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Easter gardens are a special way to celebrate Easter. Tradition is that an Easter garden is built to remind us of the garden where Jesus rose from the dead. The Easter garden should be colourful and full of joy to reflect the Easter story of joy in the Resurrection. It remains in place for 50 days of Easter up until Pentecost. Read all about Easter gardens here

(All ceremonies will be online this year from Ballygall and other churches in our grouping)
Monday 29th March
10.00am – Mass (www.ballygallparish.ie)
7.00 – 8.00pm – Holy Hour from Our Lady of Victories (www.olv.ie)
Tuesday 30th March
10.00am Mass (www.ballygallparish.ie)
7.30pm – Penitential Service from Iona Road parish. (www.ionaroadparish.ie)
Wednesday 31st March
10.00am Mass (www.ballygallparish.ie).
7.30pm: Chrism Mass. (www.procathedral.ie)
Archbishop Dermot Farrell will celebrate the Chrism Mass, during which he will bless the Oils for use in the sacraments throughout our Diocese in the coming year.
7.30pm – Seven Last Words: (www.glasnevinparish.ie)
A reflection on the seven last words spoken by Jesus before his death on the cross.
7.30pm: Penance Service. (www.franciscansdublin.ie)
Our Franciscan friends from Merchants’ Quay will be leading a Prayer Service of Mercy and Reconciliation giving us an opportunity to focus on and experience God’s mercy in a new and personal way.
Holy Thursday 1st April
10.00am – Morning Prayer (No morning mass) (www.ballygallparish.ie)
7.30pm – Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper. (www.ballygallparish.ie)
(A bowl of water to wash your hands/feet or those at home with you this evening).
Good Friday 2nd April (Day of Fast & Abstinence)
10.00am – Morning Prayer (No morning mass) (www.ballygallparish.ie)
12 noon – Stations of the Cross, (www.corpuschristidrumcondra.ie)
3.00pm– Solemn Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (www.ballygallparish.ie)
7.30pm– Stations of the Cross. (www.ballygallparish.ie)
(A cross or crucifix for the ceremonies today)
Holy Saturday 3rd April
10.00am – Morning Prayer (No morning mass) (www.ballygallparish.ie)
7.30pm – Easter Vigil (www.olv.ie)
(You are invited to have a candle that can be lit during the vigil)
Easter Sunday 4th April
10.00am – Mass of the Resurrection (www.ballygallparish.ie)
(Water would be appropriate to have at this Mass, blessed or otherwise)

Pope Francis has designated 2021 as the Year of St. Joseph, which adds further significance to St. Joseph’s feast day, which we celebarte on March 19th. Read much more here 

The annual Day of Prayer for Survivors and Victims of Sexual Abuse takes place on Friday 19 February 2021, the first Friday of Lent. 

The bishops of Ireland have blessed and dedicated candles of atonement for use in their Cathedrals and parishes throughout the country on 19 February and thereafter during the celebration of Mass and other liturgies.

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CANDLE OF ATONEMENT

Lord, forgive us our many sins.

We grieve and repent with all our hearts for having offended you, for our great failings and neglect of the young and vulnerable.

We place all of those who have been hurt by the Church in any way into your loving hands and under the protection of Our Blessed Mother.

Lord, bring peace to their broken lives and show us all the way out of darkness and into the light of your Word.

May we as the people of God be more fully human, more fully Christ-like and more fully your people, that we may see the errors of the past and go forward with renewed hope and faith in Christ and in our Church.

Amen.

Fr Paddy Sweeney will conduct a series of topical Lenten Reflections (“Living in Unsettling Times”) over five Thursdays during Lent. He will be speaking from each of the churches in our grouping beginning in OLV and here in Ballygall on Thursday 4th March at 7.30pm. If you would like to share your thoughts or questions with him after any of the talks there is a special email address (paddysweeney2021@gmail.com) for this purpose. If suitable he will incorporate it into future talks. For full details of the talks click here

A week when we focus on the gifts of our schools and their contribution to the faith and formation of our children. This year the theme is ‘Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith & Resilience’. This year as we know has been so difficult and we thank all in Sacred Heart and Mother of Divine Grace schools as well as Scoil Chiarain, St. Michael’s House and St. Kevin’s for their trojan work with our young people.

More information here

Although it may seem that we have nothing to greet you with apart from Covid-19 restrictions we have lots to say.

Now that the Christmas Season has finally ended we are back to ‘Ordinary Time’ once more. The green vestments, that can be seen by those joining us online, are a reminder of Spring and growth. For the next 6 weeks we will be journeying in ordinary time in the church cycle until Lent creeps up on us once more. It seems that we will be in Level 5 until at least the end of January and even then if we go back to Level 3 our churches will probably remained closed for Mass for some time longer. This brings its own difficulties for so many and we want to thank you for your loyalty and support to the parish in a different way this past year. Little did we think in March 2020 we would have our churches closed for people to gather as a community for so long with a few short months during the summer. The vaccine is coming albeit very slowly to the bulk of parishioners. Even so people are going to have a new way of coming together to pray. The church will remain open as long as possible each day for private prayer and it is heart warming to see many people coming for a few minutes or longer to spend some time before the Blessed Sacrament in prayer. A wide variety of dogs are now part of the community in prayer. I often wonder who is bringing who at times. The sight of a dog sitting in the aisle while its human friend is spending time in prayer is beautiful. Long may it continue!

