Dear Friends,
Today is the First Sunday of Lent.
Novena of Grace to St. Francis Xavier (1506 – 1552)
The Novena of Grace began on Tuesday, March 4th and will conclude on Wednesday, March 12th .Our preacher this year is Fr. Sam Sawyer, SJ who comes from New York. Fr. Sam is editor-in chief of the Jesuit magazine America.
It is very consoling to see so many attending the different sessions of the Novena. Ou church was made for large congregations and so it’s at its best during these days. Thank you all for coming.
The Season of Lent
The 40 days of Lent echo the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert prior to his ministry.
Lent is a timeto work again at being reconcilers, peacemakers, ambassadors for Christ. Lentis always associated with prayer, fasting and almsgiving. How can each of us becreative and
imaginative infasting and performing works of mercy and compassion during this season ofLent? You will only be able to answer this question for yourself!
Fr. Brendan
SPECIAL APPEALDURING THE NOVENA – MONDAY 10TH MARCH
It is usual during the Novena of Grace to have a special appeal for some urgent and worthy cause. This year, we have opted for the Displaced People of Sudan. The war in Sudan continues to ravage the lives of thousands of people. What is happening is a forgotten
crisis away from the media headlines. Months of military violence and bombing have displaced whole families. They have fled to Renk, one of the transit zones atthe border of neighbouring South Sudan. It is at Renk that YOUR SUPPORT and generosity can make a massive difference to mainly women and children who have experienced the unimaginable.
As well as providing emergency humanitarian aid such as food, shelter and medical assistance – refugee camps at the transit zone become a source of respite for those who have taken long and dangerous journeys to safety. This Sudan appeal is a reaching out to the most vulnerable and marginalised of our world. Please give generously on Monday 10th during the Novena Masses.
SAINT OF THE WEEK– St. John Ogilvie, S.J. (1579-1615) – 10th March
John was born in Banffshire, Scotland into a noble Scots family of mixed Presbyterian and Catholic allegiance. At the age of fifteen he was sent abroad by his father to have the full benefits of French Calvinism. John had other ideas! He was received into the Catholic Church at the Scots College in Louvain, Belgium. He then entered the Jesuits. He was ordained priest in Paris in 1610. He heard of the perilous state of Catholicism in Scotland and, after many requests, was sent back there. He was active under cover in Edinburgh and Glasgow. A pretended ‘convert’ betrayed John to the civil authorities. John was arrested, imprisoned and tortured. He refused to give the names of his Catholic compatriots. He was brought to trial, condemned and executed on a charge of high treason in 1615. John was canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1976.
OUR NEW DEACON
Patrick Corkery, S.J. was ordained to the diaconate by Archbishop Dermot Farrell last Sunday, 2nd March, in the Chapel of Gonzaga College. Patrick has just completed this theological studies in Toronto, Canada and is now a member of the Jesuit Community in Gardiner Street. We wish him well and look forward to Patrick’s priestly ordination later in the year.
THE LITTLE 11-TODAY
Special activities for children every second Sunday at 11 am Mass. Children are led in special faith formation activities, such as guided prayer, story telling, drawing, etc. by a group of safeguarded volunteers These activities take (for15-20 minutes) in the Coffee Room, opposite the door leading to Pope Francis corridor. Parents are also welcome
BL. JOHNSULLIVAN SJ MONTHLY MASS Blessing of the sick and thanksgiving for his life on Saturday 15th March at 1 pm.
POPE FRANCIS PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH
For families in crisis
Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other's gifts, even in their differences.
LAST WEEKCOLLECTION
Church: € 701,
Share collection: € 123.
Card reader: €249