We are delighted to announce that the Pope John Paul II Award is having its second pilgrimage to Knock Shrine in September 2018. At our first pilgrimage last year over 1,000 young people from across the country made the journey to gather together to pray, reflect, have fun and sing at this special place.
Date of pilgrimage: Tuesday, 25 September 2018
Pope John Paul II Award participants past and present in Ireland and Britain are invited to take part in this special pilgrimage along with their parish leaders, school principals, teachers and Award leaders. There are some exciting activities and special guests arranged for the day. Award participants will be encouraged to get involved.
Time: 11:00am – 4:00pm. Mass at 3:00pm
Location: Knock Shrine, Co. Mayo, Ireland
Map: View location on Google
Details of the pilgrimage to Knock Shrine 2018
We are delighted to be planning the Award’s second pilgrimage Knock Shrine which Pope Saint John Paul II visited in 1979 and where over 1.5 million pilgrims visit this special place each year. Last year, the Award celebrated its 10th anniversary with its first pilgrimage to Knock where over 1,000 young people from across the country gathered in celebration and prayer.
The Award is running in 24 Dioceses in Ireland and 2 in Britain. We are looking forward to meeting representatives from every dioceses at Knock.
PILGRIMAGE PROGRAMME:
10:30am Assemble in the Basilica
11:00am Welcome ceremony
11:30am Song, prayer, discussion and guest speakers.
GUEST SPEAKER: Sr Ethel Normoyle of the Little Company of Mary in Ireland. Director and Founder of the Missionvale Care Centre in Port Elizabeth, South Africa which provides love and care for the poor and destitute, with particular emphasis on those living with HIV/AIDS.
GUEST SPEAKER: Alan Kerins – Irish sportsman, humanitarian, social entrepreneur and philanthropist. Alan has raised close to €5 million to end poverty and suffering of tens of thousands of people in rural Southern Africa.
12:45pm Lunch break
2:00pm Prayers of thanksgiving at the Apparition Chapel
2:20pm Song, prayer and reflection.
3:00pm Celebration of the Eucharist, lead by Award Patron, Bishop Donal McKeown.
MUSIC: We are delighted to welcome back Elation Ministries again this year who provided thoroughly inspirational music at our last pilgrimage at Knock Shrine.
Pilgrimage promotional poster
Transport, what time should you arrive and when does the day start and end?
Pope John Paul II Award participants should contact their Award Leader in their school or parish for details on transport arrangements. The event programme will begin promptly at 11:00am and finish after 3:00pm Mass. Allow plenty of time of get to the event. It would be best to time your arrival for about 10:15am – 10:45am.
There is an good road network to Knock Shrine with excellent parking and access. View Knock Shrine, Co. Mayo, Ireland on Google
Buses and cars are asked to park in the North Car Park. It is sign posted but it’s easier to follow the signs to Knock House Hotel. Stewards will be on hand to guide attendees to the Basilica. A map of Knock grounds can be downloaded here.
Bring your lunch!
We ask that everyone brings a packed lunch. There will be a venue available should attendees wish to eat their lunch there. There are also many food outlets in Knock close to the Basilica as well as Café le Chéile within the grounds.
School Uniforms
Attendees do not have to wear their school uniforms but if their school wishes them to do so that is fine. We would advise though that everyone wraps up well and be prepared for the elements. Knock can be cold!
Bring your school, parish or diocesan banners
It would be great if each dioceses, parish and school could bring their banners. It’s not often we are able to get so many dioceses, parishes and schools together at once so we want to let everyone know. We hope to have a short procession of all banners into the Basilica.
Video clip from Pope John Paul II Award pilgrimage to Knock 2017
More information on this event
We you require any more information on this event, please contact the Award office:
Telephone: 0044 (0)28 7126 4087
Email: admin@thepopejohnpauliiaward.com
Get updates on this pilgrimage to Knock Shrine straight to your email.
Photographs from Award pilgrimage to Knock 2017
Over 1,000 young people from across Ireland gathered at Knock Shrine on 5 April 2017.
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Pope John Paul II’s visit to Knock Shrine
Pope Saint John Paul II visited Knock Shrine in 1979. His visit to Ireland from Saturday, 29th September to Monday, 1st October was the first visit by a pope to Ireland.
On Sunday morning, 30th September he celebrated a Youth Mass for 300,000 at Ballybrit racecourse in Galway. It was here that the Pope uttered perhaps the most memorable line of his visit: “Young people of Ireland, I love you”. That afternoon, he travelled to Knock Shrine which he described as “the goal of my journey to Ireland”. The outdoor Mass at the Shrine was attended by 450,000. [source: wikipedia.org]
Pope Francis’ visit to Knock Shrine
Pope Francis made a pilgrimage to Knock Shrine on Sunday, 26 August 2018.
The Holy Father arrived at Knock Shrine at 9.45am to pray for families from around the world and the fruits of WMOF2018. He did a circuit in the pope mobile and prayed the Angelus at the Apparition Chapel before departing from Knock Shrine at 11.15am.
History of Knock
The Story of Knock began on the 21st August 1879, when, at approximately 8 o’clock in the evening, fifteen people from the village of Knock in Co. Mayo, witnessed an Apparition of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, a Lamb and a cross on an altar at the gable wall of the Parish Church. The witnesses watched the Apparition in the pouring rain for 2 hours, reciting the Rosary. Although they themselves were saturated, not a single drop of rain fell on the gable or vision. There were fifteen official witnesses to the Apparition, most of whom were from the village of Knock and surrounding areas and ranged in age from just 5 years old to 74 years old.
