TWELFTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
‘The one who disowns me in the presence of men I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven’
‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it’, according to Nelson Mandela. It is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, perhaps the most important. It is a heart word. The root of the word courage is ‘cor’, the Latin word for heart. Jesus asks us today not to lose heart in our efforts to witness to Him in a world that is increasingly hostile to His word. In this hostile environment, there is great temptation for the follower of Jesus to ‘blend-in’ and remain silent when he/she should speak out. Some years ago, a well-known Christian proclaimed in interview that he was a Christian but ‘not offensively so’. The follower of Jesus, however, must be prepared to disturb the peace at times, to take a stand for what is right, to show which side he/she is on. ‘A story that must be told never forgives silence’. It is probably true to say that more people deny Jesus Christ by cowardly silence than by deliberate words. We are not called to be conformed to the world but rather, to transform it. Fear is a reaction; courage is a decision.
—————————————————- Courage and fear are brothers
During his years as premier of the Soviet Union (1958-1964) Nikita Khrushchev denounced many of the policies and atrocities of his predecessor, Joseph Stalin. Once, as he censured Stalin at a public meeting, Khrushchev was interrupted by a heckler in the audience who shouted, ‘You were one of Stalin’s colleagues. Why didn’t you stop him’? ‘Who said that?’, roared Khrushchev. An agonising silence followed as no one in the room dared move a muscle. Then Khrushchev replied quietly, ‘Now you know why’.
SHANNONBRIDGE (Eircode N37 FV05)
Sat 24th June 7pm Jimmy, Lizzie, James Joseph & Baby Joseph McManus
Mon 26th 10am
Tues 27th 10am
Wed 28th 10am
Thurs 29th June No Mass (Service tbc)
Fri 30th June 10am
Sat 1st July 7pm Vera Carty
CLONFANLOUGH (Eircode N37 XR81)
Sun 25th June 10:30 Pro Populo
Fri 30th June 7pm Shane Hynes 4th Anniv
Sun 2nd July 10:30am Kathleen Maleney
FEAST DAYS Tuesday 27 June: St. Cyril of Alexandria. Patriarch of Alexandria, fought against the heresy of Nestorianism at the council of Ephesus 431 which proclaimed Mary the Mother of God Wed. 28 June: St. Irenaeus of Lyons, lived just after the Apostles and knew those who had seen and talked with Jesus. The note of moderation, the desire to win people to Christianity by love not fear is apparent in all his work.
Thursday 29 June: St. S Peter and Paul, Apostles. On the day traditionally held in pagan Rome to be its foundation day by Romulus, we celebrate the twin founders of the church in Rome. St. Peter died by crucifixion and St. Paul by beheading between 64-67AD
Friday 30 June: First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church. In addition to Ss Peter & Paul, died under Nero in 64AD
Sat 1st July St. Oliver Plunkett
COLLECTIONS - June 18th €595
Pentecost Dues for Priests: Sincere thanks for your generosity towards this collection. This collection is forwarded to a central fund in the Diocese and each priest receives a monthly allowance.
CLUAIN CHIARAIN Wed June 28th @7:30
CEMETERY MASS CLONMACNOIS Saturday 29th July @ 7pm
MINISTRIES Readers: 1/7/23 @7pm Ruth Quirke (SB)/ 2/7/23 @10:30am Rita Molloy (Cf) Communion 1/7/23 @7pm Deirdre Kenny 2/7/23@10:30am Linda Donaghy Church Care Marie Mc Manus, Patricia Kenny SB:Niamh Egan, Anne Rohan (July) (CF) Counters: Shannonbridge (June) Servers; 1/7/23 @ 7pm Shannonbridge Hannah Mitchell Oisin Kenny , 1/7/23 @ 10:30am Clonfanlough Mark O’Shea, Alannah Daly, Caoimhin Daly, Saoirse Trainor
World Youth Day in Lisbon on Monday 31st July to Sunday 6th August
BAPTISM We welcome Baby Daniel (Danny) O’Shea Mollen in Christian Baptism this weekend
CLONMACNOIS N.S. Board of Management Tuesday 27th June at 7:30pm
HIGH STREET / BELMONT WOMEN’S GROUP - Cake Sale & Raffle on Sunday 16th July after 12 noon Mass in aid of Daffodil Day & Irish Cancer Society.
BELMONT GAA BINGO - Bingo continues every Friday night, pre-printed books available in Cahill’s during the week until 9pm on Thursday.
SOCIAL DANCE - In Cloghan Hall on Friday 30th June from 9.30pm - 12.30am. Music by Muriel O’Connor and Fran Curry. All welcome.
RALLY FOR LIFE 2023 - Ireland’s annual march for the Human Right to Life starting from Parnell Square, Dublin. Assembling at 1pm. Bus to Pro Life Rally in Dublin on Saturday 1st July. Bus picks up from Coosan Church car park, Athlone, at 8.45am. Fare €20. Booking essential. Please contact Siobhan on 083 0254 809.
SHEFFIELD FAMILY HOUSE FIRE Saturday, June 17th saw a devastating house fire gut the home of David & Caroline Sheffield of our parish. Thankfully all family members are unhamed but the terrible task lies ahead of rebuilding a family home. Our Diocese knows from a Cathedral Fire in 2009 that people rally very much. And that has been the case here. There is online fundraising via “Go Fund Me” search for “The Sheffield Family Support Fund”. If online is not “your thing” the parish can forward all monies to the organisers and respect the privacy of David and Caroline at this most difficult time. You can leave them with me or in our parish deposit boxes in either Church Porch. Just indicate if you would like your name acknowledged in the Online fundraising page. Thank you.
TOMMY & KATHLEEN WHYTE 60 years on
We happily celebrated the Diamond Anniversary of two great souls of our parish last Wednesday. Congratulations to Tommy & Kathleen !
PATTERN DAY CHANGE Owing to Bishop Paul’s availability, the Pattern Day 2023 will take place on Sunday 17th Sept. Prayers at 2:45pm Please spread the word to Ciaran’s people. Pobal Chiarain!
CLASS OF ‘23 Clonmacnois N.S.
Best wishes to Alannah Daly, James Darcy, Joshua Spain-Connaughton, Noah O’Duffy, Conor Fallon, Oisin Kenny, Charlotte Claffey, Eva Seery
Fear by Kahlil Gibran
It is said that before entering the sea
a river trembles with fear.
She looks back at the path she has traveled,
from the peaks of the mou
ntains,
the long winding road crossing forests and villages.
And in front of her,
she sees an ocean so vast,
that to enter
there seems nothing more than to disappear forever.
But there is no other way.
The river can not go back.
Nobody can go back.
To go back is impossible in existence.
The river needs to take the risk
of entering the ocean
because only then will fear disappear,
because that’s where the river will know
it’s not about disappearing into the ocean,
but of becoming the ocean