Three Limerick priests honoured for their work in Lourdes

THREE Limerick priests have been honoured for their work with pilgrims to Lourdes.

Bishop of Lourdes Dr Jacques Perrier has appointed Fr Donal McNamara, Fr Liam Kelly and Fr Joseph Noonan as Chaplains of Honour to the Shrine of Lourdes. The recognition came following the Limerick diocese’s annual pilgrimage to the famous shrine.

Fr McNamara is parish priest of Kildimo and director of the local diocesan pilgrimage.

Father Noonan, who was unable to attend the pilgrimage this year, is parish priest of Adare and is a former director of the pilgrimage. Father Kelly has made 50 pilgrimages to Lourdes and served as the pilgrimage’s musical director for many years.

A spokesman for Bishop Perrier said: “Appointing a Chaplain of Honour is a way in which the Bishop of Lourdes and the Rector of the Shrine mark their appreciation of priests who have given outstanding service to the pilgrims and to the Shrine.”

The three priests have been rewarded with the sacred Greek Cross. The medallion symbolises the thanks that all the pilgrims wish to offer to those who serve them with enthusiasm and generosity.

Commenting on the appointments, Bishop Donal Murray expressed his delight for the three men and their services to pilgrimages.

He said: “The work that these men have carried out for Limerick and our pilgrimages to Lourdes has been outstanding. It is quite a remarkable achievement for them and I am personally delighted to be able to confer this upon them.”

They were presented with a Greek Cross surrounded by enamelled lilies. The front of the Cross depicts Our Lady of Lourdes surrounded by a rosary and with a Latin inscription which reads “I am the Immaculate Conception” and “Ave Maria”.

On the reverse, Pope Saint Pius X is represented with a Latin inscription which says “Pius X, Sovereign Pontiff, at the request of our brother Francois Xavier Schoeppfer, Bishop of Tarbes, granted and given in the year of the Jubilee of the apparitions 1909”.

The first chaplains of honour were appointed by Bishop Schoepfer in 1909.