Newsletter/ Nuachtlitir, Divine Mercy Sunday/ Domhnach Trócaire Diaga 2011.

Saturday 30th April
Vigil Mass 6.30 pm Rita O'Connor (Coogan Pk) and Bridie O'Reilly

Sunday 1st May, Divine Mercy Sunday, Beatification of Pope John Paul the Second.

9.30 am Jeremiah and Mary Lennon, Billy, Desmond & Gerry Lennon
and deceased members of Keane, O'Halloran and Kavanagh families.
11 am Donal Fahy
12.15 pm Kathleen (Kat) Macharokes (nee Donlon)

2 to 4 Galway Cathedral, Divine Mercy Celebrations with Bishop Drennan. (Please get Confessions before coming to the celebrations)

6.30 pm Patrick and Dorothy Gavin and Ann and Dolly Gavin.

Monday 2nd May 10am Free intention
Tuesday 3rd May 10am For all the Sick and Frank Smith and
deceased members of Smith family
Wednesday 4th May
10am Bridie, Andrew and Noel Dunne.
Thursday 5th May 10am Free intention
Friday 6th May 10am Gerard McDonagh recently deceased.

Saturday 7th May 11am First Communion Scoil Bhride Shantalla

Vigil Mass 6.30 pm Peter & Desmond Ryan
Sunday 8th May
9.30 am Joe Gurry and 2. Joseph O'Brien and deceased members
of O'Brien and Corley families.
11am Valeria Healy and Nora Higgins
12.15pm Bridget Conneely and Julia and Martin folan
6.30 pm Johnny Murphy.

PRAY FOR THE SOUL OF AGNES LOGUE, WHOSE ANNIVERSARY OCCURS.

Sr. Breege McKenna

Sr. Breege Mc Kenna will be in the Church of Christ the King, Salthill, on Tuesday, May 3rd. She will speak at a special Healing Mass there at 7:30.

Since 1985, Sister Briege has been ministering to priests in collaboration with Father Kevin Scallon, C.M.. She is the 1988 recipient of the Poverello Award from the Franciscan University, and the 2009 recipient of the Award for Outstanding Catholic Leadership from the Catholic Leadership Institute.

Blessed Pope John Paul the Second in Galway, September 1979.

Blessed Pope John Paul the Second in Galway, September 1979.

Newsletter/ Nuachtlitir, Easter Sunday/ Domhnach Cásca 2011.

Happy Easter! Beannachtaí na Cásca! He has Risen! Alleluia!

Resurrexit! Sicut dixit! Alleluia!

Mass Intentions, Easter Week.

Holy Saturday 23rd April
Vigil Mass 8.00 pm Easter Vigil
Easter Sunday 24th April
9.30 am Marty Lee
11 am Michael John, Mai, Michael John Jnr, Francis,
Domonic, Tom and Patsy Healy.
2. Anthony Cunningham, Tony Cunningham and
Barbara McGrath
12.15 pm Bernadette o'Reilly and John Higgins
NO EVENING MASS
Monday 25th April
10am Mick Foley and John Mongan
Tuesday 26th April
10am For all the Sick and Special Intention 'Martin Joe Cooke'
Wednesday 27th April
10am Frank and Ellen Dolan and deceased members of Dolan family.
5.30 pm - 8.00 pm Indian Community Mass
Thursday 28th April
10am Deceased members of the Brock family.
Friday 29th April
10am Margaret Lydon
Saturday 30th April
Vigil Mass 6.30 pm Rita O'Connor and Bridie O'Reilly
Sunday 1st May
9.30 am Jeremiah and Mary Lennon, Billy, Desmond and Gerry Lennon
and deceased members of Keane, O'Halloran and Kavanagh
families.
11am Donal Fahy
12.15 pm Free intention
6.30 pm Patrick and Dorothy Gavin and Ann and Dolly Gavin.

Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council Constitution

1. The Council shall be called Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council.

2. The Council is a group of people which is representative of the parish community as a whole and whose purpose is the promotion of the mission of the Church in the Sacred Heart Parish Community.
The Council is a consultative group whose function is to cooperate in designing ways and means by which the parish can best fulfil its mission of becoming a parish community which includes all who wish to belong, in which there is Christian care for each other and for the whole human family and which gathers to worship, to celebrate and nourish Christian life.

3. The ordained priests and other pastoral staff shall be members of the Council in virtue of their offices and/or roles.
Parish representatives will be selected as follows. The following parish groups will nominate a representative; Ministers of Holy Communion, Ministers of the Word, Adoration Group, Baptism Group, Prayer Groups, S.V.P., Collectors & Counters group, Altar Society, Finance group, Do This In Memory group, Indian Community, Child Protection, others. The Parish Priest will approach the school to nominate someone to go forward onto the council.
The Parish Priest shall be free to co-opt additional members from the parish community on to the Council to enhance its representative character, or because of their experience and/or expertise.

4. The Parish Priest shall be President of the Council.
The chairperson and secretary shall be elected by the Members. [by a two-thirds majority] and shall remain in office for 3 years. Every member will be encouraged to be open to being selected as chairperson.

5. The term of the Council shall be 3 years. No member shall serve more than two consecutive terms, but shall be eligible for membership subsequently.
Members failing to attend 3 consecutive meetings without reasonable explanation shall be deemed to have resigned.

6. The normal schedule of meetings shall be agreed annually. The Parish Priest or his delegate shall preside at all meetings.
The chairperson and secretary of the Council are responsible for running the meetings and compiling the agenda. All members may contribute items. The completed agenda will be circulated one week before the meeting.
[Matters introduced under AOB should not be discussed at the current meeting but put on the agenda for discussion at the next meeting.]

7. The position of the Council on any issue is arrived at by consensus. [If a consensus is not arrived at the P.P. must take the decision]

8. The Parish Priest as president of the Council may convene and chair an extraordinary meeting should he consider it necessary.

