Sunday Newsletter

Masses Today

6.30: (Vigil Mass) Patrick & Nellie Kerins, (Anniv).
11.00: Teresa Tully, (Anniv).
6.30: Pascal Seery, (Anniv).

Masses Sunday, December 9th: 6.30 (Vigil): George Herterich (3rd Anniv.); 11.00: Bridget Maloney; 6.30: Gerry, Jack & Bridget Ward.
COLLECTION LAST SUNDAY: €1,240.00.
CROI COLLECTION TODAY: CROI Foundation will hold its annual church gate collection this weekend. Please do what you can for them.

As I Was Saying...

So the ducks are lined up. The month of December began yesterday. The lights are on in Shop Street. The season of Advent has begun. The Jesse Tree is decorated today. The embargo on mentioning Christmas is now well and truly over!

Expect a letter to the Irish Times one of these days claiming that December 25th isn't really a Christian feast at all. (There is a flip side to this coin: a denominational feast shouldn't have civil status in a pluralist society! These pluralists are a dreary lot! But I digress...) The letter will go on to complain that the Church has hijacked what is really a pagan festival for its own purposes. The subtext of course is that the Church is pulling the wool over the people's eyes, and that the stupid people are rejoicing in their blindness!

Well, not so fast, my friend! The first people to come to this brilliant conclusion were, in fact, Christians themselves. In his Medieval Sourcebook, 'The Golden Legend', written in 1275, the Dominican bishop of Genoa, Jacobus de Voragine, points out that the winter solstice was chosen for the feast because of its rich symbolic value. In fact, the earliest indication we have of Christmas falling on December 25th is from a Syrian Christian in the late 4th century:

'It was the custom of the pagans to celebrate on the same December 25th, the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these revelries the Christians also took part. Accordingly, when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnised on this day.'

The practice of adopting pagan festivities for Christian celebrations is an excellent example of the sensible stance of the early Church Fathers. Why reinvent the wheel? Why not build on what is found? Given that one day in 365 had to be chosen to mark the birth of Christ, it made perfect sense to select a day that was already hallowed by custom.

Yet, December 25th was a funny date to choose. There were far more obvious dates: either the pagan festival of Saturnalia, beginning on December 17th, and ending on December 23rd. This absorbed the winter solstice of December 21st. Curiously enough, Christmas Day, December 25th, fell outside the range of these popular pagan feasts. While our pagan Celtic ancestors took account of the winter solstice, they favoured festivities timed for the beginning of the seasons: February 1st, (Imbolc), May 1st (Beltaine) and November 1st (Samhain). These are still popular feasts in the folk memory of our people.

In other words, to complain in the pages of the Irish Times that Christmas is essentially a pagan feast hijacked by aggrandising Christians, is to say very little. As it happens, it was a happy choice. What better way to celebrate the birth of the 'light of the world' than to gather together around the blazing fire and warm hearth. And the date has a one-in-365 chance of being right! St. John's gospel should add to the glow: 'This light no darkness can overcome.'

-Dick Lyng

Items of Interest

STEERING COMMITTEE: Our next Steering Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday week next, December 12th at 7.30. Clear the diary!
FIRST FRIDAY: I will make house calls at the usual times on Friday next. If you know of anyone we should be visiting, tell us please.
FEAST ON SATURDAY: Saturday next, December 8th, is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and a Church Holiday. Times of Masses here: 6.30 (Friday), 8.30, 11.00, 1.10, and 6.30. Please note that there is no Mass at 10.00.
THE CATHEDRAL: To mark the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a Vigil of Prayer will be held in the Cathedral on Friday December 7th, beginning with Mass at 6.00pm and ending at 9.00pm. All are welcome.
THE SICK: You will be glad to learn that Sonny Molloy and Andy McGinley have both left hospital and are both convalescing well in a Nursing Home. Keep them in your prayers and we wish them well.
CEMETERIES: In remembrance of our loved ones during the Christmas Season, a tree will be placed inside the gates of the New Cemetery, Bohermore and Rahoon Cemetery. You are encouraged to bring along a red ribbon to tie to the tree as a token of remembrance.
ICONS: You are invited to the opening of a Christmas Icon exhibition by Romanian artists Mihai Cucu in St. Nicholas' Church on Saturday, December 8th at 4.00pm. It will will be opened by Mr. Steve Higgins.

