Dear R.E. Teacher / Chaplain,
I hope you and your students have settled into the new school year and as the new Diocesan Adviser has yet to take up the position I am sending you this email with some updates & information. I would especially recommend that you read the letter about the Emmanuel Concerts and I encourage you to sign up if your school hasn’t already. If you have any queries about Emmanuel 2014 please email Grainne Clinton @ litsec@dublindiocese.ie.
Remember if you are looking for resources to check out the Dublin Diocese Education website and the YouTube Channel which has over 500 videos for R.E. classes.
The September Calendar & Resources section contains resources for next week on September 10th: World Suicide Prevention Day & September 11th: 9/11 R.E. Resources.
If you are searching for senior cycle resources have a look in the General Resources section where there are numerous resources on topics such as Peace, Meditation, Sport, Olympics & R.E., Poverty, World Religions, Spirituality, Martin Luther King, Holocaust, Death Penalty, Oscar Romero & Stewardship & Creation Resources.
It’s week 3 of the 1st Year R.E. Calendar based Programme with lessons on Our Lady’s Birthday & Community.
Emmanuel 2014
Welcome to Emmanuel 2014, our liturgical music programme for Second Level Schools in the Archdiocese of Dublin organised by the Liturgy Resource Centre. If you have not been involved before you might like to look at the enclosed review of Emmanuel 2013 and you can also view this video of the concerts on You Tube and many others on the Dublin Diocese Education YouTube channel Emmanuel 2013 Playlist.
We are back in the Helix again on Tue 4/Wed 5/Thu 6 March 2014 and the music book is now going to print with a completely new programme. The in-service workshops for teachers will take place on Tuesday 24 September in Gort Mhuire, Dundrum and on Wednesday 25 September in Clonliffe College from 1.30-4.00 p.m. – booking form is enclosed.
We are committed to keeping the cost of each student’s participation at the same level as previous years – €10. We will continue to give each student a music book but from the teacher reviews we will not provide individual CDs to them.
Teachers will receive the number of CDs and Music Books they require for themselves and other teachers working with them. The students’ books will be available at the in-service sessions and we ask teachers to bring a cheque to cover the participation fees. We hope that we can increase the audience figures this year to help offset the expenses and are looking at reducing the price of the tickets as suggested in the teacher review of Emmanuel 2013.
All students will receive a hot meal before the evening performance at the Helix and we have made new arrangements with the restaurant at DCU for a smoother access to lunch. We will fill you in on all developments as we go along.
We encourage teachers to use the music from the programme at school liturgies and prayer services and to look at ways in which other classes not involved in Emmanuel could also learn the music. If we can help you in any way please let us know.
With kind regards
Pat
Father Pat O’Donoghue
Emmanuel 2013 – Glee Club meets the X Factor meets Church Music
2100 secondary students from 60 schools all over the Dublin Diocese sang their hearts out in the Helix for the “Emmanuel Live” Concerts in February.
The concerts – run by the Liturgy Resource Centre of the Dublin Diocese – are unique in Ireland with thousands of children between the ages of 12 and 17 all singing Church music, live in front of a full orchestra. The programme began with a pilot project in 2004 for about 350 students and took place in the National Concert Hall. Because of the large numbers now involved the Helix has been the venue for this annual church music festival since 2008. There is a range of liturgical music styles in the programme and this year’s theme celebrated the Year of Faith and 40 years of Trócaire.
Before getting on stage the students participate in workshops in the Helix rehearsing hymns and playing music.
There is also a competition for the positions of soloists on the night with 300 boys and girls competing against each other for a coveted solo position on the Helix stage. The response to this year’s event has been such that the stage has had to be extended in the Helix to accommodate the number of students taking part.
Particular tribute is due to the music and religion teachers around the Diocese who gave their time, energy and enthusiasm to make these concerts happen. In a church where there was much discussion about the lack of participation by young people, the enthusiasm among students for the Emmanuel Project was really heartening. The Church had no difficulty getting the attention of the Itunes generation with its programme of liturgical music.
Some might find it hard to believe that teenagers would be interested in Emmanuel or any event focussing entirely on Liturgical Music, but the workshops and concerts and crucially, the music is clearly appealing to something in the souls of our young people which we hope they will carry with them for life. Teachers tell us that the music from the Emmanuel Programme is finding its way into the liturgical life of the schools and features in Graduation celebrations and other special occasions.
Beir bua is beannacht
Pray for Syria
Pope Francis has announced a day of prayer and fasting for the people of Syria for Saturday, September 7. Trocaire have put together a resource sheet with some information and prayers, which you might use at school over the coming days. Click here to view the resource. Cafod also has many resources which can be viewed here.
Sr. Helen Prejean
Date for your diary: Sr. Helen Prejean author of Dead Man Walking will be giving a talk in Gardiner Street Parish on October 29th at 7.30pm. The title of her talk is ‘Memories of Hope – Echoes of the Devine’ and you can find more information here. Resources on Helen Prejean can be found on the International Women’s Day page and also in the Death Penalty Resources section of the website.
Kind regards,
Gary