Clonmacnois Parish
Sixth Sunday of the Year (B)
February 11th 2024
Fr. Tom Cox (Adm) Tel. 090 9674125/ 086-8319500
Email: clonmacnoiseparish@gmail.com
WEB shannonbridge.blogspot.ie
FACEBOOK www.fb.me/saintciarans
6th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
‘Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him’
A recent television documentary on the heroic men and women who are working on the front line in our hospitals in t
he battle against Covid-19, revealed in a striking way that compassion costs. It always does. In today’s Gospel Jesus reaches out in tender compassion to touch a leper. In doing what He did, He was crossing a significant boundary and breaking every law, taboo and convention of His day. The leper was the most miserable outcast in Jewish society. He/she had to live away from the community, wear a bell and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean’. To touch a leper made oneself unclean. The judgement of Jesus does not follow society’s standards, however. He understood how it felt to be rejected, to feel unwanted, to find no room at the inn and so, an untouchable one is touched, an outsider is brought in, an excluded one is made to feel welcome, a suffering human being is healed in body and spirit. No life, however broken or rejected is beyond God’s reach. Today, as in every generation, there are ‘untouchables’ in our world, people on the edge, the least, the lost, the last. The leper represents those whom society considers to be flawed. Our challenge is to do as Jesus did; to notice and be courageous enough to step out to bring inclusion where there is exclusion so that no brother or sister has to carry the cross alone. Jesus’ ministry of compassion cost Him. It will cost us too.
World Day of Prayer for the Sick – The Sacrament of the Sick will be available after 7p.m. Shannonbridge) 10:30a.m. Mass on Sun 11th Feb. (Clonfanough)
Tues Feb 13th Shrove Tuesday 7pm Clonfanlough & Confirmation Service of Light
A PRAYER TO BEGIN MY LENTEN JOURNEY: Loving Jesus, as I make the sign of the cross on my forehead this Ash Wednesday, I hear you say to me “Walk with me, these 40 days of Lent, spend time with me in prayer, Fast from things that keep you from being the best that you can be, Give to those who are not as blessed as you are. And together we will make the journey to new life at Easter”. Amen.
CLONFANLOUGH HALL:
-Zumba for kids - boys and girls aged 4 to 10, starting in the hall Monday 12th Feb 4.45 to 5.30
-Music Generation Offaly: Music lessons in Clonfanlough Hall every Wednesday
Times: 4-5pm ages 8-12 (primary school) 5-6pm ages 13+(secondary school).
-Pilates with Ger: Monday’s 8.00-9.00pm
-Women’s Fitness class with Nicky: Wed 7.30-8.30pm
SHANNONBRIDGE N37 FV05
Sat Feb 10th 7pm Peoples Intentions
Mon 12th 10am Tues 13th 10am
Wed 14th 10am Allen Kelly (11th Anniv.)
Ash Wednesday: Day of Fast & Abstinence
Thurs 15th 10am Fri 16th 10am Mary O’Friel (Stations of the Cross after)
Sat 17th 7pm Patrick & Mary Gunning & dec’d family members
`CLONFANLOUGH N37 XR81
Sun 11th Feb 10:30am Mary Haligan (1st A)
Tues 13th 7pm Service of Light & Ash Wednesday Vigil
Wed 14th 7pm & Fri 16th 7pm (Stations of Cross after)
Sun 18th Feb 10:30am Kathleen (2nd A.) & Michael J. Molloy & granddaughter Maeve
CLUAIN CHIARAIN Next Mass 21/2/24 @7:30pm
OFFERTORY Feb 4th €.920
RECENT DEATH Please pray for the soul of Mary O’Friel Milford, Co. Cork sister of Josie O Duffy (Clondelara)
Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes O Holy Virgin, in the midst of your days of glory, do not forget the sorrows of this earth. Cast a merciful glance upon those who are suffering, struggling against difficulties, with their lips constantly pressed against life's bitter cup. Have pity on those who love each other and are separated. Have pity on our rebellious hearts. Have pity on our weak faith. Have pity on those who weep, on those who pray, on those who fear. Grant hope and peace to all. Amen.
World Day of the Sick • Day of Prayer for Temperance The word temperance, like the word fortitude, is perhaps another of those words that are not used much in ordinary conversation. But the idea of temperance is suggested in some words that are used in everyday speech. Balance is one of those words, I think. We speak of wanting to lead ‘balanced’ lives, of wanting our judgments to be ‘balanced,’ our big decisions in life to be the result of ‘balanced reflections.’ We speak of a person being unbalanced. We speak of balanced diets. We try to balance our professional lives with our personal lives. We know what people mean when we hear these phrases. Balance is something like the virtue of temperance
A Prayer to St. Valentine Loving Father, I pray for an open heart and mind, so that I may recognise and be grateful for all the love in my life. I pray that I might find a new sense of wholeness, Joy and peace in your love. Remove all obstacles so that I may grow in love throughout my life. Give me the grace to trust in your loving plan for me, so that whatever my circumstances over the course of my life, I may know that I am not alone, that I am loved by you, my loving Father, who is full of tenderness, mercy and compassion. Amen.
