Galway Novena starts

CROWDS of up to 10,000 people a day are expected to attend the Spring Galway Novena, which begins on Monday. The nine-day event in Galway Cathedral opens on Monday, February 4 at 7.45 am and ends on Tuesday, February 12 at 9.30 pm. The theme is: â€ËœThe Gospel virtues for today'. Director of the Novena Fr Brendan O'Rourke says that one of the special moments in each session is listening to the petitions and thanksgivings read out.[private] 'These petitions and thanksgivings capture so concretely and so movingly, the joys and sorrows, the desperation and love, the sickness and celebration of new life in our community,' he said. 'There is often a lot of hardship and struggle spoken of in the petitions, and in the thanksgivings we hear amazing evidence of healing, reconciliation and new life,' added Fr O'Rourke. [/private]