Sunday Newsletter
Masses Today
6.30: (Vigil) Gerry, Jack & Bridget Ward, (Anniv).
11.00: John Joyce, (Anniv).
6.30: Joan Murphy, (Anniv).
- Masses for Sunday, December 20th: 6.30 (Vigil): Margaret Conneely; 11.00: Annie Duggan; 6.30: Bill & Joan Kelleher.
- COLLECTION LAST SUNDAY: €1,715.00.
- PARISH CALENDAR: The 2010 Galway Augustinian Parish calendar is now available in the Church. This attractive 'fridge decorator' contains all the significant liturgical feasts for 2010. It is free of charge.
- NEW ENVELOPES: We will continue the distribution of our new set of weekly collection envelopes this weekend. Since we introduced this system, our collections have increased by almost one third. We appeal to those who are not yet in the scheme to sign up. There is a considerable 'tax kick-back' to the Church at the end of each year. We will do the distribution at the beginning and end of the Mass. Please don't rush off without your envelope (even if the roast is in the oven!) Thank you for your patience and your generosity.
- MASS OF REMEMBRANCE TODAY: The annual 'Mass of Remembrance' for those babies who died at or around birth (stillbirth, neonatal, miscarriage) will be celebrated this evening in UCG Chapel at 6.00.
- SCRIPTURE FOR ADVENT: We completed our 'Scripture for Advent' course on Wednesday night last. It had consisted of just three sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. Over 20 people attended each night, including the Rector and some parishioners from St. Nicholas. 'How the gospels were formed' was our general theme. On the final night we diluted our scriptural learning with some nice wine and mince pies! St. Paul would have approved, I hope.
- NEW CRIB: Our traditional crib in the Augustinian has served us well for over twenty years. Willie Andrew and the late Larry Carter were the original 'constructors; Larry Carter (Jnr.) continued the work. We will experiment this year with a new model, located in the Sacred Heart Chapel. We'll see how it works.
As I Was Saying...
'Christmas has been destroyed by materialism' is an oft-heard cliche. But we could argue that Christmas is in fact not materialistic enough in another sense! We have spiritualised it out of meaningful existence. We have turned it into a romantic 'feel good' season where our hearts are warmed but our minds stay frozen.
An analysis of our more popular Christmas Carols will support this thesis. For example, "Away in a Manger" includes this highly unlikely line: 'The little boy Jesus no crying he makes!' That is surely a cliche. Well now, where did they get him? (The fellow who wrote the Carol, I mean, not the baby!) The whole point of the Christmas story is that God took on the whole mess of humanity, screaming babies included. The stuff of life can no longer be considered irredeemably evil. Matter matters, if you know what I mean.
From the very beginning, many found this truth too hard to take. Surely God must be kept at a safe distance away from the mess and the muck of this world! Do we need a God with dirty hands! Early on in the game, theologians emerged to press the point of view that Jesus wasn't really human at all. One particular theologian viewed humanity as God's overcoat: he could wear it or discard it, at his own discretion!
The Church eventually condemned this view as heretical. That may sound ridiculous to us. But, doesn't our sanitised and other-worldly view of the nativity also lean in this general heretical direction? If we could only give up our cosy images of the Christmas story, we might begin to recognise the truly shocking nature of the incarnation. We might realise that the swaddling clothes of the divine baby needed constant changing too!
It must be twenty years ago now since Fr Denis Crosby 'staged' a live crib on Williamsgate Street, in that archway leading down to the back of the Skeff. The 'actors' were drawn from the Travelling community, complete with a real, living ass! The lambs were taken from the Tarpey farm in Ardrahan.
It was a wonderful stroke of realism, bringing the Christmas story down to earth, so to speak! (Admittedly, the pudding was once slightly over-egged when an obviously anxious St. Joseph lit up a cigarette!) It contrasted sharply with nativity scenes in our churches and on our chocolate boxes. Crosby's unromantic 'Moving Crib' challenged us as no other could. In the midst of all the floods and scandals, the glitz and the glamour, poverty is still at the heart of the Christmas story. If we fail to respond to that, our Christmas story has been reduced to a children's Fairy Tale.
