Sunday Newsletter
Masses Today
6.30: Nora Bray, (Anniv).
11.00: Peg Tierney, (Anniv).
6.30: Doreen Lydon, (Anniv).
- Masses for Sunday, May 10th: 6.30: Larry O'Donnell; 11.00: Eamon Lynskey.
- Anniversary this weekend: Adrian Ruane.
- COLLECTION LAST SUNDAY: €1,410.00.
- PUBLIC HOLIDAY: Since Monday is a Bank Holiday, there will be no 8.30 Mass and the Priory Office will remain closed all day.
- VOCATIONS SUNDAY: Today is Vocations Sunday. The collection today goes to the diocese. This collection helps to provide the resources necessary to educate students who are studying for the priesthood for Galway diocese. At the moment there are two men in formation. Funding is also required to defray some of the expenses associated with supporting and promoting vocations to the priesthood, such as the production of publicity material and the organisation of various workshops and events. Support for this collection is a practical expression of the desire for priestly vocations in the diocese of Galway.
- GOOD COUNSEL TRIDUUM: The devotional has fallen on difficult times. In recent years, poor attendance forced us to reduce our own Novena to a Triduum. However, it went really well this year. The crowds were well up. This was particularly true of the final night when the Church was almost full. Credit for this must rest at the door of Ned Crosby. His presentations were wonderful. My only regret is that so few younger people attended. I'm sure that they would have found Ned's positive presentation of the Christian message uplifting and reassuring. However, enough of this wishful thinking! The Triduum was a real joyful celebration. Well done Ned, and thanks again.
As I Was Saying...
Governments and news outlets are walking a very fine line in reporting the current 'Swine Flu' outbreak in Mexico. It is one thing to inform people of what is actually happening in order to move them to an appropriate state of preparation. It is quite another matter to scare the life out of them, provoking a damaging over-reaction.
One of the main agents of panic has been a relatively new means of communication called 'Twitter'. This medium is favoured by the young. It is a free 'micro-blogging' service first introduced in 2006. It enables its users to send and read other users' updates known as 'tweets'. Tweets are text-based messages of up to 140 characters.
Experts reckon that there are now 6 million 'twitterers' worldwide. This method of 'micro-communication' is enormously important in the formation of opinion, apparently.
Given that the users' messages are confined to 140 characters, don't expect to find nuanced and considered opinions here! The users' reaction to swine flu is fairly typical. These exchanges will give you a flavour of the general content:
- I'm concerned that the swine flu outbreak in US and Mexico could well be germ warfare?
- In the Pandemic Spanish Flu of 1918-19, my Grandfather said bodies were piled high like wood in our local town. SWINE FLU = DANGER!
- Good grief! This swine flu thing is getting really serious. Eight out of nine specimens tested in NYC were positive. So that's Texas, Mexico and now NYC gone!
- Be careful of swine flu!! (May lead to global epidemic), Outbreak in Mexico. 62 dead so far. Don't eat pork from Mexico.
Here we see the power of misinformation at its worst. Hundreds of messages are flooding in each second. Catastrophic forecasts are indulged and apocalyptic predictions are encouraged. These brainless 'Twitters' seem to revel in groundless sensationalism and panic-stoking!
US officials are well aware of how panic-inducing rhetoric can backfire. In 1976, a public scare over a potential outbreak of swine flu led to 40 million people being vaccinated. The outbreak never happened. But 32 people died from the vaccine. And in 1999, the famous 'Millennium Bug' never materialised. But lots of useless anti-virus soft-wear was sold as a result! Finding a balance in communicating risk is not easy.
When the news media played up a threat of bio-terrorism after 9/11, a top Al Qaeda figure wrote to his colleagues: "We only became aware of [such weapons] when the enemy drew our attention to them by repeatedly expressing concerns that they can be produced simply with easily available materials."
Whether it is tainted food or terrorism, the manner in which people talk about a threat can either prepare us sensibly, or panic us! At the moment, it is the fear of swine flu, rather than swine flu itself, that is most highly contagious.
-Dick Lyng
HAPPENINGS
- LOURDES PILGRIMAGE: The Pilgrimage takes place from July 1-6. Full fare is €730. (Deposit: €80). Special accommodation is available to people with special needs at €590. Information from Fr. Martin Moran at 091- 550106. Reservations to Fahy Travel, Bridge Street at 091-594744. A place is reserved for one sick person from St. Augustine's here. This person will travel free of charge. If you can think of anyone, please let me know and I will make the necessary approaches.
- KNOCK PILGRIMAGE: The annual Diocesan pilgrimage to Knock takes place on Sunday, May 24th, 2009. The Sacrament of the Sick will be celebrated at 2.30, followed by Mass and Rosary Procession at 3.00. If interested, contact Fr. Sean Kilcoyne at 091-764765.
- EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS: The course for all Eucharistic Ministers will be held in the Priory on Wednesday, May 20th at 7.30. Ciaran Doyle from 'the Bish' will direct proceedings. All Eucharistic Ministers are expected to attend.
- FIRST FRIDAY: I will make the First Friday calls on Friday next, May 8th at the usual times.
Confirmation Day
Twin sisters Miriam and Helen Lacey celebrated their Big Day on Thursday last when they were confirmed in Oranmore by Bishop Martin Drennan. I hope you both did very well on the day (spiritually speaking, of course!).
New Liturgy Group
Our Liturgy Group will hold its first meeting on Thursday next, May 7th at 7.30 in the Priory. The following people signed up for this task: Katie Hager, Martin Beuster, Cathal Cunningham, Des Foley, Gerry Ferguson, Majella O'Keeffe, Niall Coghlan, Peadar O-hIci, Mairin Kilvarry, Dick Lyng, Peter Cunnane, Margaret Cunnane, and Jackie Ni Chionnai.
We have adopted the following statement as a tentative expression of our composition and aims. The statement needs tweaking as we go on (going forward!): "The Parish Liturgy Group will function as a sub-group of the Parish Steering Committee. At least two members of the Steering Committee, together with choir leaders, the coordinators of Minister of the Word and Eucharist, a representative of the Children's Liturgy Group, as well as other interested persons form this group.
Our primary focus is to foster the liturgical life of this Parish. We will see how it goes!
PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
God our Father, into a world disfigured by sin you sent your Son that in him we might see the beauty of your care for us as we travel our pilgrim journey. Give us eyes of faith so that we may be alert to your love at work for us in every event of life. May we grow in wonder at your love that heals, that forgives, that strengthens, that consoles, that guides us into the way of peace.
Let us grow in gratitude for the shepherds you give us, for those who are leaders by the good they do, for those who understand our thirst to grow, for those who take away our hearts of stone when life is difficult, for those who help us find peace. May the care and goodness we have known mould us into shepherds with caring hearts for those in need of support and inner strength. May we always have good shepherds who know the way to you, who show us the way to you, who make the gospel attractive by the way they live. May the different vocations and the different gifts truly enrich us. May those who are single, married, priests and Religious, find fulfilment in living for you and build up the unity of your Church through their service as cheerful givers.
+Martin Drennan.
Quote, unquote...
- "The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."
- "Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens."
- "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days the statue."
- "If you cannot convince them, confuse them."
- "Beauty, brains, availability, personality; pick any two."
- "Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy."
- "Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else."
- "A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken."