Clonmacnois Parish Newsletter July 26th 2020

Clonmacnois Parish

July 26th 2020

Fr. Tom Cox (Adm) Tel. 090 9674125/  0868319500

Email: clonmacnoiseparish@gmail.com

     WEB  shannonbridge.blogspot.ie

www.facebook.com/Parish-of-Clonmacnois                   

 

 MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS

St. Ciaran’s Church Shannonbridge

17th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Saturday 25th 7p.m. St. James (Apostle)

Mon July 27th  10am Service (7p.m. Clonfanlough)

Tues July 28th 10a.m. Mass

Wed July 29th 10a.m. Mass

Thurs July 30th 7p.m. Mass

Friday July 31st 10a.m. Mass

Sat August 1st 7p.m. Mass Pro Populo    

 St. Ciaran’s Church  Clonfanlough

Sunday, July 26th  10:30a.m.

Monday, July 27th 10:30a.m.

Sunday, August 2nd 2020 @ 10:30a.m.

Please note that there is NO 7pm mass on Sunday Evening in Ferbane Church until further notice.

PHASE 3 CONTINUES  to August 10th  (max indoors 50)

OFFERTORY July 12th 2020 €550

Candle Shrine - Caution: Please observe caution when using hand sanitiser near a naked flame. Make sure hands are dry before lighting candles and be extra vigilant when doing so.

CEMETERY DAY  A reminder we will be unable to celebrate Cemetery Sunday publicly in 2020. I wish to reassure you that the graves of all the deceased interred in our cemetery, will be blessed  We will be offering our weekend  7p.m. on Saturday August 1st  for all our deceased parishioners and we invite you to join in prayer and remembrance with us on the first weekend of August

I will say Mass at some point in the Cemetery and stream it online for 7pm Saturday. It will be on Facebook on both “Parish of Clonmacnois” and “Tom Cox” page. Just a standard search engine will locate it on the net. Diocesan policy believes that social distancing  around graves is impractical in the present restrictions so I can’t advertise a time and location. In the times that are in it– I thank you for your understanding.  

 17th  SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

THE HIDDEN TREASURE ‘

The only safe repository for your money is the earth’, according to the wisdom of the ancient rabbis. So it was, that people often hid valuables in the earth and the practice was not confined to the Holy Land. We have only to think of our Irish monks who routinely buried their treasure in the face of attacks from invaders. So when Jesus presented the parable of ‘The Hidden Treasure’, His listeners would have clearly understood the image He was using. He was inviting them to go deeper. The treasure is God and to find Him we need to dig as the man in the parable did. He made his discovery during a day’s work on the farm. God reveals Himself in the commonplace. He walks with us in the ‘theatre of the ordinary’. ‘When you see God in small things, you will see Him in all things’. The treasure is near, then and our hearts will always be restless until we unearth it. We need to dig deeper, to ponder, to tune-in, to look beneath the surface of things, to search in unlikely places… Did you ever watch ‘The Antiques Roadshow’? .

 BAPTISM We welcome Tessa Rose Guinan (Clongowney) into the Christian Community this weekend.

CONFIRMATION Just a short check in  meeting with as many as possible of the 21 candidates at 5pm on Monday, July 27th in Shannonbridge Church.

Three preparation videos will help Episode 1 of 3 available online athttps://www.icatholic.ie/come-holy-spirit-episode-1/

This series was produced for the Catechetics Council of the Irish Bishops Conference by iCatholic.

Episodes 2 and 3 to follow

 AUGUST 4-8th Kids Summer Camp Shannonbridge (Ages 5-12)

Campa Solas set up by Darragh Fitzgerald and two other teachers will be held in Shannonbridge GAA pitch from Tuesday the 4th of August until Saturday 8th of August inclusive !It will take place from 10.00am- 3.00pm each day !
The camp will include several sports including G.A.A , Soccer and Tag Rugby as well as music, arts and crafts and outdoor activities like Orienteering! Price is €60 for the week for one child and €100 for two children from the one household !
Limited spaces available- to book get in touch with Darragh on 0851505959

SHANNONBRIDGE GAA

SHANNONBRIDGE GAA LOTTO

The numbers drawn were 9, 18, 30 and 32. There was one match 3 winner, Tricia Brazil. Next week’s jackpot will be a spicy €15,200! Tickets can be bought from the usual outlets, Moran’s shop and now Supermac's in Shannonbridge, members of the club executive and players. Many thanks for your support.

