In June 2012, the International Eucharistic congress will be held in Dublin. The theme is ‘Communion with Christ and with one another’. The next twelve months should be a time of preparation in our parishes. There is a need, now more than ever, to explore what we mean by Eucharist, what we mean by communion, what we mean by faith community: ‘In the Sunday Eucharist, the believing heart opens wide to embrace all aspects of the church. But … far from trying to create a narrow “gift” mentality, St Paul calls rather for a demanding culture of sharing, to be lived not only among the members of the community itself but in society as a whole.’
Pope John Paul II
Jane Mellett
Questions people ask
Whatever happened to the feast of the Most Precious Blood which used to be celebrated on 1 July? Has it been transferred to another date?
Not exactly transferred but reunited with the feast of the Body of Christ. The feast formerly known as Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) is now the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. In the course of time the Eucharist became almost exclusively the sacrament of the Body of Christ with scarcely any mention of his Blood. People rarely receive from the chalice and very few Eucharistic hymns mention the Blood. Celebrating one feast in honour of the Body and Blood of Christ is more faithful to the Last Supper.
Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
Pray For Our Deceased
Recently Deceased: Patrick Meagher, Newtown, Kells, Pat Maher, Tom Grace, Lord Edward St. Jack Power, The Square, Johnstown, Tommy Clarke, Fr. Albert Place. Gerard Griffin, USA.
Months Mind: Martin Phelan (Sun 12.30).
Anniversaries: Ann Comerford (Sat 6.15), James Hackett (Sat 7.00), Tom Sinnott (Sun 9.30), John Joe Traynor (Sun 10.30), Lillian Beatty (Sun 11.00), Austin Murphy (Sun 12.00), Sharon Galvin (Wed 10.30) (Dick Martin (Fri 10.30), Martin Crotty, Richard Dunne, Richard McEvoy, Margaret Maher, Sean Fitzpatrick, Dick O’Hara, Molly (Mary) Dwan, Paddy Doheny, Betty & Patrick Sullivan.
Intentions for next weekend: James Nugent (Sun 11.00), Francis (Fran) Ryan (Sun 12.30)
Church Gate Collection
The annual church gate collection in aid of Concern will take place next weekend 2nd and 3rd July.
Young at Heart
Mass on Wednesday 29th June at 2.30pm in St. Fiacre’s Church. All are welcome.
First Saturday Devotion
Will take place in St. Fiacre’s Church, Loughboy on Saturday July 2nd after 6.15pm Mass, prayers and adoration will end at 9pm. All are welcome.
Barbeque
St Lazerian’s House, Bagenalstown, Annual BBQ. Sunday 17th July from 2-6pm
€10 adults and €5 children
South Kilkenny Historical Society
Coach Trip to the ecclesiastical sites at Clonmacnoise and Clonfert (which is celebrating 900 years as a diocese in 2011). Date: Saturday, July 9th. Departing the Rising Sun, Mullinavat at 7am. Cost: €22 (including admission to Clonmacnoise visitors centre). Booking and further information from Eddie Synnott at 086-8124349. Prior arrangements can be made for other pick-up points.
Pat’s Crowned Champs
Heartiest congrats to St.Patrick’s De La Salle primary school on winning the Kilkenny primary schools Roinn A county final beating St.Canice's 3-12 to 3-5 after a titanic battle in a sun splashed Nowlan Park.
Tea/Coffee
In aid of Aware (Depression) on Saturday 2nd July at James & Breda McHugh’s Home, 46 Oaklawns, Paulstown, Co. Kilkenny from 10.30 am - 3pm. Delicious Home Baking. All are welcome.
Communion to the Sick
Those family members who bring communion to the sick, please note that they must approach the priest at communion time and not the Eucharistic Ministers. Eucharistic Ministers are not permitted to give extra hosts to anyone and will direct you to one of the priests.
Ministers from other parishes please note that communion should be received in their own parish where they are commissioned and then brought to the person who is sick. If we don’t know who you are and where you’re ministering we will require proof of you ministry from your parish priest.
Loughboy Library
The library will host an evening for book clubs and solo readers on wed July 6th at 8pm. Guest speaker will be best selling author Mary Stanley from Dublin. Summer reading challenge - for primary school children commences on July 5th.
Envelope Collection
The total contributed to the envelope collection last week was €1635.00 Thanks for your generosity to this and all the collections for the priests and parish.
First Friday
Friday is the First Friday of July and communion will be brought to the sick and housebound at the usual times . Anyone who is unable to attend mass and would like the priest to call, please contact the parish office or any of the priest to arrange a call.
Cemetery Mass
The annual Foulkstown cemetery mass will take place on the last Thursday in July (28th) as always. It will begin at 7.30pm Tell your family and friends.
More on Foulkstown Cemetery
Sincere thanks to the hard working cemetery committee who are working flat out to make sure the cemetery is in top shape for the upcoming cemetery Mass. We ask you to assist their work by making sure any waste such as wreaths, dead flowers etc. are properly disposed of in the area provided. Please note, this waste facility is only for waste items from graves. It is NOT a dumping facility for household or garden rubbish and is closely monitored to ensure there is no such illegal dumping. Thanks for your cooperation.
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. Through the pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need.
Notices and Bookings
In order to help us help you, please note:
At least three months notice is required for those getting married. This minimum three months applies equally to the State.
For baptisms: at least two weeks notice is required so that we can inform the Baptism Team.
Those wishing to book anniversary/months mind Masses are advised to book well in advance as bookings are on a first-come-first served basis. Bookings are taken on the understanding that funerals always take precedence. From time to time errors do occur so please be patient if we may make an error.
Anyone wishing to book halls or rooms in the Parish Centre should do so through Mr Ted Byrne on 776 4400.
Corpus Christi Exegesis
Vatican II states that as a sacrifice "the Holy Eucharist is the centre and culmination of Christian life." Why?
1) Because it enables us to participate in Christ’s sacrifice as a present reality and to benefit from its fruits in our own lives.
2) Because it helps us to worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the most perfect way.
3) Because it strengthens our charity and unity with Jesus and each other in a joint offering of his body and blood to the Father.
4) Because it gives us a lasting memorial of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection, reminding us of our obligation to make loving sacrifices for others.
The Eucharist is the mystery of our faith, the mystery of our hope, the mystery of our charity.
Why do we celebrate the Eucharist some 2,000 years later? We do this because Jesus told us to do so: “Do this in memory of me.”
This Holy Memorial is known by various names:
1) "The Eucharist” because Jesus offered Himself to God the Father as an act of thanksgiving;
2) "The Lord’s Supper"--or the “Breaking of the Bread”--because we celebrate it as a meal;
3) "Holy Communion" because, we become one with Christ by receiving Him; and
4) "Holy Mass” (holy sending), because it gives us a mission: “Go in peace to love and serve others.”
