Arklow Parish Newsletter
September 2007
Dear Parishioners,
A parish
newsletter is now a regular means of communication in many parts of the
Diocese. The Arklow newsletter has had a
varied history, I have found copies of a newsletter issued when Father, now
Canon, Walter Harris was curate in the parish.
Publication lapsed then for some time and Fr. Eoin Hughes and his Y.C.W.
group issued a newsletter several times a year.
Fr. Martin Dolan, stationed in St. David’s, used the reverse side of the
Sunday Mass missalette to issue topics of local
interest in St. David’s church. The
present parish newsletter has been published monthly or bye monthly for the
past ten years
The Parish
Pastoral Council regard the newsletter as an important
means of communication and wish to make its content more inclusive. They wish to form an editorial body
comprising of parishioners from the Arklow,
The
newsletter is published on the parish web www.arklowparishcouncil@homestead.com
, and over fifty copies are e-mailed abroad to those who requested
copies. If you wish to avail of this
service please e-mail your request to either the parish e-mail parking5@eircom.net
Or kevin@automaticplastics.com
There is
also a ‘guest book’ on the web for your suggestions.
If fully utilised the parish newsletter could be one important means
of helping the developing and bonding of our parish community. I invite you to please give serious
consideration to this invitation to participate.
Colm
Gallagher.
Recently Deceased.
Deepest sympathies and an assurance of prayers are
extended to the families and friends of the following parishioners who are
recently deceased:
v
Leah Tyrell:
v
Colm Gannon:
v
Kevin Scarfe:
v
Hannah Smith:
v
Michael O’Brien:
v
Charlotte
Farrell:
v
Agnes Reilly:
v Seamus Murphy.
Baptisms
Congratulations are extended to the parents and
families of the following infants who were welcomed into the church when they
received the sacrament of Baptism:
v
Maisie Fisher:
v
Eva Keating:
v
Hannah Kinch:
v
Kian Scanlon:
v
Megan Marsh:
v
Sophia McDonald:
v
Sophie English:
v
Kate McCallion:
v
Dervhile Gavaghan:
v
Martin
McCarthy:
v
Michael Martin:
v
Daniel Ward:
v
Ryan
McClelland:
v
Alex Cuthbertson:
v
Keylon Russell:
v
Fiona McMillan:
v
Conor Fanning:
v Ella Malone.
Recently Married
Congratulation to the couple who received the
sacrament of Marriage during the month:
v
Adrian McGlennon &
Jenny Power
v
Colm Holt &
Alison Molloy
v
David Brassil & Lisa Condren
v
Leo Bastic & Edwina Breslin.
v
Brendan McDonald
& Anne-Marie O’Sullivan.
R.I.C.A. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the
official church course for adults who want to be received into the Catholic
Church. It is also intended for adults
who may have been baptised but did not receive one or all of the Sacraments of
Reconciliation, Eucharist or Confirmation, and who now wish to be fully
incorporated into the life of the worshipping Christian Community.
The course which follows a set
pattern-the creed-sacraments-morals– prayer life of the Church. It can last
for a period of months or years depending upon the judgement of the individual
participant of their own readiness to make the final commitment. The initial gathering of participants was
held on the 18th September: and the next meeting will take place early October. Adults who may have experienced a weakening
of their own faith and beliefs, and who may wish to renew their faith and
understanding of religion, are invited to take part in the course and should
contact any of the priests of the Parish or Sr. Teresa from St. Mary’s Convent.
Parish Policy re the
Reception of the Sacraments of Reconciliation, the Eucharist and Confirmation:
Due to the increase in recent years of the number of
non-Catholic children enrolling in Parish schools, and who may later express a
wish to receive the sacraments the following are the parish guidelines:
·
All pupils wishing to receive the
Sacraments must have the written permission of their parents.
·
Young people who may wish to be
baptized must, along with their parents, receive a course of instruction on the
sacraments and the teaching of the Catholic Church. This course will be organised
and held in the Parish.
·
Young people who are not baptized
are not to be given the expectation that they will receive the sacraments. Colm Gallagher P.P.
Parish Pilgrimage to the
Departure date is the 31st March 2008. It will be either an eight or ten day
pilgrimage depending upon the itinerary which is presently being arranged. As this may well be for many a once in a
lifetime visit to the Holy Land, every effort is being made to visit as many as
possible of the locations mentioned in Scripture that are associated with Our
Lord’s life.
