the Catholic Church and it was an act of treason to shelter a priest. Sir John Bourke of Brittas, Co. Limerick was a secret member of the Rosary Confraternity of the hidden Dominicans of the City. He promoted the Rosary in his family and locality risking the enmity of the Crown by his open avowal of the Catholic Faith and protection of hunted clergy. When Elizabeth died and James, son of Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots, came to the throne in 1603, there was a pause i...
The statue, which is carved from oak in the baroque style is believed to be of Italian origin – Our Lady is dressed in the traditional blue and white robes and holds the infant in her left arm, with three heads of angels or cherubs at her feet. In later years the statue was displayed with a crown, dated to 1922, on Our Lady’s head and a set of nineteenth-century rosary beads in the right hand. A similar statue is located in the Dominican St Mary’s Church, Claddagh. The Dominican Sisters establis...
Our Lady of Bethlehem (Athlone Madonna) Our Lady of Bethlehem An old wooden statue of Our Lady holding the Christ Child is preserved in our monastery. It was carved from bog oak, hence the dark colour of the wood and the reason why she is known affectionately by the sisters as ‘The Black Lady’. She has accompanied our Community for the best part of four centuries. In art history circles the statue is often referred to as the ‘Athlone Madonna’ because the motherhouse of our Community was a monast...
The 1st of May signals the beginning of a month-long pilgrimage to the holy statue of Our Lady of Clonfert, located at Clonfert village in the parish of Eyrecourt, Meelick & Clonfert, in East County Galway. This is no ordinary statue and is one of only a handful of medieval statues to have survive the destruction of the Reformation in Ireland. Housed in the Church of Our Lady of Clonfert, the statue is the focus of great devotion especially during the month of May, when hundreds of pilgrims,...
St. Patrick’s Purgatory, more commonly referred to as Lough Derg because of its location in the lake of the same name in Co Donegal, is a pilgrimage site which dates back to the Fifth Century. Since then, uninterrupted for over 1500 years, it has been a place of Christian pilgrimage and prayer. The pilgrimage takes place on Station Island, and it has St. Patrick as its patron. The original monastery on Saints Island in the same lake claimed St Davog, one of Patrick’s disciples, as its founder ab...
In this episode we shift from the great men and woman of the faith to the places that inspired them. Today Fr. Gabriel Burke shares the history and spirituality of Ireland oldest Marian shrine, Our Ladies Island.
The founder of the Knights of Columbus, Father Michael J. McGivney was a central figure in the growth of Catholicism in America, and he remains a model today. His example of charity, evangelization and empowerment of the laity continues to bear fruit and guide Knights of Columbus around the world. In his Apostolic Letter that was read at the Mass for Beatification on Oct. 31, 2020, Pope Francis stated that Blessed Michael McGivney’s “zeal for the proclamation of the Gospel and generous concern f...
Born on March 1st, 1921 in Manhattan, Terence Cooke was the third and youngest child of Irish immigrants. His father was a chauffeur; his mother died when Terence was only nine. The child of a devout family, Terence manifested an interest in the priesthood at an early age. He entered Cathedral College and from there went to St. Joseph’s Seminary. The future Cardinal Archbishop of New York was ordained by Francis Cardinal Spellman on December 1, 1945. The young priest served as chaplain at Saint ...
Francis X. Ford was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 11, 1892. His father was Editor of “The Freeman’s Journal” and a dedicated champion of Irish freedom. From his youth, Francis was very much influenced by the world of journalism and literature which surrounded him. He attended St. Francis Preparatory School, Brooklyn, and then Cathedral College, Brooklyn. It was while he was at Cathedral College that Maryknoll was founded. In 1912, after the co-founder of Maryknoll, Father James A. Walsh,...
