Gift-wrapped from God
A news item in The Irish Times of September 2009 caught my eye. It was headed, ‘Couple marry at son’s funeral.’ It told of a couple from New York State who got married at their son’s funeral. His name was Asa and he was only seven when killed. He was travelling as a passenger in his grandfather’s car when it crashed in a multiple car pile up. His one wish in life was that his parents should marry. He had frequently asked them why they weren’t. Strange that one so young could feel what was most appropriate while the adults concerned couldn’t. Out of the mouth of babes….(Ps 8:3).
In today’s Gospel reading another child also asks his parents a question. It too reveals what he finds most appropriate: that he be in his Father’s house. Telling his parents that his place is in his Father’s house confuses them. Even his mother, who presumably knows full well his extraordinary origins, doesn’t grasp what he’s implying or revealing about himself. This makes one wonder what the Annunciation actually was and what it conveyed to Mary. Mary and Joseph had with them the One whom no human mind can fathom. So, if even they who are closest to him don’t recognise who he is – and indeed how can they – then we shouldn’t be too disappointed at our inability to recognise him at times either. This holds even for members of our own families. We may think we know them, but deep down they’re a mystery gift-wrapped from God. (Fr Tom Cahill SVD)
Questions people ask
Q. When Jesus was growing up in Nazareth did Mary & Joseph know that he was the Son of God?
A. The revelation of the divinity of Jesus was not yet complete. Because of the virgin-birth and the annunciation by the angel Gabriel, Mary and Joseph knew that Jesus was unique. Yet we read in the Gospel that they did not understand what the twelve year-old Jesus meant in saying that he must be busy with his Father’s affairs.
Mary stored up these things in her heart. Mary and Joseph went forward in faith, accepting the mystery of what they did not fully understand.
Pray for Our Deceased Friends
Recently Deceased: Fr. Kevin Brennan, Liverpool and late of Tullaroan. Edward O’Brien, Manchester and late of Kilkenny. Bridie Kerwick, 1A Lord Edward Street: Requiem Mass at St. Canice’s Church at 11.30am on Sunday.
Months Mind: Mark Butler (Sun 12.00).
Anniversaries: Richie Delaney (Sat 7.00), Angela Murphy (Sun 10.00), Tommy Doran (Sun 10.30), George Byrne (Sun 11.00), Edward Taylor (Sun 12.30), Patrick & Eleanor Murray (Mon 11.00), Jimmy King (Tue 11.00), Betty Furniss (Wed 11.00), Josephine McGrath (Thur 11.00), Doris Americas (Fri 11.00), Joseph & Anna Dunphy (Sat 11.00), Bill Esmonde, Roseanna Smyth, James & Samuel Dunlop, Liam & Mary Ryan, Ted Carroll, Denis Lahart, May & John Rhatigan, Kathleen Fahy, Martin, & Peg Browne and Brendan Doheny, Tom Purcell, Martin & Mary Doheny, John Hayes.
Intentions for next weekend: Billy & Anastasia Hickey (Sat 6.15), Maura Molloy (Sat 6.15), Philomena Brennan (Sat 7.00), Harry Joe O’Connor (Sun 10.00), Peg, Jack & Breda Molloy (Sun 10.30), Michael Kenny & John Condon (Sun 12.00).
Mass Arrangements this Week
The only public Mass in St. Patrick’s Parish will be celebrated at St. Patrick’s Church at 11.00am each day during the coming week. There will be no public Masses at St. Fiacre’s Church during the week.
Eucharist Adoration
There will be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Fiacre’s Church from 12 noon to 10.00pm on Monday, 28th December. There will be no adoration in St. Patrick’s Church New Year’s Day.
Remembrance Service
The Irish Sudden Infant Death Association will hold a Remembrance Service in St. John's Community Centre, Kilkenny on Monday, 28th December 2009 at 11.00am. This service is dedicated to all our children who have died no matter how or when. All welcome!
Sincere Thanks to All
Frs. Dan, Roderick and Liam pray that you have all had a Holy and peaceful Christmas. May God continue to bless and protect us in this holy season. May all travellers be safe and may patience and Christian love and goodwill mark this holiday time.
We take this opportunity to thank everyone who help out in any way to make this wonderful parish function so well. We won’t name names, because there are so many people who help in prayer, action and support. People help out so quietly and generously that all runs so smoothly. To everyone, we offer a sincere and heartfelt thank you.
A sincere word of thanks to all for your generous support this Christmas and indeed throughout the year. We appreciate your prayers, kind words and material support. We pray that the New Year will be filled with every grace and blessing for you.
Looking for Jesus
Not for nothing was it written: “Your father and I have been looking for you anxiously”. The search for Jesus must be neither careless nor indifferent, nor must it be only a transitory affair. Those who seek in this manner will never find him.
Origen (183-253)
Notices for the Newsletter
Space allowing, we endeavour to publish all notices of interest to parishioners and members of the wider community. Needless to say such notices must respect our Catholic ethos. Please contact the Parish Office on 056 776 4400 or stpatricksparish@ossory.ie if you would like to have a notice included. Please let us have notices as early as possible but certainly by the Thursday before publication and include a contact number (not necessarily for publication) so that we can contact you for any clarifications.
