Senior Citizens’ Parish Party
The annual party for the senior citizens in our parish will be held at the St. Patrick’s Parish Centre on this Monday, 8th February. With a four course meal provided by the Club House Hotel and music by Marble City Sound a great evening is anticipated in our Parish Centre. We hope as many as possible will take the opportunity to come along and enjoy a marvellous social evening.
Tickets are great value at €10 for a four course meal, a drink and great entertainment. Booking is essential to facilitate efficient catering on the evening. (We hope nobody will be excluded because of the price - contact one of the priests if this becomes an issue for you.) Tickets are available at the Parish Office and at the sacristies in all our churches.
Readers and Eucharistic Ministers
Conscious that so many people volunteer to serve as Readers of the Word and Eucharistic Ministers, the Ossory Adult Faith Development Committee has decided to offer an evening of prayer and reflection for those who work in these areas. It is hoped that these evenings will provide an opportunity for our Readers and Eucharistic Ministers to reflect upon and deepen their understanding of contribution they make to the liturgical life of our parish.
We invite all of our Readers and Eucharistic Ministers to avail of this opportunity. Our parish is invited to attend on Tuesday, 16th March in St. Patrick’s Parish Centre, Loughboy from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
If you are a Reader or Eucharistic Minister why not consider making this part of your Lenten journey? If you are free to attend please give your name to the Sacristan or Parish Office so that we can pass on the approximate numbers to the organisers.
Come for a ‘Cuppa’ after Mass
All are invited to the Parish Centre for a cup of tea/coffee and a chat after Mass on Tuesday mornings. Drop in and meet your neighbours.
Our Lady of Lourdes
Next Thursday is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. On 11th February 1858, in Lourdes, France, Our Lady appeared for the first time to Bernadette who was then fourteen years old. In total, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared 18 times, the last apparition was 16th July 1858.
Day of the Sick
World Day for the Sick is celebrated every year on the 11th February, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
In the his message for the World Day of the Sick 2010 Pope Benedict XVI writes “In the mystery of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection human suffering finds meaning and fullness of light. ... At the Last Supper the Lord Jesus, before returning to the Father, bent to wash the Apostles’ feet in a foretaste of His supreme act of love upon the Cross. With this gesture He invited His disciples to follow His own logic of a love that especially gives itself to the weakest and to those most in need. Following His example all Christians are called to relive, in different contexts, the parable of the Good Samaritan”.
“Jesus”, says the Holy Father, “exhorts us to attend to the bodily and spiritual wounds of so many of our brothers and sisters whom we meet on the roads of the world. He helps us to understand that, with the grace of God accepted and lived in everyday life, the experience of sickness and suffering can become a school of hope”.
Black Abbey Triduum
The annual Triduum in honour of our Lady of Lourdes will be held at the Black Abbey on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 9th, 10th and 11th February. Rosary and Mass with homily each day at 10.15am and 7.15pm. The preacher this year is Fr. Gabriel Harty O.P. (Ireland’s Rosary Priest). Wednesday is World Day of the Sick and the Sacrament of the Sick will be celebrated at both sessions. Confession available each day. All are welcome.
Ossory Pilgrimage to Lourdes
The annual diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes under the patronage of Bishop Séamus Freeman will take place from 22nd to 27th May inclusive. Price €720 p.p.s. All bookings for both regular and assisted pilgrims through Glenmore Parish Office on 051 880 414 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10.30am to 2.30pm.
St. Patrick’s Lourdes Committee
This group raises funds to help a number of deserving parishioners travel to Lourdes with the annual diocesan pilgrimage. They are currently accepting nominations for the this year’s pilgrimage. Please contact any member of the committee or one of the priests if you or someone known to you would like to be considered for travel.
Young Singers Wanted
Members of the Youth Choir are holding guitar lessons in the Parish Centre every Monday evening. We have a group of 10 young people who are learning to play the guitar but we are in need of some singers to accompany them. If you have an hour to spare please come along to the Parish Centre at 7.00pm on Monday.
St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society
The monthly meeting of the St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society will take place in St. Patrick’s Parish Centre after the 10.30am Mass in St. Fiacre’s Church on Friday, 12th February. New members very welcome.
Monthly Rosary
The monthly rosary on the first Sunday of the month will be recited at the Statue of Our Lady of Kilkenny, James Green, Kilkenny on this Sunday, 7th February at 3.00pm. All are welcome.
Young At Heart Club
The Club reopened on Wednesday, 3rd February at the Parish Centre and continues to meet every Wednesday between 2.30pm and 4.30pm. All are welcome.
