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Baptisms to resume

From Saturday, August 7th, Fr. Kevin will once again be celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism. Due to the lockdowns of last year and this year there are a lot of families waiting to christen their young children.

The celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism will take place at 3.30pm and 5pm each Saturday. There will only be two children christened at each ceremony. The numbers who can attend each baptism ceremony are restricted at the moment to parents, siblings of the child being christened, sponsors (godparents) and grandparents.

Every effort should be made to keep the number in attendance to less than ten people per individual baptism.

The guidance from the government states that celebrations ‘must follow all protective measures, and social gatherings afterwards should be avoided’.

Please contact the parish office to book your child’s baptism. If you had a date booked that was postponed the parish secretary will contact you with an alternative date.

New bookings may not be accepted till the postponed ones have been completed.

Parish office opening days and hours are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

The phone number is 021-4897379, email address frankfieldgrange@gmail.com

Baptism Notice

We are very sorry to report that because of the rapid transmission of the Delta virus, Bishop Fintan has informed all parishes that the Sacrament of Baptism is being postponed until further notice.

The parish office will be in touch with the families whose babies are scheduled to be christened after the 5th July.

The parish office is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

The phone number is 021-4897379, email address frankfieldgrange@gmail.com

Welcome back to public Masses

I am delighted to welcome back all parishioners to Mass in the church from Monday morning next, 10th May, at 10am. This will be the first public Mass since Christmas Day. I know parishioners are wanting to get back to Mass, and to be part of the praying community, being spiritually nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist. Fortunately, due to the size of the church, we are allowed to have a hundred people, two pods of fifty, at each Mass.

Just to remind you the procedures that were put in place last year are there still to help keep us all safe. These procedures, we know, can be frustrating, but we need to continue to be careful and take care of each other, which is why we are asked to wear a mask, vaccinated or not. On entering the church all will still have to sanitise their hands. The stewards will guide you to your seat. Remember the 2 metres physical distancing rule is still in place, and certain seats remain cut off.

The stewards will direct you to Holy Communion. The procedure will be different to last year as there cannot be contact between the 2 pods during Mass. The new procedure for the distribution of Holy Communion will be explained at every Mass. Holy Communion may only be received in the hand for the foreseeable future.

Because our church is still limited in the numbers we can have, and to help and support people stewards will be there to help, advise and give directions. We are all in this together, and we also need to individually accept responsibility to ensure we all follow the advice to keep each other safe. So please, co-operate with the stewards at all times. They are there for your safety as well as everyone else’s.

People are encouraged to avail of the weekday Masses as well as of Sunday Masses to ensure we can maximise our numbers. For the safety and wellbeing of everyone, parishioners are asked not to congregate in groups outside the church doors.

REMEMBER THE SUNDAY OBLIGATION IS NOT RESTORED

Fr Kevin

Easter Message from Fr Kevin

It is difficult to believe that we are celebrating another Easter in lockdown with level 5 restrictions. For over a year now we have gone through a year of difficulty and trials. People just want to get back to where they can meet family and friends for chats, catch up on news, have meals together, hug, laugh and cry together, celebrate all the important occasions such as birthdays and everything else they have missed out on. Many just want to get back to Mass and to be part of the faith community again. As one man said to me recently that “there is an emptiness in his life not being able to go to Mass”.

There is new life all around us. The primroses are flowering and the trees are greening up as the buds open up. The days are longer and the sunshine has brightened everything up. There are signs of easing of restrictions beginning later in the month. The numbers being vaccinated go up each week and will continue to rise as more vaccines become available. There seems to be an end in sight.

The message of Easter is about new life, the new life of the Risen Lord and the new life that comes to us through the renewal of our baptismal promises. As has been said by Pope Francis and other religious leaders in recent times: “We can’t go back to our old lives before the pandemic. We have to move forward to embrace the new world we are entering”. People showed a new spirit of generosity towards family, friends and neighbours. There is a new appreciation of people’s work not only in health care but also in the retail trade and transportation. Let us not lose this new spirit but build upon it.

May the Light of Risen Christ, give hope, encouragement and strength to us all this Easter.

Fr. Kevin

Church Opening Hours

The church will be open on the following days and at the following times for personal prayer only.

HOLY THURSDAY: 9am – 6pm

GOOD FRIDAY: 9am – 11.30am &

4pm – 6pm

HOLY SATURDAY: 9am – 6pm

Holy Week and Easter Ceremonies

HOLY WEEK CEREMONIES 2021

Because of Level 5 Restrictions all ceremonies will be live streamed only.

PALM SUNDAY 28^th MARCH

Masses are celebrated Saturday Vigil 6.30pm & Sunday 10.00am & 11.30am on www.frankfieldgrange.ie

After 11.30am Mass, Blessed Palm Crosses will be available in the church on the table near the shrines for you to take home.

If you wish to have your palms ready at home they too will be blessed.

HOLY THURSDAY 1^st APRIL – CHRISM MASS 10am

Bishop Fintan Gavin will celebrate the Chrism Mass in the Cathedral. This is the only Mass celebrated on Holy Thursday morning in the Diocese. This year the priests will renew their commitment to priesthood online and Bishop Fintan Gavin will invite the people to pray for them. The Holy Oils: Oil of Catechumens (Baptism), Oil of Chrism and Oil of the Sick, are the three oils which will be used in the celebration of the sacraments in the parish during the year. These are blessed at this Mass and will be distributed to the parishes of the diocese.

live streamed on: www.corkcathedral.ie or https://youtu.be/igHFxWusfJ0

7.30pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper live streamed on: www.frankfieldgrange.ie

GOOD FRIDAY 2^nd APRIL

12 noon Stations of the Cross live streamed on: www.frankfieldgrange.ie

3pm Liturgy of the Passion live streamed on: www.frankfieldgrange.ie

HOLY SATURDAY 3^rd APRIL

9pm Easter Vigil – We are invited to join with Bishop Fintan Gavin at 9pm Holy Saturday night for the Easter Vigil

live streamed on: www.corkcathedral.ie or https://youtu.be/12SFG4tjwXI

EASTER SUNDAY 4^thAPRIL – Masses 10am & 11.30am live streamed on: www.frankfieldgrange.ie

Small bottles of Easter Holy Water will be available on the table near the shrines in the church after the 11.30am Mass.

The collection on Easter Sunday is one of two collections in the year for the priests of the parish. This year with Masses only being live streamed you are invited to go to the parish website frankfieldgrange.ie and click on the donate button and press ‘3’ Priests’ Income Collection – Single Donation. This is one of the ways of supporting the priests of the parish.

Your support is greatly appreciated.

Palm Crosses

This coming Sunday the church celebrates Palm Sunday, it is the last Sunday before Easter Sunday and signifies the beginning of Holy Week.

The story is recalled in honour of Jesus’ victorious entry into Jerusalem on a donkey when Palm Branches (hence the use of Palm Cross) were laid across the road by the crowds who gathered.

To remember and honour this defining moment in Jesus’ Ministry, churches around the world distribute Palm Crosses to their congregations at this time.

You may collect your own Palm Cross from the church on Palm Sunday from 12.30pm, when the church opens for private prayer.