Requests for inclusion in our parish anniversary lists should also be sent in as early as possible. As we often have to check name spellings, duplication etc. it would help if such notices also included contact numbers.
Fundraising Bag Pack
Thanks to the many volunteers who raised invaluable funds for the parish by bag packing at Supervalu on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week. The amount raised was €4,581. Many thanks to the Supervalu Management Team, the coordinators and all who gave freely of their time to help with this valuable fundraiser.
Br. Edmund Rice Monthly Mass
Seasons greetings from the Edmund Rice Centre at Westcourt, Callan. The Monthly Mass to pray for the blessings of Edmund Rice on our lives and for his Canonisation will be held at Westcourt on Monday, 4th January 2010 at 7.30 p.m. All welcome.
Ossory Pilgrimage to Lourdes
Bookings are now invited for our Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes, May 22nd - May 27th 2010. The cost is €720p.p.s. All who are interested in travelling should contact Glenmore Parish Office on 051 880414: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10.30am - 2.30pm or email glenmore@ossory.ie.
Parish Website
Visitors home for Christmas may like to know that we have a parish website which is updated with the newsletter every week. This provides and opportunity for those away from ‘The Village’ to check out local activities. The website is always available at www.patricksparish.com. The website continues to be redesigned and comments and suggestions are welcomed.
Relationship Counseling
Accord Kilkenny, based at St. Mary’s Centre, James’ Street, offers couple and relationship counseling for couples and individuals experiencing marital and relationship problems. Please contact the office for an appointment. Office Hours: Monday, 2.00pm to 5.00pm; Wednesday, 11.00am to 1.00pm; Thursday, 2.00pm to 5.00pm and Friday, 11.00am to 1.00pm. Telephone 056 772 2674 for an appointment.
St. Patrick’s Parish Centre
We are now well established in our new Parish Centre. We have established routines and procedures which serve the parish well.
We feel it is now time for the official opening of the new centre and homes for the elderly which, please God, will be held on the afternoon of Sunday, 17th January 2010. We plan this to be a great parish celebration and we invite you to keep the afternoon free. All are invited to attend.
We will keep you informed of the details as they emerge. Make sure to mark the day in your diary.
Parish Calendars
We are delighted to offer parish calendars again this year. Calendars may be picked up at the back of all our parish churches. Thanks to Paula Raggett at Kilkenny Cards for the design and printing of this year’s calendar.
Charitable Donations Refund
We have recently received a cheque for €59,245.89 from the Revenue Commissioners representing a refund of the income tax you paid on your contributions to St. Patrick’s Parish. As you can see this is an invaluable source of income for the parish and the best part is that it comes at no extra cost to you: we simply reclaim the tax you paid on donations over €250 per year (about €5 per week). Thanks to all who returned signed CHY2 Forms enabling us to make the claim. We’ll be in touch soon seeking signatures for the year ending December 2009.
Christmas Cribs
We encourage you to visit our excellent cribs at St. Patrick’s, St. Fiacre’s and St. Joseph’s Churches and our new crib at the Parish Centre when it reopens after the break.
Speaking at the blessing of cribs earlier this month Pope Benedict said: “We must seek to live what the nativity scene represents in the reality of our everyday lives: that is the love of Christ, his humility and his poverty. The nativity scene is a school of life where we can learn the secret of true joy. This does not consist in possessing many things but in feeling ourselves to be loved by the Lord in making ourselves a gift for others, and in loving one another. Let us consider the nativity scene: the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph do not appear to be a very privileged family, they had their first child amidst great hardship, yet they are full of intimate joy because they love one another, they help one another and, above all, they are certain that God is at work in their story”.
“And the Shepherds”, the Pope asked, “what reason do they have to be happy? That newborn infant will certainly not alter their poverty and marginalisation. Yet faith helps them to recognise in the ‘child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger’, the ‘sign’ of the fulfilment of God’s promises for all the men and women ‘whom he favours’, even for them!” For this reason, Benedict XVI explained, true joy consists in “feeling that our individual and community lives are touched by and filled with a great mystery, the mystery of the love of God. In order to be joyful we need... love and truth, we need a God who is near, who warms our hearts and responds to our most profound expectations”.
Mount St. Anne’s Retreat House
Retreat & Conference Centre
Thursday January 14th, 21st and 28th 8pm-9.30pm. CROCHET CLASSES - ALL LEVELS: Learn to crochet in a relaxed atmosphere and create something fantastic!
Presenter: Sr. Róisín Gannon pbvm
Cost: 10 Euro per night
Thursdays January 14th – March 18th 8pm – 9.30pm, YOGA COURSE
Every Thursday for 10 weeks
Why not relax and ease the stresses of life with an enjoyable course in yoga.
Presenter: Edel Swords (ITEC; YTTC approved) Cost: 10 Euro per night (90 Euro – 10 nights)
