GONZAGA COLLEGE SJ

Ember Group

The Ember Group was set up in January 2022 to promote the faith life and Jesuit ethos of the school. A number of events have been held to give students the chance to explore their faith.

 

Pat Corkery SJ Talk

To finish up the year, we gathered in the Coulson Theatre on the evening of 12 May to mark the 500th anniversary of St Ignatius of Loyola’s conversion.  There was a talk by Pat Corkery SJ, who has authored a book on the topic, followed by a Q&A led by Ms Desmond.  The Ember Group made a presentation to Pat to thank him for everything he has contributed to the school in the last two years, and to wish him well in the future.

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Papal Nuncio Visit

Many thanks to His Excellency, Most Reverend Jude Thaddeus Okolo, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, for visiting our school on 6 April and celebrating Mass for the Ignatian 500 anniversary. Thank you to all the concelebrants, altar servers, the Ember group, choir and musicians, and to everyone who attended the Mass and provided refreshments afterwards.

Photos by Mr Earley. See more on our Flickr page.

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Meeting with Bishop Alan McGuckian
On 22 March, Bishop Alan McGuckian visited us from Donegal.  He spoke about his life and work as a Bishop, and answered some great questions from students.

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Novena of Grace

On 11 March, some members of the Ember Group attended one of the Novena of Grace Masses in Gardiner St Church.  While there they met Fr Charlie Davy, a former Captain of Gonzaga College.  The Novena has been held in Gardiner St from 4 - 12 March every year since 1832.  It is held for the nine days leading up to the anniversary of the canonisation of St Francis Xavier and St Ignatius Loyola. 

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Meeting with Fr Conor McDonough OP
On 1 March we were visited by Fr Conor McDonough OP, a Dominican friar, who talked about how faith and science are compatible.
 

Meeting with Fr Jake Braithwaite SJ

Parents, students, and staff were invited to attend an online meeting with Jake Braithwaite SJ on Tuesday 8 February.  Jake is currently a Regent at Brooklyn Jesuit Prep.  Jake’s talk was about finding a path to forgiveness and acceptance in challenging circumstances.  Most importantly, he spoke about how he can see God in these difficult moments.

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Meeting with Fr Niall Leahy SJ

On 3 February we met with Fr Niall Leahy SJ from Gardiner Street Parish.  After celebrating Mass in the chapel, Fr Niall chatted with students about his life path, vocation, formation experiences, and current work.   
 

Meeting with Fr James Martin SJ

On January 11 2022 we met with Fr James Martin SJ via zoom to learn about St Aloysius Gonzaga and how he is relevant to young people today. Thanks very much to Fr Martin for his insightful presentation and to the students for their thoughtful questions. Special thanks to Ms Regan, Chaplain to the Ember group, who handled all the techie stuff, and to Chairperson of the Ember Group, Hugh Moran, who emceed the proceedings and facilitated questions. Ember was set up to promote the faith life and Jesuit ethos of the school.

Photos by Ms Desmond and Pat Corkery SJ.