OUR SILVER JUBILEE PRAYER.

Click on the image to see it clearer; you can print it off from here too by saving the image and then printing as normal.

Feast Day on July 1st, one of our own.

COPYRIGHT: www.loughcrew.com
Saint Oliver Plunkett was born in Loughcrew in County Meath on November 1st 1625. In 1647 he went to study for the priesthood in the Irish College in Rome. On January 1st 1654, he was ordained a priest in Rome.

Due to religious persecution with the ferocious Penal Laws, it was not possible for him to return to minister to his people. Oliver taught in Rome until 1669, when he was appointed Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland.

Archbishop Plunkett soon established himself as a man of peace and, with religious fervor, set about visiting his people, establishing schools, ordaining priests, and confirming thousands. 1673 brought a renewal of religious persecution, and bishops were banned by edict. Archbishop Plunkett went into hiding, suffering a great deal from cold and hunger. His many letters showed his determination not to abandon his people, but to remain a faithful shepherd. He thanked God 'Who gave us the grace to suffer for the chair of Peter.' The persecution eased a little and he was able to move more openly among his people.

In 1679 he was arrested and falsely charged with treason. The government in power could not get him convicted at his trial in Dundalk. He was brought to London and was unable to defend himself because he was not given time to bring his own witnesses from Ireland. He was put on trial, and with the help of perjured witnesses, was sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn. With deep serenity of soul, he was prepared to die, calmly rebutting the charge of treason, refusing to save himself by giving false evidence against his brother bishops. He publicly forgave all those who were responsible for his death on July 1st 1681.
His national shrine containing his head is in Drogheda and, here in Galway, the church in Renmore is dedicated to him as it was opened shortly after his canonization on October 12th 1975. There is a beautiful shrine with a relic to pray at. The number 2 bus will leave you near there if you disembark on the Dublin Road or at either Duggans or Molloys Centra Shop.

Great News!

Great news during the week was that the next Eucharistic Congress, in 2012, will be in Dublin. It's the second time it has been in Ireland, the last being 1932, so it's a great honour for our country and a chance for an imaginative renewal of faith and of the church which has taken such a battering in recent years.

No updates from Tuesday next to after Sunday.

The website will not be updated from next Tuesday, July 1st until after Sunday, July 6th as the webmaster will be praying for you all on the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. Please pray too for the success of the pilgrimage during this special year, the 150th anniversary of the apparitions . Don't forget the Parish Office (091-524305) is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30 until 1:00. Check out the contact us link on the menu bar for more information.

The webmaster recommends....

Why not pay a visit this summer, to a most special part of our heritage, Ballintubber Abbey, and walk in the footsteps of Saint Patrick and our ancestors? They have great retreats and the Celtic Furrow Exhibition gives a fascinating insight into times past. Click on the image to see it clearer.

Congrats to our Sixth Class boys and girls.

We congratulate the Sixth Class boys and girls of our school, Scoil Bhríde, who graduated on Wednesday. We will be praying for you and may you always be true to your faith and to the spirit of Nano Nagle which imbues our Presentation School.

This Sundays Silver Jubilee Theme.

The last Sunday of our month long Silver Jubilee Celebrations is dedicated to the family. Last Tuesday evening we celebrated the anniversary of the dedication of our shrine to the Holy Family in the millennium year 2000. We had planned to have the Mass outdoors at the shrine itself but the 'soft Irish mist' (?!) intervened. We thank Christ for the blessing of marriage and family life. We invite families and all who were married in our church to our Masses this Sunday and we'd love a picture of your happy day if you have it.

Prayer Requests.

Please today pray for:

1. The suffering people of Zimbabwe.
2. Our UN Peacekeeping Troops in Chad. This week sees the fiftieth anniversary of Ireland's commitment to the UN peacekeeping force.
3. Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. This is a year of special prayer in the Irish Church for vocations. (check out the vocations links in the sidebar menu)
4. All our sick (Mass is offered every Tuesday and you can include your sick family and friends in our special book of the sick)
5. All our bereaved.
6. Marriage and Family Life, especially any marriages in difficulty.

