Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Saturday /Sunday – 4th/ 5th September 2021
We are celebrating the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
By curing the deaf and the dumb, Jesus teaches us that a new dialogue between heaven and earth has begun, and our hearts should be open to the gospel, our ears be attuned to the word of God and our lips should sing his praises.
A thought for today taken from sacred Space a ministry of the Irish Jesuits.
In God’s loving presence I unwind the past day,
starting from now and looking back, moment by moment.
I gather in all the goodness and light, in gratitude.
I attend to the shadows and what they say to me,
seeking healing, courage, forgiveness.
IN MEMORIAM
We remember those for whom this Weekend Masses are offered:
Saturday 4th 7:00pm – Hannah Ryan RIP (A)
Ronán Burke (RIP) A
Sunday 5th 10:00am – Willie Joe Gleeson (RIP)
11:30am – John Walters RIP (A)
The Mass intentions for the coming week:
Tuesday 7th – of the day 9:45am: Bridget Sheehan RIP (A)
Wednesday 8th – 9:45am: John Kearney RIP
The Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thursday 9th – Saint Ciaran 9:45am: Charlie McGrath RIP
Friday 10th – St Peter Claver 9:45am: Maeve Leonard RIP (A)
Mary Cronin RIP
Saturday 11th – 24th Sunday 7:00pm: Tom Clifford RIP (A)
Sunday 12th– 24th Sunday 10.00am:
11:30am:
Note: All Masses are available online via church services
NOTICES
- The Irish Catholic
Please support The Irish Catholic newspaper which is available at the back of the church at a cost of €2.50
- Season of Creation – Restoring our Common Home
The theme for the Season of Creation 2021 is ‘Restoring Our Common Home’. During this season we are asked to join together to celebrate creation and protect our common home through prayer, reflection and action.
The global Christian family is called to awaken to the urgent need to heal our relationships with creation and with each other and to encourage our parish communities to do the same, “for we know that things can change!” (Laudato Si’, 13).
This year we celebrate this season mindful of the fact that our world continues to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic as well as a devastating climate and biodiversity crisis. We look towards two UN Conferences in the Autumn, COP15 (on Biodiversity, due to take place in China) and COP24 (on climate change, Glasgow) in the hope that world leaders take the urgent action that is needed to Restore Our Common Home. Catholics are urged to sign the “Healthy Planet Healthy People” petition as a key action for this year’s Season of Creation. This petition has been endorsed by the Vatican Dicastery for Integral Human Development in the hope that millions of Catholics will raise their voices in the public sphere to help Restore Our Common Home in the run up to these vital UN Conferences.
- Eucharistic Adoration
Eucharistic Adoration takes place daily from 6pm to 10pm, except on Tuesday when adoration takes place from 10am to 10pm.
PRAYER WHILE VISITING THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT
My Lord Jesus Christ, for the love which You bear to men, you remain night and day in this Sacrament full of compassion and of love, awaiting, calling, and welcoming all who come to visit You. I believe that You are present in the Sacrament of the Altar: I adore You from the abyss of my nothingness, and I thank You for all the graces which You have bestowed upon me and in particular for having given me Yourself in this Sacrament, for having given me your holy Mother Mary for my advocate, and for having called me to visit You in this chapel. I now salute
Your most loving Heart: and this for three ends:
- In thanksgiving for this great gift;
- To make amends to You for all the outrages which You receive in this Sacrament from all Your enemies;
- I intend by this visit to adore You in all the places on earth in which You are the least revered and the most abandoned.
– by St Alphonsus Ligouri
Trócaire – Irish Public Support and improve the lives of 2.7 million people despite pandemic challenges at home
Launching their annual report this week, Trócaire, the Overseas Development Agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland, thanked the people of Ireland, north and south, for their remarkable support in helping to raise €73 million during one of the toughest years in living memory.
