Clonmacnois Parish Newsletter
Sunday 6th Feb 2005 - 5th Sun A
Tel (090) 9674125
Fax (090) 9674267
E-mail. Parishnewsletter@eircom.net

Shannonbridge
Masses: Each day @ 10am; also on Ash Wed @ 8pm
Blessing & signing of Ashes @ both Masses on Ash Wed
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €440. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: J.Kelly, A.Finnerty, T.Goldie
Eucharistic ministers: Group 4
Readers for next Weekend: M.Killeen, S.Quinn
Altar Servers for this week: Darragh, Ruaidhri, Michael, Graham
Commitment Ceremony for Confirmandi on next Sun, & 12 Mass.
The Mass will be said for the late Gerry & Eddie Egan.
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Clonfanlough
Mass on Ash Wed @ 7pm with blessing & signing of Ashes
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €192. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: M.Loonam, A.Egan
Readers for next Sunday: C.Coughlan
Altar Servers for next Sunday: Group 2
Eucharistic minister for next Sunday: D.McEvoy
Mass on next Sun for the late Pádraic Devery.

Fri 11th Feb, feast of O. L. of Lourdes, is a day of prayer for the sick.
Ash Wednesday, is the first day of Lent, the 40 days that precedes Holy Week and Easter. In the Christian Scriptures the number 40 relates to the period spent in the Ark by Noah, the period spent by Israel seeking the Promised Land after the Exodus, and the amount of time Jesus was in the Wilderness after his baptism and prior to beginning his ministry. For us, the Season of Lent is an invitation to 40 days of renewal ("Lent" means "spring"), 40 days to prepare ourselves to take in the Good News of Easter through deeper disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Ashes are the traditional sign of sorrow and repentance and are also a sign of "mortality". Receiving the sacrament reminds us that God's love is triumphant over sin and death, and that God remains "in communion" with us, that in Christ, our mortality is overcome.
Rev Richard Fairchild
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Ard Chiaráin Prayer Centre
Mass for Lent on Thurs @ 8pm
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Shannonbridge Active Retirement Group will meet on Tues next @ 10.30am
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Irish Blood Transfusion Service
You are invited to give Blood in the Emerald Ballroom, Ballinasloe
Tues, Wed, Thurs, 8/9/10th Feb from 4.30 -- 8.30pm.
Help us to help others and save lives.
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West Offaly Training - Adult Education
Introduction to Computers x 8 weeks Ongoing
Receptionist Skills x 1 morning 22nd Feb
For people in receipt of social welfare, free training may be offered in 2005.
For more info contact Crank House Banagher, 0509-52003.
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Memo on the Use of Parish Property
According to guidelines given to us by the Insurance Co, Health and Safety Authority, and Diocesan regulations concerning Child Protection Policy, Best Practice, we are obliged to apply certain stringent rules concerning the use of Shannonbridge and Clonfanlough Halls. Copies of these are available on request.
In all of this we ask for your co-operation.