What do Ireland, Iphone Apps, a former Dutch agnostic and the Order of Preachers have
in common? They are all part of final preparations for the biggest Church event to
take place on the Island nation since Blessed John Paul II’s Apostolic Visit in 1979.
The one month countdown to the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012
(IEC2012) is being marked in Ireland with a special Mass celebrated by the Papal Nuncio,
Archbishop Charles Brown on Sunday 6th May.
But in conjunction with the final
countdown IEC2012 organisers have also launched a free iPhone and iPad App. Using
21st century technology, the IEC2012 App gives pilgrims from all over the world the
opportunity to experience the Congress. The App was designed exclusively for Congress
pilgrims by Dutch Dominican Friar Luuk Dominiek Jansen:
“I feel that being
part of the Dominican Order, still a student at the moment, we are trying to look
at new ways of communicating as a lot of the traditional ways of bringing the Gospel
to people, is becoming harder, especially here in Ireland where there are less people
going to Mass or involved in prayer meetings although still a lot of people are interested
in their faith. It seems to me important to grow with the rest of society in using
modern means of communication. The app is just one vehicle to bring content to people
and help them to discover their faith”.
Speaking to Emer McCarthy Br Luuk,
a former agnostic, revealed that he hopes the Eucharistic Congress will help people
discover God, just as he did over 9 years ago while working as an engineer in Galway,
through an encounter with a Catholic colleague who challenged his certainty that God
didn’t exist. An encounter that changed his life and lead him to make a life changing
decision Listen:
Currently,
Br Luuk is finishing his philosophical studies and studying theology with the hope
to be ordained a priest. Br Luuk will deliver a workshop in the Youth Space during
the Congress programme about his journey from agnostic to becoming a religious friar
in the Dominican Order.
The App provides a comprehensive guide for pilgrims
to the Congress programme including a pilgrim guide, a pastoral resources tool, and
news and multimedia feeds. Additional functions within the App include a daily guide
for pilgrims about Congress events in the RDS; where the main Congress programme,
youth programme, prayer space programme, children’s programme and exhibitions take
place. Information is also fed through the App about the host churches' programme
that will run across 34 Dublin Churches and Statio Orbis in Croke Park. The App also
provides a map and GPS locations for each scheduled event on the Congress programme.
Pilgrims will be able to locate where they want to go and how to get there.