Fr. Colin and myself take this opportunity to wish you every blessing and good fortune for 2014. As we welcome our new year we wish to thank all, most sincerely, who gave of their time and talents to beautifully prepare our Church for the celebration of Christmas, and the erection of the Crib and Christmas Tree. We thank especially Mr. Jim Hanley of Hanley’s Store for donating our Christmas Tree this year.
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We finally got to say farewell and thanks to Fr John who left us in July to take up his new appointment as administrator of Farranree parish. Fr John ministered as our parish priest from June 2008 to July 2013 and the parishioners of Frankfield/Grange came out in their numbers to express their appreciation and thanks for his pastoral ministry over the previous five years.
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An indroduction by Fr John: When someone we love dies, it seems that time stands still. What moves through us is a silence…..a guilt sadness….a longing for one more day…..one more touch. We may not understand why our loved one left us so soon, or before we could say goodbye, but, little by little, we begin to remember not just that they have died, but also that they have lived. Every year at this Mass we are reminded that death is no respecter of age or circumstance. Different faces join with those whose loved ones went to God in different years; yes faces change but the heartbreak of death is universal. And so you may have lost a loved one over the last few weeks, some months ago or wherever the loss occured; tonight the prayers of this community are offered for you.
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The “door of faith” (Acts 14:27) is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church. It is possible to cross that threshold when the word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace. To enter through that door is to set out on a journey that lasts a lifetime.
Pope Benedict XVI
In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI declared a Year of Faith that will begin on 11th October 2012, on the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council, and will conclude on 24th November 2013, the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King.
Some things Catholics can do during the Year of Faith:
Attend Mass regularly
Go to Confession regularly
Spend time in prayer, especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament
Recite the Angelus daily
Read the Bible
Read the Catechism in a Year: For this Year of Faith, Pope Benedict encourages us to study and reflect on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Well, here’s an easy way to do it. Simply enter your email address and – starting October 11, 2012 – you’ll start getting a little bit of the Catechism emailed to you every morning. Read that little bit every day and you’ll read the whole catechism in a year. If you would like to share the catechism follow this link www.flocknote.com/catechism and click on Simply share this link: and you will be requested to enter your email address.
Perhaps you could make an bigger effort to be an instrument of peace in your relationship with others, in the manner of St Francis of Assisi, by following his guidelines:
Let us learn to tame too what is wild and violent within ourselves and the world around us.
For diocesan information on the Year of Faith please visit their website: www.corkandross.org
Not to hurt our humble brethren (the animals) is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission – to be of service to them whenever they require it. If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.
Saint Francis of Assisi
To honour St Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is celebrated on October 4th each year, the parish assembly organised a blessing of all pets/animals and their owners in the church car park on Saturday, 6th October at 3pm.
We were blessed with a beautiful warm and sunny day; we can be forgiven to think St Francis, who loved all nature with a passion, had some influence on the weather! Just after 2.45pm parishioners began congregating with their pets, mainly dogs, though we did have guinea pigs, gerbils and one girl brought a photo of her pet fish. All then assembled in the car park. It was a memorable sight to behold. A table held a statue of St Francis, kindly lent to us, for the occasion, by the Poor Claire Sisters, College Road, also, figures of animals, a floral display and a lighted candle graced the table.
Just after 3pm Fr John began the ceremony with the above quotation from St Francis. John, a parishioner, read from the Book of Genesis on the creation of the world, and five children read the Prayer of the Faithful in which we asked God’s blessing on our furry, and not so furry, friends. Fr John then prayed a blessing over all pets and their owners, and blessed them with holy water.
For single householders, a pet can be a true companion. Many people arrive home from work to find a furry friend overjoyed at their return. Many a elderly person has a lap filled with a purring fellow creature. Children, who are fortunate to have pets, learn to love, look after and care for them, and in doing so they learn how to be a little less selfish.
The bond between person and pet is like no other relationship, because the communication between fellow creatures is at its most basic. Eye-to-eye, a man and his dog, or a woman and her cat, are two creatures of love.
No wonder people enjoy the opportunity to take their animal companions to church for a special blessing. Church is the place where the bond of creation is celebrated.
