Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick, has called on Irish society to become “weavers of hope” and present a united front for the most vulnerable in our community.
At the Limerick Diocesan Pilgrimage Mass to the Marian shrine of Lourdes on Saturday, Bishop Leahy explained that in a world experiencing rapid growth and change, Christians are called to follow the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Mass marked the pinnacle of this year’s Limerick Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes, which brought together around 450 pilgrims and 50 volunteers.
A significant concept of the Bishop’s homily was the need to see the world through the eyes of those who suffer rather than through the perspective of power.
“Each one of us can be an influencer for good,” he said.
Bishop Leahy expressed that Christians must consciously prioritise love over division and hope over despair.
He additionally gave voice to Pope Leo’s call for people to become builders of a “civilisation of love” and motioned that there is need for a renewed commitment to compassion and human dignity.
“Our world needs an antidote to hostility and venom,” he said. “Living the Gospel art of loving is precisely such an antidote.”
The Bishop of Limerick also gave thanks to the volunteers accompanying the pilgrimage. He expressed special gratitude in particular to the young people whose commitment on the journey embodied the values Lourdes seeks to convey.
Bishop Leahy concluded by urging pilgrims to carry the lessons of Lourdes into their daily lives.