Pastoral Care of Young People

Only a handful of parishes throughout Ireland now offer a meaningful youth ministry programme for young adults. It seems that in order to be considered young in the Irish Church you need to be at school! Young people who are involved in the Church today can be placed in three categories:

Committed - Many of the committed young people have chosen to be part of the Church and probably come from families where Church-going and faith are important values. Many go out of their way to go to Mass or participate in youth ministry events.
Conservative - There is an increasing minority of young people who feel that the only way to be part of the Church is to radicalise some of its teachings, mainly due to their belief that the Church has gone silent on some aspects of doctrine. While some are articulate, most are extreme in their views. Usually this group of young people regard devotions and a return to practices of popular piety as echoes of pre-Vatican II faith. Though a minority in Ireland this group of young people is huge in countries like Australia, England, America and Canada. They would seem to be able to blend a strong old-world Catholicism with elements of the evangelical tradition.
Confused - Even after 12 years of secondary schooling and RE many young people who are confirmed and welcomed into the Church, are still largely ignorant and confused about the Church's role. Many drift from faith at an early age. The tradition of going to Mass on Sundays was probably abandoned by their parents so the habit was not really imbedded. Usually when they participate in youth ministry programmes, they are already on the sidelines and just glad to go along with everything.

There has never really been a plan for involving young people in the Church in Ireland. There have been localised initiatives, but no national plan. It is an accident that so many young people are still involved with us. The longer people take to realise the importance of youth ministry, the faster the Church will haemorrhage its young people. They will only be attracted to a living Church, which is vibrant rather than disillusioned. And who could blame them for that!

-Gerard Gallagher of 'Catholic Youth Care'.

An Invite to St Nicolas's Feast

The Rector, The Rev'd Patrick Towers, invites all Augustinians and their Associates to join with the people of St. Nicholas' in celebrating the Feast of their Patron Saint on Thursday night next, December 6th at 7.30 for a social celebration. It will be a wonderful night of music, song, mulled wine (and unmulled wine!), and much seasonal celebration.

Please arrive hungry and sober so that your sad situation may be properly attended to! Admission is Free and without strings attached. Come in great numbers. There will be plenty for all.

Christmas Light Celebration

On Sunday December 9th the CONSOLE Christmas Celebration of Light Ceremony will take place in The Augustinian Church, Galway at 4.00 p.m. This ceremony brings family, friends and work colleagues together in solidarity and hope to remember the life of their loved one who has died by suicide. This is an evening of song, music, poetry and reflection including the lighting of candles followed by a minutes silence to commemorate friends and loved ones. You are welcome to bring a framed photo or symbol of your loved one to place on the "Remembrance Table" during the evening.

The Christmas Programme

THE GIVING TREES: As you see, the Christmas 'Giving Trees' are now in place. The labels were composed from a 'wish list' drawn up after consultation with those in need. The idea is that you should take one of the labels and purchase the item written on it. You would take that gift to the Mass of Giving on Sunday, December 16th at 11.00, or, better still, hand it in at the Priory Office before that date! Our organising committee will then ensure that your gift reaches its destination in good time for the Christmas. This normally works very well and the needy are deeply appreciative of the gifts given.
CHILDREN'S MASS: The children's Nativity Play will be presented at the 11.00 Mass on Sunday December 23rd. This play will function as the Liturgy of the Word for that Sunday. (So no formal readings or readers required.)
Santa Claus: Santa Claus will visit the Augustinian Priory after that Mass on the 23rd. If your child comes to this Mass regularly, please inform Santa today!
AMNESTIES: We will hold three Amnesties for Christmas: on Thursday 20th at 7.30pm; on Saturday 22nd at 4.30pm and Christmas Eve (Monday, 24th) at 4.30pm. We would very much welcome singers to provide music for these sessions.
HELP: In fact, if you are in a position to help out on the church or priory in the lead up to Christmas, we would very much welcome your assistance. Please give your name to one of the priests.

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