Tuesday 17 December 2013

BANTRY PARISH NEWSLETTER
The  Third Sunday of advent  (Gaudete)
                            Sunday 15th december 2013  



          Calendar: Mass Times and Intentions :–
Mon. 16th December: Third Week of Advent:.
                     Bantry:                  10am           Barry O’Sullivan – Seskin Park
Tues. 17th December: Third Week of Advent:
                     Bantry:                  10am           James O’Sullivan – Main Street
Wed. 18th December:  Third Week of Advent: St. Flannan: lived in 7th century & was son of the King of Thomond.
Bantry:                  10am           Mary Copppinger – Blackrock Road
Hospital                 5.30pm       Liam Coakley - Blackrock Road
Thurs. 19th December: Third Week of Advent:.
Bantry:                  10am           Alastair Tait & Oonagh Cussen – Ardnagaoithe

Friday 20th December: Third Week of Advent: St. Fachanan:
                     Bantry:                  10am           Maureen & Maurice Collins – Blackrock Road
                     Kealkil;                  7.30pm       Mary O’Sullivan - Gortloughera
Sat. 21st December:  Third Week of Advent:
                     Hospital:               10am           Dermot O’Connell – Chapel Street   
                     Bantry:                  6.15pm       Jeremiah Cremin (Seskin) 
                                                                           & his daughter Mary Keohane (Inniscarra)
Sun. 22nd  December: Fourth Sunday of Advent
Bantry:                                       9am       Joe Hegarty – Ardnageeha – 1st Anniversary      
Coomhola:                                 10am     Don & Ann Murphy - Dromduve
Kealkil:                                       11am     Rita O’Sullivan – Breenybeg – 4th Anniversary
Bantry:                                       12noon       People of the Parish
                                                   

Mass Times for Christmas 2013

Christmas Eve:
Bantry                10.00 am
Bantry                   6.15 pm    Family Mass
Kealkil:                 8.00 pm
Bantry                10.00 pm   Carol Singing at 9.40pm
Coomhola:         12.00 am    Midnight Mass

Christmas Day:
Hospital:              8.00 am
Bantry:                9.00 am
Coomhola:           10.00 am
Kealkil:                11.00 am

Bantry:                12.00 noon

Confessions for Christmas
in Bantry Parish

Penitential Service
in Bantry Church
Tuesday 17th December at 7.30 pm
A number of priests will be available for Confessions.

Confessions in Bantry Church

Saturday 21st December – 12 noon

Tuesday 24th December – 12 noon

Confessions in Kealkil
Friday 20th December Before and After 7.30pm Mass


The annual Bantry Carol Service takes place this year on Sunday 22 December at 8pm in St Brendan's Church of Ireland. Please put this date in your diary and join us for this traditional celebration of readings and carols. A wonderful way to begin your Christmas. The choirs of St Finbarr's Church Bantry and Sacred Heart Church Glengarriff will again lead the singing.





The parish assembly are organising a community choir for Kealkill Church on Christmas Day. Any available Musicians and Singers interested in taking part please contact Margaret on 086-0572473 or Joan on 087 - 9179726. Adults and Children welcome.


Bantry Parish & Friends Pilgrimage to Lourdes
22nd – 27th September 2014
Accompanied by Spiritual Director: Fr. Sean Crowley C.C.
Ex-Cork. 
Accommodation at the Agena Hotel
Please see Church Porches for details
& Parish Office for booking forms



COOMHOLA'S CHRISTMAS EVENING
Come along to a  night of Christmas Carol singing with local children, musicians and singers. This  will take place on Friday the 20th December at 7.30pm at Coomhola Church. Organised by representatives of the Childrens Choir. All very Welcome! Admission free but there will be donation boxes and any proceeds from this will go towards local charities. Hope to see ye on the 20th!


