Archbishop
meets with the priests of the Diocese
Last Thursday, the archbishop met with almost 400 priests
to listen and suggest a way for the future. He was very encouraging,
making suggestions and other supports for priests.
One great challenge for priests in facing a new call to evangelisation
is that of addressing mediocrity, the mediocrity that often
we ourselves allow to take over our lives, rather than letting
the radical newness of the Gospel shake us out of complacency.
We are the first evangelisers in our communities; we also have
the greatest need to be the first to be evangelised, day after
day through our encounter with Jesus in word and sacrament and
in his people.
He asked that by Lent 2005 there would be a pastoral council
and finance committee in all parishes.
Parish Pastoral Councils
Parish Pastoral Councils are at the service of mission and evangelisation.
They are not debating societies or places for honorary membership.
They should facilitate the coordination of parish services regarding:
· the proclamation of the Word of God and faith formation,
especially for the young,
· the fostering of the sacramental, liturgical and prayer
life of the parish,
· the support of marriage and family life,
· the strengthening of commitment to social justice and
caring for the marginalised,
thereby ensuring that the parish communities be true witness
to the love of Jesus.
Parish
Pastoral Councils must also provide leadership in reaching
out to young people and engaging them in their questioning
about faith. They should look to new members of their communities,
especially the new Irish and ensure that people of different
nationalities and cultures find their place in the liturgy
and parish life. They must address social challenges.
Parishes must work together
A second initiative of his was "Parishes working together
for mission" ensuring that parish communities, with the
richness of their own experiences, begin to work together,
seeing what can be best done on a broader level. ot every
parish will have on its own the resources necessary for certain
services, such as formation. Groups of parishes could well
use the service developed in one parish.
A project like Parishes working together for mission will
look at how we can foster a much greater contribution of lay
persons, women and men, in our ministries and pastoral services.
In some cases, we may be looking at establishing full time
lay ministries, in others the support will come from the willingness
of men and women to offer their services and specific competence
on a voluntary basis, as a sign of the community dimension
of the Church and of the commitment of lay persons.
Diocesan Liturgical Resource Centre
This is based in Clonliffe and has many suggestions and ideas
for adding to liturgies. Other items that he was encouraging
was the great tradition of congregational participation in
music that seems to have slipped past us in recent years.
He wishes too to launch a diocesan wide programme of faith
formation for the period of Lent 2005. "My hope is that
we can develop a theme and resource package which can be applied,
according to, local situations in every parish of the diocese".
Full text of his talk and other talks can be got at www.dublindiocese.ie
Questions
people ask
Q. What did Jesus mean when he said that a tiny
seed of faith could uproot a tree and plant it in the sea?
A. It is a colourful way of saying that faith can achieve
what seems impossible to our own unaided efforts. The background
to this saying is where Jesus teaches that there should be no
limit to the times we are to forgive others. Forgiving may seem
impossible but faith is powerful enough to pull up the roots
of bitterness from the heart and cast it aside … like a
tree uprooted and cast into the sea. Faith can move mountains
of bitterness.
Fr Silvester O'Flynn OFM Cap
Feastdays
Mon 4th: St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) was born
into a wealthy family, but left everything to follow the Lord's
invitation, 'Come, follow me'. He lived in total poverty, preaching
the gospel. Others joined him and his followers lived by a simple
rule based on the beatitudes. So began the Franciscans and the
Poor Clares.
Wed 6th: St Bruno, priest. He founded the Carthusians,
a monastic community devoted to prayer, manual work, and silence.
Thurs 7th: Our Lady of the Rosary. This feast has been
celebrated since 1571.
Sat 9th: St Denis, Bishop of Paris, lived in the third
century, and was one of the seven bishops sent to preach the
gospel in Gaul. Also St John Leonardi, priest. He lived in Italy
in the 16th century, founded a community to promote Christian
teaching and prepared priests for mission work..
Family/Children's
Mass
Practice resumes on Thursday @ 3.30pm. All children from
2nd class upwards are especially welcome to come along. Some
singing, art work, reading, music practice etc takes place.
We are also looking for more adults to get involved.
Children will take part at the 10.30 Mass next Sunday (10th
October).
TV
Mass
More videos of the recently live broadcast mass from St
Matthew's Church are available in the sacristy after mass.
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Crosscare
Special Collection
Thank you for your generous support to the collection
last weekend. Over €3,500 was collected. |
Day
for Life (This weekend)
This year's 'Day for Life' involves the publication
of a Pastoral letter on suicide issued by the Irish Bishops'
Conference. It provides the opportunity to highlight the
Holy Father's teachings on the sacredness of human life.
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Coffee
Morning - Irish Hospice Foundation
Thanks for your support last Thursday week at the
coffee morning held in the parish centre. €400 was
raised. |
Month
of October - Pope's intention
The Holy Father's general prayer intention for the
month of October is: "That, firm in their faith,
Christians may be eager to dialogue with those who belong
to another religious tradition."
His missionary intention is: "That the due presence
of Catholics in the national life and media of the Latin-American
Continent may increase." |
Church
Gate collection
Taken up this weekend after all Masses in aid of
Stewart's hospital. Your support is greatly appreciated.
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Recycling
week
This week sees a special push on recycling our rubbish.
Eg Plastic bottles, detergent & shampoo bottles, &
batteries can be recycled (as well as the normal glass
bottles/ clothing) by being left at the Depot on Kylemore
Park North.(Opp Michael H's). |
Website
of the Week: www.bemorecreative.com
Creative quotations, proverbs, wit and much more |
Please
pray for those who have died
Ann Murphy, c/o Blackditch Rd
Francis McGlone, Blackditch Drive
(Funeral Mass - Monday 10am)
Mass Intentions This Week
 Mass Intentions
This Week
Sun: (Sat 6.30:) Johnny & May Turner
9.00 For the People of the Parish
10.30 Alfie Hayes
11.30 Roddy Doyle
12.30 Esther Ryan
6.30 Matthew McDonagh
Mon: Martin, Nora & Pat Stokes/ Thomas & Frances
Sweetman
Tue: Mary Maguire/ Paddy Collins
Wed: Deirdre Travers/ Patrick Kelly
Thurs: Nora Graham/ Nan Byrne & Nolan family
Fri: Frances & Esther Boylan/ Lily Burke
Sat: Thanksgiving Mass/ Tommy & Kathleen Maguire
Next Sun: (10th)
9.00 Matt & Mary Rowantree; 10.30 John Skelton; 11.30 James
Dunne, 12.30 Robert Rogers; 6.30 Pro Populo.
May they rest in peace.
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