National Novena to Our Lady of Knock

13 to 21 August 2025
Ceremonies at 3pm & 8pm daily

National Novena 2025: Speakers and Programme

‘Pilgrims of Hope’

National Novena to Our Lady of Knock 2025

 

In this special Jubilee Year, the theme of the National Novena to Our Lady of Knock is Pilgrims of Hope. Hope is at the very heart of the Knock Apparition, and throughout this year’s Novena, we will explore how hope can shine through in the most unexpected places.

Each day, inspiring guest speakers will reflect on how hope has revealed itself in their lives and work. Participants will also have the opportunity to take part in workshops that explore the daily theme more deeply, and guided prayer sessions will provide moments of quiet reflection, helping us to journey together in faith, prayer, and hope.

We warmly welcome to join us at Knock Shrine for this special time of grace, reflection, and renewal from  August 13th to 21st.

 

Fr. Richard

 

 

 

 

 

Daily Programme

Novena Ceremonies take place each day at 3pm & 8pm in Knock Basilica.

Anointing of the Sick takes place during the 3pm ceremony, with the exception of Sunday, August 17th, when it will take place at 2.30pm.

Rosary Procession takes place each afternoon after the 3pm ceremony (weather permitting).

Candlelight Procession takes place each evening after the evening ceremony (weather permitting).

 

Daily Workshops

Delve deeper into the theme of each day at our daily workshops with guest facilitators.

Workshops take place at 12.45pm each in St. John’s Welcome Centre.

 

Themed Guided Prayer

Daily guided prayer sessions on the theme of the day take place in the Prayer Centre at 11.15am and 5.15pm each day.

Each session will be led by one of our trained prayer guides and lasts for approximately 30 minutes.

2025 Programme

Wednesday, August 13th

Life without a home – Restoring Hope

Fr Kevin Kiernan, OFM Cap

3pm & 8pm

 

 

Picture credit: Damien Eagers

 

Fr. Kevin Kiernan OFM Cap is the Capuchin Director of the Capuchin Day Centre, Guardian of the Capuchin Friary of St. Mary of the Angels in Church Street, and sits on the Provincial Council of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of Ireland.

Fr. Kevin is a trained psychotherapist and his pastoral ministry has included work in friaries, parishes and hospitals across the country alongside direct support to refugees and asylum seekers in collaboration with the SMA Fathers.

 

Synod: Hope for the Church?

Miriam Wijlens

3pm & 8pm

 

Myriam Wijlens is a Dutch theologian and professor of canon law at the University of Erfurt (Germany). She served on the Coordinating Committee of the Synod on Synodality in Rome and participated in its sessions in 2023 and 2024. She is a former member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and serves on the international dialogue of Anglican and Roman Catholics.

By a lonely Prison Wall

Ita Lohan

3pm & 8pm

 

 

 

 

After working for 5 years in Bath and then London with people who were homeless and active in addiction, Ita Lohan moved back to Ireland in November 2004. On her return she studied Theology and the Catechism of the Catholic Church which lead her to her work as a chaplain, firstly in Castlerea prison and currently  in Loughan House open centre.

Mary, Mother of the seeds of hope

Msgr  Kevin Gillespie and Elaine Patton

3pm

 

Monsignor Kevin Gillespie serves as Diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Raphoe. A native of Gaoth Dobhair, Co. Donegal, Monsignor Gillespie is also Administrator of St. Eunan’s Cathedral, Letterkenny. He is joined by Elaine Patton, who is actively involved in youth ministry in the Diocese of Raphoe.

My journey of faith in the Church today

Julian Drapiewski

8pm

 

 

Rev. Julian Drapiewski is a permanent deacon of Archdiocese of Tuam. He is a husband, and a father of five children. Professionally he is a chartered engineer and entrepreneur. Julian moved to Ireland, with his wife in 2004.

 

Sunday, 17th August: Family Day

Family: The first place of accompaniment

Bishop Kevin Doran

3pm

Bishop Kevin Doran is Bishop of Elphin and Achonry. He serves as Chairperson of the Council for Life of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference. He is also Chair of the Committee for Theology and a member of the Council for Justice and Peace and the Council for Doctrine. He represents the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference at the Anscombe Bioethics Centre (Oxford) and is the liaison between the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Irish pro-life groups.

Prayer: A Silent Doorway To Hope

John Farrelly

8pm

 

John Farrelly is Prayer Guidance Coordinator at Knock Shrine, where he also leads the Spiritual Direction Ministry. He writes The Weekly Witness, a contemplative reflection rooted in scripture and silence. A husband, father, and grandfather, he also works as a Special Needs Assistant in a primary school.

Monday, 18th  August

3pm & 8pm: Beyond the Headlines

Eileen Dunne

3pm & 8pm

 

 

 

For more than 40 years Eileen Dunne worked in RTE, Ireland’s national broadcaster, first in radio and then in the Newsroom where as a news anchor she got to cover all the big stories of the day, including two conclaves, the Eucharistic Congress in 2012 and the visit of Pope Francis to Knock in 2018. She also served as International President of the Association of European Journalists between 2010 and 2014.