9. This Constitution has been approved by Bishop Martin Drennan, Bishop of Galway

10. The Constitution may be amended by the Council with the approval of the Bishop.
Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council.
 
1. Matt Hurley (Chairman) Msgr. Malachy Hallinan, (President of the Council)
2. Eleanor Costello (Secretary) Fr. David Murphy
3. Bernadette Moloney Sr. Catherine Regan
4. Catherine Healy Bernie Scally, Parish Office
5. Frank Colohan
6. Bernie Moloney
7. Maureen Trill
8. Carmel Crawford
9. Joan O’Rourke
10. Moira Byrne
11. Pauline Dolly

A Reflection from Bishop Drennan for Easter Sunday

(Bishop Drennan's Reflections can be found on

http://www.galwaydiocese.ie/reflection.html 

There's a new one each week).

 John 20:1-9

If Christianity is not true then it is of no importance. If it is true then it is of infinite importance. It can’t be of moderate importance. Those words from C. S. Lewis prompt us to reflect, on this Easter Sunday, on central elements of our faith and on the implications of faith for daily living. The gospel for today draws attention to faith as a decision and also focuses on the content of that faith. According to the gospel of St. John the presence of Jesus in the world called for discernment, for decision (John 9:39). His central message was he who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9). He had been sent by the Father and he had come to make his Father known. His hearers were either for him or sharply opposed to him. The choice which they made had major implications. In his preaching Jesus made it clear that those who rejected his claim to be from God had passed judgment on themselves (John 3:18-19). Those who believed in him had chosen to let his light guide their lives. They had chosen life. The essentials in this life are, according to the Fourth Gospel, faith and love, faith lived in love.

According to today’s gospel an understanding of the Scriptures is necessary for fullness of faith. To see in depth is to understand the journey to the Cross as love in action, having loved his own…. he loved them to the end (John 13:1). The gospel passage today traces growth in the quality of seeing. It begins with seeing that is simple noticing (v.1,5) and moves to seeing that is attentive looking (v.6) to the seeing that leads to faith (v.8). It is the beloved disciple who has the deeper perception of what the empty tomb means, he saw and he believed (v.8). When Jesus called the first disciple he invited them to come and see or, better, to come and become people who see. The beloved disciple exemplifies progress in learning to see, in beginning to see as Jesus sees.

Before Jesus rose from the dead on Easter morning death was seen as the end, the silencer of words, the quenching of the spark of life, the destruction of every relationship. Jesus transformed all of that. He transformed a violent death into a voluntary sacrifice through love. He brought a new dawn, a new day of resurrection that has no evening. Death as final and as destruction of life is transformed into an event where there is communication of life and hope. His light has shone on the darkness of the world, bringing peace and a new creation. We are guests and pilgrims in this world, preparing for communion with God. We who are certain of the last things can afford to be serene about the second-last things.

For Prayer

The resurrection means that love is stronger than death. How do I experience that ?

The more we are like Jesus the more free we are. Am I growing in freedom, free from greed for possessions, free to transform the world for God ?

There is no place where Jesus is absent. Am I aware of that ?

Bishops welcome the new edition of the Missal

The new edition of the Roman Missal will be introduced at Mass from the first Sunday of Advent, 27 November 2011. The changes to the current text that affect the congregation are relatively small in number but Mass will sound different. The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has developed a number of resources to assist the faithful in familiarising themselves with the new text.

These resources are now available on

http://www.catholicbishops.ie

and

http://www.liturgy-ireland.ie:

• An information leaflet entitled Introducing the New Missal, which will be available in parishes before the 2nd Sunday of Easter.
• Brief video clips which explain the introduction of the new edition of the Missal, addressing: what is the Roman Missal? Is the Mass changing? Why are we getting a new edition of the new Missal? Is what we have been praying up to now wrong?

From September:

• The text changes for the new the Missal will begin to be introduced in many dioceses at Mass from Sunday, 11 September. Missalette publishers and parish bulletins will include these changes by way of explanatory inserts. These are also available on the websites above.
• Over the ten weeks from 11 September, all the changes in the prayers and responses of the congregation will be used at Mass, for example: the greeting, “The Lord be with you” and response, “And with your spirit”; the Apostles Creed; the longer Nicene Creed; and, the acclamations of the Eucharistic Prayer.
• From 27 November 2011, the First Sunday of Advent, the new edition of the Missal will be used in its entirety for the prayers of the Mass throughout the country and the English speaking world.

New edition of the Roman Missal

The publication of the new edition of the Roman Missal, the book of prayers used at Mass, is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of all that we are doing as we, the Christian community, gather to worship.

The use of a new edition of the Missal is not simply about words or translation. The new Missal will enable us to come to a deeper understanding of the Eucharist, which is the source and summit of the life of the Church. The new text is the result of the work of many people over the past ten years.

Since it was published in 1975, much has been added to the Missal currently prayed at Mass. Bishops welcome the new edition to be published later this year as it will provide Mass prayers, the Masses of our National Calendar and three Eucharistic Prayers which have all been approved since the current edition was published. Some of this material has been available but the new edition gives us an up-to-date Missal.

While the order or structure of the Mass is not changing, and readings remain the same, the edition of the Missal will be in a new translation. It uses new norms for translation which call for a fuller and more faithful translation of the Latin. The new edition of the Missal will bring a freshness and beauty to the language used at worship, capturing the biblical resonances of our prayers more clearly and the rich words and phrases of the prayers, many more than 1200 years old.

Catechesis on the text of the new Missal

Bishops are acutely aware of the impact of these changes in prayers that have been used and loved for almost forty years.

The preparation for the new Missal takes place as we prepare for the International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Ireland in June 2012. Many resources for the Congress will serve as resources for an understanding of the Eucharist and its celebration.

