SUBMISSION FROM ST MICHAEL’S PARISH TO THE DIOCESAN / VATICAN SYNODAL PATHWAY 2022-2023

In April 2022, 75 parishioners took part in the Synodal process at St Michael’s.


The questions explored what are the Joys, Sorrows, Fears and Hopes in our experience of Church today.

The feedback suggests that the faithful love and care for their Church and value their faith community, treasuring their shared faith experience and personal relationship with God and the positive role of the Church especially in the area of social care and justice.

They are deeply concerned about the Church’s future and see the need for change as being critical to its survival in Ireland. While Pope Francis is seen as a beacon for change, overall, people are concerned about the leadership of the Church and question its commitment to change and collaboration with the laity. Many are afraid that real change may come too late.

Deep upset was expressed at the loss of the youth and the lack of inclusion of marginal groups such as LGBTQ and the divorced in the Church. Legalism and rules are seen as predominating over love.

People see the equal role of women in Church ministry and administration as being essential to its change and growth – even to its survival, and would like priests to be given the option to marry.

Overall, the feedback suggests that the faith community are clear about what changes they understand are needed and would lead the hierarchy into the future if allowed and if heard.

See the final report of St Michael’s on the file below:

See the final report on the Synod from the Dublin Diocese at the link below:

Dublin-Diocesan-Synod-Report.pdf (dublindiocese.ie)

June 2022 Parish Newsletter

Hi there! Please find attached the Parish Newsletter for June 2022!

Living the Hope of Easter

Synodal Pathway

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

St Michael’s Parish wishes you all a very Happy Christmas and Every Blessing in the New Year.
Beannacht na Nollag oraibh ar fad agus Ath-Bhliain faoi Mhaise!

ADVENT – A TIME OF WAITING AND PREPARATION

As the earth turns away from the sun and enters the season of darkness, a darkness which is necessary for the bulbs and seeds to ready themselves for the burst of growth in Spring, so do we enter the time of waiting that is Advent.  We  pray that we may use this time as wisely as the earth does, preparing our hearts and    spirits for the celebration of the wonder of Emmanuel – Christ with us.

Advent Wreath

As we gaze on the Advent Wreath the evergreen is a sign of hope and the circle a sign of God’s never ending love for us. May the light that shines forth from the wreath brighten our way as we journey towards Christmas. 

WEEK ONE – THE CANDLE OF HOPE – PURPLE

God of Hope,

We thank you for the hope that is in our hearts today as we look towards Christ’s birth. It is  hope that has sustained us during the challenging times of this past year. 

We pray that hope may remain strong within each of us and among our families and community  in the coming winter season. Amen

WEEK TWO – THE CANDLE OF PEACE – PURPLE

God of Peace,

May your Holy Spirit of peace come upon each of us  – in a new way.  So that amid the busyness and chaos of our lives nothing may unduly trouble or disturb us.  

May our hearts remain hopeful and our minds tranquil because they are centred in You.  Amen.

Advent newsletter

Please find attached our Advent newsletter!

October 2021 Parish Newsletter

Here is the October Newsletter, containing important information and news from our parish!

OBITUARY – LUARENA McCORMICK RSM 1942 – 2021

During the summer months our faith community suffered the sad loss of Sr Luarena McCormick RSM [ late of Emmet Crescent] who died in Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, Dublin, on 29th July 2021. 

Luarena is survived by her sisters Betty and Margaret, her brothers Charlie, Liam and Frank, her sisters-in-law Mary and Aideen and their families.  

Luarena was born in Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin, on the 6th of July 1942 to Teresa Brady and Arthur McCormick. 

She was finally professed in April 1969 in Carysfort Park, Blackrock, Co. Dublin having entered the Mercy Congregation there in 1963.

She spent her teaching years in the Secondary Schools of Golden bridge, Inchicore and Mourne Road, Drimnagh and in the Irish Prison Service.  She also taught in the Prison Service in North East Brazil for three years.  

On receiving news of her death, one former pupil at Golden bridge wrote ‘ I have fond memories of Sr. Luarena from school, a lovely gentle human being’. 

In the last twenty years of her life Luarena’s consciousness of the sacredness of the Earth deepened. She lived her life out of this awareness and shared it with an urgency bourne out of a profound understanding and commitment to right relationship with God’s creation. She did much work for Eco-Congregation and at her funeral mass celebrant and dear friend, Tom McCabe OMI, spoke beautifully about Luarena’s gift for hospitality and of her ‘ breaking the bread of creation’.  

Luarena never lost her zest for life and was an inspiration to us all in the Parish as she bravely bore her illness. As one Parishioner said, ‘Luarena combined all her hard work with great good humour and fun’.  In spite of her physical suffering she remained committed to Parish events attending; liturgies, reflection groups, book clubs, Irish conversation classes, as well as baking delicious cakes for the community and weaving St Brigid crosses with the children at Our Lady of Lourdes NS.   

In her latter days she was graciously cared for by the staff in Our Lady’s Hospice Harold’s Cross, in Catherine McAuley Nursing Home Beaumont and St. James’s Hospital.

Her funeral mass was a tribute to her life’s work in education and social and climate justice. She had asked the choir and musicians at St Michael’s  to sing and play at her passing which they did beautifully.  It was a particularly nice nuance to learn afterwards that Luarena had taught our two flautists, Martina Condon and Ann Macken.  

The people of the Parish extend their deepest sympathy to the Religious Sisters of Mercy and to Laurena’s family of origin, her many friends and especially her life-long anamchara, Sr Agnes Coll, on their sad loss.   

We wish Luarena eternal rest and eternal joy. May her memory live on in our mind and be an encouragement and inspiration to us all. 

Solas na bhFlaitheas, a Luarena a stór, go luighe an chré go héadtrom ar do cholainn uasal.

Pádraigín Clancy, on behalf of St Michael’s Faith Community.

REMEMBERING PRANCISKUS RAMEIKA

The community of St Michael’s offer our deepest sympathy to the family,  friends, and Lithuanian community in Ireland on the sudden death of Pranciskus Rameika. Mass will be offered for Pranciskus at St Michael’s this evening (May 31st), whose remains will be removed to Lithuania for a funeral later in the week. 

As well as his family here, we remember in our prayers, his sister, who has made the sad journey to Ireland to bring him home.

We also extend our deepest condolences to his mother, children and relatives in Lithuania on their tragic loss.

Tegul ilsisi ramybėje. May he Rest in Peace. Solas na bhFlaitheas dá anam dílis.