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Third
Sunday of ordinary time
2009 was not a Lord’s year of favour for the Church in Ireland. 2009 was the year of the Ryan Report, a report that will cast a long shadow of pain and of shame for many years to come.
No, 2009 was not a year of the Lord’s favour. But then again, perhaps it was just exactly that, a year of the Lord’s favour, painful and shameful as it was.
For it was a year that allowed at long last A truth to be told. True it is not the whole truth of the Irish Church or of the Irish people but it is nevertheless A truth that must not, can not and should not be denied. The victims deserve nothing less than the truth be out. Their story must be listened to and their sufferings always and everywhere be unreservedly condemned.
The fact is we were blind, we were deaf to the truth of our Second Reading that we are all part of Christ’s body. This includes the most poor, the most captive, the most blind and the most downtrodden. If our hope is to proclaim a year of favour for the Lord, if our hope is to proclaim liberty to captives, to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free then we shall study the Ryan report in depth, despite the painful reading it requires.
If our hope is that we will not be reading the “Son of Ryan’s Report” in 20/30 years time, then accepting that churches and others have learnt by then the painful lessons, the fact remains that most child abuse will happen outside contexts that are now being held responsible. What are we going to do about this? Who is going to speak up for them? Who is going to bring the good news to those poor? Who is going to liberate those captive? Who is going to give new sight to those blind? Who is going to give freedom to those downtrodden? Who is going to proclaim a year of favour to them?
Only when this is done will we be truly able to make our own the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel: “This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.”
(Fr Tom Cahill – Intercom)
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| Daily
Readings
You
can access the daily readings on the
parish website:
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Planning
for the Future Consultation
At
the time of the Diocesan Campaign
Planning for the Future I (Father
Martin Magill) indicated that whatever
the parish received back from the
successful completion of the campaign
would be used for youth work within
the parish. So far £780.00
has been allocated from the total
amount of £7471.00 towards
the costs of guitar lessons for
young people leaving £6691.00
still to be allocated. A proposal
has come in from St Oliver Plunkett
Pre-School Playgroup for funding
(See below). So I would like to
suggest to parishioners that if
there were no objections that some
of this money be allocated to the
Pre-School Playgroup. If parishioners
have any objections to this, please
put these in writing and leave them
in a suggestion box in either church
porch.
St Oliver Plunkett Pre-School Playgroup
Proposal
The
management committee of St Oliver
Plunkett Playgroup is seeking financial
assistance from the monies returned
to the parish from the Diocesan
Planning for the Future Appeal.
The Playgroup which provides
pre-school education for 24 children
is housed in two mobile classrooms
located in the grounds of St Oliver
Plunkett Primary School. This building
has provided a very important service
for the young children of the parish
together with their parents for
30 years now and provides employment
for three of our parishioners. The
provision of this service is only
minimally grant-aided to cover the
cost of wages and equipment by Social
Services. Up until now fund-raising
activities undertaken by the staff,
management committee and parents
have managed to keep the interior
of the building welcoming and attractive
for the young children. A recent
survey has indicated that much more
serious repairs now need to be undertaken
to ensure that the building complies
fully with acceptable standards
of accommodation. We hope you will
support our bid to receive a share
of this money which will enable
another generation of children to
attend St Oliver Plunkett Playgroup.
Patricia
Barry (Secretary)
Sr Emmanuel (Treasurer)
Maureen Irvine (Chairperson)
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Week of Prayer for Church Unity
There will be an Ecumenical Service on Monday 25th January at 8.00pm in St Agnes’ Church. Preacher, Rev Jim Rea, from Shankill Road, Methodist Church and former Methodist President.
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Friends and Faith: Project 2030
Are you in your thirties or forties? Interested in meeting other Catholics Friends and Faith invites you to a number of events:
New members Meeting in the Europa Hotel, Belfast 29th January at 8pm
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A Social gathering of other groups from UK & Ireland in Drumalis Retreat Centre, Larne at 8pm on Friday 5th February
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Weekend Retreat Sat 6th-Sun 7th February Drumalis Retreat centre, Larne
For further information telephone 07749739670 after 6.30pm |
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Diocesan Collection for the People of Haiti
Following the tragic earthquake in Haiti a collection on behalf of Trócaire will be taken up after all the Masses on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st January 2010. Please put a notice in the parish bulletin and announce the collection this week-end. The Irish people have always shown immense generosity in supporting relief agencies which give on the ground help to areas of devastation. I ask – while appreciating these are difficult times at home – that we once again show our generosity to the people of Haiti in this hour of need. |
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Catholic Schools Week 2010
Catholic School Week will be celebrated from Sunday January 31st until Saturday February 6th. The theme this year is
Catholic Schools – a Light for every generation.
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Trócaire Global Gift
Very sincere thanks to all our parishioners who donated the magnificent amount of £3778.00 to our Trócaire Appeal this year.
By sharing with our needy sisters and brothers you have given them the greatest gift of all – the knowledge that you want an end to the injustice which leaves so many struggling to survive. Thank You.
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Thanks to all our Volunteers
No parish could survive without people giving their time and talents, so I want to take this opportunity to express sincere thanks to everyone who helped as a volunteer around the church or in the parish community in 2009. This year the Pastoral Council are organising a night out for all volunteers on Friday 5th February to say thank you for your generous support throughout the year. I pray God’s blessing on you all.
Fr Martin J Magill, Parish Priest.
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Please Note
Mass
intentions, Anniversaries Masses,
Baptisms, and Marriages are to
be arranged through the Parish
Office on 028 90618180 during the
office hours of 9am-5pm Monday-Friday.
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Parish Suggestion Box
The Parish Pastoral Council is interested in hearing Parishioners views on any aspect of parish life. Suggestions Boxes and comments slips are now available in both porches for you to let us know of any comments or suggestions you wish to make.
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Mass Times
Saturday
Vigil 6.30pm
Sunday 10.00am and 12 Noon
Monday-Thursday 10.00am
Friday 7.30pm
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| Baptisms
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Next baptisms will take place on Sunday
7th February 2010 at 1.30pm. The next pre-Baptism
instruction will be on Thursday 21st January
2010 at 8pm in the convent.
It is necessary to attend pre-Baptism preparation before asking to have your child baptised. To register for the pre-Baptism preparation please contact the parish office on 90618180, Mon & Wed 2pm-5pm, Tue, Thurs & Fri 10am-2pm.
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Newly Baptised
We welcome into our parish family
Joseph Charlie Friel
Rory Michael Keenan
Éimear Bernadette Marie McGreevy
Darragh Ciaran McLaren
who were recently baptised.
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| We
Loved Them In Life
We offer
our prayerful support to the families who
died recently:
Fr Cyril Reilly, retired Parish Priest of Aghagallon Parish
Fr Gerry McAteer, retired priest of the Diocese
Fr Seamus McClenaghan, retired priest of Portstewart
Lily Evans, Lenadoon Avenue
We
pray for the happy repose of those whose
anniversaries occur around this time:
Michael Hillis
Jim and Declan Collins
Sheila and Joseph Devlin
John Dineen
May and Harry Harvey
Mary McLoughlin
Sheila Toner
Patrick Hanna |
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| Collections
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The offertory collection
amounted to £1139.77
The Youthy Commission collection
amounted to £655.97
Thanks to all
those who gave to the Parish collections.
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