Come on the Cats!!!
We wish the Kilkenny Senior and Minor Hurling Teams the best of luck in this weekend’s All Ireland Hurling Finals. In particular we wish Brian Cody, Richard Mulrooney, the panel members and all from St. Patrick’s Parish who are involved with the teams the very best of luck in the big games.
Here we go for four in a row!
One for all
Today’s Gospel reading contains a string of strange things. For starters, how could someone deaf from birth, presumably, be able to speak at all, even with an impediment? There were no books then, no special-needs teaching. Nothing. So how did he pick up a language? No answer is given. Not one for theatricals, Jesus nevertheless uses gestures common at the time to Greek and Jewish healers. Why? No reason is given. Equally strange, he imposes silence on the crowd after the healing. Could he really expect them to keep quiet about such an extraordinary thing? No explanation is given. There are no answers to these questions. Yet, asking them helps us focus on the text to grasp its style and purpose. It’s penned not as a report for a newspaper, but for the purpose of teaching. It tells us that lots of good things happen when we’re close to Jesus. We become whole and free in a way we’ve never been before. Our damaged humanity is healed. It also tells us important things about Jesus in an indirect way. The crowds proclaim that he has ‘done everything well’. This is reminiscent of Gen 1:31: ‘God saw everything that he had made and indeed it was very good.’ There’s at least a linkage with God’s divine action here. And because the healing occurs in the Gentile region, east of Jordan, it tells us that the Gentiles previously deaf and dumb to God can now hear and respond to him. Jesus is for all, not just the chosen few.
Fr. Tom Cahill SVD
Questions People Ask
Q. Somewhere in the Bible it says ‘Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.’ How can a God of love harbour thoughts of revenge?
A. This saying dates from an early part of the Old Testament when morality was at a primitive stage of development, far short of the morality of love preached by Jesus, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. Old Testament morality advanced and we find Isaiah in today’s Mass speaking of God’s vengeance coming not with punishment, but with healing for the blind, deaf, lame etc. God wants the destruction of sin but the healing of the sinner. St. Paul tells people to let go of vengeance: ‘Do not be mastered by evil, but master evil with good’ (Rom 12:21).
Fr. Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
Parish Finance Committee
There will be a meeting of the Finance Committee at the Parish Centre at 8.00pm on this Thursday. Members of the Parish Team and the Finance Committee are asked to attend.
Pray for the Deceased
Recently Deceased: Joan O’Connell, Riverview, Sr. Eileen Lennon, St. John of God Congregation.
Anniversaries: Brigid Kenny (Sat 6.15), William Lawlor (Sun 12.30), Bernard & Edmond McAvinia (Tues 9.30), Seamus Kelly (Tue 10.30), Eoin McDonagh (Fri 10.30), Kathleen Bolger, Edward & Christina O’Shaughnessy, Ciss Holland, Maureen Holden, Patrick O’Neill, Rosaleen Bridget Bull, PJ Sweeney.
Intentions for next weekend: Tom Byrne (Sat 6.15), Sharon McEvoy (Sat 7.00), Ernie Harrington (Sun 10.00), Annastasia & Billy Ayres (Sun 10.30), Mary & Joan Bissett (Sun 11.00) Catherine (Kit) Grace (Sun 12.00), Ray Bolger (Sun 12.30 Months Mind).
Rosary
The monthly rosary on the first Sunday in James Green at the statue of our Lady of Kilkenny continues this Sunday 6th September at 3pm. All are welcome.
Novena at St. Fiacre’s Well
Thanks to all who supported the recent annual novena and Mass at St. Fiacre’s Well. Good attendances were recorded each evening and, in spite of inclement weather, about 100 people gathered for the concluding open-air Mass last Sunday.
Well done to the Committee and thanks to all who facilitated this annual event.
St. Fiacre’s Gardens
Thanks to our team of volunteers and the builders the garden around our Parish Centre continues to take shape. Well done and thanks to those who have given of their time and energy to keep our parish property in top class condition.
