30 June 2012

Parish Announcements for Sunday, July 1st 2012

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
  • This coming Friday, July 6th 2012 will be the First Friday of the month, and so, as usual, Fr Malachy and Fr Hugh will bring Holy Communion to those who are housebound due to illness of old age. If you know of anybody in the parish who has become housebound in recent times and would like to be on our First Friday list, please let us know.
  • The Galway Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes begins today. We wish all who are travelling, including some Sacred Heart parishioners, a very blessed pilgrimage. We will remember the pilgrims, especially the sick, in our prayers during the week.
  • The Peter's Pence collection which was held last week raised a total of €600. Thank you for your contributions.

Vocations: Priesthood in the Galway Diocese

Vocations: Franciscan Sisters, TOR


29 June 2012

Mass intentions for the week ahead 1st July 2012

Saturday 30th June
Vigil Mass   6.30 pm  1.   Nicholas Conneely
                                  2.  Margaret and Anthony Lynch
Sunday 1st July
9.30 am     Josie Pender
11am         Delia Delaney
12.15 pm  Pat and Mary Guerin
6.30 pm    Raymond Rooney

Monday 2nd July
10am  Willie & Eileen Keane and deceased members of Keane family
Tuesday 3rd July
10am  For all the Sick
Wednesday 4th July
10am  Mattie, Paddy and Christy Lally and deceased members of Lally family
Thursday 5th July
10am  Intention free
Friday 6th July
10am  1.  Bridie  and John Lydon and deceased members of Lydon family
Saturday 7th July
Vigil Mass  6.30 pm  1. Gerard Garvey
                                2.  George and Maura King
Sunday 8th July
9.30 am          Liam McKnight
11am              Molly Cleary
12.15 pm  1.  Martin, Una and Pat Finn
                 2.  Kathleen and Edward Diviney
6.30 pm         Peter Griffin.

26 June 2012

Homily of Pope Benedict XVI for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi

In Sacred Heart Church, we come together as a parish community for the celebration of Mass on Sunday and Mass is celebrated daily also. In the evenings, from 8pm to 10pm, there is Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the side chapel. So, the Body of Christ consecrated at Mass is adored and contemplated, and this adoration leads to deeper appreciation of the Eucharist we receive. Pope Benedict's homily recently at the Lateran Basilica in Rome on June 7th 2012 was about the connection between the celebration of Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. It is well worth a read, and so, here it is below:


'Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This evening I would like to meditate with you on two interconnected aspects of the Eucharistic Mystery: worship of the Eucharist and its sacred nature. It is important to reflect on them once again to preserve them from incomplete visions of the Mystery itself, such as those encountered in the recent past.
First of all, a reflection on the importance of Eucharistic worship and, in particular, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We shall experience it this evening, after Mass, before the procession, during it and at its conclusion. A unilateral interpretation of the Second Vatican Council penalized this dimension, in practice restricting the Eucharist to the moment of its celebration. Indeed it was very important to recognize the centrality of the celebration in which the Lord summons his people, gathers it round the dual table of the Word and of the Bread of life, nourishes and unites it with himself in the offering of the Sacrifice.
Of course, this evaluation of the liturgical assembly in which the Lord works his mystery of communion and brings it about still applies; but it must be put back into the proper balance. In fact — as often happens — in order to emphasize one aspect one ends by sacrificing another. In this case the correct accentuation of the celebration of the Eucharist has been to the detriment of adoration as an act of faith and prayer addressed to the Lord Jesus, really present in the Sacrament of the Altar.
This imbalance has also had repercussions on the spiritual life of the faithful. In fact, by concentrating the entire relationship with the Eucharistic Jesus in the sole moment of Holy Mass one risks emptying the rest of existential time and space of his presence. This makes ever less perceptible the meaning of Jesus’ constant presence in our midst and with us, a presence that is tangible, close, in our homes, as the “beating Heart” of the city, of the country, and of the area, with its various expressions and activities. The sacrament of Christ’s Charity must permeate the whole of daily life.


