Cherry Pickers Beware!
A street-wise and disarmingly down-to-earth Christian Brother once told his class of second-year secondary students, “The first miracle Jesus worked was to make booze!” Not a particularly reverential way of referring to the miracle of Cana. But true, nonetheless. Put that way it could be a stumbling stone for inter-faith dialogue. You’ll find more stumbling stones in today’s Gospel reading. Take the bit about bringing both the good and the bad to the wedding feast. Doesn’t seem to matter whether you’re good or bad, does it? You’re invited regardless. How do you get your head around that? Let me know if you do. Anyway, everyone seems to be invited, and not very formally either. It’s almost as if they’re put on the spot in the street. Here’s the invitation. Take it or leave it. It’s up to you. What a godsend for freeloaders, cherry pickers and opportunists! But wait. There is a sting in the tail. One of these, let’s say a cherry picker, who ‘answers the call’ hasn’t done his homework. Life has ground rules – and that’s the most basic one of all. Poor fellow! He saunters in without a care in the world and what happens? He’s out on his ear before he knows it. The reason? His dress code. Nothing to do with him being good or bad. Though come to think of it, flouting social mores can indicate arrogance, selfishness or stupidity. Flouting religious ones can indicate the same. Whichever. Cherry pickers of the world be warned. You’re on note!
A street-wise and disarmingly down-to-earth Christian Brother once told his class of second-year secondary students, “The first miracle Jesus worked was to make booze!” Not a particularly reverential way of referring to the miracle of Cana. But true, nonetheless. Put that way it could be a stumbling stone for inter-faith dialogue. You’ll find more stumbling stones in today’s Gospel reading. Take the bit about bringing both the good and the bad to the wedding feast. Doesn’t seem to matter whether you’re good or bad, does it? You’re invited regardless. How do you get your head around that? Let me know if you do. Anyway, everyone seems to be invited, and not very formally either. It’s almost as if they’re put on the spot in the street. Here’s the invitation. Take it or leave it. It’s up to you. What a godsend for freeloaders, cherry pickers and opportunists! But wait. There is a sting in the tail. One of these, let’s say a cherry picker, who ‘answers the call’ hasn’t done his homework. Life has ground rules – and that’s the most basic one of all. Poor fellow! He saunters in without a care in the world and what happens? He’s out on his ear before he knows it. The reason? His dress code. Nothing to do with him being good or bad. Though come to think of it, flouting social mores can indicate arrogance, selfishness or stupidity. Flouting religious ones can indicate the same. Whichever. Cherry pickers of the world be warned. You’re on note!
Fr. Tom Cahill
Divine Mercy
There will be an hour of prayer and adoration in St. Mary’s Cathedral on this Sunday, 12th October from 3 to 4pm. All are welcome.
Choir Practice
The St. Patrick’s Parish Adult Folk Choir practice in St. Patrick’s Church at 8pm every Thursday and provide the music at the 7pm Saturday Mass. New members are always welcome. Drop in any Thursday.
Divine Mercy
There will be an hour of prayer and adoration in St. Mary’s Cathedral on this Sunday, 12th October from 3 to 4pm. All are welcome.
Choir Practice
The St. Patrick’s Parish Adult Folk Choir practice in St. Patrick’s Church at 8pm every Thursday and provide the music at the 7pm Saturday Mass. New members are always welcome. Drop in any Thursday.
Questions People Ask
Q. My mind is constantly battling with wrong thoughts, uncharitable, envious and impure. Are these terrible sins?
A. St. Teresa of Avila called the imagination the fool of the house. Imagination and memory come up with every sort of improper thought. Improper thoughts are to be regarded as sinful only when they are wilful, that is, when one deliberately nurtures them. You sound as if you do not want them. When you talk of battling, I wonder if an unnecessary feeling of guilt is causing a certain obsession in your mind. Be more gentle with yourself in accepting that we have a fallen nature and praise God who sees your desire to be better. Fr. Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
Readers in Church
We are currently compiling the lists of readers for next year. Please contact Fr. Dan if you would consider proclaiming the word of God in our parish. Volunteers nominate the Mass at which they would like to read and are rostered well in advance.
St. Vincent De Paul Society
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul urgently requires suitable volunteers with three hours or more per week to spare to staff their charity shop “Fred’s Fashions” at the Butts Green. If interested in doing this very rewarding work please contact the shop on 065 770 2637 or 087 212 0201.
Church Redecoration
St. Fiacre’s Church has been repainted and re-carpeted and we believe worshippers will be pleased with the results. Thanks for your patience while the church was closed.
Now is an opportune time to appeal for volunteers to keep St. Fiacre’s Church in pristine condition. Please contact the sacristans if you could see your way to join the church cleaning roster. We really need your help in this area. Please take pride in your church and help in this way.
Attention Gardeners
We are currently preparing a landscaping plan for the area around St. Fiacre’s Church and the new parish centre. Needless to say it will help curtail costs if we can get gifts of suitable plants, shrubs etc. We appeal to those who may be “decluttering” their gardens to consider offering spare plants, trees or suitable cuttings to the parish. Please contact Doreen at the sacristy at St. Fiacre’s Church if you think you can help.
