Be not Afraid

Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great…. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed.” (Pope Benedict XVI)

Quote for January 29th

"The only cure for sagging or fainting faith is Communion. Though always Itself, perfect and complete and inviolate, the Blessed Sacrament does not operate completely and once for all in any of us. Like the act of Faith it must be continuous and grow by exercise. Frequency is of the highest effect. Seven times a week is more nourishing than seven times at intervals."

- J.R.R. Tolkien

A Prayer of St. Augustine

 

 

A Prayer of St. Augustine
O God, Grant us in all our duties your help;
in all our perplexities, your guidance;
in all our dangers, your protection;
and in all our sorrows, your peace.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
our body, and our blood,
our life and our nourishment. Amen.

Parish Newsletter - Sunday 13th January 2013

The Deep End - Be a signpost

John the Baptist was a man whose life was driven by one mission: to point people to Jesus. We may think today of all of those people in our lives who have inspired us, strengthened our faith and pointed us to Jesus. Luke places a special emphasis on Jesus at prayer in his Gospel. Jesus prays at the most important moments of his life. In today’s Gospel, while Jesus is praying we hear that the heavens opened. That doesn’t mean it started lashing rain but in Jesus’ time it meant that the barrier between this world and the next had been opened. We get an image of the Trinity as God’s voice is heard and a dove descends. These are all signs to show us that Jesus is the Beloved Son of God, and that this is the beginning of his mission.

We can think of our own Baptism today and what that means. We are all sons and daughters of God and have been moved into the life of God at our Baptism and at our Confirmation. That means that we have a responsibility to be part of God’s mission. We are called to take on that responsibility in our parishes, communities, families and in society. We have a responsibility, like John did, to point the way to God.

Jane Mellett Email janemellett@yahoo.com

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Unite for Life

 

You are invited to the second UNITE FOR LIFE Rally taking place on Saturday January 19th at 4.30 pm in Merrion Square Dublin. Coaches will leave from St Mary’s Dominican Church Pope’s Quay, Cork at 11.30 am.with a further pickup at the Silver Springs Hotel. Booking essential from Mary Lynch at 085 8328822.Your support is vital to uphold Ireland’s pro-life ethos.

For Coach pick up in Drimoleague – contact Denis O’Leary on 028-21038

 

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GROW – World Community Mental Health Movement in Ireland. Helping People who have suffered or are suffering mental health problems to help themselves. Members are helped recover from all forms of mental breakdown or indeed, to prevent such happening. Supported by the HSE & Dept. of Health. All welcome to GROW meetings held every Tuesday at 7.30pm at the WCDP Resource Centre, Main St.

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Parenting Course, covering all ages, begins shortly. Information evening will take place at WCDP Resource Centre, Main Street at 7.30pm on Wed. 16^th Jan. For more details contact Anna- 087-9892150.

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Bantry Lifeboat Dinner Dance

Saturday 26^th January at 8.30pm

The Maritime Hotel

Live music with ‘Never Heard of Them’

Back by popular demand –

live horse racing.

Tickets only €25

including dinner & live music.

Tickets from Fast.net, Bridge Street, Bantry

(Tel: 027-51624)

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6 week weight loss challenge commences westlodge hotel bantry Wednesday 16th of january @8pm suitable for men and women 40 euro for six weeks . To secure your place call 086/6002117.

 

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It's night class time again at

Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai.

Meet the tutors, Signing on night with deposits is Tues. Jan 15th, 5pm-7.30pm.

The following classes are being offered.

1. Stress Management with Liz Ewing €48 (3x 2hrs)

2. Chi Jung with Patrick Cotter (8x1hr),€70

3. Introduction to Computer+main softwarepackages with Rita Kearney (8x2hr..)€100.

4. Planning+growing vegetables with Claudia Deane, (5x2hr) - €80

5. Exciting cooking with chef, Gemma Hunt (6x2hr) €100

6. Advanced Digital Photography with Eileen O'Leary (10x 2hrs) €130

7. Getting to grips with your digital camera (8x2hrs..Thurs night class) €100

8.Watercolours with Barry Dawkes, (8x2hr) €100

9. Conversational Spanish with Andrea Quioros (8x 1.5hrs) €100.

Enquiries to 027056434/ admin@colaistepobailbheanntrai.com /annemcgrath40@hotmail.com

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2013 - Church Services in Bantry Parish

 

PARISH OFFICE

Telephone: 027 – 56398         Email: office@bantryparish.com

Parish Office times: 9.30am-11.30am – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Also Fridays (only): 1.30pm – 3.30pm.

For all enquiries, booking of Masses, Baptisms, Weddings, and issuing of Certificates. Mass Cards for various intentions available. Submission of material for Parish Newsletter & Parish Blog.

 

MASSES AND DEVOTIONS

Saturdays & Evenings of Holydays:     

Bantry                           6.15pm

Holydays:                                                 

 

Coomhola:                     10am

                                                             

Kealkil:                          11am

                                                              

Bantry:                          12 noon

                                                                  

Hospital Chapel:            7.30pm

 

Sundays                                                    

 

Bantry                           9am and 12 noon

Coomhola                      10am
                                                                   

Kealkil                           11am

 

Weekdays:                         

 

Bantry            10am daily (except Saturdays)

                            

Hospital
Chapel:            10am – Saturday morning  & 5.30pm Wednesdays evenings

                                           

Bantry             7.30pm (First Fridays)

                                           

Kealkil;            7.30pm (every Friday)

 

CONFESSIONS

(Please note new times for Confessions)

Bantry:      Saturdays – 12 noon and before 6.15pm Mass.
Bantry:       Before the 7.30pm Mass

Kealkil:      First Fridays – before 7.30pm Mass.

