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As many of you will be aware the Office for Evangelisation is taking a group of 30 young people to Panama to celebrate World Youth Day with Pope Francis and  thousands of others from around the globe on 26^th/ 27^th January.

A mirror event, Panama in Dublin will take place in Emmaus Retreat Centre Swords on the same weekend.

Following the reports from the Synod on Young People in the Church, one of the areas that was highlighted was the need for young people to gather, learn and celebrate their faith. 

An overnight event Panama in Dublin  will link in live to Pope Francis’ addresses at the Welcome ceremony , Vigil and closing Mass.  There will be a wide range of events in Emmaus and opportunities for young people to connect and develop their faith, with people involved  youth ministry from all over Ireland leading  these sessions.  40 trained volunteers will also be helping facilitate this unique experience.

Attached is a flier for the event and an outline timetable which also includes a Safeguarding Statement and accommodation details which have been overseen by Garry Kehoe from the Diocesan Safeguarding Office, who will also attend the event.

Who is this for?

• Any young person between the ages of 16 and 29.
• Those who participate in various ministries in your Parish.
• Those who have attended previous World Youth Days.
• Those who have worked on pilgrimages to Lourdes, outreach programmes in Africa/India.
• Groups from schools as a good beginning to Catholic Schools Week.

Booking is done directly with Emmaus at www.emmaus.ie and click in Upcoming Events “Panama In Dublin”

It promises to be a great weekend so I encourage you to spread the message and encourage the Parishes in your Deanery to get involved.

(Fr. Paul Thornton, Brackenstown, Swords)

1a WYD PaH 1 WYD PaH

Do You Wish to Donate Your Unwanted Christmas Gifts?

We will take in your unwanted Chrismtas gifts and will pass them to Crosscare who will redistribute them this time next year to people living in their homeless services and family hub. These gifts may be left at the foot of our Christmas tree during the coming week until Monday 7th January.

Michael Mc Donagh on behalf of Crosscare thanks parishioners in the Archdiocese of Dublin for their extraordinary generosity at the start of the month (December) when an incredible 60 tonnes of non-perishable food was collected for distribution to families in need at Christmas. Archbishop Diarmuid  Martin launched the appeal on the first weekend in December. As a result, Crosscare was able to distributed hampers which consisted of 24,000 meals to those who need it most. 120 volunteers gave their time to sort the food collected from parishes in Crosscare’s main foodbank in Glasnevin, ensuring hampers were delivered to families on time.

A special New Year’s Eve celebration takes place in Our Lady of Dolours church, Glasnevin. Starts at 11.30pm with prayerful reflections, music and quiet time to ring in the New Year. Do come along for a different way to begin the New Year.

New Year’s Day is a Bank Holiday and there will be a special Mass at 10am to celebrate the feast of Mary, The Holy Mother of God and also to mark World Day of Peace. (After mass the church will be closed).

As we often make new year’s resolutions let us plan to deepen our faith in God and God’s people. Perhaps an extra prayer and an awareness of those around us may be enough resolutions to make a difference. Maybe it might be to say thank you to others and to God for little things.

Greetings to the

McCleane, Dunne, Carroll, Henshaw, Connaughton, Robinson, Watt, Downing and Stapletons Families

All in Adelaide South Australia.

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The Vavasour Family in Sydney New South Wales.

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The Seery Family in Perth

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Sass Hayes and Lou Lou, and Lisa Doyle in Brisbane

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John McDonald, in Zetland, Sydney, Australia.

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Cumiskey Family in Germany, Michael Susan Eimear Laura Luke and Sarah Greetings from Rita, Frank & Family.

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Wishing my sister Geraldine and family a very Happy Christmas and God’s blessings for the new year in Jordan, Love from Sarah, Charlie & Fionnuala.

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Daragh, Emily, Finn & Eoghan in Canada and also Shay & Barbara home from New York.

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Thomas Conlon, Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA, from Breda and family.

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Lucia and Noel Power and family in Waterloo Toronto and Patricia in Surrey.

 

Karl, Joanne, Charlotte and Eliza Reid in Cambridge.

 

Greetings to James & Lefina, Michaela, Colin, Rachel & Tom from Valerie.

 

Happy Christmas Caitríona Healy, Philip Healy & Michelle Maloney. From Mam & Dad & Ray.

 

Greetings to Mary (Killalee) Schubert in the Virgin Islands

And to Joan and Peter Balfe and family in Ratoath.

 

..to look a lot like Christmas as Fr. Joseph and Paddy McDonnell erect the crib outside Our Mother of Divine Grace Church.

Our Annual Advent Penance Service with the Franciscan Fathers takes place on Wednesday, 19th at 7.30pm in Ballygall Church.

Do come along for a very special time of prayer and reconciliation in preparation for Christmas.

 

It is always a very gentle and prayerful experience to be forgiven and be at peace with one another before Christmas.

A huge thank you to those who were in a position to help out this morning (Saturday 15th) with cleaning of the church. It was a rotten day so we didn’t venture outside but to those who helped out in the cleaning inside, Well Done. I was away with a funeral and when I returned I could see and smell the shining. Cobwebs gone, windows sparkling, plaques and seats gleaming. Even though the numbers were small the dedication and pride was obvious. 

Well done ladies and gents. 

Fr. Joseph

(On a side note, we were thinking of putting up the outdoor crib at 2pm on Tuesday afternoon and the indoor crib and decorations on Thursday morning after 10am Mass. Perhaps you might like to come and give a hand at either of these activities. As my father used to say, “Many hands make light work, especially at the table”).

Thanks again to those who ventured out this morning and braving the elements.

If you would like to greet your family members who are living overseas, during our Christmas Masses and WebCam Broadcast, please leave their Names/Town/Country in the Parish Office. 018369291.

They will be welcomed through our internet broadcasts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day before our Masses begin.

Please leave details no later than Saturday Dec. 16th to guarantee inclusion.

Mass Times:

Christmas Eve (24th) 6.30pm (Carol singing from 6pm) and 8.30pm (Carol singing from 8pm) 

Christmas Day (25th): 9am (choir), 10.30 (family mass group), 12.00 (Couples for Christ choir)

During Christmas week there will be just the 10am mass each week morning. This continues until 7th January when mass times resume as normal.

Confession:

Our Advent Penance Service with the Franciscans takes place on Wednesday, 19th December at 7.30pm.

Christmas Eve: 10.30 – 12 and 2-4pm.

Our annual Mass in remembrance of those who have died over the past year was celebrated on Friday 2nd November. At this mass those who have died during the 12 month period October 2017 – September 2018 were remembered by name and were invited to light a candle in memory of their loved ones before the altar.

Some pictures taken during the Mass….