While the new Missal will be used from 27 November next, the changes in the people’s parts will be explained and introduced from September. This is in order to make the change to the New Missal as smooth as possible.

Preparation for the publication and use of the new edition of the Missal has already begun. Our National Centre for Liturgy in Maynooth has conducted workshops for Diocesan teams around the country. This will greatly assist priests and diocesan teams with special responsibility for the preparation and celebration of the Mass. Many dioceses have already scheduled workshops to take place over the next three months.

Explanatory sessions for diocesan and parish liturgy committees, parish and pastoral councils, pastoral workers, diocesan advisers (primary and post-primary), chaplains, those with responsibility and leadership in music will take place at a local level as we prepare to use the Missal towards the end of the year.

The use of the new edition of the Missal towards the end of the year will also mark a continuation of the catechesis that is now underway. It will provide priests and faithful with the opportunity not only to explore further the changes in words but also to continue to make our celebration of the Eucharist ever more reverent and beautiful, as the worship of God in thanksgiving for the gift of Jesus the Lord should be.

Background

The publication and use of a new edition of the Roman Missal is the culmination of a project launched in the Jubilee Year, 2000, when Pope John Paul II announced the third edition of the Missal. The Latin Missale Romanum was published in 2002 and the agency established by Bishops in countries where English is spoken was entrusted with the specialist work of translation.

This agency, the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), always intended to revisit the translation given in the Missal we have used since St Patrick’s Day, 1975. Working with norms for translation given in the Instruction Liturgiam authenticam, ICEL began their work in 2002, sending the Missal to bishops’ conferences in twelve segments.

Irish bishops reviewed and commented on each segment, assisted by our Irish Commission for Liturgy. ICEL received the Commission’s detailed comments and those from the other eleven English speaking bishops’ conference it serves.

Revised texts were then placed before the Irish Bishops’ Conference and approved over a period of six years, making it possible last year to forward the complete Missal to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in the Vatican for its approval or recognitio. The Congregation made changes, ensuring that a common text will be used throughout the English-speaking world. It was assisted in its work by Vox Clara, a committee of senior bishops formed in 2001.

Resources

There are many resources available to support the changes introduced and here is a list of the home produced:

• Become One Body One Spirit in Christ an interactive DVD which explores the depth, richness and layers of meaning of the liturgical texts of the Roman Missal. Produced by Fraynework Multimedia and published by Veritas in September 2010 for Ireland, it is based on five foundational essays which provide the themes and pathways of this resource, using video, text, graphics and music to help the user enrich their understanding and deepen their appreciation of the Eucharist.
• General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), as approved for the dioceses of Ireland , was published in 2005. It is a translation of the Institutio Generalis issued with the Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia in 2002.
• Celebrating the Mystery of Faith is a study guide to the Mass, based on GIRM, put together by a team from the National Centre for Liturgy. It was first published in 2005 and now in an updated reprint. It is a study book for priests, on their own or in groups, for liturgy teams, for ministers of the Word, music and Communion, for parishes and for all who want to better understand this mysterium fidei, the Eucharist.
• The New Missal: Explaining the Changes has been put together by the National Centre for Liturgy to provide an explanation of why we have a new edition of the Missal and to explore the changes to texts that we will experience in a new translation of its prayers.
• Celebrating the Mass throughout the Year has been produced by the National Centre for Liturgy and will be published by Veritas shortly. It offers an overview and commentary on celebrating the Mass throughout the Liturgical Year. Texts like Collects and Prefaces, using the translation of the new edition of the Missal and illustrating our journey through the year, are included.
• O Sacred Banquet is subtitled Revitalising the Sunday Celebration of the Eucharist. Its 28 pages offer a powerful statement on the Eucharist. It was drafted for the Bishops’ Conference by the national Liturgy and Theology Commissions and is based on the sentence of St Leo the Great preaching on the feast of the Ascension: what was in Christ has passed into the mysteries [the liturgy].
• The resources that will be made available as we prepare for the International Eucharistic Congress to be held in June 2012 will also be very helpful.
• Music is integral to our celebration of the Eucharist. Settings for the Mass, with new music and music of well-known Masses adapted to the new translation are being prepared and will be launched at the summer school of the Irish Church Music Association which will take place in Maynooth during July 2011.

Further information:

Catholic Communications Office Maynooth: Martin Long 00353 (0) 86 172 7678

Eucharistic Congress 2012

On Saturday, June 25^th, there will be a national Eucharistic Congress gathering in Knock. There will be Mass at 3.00 pm. A candle will be presented to each diocese. Next day in each Cathedral in Ireland the candle will be lit. In this way our focus will be turned to the Congress to take place in June 2012. 

There's a link to the Congress website in the menu bar of this page

A Message from Father Liam Dunne

Father Liam was with us in the Sacred Heart a few weeks ago, and we enjoyed his sharing of the work his Divine Word Missionary congregation do throughout the world.

He would like to say thank you for the warm welcome he received.

You can follow the SVD work on their website:

http://www.svdireland.com/index.php

Caring for someone with Dementia?

Do you care for or know someone with Demenia? A conference for the carers and families of patients with dementia will take place in the Clayton Hotel on 12th May from 9am -4pm. Admission is 5 euro which includes lunch. Contact 091-542978 to book a place.

Timetable/ Amchlár, Holy Week/ an tSeachtain Mhór.

Monday 18th April10am Mary and Eddie Faherty and Patrick, Margaret, Paddy
and Jimmy Collins.
Tuesday 19th April
10am For all the Sick and Joe & Peg Hussey and Kathleen and Hugh Mahon.

Penitential Service for our Cluster of Parishes at 7:30 in our sister church, St. Joseph's, Presentation Road.
(our cluster is the Parishes of Sacred Heart, The Cathedral (including the Church of St. Columbanus, National University of Ireland, Galway), St. Francis' (The Abbey), St. Joseph's (Including St. James', Bushy Park, St. Ignatius', Sea Road and University College Hospital Chapel)).