We are holding our 'Flood Disaster' collection today. Your response to our simple 'Giving Tree' indicates a great dept of generosity in our community. We appeal once more to that charitable impulse on behalf of our neighbours whose lives were devastated by recent floods. Your generosity may help alleviate some of their misery.
-Dick Lyng
Happenings
- CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS MASS: Just one week to go now to our Nativity Play and the Children's Christmas Mass on Sunday next, December 20th. The children's Nativity Play will function as the Liturgy of the Word for that day. (So no formal readings or readers required.) Pat Lally and Feena Cunnane are still taking names for parts. Shepherds, and Angels in particular, are much in demand. This celebration is always an occasion of great joy and fun. On that day too, December 20th, Santa will visit the Priory after Mass. He has drawn up a list of those children who behaved themselves in Church throughout the past year. (The list is very, very brief!) If your child comes to this Mass regularly, or if you are expecting visiting grandchildren here in the Augustinian for the Christmas, please inform Santa today! This situation is getting rather serious. We have only seven days to go!
- LITURGY GROUP: Our Liturgy Group will meet on Thursday night next at 7.30. The following are members: Dick Lyng, Tim Roe, Margaret Cunnane, Rosemarie Ryan, Majella O'Keeffe, Gerry Ferguson, Mairin Gilvarry, Fionnuala Walsh, Des Foley, Jackie Ui Chionna, Peader O-hIci, Cathal Cunningham, Audrey Lacey, Katie Hager and Martin Buester.
- SINGERS REQUIRED: We have two 'Amnesty' Sessions this Advent: Monday, 21st at 7.30pm and Christmas Eve at 4.30pm. Music is central to these ceremonies. We are looking for new singers. A practice will be held on Wednesday night next at 7.30. Please come along if you are in a position to assist us with this.
CHOIR LAUNCHES NEW CD
A discerning if raucous crowd turned up at the Galway City Museum on Tuesday night last for the launch of the new CD by the crowd from the loft, the Auggie Choir. Phyllis MacNamara was in flying form as she introduced the formal proceedings for the evening. The Mayor, Declan McDonnell, had some generous things to say about the choir and the Augustinian. He said he had warm memories of his time as an Altar Server at the Augustinian under the guidance of Father Sullivan in the 1950s. Galway Advertiser chairman, Ronnie O'Gorman performed the official launch with great aplomb. He took us on a 'Cooke's Tour' of the cultural accoutrements of various Galway Churches, highlighting the artistic contribution of the Augi Choir to the Galway community.
The evening concluded with the choir singing a selection of seasonal favourites from the CD. It was a very pleasant evening. The CD itself is available from the Augustinian church office for €15, or two for €25. It will also be ` available after Masses this weekend.
COLLECTION TODAY
A great number of people in Galway County have been badly affected by the recent flooding. In many instances, their property has been irreparably damaged. Some have even been forced to vacate their homes and they will not be back there until the New Year. The annual St. Vincent de Paul Church Gate Collection is now an indoor collection. We will hold just one collection and the entire proceeds will go to the St. Vincent de Paul Society's "Galway Flood Disaster Fund." Please be generous.
CHRISTMAS PLANS
| MASSES: | |
| Thursday, 24th: | 12.00 Midnight. |
| Christmas Day: | 11.00 |
| CONFESSIONS: | |
| Tuesday, 22nd: | 12.00-12.45. |
| 3.30-5.30 | |
| Wednesday, 23rd: | 11.30-12.30. |
| 3.30-5.30. | |
| Thursday, 24th | 11.30-12.30. |
| 2.30-4.00. | |
| PENITENTIAL SERVICES: | |
| Monday, 21st: | 7.30 |
| Thursday 24th: | 4.30 |
During the Christmas Holidays, (Dec. 26-Jan. 3), there will be one weekday Mass only - at 11.00am.
The Priory Office will open from 11.00-2.00 on December 29, 30 & 31.
Normal life will resume on Saturday, January 2nd.