Holy Days in November
The Feast of All Saints is celebrated on Monday, 1st November. Holy Day Masses in our parish will follow the usual weekend schedule: St. Fiacre’s 6.15pm on Sunday, 10.30am and 12.00 noon on Monday; St. Patrick’s 7.00pm on Saturday, 9.30am, 11.00am and 12.30pm on Monday; St. Joseph’s 10.00am on Monday.
Staff and Service Users at the S.O.S. will attend the 10.00am Mass on Monday.
The Commemoration of the Faithful Departed is celebrated on Tuesday. Masses in St. Patrick’s at 9.30am and St. Fiacre’s at 10.30am.
Proclaiming the Word of God
We are currently recruiting people to proclaim the Word of God at Sunday Mass. Please contact any of the priests or a sacristan if you would consider fulfilling this role. Volunteers will be put on a roster and asked to read every few weeks.
An Evening of Prayer for Vocations
St. Patrick’s Parish Conference of the St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society will hold an evening of Prayer for Vocations on this Thursday, 4th November at St. Fiacre’s Church, at 7.30pm. The evening will consist of Holy Hour, Rosary and Mass. A cup of tea will be served afterwards in St. Patrick’s Parish Centre. All are welcome to come along and join in prayer for vocations to the priesthood and religious life in our diocese.
Bible Stories
Sr. Mairead Murphy invites you to a series of reflections on Bible Stories from 8.00pm to 9.00pm on the five Tuesdays of November. Venue: 33 Newpark Close. Contact 779 6123.
Peace in Christ
The annual collection in aid of Peace in Christ Retreat House will take place on Saturday, 6th and Sunday, 7th November. Peace in Christ is our diocesan retreat house and the sisters and staff provide an excellent service to all. We ask that you support this worthy church gate collection next weekend.
Questions People Ask
Q. Recently at a wedding in another church everybody was invited to take communion. But at a Catholic wedding the priest at the start said that only practising Catholics should receive. Isn’t this rather narrow-minded and hurtful?
A. Catholic belief is that receiving the Lord in the Blessed Eucharist is the greatest privilege of our religion. The Catholic Church will not water down this doctrine and safeguards it with certain regulations: the recipient must be baptised and not in the state of mortal sin. A period of fasting is recommended as a mark of respect. By upholding these regulations we let others know how sacred the Blessed Eucharist is in our religion.
Fr. Silvester O’Flynn OFM
Pray for the DeceasedRecently Deceased: Liam Brett, Inch Mills, Sion Road. Paddy Clancy, Red House, Kilmanagh.
Anniversaries: Birute Poskaite (Sat 6.15), Ann Shortall (Sat 7.00 Months Mind), Madge McIntyre (Sun 9.30), Jennifer Mulhall (Sun 10.00), Mary Byrne (Sun 10.30 Months Mind), Michael Phelan (Sun 11.00), Tom Shanahan (Sun 12.00), John Joe Kealy (Sun 12.30), Jack Garrehy (Sun 6.15), Paddy Wallace (Months Mind), Margaret Wallace (Sun 7.00), P.J. Marrinan (Mon 10.30), Henrietta Hyland (Fri 9.30), Anastasia Muldowney, Mary Kate Morris, John Drennan, Michael Mullins, Margaret Dunlop, Tess O’Neill, Anna, Michael, Mary & Paddy Bowe, Joe Gargan, Diane Keenan, Michael & Mary Lawlor, Patrick Cantwell, Margaret Skehan, Thomas Tynan.
First Holy Communion
We are delighted to welcome Andrea and Aidan Casey to receive the Eucharist for the first time at the 12.00 noon Mass at St. Fiacre’s Church on this Sunday. Andrea and Aidan have prepared well for this important event in their lives. We welcome them into full participation in our Eucharistic Community and look forward to sharing the Eucharist with them on a regular basis.
Credit Union Stamps Found
A number of Credit Union saving stamps were found in the offertory collection last weekend. If these were intended as a donation we will put them to good use - thanks. On the other hand, if they were dropped in by accident we would like to return them to the saver. Please contact the sacristan at St. Fiacre’s Church for further information.
St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society
A special meeting of the Society will take place on Wednesday, 3rd November after the 10.30am Mass in St. Fiacre’s Church. This meeting, which will take place in the Parish Centre, will be brief and it is hoped that as many members as possible will attend.
Envelope Collection
The total for last week’s envelope collection was €1,495.00. Many thanks.
Latin Mass
There will be a Traditional Sung Mass in St. Patrick’s Church on this Sunday, 31st October at 5pm. All welcome.
Altar Servers
The new altar servers rota is now available. Please collect at the sacristies.
Newsletter Extra
Items that do not fit in the printed newsletter are available on our parish website. Surf to www.patricksparish.net for particulars.
Re-launched Diocesan Website
The Diocese of Ossory has re-launched a completely revamped website at www.ossory.ie. It contains Catholic news and information from around the world in written and video format. It also provides information about all parishes in the diocese including Mass times and directions and maps to the churches. The site also hosts parish newsletters from around the diocese which subscribers can have emailed directly to their inbox. The site is a fount of information and help for locals and visitors alike.
