Eucharistic Congress Bell
The Eucharistic Congress Bell is a key symbol of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress. From its origins in the Dominican Convent of Portstewart, Co. Derry the Bell was more recently used to ring in the Jubilee Year 2000 in Glendalough, Co. Wicklow.
The Bell reflects the invitation to faith, to prayer, to reconciliation and to mission which has always been important in our Christian tradition and is no less so today. The pilgrimage of the Bell throughout the dioceses of Ireland, and beyond, will:
- Invite people to deepen their communion with Christ and with one another
- Promote the pastoral aims of the Congress
- Invite all Christians to join in giving a common witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an increasingly secular society
- Animate the people of your Diocese to become involved with the Eucharistic Congress both locally and nationally
- Invite people to come to the Congress from 10th to 17th June 2012
There is a strong emphasis on the inclusion of young people in the Eucharistic Congress Bell Pilgrimage however it is not exclusively a youth project. The pilgrimage should include the infirm, senior members of the community, and an outreach to the families and of the children preparing for sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, and Communion).