Saturday, December 23, 2017

31st Sunday in Ordinary time, 5th November 2017

Practise what you preach

We have all heard the expression ‘Do as I say, not as I do’. According to one  online dictionary, it is ‘an expression  used  to  call  out  hypocrites,  including “environmentalists” with private jets, politicians who send their children to private school while opposing measures  to  give  other  kids  the  same  chance,  or those who accuse others of racism while not hiring minorities’. We could all come up with examples of people who do not practise what they preach. The accusation appears to have been made for the Scribes  and the  Pharisees that  Jesus talks  about in today’s gospel. He criticises them for placing heavy burdens on people, while not lifting a finger to help them, and for making themselves look important in order to attract attention. If we are honest with ourselves, there are  areas  of  our own lives  where  we value style over substance, where we wish to give a certain impression to others that does not reflect the truth of the matter. We  like  to  look good, and for people to think highly of us.
     There are also times when we do not live up to the expectations we set for others. We expect people to be honest and fair with us, yet we are not always honest in our dealings with others. We expect others to help us, but we might not always repay the favour. Today’s  gospel  is  a wake-up  call.  It  tells  us  what Jesus expects of us. We must be humble and genuine,  thinking  of  others  rather  than  worrying  about what people will think of us.
Tríona Doherty
 

Readers 

The new readers rota will be compiled in the coming weeks. Anyone interested in reading should contact the Parish Office.  056 7764400.
 

St  Joseph’s Young Priests Society

A meeting of the St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society will  be  held  in  St.  Patrick’s  Parish  Centre  after 10.30am Mass on next Friday 10th November. All are welcome to attend.

St. Mary’s Cathedral Draw Results

The next draw will take place  on Wednesday 29th November 2017.  Many  thanks  for  your  continued support.  Please contact Fr. Roderick to join.

Pray  for Our Deceased Friends

Recently  Deceased:  Gerry  Gaule,  Tennypark. Anne  Heffernan.  Michael  Street.  Paddy  Hogan, Stephen St.
Months Mind: Jim Reidy (Tues 9.30).
Anniversaries:  P.J.  Marrinan  (Sat  6.15).  Olive Barry (Sat 7.00). Maura Brennan (Sun 9.30). Cormac Cullen (Sun 10.00). Kevin & Evelyn Hughes (Sun  10.30).  John  Joe  Kealy  (Sun  11.00).  Ann Nugent (Sun 12.00). Vivien  Etaferi (Sun 12.30). Dominic Coll (Wed 10.30). Martin Connolly (Fri 9.30).  Henry  Tiernan.  Mary  Mulrooney.  Joseph Gargan. Paul Maloney. James, Margaret & Diarmaid Doyle. Bridget Della Maher. James Maher.
Intentions  for  next  weekend:  Hugh  McCormack  (Sat 6.15).  John  Glynn  (Sat  7.00).  Gerald  &  Patricia  Moore (Sun  9.30).  John  Brennan  (Sun  10.00).  Charles  Carroll (Sun 10.30). Peggy McKane (Months Mind  Sun 11.00). Mary &  Ann O’Shea (Sun 12.00). Francis ‘Fun’ Coyne (Sun 12.30).  Anniversaries must be submitted to the office by Thursday at the latest.  Anniversaries after that will be published the following week.

Retired Nurse’s Association 

Mass for retired and  deceased nurses will be celebrated in St. Fiacre’s Church on Thursday 16th November 2017 at 10.30am. After Mass a Tea/Coffee morning  collection  in  aid  of  the  Carlow/Kilkenny Homecare team will take place in the Parish Centre. Please  be  as  generous  as  you  can  for  this  worthy cause.  
 

Rosary 

The monthly rosary on the first Sunday in James’s Green at the statue of our Lady of Kilkenny continues this Sunday 5th November at 3pm.  
 

Lourdes Cabaret

Cabaret for St Patricks Lourdes Fund is on Saturday, 11th  November,  2017  in  James  Stephens  GAA Club at 9pm. Monster door price of Afternoon Tea for two in Waterford Castle. Music is by The Aces. Admission €5

Rosary at the Grotto

The  Rosary  will be recited every Sunday during October at The Grotto on the Callan Rd. at 3pm. All are welcome.

