Clonmacnois Parish
First Sunday of Lent (B)
February 18th 2024
Fr. Tom Cox (Adm) Tel. 090 9674125/ 086-8319500
Email: clonmacnoiseparish@gmail.com
WEB shannonbridge.blogspot.ie
FACEBOOK www.fb.me/saintciarans
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
‘The Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness’
The word Lent means springtime. It is the season of lengthening days, new life, new hope, new beginnings. The Latin root of the word is ‘lente’, which suggests the call to slow down, proceed slowly, gently, carefully. In the first three centuries of the Christian era, the followers of Christ prepared for Easter by praying and fasting for three days. In some places, this was extended to the entire week before Easter. By the fourth century Lent had developed to its’ current length of forty days to replicate the time Jesus spent in the wilderness in preparation for His public ministry. The Wilderness is a barren strip, thirty-five miles by fifteen between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. In that bleak place, He couldn’t have been more alone. He is confronted by Satan, but emerges victorious from the struggle. Nobody witnessed the dramatic event, so He must have reported it often to His friends. The episode raises the curtain on the Lenten drama and invites us once more to enter the quiet place where deepening and re-evaluation take place.
‘Solitude is the audience chamber of God’
SHANNONBRIDGE N37 FV05
Sat 17th 7pm Patrick & Mary Gunning & dec’d family members
Mon 19th 10am
Tues 20th 10am
Wed 21st 10am
Thurs 22nd 10am
Fri 23rd 10am [Stations of Cross after]
Sat 24th 7pm Tommy, Geraldine & Simon McManus
`CLONFANLOUGH N37 XR81
Sun 18th Feb 10:30am Kathleen (2nd A.) & Michael J. Molloy & granddaughter Maeve
Thurs 22nd 7pm First Confession
Fri 23rd Feb 7pm [Stations of Cross after]
Sun 25th Feb 10:30am Michael Kelly & Wife Mary (Currow) & dec’d family members
CLUAIN CHIARAIN Next Mass 21/2/24 @7:30pm
OFFERTORY Feb 11th €613.80
RECENT DEATH Please pray for the soul of Liz Wynne Coventry, England, sister of Peter Kelly (Clonfanlough)
Trócaire:
Trócaire Boxes are available at all the Church doors, please take one. If you would prefer to use an envelope for a single donation, they are also available. Your generosity over the years has enabled Trócaire to make a real and lasting difference
CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME - Lenten Challenge
-Buy food that is grown locally - Irish and organic when possible. -Try to grow some of your own fruit/vegetables. -Make compost from fruit and vegetable peelings. -Never waste good food
MINISTRIES Readers: 24/2/24 @7pm Cliodhna Fitzpatrick 25/2/24 @10:30 Maura Molloy (CF) Communion 24/2/24 @7pm Marian McManus 25/2/24 @10:30 Declan McEvoy Church Care Dympna Fitzpatrick, Linda Moran (SB) Maureen Claffey, Bridie Coughlan (Feb) CF) Counters Shannonbridge Servers; 24/2/24 Hannah M., Emily M. (SB) 25/2/24 Clonfanlough Alyssa H., Rose D. Olivia D. Holly M
For Reflection As we begin Lent, we are reminded that Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving are the key actions of this season. What do I need to give in to?
What do I need to give up?
What do I need to give out?
When you put down your phone, it's easier to lift up your eyes.” — Wendy Speake
LENTEN IDEA: THE CHOSEN: the largest crowd funded mini-series of all time, based on the life of Jesus is available freely on many platform. In its 3rd Series. Https//watchthe chosen.tv or download the App to your phone
LOVE SONGS,POETRY AND LIGHT BITESJoin the Bara singers & friends for lunchtime entertainment on Leap Day Thursday, Feb 29th 12:45-1:45pm in Ballinasloe Town Band Hall. Admission €10
SOCIAL WALK—Birr Castle Demesne Tues 20th Feb at 11am. You are very welcome to join us for our mnthly social walk. Will suit all levels of fitness and will be followed by a cup of tear and a chat. Meet at the castle courtyard. Booking preferred. Contact Declan 087 6991226 or Daid 087 1783989
PARISH COUNCIL: The Next Parish Pastoral Council meeting on Thurs Feb 29th at 8pm in Presbytery. Items for consideration can be dropped in letterbox in porch of either church
SHANNONBRIDGE LOTTO Feb 12th 2024 numbers drawn 3-5-22-28 No Winner, Nine Match 3 Next Draw 19th Feb Jackpot stands at €5,600
“Operation Transformation” WALKING CLUB continues at GAA ground Mon/Wed/Fri at 8pm for 2 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
Ardagh & Clonmacnois Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2024 takes place 31st May – 5th June 2024. For information and bookings contact Joe Walsh Tours 01 2410800 or email info@joewalshtours.ie
CLOTHES COLLECTION - Naomh Ciarán
Football Club are holding a Clothes Collection at Ferbane GAA pitch between 10-11am on Saturday 24th February. Any bag donation appreciated
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.