Parish Feature in The Irish Catholic
St. Patrick’s Parish is among a number of Kilkenny parishes to be featured in next week’s The Irish Catholic newspaper. We look forward to reading the articles about life here in our parish. To mark the occasion (and let you get a ‘feel’ for the paper) the publisher is providing complementary copies next weekend. Make sure you pick up a copy at church.
Voices of Hope
During the month of November St. Canice’s Parish presents a series called Voices of Hope – Reflections for November. Against the backdrop of continuing difficulties in our Church and in our country we hope that this time of reflection will offer some light and guidance in dark and confusing days.
Series begins on this Thursday, 4th November when Baroness Nuala O’Loan will speak at 7.30pm Mass.
Westcourt News
The November Mass for the blessings of Edmund Rice on our lives and for his canonisation will be celebrated in Westcourt on Monday, 8th November at 7.30pm. Please note the change of date. All welcome.
James Stephens GAA
Mass for the deceased members of James Stephens GAA Club will be celebrated at the clubrooms at 8pm on Monday, 8th November.
Do This In Memory
We welcome this weekend those preparing for First Holy Communion in our parish’s primary schools. Those from Gaelscoil Osraí and Kilkenny School Project will attend 10.30am at St. Fiacre’s Church while those who attend St. Patrick’s De La Salle and St. John of God will be at 11.00am at St. Patrick’s Church. We welcome their parents and guardians and other family members who have come along.
The Kilkenny Gospel Choir
We welcome the choir to 12.00 noon Mass at St. Fiacre’s Church.
St. John’s De La Salle Reunion
50th Anniversary Reunion of 5th/6th Class St John’s De La Salle will take place at St John’s Senior School on Thursday, 4th November at 6.30pm. Mass at 7.00pm followed by refreshments. Please confirm intention to attend with Pat Gray (086 838 0658), Jim Kavanagh (087 280 5059) or Donie Butler (087 315 6359).
Illness or Health Care Issues?
Is chronic illness part of your life? Are you a carer or do you have a chronic health condition? Would a Self-Management Programme help? Self-management is about using simple skills to take control of the way you think and feel about your health condition/your caring situation and how you cope in everyday life. Six week course begins on Thursday, 4th November in the Castlecomer Community Hall from 10.00am to 12.30pm. For further information contact Anne Cody 087 902 8534 or check the website www.ceartpatientwise.ie
Church Gate Collection
Annual collection for Susie Long Foundation this weekend.
Loughboy Area Resource Centre
The following courses are available at the Bishop Birch Training Institute, Nuncio Road:
Women’s Fashion & Beauty starts on Wednesday, 3rd November from 7.00 - 9.00pm. 7 week class. Cost: €5 per class.
Older Persons Exercise through Dance Movement: dance/movement classes for over 50s.
Parents Exercise Class: Do you want to get in shape for Christmas? L.A.R.C are offering a fun aerobic class specifically for parents one morning a week at a low cost. Childcare may be provided. For details: Connie 056 776 4700.
H.Q - (HEADQUARTERS)
H.Q. (HEADQUARTERS) is a new space for young people in 6th Class who would like somewhere to go to hang out with other young people of their age. The club will be open every Tuesday evening from 5.00pm - 6.30pm in the refurbished Youth Centre, Desart Hall, New Street. It will be staffed by youth workers, volunteers and Transition Year/5th Year Student Leaders. It is a place for young people to meet new people, make friends, take part in activities. Membership fee of €2 per week.
On Sale at the Parish Shop
DVD showing Historic Video Footage of the Diocese of Ossory 1956 – 2007 (Featuring the construction and blessing of the Collier Wing, St. Kieran’s College, the granting of the Freedom of the City to Bishop Peter Birch, the Pastoral Renewal Conference in 1977 and the Ceremonial Installation of three Ossory Bishops).
DVD showing the Official Opening and Blessing of St. Patrick’s Parish Centre
in January 2010. €10 each
Home Alone
If there are little green men out there, why haven’t we seen any sign of them? They could be big instead of small and blue instead of green, like the Na’vi on Pandora in the sci-fi file Avatar. Size and colour don’t matter. What does matter is that to date we seem to be the only intelligent life form in this or any neck of the universe. According to recent scientific investigations complex life is rare even in our own galaxy and probably even rarer in other parts of the universe. Like it or not, it seems we’re home alone. That’s a scare scenario for some – and would be for all did God not exist. His word in today’s First Reading (Wis 11: 22-12:2) expands our min. It asks us to think big, to embrace the universe and allow the inevitable feeling of wonder to work its magic in our spirit. It tells us that God hates nothing he has made. What exists is here because he want s it here. As we’re still relatively new to the universe we’re still finding these things out. Therefore, an open mind is essential both towards little green men and God alike. The crowd in today’s Gospel (Luke 19:1-10) don’t have an open mind towards Jesus eating with Zacchaeus, a tax collector and, in their eyes, a sinner. Because of that, they miss out on an important truth: Jesus comes to seek out and save the lost. What truths do we need to open our minds to so as not to lose out?
Fr. Tom Cahill SVD
