We remember in prayer

Boherlahan

Sat 29 Jan 7.30pm Donal Cullen, Longfield & Clonoulty

Sun 30 Jan 11.00am Lizzie Croke, Regaile (Month’s Mind)

Sun 6 Feb 11.00 Elsie Dwyer, Ballytarsna

Dualla

Sat 29 Jan 6.30pm Michael Shelley, Rathclough

Sat 5 Feb 6.30pm Siobhán O’ Keeffe & her parents James & Patricia, Garranmore

Please pray for: Philomena Croke, Regaile, who died last week. 

Mon 31 Jan is the memorial of St John Bosco, priest (1815-88). He founded the Salesians for the education of boys. He is a patron of youth and Catholic publishers.  

Tue 1 Feb is the feast of St Brigid, abbess, secondary Patron of Ireland.  

Wed 2 February is the feast of The Presentation of the Lord. Today is also the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. This is the day when we bless candles for use in the church during the coming year. Candles and offerings for same may be handed in at any time.

Thu 3 Feb is the memorial of St Blaise. The Blessing of Throats will be administered before and after Masses in the parish today. All are asked to wear a face covering. The blessing of St Blaise is a sign of our faith in God’s protection and love for us and for all who are sick.

Sat 5 Feb is the memorial of St Agnes, virgin and martyr. She is honoured as the patron of bell founders. 

Holy Communion Ministers (on duty next weekend) 

Boherlahan: Julia O’ Dwyer; Nellie Taylor

Dualla: Mona Heffernan; Annette O’ Donnell 

The meeting of the new ministers has been postponed until further notice due to Covid-19. 

Ministers for the Month of February: 

Boherlahan (We invite those normally collectors to act as ushers in each church.)

Ushers: (Sat) P.J. Stapleton; Margaret Wallace; Thomas Wallace; (Sun) Denis O’ Dwyer; Olive O’ Dwyer

Readers: Sat. eve. Eibhlis Maher, Freighduff: Sun. Morn. Aidan & Noirín Ó Gormáin

Dualla

Ushers: Connie Mulcahy; Andrew Kennedy; Con Ryan

Readers: Celine Mulcahy; Anne Coffey

Altar Society: Kitty McGrath; Majella Crosse; Hannah Kennedy

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. 

Covid and Safety in Church

Archbishop O’ Reilly SMA has written to parishes in the past week (see letter on the notice board) with updated advice. Here are some of the important current guidelines for our parish:

  1. We ask those coming into the church to wear a face covering.
  2. We again encourage you to follow the direction of the stewards/ushers at each Mass.
  3. Please sanitize your hands entering and leaving the church.
  4. Please continue to receive Holy Communion in the hand.
  5. Current guidelines for choirs and singers remain in place.
  6. The Collection Box is in the porch of the Church if you wish to make a contribution.
  7. Social distancing is no longer required within church buildings.
  8. We ask everyone to use good common sense in respecting all the protocols. We thank you for your wonderful cooperation thus far.

Parish Pastoral Leadership Team: We hope to have a meeting during February. We will discuss the Pastoral Plan for the Diocese and how we can play our part in implementing it.

First Friday (4 Feb): The priests of the parish will make individual contact with the housebound during this week. 

Legion of Mary: Frank Duff founded the Legion of Mary in 1921, and the Legion celebrated its centenary in the past year. In that hundred years it has spread to almost every country in the world. In this parish we have a praesidium and they meet every Monday at 3pm in the church in Boherlahan. It is a wonderful opportunity to gather for prayer and to learn more about the truths of our faith. To become a member just come along to the praesidium meeting. You will be most welcome.

Reminder: First Holy Communion 2022: 

The following are the provisional dates for the celebration of First Holy Communion in the parish in 2022                                                                                                                                        

  • Little Flower N.S. Ballytarsna Saturday 14 May 2022
  • Scoil San Isadóir Boherlahan Saturday 21 May 2022
  • Dualla N.S. Saturday 28 May 2022

Prayer to St Roch (Protector against infectious diseases)

O Blessed St Roch, Patron of the sick, look with mercy on those who suffer illness. Your power was so great when you were in this world, that by the sign of the Cross, many were healed of their diseases. Now that you are in heaven, your power is no less. Offer to God our intentions and tears and obtain for us the physical and spiritual health we seek. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St Roch: Pray for us, that we may be relieved from all diseases of body and soul. 

Act of Spiritual Communion 

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. (St Alphonsus de Liguori)

If only we knew how to look at life

‘If only we knew how to look at life as God sees it, we should realize that nothing is secular in the world, but that everything contributes to the building of the kingdom of God. To have faith is not only to raise one’s eyes to God to contemplate him; it is also to look at this world—but with Christ’s eyes. If we had allowed Christ to penetrate our whole being, if we had purified ourselves, the world would no longer be an obstacle, it would be a perpetual incentive to work for the Father in order that, in Christ, his kingdom might come on earth as it is in heaven. We must pray to have sufficient faith to know how to look at life’ (Michel Quoist)

Patience: We are often so busy looking for the spectacular that we miss all the small quiet signs of God in the world around us. Patience allows us to seek those moments. The great prophet Elijah knew this: God was found in the gentle breeze and not in the mighty wind or the earthquake. 

(Shane Daly SJ).