Actually it is wrong to set celebration and adoration against each other, as if they were competing. Exactly the opposite is true: worship of the Blessed Sacrament is, as it were, the spiritual “context” in which the community can celebrate the Eucharist well and in truth. Only if it is preceded, accompanied and followed by this inner attitude of faith and adoration can the liturgical action express its full meaning and value. The encounter with Jesus in Holy Mass is truly and fully brought about when the community can recognize that in the Sacrament he dwells in his house, waits for us, invites us to his table, then, after the assembly is dismissed, stays with us, with his discreet and silent presence, and accompanies us with his intercession, continuing to gather our spiritual sacrifices and offer them to the Father.
In this regard I am pleased to highlight the experience we shall be having together this evening too. At the moment of Adoration, we are all equal, kneeling before the Sacrament of Love. The common priesthood and the ministerial priesthood are brought together in Eucharistic worship. It is a very beautiful and significant experience which we have had several times in St Peter’s Basilica, and also in the unforgettable Vigils with young people — I recall, for example, those in Cologne, London, Zagreb and Madrid. It is clear to all that these moments of Eucharistic Vigil prepare for the celebration of the Holy Mass, they prepare hearts for the encounter so that it will be more fruitful.
To be all together in prolonged silence before the Lord present in his Sacrament is one of the most genuine experiences of our being Church, which is accompanied complementarily by the celebration of the Eucharist, by listening to the word of God, by singing and by approaching the table of the Bread of Life together. Communion and contemplation cannot be separated, they go hand in hand. If I am truly to communicate with another person I must know him, I must be able to be in silence close to him, to listen to him and look at him lovingly. True love and true friendship are always nourished by the reciprocity of looks, of intense, eloquent silences full of respect and veneration, so that the encounter may be lived profoundly and personally rather than superficially. And, unfortunately, if this dimension is lacking, sacramental communion itself may become a superficial gesture on our part.
Instead, in true communion, prepared for by the conversation of prayer and of life, we can address words of confidence to the Lord, such as those which rang out just now in the Responsorial Psalm: “O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid. / You have loosed my bonds./ I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving /and call on the name of the Lord” (Ps 116[115]:16-17).


I would now like to move on briefly to the second aspect: the sacred nature of the Eucharist. Here too so we have heard in the recent past of a certain misunderstanding of the authentic message of Sacred Scripture. The Christian newness with regard to worship has been influenced by a certain secularist mentality of the 1960s and 70s. It is true, and this is still the case, that the centre of worship is now no longer in the ancient rites and sacrifices, but in Christ himself, in his person, in his life, in his Paschal Mystery. However it must not be concluded from this fundamental innovation that the sacred no longer exists, but rather that it has found fulfilment in Jesus Christ, divine Love incarnate.
The Letter to the Hebrews, which we heard this evening in the Second Reading, speaks to us precisely of the newness of the priesthood of Christ, “high priest of the good things that have come” (Heb 9:11), but does not say that the priesthood is finished. Christ “is the mediator of a new covenant” (Heb 9:15), established in his blood which purifies our “conscience from dead works” (Heb 9:14). He did not abolish the sacred but brought it to fulfillment, inaugurating a new form of worship, which is indeed fully spiritual but which, however, as long as we are journeying in time, still makes use of signs and rites, which will exist no longer only at the end, in the heavenly Jerusalem, where there will no longer be any temple (cf. Rev 21:22). Thanks to Christ, the sacred is truer, more intense and, as happens with the Commandments, also more demanding! Ritual observance does not suffice but purification of the heart and the involvement of life is required.
I would also like to stress that the sacred has an educational function and its disappearance inevitably impoverishes culture and especially the formation of the new generations. If, for example, in the name of a faith that is secularized and no longer in need of sacred signs, these Corpus Christi processions through the city were to be abolished, the spiritual profile of Rome would be “flattened out”, and our personal and community awareness would be weakened.
Or let us think of a mother or father who in the name of a desacralized faith, deprived their children of all religious rituals: in reality they would end by giving a free hand to the many substitutes that exist in the consumer society, to other rites and other signs that could more easily become idols.
God, our Father, did not do this with humanity: he sent his Son into the world not to abolish, but to give fulfilment also to the sacred. At the height of this mission, at the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of his Body and his Blood, the Memorial of his Paschal Sacrifice. By so doing he replaced the ancient sacrifices with himself, but he did so in a rite which he commanded the Apostles to perpetuate, as a supreme sign of the true Sacred One who is he himself. With this faith, dear brothers and sisters, let us celebrate the Eucharistic Mystery today and every day and adore it as the centre of our life and the heart of the world. Amen.'

25 June 2012

Notice Received: SVP Croí na Gaillimhe Table Quiz

A table quiz to raise funds for the work of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society Croi na Gaillimhe Resource Centre will be held this Tuesday, 26th June, at 8pm in Lohan's, Salthill.
Croi na Gaillimhe Resource Centre is located at 1 Mill Street, Galway. It aims to provide an intergenerational and intercultural place of welcome, especially for disadvantaged groups, offering a range of holistic social and learning supports complementing and linked to the work of relevant agencies in Galway.

See the Croi na Gaillimhe blog for further details by clicking here.

