| St
Matthew's Parish Notes |
Fifth
Sunday of Easter
Sunday, 18th May, 2003
|
Dead
Wood or Living Branches?
Pruning seems to be an area where many would-be gardeners
Slip up. It takes a lot of courage to take pruning shears in
hand. If pruning is done in the wrong place, at the wrong time,
the results can be disastrous: no fruit or bloom that year.
But pruning must be done to remove what is dead or dying, ensure
adequate sunlight and encourage new fruit or blossoms to develop.
It seems strange that we need such cutting discipline. But in
every life, we have unnecessary clutter. We need the cutting
away of bad habits and attitudes, wrong relationships, lesser
priorities - anything that distracts from our highest calling.
We might think all this needs action on our part - and we'd
be wrong. Several times in the Gospel passage, Jesus uses the
word 'remain' or 'abide'. When a person repeats something, it's
to get a message across. In this case, it's to stay closely
connected to him. The rest just follows. Are we connected or
just living in the same general neighbourhood? Call ourselves
Catholic but hardly Christian?
Connected people know too that whenever a time of deep pruning
comes and the knife cuts deeply and the pain is severe, it is
an inexpressible comfort to know that: 'my Father is the gardener'.
Young
Church
In today's Gospel Jesus says he is the true vine, and his
Father is the gardener who takes care of the vine and its branches,
Just as the branches can produce fruit only if they are joined
to the tree, we too can bear spiritual fruit only if we stay
close to Jesus.
We stay close to Jesus by learning about him, talking and listening
to him, and showing love to others.
Question: Can you list the fruits of Jesus' Holy Spirit?
(There are nine).
Prayer: Dear Jesus, fill me with your holy spirit to
help and guide me in playing my part in shaping the world of
tomorrow.
Feasts
during the week
Mon 19th: St Dunstan (bishop) is honoured in England.
Tues 20th: St Bernardine of Siena. He travelled through Italy,
preaching with great success. Patron of advertisers, communications
and public relations personnel.
Wed 21st: St Christóbal Magallanes and his companions
were martyred in Mexico, in 1927.
Thurs 22nd: St Rita of Cascia was married at the age of I 8
and later entered a monastery. She is a patron of seemingly
impossible causes and situations.
Website
of the week
www.catholic-forum.com/saints/indexsnt.htm
Find out more about your favourite saint |
Priesthood
Sunday - This Weekend
A collection to support the formation of students
for the priesthood for Dublin diocese, will replace the
Share collection. |
Morning
Prayer
Mon - Fri morning at 9.45am. Sat after Mass (10.30).
|
Children's
Mass
- Practice Thursday @ 3.30pm. |
Saint
Anthony in Ireland
5th - 13th June: The Relics of St Anthony will be
brought around some Dublin churches. See Poster in Porch
for more details. |
Service
in the City
A Celebration Prayer For Vocations, Saturday May
17th, 8.00 to 10pm; At the SPIRE, O'Connell St. Dublin.
|
Palmerstown
Cemetery Annual Mass
Will be on June 15th @ 3pm. (Father's Day). |
Dublin
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes
September 7th - 12th. Under the leadership of Desmond
Cardinal Connell, Archbishop of Dublin. There is a special
section for the sick. See poster in porch for more details.
|
Meet
& Train (Ladies mini-marathon)
Training Tuesday and Thursday @ 8pm Parish Centre
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Christian
Meditation
Monday 8.15 - 9.15 pm. |
Exposition
of the Blessed Sacrament
Every Friday from 10.30 until 7.30pm. |
|
First
Holy Communion - St. Louise's
The girls in second class received their First Holy
Communion yesterday (Saturday). Congratulations to them
and their families and to all who helped in the preparations
beforehand. To the parents, teachers and others who did
so much work in organising the Church. Well done!
Our thanks to those who meet every Monday morning after
10 o'c Mass and give of their time cleaning the Church.
If you have an hour to spare any Monday or even an odd
Monday the team would love to have you with them.
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Please
pray for those recently deceased
Patrick Leniston, Oakcourt Grove
Mary Daly, Ballyfermot Rd
James Doyle, Oranmore Rd
George Ryan, Alaska
Mass Intentions This Week
 Sun: Sat
6.30: Corcoran family
9.00 Patrick & Agnes Dooley
9.30 (convent) Pro populo
10.30 Margaret Clark
11.30 Margaret Flemming
12.30 William Montgomery
6.30 Martin Sheridan
Mon: Holy Souls/ Joseph & Margaret Flemming
Tue: Philomena Dunne/ Varerie Merriman
Wed: Begley Family/ Christopher & Mary O Connor
Thurs: Delamere Family/ Mary Kelly
Fri: Samuel & Rose Hall/ Damien Corr
Sat: John Finnegan/ Yeates family
Next Sun: (18th)
9.00 Joe & Dorrie Behan; 10.30 Gerry Melsek; 11.30 Richard
O Brien; 12.30 John Finnegan; 6.30 McMahon.
May they rest in peace.
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