Thursday, September 3, 2015

Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, 30th August 2015

Fr. Joseph Lubula
This weekend we welcome Fr. Joseph Lubula to our parish.  Fr. Joseph is a Ugandan priest ordained in 2010 for ministry in the Lugazi Diocese.  He is currently a student priest in Rome where, at his bishop’s request, he is pursuing further studies in social communications at the Pontifical Salesian University.  He has already served as assistant priest in two Ugandan parishes for a period of  four years and as Director of Communications for his diocese for four years.  Fr. Joseph will be with us for the month of September experiencing life in an Irish parish community and perhaps learning a little about hurling before he returns to his studies in early October.  Please make him feel welcome in our community.


St. Fiacre’s Well Novena and Mass
The annual novena to St. Fiacre concludes with prayers and Mass at the well on this Sunday, 30th August.  The prayers start at 3.15pm and the Mass follows at 3.30pm.  We invite you to come and join with us in this celebration which has continued uninterrupted for generations.
There is a very interesting and informative article and photographs of St. Fiacre’s Well at:
http://irelandsholywells.blogspot.ie/2012/07/saint-fiacres-well-kilkenny.html


Prayer to St. Fiacre
Give ear, O Lord, to the supplications we offer Thee on this the Festival of St. Fiacre, Thy confessor, so that we trust not in our own merits, but may be aided by him, who was so pleasing to thee, through Christ Our Lord.  Amen.


New Ossory Seminarian
Last Sunday St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth welcomed seventeen new seminarians who have commenced their formation for the priesthood in Irish dioceses.  We rejoice and give thanks to God that one of their number is from the Diocese of Ossory.  Let our thoughts and prayers be with these seventeen men who have taken the first step along the road to ordained ministry and to placing their lives at the service of Christ and his people..


Pray For Our Deceased Friends
Recently Deceased: William A. White, College Road.
Months Mind: May Spain (Sun 10.30).
Anniversaries:   Brigid Kenny (Sat 6.15). Jim Ryan (Sat 7.00). Michael White (Sun 9.30). Paddy Mullen (Sun 10.00). Tony Madden (Sun 11.00). Michael Phelan (Birthday Remembrance Sun 12.00). Michael “Muggers” Larkin (Sun 12.30). Joe & James Delaney (Mon 9.30), Terence & Anne O’Shaughnessy (Wed 10.30), Mary & Patrick Blanchfield. Eamonn Martin. Christopher & Mary Ryan. Maureen Griffin. Elizabeth Carroll. The Cassin Family. Mick & Maura Coonan. Mary O’Donnell. Ben Delahunty.
Intentions for next weekend:  Eileen Lacey (Sat 6.15). William (Bill) Hackett (Sat 7.00). Jacqueline Rainey (Sun 11.00). Bernard, Margaret, Brian & Anthony Casey. Daniel Johansen. Jane Casey Duggan & Peter Duggan (Sun 12.30).


First Friday
The first Friday of September occurs this Friday and the Fr. Dan & Fr. Roderick will visit those who are housebound at the usual times.  Fr. Liam on Tuesday 8th September. 


Peace in Christ Retreat House
Recognising and honouring almost half a century of service given by the Sisters at Peace in Christ, a Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated in St. John’s Church on Wednesday, 2nd September at 7.30pm followed by refreshments in Langton House Hotel. Since its foundation by Bishop Peter Birch in 1967 the people of St. Patrick’s Parish have had a long and fruitful relationship with the sisters and staff at Peace in Christ Retreat House.  Many members of our parish have greatly benefited from retreats, parish evenings, days of prayer and reflection and other initiatives taken by the sisters through the years.  Let us show our appreciation of the sisters and staff by joining in this concelebrated Mass to mark the closure of the retreat house.  All are welcome: please keep the evening free.


Churchgate Collection
In aid of GROW takes place this weekend 29th and 30th August.


Holy Hour for Vocations
The monthly holy hour for vocations with guided prayer and Benediction will be held on Friday 4th September in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in St. Mary’s Cathedral from 7 – 8pm. All welcome.


A Back to School Prayer
Dear God, please watch over the pupils as they go back to school. Keep them safe every day.  Help them treat others with kindness and respect, and to learn new things about God and the world each day.  Give them joy and peace as they put their trust in you. Amen.


St. Mary’s Cathedral Draw
1st Prize: Brigid Nolan, Clara. 2nd Prize: Marie & Denis Dowd,  St. Mary’s. 3rd Prize: Marian Doherty, Johnstown. 4th Prize: Michael Kealy, St. Mary’s. 5th Prize: Seamus & Eileen Fitzpatrick, Ferrybank. 6th Prize: Joe Dunphy, Mooncoin. 7th Prize: Shane Dalton, St. Mary’s. 8th Prize: Anne Dooley. Camross. 9th Prize: Milo & Kathleen Phelan, St. Mary’s. 10th Prize: Cormac Troy, Seir Kieran.
Thanks to all who continue to support this diocesan draw for the refurbishment of St. Mary’s Cathedral.  The next draw will take place on  30th September.