23 June 2012

Parish Announcements for Sunday, June 24th 2012

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
  • The annual Peter's Pence Collection takes places at all Masses this Sunday. This collection funds the charitable activities of the Pope. The Pope is attentive to the material needs of poor dioceses, religious institutes and of those in grave difficulties such as the poor, children, the elderly, those marginalised and the victims of war or natural disasters; concrete aid to Bishops or dioceses in need, Catholic education, assistance to refugees and to immigrants
  • Normal weekday Mass schedule: Monday to Friday at 10am. Tuesday Mass is offered for the sick of the parish and those whose names have been put in the parish book of the sick.
  • This coming Friday, June 29th 2012 is the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
  • We pray for Peggy McDonald, Killala, who has died, sister of Nora O'Flaherty, Claremont.

22 June 2012

Mass intention for the week ahead 24th June 2012

Saturday 23rd June
Vigil Mass  6.30 pm  1. Peter Cooke and 2. Stephen Griffin
Sunday 24th June
9.30 am     Mary and Paddy Lenihan
11am          Michael Maye (Months Mind Mass)
12.15 pm   1. William O'Connor and 2. Gillian Moloney Bocxe
6.30 pm     Tom Daly

Monday 25th June
10am  Intention free
Tuesday 26th June
10am  For all the Sick and Mickey Sullivan and Ronnie Murray
Wednesday 27th June
10am  Winnie Mongan
Thursday 28th June   10am  Intention free
Friday 29th June       10am  Intention free

Saturday 30th June
Vigil Mass   6.30 pm Nicholas Conneely and Margaret and Anthony Lynch.

Sunday 1st July
9.30 am     Intention free
11am         Delia Delaney
12.15 pm  Intention free
6.30 pm    Intention free

21 June 2012

Eucharistic Congress Closing Mass Full Video


This video of the Eucharistic Congress Closing Mass and the musical recitals beforehand is provided by the Canadian Catholic television channel, Salt and Light. Why not hop around the video at a few points to get a flavour of the occasion?

Western Bishops welcome Papal Legate to Knock

(Photo: Archdiocese of Tuam)

The Papal Legate for the Eucharistic Congress, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, celebrated Mass at Our Lady's Shrine, Knock last Saturday. The Bishops of the Western Province welcomed Cardinal Ouellet and the Apostolic Nuncio to Knock.
Pictured above (left to right): Bishop Brendan Kelly (Achonry), Bishop Martin Drennan (Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora), Bishop Christopher Jones (Elphin), Archbishop Michael Neary (Tuam), Cardinal Marc Ouellet (Papal Legate), Archbishop Charles Brown (Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland), Bishop John Kirby (Clonfert), Bishop John Fleming (Killala).

18 June 2012

Eucharistic Congress Statio Orbis, Final Mass of the International Eucharistic Congress 2012 at Croke Park

The crowds assembling at Croke Park for the Final Mass of the Eucharistic Congress

The Eucharistic Congress came to a close yesterday with the Statio Orbis, as the concluding Mass of a Eucharistic Congress is called. The Mass was held at Croke Park, Dublin, and the celebrant was the Papal Legate to the Congress, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops. The stadium was alive with a vibrant sense of communion with Christ and with one another. People from every parish in Ireland joined with pilgrims from all over the world in a very joyful and prayerful celebration of faith and of love for the Eucharist. Fr Hugh Clifford and 18 representatives of Sacred Heart Parish were present at the ceremony.
Cardinal Ouellet said in his homily,
'After this week of Eucharistic reflection, celebration and adoration, we are certainly more aware of God’s call to communion with Him and with one another. Let us bear witness to this grace by calling others to faith in this communion. The Irish bell, which resounds from Lough Derg, from Knock and Dublin, must resound in the whole world. Let’s ring the bell further through our personal testimony of renewed faith in the Holy Eucharist. Faith is the most precious gift we have received with Baptism. Let’s not keep it private and fearful! Let it grow as a splendid tree through sharing everywhere!'
Before the end of Mass, the video message from Pope Benedict XVI to the Congress was shown. The Pope spoke of how the full active participation of the faithful in the Eucharistic Sacrifice is not just about external activity. It means entering the inner depths of the mystery of the Eucharist in a personal encounter with Our Lord. Recalling the scandals of recent times, Pope Benedict reminded us that Ireland has been shaped by the Mass at its deepest level for centuries and that we are heirs to a Church that has been a mighty force for good in the world. He showed how the Eucharistic Congress can help in the renewal of the Church in Ireland with his reminder that our worship should not become a matter of habit, but ought to be a deep personal relationship with the goodness of Christ. The Pope made the announcement that the next International Eucharistic Congress will be held in Cebu in the Philippines in 2016.
The President of this Dublin Eucharistic Congress, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin thanked Fr Kevin Doran, the General Secretary of the Congress and his team and he stressed that this Congress can provide an impetus for the task ahead:
The 50th International Eucharistic Congress was not just a seven-day event. Over the past year a great deal of catechesis has been carried out across Ireland in preparation for this week. Tomorrow we must start our catechesis anew to prolong the fruits of this Eucharistic Congress through a dynamic of New Evangelization.
Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Papal Legate to the Eucharistic Congress, addresses the congregation

Fr Barry Horan at the Mass in Croke Park
Fr Barry did huge work as the Delegate of Galway Diocese in preparation for the Eucharistic Congress.

Sharing the joy of the occasion: Canon Joseph Keogh, Fr Anthony Minniter and Monsignor Sean O'Flaherty

Some of the Galway priests present at the Mass:
In front: Canon Joseph Keogh, Fr Anthony Minniter, Monsignor Sean O'Flaherty
Behind: Fr Denis Murphy OP, Fr Ian O'Neill, Canon Martin Moran, Fr Hugh Clifford

Fr Hugh Clifford with Kathleen Cazabon, one of the 18 people who represented
Sacred Heart Parish at the Final Mass of the Eucharistic Congress

Crowds of people were greeting Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland,
on the street outside Croke Park after the Mass.

Representing the Knights of Malta: Paschal Diviney, Deputy National Director of the
Order of Malta Ambulance Corps, and former Sacred Heart parishioner

Pope Benedict XVI's Message to the Eucharistic Congress


Dear Brothers and Sisters,
With great affection in the Lord, I greet all of you who have gathered in Dublin for the Fiftieth International Eucharistic Congress, especially Cardinal Brady, Archbishop Martin, the clergy, religious and faithful of Ireland, and all of you who have come from afar to support the Irish Church with your presence and prayers.
The theme of the Congress – Communion with Christ and with One Another – leads us to reflect upon the Church as a mystery of fellowship with the Lord and with all the members of his body. From the earliest times the notion of koinonia or communio has been at the core of the Church’s understanding of herself, her relationship to Christ her founder, and the sacraments she celebrates, above all the Eucharist. Through our Baptism, we are incorporated into Christ’s death, reborn into the great family of the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ; through Confirmation we receive the seal of the Holy Spirit; and by our sharing in the Eucharist, we come into communion with Christ and each other visibly here on earth. We also receive the pledge of eternal life to come.
The Congress also occurs at a time when the Church throughout the world is preparing to celebrate the Year of Faith to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the start of the Second Vatican Council, an event which launched the most extensive renewal of the Roman Rite ever known. Based upon a deepening appreciation of the sources of the liturgy, the Council promoted the full and active participation of the faithful in the Eucharistic sacrifice. At our distance today from the Council Fathers’ expressed desires regarding liturgical renewal, and in the light of the universal Church’s experience in the intervening period, it is clear that a great deal has been achieved; but it is equally clear that there have been many misunderstandings and irregularities. The renewal of external forms, desired by the Council Fathers, was intended to make it easier to enter into the inner depth of the mystery. Its true purpose was to lead people to a personal encounter with the Lord, present in the Eucharist, and thus with the living God, so that through this contact with Christ’s love, the love of his brothers and sisters for one another might also grow. Yet not infrequently, the revision of liturgical forms has remained at an external level, and "active participation" has been confused with external activity. Hence much still remains to be done on the path of real liturgical renewal. In a changed world, increasingly fixated on material things, we must learn to recognize anew the mysterious presence of the Risen Lord, which alone can give breadth and depth to our life.
The Eucharist is the worship of the whole Church, but it also requires the full engagement of each individual Christian in the Church’s mission; it contains a call to be the holy people of God, but also one to individual holiness; it is to be celebrated with great joy and simplicity, but also as worthily and reverently as possible; it invites us to repent of our sins, but also to forgive our brothers and sisters; it binds us together in the Spirit, but it also commands us in the same Spirit to bring the good news of salvation to others.
Moreover, the Eucharist is the memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, his body and blood given in the new and eternal covenant for the forgiveness of sins and the transformation of the world. Ireland has been shaped by the Mass at the deepest level for centuries, and by its power and grace generations of monks, martyrs and missionaries have heroically lived the faith at home and spread the Good News of God’s love and forgiveness well beyond your shores. You are the heirs to a Church that has been a mighty force for good in the world, and which has given a profound and enduring love of Christ and his blessed Mother to many, many others. Your forebears in the Church in Ireland knew how to strive for holiness and constancy in their personal lives, how to preach the joy that comes from the Gospel, how to promote the importance of belonging to the universal Church in communion with the See of Peter, and how to pass on a love of the faith and Christian virtue to other generations. Our Catholic faith, imbued with a radical sense of God’s presence, caught up in the beauty of his creation all around us, and purified through personal penance and awareness of God’s forgiveness, is a legacy that is surely perfected and nourished when regularly placed on the Lord’s altar at the sacrifice of the Mass. Thankfulness and joy at such a great history of faith and love have recently been shaken in an appalling way by the revelation of sins committed by priests and consecrated persons against people entrusted to their care. Instead of showing them the path towards Christ, towards God, instead of bearing witness to his goodness, they abused people and undermined the credibility of the Church’s message. How are we to explain the fact that people who regularly received the Lord’s body and confessed their sins in the sacrament of Penance have offended in this way? It remains a mystery. Yet evidently, their Christianity was no longer nourished by joyful encounter with Jesus Christ: it had become merely a matter of habit. The work of the Council was really meant to overcome this form of Christianity and to rediscover the faith as a deep personal friendship with the goodness of Jesus Christ. The Eucharistic Congress has a similar aim. Here we wish to encounter the Risen Lord. We ask him to touch us deeply. May he who breathed on the Apostles at Easter, communicating his Spirit to them, likewise bestow upon us his breath, the power of the Holy Spirit, and so help us to become true witnesses to his love, witnesses to the truth. His truth is love. Christ’s love is truth.
My dear brothers and sisters, I pray that the Congress will be for each of you a spiritually fruitful experience of communion with Christ and his Church. At the same time, I would like to invite you to join me in praying for God’s blessing upon the next International Eucharistic Congress, which will take place in 2016 in the city of Cebu! To the people of the Philippines I send warm greetings and an assurance of my closeness in prayer during the period of preparation for this great ecclesial gathering. I am confident that it will bring lasting spiritual renewal not only to them but to all the participants from across the globe. In the meantime, I commend everyone taking part in the present Congress to the loving protection of Mary, Mother of God, and to Saint Patrick, the great patron of Ireland; and, as a token of joy and peace in the Lord, I willingly impart my Apostolic Blessing.

16 June 2012

Funeral of Christy O’Brien, RIP, Cluainín, Inishannagh Park

Reposing at O'Flaherty's Funeral Parlour, Munster Avenue, this Monday, June 18th 2012 from 6.00pm with removal at 7.30pm to Sacred Heart Church. Funeral Mass on Tuesday at 11.00am. Burial afterwards in the New Cemetery, Bohermore.

May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Parish Announcements for Sunday, June 17th 2012

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

  • The International Eucharistic Congress ends today (Sunday) with the Statio Orbis Mass in Croke Park. 19 Sacred Heart parishioners will be in attendance. There will be live coverage on television on RTE 1 from 2pm until 5.20pm.
  • Next Sunday, June 24th 2012 will be the Feast of the Birth of Saint John the Baptist.
  • The annual Peter's Pence collection will take place at all Sunday Masses next week. The Peter's Pence funds the charitable activities of the Pope for the year ahead.
  • We pray for Christy O'Brien of Cluainin, Inishannagh Park who has died. See funeral notice in the posting above.

Eucharistic Congress Final Mass this Sunday

Croke Park, Dublin, being prepared for the final Mass of the International Eucharistic Congress 2012
The Eucharistic Congress comes to an end this Sunday, June 17th 2012 with the Closing Mass at Croke Park, to be celebrated by the Papal Legate to the Eucharistic Congress, Cardinal Marc Oullet. Ceremonies begin at 1.00pm. An attendance of 80,000 people is expected. 19 parishioners will represent Sacred Heart Parish at the Mass. Of course, at all Sunday Masses in Sacred Heart Church, we will be conscious of our communion with all those attending the Congress and again, as we have done all week, we will consider our celebrations to be part of the Congress itself.
The Closing Mass will be shown live on RTE and EWTN.

To read talks given at the Congress and for lots of useful information on all that happened this week, click here for the Congress website.

15 June 2012

Mass intentions for the week ahead 17th June 2012

Saturday 16th June  Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
                     10am      Missa Pro Populo (Mass for the People)
Vigil Mass   6.30 pm  Eddie Burke

Sunday 17th June
9.30 am     Intention free
11am         1.  Ann Mitchell and 2. Willie Corcoran and Thomas and Bridget McDonagh
12.15 pm   1. Delia and James Rabbitte and 2. Bridie Tedders
3.30 pm     Indian Community Mass
6.30 pm     Michael Francis and baby Michael Joseph Francis

Monday 18th June
10am  Intention free
Tuesday 19th June
10am  For all the sick and Elizabeth Keane
Wednesday 20th June
10am  1. Mary Anne Joyce and 2. Charlie Ward
Thursday 21st June
10am  1. Deceased members of the Duignan family
           2. Tom Sherlock (Months Mind Mass)
Friday 22nd June
10am  Mary and Paddy O'Flaherty