“Our Place in the Garden: Living with Humility in Creation”

Fr Niall Leahy SJ

3pm & 8pm

 

 

 

Fr Niall Leahy SJ,  a native of Blackrock, Co. Louth is inspired by the people who are working for a socially and ecologically embedded economy. He is currently Advocate for Localism at the  Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, a social justice non-profit that advocates to change policy and opinion on issues including environmental justice, housing and homelessness, economic justice and penal policy. Fr. Niall is based at Gardiner Street Parish in Dublin.

Wednesday, 20th  August

Be not afraid: Finding peace in illness

Breda Casserly

 

3pm & 8pm

 

 

Breda Casserly is a former healthcare Chaplain in the Galway Hospice. She is a graduate of Galway University and All Hallows College, Dublin, with postgraduate  degrees in Pastoral Theology and Cross Professional Supervision. She is the author of the best-selling book ‘Lessons from a Bedside’. She lives in Oranmore, Galway.

Thursday, 21st  August: Anniversary of the Apparition

Living Faith: How Young People Are Shaping the Future

Claire Kilroy

3pm

 

 

 

Claire Kilroy, a native of Galway,  is a seconded Deputy Principal working in Le Chéile Schools Trust. She joined Le Chéile in January 2022 as Ethos Leadership Officer and progressed to Head of School Services of the Trust in July 2024. Claire has been appointed as CEO of Association of Patrons and Trustees of Catholic Schools starting in September 1st 2025

 

Celebration of the anniversary of the Knock Apparition 

 

Hope is faith with its sleeves rolled up

Fr Richard Gibbons

8pm

 

 

 

Fr. Richard Gibbons, PP has served as parish priest and Rector of Knock Shrine since 2012.  Fr. Richard will lead this special evening as we gather to celebrate the anniversary of the Knock Apparition.  The evening’s celebrations will follow the ‘Witness Walk’, as we walk in the footsteps of  the Apparition Witnesses as they made their way to the Parish Church on that wet Thursday evening on the 21st of August 1879. The evening ceremony in Knock Basilica will commence with a commemoration of each of the Witnesses.

Family Day

 

Sunday, August 17th 2025

On Sunday, August 17th 2025, we will host a family day where children and families can join in a range of fun activities. Family Day is a lovely opportunity for families to get together and enjoy a fun day out at Knock Shrine.

The day begins with a special blessing of families in the Apparition Chapel at 11am.

All events and activities are free of charge and will take place on the beautiful grounds of Knock Shrine, near the award-winning Knock Museum and Cafe le Cheile.

There will be a range of outdoor activities taking place on the green (weather permitting) and marquees with indoor workshops, games and more.

Events and activities will include:

Kite Making – Design your own kite

Face Painting

Arts and Crafts

Drumming

Dance

Puppetry

Games on the Green

 

 

Witness Walk

 

August 21st marks the anniversary of the Knock Apparition

 

Join us as we journey back in time to the evening of the 21st of August 1879. On this special evening, we commemorate the lives of the witnesses who stood in the rain for two hours praying the Rosary. Although not a word was spoken by Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John during the silent Apparition, the vision spoke louder than words.

The witnesses were all ordinary people living in the village of Knock and surrounding area. For them, it had been a day like any other in carrying out the work of the day, bringing turf home from the bog, carrying out the usual tasks of the harvest time, visiting neighbours. Together we will meet each of the witnesses as they journey from their homesteads in the village and make their way to the gable wall of the Parish Church.

The Witness Walk will take place at 6.45pm , starting at the Chapel of Reconciliation. Some of our parishioners will represent each of the witnesses who ranged in age from 5 years to 74 years.

Daily Prayer Themes

at Knock Prayer Centre

 

 

August 13th: Hope Amid Homelessness

August 14th: Hope for the Church:

August 15th : Hope Within Prison Walls

August 16th: Mary: Mother of Hope

August 17th : Hope in Family Life

August 18th : Hope in a Broken World

August 19th: Hope for Creation

August 20th: Hope Amidst Illness

August 21st: Hope in The Hands of Young

 

Guided Prayer Sessions take place at 11.15am and 5.15pm during the Novena

 

Daily Workshops

August 13th Fr Kevin Kiernan and Brian Friel

No-one Goes Hungry

14th Julieann Moran

Synodality – A Reason for Great Hope

15th Ita Lohan and Daniel Lohan

Beauty in the Broken: Seeing God’s Heart in Human Struggle

 

16th Knock Prayer Guides

Embodied Prayer: Praying With Our Whole Being

17th Godly Play

Godly Play: Making Meaning Through Story, Wonder and Play

18th Knock Prayer Guides

Accompanied on The Journey: The Ministry of Spiritual Direction

19th Fr Niall Leahy SJ

Creation Speaks: Listening with the Heart of Laudato Si

20th Knock Prayer Guides

Finding Hope and Healing: Praying in the midst of illness

21st Claire Kilroy

Young People Are Shaping the Future