Two Great Silver Jubilee Web Albums.

We now have two web albums for you to enjoy of our Silver Jubilee celebrations last Sunday. The Silver Jubilee2 album was donated by Marina Naughton, so take a bow Marina and thank you!


CLICK HERE...Picasa Web Albums

Mass Intentions for the week ahead, June 29th. Click on the image to see clearer..

Pauline Year

A special year will be dedicated for the bimillennium celebrations of the birth of the Apostle Paul. This PAULINE YEAR will be from June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: www.annopaolino.org
www.vatican.va
(you'll always find The Vatican link in the sidebar menu)

THIS SUNDAY...JUNE 29TH...FEAST OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL.

We're very proud of our newly painted church!

Before and After...

Sympathies, Pat Healy.

Our sincere sympathy goes to the family of Patrick Healy, Boston, Massachusetts and formerly of Reddington Road. Pat's remains have arrived at our church this evening, Friday, June 27th, and his Funeral Mass will be tomorrow at 11 followed by burial afterwards in Mount Saint Joseph Cemetery, Rahoon. This is the third death the Healy family have had in fourteen months, an awful cross to bear. To his wife, best friend and soul mate Colette, his son Danny, daughter- in- law Johanna, grandchildren, Nicole, Elea, baby Daniel Patrick, his mother Mary and all the family, we walk with you on the journey of grief, the only thing we can do when confronted with such loss.

IT'S HERE! OUR SILVER JUBILEE ALBUM!

On the menu bar you'll see our Slide Show beginning on Saturday, June 21st, with the wedding of Linda Quirke and Michael Cleere, and then the Sunday Thanksgiving Mass, the Tree Planting Ceremony and Party in The Ardilaun. To stop the show and hone in on a particular image just click on it; this will take you to the main album where you can view the pictures on a larger scale and save them and print them out if you wish.

Wedding Good Wishes.

Heartiest congrats to Linda Quirke, Fursey Road and formerly Coogan Park, and Michael Cleere, Daingean, Co.Offaly, who were married in our church today. 'May the God of love, who brought you together, hold you in the palm of his hand'

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

St. Paul 'It is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as a abundant free gift'


'You are worth more than hundreds of sparrows' Matthew 10:26-33.


The prophet Jeremiah 'The Lord is at my side, a mighty hero'

CONGRATULATIONS!

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE BUT, AFTER ALL THE PLANNING, THE CULMINATION OF OUR SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS, OUR THANKSGIVING MASS, TAKES PLACE THIS SUNDAY AT SIX, CELEBRATED BY THE BISHOP AND PRIESTS PAST AND PRESENT. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LIFE YOU THE PEOPLE HAVE BREATHED INTO OUR CHURCH. ULTIMATELY IT'S A CELEBRATION OF THE RICH TAPESTRY OF ALL OUR STORIES OVER THESE TWENTY FIVE YEARS, INTERTWINED TO MAKE A PILGRIM STORY OF UPS AND DOWNS, JOYS AND SORROWS.

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD,JUNE 22ND.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IT CLEARER............

Galway Cathedral Recitals.

Galway Cathedral Recitals is pleased to present a special concert by
Daniel Roth, world-famous organist of the Basilica of Saint-Sulpice in
Paris. Daniel Roth is particularly known for his performances of French
19th-century symphonic music, and his programme includes both this and
improvisations on submitted themes.

The concert takes place on Sunday 29 June at 8.00pm in the Cathedral.
Admission is EUR12.00 (concessions EUR10.00) at the door.

This is the first in the Cathedral's annual series of summer concerts.
The series continues at 8.00pm each Thursday evening between 10 July and
21 August as follows:

- 10 July: Marcus Struempe, organ (Duisburg)
- 17 July: Aitor Olea Juaristi, organ (Spain)
- 24 July: Hana Bartosova, organ (Czech Republic)
- 31 July: Peter Barley, organ (Dublin)
- 7 August: Maynooth Guitar Orchestra (Maynooth)
- 14 August: Niall Carroll, organ (Galway)
- 21 August: Raymond O'Donnell, organ (Galway)

Full details of the performers and their programmes is available on the
Galway Cathedral Recitals website, www.galwaycathedral.org/recitals.

Admission to each concert is EUR 12.00 (concessions 10.00). A Friend's
ticket is available for EUR 60.00 which gives admission to all eight concerts.

More information: www.galwaycathedral.org/recitals

Our Sympathies.

Our sympathies, thoughts and prayers are with Hilda McHugh, Highfield Park, on the death of her brother-in-law Dennis Handel in Birmingham and the Healy family, Reddington Road, who have had so much sad loss on the death of Patsy in Boston. 

May the hope of our faith give us consolation in darkness.

FANCY A TICKET FOR THE SOCIAL? Teenagers! Is your entry in??

Our Silver Jubilee Buffet is in the Ardilaun Hotel next Sunday, June 22nd, after our Silver Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving and Tree Planting Ceremony at six o'clock and, having sent out tickets to all who are and who were involved in the church in a myriad of ministries, we propose to raffle the rest, so, if you would like to go, please send us in your name, address and phone number on a piece of paper and we will put them in a hat on Tuesday. It's the fairest way!

We would like to remind our teenagers that your section of the Silver Jubilee Competitions for those tickets to Westlife is now closed as the concert is next Saturday. For all other age groups the closing date is next Sunday 22nd.

OUR SILVER JUBILEE THEME FOR THE WEEK AHEAD.

HEALING AND COMFORTING. We thank Christ for the healing and comforting we received within the walls of our church in times of sickness, sorrow and loss. We invite all the families and people to our Masses who received such healing and comforting.

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus calls The Twelve Apostles.

Mass Intentions for the week ahead, June 15th. Click to see clearer.

ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, JUNE 15TH, 2008.

COPYRIGHT- THOMAS O'LOUGHLIN- LITURGICAL RESOURCES FOR THE YEAR OF MATTHEW.

Why do we bother recalling all these early disciples? We list them off in this gospel, we recall them in the first Eucharistic Prayer, we name children after them, we dedicate church buildings to their memory, and until recently any group of twelve (be they a collection of spoons or Michael Collins's hit-men in 1921) would be labelled 'the twelve apostles'. We refer to the church as 'apostolic' in creeds because 'it' comes from them and was 'founded' upon them - but this seems like the point of a dilettante, surely it is 'the message' that is important rather than these people long ago? This attitude that the early members of the church - or the lists of saints in between them and now - are 'simply history' (= irrelevant to our belief) is part of the atmosphere we breath. You can check this attitude out quite simply: when was the last time you heard all the early saints' names read out when Eucharistic Prayer 1 was used? There is a real danger today that we reduce the good news to being the 'teaching of Jesus' and so see the Christians as simply those who follow a partic­ular set of religious / moral beliefs and who have rituals and structures simply to promote this philosophy.
Today's gospel reminds us that Jesus did not come to impart a teaching or a philosophy of life, but to establish a community bounded in prayer together (all our rituals and practices) and which shared a vision of God and his love for us (all his teaching). Put simply, if you are not living as part of the community of the Good News, then the teaching of Jesus will make little sense or else seem commonplace.
Celebrating 'the twelve' reminds us that Jesus came to establish a group of people who would share their lives, and love, and work, and vision.

Silver Jubilee Steering Committee.

The next meeting will take place tonight at 8 in the Church Rooms.

The Saint Anthony Novena continues in the Abbey.

Click on image to see clearer.

Sunflower Day this Friday.

Don't forget this Friday, June 13th, is Sunflower Day. The sunflower emblem will be on sale throughout the city; buy one and you'll help the Galway Hospice Foundation in their great work.

Wedding Bells.

Heartiest congratulations to Louise McCarthy, Gaelcarrig Park, and Desmond Sweeney, Castle Park, Ballybane, who were married in our church yesterday. May you have good health, blessings, and long and happy days together.

Sympathies.

