Testy Times
It used to be the terrible teens. Now it’s the terrible tots. Crèches in Britain are suspending up to fourteen young children a day, aged five and younger, for physical assault. Incidents where testy tots use violence against classmates and teachers rose six per cent in a year. I wonder what sort of tots the two disciples were in today’s Gospel reading (Luke 9:51-62). If they weren’t testy as adults. Inflated with importance they assume a power to ‘command fire to come down from heaven’ (v.54) and torch to death the inhabitants of a Samaritan village. Not very Christian that now, is it? Though close to Jesus physically as his followers they aren’t yet close enough to him spiritually to recognise what sort of person and what sort of messiah he is. It seems there’s baggage blocking the way: religious baggage that inflates their sense of election, of being God’s own people to the exclusion of others; political baggage that expects a freedom-fighter messiah to liberate the Jews from Roman tyranny; and social baggage that cultivates an elitist mentality that seduces them into thinking they can ride rough-shod over people like the Samaritans whom they despise.
Some ancient authorities add, ‘as Elijah did’ to v. 54 about commanding fire from heaven. In response to this hankering for former ways and attitudes Jesus rebukes them. I wonder does he have any such rebuke for us today as we carry out baggage, whether it be personal, social or institutional in these testy and testing times?
Fr. Tom Cahill SVD
St. Fiacre’s Well Annual Novena
The annual novena prayers begin at the well at 8.00pm on Sunday, 22nd August and continue each evening at the same time.
The novena will conclude with public prayers at the well at 3.00pm on Sunday, 29th August followed by the celebration of Mass.
All are encouraged to make this a special time of prayer in our parish and we especially invite those who are new to our parish to join us.
Questions people ask
Q. One of the corporal works of mercy is to bury the dead. Did Jesus contradict this when he said, ‘Leave the dead to bury the dead’? How can the dead bury the dead?
A. The context of this saying is important. Jesus is speaking of the undivided commitment required in those who are called to dedicate their lives to proclaiming the gospel in action or word. The person who receives this call is regarded as spiritually alive, whereas people lacking this enthusiasm are referred to as being dead. It is this undivided commitment which enables missionaries to leave home and family, painful thought it may be.
Fr. Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
Cemetery Mass
The annual Foulkstown Cemetery Mass will take place on Thursday, 29th July at 7.30pm. Please remind your relatives and friends who may not see this notice. Thanks to all who participate in the annual event of remembering our deceased loved ones.
Rally for Life
The annual Rally for Life 2010 will be held at Belfast City Centre on Saturday, 3rd July 2010 at 2.00pm. Busses arranged from all over Ireland. Bus ex Kilkenny - to book please telephone 056 775 6024 or 056 776 5992. Bring family and friends and stand for life. Keep Ireland abortion free. Contact www.rallyforlife.net or 01 873 0463 for more information.
Loughboy Library
Friday night opening is now from 6 - 8pm. The Library Book Club meets this Thursday at 10.30am - the old classic “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee will be discussed. All are welcome. Free online access to the ECDL computer course is available to all through the library - enquiries to 779 4176. The Summer Reading Challenge for children kicks off on 6th July.
Pray for our Deceased Friends
Recently Deceased: Fr. William Dineen, Cork. Danny White, Inistioge. Pauline Dunne, Tullamore.
Months Mind: Mary Deegan (Sun 12.00) Margaret Fay, England.
Anniversaries: Dick Martin (Sat 6.15), Anastasia Quirk (Sun 10.00), Ann Comerford (Sun 10.30), May & Paddy O’Neill (Sun 11.00), Lilian Beatty (Sun 12.30), Deceased Members of the Young at Heart Club (Wed 2.30), James Nugent (Sat 9.30), Martin Crotty, William Maher, Dixie Bateman, Joe Brennan, Dick O’Hara, Tommy Hayes, Paddy Doheny, Connor Doheny, John Fitzgerald, Michael Aylward, Fr. Andrew O’Dwyer, Richard Dunne, Richard McEvoy, Edward Beckett, Gabriel Doran, Seán Fitzpatrick, Mary Blunden, Patrick, Mary & John Kenny, Thomas Grace.
Intentions for next weekend: John Joe Traynor (Sat 6.15), Sean Hennessy (Sat 7.00), Pauline Kennedy (Sun 10.00), Sharon Galvin (Sun 10.30), Austin Murphy (Sun 12.00), Francis Ryan (Sun 12.30).
