Bantry Parish Newsletter - Weekend of 3rd February 2013

CHURCH NOTICES

Bantry Hospice Project are holding their Annual Mass in the Hospital Chapel on Tuesday February 5^th at 7.30pm. All are welcome.

 New Parish Assembly; New Assembly members who have not yet been approached will be invited on board this coming week. Letters of appointment will follow. There will be two evening sessions and one Saturday session to prepare these new members.

19^th February             7.30pm – 9.00pm
26^th February             7.30pm – 9.00pm
9^th March                  10.00am - 4.00pm
The first meeting of the new Assembly will be on March 12^th. All of the above sessions will be facilitated by Sister Karen Kent of the Diocesan Pastoral Development Office. The Venue will be announced later.

Cork Theology Forum - Come to the Water – Perspectives on Baptism.

Bishop Michael Mayes gives introductory talk followed by group discussion & response.

Topic What is the call & the meaning of our Baptism?

What is the background to this important sacrament?

Tuesday Evening 5^th Feb. 8pm-9.30pm.

Venue: Sacred Heart Hall, Western Road, Cork

Bookings & Queries: 021-4509574

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Mealagh Valley

The 4th Annual 10 mile Mealagh Valley Ring Run organised by Bantry Athletic Association will take place on Sunday 10th February. Starting time for walkers is 10.00AM and 11.00AM for runners. Walkers must register by 9.15 AM, Runners must register by 10.15AM. For more information or to register log onto www.bantryac.com.

 

Progressive 45 Card Drive will be held on Saturday 9th February at 9pm in the Mealagh Valley Community Hall. Entry fee 10.00. All Welcome.

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Kealkil 
 

Date for your Diary: Kealkil Tidy Towns are holding a Quiz in Collins Pub at 8pm on Friday 8^th February. All are welcome. 

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PAKT (Parents & Kids together) now has places in its weekly kids clubs for new members. For more info. contact Úna Chambers, YMCA, Old Barrack Rd., Bantry (027) 514 61 or email una@ymca-ireland.org 

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 The Bantry Bay Lions, in partnership with the HSE and the West Cork Development Partnership (WCDP), will be organizing a free short course on suicide prevention at the WCDP building (old Gaelscoil) on Mon. February 4 from 10-1pm. The course, SafeTalk, provides training that prepares anyone over the age of 18 to be alert to persons with thoughts of suicide & connect them to suicide first aid resources. Anyone interested please email the Bantry Bay Lions at bantrybaylions@gmail.com or access their website at www.bantrybaylions.com and click on ‘Suicide Prevention’ where you will be presented with a box to enter your contact details. You can also register by calling the WCDP office at 027-52266.

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Bantry Defibrillator Group would like to thank the people of Bantry for their generous support at our Church Gate collection held recently. We raised a total of €1136.15 which will go towards the cost of replacing out of date pads & batteries in the 6 external defibrillators placed around Bantry area. Our next training session will be held in the Bantry Boys club on Monday February 4th so do come along and learn CPR and other life saving techniques.

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Coomhola School enrolling pupils for 2013/14 school year on Friday Feb. 8th from 10.00 to 11.00 a.m.

 

Gaelscoil Bheanntraí – Open Day: An Open Day will take place for all new enrolments for September 2013 on Thursday, 21st February 2013 at 3.00 p.m. Children and parents will meet the Principal and the Junior Infants Class Teacher, Múinteoir Cristín will give a brief outline on how to prepare your child for school and you will have a chance to look around the school and it’s facilities. School Prospectus and enrolment forms will be available on the day. Please bring your child’s birth certificate with you – it will be photocopied and original returned to you. We look forward to meeting you all.

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Date for Your Diary!

Table Quiz in Quay’s Bar at 8.30pm

on Friday 15^th February in aid of

Carbery GAA Senior Football Team.

Teams of 4 @ €40.

Come and support your team.

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Bantry Al-Anon Family Group 086 6042376.

Portacabin behind St Brendan's Church

Wednesday night at 8.30pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feast of St. Brigid - 1st February

Story of St. Brigid

St. Brigid was born in AD 450 in Faughart, near Dundalk in Co. Louth. Her father, Dubhthach, was a pagan chieftain of Leinster and her mother, Broicsech, was a Christian. It was thought that Brigid’s mother was born in Portugal but was kidnapped by Irish pirates and brought to Ireland to work as a slave, just like St. Patrick was. Brigid spent her earlier life cooking, cleaning, washing and feeding the animals on her father’s farm.

She lived during the time of St.Patrick and was inspired by his preachings and she became a Christian. When Brigid turned eighteen, she stopped working for her father. Brigid’s father wanted her to find a husband but Brigid had decided that she would spend her life working for God by looking after poor, sick and elderly people. Brigid’s charity angered her father because he thought she was being too generous to the poor. When she finally gave away his jewel-encrusted sword to a leper, her father realised that she would be best suited to the religious life. Brigid finally got her wish and entered the convent. She received her veil from St. Macaille and made her vows to dedicate her life to God. News of Brigid’s good works spread and soon many young girls from all over the country joined her in the convent. Brigid founded many convents all over Ireland; the most famous one was in Co. Kildare. It is said that this convent was built beside an oak tree where the town of Kildare now stands. Around 470 she also founded a double monastery, for nuns and monks, in Kildare. As Abbess of this foundation she wielded considerable power, but was a very wise and prudent superior. The Abbey of Kildare became one of the most prestigious monasteries in Ireland, and was famous throughout Christian Europe.