Saturday 23rd June
Vigil Mass   6.30 pm   1.  Peter Cooke and 2.   Stephen Griffin

Sunday 24th June
9.30 am  Mary and Paddy Lenihan
11am      Michael Maye (Months Mind Mass)
12.15 pm  1. William O'Connor and 2. Gillian Moloney Bocxe
6.30 pm    Intention free

14 June 2012

Sacred Heart of Jesus - Parish Feast Day this Friday



This Friday, June 15th 2012, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is the parish feast day. All this week, we have been uniting our Masses with the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin. Therefore, on Friday, we hope to celebrate this special day in our parish in communion with the Congress. The theme on Friday for the Congress will be 'Communion in suffering and in healing'. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will be taking place at the Congress Mass at the RDS and so we will do the same at 10am Mass here in Sacred Heart Church.
Any sacrament is a significant event in the life of a person. Therefore, anybody who, after reflection, is conscious of the need for the healing grace of this Sacrament because of any form of illness, is welcome to receive the Sacrament of the Sick at this Mass. Blog readers are asked to pass this invitation on to family members or neighbours who are sick at this time, and perhaps, to offer them transport to the Church for the Mass.

A Day at the Eucharistic Congress

A section of the Eucharistic Procession on the Wednesday evening of the Eucharistic Congress
(Photo: Archdiocese of Dublin)
I (Fr Hugh) attended the International Eucharistic Congress at the RDS in Dublin yesterday. The theme for the day was 'Priesthood and Ministry in the Service of Communion'. There was an atmosphere of true communion, joy and friendship throughout the RDS campus. I met familiar people from all over Ireland and there was a good Galway presence on the day too. The morning talks were full to overflowing.
Mass for the Feast of St Anthony of Padua was celebrated by Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa in Honduras. He spoke of St Anthony's love for the Eucharist and told the famous story of Anthony and the mule. Light showers did not dampen devotion at the Mass. The rain ponchos provided in the pilgrim pack protected those who chose to seat themselves in the ground area of the arena while those who chose to sit in the seats in the stands were well sheltered.
The skies cleared beautifully on time for the evening Eucharistic Procession, which turned out to be a special and memorable occasion. The Garda figures put the size of the crowd processing at 12,500. The planned route was to have been 2.5km long, but because of the length of the procession, this had to be extended.
If you can be free on Friday or Saturday, I would recommend a trip to Dublin to experience the Eucharistic Congress. Tickets can be purchased at the RDS if you are travelling independently, but you can also book ticket and bus journey together for a day by telephoning the Galway Diocesan Pastoral Centre at 091-565066.

10 June 2012

Feast of Corpus Christi - Sacred Heart Parish marks opening of Eucharistic Congress

The Consecration at the Mass for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, celebrated by Monsignor Malachy Hallinan
Sacred Heart Parish joined in communion with the International Eucharistic Congress which opened in Dublin today. At all Masses, we were conscious of this, but especially at the 12.15pm Mass which marked the opening in a particular way. There was a large attendance and the enthusiasm and sense of devotion was to be felt strongly among the congregation.
Benediction was held and the Blessed Sacrament was then exposed for the rest of the day. Many people came to pray before the Blessed Sacrament during the day.


Views of the congregation

Fr Malachy Hallinan and Fr Hugh Clifford after the Benediction

Three generations in communion with Christ and with one another

Handing on the faith

Celebrating the Eucharistic Congress in Sacred Heart Parish

9 June 2012

Parish Announcements for Sunday, June 10th 2012

Solemnity of Corpus Christi
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Opening Day of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, Dublin 2012

  • To mark the opening of the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, we will end our 12.15pm Mass today with Benediction and a procession to the Adoration Chapel. All-day Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel will follow. All Ministers of Holy Communion and Adorers are invited to attend this Mass. Also, all children of the parish who received their First Holy Communion this year, in any school, are invited to attend dressed in their First Communion outfits.
  • This week, there will be Mass on Saturday morning, June 16th 2012 at 10am for the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Therefore, weekday Masses this week will be from Monday to Saturday at 10am each morning. Friday, June 15th is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to whom this Church and Parish are dedicated. This being the week of the Eucharistic Congress, we are inviting any parishioners who can come in the mornings to come out to weekday Mass this week so as to be in communion with the Congress as a parish.
  • The tickets for the final Mass of the Eucharistic Congress at Croke Park next Sunday, June 17th are now available. All those who applied for the tickets through the diocesan office have been allocated tickets and we have these here in the parish for you now. Please call in to the sacristy after any Mass or call to the Parish Office on Monday, Wednesday or Friday between 10.30am and 1.00pm.
  • A bus from Galway Cathedral is being organised for the weekdays of the Eucharistic Congress at the RDS. For details of the themes for each day and of the bus, click here.
  • The Easter offerings for the payment of the salaries of the priests of the parish (a fixed amount) came to 9105 euro. Sincere gratitude for your contributions.

