Author Archives: St Michaels

Hi there! Here is some information about Ash Wednesday and Lent in our Parish!

1. Ashes will be blest at 10AM mass on Ash Wednesday. Small bags of Ashes will  then be available to collect in the porch at St Michael’s  church from 10.30AM  – 7.00PM. 
Fr Louis will also administer a virtual blessing for anyone who has clay or ash at home during the mass.    
 
2.  A small Lenten Prayer Card will also be available in the porch of the church.

3. Please find a list of some Prayer and Reflection courses for Lent here. Click the link below to download it!

4. Please also find a list of some Support Services available in the community. Click the link to download it! 

“Lent, the Church’s springtime,
Waiting to burst into bloom.
Emptiness waiting to be filled with God-ness, goodness.
An invitation to Grow in Love”
Ag Críost an Síol…

Hello to you all and best wishes for 2021

Bliain nua mhaith agaibh  ar fad!

January can be a difficult month each year, as we let go of Christmas-time and try to embrace the ‘beginning again’  that a New Year offers.

This January is more difficult than most, as we are facing the realities behind another level 5 lockdown and the fact that the Coronavirus is still with us. Indeed,  among our community some are sick, in hospital, in nursing-homes, in isolation at home or working on the frontline services, putting themselves at risk each day, for the good of us all.   The good news is that the vaccine is here and on its way to each of  us. There are also measures which we can all  take each day to continue to keep well and keep each other safe.

The recent publication of the Report on the Commission of the Mother and Baby Homes has opened up much trauma, pain and hurt for many of us.  Hopefully, as a country we are now engaging in appropriate actions to ensure survivors are heard and that healing can begin.  We also must ensure that this kind of harsh treatment of the most vulnerable, in our community, is never repeated.

Patrick Kavanagh famously wrote ‘ Christ Comes with a January Flower’ .  The January flower is the snowdrop, also called St Brigid’s Flower – Bláithín Bríde!

 As the day lengthens and as we come towards St Brigid’s Day, may we find renewed hope in Christ.  Just as the snowdrops of January, are a  sign of hope and endurance at this time of the year, may we too hope and endure through all that happens.   May we stay strong, be safe and support each other as best we can.  Let us pray for each other in a new way. 

May we remember in particular in our prayers our frontline workers.  We give thanks for their inspiration as we say in the words of Bruce Springsteen;

“May your strength give us strength,

May Your faith give us faith, 

May Your hope give us hope, 

May Your love give us love.” ( ‘Into the Fire’ )

May 2021 turn out to be a brighter, easier and healthier year for us all.

                                    Go mbeirimid beo ar an am seo arís
(Anne O’Brien, Chair Parish Liturgy Committee, and Pádraigín Clancy, Parish Pastoral)