Pray for our Deceased Friends
Anniversaries: Catherine Dunphy (Sat 6.15 Months Mind), St. Theophane Duggan (Sat 7.00), Dr. Richard Purcell (Sun 9.30), Sean O’Grady (Sun 10.00), Pat Kearney (Sun 10.30), Frances Costello (Sun 11.00), Peadar Flanagan (Sun 12.00), Jimmy McGrath (Sun 12.30), Andrew Price (Tue 10.30), Daniel (Algie) Lanigan (Wed 10.30), Eleanar Mulvee (Thur 10.30), Bridie Dunne, Margo Doran, John Quigley, James Hayes, Bill Carroll, Liam Devlin, Eamon Tallent, Breda Butler, Peggy Brennan, Elizabeth Kavanagh.
Intentions for next weekend: John O’Rourke (Sat 6.15), Michael Walsh & Milo Bourke (Sat 7.00), David Maher (Sun 10.00), Eileen Cummins (Sun 11.00), Peter Quinn (Sun 12.00), Ciss Lafferty (Sun 12.30).
Enrolments in Parish Schools
The St. Patrick’s De La Salle Boys’ School and the St. John of God Girls’ School are currently dealing with enrolment applications for September 2010. Please contact the schools for further details.
St. Patrick’s De La Salle School: 056 776 1081
St. John of God School: 056 772 1290.
Do This in Memory
The next event in the Do This in Memory programme for this year’s First Holy Communion classes, their families and our parish congregations will be on next Sunday. We look forward to having the young people and their families at the 10.30am and 11.00am Masses.
Questions People Ask
Q. What does holy mean?
A. I consider holy to be one of the most expressive words in the English language. It is a word that comes up from the depths of the lungs, expressing a sigh for the infinite God who is over all, beyond all and within all. When Peter saw the power of Jesus manifested in the huge haul of fish, he experienced the otherness or holiness of God in contrast to his own frailty or sinfulness. Form your breath into that word, holy, and it becomes a mantra sighing for God.
Ash Wednesday and Lent
Wednesday, 17th February is Ash Wednesday and marks the first day of Lent 2010. Please consider using this special time in preparation for the celebration of Easter.
A Lenten Invitation
“Come Away and Rest Awhile”
Take time on Tuesday mornings of Lent to reflect and pray in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.
Venue: St. Patrick’s Parish Centre
Time: 11am to 12 noon
Dates: 23rd February, 2nd, 9th, 16th 23rd and 30th March.
Facilitator: Eileen Ross, Qualified Spiritual Guide
Knitting Night
A Knitting Night will commence in St. Patrick’s Parish Centre on next Monday, 8th February at 7.30pm. A few hours of knitting and chatting. All are welcome so ‘cast on and come along’.
Angels and Demons: the True Story
This series of lectures by Fr. Joe Delaney continues from 8.00pm - 9.30pm each Wednesday evening at St. John’s Day Centre, beside St. John’s RC Church.
10th February: Spiritual Warfare
17th February: The Ministry of Angels
3rd March: Demonic Entry Points: The Occult & Alternative Therapies
10th March: The Effects of Generational Sin
Good Grief - Bald Statements
This is an exhibition of eight alabaster sculptures illustrating feelings of grief and loss from sculptor Jean Parker. The exhibition was born as a reflection of Jean’s own experience of cancer and relate not only to loss of health but to significant loss of any kind. The exhibition may prove helpful and reassuring, offering glimpses of hope when all seems lost.
The exhibition is open to the public from 10.00am until 4.00pm each day until Thursday, 18th February at St. John’s Church of Ireland, John Street, Kilkenny. Admission is free although groups from schools etc should book in advance by calling 087 236 3100.
Alzheimer's Society Kilkenny
Table Quiz in aid of the Kilkenny Alzheimer’s Society will be held at the Home Rule Club at 8.30pm on 19th February. Table of Four: €20.
Church Gate Collection
Enable Ireland (The O’Neill Centre) has asked us to announce their church gate collection outside all Masses next weekend.
Scripture Study Group
Integritas - a domestic centre of Christian spirituality - hosts a scripture study group at 7.30pm on the third Thursday of every month. The evening on 18th February will reflect upon chapters 7 and 8 of St. Mark’s Gospel. Feel welcome to attend this session even if you can only do so occasionally. Integritas is located at Ennisnag. Enquiries: 056 772 8902.
Bingo
The Danesfort Community and Parish Centre (at the rear of St. Michael’s Church) hosts bingo on every Wednesday at 8.30pm. Shop available.
Hard of Hearing?
Hearing Help and lipreading classes start on Monday, 8th February. Morning classes will be held at Deafhear Offices, Friary Street from 10.30am - 12.30pm and Evening classes at The Citizens’ Information Centre, The Parade Kilkenny from 8.00pm – 10.00pm. All are welcome. Telephone 776 5176 or 776 3508 for more information.
Loughboy Library News
Deaf Culture Books—Kilkenny Library Service and the DeafHear organisation have assembled a new collection of materials relating to deaf culture at Loughboy Library. This collection is suitable for adults and children and includes the ABC of Sign Language on DVD, books and CD ROMs.
The First World War—Kilkenny Photographic Society has compiled a collection of photographs of Kilkenny personnel from WWI—this is on display until 19th February.
