A WORD FROM FR. NIALL
Hi everyone,
I hope you’re all enjoying the improving weather and the longer evenings. It’s a lovely time of year and this definitely softens the blow of your county team getting trounced in Croke Park! There are lots of good things happening in the parish which are worthy of mention.
The children of Gardiner St Primary School celebrated First Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation recently. There were lots of smiling faces! Thanks to all the teachers, parents and the NET Team who helped them prepare for their big day.
These two celebrations have come at the end of the NET Team’s year at Gardiner St. Before their arrival we had very few children and young adults coming to Mass. Now we have a little troop of regulars at the Little 11 on Sunday mornings and a healthy crowd at the young adult Mass on Sunday evenings. This would not have been possible without the energy and enthusiasm of Jamie, Emi, Francis and Maddy, not to forget Genevieve and Christina who were with us before Christmas. Thank you Netters — you will always be welcome back at Gardiner St!
We previously announced that all parishes in the Dublin Archdiocese have entered into partnership with other nearby parishes. Representatives from each parish meet every two months at a Partnership Council meeting. At our meeting this week with representatives from the Pro-Cathedral, Sean McDermott St, Berkeley Road, Christine Halloran was elected as the chairperson of our Partnership Council. Thank you Christine for taking this on. We look forward to collaborating more closely with our new friends. Also, if anyone has any suggestions for a name for our new Partnership please let me know. My personal preference is Four Candles Parish Partnership 🙂 The refurbishment of the John Sullivan Room got stuck at the planning stage, but as of this week, we are moving again. Sorry I can’t give a timeline but at least things are in motion. And finally, the Novena to the Sacred Heart is almost here, 8th – 16th June. We will make leaflets available which you can distribute in your circles.
With every prayer and blessing on this glorious Feast of Christ’s Ascension into Heaven,
Fr. Niall
THE NOVENA IN HONOUR OF THE SACRED HEART
begins on 8th of June and continues until the 16th of June. Our preacher this year is Fr. Brendan Comerford SJ
Mass times
Mon-Sat 11 am & 6 pm
Sunday: 11 am & 12.30 pm
LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINAR
Continues on Monday 22nd May at 7 pm in the Ignatian Chapel.
The theme for this week is Growth in the Spirit. Speaker: Iva Beranek
LAST WEEK COLLECTION
Church: € 854;
Share: € 151;
IDonate & card readers: € 357
All contributions are gratefully accepted, and the donors are remembered in our prayers.
BUILDING HOPE – PRAY, REFLECT, PLAN
You are warmly invited to join with every parish in the diocese in a Novena to the Holy Spirit – a period of prayer, reflection and planning for the renewal of the Church in the Archdiocese of Dublin. The Novena will take place in the nine days from 21st to 29th May beginning on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, through Pentecost and continuing to the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church.
More information and resources at https://dublindiocese.ie/novena-to-the-holy-spirit/
FEAST OF THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST
“During the days after Easter until the Feast of the Ascension, Jesus made what we call Post- Resurrection appearances. He showed Himself in several different ways; sometimes in His Resurrected Body and other times as a gardener or a wayfarer. All of this was done to help the Apostles and Disciples come to realize that even though they witnessed his horrible death, He had been raised from the dead and truly lives! They were filled with the theological virtue of Faith – indicating that with God all things are possible!
Soon He would leave them again, this time to sit at His Father’s Right Hand. He promised them that He would not abandon them, but that He would send them the Advocate – the Holy Spirit. The Apostles were asked to develop and grow in the theological virtue of Hope. The Solemnity of the Ascension is commonly referred to as the Miracle of Hope. The Holy Spirit would infuse their very souls, taking away their fear and transforming them into stronger, holier and more peaceful people; sending them forth to preach the Gospel of Christ with fidelity and constancy.
Easter and the Feast of the Ascension are reminding us that the Lord hasn’t abandoned us. He is promising us that with the Sacramental Life of the Catholic Church, we will rise from trial[s] stronger – a Catholic filled with the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Love.”
Father Jude Brady OSB
ECUMENICAL BIBLE WEEK
Ecumenical Bible Week 2023: Planting seeds of hope together in a post-Covid reality. Programme details:
To sign up: www.bibleweek.ie
ORGAN RECITALS IN WHITEFRIAR STREET
Sundays in May at 7 pm.
Being May the month of Our Lady, each recital will include works in honour of the Blessed Virgin Ma ry.
Entrance free.