Child Protection
The training date for all volunteers (including priests) in St. Patrick’s Parish who work with children is Thursday, 1st July 2010 at St. Patrick’s Parish Centre from 7pm - 10pm. This is a compulsory course for all who work with children as sacristans, choirs, and children’s liturgy group members in St. Patrick’s Parish. All relevant people will be contacted by post.
We are grateful to those who volunteer and have agreed to help further our child protection policy in St. Patrick’s Parish.
Parish Centre
The Parish Centre remains open throughout the summer and is staffed by a dedicated group of receptionists who volunteer their time. We are grateful to them for their efforts in making the Parish Centre a welcoming place for parishioners and visitors. New volunteers are always welcome. If you think you’d like to help out, then let us know.
Young at Heart Club
The club members will hold their annual Mass for deceased members on Wednesday, 30th June in St. Fiacre’s Church at 2.30pm. All are welcome.
First Friday
Next Friday is the First Friday of July. The housebound and sick will be visited by the priests of the parish. If you or someone you know would like to be included on this sick list then please contact one of the priests. Due to a wedding commitment in Cork, Fr. Liam will not visit his sick list until the following Friday 9th July.
Schools Out
Our primary schools finish for the summer break this coming week. We wish all students, teachers and school staff a peaceful and restful summer break.
Parish Shop
On sale in the foyer of the St. Patrick’s Parish Centre is a wide selection of religious goods, anything from rosary beads to prayer books to statues. Come in and have a look. The volunteers at the desk will be happy to help.
Signed Mass cards are also available at reception. Suggested stipend for each Mass is €10 and an individual Mass is guaranteed. Masses are said by priests supported by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
Friday Adoration
Every Friday, special prayers are offered at parish Masses for the renewal of the Church in Ireland as requested by the Holy Father. The hour after each morning Mass is also dedicated to this renewal. If you would like to join in this Mass and adoration you are welcome.
Parish Website
We continue to update the parish website with new information, pictures and the weekly newsletter. Comments and suggestions are welcome. For those interested, the website is designed on an IMac computer.
New Book on Church Response to Abuse
Getting there firstest with the mostest is the way to win wars, according to Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest. A couple of Catholic journalists Gregory Erlandson and Matthew Bunson, have taken this to heart and rushed to press with a crisp, clear account of the recent turmoil in the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI and the Sexual Abuse Crisis draws together the main threads of the debate without flinching from the misdeeds of the clergy or fulminating over the distortions of the media.
While the book does not pretend to give an exhaustive account of the major scandals and how they were addressed on a local and on a global level, it imposes an intelligible narrative on the rain of facts, smears, potted history, arcane terminology and revulsion which have filled the media since March.
The main focus of the book is to set the record straight about Pope Benedict’s record. Lunatic calls for his resignation seem to have subsided, but many people, even Catholics, harbour doubts about his commitment to cleansing the “filth” from the Church. This account, short as it is, should at least allay these fears. (From ‘Just B16’ Blog).
Light that Shines in the Darkness
Are you interested in priesthood in the Diocese of Ossory? For information on priesthood please contact Bishop Freeman on 056 776 2448 or Fr. Willie Purcell on 087 628 6858.
Catholic Dictionary
This week A-M
AMEN: The only part of a prayer that everyone knows.
BULLETIN: 1. Parish information, read only during the homily.
2. Catholic air conditioning.
3. Your receipt for attending Mass.
CHOIR: A group of people whose singing allows the rest of the congregation to lip-sync.
HOLY WATER: A liquid whose chemical formula is H2OLY.
HYMN: A song of praise, usually sung in a key three octaves higher than that of the congregation's range.
INCENSE: Holy Smoke!
JESUITS: An order of priests known for their ability to found colleges with good basketball teams.
JONAH: The original "Jaws" story.
JUSTICE: When kids have kids of their own.
KYRIE ELEISON: The only Greek words that most Catholics can recognize besides gyros and baklava.
MAGI: The most famous trio to attend a baby shower.
MANGER: 1. Where Mary gave birth to Jesus because Joseph wasn't covered by VHI.
2. The Bible's way of showing us that holiday travel has always been rough.
More next week...maybe
Anniversary Notices
Please get notices to the Parish Office early in the week. Thank you.
