School Competitions Launched  - Awareness of Eucharistic Congress 2012 Encouraged

Bishop Jones, with the support of the Elphin diocese’s Eucharistic Adoration and International Eucharistic Congress Committee, has launched three competitions for primary and post-primary pupils.  The diocese hopes the competitions will support young people come to a greater awareness of next year’s International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin.

Members of the Elphin Diocesan Committee which supported Bishop Jones with the launch of three competitions for primary and post primary pupils at this year's Elphin Diocesan Pastoral Ministry Gathering in Roosky: (left to right): Rose Morris (Elphin), Maureen Beisty (Elphin), William Gacquin (Curraghboy), Bernadette Higgins (Elphin), John Coughlan (Sligo), Fina Golden (Sligo & chairperson of the Elphin Diocesan Eucharistic Congress Committee), Mary McDonald and Marie Nerney (Elphin), Siobhan Hall (Athlone) , Justin Harkin (Pastoral Development Office) and Bishop Christopher Jones.

The first competition is open to Transition Year and Fifth Year students and carries a prize fund of €1500.00.  For this students are invited to submit a project on one of the following topics:
(i) The 50th International Eucharistic Congress
(ii) The Eucharist:  Communion with Christ and one another
(iii) Ireland and International Eucharistic Congresses: past and present.

The second competition is open to First and Second Year students.  It carries a prize fund of €1000 and involves writing an essay between 300 and 500 words on one of the following:
(i) The 50th International Eucharistic Congress:  a time of hope?
(ii) The Eucharist:  Communion with Christ and one another
(iii) Why is the 50th International Eucharistic Congress important?
(iv) Ireland and International Eucharistic Congresses: past and present.

The third competition shall take the form of an art competition for primary school pupils, split into five categories.  It carries a prize fund of €500.00.
Category A will include Junior Infants, Senior Infants and First class pupils.  The theme of their art work shall be “Jesus Loves Me”.     The theme for Category B (Second class) shall be “Jesus the Bread of Life”.    Category C (Third and Fourth class) shall have as their focus “Love one another as I have loved you”.   “Come, follow me” shall be the focus of Category D (Fifth and Sixth Class).  Pupils with Special Needs (Category E) are invited to submit a drawing or painting under the theme “Let the children come to Me”. 

Winning entries will be announced in February 2012 at the latest and be put on display in various centres in the diocese.

The competitions were launched by Bishop Jones at the Elphin diocese’s annual Pastoral Ministry Gathering in Roosky on Saturday Oct. 15th.  During the course of the Gathering three representatives of the Diocesan Committee overseeing preparations in Elphin, Fina Golden (chairperson), Eamonn Tolan (Secretary)and Rose Morris (chair of Primary School Competitions sub-committee), strongly encouraged Parish delegates to become familiar with plans and proposals concerning the International Congress by visiting www.iec2012.ie.

 
More than 80,000 people are expected to participate in the various spiritual, cultural and educational events that will be part of the International Eucharistic Congress next June.For more information please visit the Eucharistic Congress section of the Elphin diocesan web site:  www.elphindiocese.ie.






Singers (left to right) Louise McGuinness ( Bornacoola), Lorraine McDermott ( Frenchpark /Ballinagare), Aaron Kelly (Ballyleague ), Eleanor Hanly & Eilish Diffley ( Strokestown), Eimear & Andrew Reynolds (Kilglass) with Bishop Jones at the Elphin Diocese's Pastoral Ministry Gathering in Roosky on Sat. Oct. 15th.

.