2014 Parish Calendars  are available at the Church Porches. Please take one for your home and for your family & friends.

Bantry Community Choir will be making its first public performance with carol singing at New Street Bantry on Friday 20th Dec at 11.30am with musical director Katy Salvidge and will have choir practice on Dec 16th at 7.30pm in The Maritime Hotel, Bantry, new members welcome. Contact Nora on 0861948074 email noraedgeworth@gmail.com


An Advent Prayer

May this holy Advent Season
bring joy to your heart
a joy the world
cannot give;

A joy to uplift you
when your spirit
feels low;

A joy to refresh you
when your life
feels weary;

A joy to sustain you
when your days
Feel empty;

The joy of knowing
that the Lord is with you
this Christmas, & always.
Amen

Sunday 8 December 2013

BANTRY PARISH NEWSLETTER
The  second Sunday of advent  
                                Sunday 8th december 2013       


Calendar: Mass Times and Intentions :–
Mon. 9th December: SecondWeek of Advent:.
                     Bantry:                  10am           Nessa McCarthy - Newtown
                     Tues. 10th December: Second Week of Advent:
                     Bantry:                  10am           Alfie Harrington - Cahernacrin
Wed. 11th December:  Second Week of Advent:
Bantry:                  10am           Harvey & Adelaide Finnegan – Marino Street
Hospital                 5.30pm       Bridie & Jackie Moloney - Dromclough
Thurs. 12th December: Second Week of Advent:.
Bantry:                  10am           Mary McGlone – Dromleigh & Nottingham
                                                     & her daughter Mairead McGlone
Friday 13th December: Second Week of Advent:
                     Bantry:                  10am           Mark Hutchinson - Crossogue
                     Kealkil;                  7.30pm       Donal & Pat McSweeney - Maughnaclea
Sat. 14th December: Second Week of Advent:
                     Hospital:               10am           Maisie McCarthy – St. Canneras Place – 5th Anniversary         
                     Bantry:                  6.15pm       Maureen & Jimmy O’Sullivan – Rock Villas
Sun. 15th December: Third Sunday of Advent
  Bantry:          9am       James & Mary Ellen Wiseman - Dromleigh    
Coomhola:    10am     Peg Murphy – Dromdubh – 1st Anniversary
Kealkil:           11am    Catherine, John, Dan & Mary O’Rourke - Incharoe
Bantry:           12noon              People of the Parish



The Deep End – The Simple Life
John the Baptist certainly grabs our attention, appearing in the desert in his
garment of camel hair, eating locusts & wild honey. His language can be cryptic-
he addresses the Pharisees & Sadducees as ‘Brood of Vipers’, & speaks of trees
& axes, winnowing fans & wheat. He is  peculiar mixture of signs & messages,
even to the people of the time who were on the lookout for prophetic figures.
Nowadays, John would cut an even more eccentric figure. Sometimes a person’s
lifestyle can offer an even more powerful witness than their words. John’s
basic diet & dress suggest a lifestyle that is at once simple & radical, one which
challenged the norms of the day. It all brings to mind another man who caught
our attention with his simple lifestyle earlier this year. As soon as Pope Francis
was elected, all the talk was of his modest living quarters as Bishop and his
preference for public  this simple lifestyle as Pope. That a senior clergy man
should choose to live a simple & ethical life should hardly come as a shock to the
world. Yet there was a powerful witness to his actions. While we might not be
called to the desert life, we are challenged to examine our values and our
relationship with material things – an apt message as we enter the most
materialistic season of the year. John the Baptist’s message can be summed up by
the first word he speaks: repent. The Greek word for ‘repentance’ is metanoia,
literally a change of heart.                              Triona Doherty


The annual Bantry Carol Service takes place this year on Sunday 22 December at 8pm in St Brendan's Church of Ireland. Please put this date in your diary and join us for this traditional celebration of readings and carols. A wonderful way to begin your Christmas. The choirs of St Finbarr's Church Bantry and Sacred Heart Church Glengarriff will again lead the singing.

“Do this in Memory
Advent & Preparation for Christmas.
Next Sunday, 15th December,  the 9am Mass at Bantry Church, the 10am Mass at Coomhola & the 11am Mass in Kealkil will involve the young people preparing for First Communion & their parents & guardians


The parish assembly are organising a community choir for Kealkill Church on Christmas Day. Any available Musicians and Singers interested in taking part please contact Margaret on 086-0572473 or Joan on 087 - 9179726. Adults and Children welcome.