The costings , not yet fixed,
will be in the region of €1,100—€1,250.
As the
leaves fall from the trees it reminds us of winter, a time to renew our faith
and prepare for a new beginning.
Blessing of Infants:
Families
who have had a child baptised during the past twelve months are invited to Árus Lorcáin on Sunday 7th October or a blessing and
dedication of their children to Our Blessed Lady.
The Forty Hours Prayer will be held on Tuesday and
Wednesday 16th and 17th October. The
Blessed Sacrament will be exposed after the 10 a.m. Mass each day and there
will be a Holy Hour each evening from 7.30 to 8.30 p.m. Parishioners are invited to spend time each
day in prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. As in previous years you are asked to pray for
the stability of
parish life in our parish and for an increase in the number of
vocations to the priesthood in our Diocese.
Holy Communion to the
Housebound.
Parishioners
who are unable to come to the church and who wish to receive Holy Communion on
a regular monthly basis in their homes are encouraged to leave their names and
addresses in the Parish Office.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
has accepted
an invitation to attend the presentation of Certificates to parishioners who
have taken part in the three years of Theology, which was organised and
directed by Mater Dei Institute of Education—a college of D.C.U. The presentation will be held in Árus Lorcáin on Thursday, 27th September at 8 p.m.
Altar Servers:
There will
be a regular meeting of altar servers for the parish church every Friday at
4.15 p.m. Boys and girls from 4th class
upwards, who may wish to become altar servers, must have their parents written consent and contact Liz O’Sullivan or John
Byrne on a Friday afternoon in the church.
Boys and girls who may wish to serve in St. David’s Church,
Coolgreany.
Parish Celebration of
Christian Marriage& Family life.
This most
enjoyable annual event was celebrated on the last Friday of August. Twenty-three couples and their families
assembled for the concelebrated Mass celebrated by Msg. Colm Gallagher, Fr.
Paul O’Driscoll and Fr. Tom Clowe.
Following
the Mass the couples and their families were treated to dinner in Árus Lorcáin. Grateful thanks is extended to the organising committee for
all of their months of preparatory work and to the Parish Social Group for
their participation in the evening meal.
The Parish Pastoral Council reconvened on Monday 10th Sept., with its
first meeting of the new P.P.C. year. At
this meeting a draft copy of the Parish Plan was presented to all. This plan was a result of meetings between
P.P.C. members and various parish groups over the last 6 months. During these meetings a number of
issues/concerns/positives, were highlighted and this feed back has given
direction to the Parish Plan. The
targets for 2008 were discussed and agreed at the meeting and in line with
these the P.P.C. members were divided into four groups. Prior to the next
meeting these members will investigate the following::
·
What
is currently in operation/working in the Parish?
·
What
is working for other Parishes?
·
Suggestions/direction
moving forward to achieve Target 2008.
The plan
was developed under the four headings of the Acts of the Apostles. The following are the targets agreed for 2008
and the team involved:
Building
Christian Community Development of
Newsletter / Website
Mary Doyle, Msgr.
Gallagher, Bill Ebbitt and P.J. O’Leary.
Growing
in Faith: Programe to follow up on ‘Do this in Memory’.
Fr. Tom, Fr. Paul, Eileen Brennan
and Àine Dunne.
Liturgy
and Prayer: Development
of Liturgy for all Weekend Mass
Clare Cambell,
Jim Furlong, Kathleen Murray and Hilary Sharpe.
Caring
for One
Another: Development of Youth
Version of P.P.C.
Margaret Kelly, Michelle Gaffney,
John Smyth and Marion Whelan.
The
findings will be presented at the next P.P.C. meeting on 8th October and will
be presented to the Parish community on Sunday 21st October at 3 p.m.—all are welcome.
A strong
and striking logo is required for the Parish Plan. Secondary School teachers have been
approached for suggestions. Closing date
for entries is 1st October.
Michelle
Gaffney. (Chairperson P.P.C.)
Parish Repository
is situated in the Parish Office.
Rosary beads, holy water fonts, etc. are available.
Mass cards, sympathy and greeting cards are also available.
Radio receivers are also available.
Parish
Office: Tel./Fax
0402 31716
Office
Hours: 9 to 4.30 Mon. to Fri.
Radios available in Parish
Office