- Feedback from the local bishop
- Feedback from a parish curate
- Feedback from a workshop attendee
- Feedback from the Diocesan Liturgy Group
- Feedback from parish schools
- Feedback from a diocesan retreat coordinator
- Feedback from Confirmation retreat participants
- Feedback from Notre Dame’s center in Dublin
Words from Denis Brennan, Bishop of Ferns
[The House of Brigid] have come to serve the parish and the diocese through the Ministry of Music, Liturgical Renewal, Youth Activities and Catechesis.
I thank God for their presence. I salute and thank their families for facilitating and supporting this new and exciting venture in our diocese. I also thank the people and priests of Clonard Parish for their openness to the idea of setting up Teach Bhride.
I ask God’s blessing on the work they are doing in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Testimonial for Teach Bhride
Fr. Martin Doyle, Curate, Clonard Parish
As we come to the end of the first year of the Teach Bhride programme in the parish of Clonard it gives me great pleasure to testify to the commitment and work that Carolyn Martha and Chris have given in the service of the Irish church and in particular to the parish of Clonard, Diocese of Ferns, Ireland.
The past year in our parish has been marked with the presence of these three young people, exuding a genuine commitment to their faith and a desire to share that faith with others. Their presence at the daily 10am mass and recitation of the rosary with the faithful has had such a strong witness value.
They have successfully undertaken to establish and run a church choir for the Vigil Mass. Their involvement with the Church folk choir and the children’s liturgy group for the weekend schedule of masses has been greatly appreciated. The skills and talents they have brought to these groups as individuals and as a community has been so beneficial to these Sunday liturgies.
Their involvement in our two parish schools with the children has been an unexpected blessing. Preparing and presenting class masses with children, 9 10 and 11 years of age, has been such a rewarding experience for the children teachers and parish community. It was also a well used opportunity with the children for some necessary catechesis. This continues to have great potential for the future. The way in which Carolyn Martha and Chris assisted the staff of both schools with the Christmas Carol Services was such a valuable support to those involved.
Their contribution to the music singing and liturgies for First Reconciliation First Holy Communion and Confirmation enriched those celebrations enormously.
Their contribution at a Diocesan level with 2 Liturgical workshops – one on music for Advent and the other on music for Lenten/Easter – was enthusiastically received well attended and positively reviewed by participants and clergy alike. Plans for the year ahead will also include a Retreat Day for choir members.
Our parish community has been greatly enriched by the presence and generous commitment of these three students. We feel so blessed to have them with us and grateful for the ways in which they have shared themselves and their talents with us for the enhancement of sacred music and liturgy in the parish of Clonard.
It is with a sense of hope and joy that we look forward to the future and the gift of other young faith filled people who will consider joining us here in this parish as members of the Teach Brid Community.
It is also with a sense of gratitude and a tinge of sadness that we say farewell to Martha and Chris as we thank them for this year of service and wish them well on the road that life will take them, trusting that they will always know they have a ‘home from home’ here in the parish Clonard, Wexford .
We are relieved that Carolyn the Director of Teach Brid is with us for another year. She was certainly and inspired choice as leader a young woman with many natural gifts and talents and we are delighted that we will be working with her again next year.
We extend a warm ‘Cead Mile Failte’ to Jessica, Clarissa and Patrick who are presenting for service in the year ahead and look forward to welcoming them here in September.
We continue to place this whole exciting venture in the hands of God, for his blessing, under the patronage of St. Brigid – Mary of the Irish!
Feedback after a workshop
November 9, 2009
Just a short note to firstly congratulate you all on a BRILLIANT workshop last Saturday. It was a most worthwhile venture and I hope the three of you gained a lot from the experience too. For me, the most inspiring part of the workshop is how all three of you express the depth of your faith with such confidence…[the music] was, for me, a Mount Tabor experience! I wanted to pitch my tent in Clonard and stay there forever…Thank you all once again and may God Bless all the work you do in Clonard and indeed, in the wider domain of the Diocese of Ferns.
Kindest regards, Emily Ward
Feedback from Fr. Jim Doyle,
Chair, Ferns Diocesan Liturgy Group
Teach Bride have become an important addition to the Fern’s diocesan liturgy group. They provide excellent workshops in liturgical music that has enabled the liturgy group to provide up to date training on liturgical music. They have also had good ideas for the liturgy group to consider. I consider them a real blessing to the diocese.
Testimonial Of Ann Finucane
Co-Ordinator of Confirmation Retreats, Diocese of Ferns
Carolyn Martha and Chris played a major part in the success of our Confirmation retreats this year for the school children from Clonard parish.
They brought life and energy to the faith journey of our young people as they prepared for Confirmation. This was enhanced by their gifts of music and creative liturgy.
The members of the retreat team were impressed, not only by their participation in the programme but more so by their faith which shone as they shared and encouraged the children in group sessions.
The manner in which they engaged the young people was inspiring. They were a joy to work with and we were blessed to have their support on the retreat team.
Words from Kevin Whelan, Director of the Notre Dame Programme in Dublin
[Fall 2011]
In their young life, the community of Teach Bhríde has already made an invigorating impact on the Irish church, through their personal witness, their infectious and accomplished music ministry and their ability to connect with and inspire young people.
[Spring 2010]
Dear Ann,
Many thanks for your very generous letter that arrived here last week. We are always more than happy to welcome anyone in the ND family, all the more so when they are connected with Teach Bríd/House of Brigid. We admire these young faith-filled and highly talented people and their commitment to enhancing Catholicism in our country so much. And over the year, they added enormously to the quality of the liturgy at our ACE Fellowship gatherings in O’Connell House. We hope that next year’s group will also participate. And please send them in our direction if there is anything that we can do for them. My very best wishes to all your family. Come and visit us again soon! I attach a photograph of the group at the ACE Missioning Mass with Bishop Leo O’Reilly of the diocese of Kilmore.
Kevin Whelan, Director, Keough-Naughton Notre Dame Centre in Ireland
- ACE Missioning Mass
