Sunday Newsletter

Masses Today

6.30: Tom Duffy, (1st Anniv).
11.00: Annie Duggan, (Anniv).

As I Was Saying...

Across the world Christian people are about to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a truly magic time, in the innocent meaning of that term. It is the only day of the year when falling Mass attendance figures go into reverse: I guess 99% of our people attend Mass on Christmas Day.

Of all the stories that are told about Jesus - the hillside sermons, the miraculous healings, the last supper, the betrayal with a kiss, the crucifixion and the rising again - why is it this one - the Christmas story - that seems to have such power to move us?

I have often pointed out that, while only a handful of people attend the Easter Vigil, Christmas Midnight Mass is jam-packed. Yet the theologians tell us that the Easter Vigil is far and away our most important feast. Yet the people vote with their feet for Christmas Midnight Mass. Why is this? I think it may well be because Christmas calls us back to some of those core values around which we build our lives as individuals and as a society.

Most of the time we don't have to be particularly reflective about life. We just live it. We get on with work, the family, relationships. But sometimes we need to think about what matters to us and why; and commit ourselves again to key values. The story of Christmas provokes us into doing that. Seeds are sown here, ideas suggested, values enshrined that first transformed those of the ancient world and continue to nourish down the years.

What we notice in the Christmas story is this: first, that it is peopled not with the high and mighty, but with the modest and lowly. These are not wealthy or powerful people, but working people, ordinary people - shepherds, a carpenter and his wife. God comes into our world through people like this and makes his home with people like this. From the start, Christianity affirms the value and the worth of the ordinary and the lowly. All human beings are now cherished because they too are children of God. This then makes Christian people uncomfortable with any attempt to judge others according to wealth or status. It nudges us in egalitarian directions. The wealth that matters is the content of our characters. The status that counts is that we are his brothers and sisters.

We forget how revolutionary the Christmas story was when it was first told. It first echoed in a society where people were rigidly separated by social class; where there was slavery; where many were despised simply through the accident of birth. Starting at the manger, Christianity turned that world upside down.

And we might also notice the particular role played by a woman, by Mary. Again, we should not overlook the significance of that in a patriarchal society that dismissed women's contribution. But here, in the Christmas story, that contribution is essential; for this is a virgin birth. These are our 'key values', key ways of understanding what is important in life that the Christmas story encapsulates. But why do we need to go on telling it? The sad truth is that lessons can be unlearnt, insights forgotten, values eroded. Which is why this Christmas, after a year of shocking events in our country, more of us than ever found our way into churches to hear again about a signal to a maid and a human birth. Have a great Christmas and thanks for everything.

-Dick Lyng

Items of Some Interest

Christmas Programme, 2006

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.

"Angels, we have heard on high..."

The Augustinian Choir is as central to your enjoyment of Christmas as is the turkey! Year after year they rise to the occasion with a great flourish. It is the choir who has made 'Christmas in the Auggie' such a traditional event. While their contribution is acknowledged in a general way, very few people could name four regular members of our choir. They would identify Sonny and Pat for sure; but after that the eyes would glaze over!

Their anonymity is partly explained by the fact that they are secluded away in the "crow's nest", safe from the gaze of the scoffing multitudes. So this Christmas we will give you a chance to match names to faces. (Answers on a postcard only!) Apologies to those whose faces I had to omit for lack of space. (See the pdf version of the newsletter for the photos)

Lillian Broderick (Knocknacarra)
Emily Cahalan (Menlo)
Seamus Cahalan (Menlo)
Mary Cantwell (Mervue)
Sophie Coyle (Long Walk)
Cathal Cunningham (Knocknacarra)
Paddy Daly (Headford Rd.)
Yvonne Daly (Newcastle)
Jimmy Dooley (Shantalla)
Margaret Duggan (Renmore)
Gerry Ferguson (Menlo)
John Gannon (Moycullen)
Fin Garvey (Moycullen)
Maria Garvey (Moycullen)
John Grealish (Barna)
Mary Joyce (Salthill)
Maggie Kelly (Knocknacarra)
Ita Lennon (Renmore)
Jessica Lillis (Salthill)
Ann McDonagh (Rahoon)
John McDonagh (The Claddagh)
Ann McManus (Taylor's Hill)
Phyllis McNamara (Oranmore)
Gearoidin Nic Aodha (Newcastle)
Nuala Nolan (Middle St.)
Michael O'Hare (Newcastle)
Niamh O'Hare (Newcastle)
Mary O'Leary (Knocknacarra)
Noel O'Rourke (Salthill)
Maureen Rabbitte (Forster St.)

Financial Progress Report

Those of you who 'touch base' with us for Christmas may wish to know the progress on our Church Restoration and its financial welfare! Bishop Drennan blessed and re-dedicated the church on Sunday, February 19th. It was a wonderful ceremony and a memorable day. Since this weekend will be the first visit for many of you to this Church since that event, we are leaving the little booklet published for that occasion around the Church. It contains a statement of the vision that drove the project originally, and the names of the key people involved in implementing that vision. Please take it (and the Pledge Letter) with you as as a souvenir.

The original estimate (for church and priory) was €3.7 million. But, thanks to careful management of the costs, the original estimate was reduced by €275,000. In addition, the Augustinians themselves contributed €1.2 million. When all the figures were totted, our Finance Committee, led by Anthony Ryan, was left with the job of gathering the outstanding €2.2 million.

I am delighted to inform you that they actually raised €2.02 million, leaving a debt of €180,000. This was an amazing achievement for one small church in a city centre now largely depopulated of settled family residents. We now have a Sacred Space that we can be truly proud of. This is the unique contribution of this generation. We are be eternally grateful to our fantastic committees, and to you, the donors and our benefactors. It was an intimidating project, but worth it.

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