Christmas Preparations: For those who made the Christmas celebrations possible and prayerful a sincere Thank You. The most obvious work was the crib in front of the altar with the Christmas tree lit in all its glory. The Advent Wreath with the Christmas Light at its centre. The Christmas decorations and flower arrangements added to the decor. The outdoor crib drew attention to what was going on in a difficult time. Readers, singers and musicians, stewards, cleaners, those working behind the scenes in the parish office and sacristy enabling viewers get a good look at the ceremonies and of course the viewers themselves for making it all worthwhile all deserve a special round of applause. Those who collected newsletters and missalettes as well as bottles of Holy Water to bring to those unable to be physically present.

Finance: Thanks to those who continue to collect and return Family Offering envelopes which is the backbone of the parish finances. The shrines are also a wonderful source of revenue for the parish upkeep. As a priest I would like to say a special thanks to those who returned the Christmas Dues envelopes and to those who have taken to the trial credit card donation machine which contributes to the pay of the priests and the lay workers of the diocese via the Common Fund & Share collection. Many are contributing to the ‘normal’ Sunday collections via the envelopes available in the porch. These can be left in to either the church shop post box or via my own letter-box. People are also contributing directly to the parish via the donate button on the parish website. We haven’t always been efficient in acknowledging these donations but rest assured they are being noted and your support is greatly appreciated.

Church Shop: The shop will remain closed but if you are needing cards or anything else that you have seen or would like, please contact the parish office and we can arrange purchase or delivery of items. (Next best thing to click and collect).

Funerals are restricted to 10 mourners and despite the difficulties associated with this restrictions, families are very cooperative in this regard as are neighbours and extended families. This makes our celebrations quite positive under the circumstances. Again as a priest, These celebrations are more personal and families seem to be ‘enjoying’ the ceremony under the horrible circumstances.

New Shoots: As we start a New Year, people are beginning to take a new approach to life in the church. We have had a number of enquiries about baptism and some families are quite happy with just the immediate family being present and no big party afterwards. For them the baptism is becoming more important than the party. This is something to be happy about. (Haven’t had any requests for weddings with just 6 present yet!). Although the obligation for confession has been removed for the moment there are some requesting the sacrament and it is a joy to be able to facilitate this request. Yes the New Year has plenty to be happy about. I take this opportunity to thank you for your support to my colleagues Frs. Harry and Damian and the wider team in the Glasnevin Group of Parishes. Wishing you and yours every blessing as we venture into a new year. May 2021 bring us blessings and hope.

Fr. Joseph Ryan  

It is with a heavy heart that we must once again close our churches for public masses with effect from St Stephen’s day. 

Mass will be celebrated behind closed doors starting with 10.00 a.m. Mass on St Stephen’s Day and can be viewed on our webcam.

Our church will remain open for private prayer.

All our Masses will be available online from our own church and from the other churches in the Glasnevin Grouping and Area.

Here are some useful links.

Redemptoristine Monastery www.rednuns.com.

Iona Road  www.ionaroadparish.ie.

Corpus Christi www.corpuschristidrumcondra.ie

Our Lady of Victories www.olv.ie

Our Lady of Dolours www.glasnevinparish.ie

Christmas Greetings to Family And Friends Abroad

If you would like to greet your family members who are living abroad for our Christmas Services, please leave their names, town / country in the Parish Office. 

We will welcome them through our internet broadcast on Christmas Eve / Christmas Day before each of our Masses begins.

The Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) has for many years been the day when the children of Rome bring the figurines of Baby Jesus from their family cribs to St. Peter’s Square to be blessed by the Pope during the Angelus. The day is affectionately known as “Bambinelli Sunday.” Instituted by St. Pope John Paul II during his Papacy, the tradition has continued and has grown in popularity across the universal Church. Children are invited to wrap the blessed figurines in Christmas wrapping when they return home, and to place them under the tree, to be opened as the first gift of Christmas; thus encouraging young children to make the connection between the gifts they receive on Christmas Day and the greatest gift that any of us can receive, Jesus; and the connection between the Nativity set at home and the local Church where they worship each weekend.

“The blessing of the “Bambinelli” [Baby Jesus gurines] as they are called in Rome, reminds us that the crib is a school of life where we can learn the secret of true joy. This does not consist in having many things but in feeling loved by the Lord, in giving oneself as a gift for others and in loving one another. Let us look at the crib. Our Lady and St. Joseph do not seem to be a very fortunate family; their first child was born in the midst of great hardship; yet they are full of deep joy, because they love each other, they help each other and, especially, they are certain that God, who made himself present in the little Jesus, is at work in their story. And the shepherds? What did they have to rejoice about? That Newborn Infant was not to change their condition of poverty and marginalization. But faith helped them recognise the “babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger” as a “sign” of the fulfillment of God’s promises for all human beings, “with whom he is pleased” (Lk 2: 12, 14).”

BLESSING OF THE BABY JESUS

God our Father, You loved us so much you sent us your only Son, Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, to save us and lead us back to you. We pray that, with your blessing, these images of Jesus might be a sign of your presence and love in our homes. Good Father, give your blessing to all who gather with us this Christmas, our family and friends. Open our hearts, that we might receive Jesus in joy, do always what he asks of us, and see him in those who need our love. We ask this in the name of Jesus, your beloved Son, who came to give peace to the world. You, who live and reign forever and ever. Amen

CHRISTMAS DAY

When the figurine of the Baby Jesus is placed in the crib, your family might pray together:

Heavenly Father, we thank You that You love us so much that You gave us your only Son, Jesus, as a most precious gift . We ask you to bless this crib that we have prepared. Let it remind us of your presence with us in all the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows of our human lives. We thank You for the gifts we are about to receive; let them remind us of the gift You gave us; Jesus, your Son, who became one of us and taught us to be fully human. Help us to be generous like You. Help us to follow the example of Jesus in all we do. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen