Dear Parishioners,
I hope many of you were able to join us on Saturday morning for the annual Mass of thanksgiving for the life of Bl. John Sullivan. We marked the occasion with the blessing of a new painting of Bl. John outside the Mater Hospital. The artist’s name is Will Nathans. Next time you are in the John Sullivan Room you will see it hanging on the wall. Recently deceased Fr Conor Harper SJ was in our hearts and we give thanks to Bishop Alan McGuckian and Archbishop Michael Jackson from the Church of Ireland for joining us.
Also, people have been reminding me of late not to forget about those watching Mass online or listening on parish radio. Mea culpa! I ought to remember to say hello more often and include you in the prayers of the Mass. I just got out of the habit after Covid.
Every blessing for the week ahead.
Fr. Niall
PILGRIMAGE TO MEDJUGORJE 7th-14th AUGUST 2024
For young people 16 years and older. If interested, please contact Fr. Niall.
IS THERE A HYMN OR A SONG YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR?
Feel free to let us know if you have any suggestions for hymns or songs that you would like to see included in our Choir’s Sunday programme.
CARING FOR OUR COMMON HOME DURING LENT
In Laudato si, Pope Francis calls us to undergo an ecological conversion.
Lent is a good time to make small changes in our routine to contribute to the care of our common home. Here are some suggestions. Why not put one of them into practice for each week of this Lent?
THE ANNUAL COLLECTION FOR ACCORD – 17th & 18Th February
Accord is the Diocesan Agency for Marriage and the Family. The annual collection will be made at all Masses this weekend.
ACCORD Dublin needs your support this year more than ever. Please give generously.
THE NOVENA OF GRACE
Novena of grace in honour of St. Francis Xavier’s begins on 4th March and continues until the 12th March. Our preacher this year will be Fr. Michael Simone SJ.
Please take flyers at the back of the Church and spread the word.
Mass times:
Mon - Fri: 11 am, 1 pm & 7.30 pm
Sat: 11, 1 & 6pm
Sunday: 11 am, 3.30 & 7.30 pm
REFLECTION ON ASH WEDNESDAY
by Fr Martin Hogan
taken from The Word is Near You, Messenger Publications 2023
"The word Lent comes from an Old English word meaning “season of spring”.
Lent always coincides with the season of spring. Spring is a season renewal of nature. The trees, the shrubs and plants that look dead during winter start to come to life again in a wonderful way.
Lent in our lives can be like the season of spring in nature. It is a time when our friendship with the Lord can come more fully to life.
When we hear the word “fasting”, we think mostly of giving up some food or drink. However, it could be understood as giving up and letting go of whatever is holding back our friendship with Jesus.
What is it that is causing us to turn away from the Lord, to take a different path from the one he shows us in the gospels?
In Lent we look at what may be damaging our spirit, weakening our faith, and we try to fast and step back from it.
Almsgiving can be understood as any form of loving service of others. During Lent, we look at ways we can give ourselves more generously to those in need, after the example and in the Spirit of Jesus.
These are three paths we can take that will help to renew our friendship with Jesus.
Lent is seven weeks long, so we are given plenty of time to take these paths. If we turn aside from any one of them during that time, we need not become discouraged. We simply start again.
Lent finishes with Easter, and on Easter Sunday we are invited to renew our baptismal promises. As we work to renew our friendship with Jesus during the seven weeks of Lent, we are preparing ourselves to say a renewed “Yes” at Easter to our baptism and its calling."
OUR RECENTLY DECEASED
We remember in prayer those who have died recently:
Mary Coleman
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
WEEKLY COLLECTION
Church: €690, Share: €122.
Card readers & iDonate: €229.
All contributions are gratefully accepted, and the donors are remembered in our prayers.