 FIRST HOLY COMMUNION -12 noon in St. Ciaran’s, Clonfanlough  on September 26th  2020

CONFIRMATION SATURDAY August 22nd 1p.m. Ferbane

CHURCH  MINISTRIES

READERS S/bridge Aug 1st /2nd  Dympna O’Carroll Clonfanlough Maura Molloy

CHURCH CARE (Masks/Aprons/Gloves available in Church sacristy)                      S/Bridge Patricia Anderson/Kathleen Price  Clonfanlough  July Niamh Egan/Anne Rohan  Aug Marian Devery/Ann Kelly

Ss. Joachim and Anne—Feast Day Sunday 26th July Good Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, parents of Mary and grandparents to Jesus, be with me and all grandparents that we may be wise and loving, may share our time and stories and sense of humour, and may enjoy and not spoil too much the grandchildren who are close to our hearts, for they are the sign of God’s life to us. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, be with our grandchildren and all other grandchildren that they may love and respect their grandparents and all older people, may remember to call, visit or write, and grow in wisdom, age and grace before God. Amen

 Feast Days

Pilgrim’s Prayer: St. James, Patron of all Pilgrims – Feast Day 25th July. St. James, Apostle, chosen among the first. You were the first to drink the Cup of the Master and you are the great protector of pilgrims; Make us strong in faith and happy in hope on our pilgrim journey following the path of Christian life and sustain us so that we may finally reach the glory of God the Father. Amen

July 29th  St Martha Martha, sister of Lazarus & Mary, a woman of faith who made her profession of faith in Christ as Son of God & in the Resurrection.

July 31st St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

From the north of Spain, Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, of whom Pope Francis is a member. His great theme was the service of God and God’s greater glory.

Aug.1st St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-17870

He founded the Redemptorists Congregation, a religious order in 1732. At the university of Naples, he received a doctorate in civil and canon law at the age of 16. He later became a reforming bishop of Naples. He preached popular missions as the Redemptorists still do today.

FIRST FRIDAY CALLS  The last First Friday calls were done on Friday March 6th with no house calls allowed since then, due to the Lockdown. The protocol regarding priests calling to homes has now changed somewhat. The priest may now visit a home and bring Holy Communion if a member of the household request it. If you would like such a visit on the first Friday (August 7th) or at any time please contact me first Tom Cox 086 8319500

 Laid to rest Since we last gathered at Clonmacnois  Aug 1st 2019-July 26th 2020

Sean Rohan Clonfanlough 9/8/2019

*Mary Ryan Bloomhill 21/9/19

*Josie B. Keenan, Creggan 1/10/2019

*Michael Naughton Ballivor 3/10/19

Kieran Rocke Shannonbridge 24th Octoer 2019

*Kathleen Coffey Ballinahowen 1/11/2019

Mary Kate Dolan Clonlyon

Kieran Rock Shannonbridge

Julia Dillon Clonmacnois 19th November 2019

Dan Edwards Carrowkeel 20/12/2019

Christeen Reynolds Ballinasloe/S'bridge 3/1/2020

Seamus Grennan Shannonbridge 14/1/2020

*Camillus (Milo) Egan Bloomhill 26/2/2020

*Kieran Heavin Lackaghmore 5/3/2020

Maureen Rock Shannonbridge 9/3/2020

*Patrick (Pat) Coughlan Moydrum Rd. 17/4/2020

Asterisk (*) indicates funerals that took place elsewhere.

  

CLONMACNOIS PARISH BULLETIN JULY 19th 2020

Clonmacnois Parish

July 19th 2020

Fr. Tom Cox (Adm) Tel. 090 9674125/  0868319500

Email: clonmacnoiseparish@gmail.com

     WEB  shannonbridge.blogspot.ie

www.facebook.com/Parish-of-Clonmacnois        

           

Act of Spiritual Communion  “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. Amen”

 MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS

St. Ciaran’s Church Shannonbridge

16th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Sat July 18th 7:00pm   

Monday 20th  10am Mass

Tuesday 21st 10 am Mass (Special Intention)

Wednesday 22nd 10a.m. ServiceMary Magdalene

Thursday 23rd  7:00p.m.  St. Bridget of Sweden

Friday 24th 10am Service   (8pm Clonfad)

Saturday 25th 7p.m. St. James (Apostle)  

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time                          

 St. Ciaran’s Church  Clonfanlough

Sunday 19th July   10:30a.m.  Annie (Birdie) Kelly

 1st Anniv. Also Willie & Dec’d members Kelly

Monday, July 20th 7:00p.m.

Sunday, July 26th  10:30a.m.

Please note that there is NO 7pm mass on Sunday Evening in Ferbane Church until further notice.