This week saw the introduction of a new statue of St. Fiacre. Fiacre is the patron of gardeners and he is always depicted with garden implements and plants or seeds. Our statue carries a shovel and a flower.
Volunteer Gardeners
Those who have volunteered to help with the gardening are invited to a meeting at the Parish Centre on Wednesday, 9th September at 7.30pm. The horticulturalist who designed the garden will be present to help plan the season’s work. New members welcome.
St. Patrick’s Church
We are still in need of some people to form a team to look after the grounds at St. Patrick’s Church. Any volunteers willing to help look after these grounds? Please contact Fr. Liam.
Westcourt News
The September Mass for the blessings of Edmund Rice on our lives and for his canonisation will be celebrated in Westcourt on Monday, September 7th at 8pm. The Friendship Club are preparing the liturgy for this Mass.
At the conclusion of Mass, there will be a special blessing over a renovated statue of Edmund Rice and over a first class relic of Edmund Rice which will be on permanent display. All are welcome.
King of the Castle
The ‘King of the Castle’ event was officially launched at Kilkenny Castle on last Friday evening. James Stephen’s GAA Club and St. Patrick’s Parish have joined forces to ensure Michael Costello is elected King of the Castle thus defending our local bastion from invasion by ‘pretenders’ from O’Loughlin Gales and Dicksboro GAA Clubs.
Your help is urgently needed. We require volunteers to assist with forthcoming field days, tractor runs, BBQs, harvest celebrations, dog nights and ticket selling. Please help by giving your name to one of the priests or sacristans today. This campaign is part of a city wide event and will be a major fundraiser to help our parish and our local GAA club. Your parish and club needs your assistance right now. Please help.
Flag Day
Thanks to twelve people who have volunteered to represent the parish by selling flags in Kilkenny City on next Thursday. “Many hands make light work” as they say so we could do with a few more volunteers. Please give your name to the sacristans or one of the priests today or telephone the Parish Office (776 4400) on Monday. Thanks for your help.
Rock N Roll
live at Langton’s in aid of Michael Costello King of the Castle with O’Dwyer Brothers & Special Guests. 60’s, 70’s & 80’s Hits Friday, 11th September 2009 Late Bar Doors open at 9pm. Admission €10.00
Afternoon Bridge
Venue: St. Patrick’s Parish Centre.
Date: Tuesday, 8th September.
Time: 3pm - 5pm.
No competition, no partner required. Enjoy two hours bridge every Tuesday.
Contact: Reena 776 2923
Kilkenny Citizens’ Information Centre
If you are looking for something new to do this Autumn we might have just what you’re looking for. We need enthusiastic volunteers who would like to help other people. We need people who are in a position to commit to giving three hours per week and who are willing to commit for a period of at least two years. In return we will provide training to enable you to provide information and a challenging, but rewarding, opportunity to do voluntary work.
Contact 056 775 2676 for more details.
Ballet and Modern Dance Classes
The Kilkenny School of Ballet & Modern Dance offers the following classes:
Classes - Wednesday & Friday in Friary Hall, Kilkenny. Thursday in St. Patrick’s Parish Centre, Loughboy. Ages 3½ and upwards. Contact Grainne: 087 908 2873 or 059 915 8302
Kilkenny School of Music
The School of Music reopens on the Monday, 7th September. Anyone interested in singing, piano, cello or violin please telephone 776 7101 or 086 319 9374.
We wish the Kilkenny Senior and Minor Hurling Teams the best of luck in this weekend’s All Ireland Hurling Finals. In particular we wish Brian Cody, Richard Mulrooney, the panel members and all from St. Patrick’s Parish who are involved with the teams the very best of luck in the big games.
Here we go for four in a row!