Wednesday 20th April, Spy Wednesday.
10am William and Bridget Powell and Sean McNerney

5.30 - 8.00 pm Indian Community Mass

8:15- Meeting in the Church Rooms for all who wish to take part in our Holy Week Liturgies

Holy Thursday 21st April

11am Mass in The Cathedral

8.00 pm Mass of the Last Supper

Confessions from 9 to 10

Adoration until 10:30

Good Friday, 22nd April

3.00 pm Ceremonies

8.00 pm Stations of the Cross

Confessions from 4 to 5

Holy Saturday, 23rd April

Confessions from 6 to 7

Easter Vigil at 8 pm

Easter Sunday, April 24th

9.30 am Marty Lee
11.00 am Michael John, Mai, Michael John Junior, Francis,
Dominic, Tom and Patsy Healy.
Anthony Cunningham, Tony Cunningham, Barbara McGrath.
12.15 on Bernadette O'Reilly and John Higgins.

NO EVENING MASS ON EASTER SUNDAY

Newsletter/ Nuachtlitir, Palm Sunday/ Domhnach na Pailme.

Annual Chrism Mass - Parishioners from all 39 parishes are being invited to join with Bishop Drennan and the priests of the diocese for the annual Chrism Mass to be held on Thursday 21st April at 11:00a.m in Galway Cathedral.

A Message from Trócaire

This Sunday as we prepare to celebrate Holy Week we are asked by Trócaire to remember our giving to those in the developing world is not an act of power but of solidarity and love. We give because it is the right and just thing to do. Support the Lenten campaign and ensure poor people have a chance to build a better life. For more information on the campaign visit

http://www.trocaire.org/lent
 1850 408 408 (0800 912 1200 in NI

David O'Hare
Press Officer | Trócaire
Office: 028 9080 8030
Mobile: 079 0005 3884 http://www.trocaire.org
Facebook: http://facebook.com/trocaireireland
Twitter: http://twitter.com/trocaire
YouTube: http://youtube.com/trocaire
Flickr: http://flickr.com/trocaire

Address by Bishop Christopher Jones at Diocesan Seminar on a Pastoral Response to Substance Abuse

The following is the text of the introductory address given by Bishop Christopher Jones, Bishop of Elphin and Chair of the Bishops’ Commission for Pastoral Care, at a seminar in Rooskey, Co Roscommon last night called Pastoral Response to Substance Misuse. The seminar was organised in conjunction with the Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative (IBDI):

Some Facts about the Misuse of Alcohol

It is estimated that in 2006 548 pints of beer, 143 bottles of wine or 51 bottles of vodka were consumed by each adult in the Country.  An estimated 61,000 children in Ireland are affected by their parents’ alcohol misuse.

We know that one in every three deaths in Ireland is alcohol related.

One in four injury admissions to hospital Emergency Departments are alcohol related.  In 2004 people with alcohol related illness used 117,373 bed-days in hospital.  That was double used in 1995. (Alcohol Action Ireland)

Even those few facts should convince all of us of how important it is that all of us do as much as we possibly can to prevent the misuse of alcohol and indeed any drug in our Communities.

Drugs enslave and rob people of dignity and self-esteem

As Christians we are called to be free in the choices we make.  People who become slaves to alcohol or any other drug can never make free and informed choices.  In fact alcohol and other drugs is depriving people of their freedom are robbing them of their dignity and beauty as human beings – made in God’s Image and Redeemed in Christ.  We have all seen people behave in all kinds of inhuman ways because they are under the control of drugs.

All of us as Citizens and as Christians have a huge responsibility to educate and prepare our young people for this huge challenge.  Their first drink could be their first step on the road to misery for themselves, their family and their friends.  Anything we can do in our families, our schools, our parishes and our clubs to protect our youth from a life of misery and indeed depression is Sacred Work and of course prevention is so much better than cure.

+Christy Jones

Bishop Of Elphin

48th Glenstal Ecumenical Conference

Tuesday, June 28th to Thursday, June 30th, 2011

The Word of God: Lost in Translation?

You will be able to find the relevant details and a booking form on the Glenstal Abbey website

http://www.glenstal.org

(Follow the link to the Ecumenical Conference).

Picking up the debate on the future of Catholic Schools
Video interview with Fr Michael Drumm, Chairperson of the Catholic Schools Partnership

The Catholic Communications Office has made available a video interview with Fr Michael Drumm, Chairperson of the Catholic Schools Partnership. The video interview is a follow-up to the launch last week of a Position Paper from the Catholic Schools Partnership on Catholic Schools in the Republic of Ireland.

Fr Drumm addresses the following topics in his interview:

What the Catholic Schools Partnership is

Divesting of Catholic Schools

Challenges associated with changing the patronage of a school

The consultation process which the Catholic Schools Partnership will engage in

The class time allocated to religious education in schools

The interview and the Position Paper can be accessed on

http://www.catholicbishops.ie

Walk to Control and Cure Arthritis

Get your Joints in Motion will take place in the Phoenix Park on May 7th.  Its fun, it’s inspiring and because it’s a walk for people with arthritis in aid of people with arthritis,   it’s a great way to meet hundreds of others who are managing their arthritis in a positive way!   Sign up today, be part of the growing movement and raise funds that will work to control and cure arthritis. Call Louise in Arthritis Ireland on 01 6470209 or email jointsinmotion at arthritisireland.ie! P.s bring your pets and your pals, let walk with pride and change the face of arthritis in Ireland today!

Louise Moran

Fundraising Executive

Tel: +353 1 6470209

Web:

http://www.arthritisireland.ie

Helpline: 1890 252 846

Address: 1 Clanwilliam Square, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2

Men’s Therapy Group

Exploring - Expressing - Empowering - Energising

Sunday nights from 7pm till 10pm for 8 weeks starting May 8th in Salthill/Galway location

Fees apply. Concessions negotiated. Confidentiality guaranteed.

John Whelan

Group Facilitator & Biodynamic Psychotherapist

Contact: (087) 243 0198

Email: john.whelan at anamaire.org

Anam Aire

Call: (091) 44 5555

Text: (086) 665 8118

Email: info at anamaire.org

http://www.AnamAire.org

 "Anam Aire is a non-profit partnership of psychotherapists, counsellors, group facilitators and trainers who serve communities and individuals through the provision of affordable personal development and emotional support services."

Greetings from Ards Friary

There are some great events coming up!!

Ards Friary is a Capuchin Franciscan Spiritual Centre set in 200 acres of scenic grounds on the edge of the beach. It is a place where you can find peace and quiet in surroundings of natural beauty. We are open throughout the year for individuals and groups who wishes to have some quiet time, rest and prayer in beautiful relaxed surrounding.

Ards Friary is available throughout the year for Retreats (Preached, Directed or Private), Conferences, Seminars, Periods of rest, relaxation, prayer and holidays.
Ards Friary offers individual rooms where guests and retreatants are invited to join the Friars in Prayer, if they wish to do so.
Our website can be viewed at

http://www.ardsfriary.ie/

or you can contact us on 074 91 38909

Cúirt Festival event in Westside Library.

CLICK IMAGE TO ZOOM.
For the full programme festival visit:
http://www.cuirt.ie/

Newsletter, April 10th 2011.

Mass Intentions for the week ahead 10th April 2011

Saturday 9th April

11am  Bridget Coyne (Months Mind Mass)

12 Noon Funeral Mass, Gerard McDonagh, burial in New Cemetery

Vigil Mass 6.30 pm  1.  Michael & Patricia Conneely and deceased members of the family.
2.Queenie Ward.

Pray for John Higgins at all Masses this weekend.

Sunday 10th April

9.30 am Intention free
11 am Jason Dunne
12.15 pm Fred Knight
6.30 pm Free intention

Monday 11th April 10am  Intention free

Tuesday 12th April 10am  For all the Sick and Special Intention for Imelda

Wednesday 13th April 10am Free intention

12 NOON FIRST CONFESSION

Thursday 14th April 10am  Bridie Whelan

Friday  15th April 10am  Mary Ellen &  Cyril O'Brien and alll deceased members of Folan and O'Brien families.
Saturday 16th April
Vigil Mass   6.30 pm  Barbara & Stephen McDonagh and  2. Paul Mulhall (who died recently)

Sunday 17th April Palm Sunday

9.30am Intention free
11am Bridget Joyce

MONTHLY DO THIS IN MEMORY PREPARATION MASS FOR FIRST COMMUNION CHILDREN
12.15 pm Gerard Francis

6.30 pm Rose, Peter and David Hopkins and 2. Miichael Fahy

Praying with Scripture during Lent

Bishop Martin Drennan will lead an evening of Praying with Scripture where he will reflect on the Gospel for Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

 Venue: Aras de Brún, Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Newtownsmith.

Event Date and Time:

11 Apr 2011 - 8:00pm

http://www.pastoralcentre.ie

Make one final push for the Trócaire Lenten Campaign

This Sunday there will be a second collection at all Masses for Trócaire for those NOT using the Trócaire boxes (there are still plenty of boxes available in the church if you do want one)

On this fifth Sunday in Lent we pray for Trócaire’s partners and missionaries in the poorest parts of the world. Their work ensures that the weakest and most vulnerable people are given a voice and hope for a better life. Trócaire’s Lenten campaign raises money to support the work of these partners so that many more poor people can be helped. For more information on the campaign visit www.trocaire.org/lent or call 1850 408 408 (0800 912 1200 in the Six Counties)

David O'Hare

Press Officer | Trócaire

Office: 028 9080 8030

Mobile: 079 0005 3884

http://www.trocaire.org

Facebook: http://facebook.com/trocaireireland

Twitter: http://twitter.com/trocaire

YouTube: http://youtube.com/trocaire

Flickr: http://flickr.com/trocaire

Community Catering Needs You

Cope Galway Community Catering has retained its Q Mark again this year.  It is the only community meals delivery service in Ireland to have achieved this level of quality. Older people are provided with daily nutritional & social support.

This work is possible only with the help of our team of trained volunteers. Due to growing demand, we are now looking for additional volunteer drivers. Could you commit to One day per week for 2 hours approx.? It is such a rewarding experience. If interested please contact Fiona at 091-700800/700823

or email
Communitycatering at copegalway.ie 

http://www.copegalway.ie

All Welcome to 2011 Chrism Mass on 21st April 2011

Parishioners from all 39 parishes of the Galway Diocese are invited to join with Bishop Martin Drennan and priests of the diocese for the annual Chrism Mass to be held in Galway Cathedral, at 11:00am on Thursday 21st April.

Diocesan Celebration

The Chrism Mass is the largest diocesan celebration held during the year. In this liturgy priests and people gather with the bishop for the blessing of the holy oils that will be used in parishes in the coming year: the Oil of the sick, the Oil of Catechumens and the Oil of Chrism.

It is a special time to gather as a Diocese - bishop, priests and people to support and pray for one another, to remember and pray for people at home and abroad.

Music at the Mass will be directed by Mr Ray O’Donnell, Diocesan Director of Music

The blessing and Consecration of Oils

While the Oil of the Sick, and the Oil of the Catechumens are simply “blessed,” the Sacred Chrism is “consecrated”.  All the priests present participate in consecration of Chrism by extending their hands toward the vessel containing it as the bishop says the prayer of consecration.

Chrism is used at baptisms, confirmations, the ordination of priests and bishops, the consecration of altars and the blessing of churches.

As part of the consecration of Chrism, balsam is poured into the oil, which gives it a sweet smell.  This reminds us of the “odour of sanctity” to which we are called.

