9th Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 1st 2008.

"Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock" Matthew 7:24

THIS IS THE FIRST SUNDAY WITHIN OUR SILVER JUBILEE MONTH LONG CELEBRATIONS. OUR THEME FOR THIS SUNDAY IS CLEANSING AND RECONCILIATION. WE GIVE THANKS TO CHRIST FOR SHARING HIS LOVE WITH US IN THE CLEANSING WATERS OF BAPTISM AND THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION. WE INVITE ALL WHO WERE BAPTISED IN OUR CHURCH FROM 1983 TO 2008 TO OUR MASSES THIS SUNDAY.

DON'T FORGET OUR GREAT COMPETITIONS FOR ALL AGES! SCROLL DOWN TO THE RELEVANT POST BELOW FOR ALL THE DETAILS.

May 31st, Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Mass Intentions for the week ahead, June 1st. Click on the image to see it clearer...

HAPPY FEAST DAY!

TODAY IS THE FEAST DAY OF OUR CHURCH AND THE BEGINNING OF OUR MONTH LONG SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS (SEE THE TIMETABLE BELOW). HAPPY FEAST DAY ONE AND ALL!

St. Augustine of Canterbury - Saint of the Day - American Catholic

COPYRIGHT - Saint of the Day - American Catholic: Augustine of Canterbury comes across today as a very human saint, one who could suffer like many of us from a failure of nerve. For example, his first venture to England ended in a big U-turn back to Rome. He made mistakes and met failure in his peacemaking attempts with the Briton Christians. He often wrote to Rome for decisions on matters he could have decided on his own had he been more self-assured. He even received mild warnings against pride from Pope Gregory, who cautioned him to “fear lest, amidst the wonders that are done, the weak mind be puffed up by self-esteem.” Augustine’s perseverance amidst obstacles and only partial success teaches today’s apostles and pioneers to struggle on despite frustrations and be satisfied with gradual advances.

Quote:

In a letter to Augustine, Pope Gregory the Great wrote: 'He who would climb to a lofty height must go by steps, not leaps.'

Did you know Canterbury in Kent and Our Lady's Shrine in Walsingham in Norfolk were two of the holiest Christian shrines before the Reformation? Today again they are attracting pilgrims from all faiths and are especially a focus of ecumenical gathering. The late Pope John Paul the Second prayed with the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie, at the shrine of Saint Thomas á Beckett in Canterbury in 1982.

Poor Clares in Galway on Nationwide.

The Poor Clares here in Galway will feature on the Nationwide Programme on RTE 1, tomorrow night, Wednesday, May 28th, at 7. Our city would be a much poorer place without their presence dating back to 1642. Check out their excellent website www.poorclares.ie

Steering Committee.

The next meeting for our Steering Committee for the Silver Jubilee is tomorrow night, Wednesday, May 28th, in the Church Rooms at 8. On Friday let the celebrations begin!

Reminder of Talk. Click to see clearer.

Ordination to Diaconate.

Your prayers are asked this week for Martin Whelan who will be ordained to the Diaconate for our diocese next Sunday, June 1st, in St. Patrick's College, Maynooth. Martin is from the Parish of Ardrahan/Labane and, Please God, he will be ordained to the Priesthood in 2009. We only have one other student besides Martin, Patrick O'Donoghue, from the Parish of Lisdoonvarna and Kilshanny who is studying at the Irish College in Rome. This is a very serious situation for our diocese and, as this is a year of special prayer for vocations, your prayers are more valued for this cause than ever. See the links to the various sites on vocations on the menu bar on the right.

First Holy Communion, May 24th 2008.

Congratulations to the boys and girls above from Scoil Bhríde who made their First Holy Communion today. Thank you to all the wonderful staff and helpers, to Mr. White and Mrs Cunningham, to Dorothy, Sister Angela and all the choir, to Sr. Mary, Dawn, Mary and Breda of the Pre-Sacramental Team and to all who helped out in whatever way. Click on the image to see the names clearer.

SILVER JUBILEE COMPETITIONS! GRRRREAT PRIZES! SOMETHING FOR ALL AGES! CLICK ON THE POSTER TO FIND OUT MORE!!!

FATHER MALACHY WILL BE GIVING ALL THE 'HOW TO' DETAILS AT SUNDAY MASS AND WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE JUBILEE.

OUR JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS BEGIN NEXT FRIDAY!!! CLICK ON THE POSTER TO SEE THE TIMETABLE CLEARER!

Feast of Corpus Christi, Sunday, May 25th.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

'At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Saviour instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet "in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us"(Dei Verbum) '

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD, MAY 25TH.

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FRIDAY NEXT, MAY 30TH, IS THE FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART TO WHICH OUR CHURCH IS DEDICATED. THERE ARE TWO MASSES ON THE DAY, 10:00 AND 7:30 (WHICH IS A MONTHS MIND MASS FOR RITA O'CONNOR, 25 JOHN COOGAN PARK). FRIDAY NEXT ALSO SEES THE BEGINNING OF OUR MONTH LONG SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS...WATCH THIS SPACE!

SATURDAY, MAY 31ST, IS THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY. THERE ARE ALSO TWO MASSES AT 11:00 (WHICH IS THE MONTH'S MIND MASS FOR MARTY LEE, 22 COLMCILLE ROAD) AND THE USUAL 7:30 VIGIL MASS.

POPE BENEDICT'S CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION HONOURS FLIGHT OF THE EARLS.

Today,22 May 200, will see the re-enactment, by eight students from the Pontifical Irish College, of the participation of Earl Hugh O’Neill in the Corpus Christi procession in Rome of 1608. As the Vatican celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi tomorrow, the seminarians will accompany Pope Benedict XVI in this procession through the streets of Rome.
Two deacons, Colin Crossey from the Diocese of Down and Connor and Shane Gallagher from the Diocese of Raphoe, will participate in the Corpus Christi Mass, while six other seminarians (four of whom are Irish, see below) will flank Pope Benedict from 7.00pm as the procession covers the route between two of Rome’s major basilicas: Saint John Lateran and Saint Mary Majors.
The ceremony will be attended by representatives from the Irish Embassy to the Holy See and from the Irish Embassy to Italy as well as by members of the Irish community living in Rome.

According to Monsignor Liam Bergin, Rector of the Pontifical Irish College, “The honour shown to the Irish Earls 400 years ago, by Pope Paul V, has been revisited on eight Irish College seminarians who will assist Pope Benedict in this procession tomorrow. As this anniversary is being marked in Ireland and beyond by historical and cultural events, it is appropriate that the religious dimension is also acknowledged and that the welcome given to the Catholic princes four centuries ago, by the Holy See, be joyously celebrated today.”
The Irish seminarians who will flank Pope Benedict XVI tomorrow during the Corpus Christi procession will be:

- Patrick O’Donoghue from the Diocese of Galway (Parish of Lisdoonvarna and Kilshanny);

- Colin Rothery from the Archdiocese of Dublin;
- Michael Hinds from the Diocese of Meath; and,
- Sean Davidson from the Diocese of Elphin.

Photographs of this Corpus Christi procession will be available from the Catholic Communications Office from 9.00pm (Irish time) on 22 May www.catholiccommunications.ie

Having set out from Rathmullen on 14 September 1607, O’Neill and his followers arrived in Rome on 29 April 1608. The party was received with full honours by Pope Paul V and was given prominence at civil and religious events in the city. O’Neill, together with his son-in-law and six other nobles of his party, were given the particular honour of carrying the canopy in the Corpus Christi procession on 5 June 1608. Tadhg Ó Cianáin’s contemporary diary of the event records that: “The Italians were greatly surprised that they should be shown such deference and respect, for some of them said that seldom before was any one nation in the world appointed to carry the canopy. With the ambassadors of all the Catholic kings and princes of Christendom who happened to be in the city at that time it was an established custom that they, in succession, every year got their opportunity to carry the canopy. They were jealous, envious, and surprised that they were not allowed to carry it on that particular day.”
Former Taoiseach Mr Bertie Ahern TD launched Tadhg Ó Cianáin’s diary in Dublin Castle on 21 November 2007. The diary is now available, along with its translation, in the publications section of www.irishcollege.org.
Further information:
Martin Long, Director of Communications 086- 1727678
Brenda Drumm, Communications Officer 087- 2337797

Vita need your help.

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 Check out their website www.vita.ie 

A Vision for Catholic education.

As Ireland becomes more diverse, the debate about Catholic Schools has become a topic of national debate. This Trinity Sunday the Bishop's have launched their pastoral letter outlining the vision for Catholic education in these changing times. You can get the full text on

www.catholiccommunications.ie

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD, MAY 18TH.

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The Indian Community Monthly Mass is on Wednesday at 5:30.

There is an evening Mass on Friday at 8:00 (note the later time). It's a Month's Mind Mass for Martin Forde,R.I.P., 19 Cruachan Park.

There are three Masses on Saturday, 11:00, First Communion Mass for Scoil Bhríde, 12:30, Month's Mind Mass for Michael 'Mick' Foley, R.I.P., 11 Rockmount Road, the usual Vigil Mass at 7:30.