One for all
Today’s Gospel reading contains a string of strange things. For starters, how could someone deaf from birth, presumably, be able to speak at all, even with an impediment? There were no books then, no special-needs teaching. Nothing. So how did he pick up a language? No answer is given. Not one for theatricals, Jesus nevertheless uses gestures common at the time to Greek and Jewish healers. Why? No reason is given. Equally strange, he imposes silence on the crowd after the healing. Could he really expect them to keep quiet about such an extraordinary thing? No explanation is given. There are no answers to these questions. Yet, asking them helps us focus on the text to grasp its style and purpose. It’s penned not as a report for a newspaper, but for the purpose of teaching. It tells us that lots of good things happen when we’re close to Jesus. We become whole and free in a way we’ve never been before. Our damaged humanity is healed. It also tells us important things about Jesus in an indirect way. The crowds proclaim that he has ‘done everything well’. This is reminiscent of Gen 1:31: ‘God saw everything that he had made and indeed it was very good.’ There’s at least a linkage with God’s divine action here. And because the healing occurs in the Gentile region, east of Jordan, it tells us that the Gentiles previously deaf and dumb to God can now hear and respond to him. Jesus is for all, not just the chosen few.
Fr. Tom Cahill SVD
Questions People Ask
Q. Somewhere in the Bible it says ‘Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.’ How can a God of love harbour thoughts of revenge?
A. This saying dates from an early part of the Old Testament when morality was at a primitive stage of development, far short of the morality of love preached by Jesus, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. Old Testament morality advanced and we find Isaiah in today’s Mass speaking of God’s vengeance coming not with punishment, but with healing for the blind, deaf, lame etc. God wants the destruction of sin but the healing of the sinner. St. Paul tells people to let go of vengeance: ‘Do not be mastered by evil, but master evil with good’ (Rom 12:21).
Fr. Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
Parish Finance Committee
There will be a meeting of the Finance Committee at the Parish Centre at 8.00pm on this Thursday. Members of the Parish Team and the Finance Committee are asked to attend.
Pray for the Deceased
Recently Deceased: Joan O’Connell, Riverview, Sr. Eileen Lennon, St. John of God Congregation.
Anniversaries: Brigid Kenny (Sat 6.15), William Lawlor (Sun 12.30), Bernard & Edmond McAvinia (Tues 9.30), Seamus Kelly (Tue 10.30), Eoin McDonagh (Fri 10.30), Kathleen Bolger, Edward & Christina O’Shaughnessy, Ciss Holland, Maureen Holden, Patrick O’Neill, Rosaleen Bridget Bull, PJ Sweeney.
Intentions for next weekend: Tom Byrne (Sat 6.15), Sharon McEvoy (Sat 7.00), Ernie Harrington (Sun 10.00), Annastasia & Billy Ayres (Sun 10.30), Mary & Joan Bissett (Sun 11.00) Catherine (Kit) Grace (Sun 12.00), Ray Bolger (Sun 12.30 Months Mind).
Rosary
The monthly rosary on the first Sunday in James Green at the statue of our Lady of Kilkenny continues this Sunday 6th September at 3pm. All are welcome.
Novena at St. Fiacre’s Well
Thanks to all who supported the recent annual novena and Mass at St. Fiacre’s Well. Good attendances were recorded each evening and, in spite of inclement weather, about 100 people gathered for the concluding open-air Mass last Sunday.
Well done to the Committee and thanks to all who facilitated this annual event.
St. Fiacre’s Gardens
Thanks to our team of volunteers and the builders the garden around our Parish Centre continues to take shape. Well done and thanks to those who have given of their time and energy to keep our parish property in top class condition.
This week saw the introduction of a new statue of St. Fiacre. Fiacre is the patron of gardeners and he is always depicted with garden implements and plants or seeds. Our statue carries a shovel and a flower.
Volunteer Gardeners
Those who have volunteered to help with the gardening are invited to a meeting at the Parish Centre on Wednesday, 9th September at 7.30pm. The horticulturalist who designed the garden will be present to help plan the season’s work. New members welcome.
St. Patrick’s Church
We are still in need of some people to form a team to look after the grounds at St. Patrick’s Church. Any volunteers willing to help look after these grounds? Please contact Fr. Liam.
