Archbishop Dermot Farrell of Dublin said the apparition of Mary, St Joseph and St John in Knock represents “a call to acknowledge and welcome the silent faithful presence of the Lord in the very depth of our lives”.
Addressing more than 3,000 pilgrims who took part in the annual Dublin diocesan pilgrimage to the National Eucharistic and Marian Shrine in Co Mayo, Archbishop Farrell described the August 1879 apparition as “a profound outreach to God’s people”.
He said the apparition to 15 ordinary people “proclaims that the mystery, otherness, and wonder of God is offered to every person. God has no favourites.”
Noting that since ancient times, back to the days of Jesus and before, people have gone on pilgrimage, he said that to go on pilgrimage is to go on a search, “even if we don’t always know what we’re looking for”.
“Our pilgrimage to Knock is a pilgrimage to a place of apparition. What happened in Knock was a vision, there were no words. The 15 witnesses saw, they saw that hidden light which is shining in our hearts, to use the inspired words of St Paul.”
Quoting the Cistercian mystic, William of St Thierry, Archbishop Farrell said: “We are brought to Christ, as the ‘place’ of God, where above all God can be found by us and we can be found by God.”
This, he said, is a journey for all our lives: “Encountering the Lord in every person, each one is made in God’s image and likeness and encountering him in opening our lives to his mercy, his healing, his silence, his peace.”
He urged the pilgrims to come away from Knock bringing with them the “reassurance” of God’s closeness, and the consolation “offered to every person, no matter who or how they are”.
Pilgrimage director Deacon Gerard Reilly said the Dublin pilgrims learned about the shrine’s development plans as the 150th anniversary of the apparition in 2029 approaches.
Knock’s rector Fr Richard Gibbons also showed them the new creation walk in the grounds of the shrine developed by Jesuit Fr Brian Grogan which is due to be launched shortly as well as a new Knock youth village.
Deacon Reilly said the organising group is already planning for a larger pilgrimage next year.
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