St. Brigid also founded a school of art, including metal work and illumination, over which St. Conleth presided. In the scriptorium of the monastery, the famous illuminated manuscript the Book of Kildare was created. 

St. Brigid's Cross

Making a St. Brigid’s cross is one of the traditional rituals in Ireland to celebrate the beginning of early spring, 1st February. The crosses are made of rushes that are pulled rather than cut. St. Brigid and her cross are linked together by the story that she wove this form of cross at the death bed of either her father or a pagan lord, who upon hearing what the cross meant, asked to be baptized.
One version goes as follows: “A pagan chieftain from the neighborhood of Kildare was dying. Christians in his household sent for Brigid to talk to him about Christ. When she arrived the chieftain was raving. As it was impossible to instruct this delirious man, hopes for his conversion seemed doubtful. Brigid sat down at his bedside and began consoling him. As was customary, the dirt floor was strewn with rushes both for warmth and cleanliness. Brigid stooped down and started to weave them into a cross, fastening the points together. The sick man asked what she was doing. She began to explain the cross, and as she talked his delirium quieted and he questioned her with growing interest. Through her weaving, he converted and was baptized at the point of death.”

 

ST. Brigid's Cloak

St. Brigid went to the King of Leinster to ask for land to build a convent. She told the king that the place where she stood was the perfect place for a convent. It was beside a forest where they could collect firewood. There was also a lake nearby that would provide water and the land was fertile. The king laughed at her and refused to give her any land. Brigid prayed to God and asked him to soften the king’s heart. Then she smiled at the king and said “will you give me as much land as my cloak will cover?” The king thought that she was joking and because Brigid’s cloak was so small he knew that it would only cover a very small piece of land. The king agreed and Brigid spread her cloak on the ground. She asked her four friends to hold a corner of the cloak and walk in opposite directions. The four friends walked north, south, east and west. The cloak grew immediately and began to cover many acres of land. The king was astonished and he realized that she had been blessed by God. The king fell to the ground and knelt before Brigid and promised her and her friends money, food and supplies. Soon afterwards, the king became a Christian and also started to help the poor. Brigid’s miracle of the cloak was the first of many miracles that she worked for the people of Ireland.

St. Brigid died in AD 525 at the age of 75 and was buried in a tomb before the High Altar of her Abbey church. After some time, her remains were exhumed and transferred to Downpatrick to rest with the two other patron saints of Ireland, St. Patrick and St. Columcille. Her skull was extracted and brought to Lisbon, Portugal by two Irish noblemen, and it remains there to this day. St. Brigid is the female patron saint of Ireland. She is also known as Muire na nGael or Mary of the Gael which means Our Lady of the Irish. Her feast day is the 1st of February which is the first day of Spring in Ireland.

 

 

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!

 

Prayer for the New Year

Begin the New Year by standing at the threshold of this new moment & offering it to God.

In the year ahead,
Lord of New Beginnings,
Stretch our souls
And move us
Into new awareness
Of the human family,
Their needs and their longings.

Make these into
our needs, our longings
So we move more confidently
From our small selves
To a deeper sense of community
Where our resolutions reflect
Our interdependence.

Help us recognize the
Possibilities you have offered
To us as a people,
So we can commit to practice The Hope that happens
When we gather gratefully
In your Name and we hold up to you
This fragile, precious world.

Grant us all the grace
In this year ahead
To sow the seeds of justice
And to gather peace in our day.

Amen

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Greetings for the New Year

 

 

To all the people of Bantry Parish, at home and abroad, their families and friends,

May beautiful moments and happy memories surround you with joy in 2013

May the new year refresh your spirit and bestow upon you

new inspiration, love, peace, prosperity, happiness and good health

We celebrate new beginnings, goals & plans, hopes & dreams,

but most of all

A New Year of Peace, Joy & happiness.

 

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Parish Bulletin - Weekend of the 30th December

Sunday January 13^th 2013

We are inviting all babies baptized in our three churches in 2012 to attend any of our Masses on Sunday January 13^th, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Parents and babies are asked to sit near the front and will be invited into the Sanctuary before the Final Blessing. Each baby will receive a Miraculous Medal

 

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SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL. CONTACT NUMBER; 027-55951

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS — 01-8420700. West Cork after hours service – 087-6114946 (after 7pm)

SUICIDE Prevention Helpline 1800 742 745: a free phone help-line open daily from 6.00pm — 10.00pm for people who are feeling suicidal or equally for a family member or friend who is concerned about someone.

Living Links –supporting the relatives and other survivors of suicide: Tom Corcoran 085 2445575, tomcorcoran@westcorklivinglinks.ie

West Cork Women against Violence Helpline: 1800203136

Bantry Care for the Aged / Daycare Centre / Housing / Meals on Wheels: Tel: 087-9246582

ACCORD: Marriage /Relationship Counselling & Pre-Marriage Courses – Tel. 027-50272 or accordbantry@eircom.net

West Cork Carers Support Group: Bantry, Tel; 02753848. Check for support, courses and advice.

Youth Mass: Dominican Novices invite you to Monthly Mass in St Mary’s, Pope’s Quay. 1^st Tuesday of each month.

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Died Recently

We extend our prayers & sympathy to the families, relatives and friends of

Patrick (P.J.) Spillane

(Derrygrenaugh West, Bantry)

Denis J. (Joe) Hegarty

(Ardnageeha, Bantry)

Patrick (Paddy) Murray

(Cahirmuckee, Kealkil)

who died this past week.

May they rest in peace

 

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Recent Parish Baptisms:

Billy Ryan O’Donovan

(Rope Walk, Bantry)

We welcome him into our

Christian Community

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