Since last weekend we have been informed that we can now safely welcome up to 100 people in Ballygall church for Masses. This means that people will be able to sit in family groups as normal but we can facilitate more in the church keeping the 2 metres social distance requirement. Each row can take from 3 to 5 people/family groups depending on the size of the row. We are keeping the idea of ‘filling from the front’ and working towards the back of the church. For the duration of mass people are encouraged to take and remain in their places.
At the weekend Masses (Saturday vigil 6.30 and Sunday 10am) up to 100 will be accommodated comfortably in the church. This will mean that not everyone will be able to attend each weekend. Perhaps coming every few weeks or coming during the week to the 10am morning mass instead.
Stewards are on hand to enable as many as possible will be able to be physically present. When our quota is filled people can remain outside and join through the loudspeaker which will convey the mass to them. Holy Communion will be brought to those outside as well as those inside. You are asked to remain in your place throughout.
Thank you for your patience in these different times.
The Web Cam is back and people can join us online as usual.
Our apologies for no camera on Saturday. Chances are the same will happen tomorrow Sunday. Hopefully it will be sorted out soon. We have contacted MCN our webcam provider but there is no one available at the weekend. Echoes of the Gospel. Come to me all who labour and I shall give you rest. They are taking their rest!
Mass tomorrow in Redemptoristine monastery (www.rednuns.com) at 9.30; OLV (www.olv.ie) at 10 am, Iona Road (www.ionaroadparish.ie) at 11am and in Glasnevin church (www.glasnevinparish.ie) at 12 & 6.30pm.
Mass tomorrow in Ballygall will be at 10am but numbers are restricted to 50 family units/persons. Apologies if webcam won’t work. Those who have the parish radio can tune in as normal.
By now you will all have seen and heard that we are permitted to hold our first public mass this week. We have decided to commence with 10.00am Mass on Wednesday morning, 1st July and will continue with 10.00 a.m. Mass daily thereafter. We will also have Mass at 6.30 p.m. on Saturday evening and 10.00 a.m. Mass Sunday morning. While we really look forward to welcoming back parishioners to be physically present at Mass, you will notice that we have had to implement a number of changes in order to ensure the safety of all those present.
Since COVID 19 has led to our churches being closed for public celebration of the Eucharist, each Wednesday at 7.30pm a led Holy Hour has taken place here in Ballygall. One of the priests from the grouping led us in reflections and quiet prayer finishing with Benediction. It has been a time for us to pray to Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament for an end to this pandemic that is restricting us in so many ways.
Since our neighbouring churches have access to the webcam, the Holy Hour has been led from the church that the priest due to lead is located in. For the next two weeks (17th & 24th June) it will be broadcast from Our Lady of Dolours church (www.glasnevinparish.ie). This will hopefully bring us to the next phase of restrictions being lifted and we will be able to host active participation in our own church.
A huge thank you to all those who are donating online towards the ongoing maintenance of our parish. In these difficult times it is great to see people supporting the parish. Keep up the good work!
People are leaving in Family Offering envelopes to the church via the presbyteries and that is appreciated too. Thanks to those who are leaving in envelopes marked out for the “Common Fund” which goes towards the support of the clergy and the “Share Fund” which is supporting the work of the diocese. (Both of these are the normal collections taken up during Mass). The diocese has issued us with envelopes for both Sunday collections. (Common Fund & Share). These can be left in the normal way though the presbytery on St. Canice’s Road or directly to the church shop post box.
Some people are leaving in donations for “Trocaire” which are feeling the bite in these difficult times. St Vincent de Paul donations can also be left in and these will be forwarded in due course to our local conference. They will be needing your support in the near and distant future. Please mark out each donations and they will go to their respective destinations in due course.
We have just begun a new month, the month of Mary. This month sees a continuation of the lockdown because of the Coronavirus COVID-19. However time continues and we can use this month to develop the great tradition of the rosary. There are plenty of resources online but the rosary is still the simplest prayer of all in our christian tradition. Each decade begins with the Our Father, 10 Hail Marys and concludes with the Glory be.
Traditionally the rosary is recited while reflecting on different aspects of our Lord. Glorious Mysteries: Sunday & Wednesday; Joyful Mysteries: Monday & Saturday; Sorrowful Mysteries: Tuesday & Friday; Luminous Mysteries: Thursday. (In some places on Sundays during Advent & Christmas the Joyful mysteries are recited and during Lent the Sorrowful Mysteries are recited).