Renewal of Ordination Vows

During the Chrism Mass the priests of the diocese renew the vows they made at their ordination. As priests gather before the people of the diocese they make their public commitment to the service of God, the Church and its people.

Pieta House, Giving hope to those affected by Suicide

Darkness into Light 5k walk/run Event is on 7th May 2011 at 4.30am (early morning) in Dublin, Galway, Ennis, Co. Clare, Cork, Killarney and Limerick

Starting while it’s dark and finishing as dawn is breaking.  Join us for this symbolic event to give hope to those affected by Suicide and Self-Harm.

Entry Fee:  Adult €25.00, Students/OAPs €15.00.

Children under 12 free (but must be accompanied by an adult)

Register on line at  

http://darknessintolight.pieta.ie

Or by post to Pieta House, Lucan Road, Lucan, Co. Dublin

For enquiries, contact Dublin 01 6010000 or Limerick 061 484444

See our web site

http://darknessintolight.pieta.ie/

 For details of Darkness into Light 5k event venues

The New Missal

Fr. Patrick O'Donohue has put some resources up on the diocesan website to help us understand the New Missal:

http://www.galwaydiocese.ie/missalblog.html

Wanted!  Volunteer Advocates

The National Advocacy Programme is looking for people who would like to become a volunteer advocate for older people in residential care.

The aim is to empower older people in residential care to voice their needs and wishes and assert their rights.
Volunteers must be willing to undergo training and Garda vetting. We are currently recruiting for County Galway. Please contact Anne Harris at

 045 988 310 or

anne.harris1 at hse.ie

For further information

Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, April 15th.

Bishop Gerard Clifford addresses 34th annual Cura conference in Athlone

http://www.cura.ie

CURA IN GALWAY OPERATE OUT OF THE PASTORAL CENTRE, NEWTOWNSMITH.

"People [nowadays] ... are independent, vocal and confident. However, this does not mean that if a crisis occurs in their life - such as an unplanned pregnancy - it is any easier to manage today than it would have been in previous generations.  Cura cares" - Bishop Clifford

Cura, the crisis pregnancy agency of the Catholic Church, held its 34th annual conference on 1 and 2 April in Athlone.  Bishop Gerard Clifford, President of Cura and Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Armagh, addressed the conference which was attended by 150 Cura members.

The 2011 conference focused on the strategic review and planning process which is currently being undertaken by the agency.  The objective of this process is to evaluate how effectively Cura has been delivering support and help to clients facing an unplanned pregnancy; and, to identify ways to improve the agency’s effectiveness in delivering these services to our clients in the future.

The process involves three phases: review, planning and implementation.  It began in September 2010 and is scheduled to be completed by this October.

This year's annual conference provided an opportunity to present the interim findings to Cura members and it facilitated discussion and feedback which can now inform the ongoing review and planning process.

In his conference address Bishop Clifford acknowledged the central role of the counsellors in Cura and thanked them for their work which is offered on a voluntary basis.  Throughout the country Cura counsellors provide a range of crisis pregnancy support services, counselling after an abortion services, schools awareness programmes and support to new mothers in professional and caring manner.

Bishop Clifford said, “The spirit of voluntarism within Cura is to be commended. The professionalism, wholehearted commitment and positivity, which exists to help women at a time of crisis, clearly permeate and resonate every aspect of our organisation.  Irish society is the better for it.

"Sometimes you, the Cura counsellor, are the only person that a woman facing a crisis pregnancy can turn to - and trust. I believe that the passion you have for your work; your availability, the support you lend to each other, and the security in knowing that what you do in your role in Cura is greatly appreciated, not just by the individual client, but by their family and their friends.

"We live in a changing world where attitudes like independence, self-expression and freedom are very much part of the changing society. People are generally better educated and informed than in previous generations. They are often more secure in their lives, with greater freedom than in the past. They are independent, vocal and confident.  However, this does not mean that if a crisis occurs in their life - such as an unplanned pregnancy - it is any easier to manage today than it would have been in previous generations.  Cura cares and is here to help anyone affected by a crisis pregnancy."

Gerard McDonagh, R.I.P.

Your prayers are asked today for the repose of the soul of Gerard McDonagh, formerly of 60 Inishannagh Park, who has died. Gerard's remains will be reposing at the O'Flaherty Funeral Home on Munster Avenue, tomorrow, Friday, April 8th, from 2 until 4 when they will be removed to our church. Gerard's Funeral Mass will be on Saturday, April 9th at 12 Noon with burial afterwards in the New Cemetery, Bohermore.

'See that you have your belts done up and your lamps lit. Be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. In truth I tell you, he will do up his belt, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch that he comes, or in the third, but blessed are those servants if he finds them ready'. (Luke 12:35-38)

Sister Katherine Burke, Presentation Sister, R.I.P.

BURKE, Sr. Katherine (Presentation Sisters, 160 Corrib Park, Galway) April 3, 2011, (formerly of Cloonbanane, Shrule, Presentation Convent, Tuam, An Cheathrú Rua, Athenry, Port Laoise and Oranmore); sorely missed by her beloved sisters Peg, Nora, Mary, Briga and Phil, her local and provincial Presentation Communities, her nieces, nephews and their extended families, her beloved grandnieces and grandnephews, devoted friends and neighbours. Her Requiem Mass took place in our church today  (Wednesday) at 12 noon followed by Burial in Shrule Cemetery.

"Remember the Lord our God all your days, my child, and refuse to sin or to transgress his commandments. Live uprightly all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing.

[6] For if you do what is true, your ways will prosper through your deeds.
[7] Give alms from your possessions to all who live uprightly, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from any poor man, and the face of God will not be turned away from you.
[8] If you have many possessions, make your gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid to give according to the little you have.
[9] So you will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity.
[10] For charity delivers from death and keeps you from entering the darkness;
[11] and for all who practice it charity is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High''.

(Tobit 4:5 -11)

From the Catholic Communications Office on the Murder of Constable Ronan Kerr in Tyrone.

Cardinal Brady's remarks and homily of Fr John Skinnader

at the funeral Mass of Constable Ronan Kerr

"Parents and grandparents, I beg you, plead with your children and with your grandchildren, not to get involved with violence ...Violence has nothing, absolutely nothing, to offer except misery and destruction. Choose life, I say, choose goodness, choose peace. That is what God is asking of you. That is what the people of all traditions have been saying to all of us, loud and clear, since the moment of Ronan’s tragic death on Saturday last ... In God’s name stop – and stop now!" - Cardinal Brady

"Ronan loved life – his friends – his family, and he loved his new career."- Fr John Skinnader

The funeral Mass ofConstable Ronan Kerr took place at 12:00pm today in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in the parish of Beragh, County Tyrone, in the Archdiocese of Armagh.

Father Arthur McAnerney, Parish Priest of Beragh was the main celebrant at the Mass; Father John Skinnader CSSp, a family friend, preached the homily; and Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, presided at the Mass. Cardinal Brady was accompanied in the Sanctuary of the church by the three other main Christian Church leaders of Ireland: Archbishop Alan Harper, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh; Rev Norman Hamilton, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church; and Rev Paul Kingston, President of the Methodist Church.

Remarks of Cardinal Seán Brady

My dear friends,

We gather today to pay our respects to Constable Ronan Kerr. We have prayed that Ronan will know the peace of God’s eternal love in the home that Jesus has prepared for him. We are here to sympathise with his mother Nuala, his sister Dairine and brothers Aaron and Cathair. May you find comfort and strength in Christ’s promise that one day you shall see Ronan again and enjoy his friendship and love.

May you also be helped and consoled by the presence of this congregation – representing as it does, so many strata of society, civil and religious alike. May the support and admiration, expressed for Ronan and for all of you, at national and international level, over these days, ease the burden of grief and sorrow which you feel at this time.

Fifteen years ago, almost to the day – 9 April 1996, I had the privilege of confirming Ronan here in this Church. He took the name Paul, in honour of the Apostle Paul, as his Confirmation name. The same Paul who said that “nothing can come between us and the love of God, made visible in Christ Jesus”. The same Paul who said that “God co-operates with all those who love Him by turning everything to their good” (Rom 8:28). That is the challenge now for all of us who remain. To co-operate with God in transforming the evil of Ronan’s murder into the good that Ronan’s life represents.

 Guided by the Spirit of the living God, Ronan proceeded on the journey of life. He went from here to Omagh CBS and to university. He did so many other things as well. He played Gaelic games; he became a respected young man in the community. As so many of his family and friends have testified in recent days he was a person who was happy, friendly and concerned for the welfare of others. Then the opportunity came his way to play his part in building the peace. He was offered the possibility of joining the PSNI, a profession charged with the safety, welfare and protection of the rights of all in our society. Imbued with the family spirit of public service Ronan took that opportunity. Of course he knew the risks involved but one of the gifts he received on the day of his Confirmation was courage.

 Ronan Kerr was obviously a man of exceptional courage. Today I pay tribute to the courage, and noble ideals of people who work in the public service – in the Police Service, in the Health Service; and in the Fire and Rescue Service and many others. They deserve our gratitude and our support. We offer that to them today with admiration and respect. You are the protectors of our safety and the guardians of our peace. Guard our peace carefully for the well-being of society depends on your professionalism, integrity and dedication.

Unfortunately there are some people who do not believe that Ronan should have joined the PSNI. They have a right to hold that view. But the freedom to hold that view also brings with it a great responsibility. It brings the duty to respect the will of the overwhelming majority of the people. And the people have said no, never again, to the evil and futility of violence. They have said an empathetic no to the murder and mayhem of the past. Let there be no doubt that the killing of Ronan Kerr, was totally unjustified. It was an evil deed, an offence against God and a complete rejection of the belief that human life is sacred.

There have been many defining moments in the ongoing journey towards reconciliation and peace. No doubt there will be many more. That is the nature of a process. But today, as we honour the courage of this valiant young man, may we all resolve to make this a defining moment in our own lives. We must never become complacent about choosing good and rejecting evil. Let us resolve to do everything in our power to bring about the brighter future which the young people of this land deserve.

 Of course there isnow a whole generation of young people who have no memory of the troubles and the sufferings of the past. We should resist the temptation to glamorise the dreadful pain and sorrow of that past. Parents and grandparents, I beg you, plead with your children and with your grandchildren, not to get involved with violence. Never let them be deceived by those who say that Ireland will be united or the Union made more secure by war. They are wrong. It is an illusion. Violence has nothing, absolutely nothing, to offer except misery and destruction. Choose life, I say, choose goodness, choose peace. That is what God is asking of you. That is what the people of all traditions have been saying to all of us, loud and clear, since the moment of Ronan’s tragic death on Saturday last. “We do not want this”. “You do not act in our name”. In God’s name stop – and stop now!

The presence of so many politicians here today is very much appreciated. Your united and decisive response to Ronan’s death has given us all great inspiration and hope. I believe that Ronan would have been very proud to see political leaders united with such determination to honour and uphold the peace which he gave his life to preserve. Many believe and sincerely hope that a better future is possible for all. Standing shoulder to shoulder together now is the surest way of overcoming those who would rob us, and future generations, of that hope.

The widespread expression of disgust and the rejection of violence in recent days – not just in Beragh and Omagh – but throughout the length and breadth of this land, and indeed further afield, strengthen the hope of us all.

Sometimes, however, condemnation and rejection are not enough to free hearts and minds held captive by hatred and bitterness. That is a task to which only the power of the Spirit of the Risen Christ is equal. He has conquered sin and death so that life and peace and harmony might flourish. That process of transformation and change is still in progress. May the memory of Ronan Paul Kerr and the dignified witness of his grieving mother Nuala and her family continue to guide and inspire our journey towards lasting justice, peace and reconciliation. Then we will truly be able to say that his death has not been in vain.

Homily of Fr John Skinnader CSSp

Even the Liturgy today will struggle to give any sort of comfort to Ronan’s mum Nuala, his brothers Caithair and Aaron, his sister Dairine, his aunts Geraldine and Carmel, and his uncles Hugh, Jimmy, Patrick and Kieran, and his other relatives.

We have come together here with family, friends, neighbours and people from all walks of life to share our distress at the sudden and callous nature of Ronan's death and to pray our goodbyes for him.

Ronan loved life – he loved others – and that is the legacy he has left us – not to hate but to love.

I met Ronan only two weeks ago – I had just finished giving my talk to the young couples who had gathered for marriage preparation course in the Manor House – Enniskillen – when I went outside to go home and when I was walking towards my car when I saw the Police car slowing coming towards me . I thought to myself – what have you done now John – when the window rolled down and a voice from behind the wheel shouts out to me "How are you, Fr John?" I looked into the car and said "Ronan – tis yourself" and nearly knocked the head of the big English cop sitting in the passenger seat as I thrust over my hand to shake Ronan's hand as I had not met him in months. "How do you like Enniskillen Fr John?" I said, "Ronan you can drop the titles as it wasn’t that long ago that you and your brothers Caithair and Aaron as young cubs up in your aunt Geraldine's place used to pick out of me and shout Fr Ted or Fr Jack!!!"

I chatted with him online on Thursday last and now he has gone – not easy for me to deal with and how much more for Nuala and the children – aunts and uncles and grandparents.

Ronan loved life – from an early age when he was in the cot of at the bottom of the bed where Cathair slept – he would get Caithair to pull him out of the cot in the morning so that both of them could begin a day of high mischief. When Nuala returned from hospital with Aaron – she was tired the next day and thought that her late husband Brian was home from work and looking after the boys. So it was a major shock for her and Brian to find that the two boys had got bubble bath of all kinds from the bathroom and decided to clean up the sitting room by emptying the bottles over carpets and furniture – there was foam, bubbles and water all over the place and people coming for Aaron's Christening that night. Nuala took on her sergeant major look and got the boys to clean up the whole mess and then sent them to bed – and hence they missed Aaron's christening. From an early age he had a great interest in games involving police cars – toy weapons, backpacks etc. Ronan, Cathair and Aaron would lie behind the hedge of their house and look at the number plates of cars that were passing by and then did an imagined radioing of their number plates to someone in the back garden. He had a great interest in cars and was looking forward to showing off his new car to Cathair who was due home from Australia. He was a practical joker and gave Dairine a hard time by teasing his sister all the time and picking out of her but she got her own back on him a few days ago when on the first of April she texted him at work to say that Cathair had arrived home unexpectedly from Australia as a surprise for Mum. He texted back to say “Please tell me this is not true” as he so much wanted to be there when Cathair came home. So Dairine just texted back "April Fool!!!"

He loved his Gaelic football and never missed a Tyrone match. Ronan loved life – his friends – his family, and he loved his new career. Seeing him sitting behind the wheel of the police car last weekend - I thought to myself – there is the symbol of the new Northern Ireland – a young man living out his childhood dream to be of service to others – to help protect, to make life safer for others – to be a peace builder in communities and between communities.

Ronan loved Man Utd - hopefully he will put in a good word for us against Chelsea tonight! When the satellite television came into Ethiopia a few years ago – an enterprising young man put in a big screen into the town hall where I was living to show the Premiership matches being beamed from South Africa. One Sunday afternoon – the hall was packed with United and Arsenal supporters coming to cheer on United and Arsenal. As the match progressed – they began to shout abuse at each other and soon they started to fight – to the extent that the game had to be switched off and all of us had to leave the hall. I came away thinking – isn’t it crazy that the Ethiopians should be fighting each other over two English teams that they had never met in real life – they had never been to Manchester or London - no real connection to the teams – yet destroyed our afternoon's entrainment because of what they saw as perceived grievances of one team against another. We can become very caught up and delusional about what we are fighting over – whether it is a United Ireland, United Kingdom or a Man United.

In the Gospel Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here my brother would not have died". Jesus wept. Were they crocodile tears? Surely he knew he was going to raise Lazarus to life, so why did he cry? He cried because in Martha's tears He saw all the tears of the mothers who would lose their children. Maybe He was crying for His own mother Mary who He knew the pain she would go through as as He lay dying on the Cross of Calvary. Because God gave us free will – which is the essence of being human – it also means we are free to do good or bad and with that freedom – we have our broken humanity – a humanity that is caught between love and hate – joy and pain – sorrow and happiness. As the Jews in the Gospels said to Martha, "He opened the eyes of the blind – could He not have prevented this man death?" By raising Lazarus to life again He showed that He has power over life and death but as God He wanted to show through His tears that life eternal is where we are all going to and if someone wants to perpetuate and evil act to destroys someone life – God cannot intervene to stop it because of free will.

Ronan and most of his generation are proud of their culture and their faith tradition - but for them it is a faith and a tradition without walls –– that is inclusive not exclusive – that unites rather than divides. As Nuala, Cathair, Aaron and Dairine called for in their press release after Ronan's death – they don’t want his death to be in vain but that others should join in the vision that he had for a new and better homeland of the future. Our participation in this funeral liturgy, the recent statements from all political parties and the world wide media coverage of his death shows that his death, like Christ’s, has not been in vain but will galvanise everyone to work with greater zeal and vigour for the future good of all. But it doesn’t lessen the pain of his loss for family, friends and colleagues.

May You Rest in Peace Ronan. We all miss you.