ANAM CARA MIDLANDS - Parent Evening for bereaved parents on Wednesday 14th February at 7.15pm in the Mullingar Park Hotel. This event is FREE and open to all bereaved parents regardless of the age your child died, the circumstances of their death, or whether their death was recent or not. We also offer an online service. For more information please call 01 4045378.
SHANNONBRIDGE LOTTO Feb 5th 2024 numbers drawn 4-13-23-32 No Winner, One Match 3 Next Draw 12th Feb Jackpot stands at €5,400
“Operation Transformation” WALKING CLUB continues at GAA ground Mon/Wed/Fri at 8pm for 3 more weeks. Please spread the word everyone in the community welcome including non members!
We are also registered for the walking challenge again this year. To register, download the "my life" app from the playstore. Open the "every step counts" link in the app and register with Shannonbridge GAA. There are good prizes to be won if we reach a target of steps required we will be in the draw.
Meals on Wheels: If you would like to avail of this service contact 087 2410587
THANK YOU Thanks to everyone who donated clothes to the clothes collection for meals on wheels. €320 raised
Ballinasloe Flower and Garden Club are holding a Garden Talk on Troughs, Pots and Pistons by Kevin Begley, Coolwater Garden, Fedamore, Co. Limerick in Gullanes Hotel, Ballinasloe on Wednesday,14th February at 8.00pm. Admission 10 euro. New members welcome on the night.
FEAST DAYS Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes celebrated on Sunday 11th Feb. Sac. Of the Sick after 7pm & 10:30 on Feb 10 & 11th
16th Feb Day of Prayer for Victims of Abuse God of endless love, ever caring, ever strong, always present, always just: You gave your only Son to save us by his blood on the cross. Gentle Jesus, shepherd of peace, join to your own suffering the pain of all who have been hurt in body, mind, and spirit by those who betrayed the trust placed in them. Hear the cries of our brothers and sisters who have been gravely harmed, and the cries of those who love them. Soothe their restless hearts with hope, steady their shaken spirits with faith. Grant them justice for their cause, enlightened by your truth. Holy Spirit, comforter of hearts, heal your people’s wounds and transform brokenness into wholeness. Grant us the courage and wisdom, humility and grace, to act with justice. Breathe wisdom into our prayers and labours. Grant that all harmed by abuse may find peace in justice. We ask this through Christ, our
Lord. Amen. Dates to remember in 2024
Feb 22nd First Confession 7pm Clonfanlough
Thurs March 7th Confirmation (Shannonbridge) & the first official visit of Bishop Paul Connell to the parish.
Sat May 25th – 12 Noon First Holy Communion.
KNOCK SHRINE BACK TO NORMAL Knock Shrine in Ireland received more than one million pilgrims in 2023, matching its pre-Covid numbers
MINISTRIES Readers: 17/2/24 @7pm Dympna Fitzpatrick 18/2/24 @10:30 Molloy Intention Reader (CF) Communion 17/2/24 @7pm Deirdre Kenny 18/2/24 @10:30 Leanne Quinn Church Care Marion McManus, Catherina Slattery, Ann Corbett SB) Maureen Claffey, Bridie Coughlan (Feb) CF) Counters Shannonbridge Servers; 17/2/24 Liam F. Keelan R. , Daithi O’D (SB) 18/2/24 Clonfanlough Harry G., Oisin & Ella S, Lana B.
CLOTHES COLLECTION - Naomh Ciarán Football Club are holding a Clothes Collection at Ferbane GAA pitch between 10-11am on Saturday 17th February and Saturday 24th February. Any bag donation will be greatly appreciated.
APPRECIATION : Aileen & Noel Mannion & the Maher family wish to thank all who sent messages of sympathy to them on the recent death of Aileen’s brother Paddy, and to those who travelled to Cork for his funeral.
SERVICE OF LIGHT—CONFIRMATION
Charlie Bracken- Conor Buckley- Joey Butler
Harry Guinan -Jack Kearns
Keelan Kelly- Mark O’Shea
Jack Rohan -Jack Samuels
Caoimhin Daly -Liam Fitzpatrick
Alyssa Hennessy -Adam Kelly
Holly Maloney -Hannah Mitchell
Jack O’Duffy -Darragh Seery
Ella Shrahan -Nathan Malynn
Temperance is moderation in the things that are good and total abstinence from the things that are foul. Frances E. Willard
LENT 2024
Wednesday next is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Ashes will be blessed and distributed at 10 a.m. Shannonbridge & in Clonfanlough at 7pm (Tuesday 13th) & 7pm Wednesday
Temperance Sunday: this Sunday, the week before the beginning of Lent, is a day of prayer for Temperance. Temperance is not just about alcohol but also about drug abuse is all its forms.
-Trócaire Boxes are available for collection at the Church doors.
Ash Wednesday is also a day of Fast and Abstinence in keeping with the Lenten call for prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The following are suggested ways of fulfilling Friday penance:
-Abstaining from meat or some other food - Abstaining from alcoholic drink or smoking
-Making a special effort to have family prayer
-Visiting the Blessed Sacrament
- Making the Stations of the Cross
- Helping the poor, sick, old or lonely
- Making a special effort to attend weekly Mass
- Coming together to Church as a family
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