PHASE 3 CONTINUES  to August 10th  (max indoors 50)

Anniversary Masses: With reduced capacity of 15 pews (can be single, couple or family using each pew) in either church and overall capacity of 50– anniversary Masses can be problematic. Households would need to sit together essentially. I may need to gently enquire how many households plan on attending. 

Individual Baptisms may be celebrated, under the following conditions: The number present(Max 50) is determined by the social distancing (S.D.)  measure of 2 metres. In larger churches with capacity the total figure present should not exceed 50, including the celebrant, and volunteers.

Funerals: Again 2 metres S.D. determines the capacity (Max 50) including celebrant, and volunteers.

OFFERTORY July 12th 2020 €740

CEMETERY DAY I will be saying Mass online & Blessing graves in Clonmacnois the August weekend. Diocesan policy believes that social distancing  around graves is impractical in the present restrictions

 16th  SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

THE WHEAT AND THE WEEDS

‘The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being’ (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn). Good and evil are not neatly separated in ourselves or in the world. There are weedy patches within the best of us and rich wheat within the worst of us. We are all curious mixtures of divine seed and human soil. It’s a sad fact that we tend to judge ourselves by our best intentions and others by their worst faults, but can never know for sure the full story of another. How often have we judged others badly only to discover later that our judgement was incorrect? Only God can judge and we take comfort from the fact that He is a God of the second chance. When the bell tolls for us, may He look mercifully on the totality of our lives, discard the weeds of our many faults and failings, and gather the wheat of our good deeds into the celestial granary. In iothlainn Dé go dtugtar sinn.

.

 CONFIRMATION - Hoping that Phase 4 (eventually) kicks in on August 10th, we could have less than 100 in Ferbane for August 22nd 2020 @ 1pm  As stated last week.  I considered just Candidate & sponsor (21+21) in Shannonbridge, then splitting into 2 Groups 5th & 6th Class (not ideal)  then Clonmacnois. Yes -in theory you can  have  max 200 outdoors (phase 3) BUT factoring many things not least weather, only 1 toilet, social distancing in corrals, seating etc) I know Ferbane is best option. in capacity, webcam, carparking, sanitation/loo’s & radio system to achieve our goal of accommodating approximately 85 (21 candidates, 21 sponsors, 38 parents, staff, musician(s) and me!). Site is willing to host but awaits guidance from OPW nationally in what are clearly uncertain times.

 AUGUST 4-8th Kids Summer Camp Shannonbridge (Ages 5-12)

Campa Solas set up by Darragh Fitzgerald and two other teachers will be held in Shannonbridge GAA pitch from Tuesday the 4th of August until Saturday 8th of August inclusive !It will take place from 10.00am- 3.00pm each day !
The camp will include several sports including G.A.A , Soccer and Tag Rugby as well as music, arts and crafts and outdoor activities like Orienteering! Price is €60 for the week for one child and €100 for two children from the one household !
Limited spaces available- to book get in touch with Darragh on 0851505959

REFLECTION

There are those who give but only on condition that they receive something in return and receive it immediately. There are those who give on condition

that they receive something in return

later on and worth a handsome profit.

And there are those who give Without expecting anything in return now or ever: They scatter the seeds of the heart without looking for any harvest. These are imitating the generosity of God, Who bestows his love on good people and bad, And grants mercy to saints and sinners.

SHANNONBRIDGE GAA

Senior B v Erin Rovers GAA Club on Friday 24th July @ 7:30 p.m. in Doon.

Junior C v Clonbullogue Gaa on Sunday 26th July @ 1 p.m. in Shannonbridge.

LOTTO Numbers drawn were 6, 15, 24 29. €400 added to the jackpot as there was no match 3 winner. Next week’s jackpot will be a sensational €15,000! Tickets can be bought from the usual outlets, members of the club executive and players. Many thanks for your support.  Draw held on Facebook L

 FIRST HOLY COMMUNION -12 noon in St. Ciaran’s, Clonfanlough  on September 26th  2020

CHURCH  MINISTRIES

READERS S/bridge July 25th/26th Kieran O’Connor Clonfanlough Anne Rohan

CHURCH CARE (Masks/Aprons/Gloves available in Church sacristy)                      S/Bridge Linda Moran/Dympna Fitzpatrick Clonfanlough  Niamh Egan/Anne Rohan

FIRST READING

A reading from the Book of Wisdom       

There is no god, other than you, who cares for every thing, to whom you might have to prove that you never judged unjustly; Your justice has its source in strength, your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all. God lives in us. You show your strength when your sovereign power is questioned and you expose the insolence of those who know it; but, disposing of such strength, you are mild in judgement, you govern us with great lenience, for you have only to will, and your power is there. By acting thus you have taught a lesson to your people how the virtuous man must be kindly to his fellow men, and you have given your sons the good hope that after sin you will grant repentance. Word of the Lord. Thanks be to  God

Responsorial Psalm            Ps 85

Response O Lord, you are good & forgiving.