The Covid-19 pandemic impacted every community at home and in every country across the world. Despite challenges presented by the pandemic here in Ireland, Trócaire was able to reach 2.7 million people in 25 countries who were in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
The solidarity shown to the world’s poorest by Irish people during the pandemic was humbling according to Trócaire’s CEO, Caoimhe de Barra. Launching the annual report Ms de Barra said, “I am immensely grateful for – and humbled by – the response of our staff, partners, supporters, governing body members and donors. All of these individuals and organisations worked extremely hard to help Trócaire respond in support of those most affected by this global pandemic. In 2020/21, despite all of the challenges presented by the pandemic, we supported 2.7million people in 25 countries.
“This level of impact would not be possible without the commitment of our teams, partners and supporters all over Ireland. People here at home should be very proud of the positive and lasting change they have created.”
Trócaire’s annual report details an increase of 15% on funds raised from the previous year with the total amount of €73 million being the highest income raised in three years.
A lack of access to basic resources such as land, food and water traps millions of people in extreme poverty. Climate change continues to have its most devastating impacts in poorer countries, while marginalised groups are routinely denied access to vital natural resources.
Last year, Trócaire’s programmes in this area supported 301,000 people in 13 countries: DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Trócaire responded to the large-scale conflict which broke out in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, displacing tens of thousands of people. Sexual violence, including rape, has become a weapon of war in the conflict. Trócaire was able to provide psychosocial support to people and communities affected by the conflict, along with the delivery of temporary shelter materials, blankets, sleeping mats, cooking items and hygiene kits for families displaced by and made homeless by the conflict.
In 2020, Irish Aid contributed €22 million to Trócaire’s work demonstrating once again the Irish government’s support and commitment to eradicating global poverty and hunger. With Irish Aid funding, Trócaire was able to reach 426,383 individuals with support to mitigate the risks of Covid-19, including secondary impacts such as food insecurity and violence against women.
Women’s empowerment and health have been a key focus for Trócaire in the last 12 months. The report outlines Trócaire’s commitment to women’s empowerment and health to shape transformative progress in eradicating poverty and hunger. The women’s empowermentprogrammes support women to increase their voice and influence in decision-making at family, community and national level.
Approximately 9,000 vulnerable people, predominantly women and girls, also received specialised protection support in eight countries.
Psychosocial sessions adapted to the Covid context by using socially distanced groups in Myanmar and South Sudan and WhatsApp groups in Lebanon.
Additionally, the report also details how Trócaire has been the only healthcare provider in the Gedo region of Somalia for 30 years. In a region where maternal and child health is a huge challenge, Trócaire is supporting 19,000 people every month – ensuring doctors and nurses were available, even during the pandemic.
Pope Francis Proclaims Year of St Joseph
Pope Francis recalls the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. To mark the occasion, the Holy Father has proclaimed a “Year of Saint Joseph” from 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021.
A Celtic Journey with St Joseph – Contemplating His Life with Harp, Voice and Strings:
Music by Vox Hiberniae – a group of musicians that serve as organists, directors of music, cantors and instrumentalists across parishes in the Dublin Archdiocese. To view please click on this link
For details of the decree issued with regard to a plenary indulgence for the year of St Joseph please click on this link
Preparing for Holy Communion
To help girls and boys prepare for first Reconciliation (Confession) and First Holy Communion Fr Chris O’Donnell has worked with iCatholic, on behalf of the Catechetics Council of the Irish Bishops’ Conference, to produce 3 video lessons for Confirmation children and their families.
The lessons are delivered by Johanna O’Brien and Eleanor O’Brien from Limerick along with Fr Chris. Both Johanna and Eleanor trained as teachers at Mary Immaculate College and have been involved in the Limerick Diocese’s Youth Ministry programmes. Further information and access to the videos by clicking here
- Preparing for Confirmation
To help girls and boys prepare for Confirmation Fr Chris O’Donnell has worked with iCatholic, on behalf of the Catechetics Council of the Irish Bishops’ Conference, to produce 3 video lessons for Confirmation children and their families.
The lessons are delivered by Johanna O’Brien and Eleanor O’Brien from Limerick along with Fr Chris. Both Johanna and Eleanor trained as teachers at Mary Immaculate College and have been involved in the Limerick Diocese’s Youth Ministry programmes. Further information and access to the videos by clicking here