NATIONAL PIONEER BALL- Calling Pioneers and Friends to the 25th Pioneer National Ball on Saturday 6th April beginning with Mass at 6 pm. in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar, followed by guest speaker, dinner and dancing at the Annebrook House Hotel. For details contact 0857201646 or 0876544626.
BANAGHER DRAMA GROUP - Presents “Don’t
Dress for Dinner” by Marc Camoletti and Robin Hawdon and directed by Brendan Hanamy in St. Rynagh’s College of Further Education at 8pm on Thursday 7th, Friday 8th, Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th March. Booking essential. Phone booking line (087) 477 8492, open 5-7pm daily
OUR PARISH - FACING THE FUTURE - An
opportunity to explore the challenges facing Parishes
today. This will be of interest to Parish Pastoral Councils. A series facilitated by Rev. Dr. Eugene Duffy at St. John’s Welcome Centre, Knock Shrine from 8-9.30pm featuring guest speakers by Videolink commencing on Mon. 26th February: “Who are we as a local faith community?”, Prof. Rafael Luciani, Boston College, USA. This series is FREE of charge. Booking advisable. Email: faithrenewal@knockshrine. ie. Tel: 094 9388100.
MOATE BUSINESS COLLEGE Adult Education Night Classes - Learn new skills and hobbies at our night classes starting on Tuesday 27th February in Moate Business College. Check out our full range of night classes on our website www. moatebusinesscollege.com or our Facebook/Instagram pages.
HIGH ST./BELMONT WOMEN’S GROUP -
Monday 19th February: We host Louise Marlow,
Image Consultant who will speak on trends, fashion,
scarves etc. Adm. €5. All welcome to High Street Hall
at 7.30pm. Please note change of time
A Word in Your Ear... Lent kicked off on Wednesday last with the ‘Day of Ashes’, which for Christians was a day of fasting and abstinence to mark the beginning of Lent. Thirty years ago, about half the deputies in Leinster House wore ashes proudly on their foreheads. Foremost among them was the Taoiseach of the day, Bertie Ahern. In the interests of research, I watched the Dail proceedings on television on Wednesday last! The only person wearing the ashes was the eccentric Tipperary TD, Mattie McGrath. This probably bears out what the Jesuit priest Bruce Bradley was talking about in his homily at the late John Bruton’s funeral. Fr Bradley noted that the many obituaries were rightly generous in their praise of Bruton. However, he did enter a caveat: These accounts celebrate a very gifted and genuinely likeable man who enjoyed a varied and successful career, more than enough to fill many columns. But anyone who knew him in a closer way realised that, underneath everything, he was a seriously religious man and this all-important aspect of his life and self-identity is largely missing from the public commentary. There is a temptation in our culture just now to ignore this aspect of people’s lives, as if it were too marginal or too private and embarrassing to bring up in public or as having too little to do with the real world. The absence of ashes from the foreheads of our Dail Deputies is part of this same pattern that Bradley spoke about. Perhaps the ashes are now regarded as “too marginal or too private and embarrassing to bring up in public?”
Santiago De Compostela Camino 2024 Join Focus Ireland ‘In the Footsteps of St James” on a fully guided walk from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela along the Camino de Frances and help support families in our community’s experiencing homelessness. Dates 27 May to 3 June. Ex Dublin. Contact Monica on 087 954 7007 or email events@focusireland.ie for details and bookings.
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
FEAST DAYS
Wed 21st St. Peter Damian Gave up teaching to become a hermit. Outstanding reformer of Church life & discipline .
Thurs 22nd Chair of St. Peter
Fri 23rd St. Polycarp Bishop of Izmir, turkey. Disciple of John Martyred 155 AD
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