1. O Lord, you are good and forgiving,

full of love to all who call. Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my voice. R

2. All the nations shall come to adore you and glorify your name, O Lord: for you are great and do marvellous deeds, you who alone are God.       R                          

3. But you, God of mercy and compassion, slow to anger, O Lord, abounding in love and truth, turn and take pity on me.     R                          

SECOND READING 

A reading from St Paul to the Romans           

The Spirit too comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what he means, and that the pleas of the saints expressed by the Spirit are according to the mind of God The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation            Eph 1:17. 18

GOSPEL  Matthew         13:24-43

Jesus put a parable before the crowds, ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everybody was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off. When the new wheat sprouted and ripened, the darnel appeared as well. The owner’s servants went to him and said, “Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnel come from?” “Some enemy has done this” he answered. And the servants said, “Do you want us to go and weed it out?” But he said, “No, because when you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it. Let them both grow till the harvest; and at harvest time I shall say to the reapers: First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat into my barn.”‘  The Gospel of the Lord.

  

  

CLONMACNOIS PARISH BULLETIN JULY 12th 2020

Clonmacnois Parish

Fr. Tom Cox (Adm) Tel. 090 9674125/  0868319500

Email: clonmacnoiseparish@gmail.com

     WEB  shannonbridge.blogspot.ie

www.facebook.com/Parish-of-Clonmacnois                   

MASS SCHEDULE & INTENTIONS

St. Ciaran’s Church Shannonbridge

15th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Sat 11th    7:00p.m. Intention

Mon July 13th  (Mass 7pm Clonfanlough)St Henry

Tues July 14th   10a.m. St Camillus de Lellis, Michael, Margaret & Denis Kelly

Wed July 15th  10a.m. St Bonaventure

Thurs July 16th  7pm  Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Fri July 17th  10a.m.

Sat July 18th 7:00pm                                   

 St. Ciaran’s Church  Clonfanlough

Sunday 12th July  10:30a.m.

Monday, July 13th  7:00p.m.

Sunday 19th July   10:30a.m.  Annie (Birdie) Kelly 1st Anniv. Also Willie & Dec’d members Kelly

DEATH - Please pray for the repose of the soul of Maisie Duffy, Ballyclare and  Patrick (Patsy) Finn (Ballinasloe) father of Mick Finn, Shannonbridge Rest in peace

Anniversary Masses: With reduced capacity of 15 pews (can be single, couple or family using each pew) in either church and overall capacity of 50– anniversary Masses can be problematic. Households would need to sit together essentially. I may need to gently enquire how many households plan on attending. 

Individual Baptisms may be celebrated, under the following conditions: The number present(Max 50) is determined by the social distancing (S.D.)  measure of 2 metres. In larger churches with capacity the total figure present should not exceed 50, including the celebrant, and volunteers.

Funerals: Again 2 metres S.D. determines the capacity (Max 50) including celebrant, and volunteers.

WORD TO THE WISE Perhaps you cannot be a star, but you need not be a cloud

OFFERTORY July 5th 2020 €1,008

 15th  SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

‘The sower went out to sow’

 St. Matthew’s Gospel is known as the ‘Teaching Gospel’ since it contains more of the words of Jesus than the other three. The Parable of the Sower is a case in point. It is one of seven parables contained in chapter thirteen. It’s a story from people’s experience. The fertile land of Galilee was divided into long strips with paths or ‘rights of way’ between each strip, and weeds, thorns and rocks were common. The sower in the parable is God. The seed is His Word. The soil is the human heart. Our hearts can be hard, shallow, crowded or fruitful and we alone can determine what kind of soil our hearts will be. If our hearts and minds are open and attentive, the Word of God can penetrate and take root in us and enable us to view life through His eyes. Then, our kind of loving becomes His kind of loving and we in turn become sowers of the seed. The sower, of course, must be patient. The acorn grows slowly into an oak, but grow it will. Likewise, with regard to the little seeds we sow along the way, nothing is wasted. We never can tell where our influence stops. We pray for open hearts and patient sowing.