The “Queen of the May” is a very popular hymn for this month. Different versions can be found on Youtube. Canon Sydney MacEwan, Frank Patterson, James Kilbane and Maureen Hegarty are among those on a quick search. (Also on search is a beautiful version uploaded by Eamonn Monson. Lovely pictures!) One could spend happy hours listening online. Many other Marian hymns are also available.
Prayer of Pope Francis for the month of May
O Mary, you shine continuously along our journey as a sign of salvation and hope. We entrust ourselves to you, health of the sick, who at the cross were near to the pain of Jesus, keeping your faith firm. You, Salvation of the Roman people, know what we need, and we trust that you will provide for those needs so that, as at Cana of Galilee, joy and celebration may return after this moment of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the will of the Father and to do what Jesus tells us, He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and took up our sorrows to bring us, through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen
We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God. do not despise our please – we who are put to the test – and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.
These past few days have been as hectic as normal years. I thought with the church being closed to the public I could go to ‘Virtual Bahamas’ but that thankfully was not the case. As a priest, I got to experience the grouping of parishes in a new way. Ballygall church was used for broadcasting all ceremonies. Priests arrived with their teams from other churches to lead us in prayer. On Thursday for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper we began the Triduum with the assistance of Nuala, Gina and Sheila. On Good Friday Fr Paul Coyle with Matthew, Joan and Emily came up from Our Lady of Dolours church, Glasnevin. For the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday Fr. Frank Reburn based in Our Lady of Victories led us through a very unusual vigil with the help of Linda, Ger, Tien and Giovanna. Aideen (12 o’c) and Linda (7.30pm) shared the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Fr. Richard Sheehy led us in Morning Prayer on Saturday. He and Fr. Paul were also leading the Liturgies in St. Alphonsus Monastery, Iona Road. Throughout the weekend our musicians were Linda, Eoin & Ciara. Those were some of the faces that you may have seen. There were others who worked behind the scenes. The church still needed to be cleaned, Sacred Space needed to be prepared, Camera needed to be adjusted, Palms newsletters and letters delivered or posted, Cross & Palm to be got and put into place. Well done to all who stepped in and ensured that things went as well as could under the circumstances.
As today, Easter Sunday, draws the Triduum to a close I am reminded that life goes on. Priests from the other parishes in our Grouping and our team of readers will be back in action on Tuesday at 10 o’c. Monday is a Bank Holiday. Not that makes much difference to us this year! But we won’t be broadcasting mass from Ballygall. Instead you are invited to join the sisters on www.rednuns.com for Mass at 11 o’c.
Thanks, too, to those who have been leaving in Easter Dues and Family Offering envelopes. Your support is as always greatly appreciated.
Here in Ballygall we will be broadcasting all ceremonies online.
Holy Thursday, 7.30pm: Mass of the Lord’s Supper. For this Mass we suggest that you have a bowl or basin of water half filled with water. At home you might like to take part with the washing of feet (or hands).
Good Friday, 3pm: Passion Gospel & Veneration of the Cross. We suggest that you might have a cross or crucifix with you as a focus during this ceremony.
Holy Saturday, 7.30pm: Mass of the Resurrection. An unlit candle that can be lit as the candles for the 5 parishes of our grouping are lit.
There are other events that you might like to join in as well during the week. The Holy Hour on Wednesday 7.30 – 8.30pm. Morning prayer on Thursday, Friday & Saturday. Watch & Pray after mass on Holy Thursday. Stations of the cross on Good Friday at 12 noon and 7.30pm.
Easter Sunday Mass for the grouping will be celebrated from St Alphonsus Monastery (www.rednuns.com) at 9.30am and from St. Columba’s parish church (www.ionaroadparish.ie) at 11am. We will also have 12 noon Mass from Ballygall church. Each of these Masses will be offered up for your intentions this Easter Morning.
Our parish webcam is certainly being used at the moment with the outbreak of COVID – 19. Our thanks to you for your patience when sometimes the sound plays up or the video does its own twirly thing. One of the drawbacks of a lot of usage!
For our Palm Sunday vigil Mass we are suggesting that you might have some branches from your own garden or someone else’s garden within 2km of home and their permission and either display it in your window or use it for viewing the mass on Saturday evening at 6.30pm. Remember, it doesn’t have to be palm. In the gospel the people cut branches and placed their cloaks on the road where Jesus was passing. Perhaps a poster in the front window drawn by the children would be a way of including them in the preparation for Holy Week. It certainly will be a week to remember in days and years to come.
Let’s make this Palm Sunday a day to sing Hosanna in the Highest.
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