Sunday Newsletter
Masses Today
6.30: Tom Duffy, (1st Anniv).11.00: Teresa Tully (High St.) & John Joyce, (Anniv).
6.30: Mary Conroy, (Anniv).
- Masses for next weekend, December 24th: 6.30 (Vigil) Tom Duffy; 11.00: Annie Duggan.; (No 6.30 Mass).
- RECENT DEATHS: Pray for Mary Walsh, Bohermore, who died this week. Mary was a member of the Forthill Cemetery Committee for many years. Pray also for Margaret Conneely, late of lower Merchant's Road, who died this week. Margaret was married to a brother of the late Petie Conneely, Lower Merchant's Road. And, as if matters weren't sufficiently complicated already, a brother of Margaret (Petie's wife) died this week in England. May they all now rest in peace with God.
- CALENDAR: The 2007 Augustinian Parish calendar (A3 size) is now available in the Church. A smaller (A4) version has been sent to your homes with the Christmas Dues envelopes. Both versions contain the significant liturgical events planned for St. Augustine's here in 2007. It is valuable on two levels: it informs you of our plans; and it reminds us that we actually made plans and that we are expected to carry then out! So the Parish Calendar is both an information piece and a challenge! Pick it up!
- COLLECTION: The collection last Sunday amounted to €1,282.00.
As I Was Saying...
With the children's Nativity Play today, Christmas begins in earnest. In fact, nothing on this earth has the capacity to capture the mystery that is Christmas like the kid's Nativity Play.
This is the season when we celebrate the conviction that 'earth is joined to heaven and man becomes one with God', as the Roman liturgy puts it.
I read an article recently which attempted to portray the inner workings of our planet earth. If I've got it right, the earth has an inner solid iron core which is surrounded by a fluid outer core. Together these two cores create the earth's magnetic field. With the rotation of the earth, the outer core wanders. Usually, however, it returns without fuss to its original position.
Sometimes, however, the wandering is so great that it drags the inner core totally around. As a result, the magnetic field reverses everywhere. The way things are shifts dramatically; the whole of nature has to take account of this new reality. Such a cataclysmic event happens every 300 thousand years or so, apparently! So I can't claim to have been a first-hand witness!
However, what I have seen in my lifetime is equally dramatic shifts in the world of human affairs. The Iron Curtain fractures and the whole Soviet edifice collapses. Marxism goes into a spin and is replaced by the new reality of Market capitalism. In reaction to its persuasive influence, traditional cultures and religions (seemingly consigned to history) suddenly appear in new, vibrant and sometimes violent forms. And the world has to take account of that new reality.
A similar dynamic can occur in our personal lives. When we fall in love, reality shifts and spins; by the time we regain our balance, we see the world in a totally different way. But this experience of falling in love is a transient hint of a much greater spiritual transformation, which occurred in human history some 2000 years ago.
The spiritual world has parallels with the geological world. While there is a maelstrom of activity within the earth's core, yet at the same time all is peaceful and calm on the surface. In a similar way, the birth of Jesus Christ swirled unseen within the heart of the world. It dramatically shifted reality, and humanity had a chance to encounter the world in a new and different way. This was a world where new life and hope weren't only possible, but were demanded.
Apparently, when astronauts are training for long space missions, they are required to spend three months in very cramped conditions, lying on the flat of their backs with their heads slightly below horizontal. Do we spend our whole lives in such cramped conditions - strapped down unnecessarily to predictable habits of humanity, heads lying well below their capacity for thinking and perceiving, hearts constricted to the care of me and mine. With the birth of the Christ Child the world flipped. It was possible to stand and live and love.
Our Nativity Play, in all its innocent wonder, revives within believers that magic possibility. Well done!
-Dick Lyng
Items of Some Interest
- NATIVITY PLAY: Thanks to Pat Lally and Feena Cunnane for preparing the children's Nativity Play. It takes a lot of work, but you will agree that it is well worth the effort. Personally I regard it as the highlight of the Christmas celebrations. Thanks also to Gerry Ferguson who supplied a flock of sheep and a donkey to order!
