This year we will be featuring a Day-Long Programme of activities, starting from 10.00am, in the St. John Welcome Centre, Knock Shrine. Capuchin Friars from the National Shrine of St. Pio in Dublin will be present and available throughout the day. This year, we will also have a representative from the Shrine of St. Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, plus a representative from Marian Pilgrimages, joining us – to provide assistance to Pilgrims on any matters pertaining to Pilgrimage Travel to San Giovanni Rotondo, and on visiting the Shrine of St. Pio in Italy. Our Saturday programme this year will run throughout the day from 9.00am to 8.00pm, and one can freely join in on any of the programme activities at any time, the schedule and main events of which will be as follows:
9.00am – St. John Welcome Centre Opens for Pilgrims
Padre Pio Religious Gift Shop and Information Hub will be available throughout the day, until 9.00pm that evening. The Padre Pio Shop will be closed during the schedule Guided
Prayer Sessions, during Holy Mass and Holy Hour.
9.30am – 10.00am – Blessings with the Padre Pio Glove by a Capuchin Friar
During this time, the Centre will be open for people to come and go as they wish, and to speak with Volunteers and Capuchin Friars from the National Shrine of St. Pio in Dublin.
10.00am – 10.15am –Official Opening of Pilgrimage
by Michael McCabe, Padre Pio Centre Dublin: Fr. Bryan Shortall, National Director of the Padre Pio Apostolate in Ireland & Fr. Richard Gibbons, Rector of Knock Shrine
10.15am – 11.00am – Praying the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary of Our Lady of Knock and Padre Pio– both in Music and in Song.
A beautiful 45-minute journey through the Story of Knock, in spoken word and in song, interwoven with the significance given by Padre Pio to the Shrine at Knock during hhis lifetime. This is a Guided Prayer Session.
11.00am – 11.30am – Morning Break
During this time, there will be blessings with the Padre Pio Glove by Capuchin Friars.
11.30am – 12.00noon – Introductory Talk
Fr. Bryan Shortall, National Director for the Padre Pio Apostolate in Ireland, on the Padre Pio Apostolate in Ireland, the Padre Pio Prayer Groups, and the work of the Irish Centre for Padre Pio in the worldwide spread of devotion to Padre Pio in all five Continents over the past five years.
12.00noon – 12.05pm Praying the Angelus (in the Tradition of Padre Pio)
12.05pm – 12.30pm – A note from our Provincial and Visiting Guests this year:
Fr. Sean Kelly
Provincial of the Capuchin Order in Ireland
Ms. Julie Kerry Cifaldi
from the Italian Offices of “The Voice of Padre Pio” Magazine, San Giovanni Rotondo
Ms. Amanda Devine
Marian Pilgrimages Shrines of Italy Manager
12.30pm – 1.00pm – Blessings with the Padre Pio Glove by a Capuchin Friar
During this time, the Centre will be open for people to come and go as they wish, and to speak with Volunteers and Capuchin Friars from the National Shrine of St. Pio in Dublin.
1.00pm – 2.00pm – Break for Lunch
During this time, the Centre will continue to remain open for people to come and go as they wish, and to speak with Volunteers and Capuchin Friars from the National Shrine of St. Pio in Dublin.
2.15pm – “Padre Pio & the Divine Mercy”
This is a Guided Prayer Session on the theme: “Come and Encounter Jesus in the Divine Mercy with our Beloved Padre Pio” featuring Music, Reflections and Readings from the Diary of St.Faustina, as we journey with Jesus and Padre Pio in the Divine Mercy, Padre Pio’s Favourite Prayer.
Presented by: Michael McCabe & Fr. Bryan Shortall
3.00pm – Preparation for Holy Mass (Friars, Volunteers, Ministers of the Word, and Music Ministry)
3.15pm – Celebration of the Holy Mass of St. Pio of Pietrelcina – with the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, concluding at approximately 4.45pm
5.00pm – 6.00pm – Blessings with the Padre Pio Glove by a Capuchin Friar
During this time, the Centre will be open for people to come and go as they wish, and to speak with Volunteers and Capuchin Friars from the National
Shrine of St. Pio in Dublin. The Padre Pio Religious Gift Shop and Information Hub will remain open during this time.
6.00pm – 6.50pm – Break for Evening Tea/Refreshments/Dinner.
The Padre Pio Religious Gift Shop and Information Hub will remain open during this time.
7.00pm – 8.00pm – A Holy Hour for Priests
The theme of this year’s Holy Hour, dedicated to all Priests, is:
“The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ – Through the Eyes of Padre Pio”
This is a Guided Prayer Session, held in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed, with words and reflections from Padre Pio on “the Human Journey” of Our Lord Jesus Chris during His passion. The Holy Hour is being offered for All Priests, as we journey with Jesus, through the sufferings of Padre Pio, towards the Cross. We will encounter the “identity of Jesus” through the discipleship of Padre Pio and will experience the harrowing reality, in Padre Pio’s own words, direct from the words and meditations of the man who journeyed with Jesus, in three main sections: the Passion, the Death and the Glorification. The Prayer Session will conclude with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament thorough the people, followed by a Blessing with the Blessed Sacrament.
8.00pm – 8.10pm – Pilgrimage Ceremonies close for the evening. We will conclude with Night Prayer to Padre Pio – by a Capuchin Friar
8.10pm – 9.00pm – The Padre Pio Religious Gift shop and Information Hub will remain open until 9.00pm
During this time a Capuchin Friar will be on hand to assist with requests for Blessings with the Padre Pio Glove
9.00pm – St. John’s Welcome Centre closes
10.00am – 6.00pm – Padre Pio Religious Gift Shop
Located in the Annex Room off St. John’s Welcome Centre. The Padre Pio Religious Gift Shop will be available throughout the day, until 6.00pm. Blessings with the Padre Pio Glove will also take place in this location between the hours of 10.00am and 1.00pm by visiting and resident Capuchin Friars. Blessings will also be available after the Pilgrimage Mass.
Due to preparation for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and Holy Mass,the Capuchin Friars will not be available for Blessing with the Padre Pio Glove
after 1.00pm. However, the Religious Gift Shop will remain open throughout the day until 6.00pm.
2.00pm – Rosary at Knock Basilica
2.30pm – Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick at Knock Basilica
3.00pm – Concelebrated Pilgrimage Mass, and the Eucharistic Blessing of the Sick with Benediction at Knock Basilica
followed by the Rosary Procession in the grounds of Knock Shrine (weather permitting).
Principal Celebrant
Archbishop Francis Duffy. Archdiocese of Tuam
Assisted by Fr. Sean Kelly, OFM cap, Provincial & Fr. Bryan Shortall, National Director of the Padre Pio Apostolate in Ireland
The evening concludes at approximately 6.00pm with the Pilgrimage Closing Ceremony and Final Blessing by the Provincial Minister of the Capuchin Order in Ireland, Br. Seán Kelly OFM, Cap. The Padre Pio Religious Gift Shop and Information Hub will be available throughout the day, until 6.00pm that evening.