Every creature is important, because they have been created by God. The love we give to a pet, and receive from a pet, can draw us more deeply into the larger circle of life, into the wonder of our common relationship to our Creator.
Fr John promises that this blessing will be an annual event and it is hoped that more and more parishioners will be prompted to bring their pets/animals to this ceremony.
Prayer for Pets: Almighty and everlasting God, Creator of all things and giver of all life, let your blessing be upon all these animals. May our relationships with them mirror your love, and our care for them be an example of your bountiful mercy. Grant the animals health and peace. Strengthen us to love and care for them as we strive to imitate the love of Jesus Christ our Lord and God’s servant Francis. Amen.
Chairperson:Sr Elizabeth Bradley,Vice Chairperson:Sheila Glavin, Secretary:Pauline Flahive.
The group continues to support the Active Retired Group on Wednesday mornings and presently the “Go for life” course which is being facilitated by Anna on Monday is a huge success. Over Easter, Ger kindly gave a festive flower demonstration to the Active Retired Group.
We made and distributed St Brigid’s crosses on February 1st and marked Ash Wednesday with hot cross buns. We would like to carry on these simple traditions into the future.
On May the 6th, the Ateneo de Manila College Glee Club from The Philippines paid our parish a visit. Their beautiful singing was greatly appreciated and refreshments afterward were enjoyed by all.
For the Month of May – the reciting of the Rosary was encouraged among families. A named decade and beads were distributed. The rosary was “shared”.
It is planned to provide a defibrillator in the church and fundraising for same will commence in September – your support will be greatly appreciated.
Chairperson: Marion O’Connell Secretary: Anna Heffernan
The Christmas Carol Service on Tuesday 20th December was well attended by families and individuals, who joined in singing the traditional Christmas Carols. We hope to make this an annual event.
In February the group once again organised the annual Healing Mass in February which is growing in popularity as the years progress.
The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was placed on the sanctuary during Lent. The congregation was invited to write words, on cards provided, describing the good and evil in our world today, which they then hung on the tree.
Members of the group helped erect the Tomb during Lent and the Resurrection Garden at Easter. These remained on the sanctuary until the end of the Easter season. The group also placed on the sanctuary a tree for Pentecost displaying the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, which are received at the Sacrament of Confirmation.
To the left of the sanctuary the group placed a small table dedicated to the 2012 Eucharistic Congress which was held in Dublin from the 10th to 17th June.
In May there was a Mass of Intercessions organised by the Liturgy Group. This Mass was aimed particularly at students sitting college and Leaving Cert. exams, as well as for the special intentions of the parish community.
The group continues to organise the monthly Family Mass with the children’s own liturgy of the Word. This is for pre-first Holy Communion children.
Chairperson: Kay Murray Secretary: Jachanthia Bracken
The group is very short of members with the result that it’s hard to plan any events. We organised 4 nights based on the Eucharist run by the diocesan support group based in The Holy Cross Parish in Mahon as a lead up to the Eucharistic Congress. The response was disappointing but as Marian Mortell the organiser said quoting Jesus “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them”. We also had Evelina’s (our parish’s first catechumen) Baptism during the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday night. It was indeed a beautiful ceremony conducted by Fr. Colin. Evelina’s Father travelled from Lithuania for the occasion and how proud he was of his daughter on the night.
Chairperson: Tom O’Byrne
The RCIA (The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is a process which involves the community in journeying with a non-Catholic who has asked to become a Catholic. It involves a number of stages punctuated by liturgical rites to aid and assist the potential person toward the final rite at the Easter Vigil at which time they will become full members of the Roman Catholic Church.
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A most sincere thanks to everyone who helped to prepare the church so beautifully for Christmas and to those who erected the Crib. Your time and energy given was very much appreciated.
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On Sunday 27th of November about 20 children participated in the children’s liturgy of the word during the 11 o’clock Mass Just after Mass began Fr. Colin invited parents to bring their children aged 8 years and under (pre-1st Holy Communion) into the children’s room at the back of the church.
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On Friday, September 30th 2011 Micheál Ó Cochláin took early retirement after 37 years of service. Micheál was born in Newcastlewest and his family moved to Cork when he was 3 years old. He began his primary school education in Eason’s Hill where his father was principal and he completed his education in Scoil Chríost Rí.
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