 CONFIRMATION - August 22nd 2020 @ 1pm  As stated last week Ferbane is (I feel) the best option in capacity, webcam, carparking & radio system to achieve our goal of accommodating approximately 85 (21 candidates, 21 sponsors, 38 parents, staff, musician(s) and me). Email to parents this week.

 FIRST HOLY COMMUNION -12 noon in St. Ciaran’s, Clonfanlough  on September 26th  2020

CEMETERY DAY Aug 1cancelled in our diocese.. I will say a streamed Mass privately then & bless graves. I posted on social media images of dumped material from graves. Our deceased are never out of our minds–  I think however rubbish should be out of our sight.It speaks volumes of a lack of care & reduces us all

 Covid-19:

A Prayer of Solidarity

For all who have contracted coronavirus,

We pray for care and healing.

For those who are particularly vulnerable,

We pray for safety and protection.

For all who experience fear or anxiety,

We pray for peace of mind and spirit.

For affected families who are facing difficult decisions

between food on the table or public safety,

We pray for policies that see  their plight.

For those who do not have adequate health

insurance, We pray that no family will face financial burdens alone. For those who are afraid to access care due to

immigration status, We pray for recognition of the God-given dignity of all.  For our brothers and sisters around the world,

We pray for shared solidarity.

For public officials and decisionmakers,

We pray for wisdom and guidance.

Father, during this time may your Church be a sign of hope, comfort and love to all.

Grant peace. Grant comfort. Grant healing.

Be with us, Lord.

A PRAYER for the Coming Week. Dear Lord Prepare me for the coming week. Help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me this week that You and I together can’t handle. Take away my fears, doubts and worries and replace them with strength, hope and faith. If I feel like I’m not getting where I need to be fast enough, remind me that I may be delayed because there’s a storm where I’m headed and that storm isn’t meant for me. I am grateful for my family, friends and animals. I thank you for this beautiful life . Forgive me if I sometimes don’t love it enough. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Meditation on ‘The Tree’ Lord, there are parts of me, which when they are buried and unseen seem harmless and perhaps innocent; It is only when these deeply hidden parts of me begin to reveal themselves that it all becomes rather frightening. There is enough to contend with in keeping a grip on things as they are, maybe I should get rid of these tangled knots. But you are saying, Lord, that these very knots are a source of life to me, that I must learn to love and keep in touch with them. If this is so, Lord, help me to be unafraid and courageous enough to accept these dark parts of myself, and to believe that you can give me life through their mysterious shapes.

 Welcome Back . There was a sense of joy and excitement and it was great to see the familiar friendly faces of our daily Massgoers once more. A lot of work has been taking place behind the scenes so we say thank you to all who have assisted in any way. During Phase 3 of the reopening we have to limit our congregation to 50 people.  Given our reduced capacity of 15 pews– we would never achieve that anyhow. In Phase 4 (from July 20th onwards) our seating capacity may rise a bit if the 2 metre Social Distance is reduced. Couples and families are encouraged to sit together. Please note the following: ● Dispensation from Sunday and Holyday Obligation is extended for the time being. ● Some people might consider foregoing Sunday Mass and coming on a midweek day so as to free up space on Sundays. That is why I’m again trying an evening Mass in both churches. It just doesn’t seem to “fit” Shannonbridge though?● Anyone who is unwell is advised not to attend. ● We will use one point of entry - the front doors. Exit will be by the side doors. ● Holy Water fonts will continue to remain empty. ● Hand sanitisers will be available at Church doors. ● Holy Communion should be received in the hand. ● Unfortunately it is best that the Altar Servers and Choirs do not resume their duties until further notice. ● Newsletters are single use only - please take home after Mass. ● Parish Collections - will be held at the entrance door - See Parish Website / Church Notice

MOBILE WEBCAM  You will have noticed that I use my "Mobile Phone" to live-stream Mass.  This is very much dependent on the quality of mobile broadband. During Lockdown I had access to a friends broadband. God I miss it! Since June 29th live-streaming from Shannonbridge and Clonfanlough Church, depending on local Mobile Broadband has been a nerve wracking experience! You see "signal drop" come up on screen as you are stranded at the altar! At one Mass the signal dropped completely leaving about 200 people without anything to view. Yes we achieve about  How local businesses are meant to function I don't know.  Anyhow on the Church streaming of Mass, Nobody but me appears on it, but I will have to adjust the angle a bit better in Clonfanlough to ensure people in the side aisle doesn't get involuntarily put online! When we get back to Readers and Eucharistic Ministers- their media consent will be needed also (GDPR).. Mass videos will be routinely deleted after 48 hours.