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

The Ossory Adult Faith Development group is organising  a  diocesan  pilgrimage  to  the  Holy  Land. From 2nd to 10th October 2018  you  will have  an opportunity to prayerfully follow in the footsteps of Jesus around many of the locations that framed his life and ministry. Visit Jerusalem, Jericho, the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, the River Jordan, Bethlehem, the Garden of Gethsemane and many other places as we reflect on the life of Jesus and his earliest followers.
Pilgrimage Chaplains: Fr. Kieran O’Shea & Fr.Dermot Ryan. Return flights and accommodation €1,295 per person sharing (single rooms also available  with  supplement). www.ossory.ie  &  Ossory Adult Faith Development Office on 056 775 3624.
 

Annual General Meeting 

The  AGM  of  the  Ossory  Branch  of  St.  Joseph’s Young Priests Society  will be held in Villa Maria, Freshford Road, Kilkenny on Thursday evening 9th November. Fr. Kieran O’Shea will celebrate Mass at 7.30pm followed by meeting and light refreshments. All members are welcome to attend. 
 

Westcourt News

Mass  will  be  celebrated  in  Blessed  Edmund  Rice Chapel,  Westcourt  on  Monday,  13th  November 2017  at  7.30pm  to  pray  for  the  intercession  of Blessed Edmund in our lives and for his canonisation.  Members  of  Callan Cooperative  Society  will organise the liturgy for this Mass. All are welcome. 
 

Art Therapy

A four week course on Art Therapy will be delivered on Tuesday (7-9pm) in November (7th,  14th,  21st and 28th of the month) in the Ossory Park Community Centre, Kilkenny. €25 for the four week course.  

Information meeting

Haemochromatosis is an iron overload disorder and it is more prevalent in Ireland then anywhere else in the world. Symptoms include  chronic fatigue, joint pain, diabetes and  irregular heartbeat. More information at the meeting at the Pembroke Hotel, Patrick Street, Kilkenny on Monday 13th November 2017 at 7:30pm.

Samaritans Bangers & Mash 

The Samaritans annual Bangers & Mash Lunch is on  again in The Pembroke Kilkenny  Hotel, Patrick  St.  on  Thursday  9th  November  2017  from 12.30pn to 2.30pm.  Donation €10.  Super Value, Market  Cross  have  kindly  agreed  to  donate  the award  winning  Superquinn sausages  for the event. Deegan’s  Fruit  and  Vegetable  Suppliers  will  once more donate the potatoes and the exceptional staff of The  Pembroke  Kilkenny  Hotel  will  prepare  and serve it in style.  This fund raising event has proved very popular to date and the organising committee are hoping that this year’s event will be even more successful. 
 

Kilkenny Flower Club

Gala Flower Demonstration by Dutch Master Florist - Lamber de Bie. Springhill Court Hotel on Thursday 9th Nov. at 8pm. Admission: €15 includes refreshments.  All  arrangements  will  be  raffled  and there  will  be  a  Sales  Table  with  flower  arranging Christmas items. Proceeds in aid of The Irish Association for Cancer Research.
 

Dates for your Diaries

Remembrance Service: Thursday, 30th November at 7.30pm in St. Fiacre’s Church.
Parish  Carol  Service:  Sunday, 17th December at 4.00pm in Foulkstown Church.  
Parish  Confirmation:  Saturday, 24th February  in St .Mary’s Cathedral at 11am. 
First Holy Communion
Gaelscoil Osraí- Saturday, 28th April at 11am in St. Fiacre’s. 
School  of  the  Holy  Spirit  -  Friday,  4th  May  at 11.30am in St .Fiacre’s. 
KSP - Sunday, 6th May at 12noon in St. Fiacre’s.
St.  Patrick’s,  Kells  Road  -  Saturday, 12th  May  at 11.00am in St. Fiacre’s. 
St. John of God - Saturday, 19th May at 11am in St. Fiacre’s. 
St. Patrick’s De La Salle -  Saturday, 26th May at 11am in St Patrick’s.