A Costly Love
They tell of a man speaking after the death of his daughter. From before she was born, she cost them, they prepared her room, got her clothes, fed her, schooled her. When she started driving, the car and insurance cost. She broke a limb, and that cost them. She went to Third Level and that really cost. Her whole life was in front of her when the young woman died. Their last expense as a couple was her funeral. As he remarked; ‘our daughter hasn’t cost us since, but we would gladly give everything we have, just to have her back.’ The point is, anything that is alive costs us something. Thank God your family, your community, your church is in need of your giving. Only something living does cost – if it is dead; it doesn’t need your gifts.We understand instinctively that things cost. Some can unfortunately know the price of everything but the value of nothing. But on the whole people are hungry to give their lives to something more important than themselves. It is a fact of life, not only that everything costs us something, but that, in our better moments, we are even eager to pay the cost. And so we need to ask of each other; how much do you love and what will you give?
Fr Tom Cox
Young Priests Society
The September meeting of the St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society will take place on Friday, 14th September in St. Fiacre’s Church after the 10.30am Mass. The Society promotes vocations to the priesthood. All are welcome, especially new members.
Questions People Ask
Q. Wasn’t it a contradiction of his own teaching when Jesus said that his followers should hate their own parents and family members?
A. In the language that Jesus spoke it was customary to express ideas in very black or white terms with no middle shade in-between. The passage to which you refer is a very stark way of expressing the priority of commitment that a follower of Jesus might have to make. In this instance the word translated as hating should not be understood in the sense of disliking or despising, but it means having sufficient detachment even from loved ones to be free to follow the call of the Lord. Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
Pray for the Deceased
Recently Deceased: Jim Gittins, Pausltown; Catherine Kenna, 5 O’Loughlin Court; James Egars, 49 Old Callan Road; Bernard Doyle, 108 Assumption Place.
Anniversaries: Tommy McGuire (Month’s Mind Sat 6.15), Matthew Dwyer (Sat 7.00), Ernie Harrington (Sun 10.00), Patrick Walsh (Sun 11.00), Enda Coady (Sun 12.30), Sr. Katherine Fennessy (Month’s Mind Mon 9.30), Betty Furniss (Tue 9.30), Mary Heffernan, Cassin Family, Jack O’Leary, Matthew O’Brien, Tom Little, Margaret Dollard, Rex & Constance Nolan, Edward & Christine O’Shaughnessy, William & Brigid Tynan, Michael & Bridget Slattery, Patti Mulhall, PJ Sweeney.
Anniversaries Next Weekend: Catherine & John Alley (Sat 6.15), Sharon McEvoy (Sat 7.00), Margaret Brennan (Sun 10.00), Margaret Jones (Sun 11.00), Mary & Tom Bissett (Sun 12.30).
Peace in Christ Celebrations
Peace in Christ, the Ossory Diocesan Retreat House, is this month celebrating 40 years of service to our diocese. The theme for the celebration is “I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10). The anniversary celebrations include the following:
Monday, 24th September: Open Day with presentations of the story of Peace in Christ.
Tuesday, 25th September: Workshops for Transition Year Students.
Wednesday, 26th September: Lectio Divina (Evening Session).
Thursday, 27th September: Meditation (Evening).
Friday, 28th September: Women's’ Group (Morning).
Sunday, 30th September: Eucharistic Celebration at 3pm.
Further details later or contact Peace in Christ Retreat House, Sion Road, Kilkenny. 056 772 1054.
Divine Mercy
There will be an hour of adoration and prayer in honour of Divine Mercy in St. Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday, 9th September from 3pm. Please come.
Baptisms in Our Parish
Baptisms are celebrated on the second Saturday (St. Patrick’s Church), the fourth Saturday (St. Fiacre’s Church) and the third Sunday (St. Patrick’s Church) of each month. Saturday baptisms are at 4.30pm and Sunday baptisms are at 1.15pm. At least two weeks notice is required for baptisms. Please contact the presbytery (776 4400) for further information and booking.
Loreto Secondary School
Enrolment dates for Loreto Secondary School, Kilkenny are from 1st October 2007 to 13th October 2007. Applications forms may be obtained from the school office.
Nursing Home Visitation
We have a small group in the parish whose members make pastoral visits to parishioners in the local nursing homes and long stay hospitals. In this way patients can keep in touch with the parish and know that they are being remembered and prayed for by the parish community.
Members of the visitation group are asked to meet at the Presbytery on this Wednesday evening at 8.00pm.
Website of the Week
www.mirezo.com
This website provides a Holy Land Service for Christians worldwide. You can even ask a blessing or light a virtual candle in the Holy City of Nazareth.
Parish Choirs
We are blessed to have musicians and choirs at five of our eight weekend Masses. Practice for all choirs begins again soon. Please contact the Presbytery (056 776 4400) if you would like to join a choir this year. We are particularly in need of musicians and singers for the Children’s Liturgy at 10.30am each Sunday. Could you help?
Widows’ Association
The Widows’ Association monthly meeting will be held in the Club House Hotel, Patrick Street on Tuesday, 11th September at 2.30pm. New members are welcome. Telephone 772 1875 or 775 2228 for more information.
Holy Ghost Missions
Frs. Des Arigho and Noel Murphy, who recently promoted the Holy Ghost Missions in our parish, have written to say thanks for your hospitality and generosity: “The total envelope collection from St. Patrick’s Parish amounted to €10,277.11 which was very good indeed. We are most thankful to you and indeed the very generous people for their faithful support.”
Kilkenny M.A.B.S.
Kilkenny Money Advice and Budgeting Service is a free, confidential and independent service covering the area of Kilkenny City and County. It is one of 52 offices throughout the country funded through the Department of Social and Family Affairs. We assist people
· who have debt problems,
· who need ongoing support with budgeting
· who need advice on money management, entitlements, etc.
To date Kilkenny MABS has assisted over 2,000 people, approximately half of these were wage earners.
Kilkenny MABS is based at 8 William Street, Kilkenny. To make an appointment for free and confidential help telephone 776 1777 or email Kilkenny@mabs.ie
Information brochures are available at the back of the churches.
Camphill Community Open Day
Camphill Community, Ballytobin, Callan, Co. Kilkenny on Sunday, 16th September. Festivities start at 2pm and continue until 5pm. Wheel of Fortune, Cake Sale, Plants and Vegetables, Afternoon Teas/Coffees, Raffles, Games, Numerous Stalls, Huge Range of Children's Entertainment.
Trócaire Aid
In recent weeks Trócaire has responded to a number of serious floods in parts of south Asia and the recent earthquakes in Peru. Hundreds of people have died and millions have been affected by the severe flooding that stuck India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in recent weeks. Trócaire is providing assistance through its local Church partners on the ground and has pledged €230,000 to help supply food, hygiene kits, kitchen utensils, clothes and bedding to thousands of families. They will later receive seeds or livestock to help them recover their earnings.In Peru, two earthquakes killed over 500 people and injured more than 1500. More than 100,000 people were left homeless by the disaster, as more than 34,000 homes were destroyed. Survivors are facing a lack of food and health and sanitation problems. Trócaire is working with CEAS, the Catholic Bishops Conference in Peru, and Caritas Peru, to coordinate a humanitarian response. Caritas Internationalis is the international federation of Catholic development agencies.
If you would like to support this work call 1850 408 408 or log on to www.trocaire.org
St. Patrick’s School, Kells Road
The school authorities have written to say thanks for €6,001.57 which was collected during a recent church gate collection. The funds will go towards improving facilities for children attending the school.