Our prayers and sympathy are extended to Ray Doyle and family, Corrib Park, on the death of his brother Pat (formerly Munster Avenue) in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Next Saturday we have a Months Mind Mass for Rita O'Connor, 233 Corrib Park, at 11:00. We continue to support Patsy and all the O'Connor and Traynor families in their sad loss.

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Silver Jubilee Theme for the Week ahead.

Our Silver Jubilee theme for this Sunday and the week ahead is Nourishment and Strength. We thank Christ for the nourishment and strength he gives us in the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation. We invite all who received First Communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation in this church since 1983 and all who come for Adoration every night to our Masses this Sunday.


Also this week:

Tuesday, June 10th, Anniversary of the Opening and Blessing of the Church. Special Mass at 11:00 for the children of Scoil Bhríde.

Meeting for our Silver Jubilee Steering Committee, Wednesday next, June 11th, at 8 P.M.

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 8th 2008.

The Calling of Matthew by Caravaggio.

Mass Intentions for the week ahead, June 8th. Click on the image to see it clearer...

Months Mind Mass for Luke Dillion Donnellan.

The Months Mind Mass for Luke Dillon Donnellan, R.I.P., of Carn Ard will take place this Saturday at 11:00. We continue to support Ann, Dave, Cian, Carmel and all the family in thought and prayer.

Receive his soul and present him to God the most high.

Do you fancy a night in the big smoke?! You'll get to help the charity Vita in the process.

Click on the image to see clearer... check out the charity Vita on www.vita.ie

                                               Our Baptism Display.

First Week of Our Silver Jubilee, Cleansing and Reconciliation.

All this week of our Silver Jubilee we are focusing on the cleansing that baptism and reconciliation/confession brings.

There have been 1914 baptisms since the church opened in June 1983. Please give us good notice if you wish to book a baptism. If you call into the office on Monday's, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30 to 1:00, or after any of the Masses, you can pick up a booking form which you return to us. Remember to book us before you arrange the party and guests! Our Baptism Team will visit before the baptism to help you prepare in a gentle and informal way and answer any questions you might have. We are not looking for picture postcard Catholics, but we do ask you at least be open to the faith and to its practice. It's very sad to present your child for baptism if you have no intention of engaging with the church or just keeping parents, grandparents or whoever happy or for some vague unconnected cultural/ historical rite of passage.

Confessions are heard every Saturday from 6:30 to 7:30. Why not come and experience the healing of God's forgiveness in this beautiful sacrament?

The school of life by Kavitha Krishnamurthy

Special Mass this week on Tuesday evening at 7:30 for all our Leaving and Junior Certificate students. We are praying for you!!!


The school of life by Kavitha Krishnamurthy.

God is the mentor, we the protégé
In this school of life
Most valuable of all degrees
Most toughest of all exams
Knowledge grows through self experience
Failure makes us strong
God conducts innumerous tests
To test our tolerance and make us better
The course duration varies
But time is trifling
The achievements are vital
When you complete your course
And depart from this school
The number of hearts you touched
Is your real degree
The number of people you enthused
Is your real marks
The number of souls remembering you
Is your true success in this exam

SUSAN FULLARD,R.I.P.

Your prayers are asked for the repose of the soul of Susan Fullard, 4 Redington Road. Susan's remains will be reposing at her residence tomorrow, Monday, June 2nd, with prayers at 7:30. Her removal will be on Tuesday morning, June 3rd, at 10:20 to St. Joseph's Church where Mass will be offered at 11 with burial afterwards in Mount Saint Joseph Cemetery, Rahoon.

We pray too for the souls of Margaret Murtagh, 36 McDara Road, whose Funeral Mass took place in St. Joseph's during the week, Mary Teresa Geraghty, Caltra and Mincloon, the mother of Anne Griffin, Mincloon, whose funeral Mass took place in Knocknacarra and Michael Donnellan who has died in California, late of O'Conaire Road, the brother of Marguerite McDonagh, 197 Corrib Park.

May saints and angels lead you on........