We remember in prayer:
Boherlahan
Sat 13 Feb 7.30pm Martin Brennan, Kilkenny
Sun 14 Feb 11.00am P. J. O’ Connell, Cashel and Kilbreedy; Sonny (Martin) Maher, Gaile
Sat 20 Feb 7.30pm Sarah Meskell, Ardmayle West & her parents Jimmy & Nellie Ryan (Mason) Ballyroe; Jimmy Hickey, Kilbreedy & dec. family members
Sun 21 Feb 11.00am Pat Donnelly, Nodstown; Oliver Trainor, Ardmayle
Mass has been offered for Dan Delaney, Dublin and Ardmayle
Dualla
[No bookings yet received for this week or next week]
Today is the Day of Prayer for Temperance in Ireland. It offers us an opportunity to reflect on our relationship with addictive behaviours and substances (including alcohol), and a day on which we can take time to pray for those who suffer from addiction. See the reflection and prayer below.
Wed 17 Feb is Ash Wednesday, a day of fast and abstinence. It is the first day of the season of Lent, a sacred time marked by prayer, fasting and almsgiving. See the notice below [Season of Lent] for Ashes and Trócaire box collection arrangements.
Fri 19 Feb is the Worldwide Day of Prayer for Survivors and Victims of Sexual Abuse.
Parish Masses: During the Level Five restrictions it is intended to continue parish Masses in both churches, with ‘drive in’ attendance only. Please note that all Masses in Boherlahan will be live streamed.
- Weekend Masses in Boherlahan and Dualla will be at the usual times.
- Weekday Masses will be in Boherlahan: Monday to Friday at 10.00am.
Booking of Masses: anniversary Masses etc. continue to be offered as usual. Bookings may be made by contacting the sacristan or either of the priests of the parish. Please note that the names of those being remembered are recalled at each weekend Mass in the parish, both in Boherlahan and in Dualla. In addition, these names are also included in the online newsletter each weekend.
‘Preparing for New Life’ – Lenten Reflections: Sr Therese Fitzgerald (Sister of Sion) will share online 7:30pm to 9pm each Monday for 6 weeks: 22 February to 29 March. A contribution of €15 is requested, covering all six evenings. Registration is open at this link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/LentenReflections. Registration will close on Friday 19Feb at 12 noon or when capacity has been reached.
Newsletter Notices: please forward by Wednesday evening any items for the newsletter to either of the priests or at the usual email address: boduparish@gmail.com These will be included in the online newsletter which will be posted each week on www.boherlahandualla.ie during the pandemic restrictions.
Emergencies: during the Covid-19 restrictions, Fr Dunne remains on-call to respond to emergencies e.g. sacrament of the sick. Please telephone him at 083-4854776.
First Collection: Our First Collection for 2021 will be taken up this weekend. This year the nine Collections will hopefully meet the targets for all eleven collections. This First Collection would traditionally be for Peters Pence and that will give you guidance on how much to contribute. We, the priests, wish to thank so many of you who have been so loyal during the past year in supporting our Church. Your goodness and generosity inspire us.
Season of Lent: This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday (17 Feb). Masses will be in both churches where the ashes will be blessed, Dualla 9.30am and Boherlahan 10.00am (streamed). The masses are ‘drive in’ only. The ashes will be left at the back of the church so that people may come in their own time to collect them. The Trócaire boxes will also be available on the seats in the back of the church. It would be good if each family had their own family prayer service around the ashes in the home. The family could say some prayers (some suggestions below) and then one of the parents could put the ashes on the forehead of the different members of the family. The service might end with a blessing with Holy Water and a hymn.
Home Prayers for Ash Wednesday (a suggested outline)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord, you always look on us with love and mercy. May this time of Lent remind us of your call to us, to turn to you who offer us light for our way and hope for our hearts. You call us to turn away from what is not life-giving and what is sinful. Loving Lord, deepen our response to you this Lent.
We read in the gospel according to Mark:
Jesus proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come,’ he said, ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’
We take a moment to respond to God’s invitation (Pause).
Here make the sign of the cross (with ashes if we have collected them from the church) on our own forehead or on each others’ foreheads, saying: ‘Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel’
We are marked with ashes today to show we are a people turning to God. So let us pray to God our Father for our needs, the needs of our loved ones, the needs of the world… (add your own intentions).
We join all our prayer intentions together as we pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven…”
We ask God to bless us on our Lenten journey:
God of love and mercy, draw us into the desert of our own lives, where you alone can quell our fears and give us passion and energy for the journey of life. We make this prayer through Christ your Son. Amen
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
