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.