 

 

First Communion Dates 2013:

Saturday May  11th:      Coomhola, Derrycreha, - 11am Mass

Sunday May   12^th:        Kealkil & Cappabue –11am Mass.

Saturday May 18th:       Gaelscoil Bheanntrai –11am Mass

Saturday May  25th:      Dromclough, Inchiclough, Our Lady of Mercy,

                                      St. Finbarr’s, St. Brendan’s –11am Mass

 

Confirmation Date 2013:

 Wednesday 8^th May:- – Gaelscoil Bheanntraí

Corpus Christi Procession 2013:

Sunday 26^th May in Coomhola

Sunday 2nd June in Kealkil and Bantry

                               

 

Christmas Message from His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI

"Veritas de terra orta est!" – "Truth has sprung out of the earth"(Ps 85:12).

Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, a happy Christmas to you and your families!

In this Year of Faith, I express my Christmas greetings and good wishes in these words taken from one of the Psalms: "Truth has sprung out of the earth". Actually, in the text of the Psalm, these words are in the future: "Kindness and truth shall meet; / justice and peace shall kiss. / Truth shall spring out of the earth, /and justice shall look down from heaven. / The Lord himself will give his benefits; / our land shall yield its increase. / Justice shall walk before him, / and salvation, along the way of his steps" (Ps 85:11-14).

Today these prophetic words have been fulfilled! In Jesus, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary, kindness and truth do indeed meet; justice and peace have kissed; truth has sprung out of the earth and justice has looked down from heaven. Saint Augustine explains with admirable brevity: "What is truth? The Son of God. What is the earth? The flesh. Ask whence Christ has been born, and you will see that truth has sprung out of the earth … truth has been born of the Virgin Mary" (En. in Ps. 84:13). And in a Christmas sermon he says that "in this yearly feast we celebrate that day when the prophecy was fulfilled: ‘truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven’. The Truth, which is in the bosom of the Father has sprung out of the earth, to be in the womb of a mother too. The Truth which rules the whole world has sprung out of the earth, to be held in the arms of a woman ... The Truth which heaven cannot contain has sprung out of the earth, to be laid in a manger. For whose benefit did so lofty a God become so lowly? Certainly not for his own, but for our great benefit, if we believe" (Sermones, 185, 1).

"If we believe". Here we see the power of faith! God has done everything; he has done the impossible: he was made flesh. His all-powerful love has accomplished something which surpasses all human understanding: the Infinite has become a child, has entered the human family. And yet, this same God cannot enter my heart unless I open the door to him. Porta fidei! The door of faith! We could be frightened by this, our inverse omnipotence. This human ability to be closed to God can make us fearful. But see the reality which chases away this gloomy thought, the hope that conquers fear: truth has sprung up! God is born! "The earth has yielded its fruits" (Ps 67:7). Yes, there is a good earth, a healthy earth, an earth freed of all selfishness and all lack of openness. In this world there is a good soil which God has prepared, that he might come to dwell among us. A dwelling place for his presence in the world. This good earth exists, and today too, in 2012, from this earth truth has sprung up! Consequently, there is hope in the world, a hope in which we can trust, even at the most difficult times and in the most difficult situations. Truth has sprung up, bringing kindness, justice and peace.

Yes, may peace spring up for the people of Syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict which does not spare even the defenceless and reaps innocent victims. Once again I appeal for an end to the bloodshed, easier access for the relief of refugees and the displaced, and dialogue in the pursuit of a political solution to the conflict.

May peace spring up in the Land where the Redeemer was born, and may he grant Israelis and Palestinians courage to end to long years of conflict and division, and to embark resolutely on the path of negotiation.

In the countries of North Africa, which are experiencing a major transition in pursuit of a new future – and especially the beloved land of Egypt, blessed by the childhood of Jesus – may citizens work together to build societies founded on justice and respect for the freedom and dignity of every person.

May peace spring up on the vast continent of Asia. May the Child Jesus look graciously on the many peoples who dwell in those lands and, in a special way, upon all those who believe in him. May the King of Peace turn his gaze to the new leaders of the People’s Republic of China for the high task which awaits them. I express my hope that, in fulfilling this task, they will esteem the contribution of the religions, in respect for each, in such a way that they can help to build a fraternal society for the benefit of that noble People and of the whole world.

May the Birth of Christ favour the return of peace in Mali and that of concord in Nigeria, where savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly among Christians. May the Redeemer bring help and comfort to the refugees from the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and grant peace to Kenya, where brutal attacks have struck the civilian population and places of worship.

May the Child Jesus bless the great numbers of the faithful who celebrate him in Latin America. May he increase their human and Christian virtues, sustain all those forced to leave behind their families and their land, and confirm government leaders in their commitment to development and fighting crime.

Dear brothers and sisters! Kindness and truth, justice and peace have met; they have become incarnate in the child born of Mary in Bethlehem. That child is the Son of God; he is God appearing in history. His birth is a flowering of new life for all humanity. May every land become a good earth which receives and brings forth kindness and truth, justice and peace. Happy Christmas to all of you!