Pray for our Deceased Friends
Anniversaries: Eddy Dean (Sat 6.15); Judy O’Brien (Sat 7.00); Patsy Walsh (Sun 10.30); Kit Grace (Month’s Mind on Sun 12 noon); Evelyn Coppinger (Sun 12.30); Thomas & Ellen O’Neill (Thurs 10.30); Patrick Morris (Sat 9.30); May Wallace, William Meehan Snr, William Meehan Jnr, Ned Brennan, Mary Dunne, William Maher, Billy & Patty Reinhardt, Patrick Tynan, Kitty Lucas, Josephine Kavanagh, Martin Grace, Margaret McNamara, Michael & Hughie Dollard.
Intentions for Next Weekend: Nancy Coyne (Sat 6.15), Ned Nolan (Sat 7.00), Gerard Cleere (Sun 9.30), Tom Foley (Sun 10.30), John Frawley (Sun 11.00), Eithne O’Connor (Sun 12.30).
Mission Sunday — Go and Tell
Next week marks the annual worldwide Catholic celebration of Mission Sunday. Our prayers and donations on Mission Sunday help to support missionaries and those they reach out to in countries where the Church is new, young or poor. Our support allows Catholic communities throughout the world to become self-sufficient and progress according to their own needs and traditions. A special collection will be taken up next Sunday in aid of our brothers and sisters currently on mission allowing them to continue their difficult but vital work reflecting the theme for Mission Sunday 2008: ‘Go and Tell’.
Parish Drugs Initiative
Last Tuesday evening fifty-six Transition Year and Fifth Year students from local second level schools gathered at the St. John of God School to enrol on a plan to extend the award-winning 4-2-1 Drugs Education Programme to our parish. The programme will see specially trained young people teaching 12 year olds in a peer initiative that will lead to young people saying ‘no’ to drink and drugs. The campaign is aligned to the Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative and has the backing of the Kilkenny City Drugs Initiative at Ossory Youth and the Health Services Executive and will continue well into next Spring.
The first training session will be held at the St. John of God School, New Street between 7.30pm and 9.30pm on this Monday, 13th October. This is the final opportunity for 16 - 17 year olds to enrol on the training programme. Interested adult volunteers are also urgently required. Further information from Mel Bay on 087 984 5019 or Fr. Dan.
Traveller Community
Next Tuesday, 14th October will be a very important date for every Traveller in Ireland. It marks the day when the Census for the All-Ireland Traveller Health Study - Our Geels - begins. The Parish of the Travelling People, along with the main traveller organisations countrywide, are encouraging all travellers to participate in the census and the health study which aims to improve travellers’ health and well-being.
Brassed Off
The renowned CWU Concert Band from Dublin will perform a concert “Brassed Off” in the Watergate Theatre on Saturday, 18th of October at 8pm in aid of Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin. Tickets: Adult €10, Children €5 from the Watergate.
Ossory Social Services
The annual church gate collection for Ossory Social Services will be held this weekend.
Parent and Toddler Group
If you are a parent, guardian or childminder of a child/children aged between 0 - 5 years and are interested in availing of this service, please come along for a chance to meet other parents, guardians and childminders of young children in your nearest centre.
Time: 10.30am - 12.30pm. Age Group: Children from 0 - 5 years. Locations: Fr. McGrath F.R.C. (Mondays). Newpark Close F. R.C. (Tuesdays). O’Loughlin Court Community Centre (Wednesdays).
For further information please contact Mailyn on 087 7538484 or at Newpark Close F.R.C. at 056 772 3309.
Come on the Village!
We join in wishing our parish Senior Hurling Team all the best in this Sunday’s St. Canice’s Credit Union SHC semi-final against O’Loughlin Gaels at Nowlan Park. The match is at 2.00pm and we encourage as many as possible to come along and shout for our lads!
Parish Cookery Book
Good Food for Healthy Eating is selling well and has proven very popular among parishioners and visitors alike. The book contains about 120 easy-to-follow recipes submitted by the sportspeople of our parish, city and county. Copies are available for €10 at the presbytery and at the sacristies of all our churches.
Do This In Memory
The next liturgy in our Do This In Memory Programme for First Holy Communicants will take place on next Sunday, 19th October at St. Fiacre’s Church (10.30am) and St. Patrick's Church (11.00am). We look forward to meeting the children and their families again.
The Most Holy Rosary
The Rosary will be recited at the Grotto, Seville Lodge, Callan Road, each Sunday during October at 3pm. All are welcome.
Legion of Mary Series of Talks
In St. Patrick’s College, Thurles (sponsored by the Legion of Mary)
Tuesday, 14th October: “Mary Disciple & Mother” by Fr. John Littleton.
Tuesday, 21st October: “Mary Queen of Apostles: the call of all to be missionaries of “the Way, the Truth and the Life” by Bishop Séamus Freeman, Bishop of Ossory.
Talks will start at 8pm and tea will be served. Cost: €5.00. All welcome.
Helping to Defeat Depression
Aware is seeking volunteers, drawn from all walks of life, to help with their work in defeating depression. If you would like to be involved please contact Mick on 087 94 98 100 or email mick@awaresoutheast.com for further information or to arrange an informal interview. Training and support will be given.