8 June 2012

Mass Intentions for the week ahead 10th June 2012

Saturday 9th June
Vigil Mass   6.30 pm  1.  John Walsh and 2.  James Geraghty
Sunday 10th June
9.30 am  Paddy and Annie O'Neill and deceased members of the O'Neill family
11am      Jean Devlin and 2. Sarah and Dick Devlin
12.15 pm  1. Peter and Margaret Joyce and 2. William Lambe
6.30 pm    1.  Derek Lee and 2. Paul Daly (Months Mind Mass)

Monday 11th June
10am   Fr. Anthony Hoade
Tuesday 12th June
10am  For all the sick and Nora, Mariah and Michael Kelly
Wednesday 13th June
10am  Stephen Nee
Thursday 14th June
10am  Intention free
Friday 15th June   Feast of the Sacred Heart
10am  Catherine Keane

Saturday 16th June Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
10am  Missa Pro Popula (for the people)
Vigil Mass      6.30 pm  Eddie Burke

Sunday 17th June
9.30 am   Intention free
11am       1. Ann Mitchell and 2. Willie Corcoran and Thomas and Bridget McDonagh
12.15 pm    1. Delia and James Rabbitte and 2. Bridie Tedders
3.30 pm      Indian Community Mass
6.30 pm      Michael Francis and baby Michael Joseph Francis



7 June 2012

Preview of Eucharistic Congress

Here's a short video in which Fr Kevin Doran explains what the Eucharistic Congress is all about and what will be happening next week.


Notice Received: Cancer Care West


Cancer Care West are hosting two talks in June which may be of interest to cancer patients and their families.
On Monday June 11, Mr Eamonn Rogers, Consultant Urological Surgeon  is giving a presentation on ‘Coping with Prostate Cancer’. Over the last year the centre has offered support to men coping with this diagnosis and it is clear that for some men, this diagnosis causes ongoing stress. We are delighted that Mr Rogers has agreed to give this talk which will provide people with an overview of coping with prostate cancer. We are hoping to set up a support group if people are interested in meeting on a once per month basis. This talk is free of charge and takes place at 8pm on Monday June 11 in the Cancer Support Centre at 72 Seamus Quirke Road, Westside, Galway.

On Monday June 18, Ms Cathy McCarthy is giving a talk ‘A Cancer Diagnosis – Choose Your Attitude and Change Your Life’. Cathy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and has written a book about her journey called ‘Not the Year You Had Planned’. It is full of practical help and the response of those who have read has been very positive. It is helpful to both patients and family members. If you are affected by cancer in any way, you may find this talk interesting. This talk is free of charge and takes place at 8pm on Monday June 18 in the Cancer Support Centre at 72 Seamus Quirke Road, Westside, Galway.

Dr. Helen Greally
Director of Psychology & Support Services
Cancer Care West

Notice Received: Galway Simon Community


To register for this mini marathon, click here.

6 June 2012

Eucharistic Congress starts next Sunday

Those who applied for tickets for the final Mass of the Eucharistic Congress at Croke Park can collect them and make the 10 euro contribution at the parish office (opening times: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10.30am to 1.00pm).


The opening of the Congress will be marked here in the parish at the 12.15pm Mass this coming Sunday, June 10th 2012.

Here is a YouTube video made by the students of the MA in the History of the Media, UCD School of History and Archives about the 1932 Eucharistic Congress in Ireland:


4 June 2012

Congratulations to new Priests of Tuam Archdiocese

Archbishop Michael Neary ordaining Fr Shane Sullivan.
Congratulations to Fr Eugene O'Boyle and Fr Shane Sullivan, ordained Priests for our neighbouring Archdiocese of Tuam yesterday in Tuam Cathedral. We wish them many happy years of service among the Lord's flock. Fr Eugene's brother Adrian, when staying in Galway, occasionally comes to Mass in Sacred Heart Church and so we congratulate Adrian too on this happy occasion.

Fr Eugene O'Boyle gives his first blessing to his family after his ordination.

Meanwhile, while on the topic of vocations, here is a female religious order with many new entrants in recent years. Some of these Nashville Dominican Sisters will be visiting Ireland next week for the Eucharistic Congress.

