February

St.Brigid's Feast

I should like a great lake of finest ale for the King of kings.
I should like a table of choicest food for the family of heaven.
Let the ale be made from the fruits of faith
And the food be forgiving love.

I should welcome the poor to my feast for they are God’s children,
I should welcome the sick for they are God’s joy.
Let the poor sit with Jesus at the highest place,
And the sick dance with angels.

God bless the poor and the sick.
God bless our human race and our food.

Don’t forget to put out your Brigid’s Cross or Brat Bríde! The cross used to be the emblem of RTÉ at one time but not anymore. I’d say she would be glad not to be associated with some of what goes on there at present—the bad language in particular!
Confirmation Day

Congratulations to all the boys and girls who will receive the Holy Spirit on Sunday 26th. Confirmation Day is a great day of grace for all the parish. It gives us an opportunity to reflect on our calling as Christians and now our community is reinforced with all these very young invigorated people. The Holy Spirit doesn’t just descend on us, he lifts us up. There is a movement of resurrection/ascension too. And we all go together. And he will be like your mobile—you can call at any time but will have no need to worry about ‘reception’ or ‘credit’. Delighted to be disturbed he will be! The only thing is we don’t always remember he is so close no matter how often we say or sing “The Lord is close to all who call him”. Have a great day boys and girls! Read up some of the stories about those who “had the spirit of God in them”. Samson could tear a lion to pieces. And more like yourselves, Jeremiah went from ‘being too young for the job’ to becoming a likeness of Christ who was to come. That’s only two, there are many more. And when the Spirit rested on Jesus, he was able to leave home and go off and begin his ministry, heal the sick, forgive sins, pray all night, raise the dead and put them right with God , and, best of all he transformed all of us into children of God.

A big thank you to all who answered the call and who generously volunteered to serve on the Parish Pastoral Council. We wish them success in their endeavours. Thanks too to all the others who worked hard on the old council and have now stepped down to make way.
Your new council is as follows. Keith Dransfield, Bríd Duggan, Paddy Leahy, Carmel Murphy and John O Donoghue all from the previous council. Then there are the new members  Betty Devine, Mary Kiely, Paddy Mason, Denise Meaney, Margaret O Donoghue, Angela O Reilly, Finbar Power, Patricia Stam and Erica Szunygova . I hope I haven't omitted anyone.