Sunday Newsletter

Masses Today

6.30: Michael Fahy, Anniv.
12.00: Annie Duggan & Bridget Maloney, Anniv.
6.30: Bridie & Ed. Mayne, (Anniv).

AS I WAS SAYING.....

Advent is, we are told, a 'time of waiting.' I think we did the 'Honours Course' in Waiting this Advent! We looked forward to this day even more than we look forward to Christmas. The Old Testament reading for the Fourth Sunday of Advent is most appropriate. King David, having at long last united the Israelites, promises to construct a Temple more suitable to their present needs. David of course never managed to build the promised Temple. (That task would fall to his son). But he did recognise the challenge posed to religion by changed circumstances.

Obviously, the challenge of adaptation is as old as religion itself. Today represents the culmination of many years of hard work. Actually the first 'General Parish Meeting' with the explicit intention of addressing the deteriorating church fabric was held on Monday, October 11th, 1999! I have no intention of tracing the convoluted history of the entire pilgrimage, but our original intention was simply to damp-proof and paint the building. Obviously, that minimalist approach was abandoned in favour of a full 'root and branch' restoration.

The word 'restoration' is used advisedly. Despite the misgivings of the 'naysayers', no acts of vandalism were perpetrated, no deeds of desecration committed! The work of restoration was done with great patience, with great love, and -dare I say it- with not a little courage and imagination. It would be fatal to mention individuals on a day such as this! If ever a Project deserved to be called a 'community project', this was surely it. Three local committees were involved, each contributing enormously in a manner appropriate to itself: The Project Team, the Steering Committee and the Finance Team. No major decision was taken without first consulting the wider 'parish community'. The Augustinian Leadership Team in Dublin supported the project from the outset in very concrete ways (no pun intended!). Just sit back today and enjoy fully the wonderful fruits of your long, intensive labour!

-Dick Lyng

Incidentally....

"If the Lord does not build the house..."

"Remember, this church is the house of our prayers, but we ourselves are the house of God. And if we are such, we are being built up during our life here so that we may be dedicated at the end of time.

A building, or rather the construction of that building, entails toil. The dedication, however, elicits only joy. But believers in Christ do not constitute a house of the Lord until they are joined together through love."

-Augustine, Sermon 331

St. Augustine's Church

Christmas Programme, 2005

Move back to St. Augustine's: Sunday, December 18th at 12.00
PENITENTIAL SERVICES:
Tuesday, 20th: 7.30.
Thursday 22nd: 7.30.
Saturday, 24th: 4.30.
CONFESSIONS:
Wednesday, 21st: 11.30-12.30.
Thursday, 22nd: 11.30-12.30; 3.30-4.30.
Friday 23rd: 12.00-12.30; 3.30-5.30.
Saturday 24th: 11.30-1.00; 2.30-4.00.
CHRISTMAS MASSES:
12.00 Midnight & 11.00am
CHRISTMAS WEEK
Monday, 26th to Saturday 31st : One Mass daily: 11.00am
Priory Office closed all week.
SUNDAY, 1st January
Vigil Mass: (Saturday 31st) at 6.30. 11.00am & 6.30pm
MONDAY, JANUARY 2nd
(Public Holiday) 11.00 Mass only.
Holy Communion to the sick on Christmas Eve
Normal Programme resumes on Tuesday, January 3rd

Christmas

We listen to the story again:
An exotic visitor
Comes to a countrygirl
In a mountain town
And nine months afterwards
God's wisdom is a footling child.
Shepherds arrive to the place,
Summoned by music;
And scholars from some distant part,
Tracking a light.
But why did not the sun, for awe,
Lose its footing in the sky?
Why did seas not charge across the astonished land?
Why did every horse in every paddock everywhere
Not break into delirious chase?
By what foul means were linnets stilled?
And how can we,
Loving so little,
Fettered by knowledge,
Believe in such excessive love?

-Padraig Daly, OSA.

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