Westcourt News
The September Mass for the blessings of Edmund Rice on our lives and for his canonisation will be celebrated in Westcourt on Monday, September 7th at 8pm. The Friendship Club are preparing the liturgy for this Mass.
At the conclusion of Mass, there will be a special blessing over a renovated statue of Edmund Rice and over a first class relic of Edmund Rice which will be on permanent display. All are welcome.
King of the Castle
The ‘King of the Castle’ event was officially launched at Kilkenny Castle on last Friday evening. James Stephen’s GAA Club and St. Patrick’s Parish have joined forces to ensure Michael Costello is elected King of the Castle thus defending our local bastion from invasion by ‘pretenders’ from O’Loughlin Gales and Dicksboro GAA Clubs.
Your help is urgently needed. We require volunteers to assist with forthcoming field days, tractor runs, BBQs, harvest celebrations, dog nights and ticket selling. Please help by giving your name to one of the priests or sacristans today. This campaign is part of a city wide event and will be a major fundraiser to help our parish and our local GAA club. Your parish and club needs your assistance right now. Please help.
Flag Day
Thanks to twelve people who have volunteered to represent the parish by selling flags in Kilkenny City on next Thursday. “Many hands make light work” as they say so we could do with a few more volunteers. Please give your name to the sacristans or one of the priests today or telephone the Parish Office (776 4400) on Monday. Thanks for your help.
Rock N Roll
live at Langton’s in aid of Michael Costello King of the Castle with O’Dwyer Brothers & Special Guests. 60’s, 70’s & 80’s Hits Friday, 11th September 2009 Late Bar Doors open at 9pm. Admission €10.00
Afternoon Bridge
Venue: St. Patrick’s Parish Centre.
Date: Tuesday, 8th September.
Time: 3pm - 5pm.
No competition, no partner required. Enjoy two hours bridge every Tuesday.
Contact: Reena 776 2923
Kilkenny Citizens’ Information Centre
If you are looking for something new to do this Autumn we might have just what you’re looking for. We need enthusiastic volunteers who would like to help other people. We need people who are in a position to commit to giving three hours per week and who are willing to commit for a period of at least two years. In return we will provide training to enable you to provide information and a challenging, but rewarding, opportunity to do voluntary work.
Contact 056 775 2676 for more details.
Ballet and Modern Dance Classes
The Kilkenny School of Ballet & Modern Dance offers the following classes:
Classes - Wednesday & Friday in Friary Hall, Kilkenny. Thursday in St. Patrick’s Parish Centre, Loughboy. Ages 3½ and upwards. Contact Grainne: 087 908 2873 or 059 915 8302
Kilkenny School of Music
The School of Music reopens on the Monday, 7th September. Anyone interested in singing, piano, cello or violin please telephone 776 7101 or 086 319 9374.
Flower Arranging
The Kilkenny Flower Club will return after the summer break on next Thursday, 10th September. Venue: Butler House, Patrick Street, Kilkenny. The demonstrator will be newly qualified Mary Johannas from Cahir. Members and non-members will be most welcome.
Suicide Awareness Day
The World Suicide Prevention Day will be marked on the 12th September in McDonagh Junction Shopping Centre, Kilkenny. The Lifeline network will host stalls from a number of support agencies. There will also be dance, music and art activities for all the family to enjoy. Time: 1.00pm to 5.30pm. All welcome.
World Community Grid
Here’s a worthwhile project. Donate the time your computer is turned on, but is idle, to projects that benefit humanity. Help cure muscular dystrophy, fight childhood cancer, feed the world, all through donating the idle time on your computer. Find out more about this project at www.worldcommunitygrid.org
Yoga
Yoga classes for beginners commence Thursday, 17th September from 10am and 11.15am at St. Patrick's Parish Centre. Gentle stretching and relaxation suitable for beginners of all ages and abilities. €65 for 6 classes. Wear loose comfortable clothes and bring a yoga or exercise mat if you have one. To book please contact Sadhbh O’Neill at 087 225 8599.