- MASS OF GIVING: All the material collected at the Mass of Giving on Sunday last has been parcelled and distributed, thanks to Mary Taylor and Annamarie Heanue. There was a marvellous response. Thanks to donors and distributors alike.
- AIDS WORK: Documentary on Sunday, 17 December on TV3, 6:00- 7:00 pm, on Galway hurler, Alan Kerins' work in Africa. Based on his time in the Western Province of Zambia in 2006, this hour-long programme is a real eye-opener.
- BUSY AFTERNOON: As you will see from the 'programme of events', this is a really busy day in the Church here. The Nativity play is followed by a private baptism; we have the 'Console' Prayer Service and Concert at 3.00 in the afternoon. This service is to honour the memory of those who died through suicide. And then, at 4.00pm, we have the annual traditional Festival of Readings and Carols in St. Nicholas'.
- FUNDRAISER: I promised you last Sunday to elaborate further on Neil Warner's proposal. It is quite simple. Neil is a photographer as you know, and he attends Mass in the Augustinian here every Sunday. Essentially, he is offering 100 vouchers for family portrait sittings, each voucher having a value of €65. In the unlikely event of the 'sitter' being disappointed, s/he will get their money back. The vouchers will be sold by the Augustinian Church Project for €35 with the Church retaining 100% of the proceeds. The sale of the 100 vouchers will net the Church €3,500 which will go towards the restoration. The 'pay-off' for Neil is a bit of promotion. If you are interested in pursuing this matter, please let myself or Des Kavanagh know. I will keep you posted on this.
Christmas Programme, 2006
| Sunday 17th at 11.00: | Nativity Play & Mass. |
| Sunday, 17th at 3.00: | Console 'Service of Light'. |
| Sunday, 17th at 4.30: | Carol Service in St. Nicholas'. |
| PENITENTIAL SERVICES (AMNESTY) | |
| Tuesday, 19th: 7.30pm. | |
| Thursday, 21st: 7.30pm. | |
| Saturday, 23rd: 4.30pm. | |
| CONFESSIONS: | |
| Tuesday, 19th: | 11.30-12.30; 3.30-4.30. |
| Wednesday 20th: | 12.00-12.45; 3.30-5.30. |
| Thursday 21st: | 11.30-12.30; 3.30-5.30. |
| Friday, 22nd: | 11.30-1.00; 3.30-5.30. |
| Saturday, 23rd: | 11.30-1.00; 3.00-4.00. |
| Sunday, 24th: | No 6.30 evening Mass |
| CHRISTMAS MASSES: | |
| 12.00 Midnight. | |
| 11.00am Christmas morning. | |
| WEEKDAY PROGRAMME: | |
| Tuesday, 26th Dec to Tuesday, Jan 2nd: | 11.00am Mass only. |
| Sunday, December 31st: | Usual Sunday Programme |
| PRIORY OFFICE | |
| Office will reopen on Tuesday, January 2nd. | |
Augustinian Project Financial Report
We invited all those who contributed to our Restoration Project to a lively 'Social Evening' in the Augustinian Priory on Wednesday night last. It was organised by Des Kavanagh, co-ordinating person for the three committees involved. Despite terrible weather, a great crowd showed up and enjoyed themselves thoroughly!
But, as we all know, 'there is no gain without pain!' We had to touch on sordid money matters! Actually, it was an opportunity for the members of the Finance Committee to 'give and account of their stewardship'. This was done clearly and admirably by their chairperson, Anthony Ryan.
The following information tells its own tale. The original estimate for the restoration (church and priory) was €3.7 million. But, thanks to careful management of the costs by the Project Team and Finance Committee, the original estimate was reduced by €275,000. In addition, the Augustinians contributed €1.2 million. When all the figures were totted, our Finance Committee was asked to collect €2.2 million.
I am delighted to inform you that they actually raised €1.95 million, leaving a debt of €250,000. With a bit of coaxing and goading, we are confident of raising that balance in the short term. This was an amazing achievement for one small church in a city centre now largely depopulated of settled family residents. (Incidentally, McLoughlin's Auction realised the princely sum of €22,230.00.)
The Augustinians will be eternally grateful to our fantastic committees, and to you, the donors and our benefactors. Without your generosity, we would not be here.