August 2019

The 2019 National Novena is running from Wednesday 14th August to Thursday 22nd August at Knock Shrine.

This year the Shrine is celebrating its 140 anniversary of the Apparition. The Novena’s theme will be ‘Continuing Our Journey’ and prestigious speakers will be taking part in this special anniversary year.

The Seminars will take place at 12noon and the Novena twice a day at 3pm and 8pm.

• Wednesday, 14th August: John Bruton, Theme: Faith, Future and Europe, Seminar and Novena

• Thursday, 15th August: Most Rev. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Rome, Italy, Theme: Mary in the life of the Church, Seminar and Novena.

• Friday, 16th August: Olive Foley, Theme: Family and Faith, Seminar and Novena.

• Saturday, 17th August: Most Rev. Alan Mc Guckian, Bishop of Raphoe, Theme: What Knock means to me, 3pm Novena.

• Saturday, 17th August: Dr. John Feehan, Theme: God in Creation – learning to read the other Book of Revelation, Seminar and 8pm Novena.

• Sunday, 18th August: Family Day at Knock Shrine.

• Sunday, 18th August: Most Rev. Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin, Theme: A joy that lies ahead of us, 3pm Novena.

• Sunday, 18th August:  Rt. Rev. Msgr. John Armitage, Theme: Mary and the reality of family life, 8pm Novena.

• Monday, 19th August: Carole Coleman, Theme: Motherhood, media and me,Novena.

• Monday, 19th August: New Shoot, Knock Youth Ministry, Seminar.

• Tuesday, 20th August: Rev. Trevor Sargent, Theme: Faith in Action, Novena and Seminar.

• Wednesday, 21st August – 140th Anniversary of the Apparition, Special day of Celebration with Most Rev. Michael Neary, Archbishop of Tuam, Theme: The message of the Knock Apparition then and now, Novena.

•  Wednesday, 21st August – 140th Anniversary of the Apparition, Nollaig O Muraile & Tom Neary, 19th Century Mayo – Place, people and the Knock Apparition, Seminar.

• Thursday, 22nd August: Fr. Peter Mc Verry, Theme: Following the dream of Jesus, Novena and Seminar.

On Wednesday the 140th Anniversary of the Apparition, Special day of Celebration will include Unveiling of the Knock Village Model will take place at the seminar, Unveiling of the New Processional Statue of Our Lady of Knock at 3pm Mass and ‘ Witnesses’ Walk – Meeting heaven at harvest time’, a celebration and commemoration of the Apparition witnesses at 7pm.

Historians Nollaig O’Muraile and Tom Neary will unveil the detailed 3D scale model of Knock village set on the day of the Apparition in 1879.

The model is filled with wonderful miniature details of the Old Church, the houses the Witnesses lived in, schools, people, animals, roads, pathways and farmland and offer a better understanding of the village life and the historical and social context of the Knock Apparition.

Each day there will be the Anointing of the Sick at 2.30pm.