Clonmacnois Parish Newsletter
Sunday 24th Dec 2006 - 4th Sun Adv C
Tel (090) 9674125
Fax (090) 9674267
E-mail. clonmacnoispn@eircom.net


Shannonbridge
Masses: For Christmas: Sun eve @ 9pm; Mon @ 12noon
St Stephen's Day @ 12noon; rest of week @ 10am
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €761. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: M.Moran, M.McManus
Eucharistic ministers: Group 2
Readers for Christmas: M.Killeen, O.Costello;
For next weekend: D.Finnerty, C.Doolan
Altar Servers for this week: Brian, Caitriona, and all available

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Clonfanlough
Masses for Christmas: Sun eve @ 7pm; Mon @ 10.30am
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €266. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: K.Kenny, A.Kearns
Reader for Christmas: A.Coughlan; for next Sunday: C.Norton
Altar Servers for next Sunday: Group D as arranged
Eucharistic minister for next Sunday: P.Darcy
Mass on Christmas Day for the late Michael Kelly (Lakefield)
Mass on next Sun for the late Jimmy Egan
A CHRISTMAS PRAYER
Give us, Lord Jesus, the eyes of children
To see your birth with Christmas wonder.
Help us to share in the song of the angels,
The gladness of the shepherds,
And the worship of the Wise Men.
Close the door on hate,
And open the door of love, all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift,
And blessing with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil, by the blessing Christ brings,
And teach us to be merry with clean hearts.
May Christmas morning
Make us happy to be your children,
And Christmas evening
Bring us to rest with grateful thought,
Forgiving and forgiven. Amen.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894
Beannachtaí na Nollag agus Síocháin san Ath Bhliain do gach duine

A special word of thanks to all who contribute to the various collections during the year, and to all who help out in any way in the Church and community. It is much appreciated.

Shannonbridge Library will be closed until 19th January

A new Christian: we welcome into the Christian Community Christina Fallon, daughter of Liam & Janine, who was baptised last Sunday.
Clonmacnois Parish Newsletter
Sunday 31st Dec 2006 - Holy Family C
Tel (090) 9674125
Fax (090) 9674267
E-mail. clonmacnoispn@eircom.net

Shannonbridge
Masses: Mon, New Year's Day - 'Mary, Mother of God' @12noon;
Tues - Fri @ 10am. Adoration on First Fri until 5pm
Sat is the Feast of the Epiphany -a Holy Day. Vigil Mass on Fri eve @ 8pm, on Sat @ 12noon
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €435. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: G.Brennan, D.Deeley, C.Quinn
Eucharistic ministers: Group 3
Readers for next Weekend:
Altar Servers for this week: Ailbhe, Aoife
Mass on next Sun will be said for the late Kieran Kelly
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Clonfanlough
Mass for New Year's Day, Mon @ 10.30am;
Mass for Feast of Epiphany, Sat, a Holy Day, @10.30am, which will be said for the late Edward & Catherine Corrigan
Last Sunday's Offertory collection: €138. Many Thanks
Church Cleaners: J.Egan, B.Dolan
Readers for next Sat & Sun: C.Coughlan, S.Coughlan
Altar Servers for next Sat & Sun: Group E
Eucharistic minister for next Sunday: K.Kelly
To the sick & housebound
I will be unable to attend the sick & housebound next Fri, but I will do so on Fri 12th Jan 2007
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Lost and Found
The story of Jesus, Mary and Joseph going to Jerusalem is a short yet powerful story of family life with its joys, celebrations, tensions, expectations, and heart aches all rolled up together and covered with a blanket of love. We don’t hear the dialogue between Mary and Joseph when they are searching frantically for Jesus in the caravan. Somehow I have to believe it was peppered with words that we would consider less than tranquil. The gospel writer records Mary’s words to Jesus after finding him “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” Anxiety to say the least when parents lose their only child who happens to be the Messiah. And so Jesus “went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them…and Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favour before God and man.” All the tension, anxiety and uncertainty was completely dispelled by the love that all three had for each other. Jesus was truly marked by God for something special, as Mary and Joseph too had been. Each member of the Holy Family had their role to play as assigned by God the Father. Fulfilling that role was not without its tensions and frustrations but the overall blanket of the Father’s love covered them and was embraced by them so they could each in their own way fulfil the Father’s will for them.
Friedl & Macauley
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Wedding Celebration
Congratulations & best wishes to Caroline Mitchell and Bill Loughnane, who were married last weekend in Shannonbridge Church. Ad multos annos!
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Mummer's Festival
Will take place in New Inn Leisure Centre on Sat 6th Jan @ 8pm for Senior Groups; on Sun 7th Jan @ 2.30pm for Junior Groups.
'A great festival of traditional entertainment is promised in a comfortable & well heated venue'.