Irish National Eucharistic Congress
The Irish Catholic Bishops Conference will celebrate a National Eucharistic Congress on the weekend of 26th -27th September 2015 at Knock Shrine.
The theme for the National Congress, echoing the theme of IEC2016, is “Christ, our Hope” (Col 1:27). This theme will be reflected in all homilies and presentations given at the Congress.  The Congress, which is free of charge, will have a particular focus on Marriage and the Family as well as the Year of Consecrated Life and the upcoming Jubilee of Mercy.


Ladies Friendship Club
Ladies Friendship Club resumes on Wednesday 2nd September at 8.30pm in the Social Services Centre , Waterford  Road. New members very welcome.


Loughboy Library
Summer Reading Challenge-completed forms must be returned to the library by Tues Sept 1st. Tickets will be sent by post to the Watergate Show on Sat Oct 10th.  Culture Night Fri Sept 18th- Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Ēireann will host a traditional music, dance and singing session from 6.30pm. All welcome.  Book Club-new members are invited on Thursday Sept 3rd at 10.30am.


National Association of Widows
The National Association of Widows meet on the 1st Thursday of each month in the Club House Hotel, Patrick St at 2.30pm. New members always welcome. 


Volunteer Befriender’s Needed
If you are a good listener and would like to make a difference to someone’s day, we’d love to hear from you! Can you offer companionship to an Older Person in your area who may feel socially isolated? We are currently looking for male and female volunteers in the Kilkenny area who can commit to 1 or 2 hours per week. For more information please contact our office on 056-7772151 or Eleanor on 086-8530994. Kilkenny & Carlow Contact 


Support Group
Kilkenny Carer Support Group, Wednesday 2nd September 2015, 4.00-5.30pm at The Village Day Centre (behind the Village Inn Pub). Information and support for past/present carers of people with Alzheimer's/Dementia. All new members welcome.


Marble City Boxing Club
We wish all the best to Sean Purcell, who boxes with the Marble City Boxing Club all the best as he goes to St. Petersburg, Russia to represent Ireland in the Junior World Boxing Championships this Tuesday.  We wish him a safe journey and we will keep him in our prayers.

  
Free Dementia Workshop
Home Instead Senior Care are hosting a FREE Dementia Workshop based on our CARE: Changing Ageing Through Research and Education educational programme. This is a training programme we provide to our professional CAREGivers and we want to make this first-of-its kind training programme available to family carers in the local community. Date:        Wednesday 9th September 2015. Time:         7.00pm-9.00pm. Location: Butler House, Patrick Street, Co Kilkenny. To book your place or register for future dates contact us on 056 7800508 or enda.bohan@homeinstead.ie – we look forward to hearing from you. www.homeinstead.ie


Certificate in Theology
Do you want to know more about your faith? Your Church? Its history? Our Bible (Old and New Testaments) Our moral theology? Our liturgy and the sacraments?  Or just to know more about the God we pray to.  If so why not consider taking part in the Certificate in Theology at St Kieran’s College.  A new course starts October 2015 - find out more at www.ossory.ie 


Thinking of Getting Married Soon?
Couples wishing to be married in our parish are asked to note the following:  Contact the Parish Office (776 4400) as early as possible to book your preferred date.  Bookings are on a first-come-first-served basis.  Please note that it is a civil requirement to inform the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths of your intention to marry at least three months before the date. 
Contact the parish where you now reside where pre-marriage papers will be prepared for forwarding to the place of marriage.  www.gettingmarried.ie


Theology Matters!
The Priory Institute invites you to join their enthusiastic student community and study theology from home or in class.  Application deadline is 21st September.  Email: enquiries@prioryinstitute.com or phone 01 404 8124.


Papal Blessings
Papal blessing parchments to mark weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, jubilees and some other occasions are available through the Parish Shop.  Please enquire at the reception desk in the Parish Centre.
There are lots of other items of a religious nature available at reasonable prices in our parish shop which is located in the Parish Center.


Tommy Fleming In Concert
Early notice of a concert on Thursday 1st October 2015 at 8.00pm at St.  Colman’s Church, Conahy Jenkinstown.  Tickets available from Post Office, Castlecomer and Ballyragget, and Rollercoaster Records Kilkenny.


Notices for the Newsletter
Please ensure that all notices for inclusion in the parish newsletter are in by Thursday.  Parish  and diocesan notices take priority.