The International Eucharistic Congress revitalised the faith of Irish Catholics and “marked a turning point in the life of the church in Ireland”, papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown said yesterday at Knock shrine, Co Mayo.
Addressing pilgrims on the final day of the national novena, he said Irish Catholics had been revitalised in their faith by what he termed the “unforgettable experience” of the congress.
“The road ahead is not an easy one, but the road ahead for Catholics in Ireland did not look very easy in 1879 when Our Lady appeared here on that rainy evening in August. Yet her appearance was followed by one of the most fruitful periods in the 15 centuries of Catholicism on this island.”
Outlining reasons to be optimistic, he cited the success of the International Eucharistic Congress which “exceeded everyone’s expectations”.