3rd Sunday Of Advent
Recently I contacted a company on behalf of my province. This company could register me only as ‘Mr’, ‘Mrs’, or ‘Ms’. ‘Fr’ or ‘Rev’ was not a programmed option. I settled for ‘Mr’. Then the members of my Order, on whose behalf I had approached the company, could enter the company’s computer only as ‘employees’. It was not programmed to recognise ‘religious’ as a legitimate species. Since then I’ve developed a new empathy with John the Baptist who, in today’s Gospel reading (John 1:6-8, 19-28), describes himself as ‘the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.’ In moments of disappointment, or gloom that come and mercifully go – it seems to me that society at large is that wilderness. You wonder who’s listening to you whether you’re preaching in public or being published in periodicals.
But it’s not listening to me that’s the concern, or indeed listening to anybody else for that matter. The concern is people’s level of attention to the word of God. The vociferous ones who came to John the Baptist came to confront him, not to listen to him. Sent by those who pulled the strings, i.e., the Pharisees, they demanded that he give an account of himself.
As followers of Jesus, we too must give an account of ourselves for we make some extraordinary claims; not least that the Creator of all that is would want to be born a human being, and could do no better than start life in a manger!
Who in their right mind would want to listen to that!
Copyright: Fr Tom Cahill (Intercom)
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| Daily
Readings
You
can access the daily readings on the
parish website:
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Christmas Arrangements
Penitential Service
There will be a Penitential Service on
Tuesday 16th December at 7.30pm
The theme is “The Prodigal Son”
Confession Times
Sun 21st - after both Masses
Mon 22nd - Wed 24th after 10am Mass
Wed 24th - 12.00-1.00pm
Christmas Mass Times
Christmas Eve Vigil: 9pm
Christmas Day: 10am and 12noon
St Stephen’s Day: 7.30pm
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'The Priests" CD
‘The Priests’ CD is available in the sacristy price £10.
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De La Salle College
We welcome classes 8A and 8B
and their teachers to Mass
on Tuesday 16th December at 10am. |
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Trócaire Global Gifts
A very sincere thanks to everyone who supported the parish Trocaire Appeal so generously this year. The magnificent total of £4,500 was raised by the sale of Trocaire Global Gifts and through donations. These Gifts will transform the lives of many needy people in the developing world and give them the gift of Hope this Christmas.
Trocaire Global Gifts will be available in the Parish Office during the coming week.
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St Oliver Plunkett Primary School
We welcome Primary One and their teachers on
Wednesday 17th December for their ‘Nativity’ |
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St Oliver Plunkett –St Matthew’s
Ecumenical Group
All parishioners are invited to a Christmas Carol Service in St Matthew’s Church of Ireland;Woodvale Road,
on Sunday 21st of December at 6.30pm.
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Bible Alive
Bible Alive for January is now on sale in
the Sacristy price £1.95 |
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St Oliver Plunkett Pre-School Playgroup
St Oliver Plunkett Pre-School Playgroup would like to invite you to an Open Day on Monday 5th January between 10am-12noon for parents who have children who are 3 or who are turning 3 before 1st July 2009.
The Open Day will give you and your child the opportunity to look around and meet the members of staff. Application forms will be available on the day or can be collected from Playgroup before hand. The closing date for the return of completed application forms is the 21st January 2009. |
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| Baptisms
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Next baptisms will take place on Sunday 21st December 2008 at 1.30pm. Please note the next date available for Baptism is Sunday 4th January 2009. The next pre-Baptism instruction will be on Thursday 18th December 2008 at 8pm in the convent.
It
is necessary to attend pre-Baptism preparation
before asking to have your child baptised.
To register for pre-Baptism preparation
please contact the parish office 9061 8180,
Mon & Wed 2pm-5pm, Tue & Fri 10am-2pm
& Thurs 10am-1pm.
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Newly Baptised
We welcome into our parish family
Elizabeth Grace McVeigh
Cohen Padraig MacFarland
Katie Hughes
Rachael Megan Molloy
who were recently baptised.
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| We
Loved Them In Life
We offer our sympathy and prayerful support to the families of those parishioners who died recently:
Penny Mc Donagh, Gweedore Gardens
Doreen Cunningham, Glenview Terrace
We
pray for the happy repose
of those whose anniversaries occur around
this time:
Billy Laird
John Ramsey
Maurice Palmer
Patrick Greer
Isabella and Charlie Hayes
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| Collections
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Last week’s offertory collection
amounted to £1,137.71
The Monthly Stipend
amounted to £1,338.96
Owing to problems with the bank,
it has not been possible to provide a figure for the previous week, this will be provided when figures are available.
SVP Society
SVP Society annual Christmas collection will take place after all the Masses on 13th – 14th December. They would like to thank all parishioners for their support throughout the year.
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