|
Questions
People Ask
Q.
St Joseph was part of the Christmas story but then disappears
from the gospel. What happened to him?
A. He was still there with Mary and Jesus 12 years
later on their pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. Since
he was not present during the public ministry of Jesus, we
assume that he had died. But maybe he wasn't long dead, because
Jesus was still identified as the 'son of the carpenter'.
The brothers and sisters of Jesus who are mentioned in the
gospel may have been Joseph's children by a previous marriage.
Unlike Jesus, these are never called the children of Mary
Fr
Silvester O'Flynn OFM Cap
Another
Angle
Hold the baby
Back to business as usual, eh? 'Tis the season of crumpled
wrapping paper and overstuffed bins and stomachs. As we sing
Christmas carols about the coming of Christ at Christmas, part
of us is thinking more about the coming of the credit card bills
in January!
Even Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus had to get back to 'normal'.
A son to raise, Herod to avoid, religious obligations to keep.
In the space of a few days, we've rolled on 12 years and we're
back in Jerusalem - at the Temple this time. If babies are physically
demanding, then teenagers of all time drain parents emotionally
and psychologically. Modern parents will agree that the demands
of the adolescents tie you down far more than any infant. In
some ways every parent would love to cry 'stop' and hold the
baby, rather than to let their child grow and go. It's not our
way or choice, but God's.
This Sunday dedicated to the Holy Family is not a time to feel
inadequate about the shortcomings of our families of origin.
It's more a time to pray in our respective families, that together
we help give each other the wings to soar and the roots of belonging.
Wherever the 'Father's affairs' take us [Gospel].
Fr Tom Cox
|
Christmas
Thanks
Thanks to all those who in any way helped ensure
the smooth running of the Christmas celebrations in
St. Matthew's Church and in St. Louise's. To the cleaners,
the Altar Society & all those involved in the flowers
and banners, the crib & tree decorators, the different
choirs/folk groups, the readers, the Eucharistic ministers,
the stewards, Clare, Tom & Con in the sacristy,
the altar servers:
Well done and thank you for everything you so willingly
did.
Our thanks to anybody who may have been mistakenly omitted
from this list.
|
Website
of the week
www.dublindiocese.ie/Lyons/Lyonsindex.htm
Psalm Prayers for every mood. |
Bereavement
Group (Bethany group)
The group will not meet this month because of the
bank holiday. |
Christmas
Dues
Thanks to you all for your generosity over the Christmas
time. In particular we wish to thank you who contributed
so generously through the Christmas Dues. |
Family
Offering
The count will take place on Monday night as usual.
Thanks to all who have helped out with the planned giving
throughout the year. |
New
Year's Resolutions
How about becoming a volunteer! Church involvement?
Visit the old? Don't give up after the first failure.
Keep on trying. |
Mass
Times
Monday - Thursday morning mass only @ 10am.
From Friday 2nd Mass times as normal. |
Happy
New Year
A Blessing from the 1st reading for Jan 1(Feast of
Mary, Mother of God).
"Say to them: The Lord bless you and keep you! The
Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace."
May
this blessing be with us and all people in the world
during 2003.
|
Sick
or Housebound
If there is someone who would like a visit from a
priest leave in their name in the sacristy and they will
be visited as soon as possible. |
First
Friday
On Friday we remember to pray for our 'Altar Lists
of the Dead'. Confessions on Thursday after morning and
evening Mass. |
Feast
Days
Monday 29th: St Thomas à Becket, Archbishop
of Canterbury. He was murdered for being a 'troublesome
priest'.
Wednesday 31st: New Year's Eve, the last day of
AD 2002. St Sylvester, Pope, is remembered today: he called
every day of the year a feast day, because every new day
brings us closer to perfection.
Thursday 1st January 2003 (New Year's Day) - Solemn
feast of Mary, Mother of God: 'Let us celebrate the Virgin
Mary's motherhood. Let us adore her Son, Christ the Lord.'
(Also World Day of Prayer for Peace).
Friday 2nd: Saints Basil the Great and Gregory
Nazianzen: two great writers and preachers who became
great bishops.
Saturday 3rd: The Holy Name of Jesus is a new feast:
Jesus' name can always be invoked with confidence. |
Please
pray for those who have died
Mary Hopkins, Drumfinn Ave
Nora Kelly, Loch Conn Tce
Mass Intentions This Week
 Sun: (Sat
6.30:) Jeremiah & Esther Byrne
9.00 Tony, Statia & Michael Fanning
10.30 Byrne & Lynch Families
11.30 Michael Birch
12.30 Paddy Ryan
6.30 For the People
Mon: Martin Cuffe / no evening mass
Tue: William Griffith / no evening mass
Wed: Kathleeen Reddin/ no evening mass
Thurs: Elizabeth Hudson / no evening mass
Fri: Altar list of the Dead
Sat: Hannah Maher/ Tony O Reilly
Next Sun: (4th)
9.00 Pro Populo; 10.30 Philomena Dunne; 11.30 John McEvoy; 12.30
Griffen & Kearns family; 6.30 James West.
May they rest in peace.
|
