CLONMACNOIS PARISH BULLETIN MARCH 15TH 2020

Mass Intentions etc.

 Mass intentions which have been booked over the next weeks have been deferred and may be re booked at a later date, if and when the situation changes.

Readers and Ministers of Holy Communion will be alerted also when the situation changes.

Offertory Envelopes for the upkeep of Parish Property and the Dues Envelopes for the upkeep of the priests of the parish can be held over or dropped into the Parochial House Shannonbridge whenever you are passing by. Thank you for your understanding.

The Parish Newsletter will continue to be published with copies available in both Churches, and  on the parish web shannonbridge.blogspot.ie

MASSES ONLINE & ON RADIO

Vatican Television

During these days, Pope Francis has arranged for his celebration of Mass to be televised from the Vatican.  The broadcast is simultaneously translated into the English language.  For access please link to https://www.vaticannews.va/en.html

Webcams

Around the country, some parish churches (e.g. Athlone, Longford, Loughrea) are online and can accessed on the following websites:

https://www.churchservices.tv/churches/

https://www.mcnmedia.tv/cameras

https://www.parishwebsites.ie/

Radio Maria Ireland

Radio Maria Ireland facilitates the broadcast of Mass each day of the week at 10.00am from its studios in Dublin.  Mass can be listened to in four different ways:

-          on www.radiomaria.ie

-          on the digital terrestrial television channel Saorview, on channel 21

-  on the Radio Maria Ireland mobile app, and on  the Radio Maria-Ireland Facebook page.

EWTN is available on Sky tv and free to view online:

 https://www.ewtnireland.com/

https://www.ewtnireland.com/television/

https://www.ewtnireland.com/contact/

Shalom TV

Is a Catholic television station which broadcasts live from Rome including daily Mass celebrated by Pope Francis.  It is available free to view on some digital television networks and via the internet.  Please see http://www.shalomworld.ie/

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

The Woman at the Well

A Jew meets a Samaritan at a well beyond the edge of town, and a barrier is broken down. A Jewish man was not supposed to talk to a Samaritan woman. Jesus takes the initiative. This is God’s way. He searches. We often hide. The encounter occurs in a quiet space. In the quiet space God can ‘catch’ us. If only we would take the chance! In the end of the story, a heart is touched, a life is mended, a thirst is quenched, and the woman discovers that God can make the very worst things that ever happened in your life to work for your very best. The fact that the woman is not given a name means that we can step into the story. Her thirst is the thirst that lies in every human heart and only Christ can quench it. Great things can happen when we come to the well.

St. Patrick’s Day

With no St. Patrick’s Day parades why not make that special effort to drop into the church at your own time and pray for the intercession of St. Patrick. In Biblical times the people prayed in times of plagues and pestilence for protection. God is just as active in our time, but have we the faith to pray for his protection and the courage to ask? You can make a spiritual Communion as follows: “My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You have already come, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You

 A Word in Your Ear........ March 17th has been observed as the official Feast of St Patrick by the Catholic Church since 1631. The first official, state-sponsored St Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin didn’t take place until 1931. This year, a dark cloud hangs menacingly over the event, and over every one of us. When preparing this article I delved back into history in search of even vague parallels. The parallels, when I found them, weren’t at all vague. The year 1918 is justly remembered in Ireland as the year when Sinn Fein first swept to power. (The election took place in December 1917). Their victory was at the expense of the ‘old’ parties, like Labour and the Irish Parliamentary Party. But, the most pressing concern of that year must have been the outbreak of the ‘Spanish flu’. The epidemic is estimated to have killed 50 million people worldwide and in six months infected some 800,000 people in Ireland, killing about 23,000 of them. But contemporary accounts of St Patrick’s Day celebrations make no mention of this devastating plague. The Irish Independent of March 18th, 1919 made this bland observation: The day was marked as it usually is with religious services and sermons, many of them through the Irish language. The good weather and bright sunshine brought large crowds onto the streets and into the public parks. Although the pubs were closed during the day, there were plenty of sporting and other attractions to enjoy. No reference is made to the plague that laid so many low. Were they unaware that the virus was spread by human contact? Troops sailing home from the Great War took the flu into Dublin, Cork and Belfast. The Cork Examiner recorded it spreading at an “alarming” rate: at Carrigaline no letters were delivered “owing to the local postman being confined to his room with the disease”. However, even the top scientists of the day considered the disease was carried by bacteria and was no more deadly than the relatively harmless Russian Flu of 1890. Consequently the authorities did not make it “a notifiable disease” until the Spring 1919. Only in 1933 was it identified as a virus. Perhaps this explains why there was no reference to the Spanish flu in contemporary reports of Patrick’s Day celebrations? However, some of the recommendations will resonate with many of you! Markets, fairs and election rallies were called off. Many local boards of health recommended that schools be closed. But head teachers were slow to comply since the disease was described as “virulent but not dangerous”. Lack of scientific knowledge and clear government advice left the door open for unscrupulous companies to exploit people’s fears. Gallaher’s maintained that a pinch of their High Toast snuff would “prevent influenza”. A mouthwash promised: “you cannot catch influenza if you use MILTON”. Thompson’s Influenza Specific claimed to “act like magic”; and Dr Williams’ Pink Pills for Pale People promised “a miraculous cure”. We shouldn’t be too downcast. Or alarmed. We may not have a vaccine to address the virus. But our knowledge of the ‘enemy’ is incomparably superior to that which our ancestors had in 1918-19. Our best bet now is to follow the advice of the experts. Meanwhile, happy St Patrick’s Day!

 Diocesan Regulations Updates

Because of the requirements that indoor gatherings of more than 100 people be avoided, and the difficulties that may arise in achieving this, and always mindful of public safety and those with underlying medical conditions, the following arrangements are to be followed in all parishes:

NBecause of the emergency situation, all parishioners are dispensed from the obligation to physically attend Sunday Mass.

NDuring the period 13th March to 29th March the public celebration of Mass on weekdays and at weekends is suspended with immediate effect. This includes St. Patrick’s Day.

NBe assured that priests will continue to celebrate Mass privately and pray for the needs of their parishioners.

NMass will be available by webcam at St. Mel’s Cathedral www.longfordparish.com each day 8am, 10am, 1.05 weekdays, 7.30 pm Saturday, and 8am, 10am, 11.30am, and 1.00 pm Sundays. (Locally Ferbane Parish have a short range transmitter on 106.5FM Masses 10am Mon-Sat, 7pm Sat,11 Sun, 7 Sun

NAll non-essential pastoral gatherings and meetings, such as formation gatherings, retreats and seminars are cancelled.

NAll Confirmations are postponed until further notice.

NEvery Catholic is entitled to a dignified Christian burial. Attendance at Funeral services and Masses should be limited to close relatives and must not exceed 100 attendees within the Church building.

NSimilarly, Church weddings and baptisms may be celebrated on condition that the attendance in Church does not exceed 100 people.

 NIn these difficult and uncertain times, people find strength, consolation and hope in prayer. Churches should remain open for prayer each day.

NA more complete copy of these norms is available for pick up at the back of the Churches. Please take Sunday newsletter and copy of norms home.