Sunday, January 15, 2012

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, 15th January, 2012


Eucharistic Congress Bell
Thanks to all involved in receiving the Eucharistic Congress Bell in our parish on Friday and Saturday.  It was edifying to see the procession with the bell from the James Stephen’s GAA Club to St. Fiacre’s Church for the Youth Mass celebrated by Bishop Freeman and attended by young people from many parts of the diocese.  Well done and thanks to all involved.

Eucharistic Congress June 2012
At its meeting on Monday evening the Parish Pastoral Council decided to encourage parishioners to travel on the same day to the Eucharistic Congress in June, preferably on the ‘official’ Ossory day (which has not yet been announced).  Since the meeting we have learned of the probability of a special train to the event on the ’Ossory’ day.  We have also provisionally booked a coach for our parishioners.  It would help greatly if those who may travel would give their names to the Parish Office as an expression of interest.  Cost and details will be announced as soon as they come to hand.
The 50th International Eucharistic Congress will be held in Dublin’s RDS from 10th—17th June.  The final Mass will be celebrated at Croke Park on Sunday, 17th June.  Please see www.iec2012.ie for further information.

New Parish Website
The new Parish Website is currently under construction and will be completed in the next couple of weeks.  We value feedback on the new site and what features people might like to see on it.  Visitors may need to refresh their browser by pressing the ‘Refresh’ button which looks like this

Envelope Collection
The total amount collected for last weekend’s parish envelopes amounted to €2,034.  Thank you for your continued support.

Knitting Classes
Knitting classes resume at the Parish Centre on Wednesday, 18th January - 7.00pm to 9.00pm. 

Pray for our Deceased Friends
Recently Deceased: Anne Brennan, Walkin Street. Requiem Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday at 12.00 noon followed by burial at St. Kieran’s Cemetery. Maureen Maher, Paulstown. Patricia (Paddy) Friel, Patricks Gate. Genevieve Petrova, Flaggy Lane, Callan.
Months Mind: James Ryan (Sat 6.15)
Anniversaries: Anna Campion (Sat 7.00), Maureen O’Shea (Sun 9.30), Maura Nolan (Sun 10.00), Michael Drennan (Sun 10.30), Mary Reynolds (Sun 11.00), Beattie O’Connell (Sun 12.00), Oliver Mannion (Sun 12.30), Catherine & Joseph Brennan (Thurs 10.30), John Phelan (Fri 10.30), Richard White, Albert & Bridget Downes, Pauline Hogan, Pauline English, Johnny Brennan, Denis Guilfoyle, Sally Mullally, Agnes & Robert Brannigan, Martin Coyne, Dympna O’Byrne.
Intentions for next weekend: Paul Prodromou (Sat 6.15), Anne O’Shea (Sat 7.00), Nora Foley (Sun 9.30), Christy McLoughlin (Sun 10.00), Jack Comerford (Sun 10.30), John Hennessy (Sun 11.00), John Collins (Sun 12.00), Kathleen O’Neill (Sun 12.30).

Parish Shop
The Parish Shop is located in the foyer of St. Patrick’s Parish Centre adjacent to St. Fiacre’s Church.  Confirmation items are now available in time of the Parish Confirmation on 25th February.  A range of religious goods is available. 

A New Organ for St. Fiacre’s Church
Thanks to a very generous donation, St. Fiacre’s Church is getting a church organ.  We hope to install the instrument during the week and we hope that it will assist choirs and liturgies in our church.  More details later.

Parish Office Opening Hours
The Parish Office is open as follows:-
Mondays: 9.00am - 12.30pm, 2.00 - 4.00pm
Tuesdays: 9.00am - 12.30pm, 2.00 - 4.00pm
Thursdays: 9.00am - 12.30pm, 2.00 - 3.30pm
Fridays : 9.00am - 12.30pm, 2.00 - 4.00pm. 
Baptisms, wedding bookings, certificates, etc. are all arranged during office hours.

Data Protection
St. Patrick’s Parish is compliant with the Diocese of Ossory Data Protection Policy.  The eight rules of Data Protection. 
· Obtain & process information fairly.
· Keep it only for one or more specified, explicit and lawful purposes.
· Use and disclose it only in ways compatible with these purposes.
· Keep it safe and secure.
· Keep it accurate, complete and up-to-date.
· Ensure that it is adequate, relevant and not excessive.
· Retain in for no longer than is necessary for the purpose or purposes.
· Give a copy of his/her personal data to an individual on request.
Personal data is limited on a need to know basis.  While we endeavour to assist people researching their family history, we are limited by the Data Protection Policy in the information we can provide access to.

