CLONMACNOIS PARISH BULLETIN DECEMBER 30th 2018

 ST. CIARAN SHANNONBRIDGE

Sat 29th 8:00p.m. Damien & Josephine Kenny

Mon Dec 31st 2018 10a.m. Mass

Tues Jan 1st 2019 12 Noon  Mass  World Day of Prayer for Peace

Wed 2nd Jan 10a.m. Service St. Basil the Great

Thurs 3rd Jan 10a.m. Mass St. Munchil

Fri 4th Jan 10:00a.m. First Friday  St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Sat 5th Jan 10a.m. Mass St. Charles of Mt. Argus

Sat 5th Jan 8:00p.m. Vigil Mass Paul Kelly

 ST. CIARAN CLONFANLOUGH

Sun 30th Dec 10:30am Pro Populo

First Fri 4th Jan 7:00p.m. Mass

Sun 6th Jan Epiphany 10:30a.m. Mass. Peter & Earl Kelly & dec’d family

DEATHS  Brendan Loonam (Huddersfield & formerly Carrowkeel, Clonfanlough) died 18th Dec. Funeral in England in January  Padraig Egan  nephew of Bernie Kilduff (Clonlyon) & Brother-in-Law of Deirdre Egan(Principal Clonmancois NS) May God grant to them and all our loved ones a place of light and peace this Christmas time.

SUNDAY READINGS  2019 is now available to buy for €5.00. Parish Readers may collect their free Copy

FREE INTERNET SKILLS CLASSES for beginners. Learn how to send Emails, use websites, pay our motor tax online and much more. All equipment will be provided or bring your own smart phone, tablet or laptop. Consisting of 5x two hour classes held in Shannonbridge starting mid January. Minimum numbers required. Register your interest with Paula on 087 6891036 

GODS’ WORD 2019  Available from Sacristy./Fr. Tom. The daily Mass readings with a short reflection. Cost price €6 A possible Christmas present

First Friday of January: This Friday 4th January sick and housebound parishioners will receive the Sacraments at home. If you know of any housebound parishioners who would like to receive the Sacraments please contact me

SHANNONBRIDGE SENIOR CITIZENS CHRISTMAS PARTY Sunday, January 6th 2019 commencing with Mass in Hall at 1p.m Please contact 087 2410587. Please take this as your invitation.

PARISH CALENDARS are in the Church porches and you are welcome to take a copy home

CLUAIN CHIARAIN  Mass Resumes Wed, Jan 9th 2019

CLONMACNOIS PARISH    STATISTICS FOR 2018

Baptisms 18

Confirmations 20

Communions 7

Marriages 1

Deaths 11

MINISTRIES                                                        Shannonbridge:Sat  5th Jan  2019@8p.m.

Servr:Grp4:Darragh, Isobel, Rian & Shane

Reader: Dympna O’Carroll

Euch. Minister Martha Murphy

 Church Care:Anne Ryan, Lena Turley, Maureen Mitchell

Clonfanlough:Sun 6th Jan ‘19  @  10:30

Server Gr.2 Neasa T, Tadgh T.

Reader: Declan McEvoy

Euch Min.:Bridie Coughlan

Ch Care–Jan: Mary Guinan, Anne Guinan

DOON / SHANNONBRIDGE GAA LOTTO The winning numbers in last week’s lotto draw were 4, 9, 17. 18 ,  No jackpot winner. No match 3 winners.  Next weeks Jackpot €4,200. Draw Doon Shannonbridge

OFFERTORY  Sat/Sun Dec 22nd/23rd €975 Dec 24/25th (Dec) €1,350
ARK OF DIVINE MERCY  will host First Saturday in honour of our Blessed Lady in St Ronan’s Parish Church Taughmaconnell on Saturday 5th of January 2019 starting at 2.00pm with a short Procession,Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Concluding with Holy Mass.

Cel: Fr Sean Nealon PP All welcome. Details from Kathleen O'Connor or Paul Woods on 087 7828283.or arkofdivinemercy@gmail.com

WORD OF THANKS As we end 2018 and begin a new year, I wish to thank all who continue to serve our parish with so much faith and generosity. The countless number of men, women and young people who give of their time and energy so that our parish and community can flourish is beyond price. Apart from those who are directly engaged with parish activities, there are so many other voluntary organisations within the parish which help build up our community and make it a truly Christian community. To those who are directly engaged with the parish I want to say a sincere ‘thank you’. Each year, with declining vocations, parishioners will be required to become more fully engaged in the day to day running of the parish both spiritually and materially. It can be part of our challenge for the new year. Thank you again for the good work you do and for your love and support for our parish

Shannonbridge Church: Trial Mass time changes Jan 19th 2019, 6:30p.m.

 FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY When Jesus pitched His tent among us, He dignified family life forever. If proof be needed of the significance and sacredness of the family, let us gaze once more at the crib. As we do, the words of Pope Francis echo in our ears: ‘family is the most beautiful thing God made… without family humanity has no future’. Today’s feast is well-placed, coming as it does, in the season of the family, and on the threshold of a new year. It’s a moment to remember with gratitude, the cradle from which we came. We salute our parents. Every word and deed of a parent is woven into the fabric of a child’s character. The parent’s heart is the child’s schoolroom. We give thanks for our grandparents. They are the memory of the family, and convey to the young in a unique way the meaning of life’s journey. We pray for our children. May they always feel cherished and loved. May they know God and be happy. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, guide us in the year ahead.

 BAPTISM PREPARATION - The next meeting for parents in our pastoral area who have a child for baptism will be held in the Parochial House in Ballinahowen on Thursday 17th January from 8pm to 9pm. Subsequent pre-baptism meetings are scheduled for Thursday 14th February and Thursday 14th March. Parents are asked to contact their local priest about attendance at these meetings.

 New Year’s Prayer

We remember

For all that has been 

We give thanks.

We look forward:

For all that will be

We say yes.

All time is God’s  time./ We let go of the past and We welcome what is to come And all the time we pray in the name of Jesus who

Is the same yesterday, today and forever. Amen

 ENVELOPES FOR 2019 Envelopes for the new year 2018 will hopefully have reached your home (if not please let me know). We thank our distributors.

 Contributing through the envelope system has the extra benefit for the parish because the parish, as a charitable institution, can reclaim tax on your contributions, provided you are paying tax and your total contribution for the year reaches €250 or more. The envelope system is necessary for a paper trail as evidence that you have contributed.

Note your number may change from year to year with changes.. Thank you for your continued support.

CLONMACNOIS PARISH NEWSLETTER DEC 23rd 2018

  

Christmas Arrangements

Christmas Eve  Mon, Dec 24th

Clonfanlough 7:00p.m. Mass

Shannonbridge9:00p.m.Mass

 Christmas Day (Tuesday) in Clonfanlough  at 10.30 a.m. and 12 Noon Shannonbridge.

CONFESSIONS

Christmas Eve—Mon  24th

Ferbane 10:30a.m.—3:30p.m.

 Bishop Francis Christmas Message 2018:

As I look back on 2018 the high point of the year for me was the World Meeting of Families.   During his visit Pope Francis said “the World Meeting of Families has given us great hope and encouragement that families are growing more and more conscious of their own irreplaceable role in passing on the faith”.  For him family is a key aspect of life.

Christmas is a family time, a time for all generations, just as the first Christmas was such a family moment.  Not just the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph but, the entire family of God, all people of all generations.  At Croke Park Pope Francis reminded us that a society that does not value grandparents will end up lacking that quality that really matters - love. A love and dream that so many including our parents and grandparents lived out and witnessed in the dream of marriage as he reminded in meeting married couples in the Pro-Cathedral. He encouraged each married person to keep repeating in their heart: “I will never fail you or forsake you!”  They are the same sentiments God has for his people (Heb 13: 5).

The Christmas story is so familiar and yet it always seems fresh. There is the good news of a baby, the good news of a birth and good news of a bright future for all humanity. The Christmas story has expectation and joy and great hope for the future.  But side by side with these positive elements are darker ones, uncertainty, vulnerability and danger.  The circumstances of the birth of the Saviour were not at all easy for baby or parents.  That is the way life often is.  Side by side with great joy there can be sorrow, alongside hopes there can be fears, accompanying successes is sometimes failure.  So the darker side, the vulnerable side of Christmas, is nothing new, it is very human and realistic that these contrasting emotions and circumstances coexist.  Mary decided to invite the ‘source of peace’ to enter our world. Let us do the same.

I wish you and your family members a happy Christmas, a peaceful and hopeful experience, as we remember the birth of our Saviour

Francis Duffy Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois

ST. CIARAN SHANNONBRIDGE

Sat 22nd 8:00p.m. Vigil Mass Eileen Higgins 1s Anniv.

Mon 24th 10:00a.m. No Mass

Mon 9:00pm Christmas Night

Tues 25th 12Noon Mass of Christmas  Day

Wed 26th (St. Stephen)  12 Noon Service of Word & Communion

Thurs 27th  (St. John) 10:00a.m. Mass Josephine & Brian Kenny (5th Anniv.) Clondelara

Fri 28th (Holy Innocents) 9:30a.m. Mass

Sat 29th  10:00a.m. (St. Thomas Becket) No Mass

Sat 29th 8:00p.m. Damien & Josephine Kenny

 ST. CIARAN CLONFANLOUGH

Sun 23rd Dec 10:30a.m.

Mon 24th 7:00p.m. Mass of Christmas Eve

Tues 25th 10:30a.m. Mass of Chrismas Day

Sun 30th Dec 10:30a.m.

CLUAIN CHIARAIN  Mass Resumes Wed, Jan 9th 2019

DEATHS We remember in our pr ayers  Mary L’Estrange Rachra Park, Brendan Loonam (Huddersfield & formerly Carrowkeel, Clonfanlough) died 18th Dec. Funeral in England in January  Padraig Egan  nephew of Bernie Kilduff & Brother-in-Law of Deirdre Egan(Principal Clonmancois NS) May God grant to them and all our loved ones a place of light and peace this Christmas time.

SUNDAY READINGS  2019 is now available to buy for €5.00. Parish Readers may collect their free Copy

 FREE INTERNET SKILLS CLASSES for beginners. Learn how to send Emails, use websites, pay our motor tax online and much more. All equipment will be provided or bring your own smart phone, tablet or laptop. Consisting of 5x two hour classes held in Shannonbridge starting mid January. Minimum numbers required. Register your interest with Paula on 087 6891036 

GODS’ WORD 2019  Available from Sacristy./Fr. Tom. The daily Mass readings with a short reflection. Cost price €6 A possible Christmas present

Trócaire Christmas Appeal 2018: ‚In Yemen people are facing the worst famine in a century, with five million at risk of starvation. In South Sudan, four million have had to leave their homes and seven million are in need of food aid. Trócaire’s Christmas Appeal provides food and support for the people in countries such as Soudan and Yemen. To donate this Christmas please visit the Trócaire at https://www.trocaire.org/christmas ‚

PARISH CALENDARS are in the Church porches and you are welcome to take a copy home

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT The exact birthday of Jesus is unknown. In the fourth century Christians selected the 25th December to celebrate His coming into the world. It was a pagan festival in honour of the ‘sun god’, and since we believe Jesus to be the ‘Light of the World’, the date seemed especially appropriate. Take Christ out of these days and we are back in the pagan space. We should guard against returning to where we were! Let us, rather, be possessed by the mystery and message of these days. Our God is with us. As we stand before the crib, may we find there again the gentle reassurance of His presence, and may we understand with utter confidence, that we are loved. Then, let us fall silent and rest secure in the heart of God. Nollaig Shona.

MINISTRIES                                                     

   Shannonbridge:Sat  29th Dec 

2018@8p.m.

Servr:Grp3:Michael C,Rachael,Paddy,Cliodhna

Reader: Catherine Doolan

Euch. Minister Marie McManus

 Church Care:Gemma Moore, Doris Claffey, Geraldine Darcy

Clonfanlough:Sun 30th Dec  @  10:30

Server Gr.1Abigail K, RoryD.

Reader: Anne Rohan /Euch Min.:Kay Kelly

Ch Care- Dec  K. Norton/Helen Darcy

 BAPTISM PREPARATION - Ballinahowen Parochial House Jan 17th 2019 8-9p.m.

DOON / SHANNONBRIDGE GAA LOTTO The winning numbers in last week’s lotto draw were 2, 21, 22, 25. ,  No jackpot winner. No match 3 winners. 5 x €50 draw winners. Next weeks Jackpot €3,800. Draw Doon Sunday 23rd Dec

CHRISTMAS PARTY  Sunday 23rd December, Shannonbridge Hall 4-6p.m. . €3 per child €10 per family of 4. Raffle & special guest appearance

FOR YOUR DIARY: Shannonbridge Seniors Christmas Party  Sunday, January 6th 2019 commencing with Mass in Hall at 1p.m Please contact 087 2410587. Please take this as your invitation.

OFFERTORY  Sat/Sun Dec 15/16th  €820 Shrine €250 (Dec)

 PARISH CHRISTMAS MESSAGE A sincere word of thanks to all who contributed to the life of our Parish during 2018. Your support, unfailing kindness and generous hospitality is greatly appreciated. Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain Shuaimhneach. Fr. Tom & Parish Pastoral Council  Enda Molloy, Shane Hynes, Anne Guinan, Kathleen Norton, Eileen Quinn, Vincent Darcy, Dympna Fitzpatrick,  Sr. Margaret Mary, Patricia Anderson, Anne McEvoy

 SCHOOL’S OUT! We’d like to wish our young friends a lovely  Christmas break. We want to keep our school safe and well maintained, so we would ask passers-by & local residents to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity. Just to remind that apart from school hours, the school and grounds are closed to public access.