Eucharistic Adoration:
Anyone who has time to spend in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on 1st Fridays from 10.30am to 7pm, please give your name to Mary McCarthy at 027-51534

Training in Coomhola Church:
Ministers of the Word: Tuesday 10th December at 7.30pm

Penitential Service 
Bantry Church on Tuesday 17th December at 7.30pm
A number of priests will be available for Confessions.

COOMHOLA'S CHRISTMAS EVENING
Come along to a  night of Christmas Carol singing with local children, musicians and singers. This  will take place on Friday the 20th December at 7.30pm at Coomhola Church. Organised by representatives of the Childrens Choir. All very Welcome! Admission free but there will be donation boxes and any proceeds from this will go towards local charities. Hope to see ye on the 20th!

Tickets on Sale Now:- Fr. Liam Lawton  “A Celtic Christmas" tour in St Finbarrs Church Bantry on Sunday 15th December at 8pm. Tickets are €20 are on sale now from the Parish Office, De Barra's restaurant, Floury Hands and Quik Pick. Monies raised will go to the church renovation fund

Mealagh  Valley  Community Centre  Members  wish to hold a  Christmas Party  for the  Elderly in our area  on Sunday  December 15th.  from  3.00P.M.  to 6.00P.M..    Of  course  all others are also welcome to come along.   It will cost £5  Per  Person.  Please  book your  place by  December  13th.  by  Calling  Mary  on  086-1035720   or  John on  087-2856973.    People from outside  Mealagh Valley are also  very welcome to attend.

The Bantry Bay Lions, in partnership with the Bantry Business Association, will be hosting Santa's Grotto on Bridge St from 2-5pm on Sunday December 8, 15 and 22. Entrance is 4 euro per child and 10 euro for a family of 3. Price includes a gift and picture with Santa

The Bantry Bay Lions will be holding their Annual Food Appeal at Supervalu in Bantry on Friday and Saturday December 13 and 14 from 9-6pm and Sunday December 15 from 10-2pm. Any non-perishable foodstuffs or money can be contributed. Economic times are continuing to be tough and this year there will be many needy families looking for help from the community. Please donate whatever you can."

Upcoming  Events  at  Mealagh  Valley  Community  Hall  for the coming week  are.....
   Thursday  December   12th. ....  £500    Bingo  Session.     £10  Per  Person to Play.    Starts at 8.30 P.M.. 
Saturday  December 15th.   ,,,,,,    Christmas  45  Progressive   Card Drive.    £15  Per   Person  to Play.   Starts at 9.00 P.M.   Sharp.
 Your  Continued Support is greatly Appreciated.


Race night: Collins Bar Kealkill, Sat 14th December. First race at 9pm. Horses can be bought for €20 in Burkes Gala, Collins or Brown Pub before Tues 10th December. All monies raised will go towards Kealkill community projects: Carriganass Castle Ltd, Parkland Development and Co-op Community Centre. All welcome.


Coomhola School - Nativity play, carol singing and Mass on Tue. 17th Dec. at 10.30 a.m. Parents, past pupils and members of the community are welcome.


Recent Parish Baptisms:
Ella Rose Murnane  (Reenrour East, Bantry)
Leo Noah O’Donnell O’Halloran (Anchor Tavern, Bantry),
Fionn Joseph O’Halloran (Lahadane, Bantry)
Abby Rose Flynn (Lisheens, Kealkil)
We welcome them into our Christian Community

Died Recently
We extend our prayers & sympathy to the family, relatives & friends of
Pat Cronin
(Gurteenroe, Bantry)
May he rest in peace

Offertory Collection: Bantry Church weekend of 30th Nov/1st Dec.: €1792. Church Renovation Fund collection will take place on next weeken - Dec.14th & 15th .

A morning of coffee, mince pies and chat, and all for a good cause! E Bantry Enterprise Centre was set up to support business and community in the West Cork area. As part of our commitment to the community the centre is holding a charity Coffee and Mince Pie Morning at the Enterprise Centre in Rope Walk on Wednesday 11th December from 11am until 1pm with all proceeds going to The Bantry Hospice Project. Everyone is welcome and don’t forget to bring a friend!
Free Energy Healing Day at the Westlodge Hotel, Bantry on Saturday 14th December from 11am to 4pm. Open to everyone – especially anyone with health issues. Appointment essential – please contact 087-9446773 or 086-8561243