Notices For Newsletter
All notices for publication in the Parish Newsletter should be left into the Parish Office no late than the Thursday afternoon prior to publication.  Notices left in at a later time cannot be guaranteed publication.  Though not necessarily for publication it is advisable to include a name and telephone details with notices.

Irish Catholic
The Irish Catholic is available for sale in the sacristies of our Churches.  It is full of information in relation to the Irish Catholic Church and the Church worldwide.  It costs €1.70.

Diabetes Education Programme
X-PERT is a free education programme for people with Type 2 Diabetes. This 6 week (2 ½ hrs per week) group programme is facilitated by a HSE dietician to support people with Type 2 Diabetes. Venue: HSE headquarters, Dublin Road on Fridays from 10.00am to 12.30pm. It will run from Friday, 17th February to 23rd March. To book: Health Promotion Office, Dean Street.  Telephone: 056 776 1400.

Dates for Your Diary
Parish Confirmation:  Saturday, 25th February 2012 at 11.00am in St. Mary’s Cathedral.
First Holy Communion:
Gaelscoil Osraí: 11.00am on Saturday, 5th May at St. Fiacre’s Church.
St. John of God Girls’ N.S.: 11.00am Saturday, 12th May at St. Patrick’s Church,.
Kilkenny School Project: 12 noon on Sunday, 20th May at St. Fiacre’s Church.
St. Patrick’s Boys’ N.S.: 11.00am on Saturday, 19th May at St. Patrick’s Church.
St. Patrick’s Kells Road: 11.00am on Saturday, 19th May at St. Fiacre’s Church.

‘Log on Learn’
The ‘Log on Learn’ computer programme for the older generation will begin in the Presentation Secondary School, Loughboy on Wednesday 25th January (11.45am).  The course will cover very basic computing skills and will be taught by Transition Year students.  Please contact the school secretary on (056) 776 5684 to participate in the programme.

Alliance Française, Kilkenny
Alliance Française run French classes for Junior Infants to Leaving Cert higher and adult classes at all levels from beginners to advanced conversations, evenings or mornings.  Enrolment will be on Monday, 6th January in The Club House Hotel from 7.00 - 9.00pm.  For further information on class time tables please see website www.afkilkenny.org or email humboltaf@eircom.net Contact Julie 086 660 0436. 

Dancing Classes
Social Dancing Classes for beginners will start on Monday, 16th January at the St. Patrick’s Parish Centre Loughboy.  Time: 7.00pm– 8.30pm.  Learn to waltz, quickstep, old time, fun dancing, etc.  Need any information: Phone 085 733 8140. 

Kilkenny Cancer Support Services
Gala Dinner and music with the Uptown Band at Langton’s, John Street on Friday, 27th January at 8.00pm.  Subscription: €30.

Hughes Consultancy Training
Offering FETAC accredited Programmes.
HCT offers both Centre based & off site training.  Call now for more details 056 771 2755.  Email: info@hughestraining.ie. Website: www.hughestraining.com. 

Home Sweet Home
You can tell a lot about a person from where they live.  We like to see how people live, and to try and work out what their living arrangements and style tells us about them.
As children when we made friends, it was a big step to be invited to the home of someone from our class.  No matter how close you were in the schoolyard, going to someone else’s house was a way of cementing the friendship and getting to know the other person on another level.  It is how friendships were forged.  As I’ve got older, I’ve always enjoyed visiting the home of a friend for the first time after they’ve moved house.  I love the way the same bits and pieces find their home so easily in another place, and how that person’s character comes across in the new space.  I love how a certain atmosphere and warmth can transfer from one home to another, just because the same person inhabits it.  ‘Come and see,’ It’s such an intimate invitation.  These new disciples on today’s Gospel ask their teacher a simple question – Where do you live? – and he responds with an invitation to ‘come and see’.  So the disciples tag along.  They must have been made very welcome, as they end up staying with Jesus for the rest of the day.  This precious early time with Jesus must have set them up for a lifetime of discipleship.  We don’t know where Jesus lived, or what his living arrangements were, as he set about the early days of his mission.  But we know he wanted to invite his disciples to spend time in his presence and to really get to know him.
Triona Doherty.

Questions People Ask
Q. Why is St. Peter sometimes called Cephas?
A. His original name was Simon.  In the Aramaic language which Jesus and the apostles spoke, Cephas means a rock.  Peter is its Greek translation and Latin took on the Greek name.  By giving him this new name Jesus was indicating his future role as the rock on which he would found his church.  The letters of Paul refer to him as Cephas eight times and as Peter twice.  The Gospels which were written later than Paul’s letters nearly always us the Greek name, Peter, as the Christian church was by then using Greek and Latin far more than Aramaic.
Fr. Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap