Earthly Choices–Eternal Consequences
Most election promises to the electorate centre on tax breaks and lower costs. No earthly politician has dared (yet!) to announce that the Kingdom has been given. The Kingdom is something that is literally priceless. It is about what is at the heart of the matter, literally at the centre of your life. The Sunday readings makes for difficult consumption during Summer. It speaks of things we would rather gently put aside: simple lifestyle, almsgiving, readiness for the return of the Lord, faithful use of the time given us and warnings of punishment.
You have servants who are going around doing peripheral stuff, not giving a lot of thought to the master who has gone off to get married. But when he comes back, even in the middle of the night, oh what a time this will be! This will be a celebration. He will dress up like a servant, get them to recline at table and wait on them hand and foot. In other words, they will be his equals. This is really something! Being raised up all because our head were focused down on the task given.
Each of us in turn need to come to the point when we ask ourselves whether our central concerns have to do with the things that really matter, or with all those matters which are just things. An earthly choice with eternal consequences.
Fr Tom Cox
Eucharistic Adoration
There are opportunities for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in our parish on Mondays (St. Fiacre’s Church) between 11am and 10pm and on Fridays (St. Patrick’s Church) between 10am and 1pm and 4pm and 9pm.
Please contact one of the organizers if you can commit to a regular period in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
St. Vincent De Paul Society
The next meeting of the local conference will be at The Presbytery on Monday, 13th August at 8pm. In emergencies the conference may be contacted through the priests.
Questions People Ask
Q. Should the Bible stories like Adam and Eve, the apple, the flood etc. be taken as true or disregarded as primitive myths?
A. These stories were not written as scientific or historical accounts but to answer the great questions about the origin of life, temptation, divisions within people and between people and the punishment of evil. A story can offer deeper insights than a scientific explanation. Similarly, the ancient Greek myths were so full of human insights that they are used by modern psychologists to identify many human conditions such as narcissism or Oedipus complex. The wisdom contained in the biblical stories still offer insights which are helpful today.
Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
Pray for the Deceased
Recently Deceased: Sr. Catherine Fennessy, St. John of God Community, College Road. Requiem Mass at 12.30pm on Sunday followed by burial at Foulkstown Cemetery. Sr. Margaret Mary Bergin, Little Company of Mary, Limerick and late of Jenkinstown.
Anniversaries: Mary Coogan (Sat 6.15); Margaret Shanahan & Joe Maher (Sat 7.00); John Hazel (Sun 11.00); Gabriel Ward (Sun 12.00), Pat Phelan (Wed 10.00), Patrick Morris (Sat 9.30), Peggy Ryan, Ellen Shortall, Ellen Phelan, Joe Delaney, , Michael & Molly Mullen, Ellen McEvoy, Walter Kavanagh, Brigid Doherty, Jack Leyton, Paddy Brophy.
Anniversaries Next Weekend: Tom & Michael Casserly (Sat 6.15), Eddie Kelly (7.00), John Bolger (Su n 10.30), Evelyn Hughes (Sun 11.00), James Bambrick (Sun 12.00).
Spiritan Fathers
Recently we hosted two Spiritan Priests (Holy Ghost Fathers) who appealed for spiritual and financial help for their work in many parts of the world. Donation envelopes may be posted directly to the congregation or placed in collection baskets this weekend.
St. Fiacre’s Well
The annual novena at St. Fiacre’s Well begins at the Holy Well on next Saturday, 18th August. Novena prayers and the rosary will be recited at the well each evening at 8.00pm.
Final novena prayers at the well at 3.00pm on Sunday, 26th August followed by open air Mass at 3.15pm.
The ancient well of St. Fiacre is situated at Kilfera, a number of kilometres out the Bennettsbridge Road. Access is via the avenue to Sheastown House. Local people have been coming here since the sixth century to ask for the saint’s intercession. All are welcome but this year in particular we encourage people who have recently arrived in our parish to come along on even a few occasions during the week.
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wednesday next, 15th August, is the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady. Masses in our parish will be as follows:
St. Fiacre’s: 6.15pm Tuesday and 10.30am and noon on Wednesday.
St. Patrick’s: 7.00pm on Tuesday and 9.30am, 11.00am and 12.30pm on Wednesday.
St. Joseph’s: 10.00am on Wednesday.
Please note: we do not have an evening Mass on Wednesday.
This is Mary’s day of glorification, her ‘passover’ into the resurrected life of her Son. It honours ‘the fullness of blessedness that was her destiny’.
Marialis Cultis.
Grandparents’ Knock Pilgrimage
Calling all grandchildren! You are invited to write a prayer in honour of your grandparents. For further information visit:
www.nationalgrandparentspilgrimage.com
This competition is to mark the first ever National Grandparents’ Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine which will take place on Saturday, 22nd September.
Our Lady’s Island Pilgrimage
The Opening Ceremony of the 2007 Pilgrimage Season will be at 3pm on Wednesday, 15th August, the Feast of the Assumption. The Closing Ceremony will take place at 7pm on Friday, 7th September (note change of time and day from previous years). See posters at church doors for further details or telephone 053 913 1167 or visit www.ourladysisland.com.
Divine Mercy
There will be an hour of prayer and adoration in honour of Divine Mercy in St. Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday, 12th August from 3.00pm to 4.00pm. All welcome.
St Maximilian Kolbe
St. Maximilian, priest and martyr, (1894-1941) is celebrated by the Church on Tuesday. A Conventual Capuchin, he worked in the apostolate of the press in Poland and Japan. He died in Auschwitz, having offered to replace a parent who was going to the gas chambers.
Exam Results
We remember in prayer all those awaiting the results of the Leaving Certificate examination this Wednesday. We wish you well and pray God’s guidance and protection on you as you make decisions about the future.
Study Theology from Home
You can now study theology, either for its own sake of for a degree, from the comfort of your home! The Dominicans in Tallaght are offering a full programme through distance learning—following the method of the Open University—consisting of fifteen-week modules and supported by a network of centres around the country. For further information, contact: The Priory Institute, Tallaght Village, Dublin 24. Tel: 01 404 8127 or 01 404 8124 or email the following address: enquiries@prioryinstitute.com
Prayer for Vocations
O Jesus, send labourers into your fields,
which are awaiting holy apostles,
saintly priests,
heroic missionaries and
dedicated sisters and brothers.
Enkindle in the hearts of men and
women the spark of a vocation.
Grant that Christian families may
desire to give your Church,
helpers
in the work of tomorrow.
Amen.
Church Gate Collection
The Irish Cancer Society has a Garda permit to hold a collection on Saturday, 18th and Sunday, 19th August.
Kilkenny Medjugorje Pilgrimage
Friday, 7th until Friday, 14th September. Day flight, house near church, Price €639 incl. Bookings: 776 5840 or 086 882 5622.
Readers for 14th/15th August
Elma O’Mahony (6.15pm), Frank McKenna (7.00pm), Dick McEvoy (9.30am), Peter Ryan (10.00am), Volunteer (10.30am), Sadie McGrath (11.00am), Volunteer (12 noon), Larry Cotter (12.30pm).
Payment by Cheque
To comply with bank regulations we ask parishioners who contribute to the parish by cheque to make all payments to “St. Patrick’s Parish”. We would appreciate your help with this as cheques have been returned for this reason in recent weeks.