3 June 2012

World Meeting of Families concludes

The World Meeting of Families in Milan came to an end with Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in Bresso Park, attended by one million people. He announced that the next World Meeting of Families will take place in Philadelphia, USA, in 2015. In his homily, the Pope spoke about marriage and the family:
God’s plan for the human couple finds its fullness in Jesus Christ, who raised marriage to the level of a sacrament. Dear married couples, by means of a special gift of the Holy Spirit, Christ gives you a share in his spousal love, making you a sign of his faithful and all-embracing love for the Church. If you can receive this gift, renewing your “yes” each day by faith, with the strength that comes from the grace of the sacrament, then your family will grow in God’s love according to the model of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

2 June 2012

Pope Benedict XVI at World Meeting of Families in Milan


Pope Benedict XVI is at the World Meeting of Families in Milan at the moment, praying for the families of the world. We join with him and all those gathered in Milan to pray for families in these challenging times.

On Friday evening, Pope Benedict attended a concert at Milan's famous La Scala theatre:

Parish Announcements for Sunday, June 3rd 2012

Trinity Sunday
  • To mark the opening of the International Eucharistic Congress, we will celebrate in a special way as a parish at the 12.15pm Mass next Sunday, June 10th 2012, the Feast of Corpus Christi. All the Ministers of Holy Communion and the Adorers are requested to be present. Those who received First Holy Communion this year, whether in this Church or in any other Church, are invited to come dressed in their First Communion outfit. For full details, see our previous posting by clicking here.
  • A bus is being organised from Galway for each of the weekdays of the Eucharistic Congress from June 11th to 16th 2012 at the RDS in Dublin. To book, telephone the Galway Diocesan Pastoral Centre at (091) 565066. For full details, click on this previous posting here.
  • The tickets for the final Mass of the Eucharistic Congress at Croke Park on Sunday, June 17th, have now arrived to us in the parish. The names of the parishioners who applied are on the tickets. We ask those who applied to collect the tickets and make the 10 euro contribution at the Parish Office this coming Wednesday, June 6th 2012 between 10.30am and 1.00pm.
  • Congratulations to the pupils of Scoil Bhride, Shantalla who were confirmed by Bishop Martin Drennan here in the Church on Friday. We pray God's blessing on their parents, families, teachers, school staff and all who prepared them for this special day. See posting on Confirmation Day by clicking here.
  • We pray for and wish well our students beginning Leaving and Junior Certificate exams this week.
  • Sincere thanks for your generous donations to the Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage Invalids Fund which amounted to 600 euro.
  • We pray for Fionnuala McDonagh, late of Fursey Road, who died during the week.

1 June 2012

Confirmation Day 2012 in Sacred Heart Church

Confirmation in Sacred Heart Church
Congratulations to sixth class pupils of Scoil Bhride, Shantalla, who were confirmed by Bishop Martin Drennan in Sacred Heart Church today. Compliments to Ms. Geraldine Brogan and Mr. Robin White for all their good work in preparing the young people for the Sacrament. The choir was directed by Ms. Aoife Bruen. The ceremony was very prayerful. We pray for these young people that the gifts of the Holy Spirit may enable them to live very fruitful lives living like Christ.

Ms. Liz Hanrahan, Fr. Hugh Clifford, Ms. Gillian Bogan, Mons. Malachy Hallinan

Bishop Martin Drennan and Fr. Hugh Clifford with the Altar Servers

The families had their photographs taken with the Bishop after Mass.

Bishop Martin Drennan and Fr. Hugh Clifford with the class teachers, Mr. Robin White and Ms. Geraldine Brogan

Mass intentions for the week ahead 3rd June 2012

Saturday 2nd June
Vigil Mass  6.30 pm  Peg and John McMahon and 2. Tony Frawley

Sunday 3rd June   Trinity Sunday
9.30 am      Angela Feeney and deceased members of Carpenter and Feeney families.
11am          Patrick Holland and twin sister Nonie Costello and 2. Edmond and Raymond Toner
12.15pm     Margaret and Patrick Conway and 2.  Bertie Collins
6.30 pm      Volodia Alarcon

Monday 4th June
10am    Mary and Frank Moran
Tuesday 5th June
10am   For all the Sick and Nora and John Newell
Wednesday 6th June
10am   Martin and Mary Curran and deceased members of family
Thursday 7th June
10am    Mary and Thomas Welby and Mary Faherty
Friday 8th June
10am    Rose Reilly who died recently,

Saturday 9th June
Vigil Mass  6.30 pm  John Walsh and 2. James Geraghty

Sunday 10th June   Feast of Corpus Christi
9.30 am      Paddy and Annie O'Neill and deceased members of the O'Neill family.
11am          Jean Devlin and 2. Sarah and Dick Devlin
12.15 pm   Peter and Margaret Joyce and 2. William Lambe
6.30 pm     Derek Lee and 2. Paul Daly (Months Mind Mass)