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St. Matthew’s Church Ballyfermot PARISH NEWSLETTER
1 April 2018 (Easter Sunday)
Mass Times Easter Week Weekdays: Saturday: Vigil Mass 6.30 Tuesday Sunday: 10.00 Prayer Service 09.00, 09.45 (Convent) Mass Times 10.30,12.00 No Mass on Wed Mon, Thur, Fri: 10.00
FAITH MOMENT Christ’s resurrection is an event historically attested to by the apostles, who met their risen Lord. The reality of Christ’s resurrection is also a transcendent event beyond the realm of human history. The apostolic witness to Christ’s resurrection is the foundation of the Church’s proclamation of the Paschal Mystery to the world.
Weekly Collections Mar 17 Mar 18 First Collection € 485 €290 Share Collection € 350 €610 Family Offering €1100 €475
Parish Centre or Sacristy: Phone: 626 56 95 Monday to Friday 10.00am to 1.00pm
BOOK OF THE WEEK BEHOLD THE PIERCED ONE
JOSEPH CARDINAL RATZINGER (POPE BENEDICT XVI)
Ignatius San Francisco 1986. Pp128 I guess the name of the author gives it away and you will not be surprised when I speak of the beauty and depth contained in this book. It's one of those I keep coming back to. Steeped in Scripture and Liturgy, especially the Eucharist it's a fine book to be accompanied by at this rich time in the Church calendar. Three beautiful meditations at the end. Not easy reading but worth the effort.
Mass Intentions This Week Samuel Brennan Paul James Esather James Tommy Mooney Noel Mooney Marie O’Connor
Recent Funerals Lily Fox
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FAMILY MASS
We are delighted that the Family Mass Team will be with us on
Easter Sunday @10.30am This Mass will be very appropriate for Parents with young children including both Holy Communion and Confirmation Classes. We will celebrate in an enjoyable and creative way these two very important days in the life of Jesus. We look forward to seeing you there.
Eucharistic Adoration Divine Mercy Meetings
Resume Mon 9 April
Don’t forget to bring back your Trócaire Box to the Sacristy as
soon as possible.
LOURDES THIS AUGUST? Ballyfermot St. Pio Lourdes Group
16th August for 7 nights, Full Board €799 pps 4* Hotel Solitude
Organised by: Eddie Teeling (6262669)/Rose Reilly
Spiritual Director: Fr Joe Mc Donald, St. Matthew's
Next Sunday (8 April) is Divine Mercy Sunday
Parish Devotions start at 2.30pm in St. Matthew’s
Confessions will be heard Finishes with Benediction
All Welcome
Caritas News Emmanuel Concert Our wonderful choir and soloists performed at the Emmanuel Concert in the Helix Theatre. A first for Caritas College! On International Women’s Day a group of our 5th yrs visited Alliance Francaise for cultural workshops. They had an opportunity to reflect upon statements made by many world leaders in support of women’s roles in society. They were interested to learn that the beautiful building on Kildare St. in which Alliance Francaise is located was once a gentlemans’ club, which forbade entry to women. Vive L’Égalité! Seachtain na Gaeilge Bhí Tráth na gCeist, Comórtas Postaer agus Céilí mór ar siúl againn i gColáiste Caritas i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge. Bhain na cailíní an-sult go deo as na himeachtaí!
Gospel Readings for the Week Mon 02/04 Matt 28: 8 - 15. ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers and sisters that they must must leave for Galilee; they will see me there’ Tue 03/04 Jn 20: 11 - 18 ‘They have taken my Lord away, and I don’t know where they have put him’ Wed 04/04 k 24: 13 - 35 ‘They had recognised him at the breaking of bread’ Thu 05/04 Lk 24: 35 - 48 ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ Fri 06/04 Jn 21: 1 - 14 ‘None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘ Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord.’ Sat 07/04 Mk 16: 9 - 15 ‘He reproached them for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had re fused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen’.
IS THERE ANY HOPE?
I think between the book, a few media appearances and a couple of the rumblings I have got the name of being something of a prophet of gloom. A lot of people are inclined to associate me with the phrase ‘the death of the church’. I think some, especially those who do not know me, are more and more likely to see me as a bit negative. Worse still, if I am honest, even cynical. This certainly does not suit me as I see the word ‘cynical’ as a real indictment of any person of faith, never mind a priest. I sincerely pray that the Lord deliver me from becoming a cynic. To me the cynic lacks joy. To me the cynic spoils the enjoyment of others. To me the cynic seeks out the negative. To me the cynic searches the sky for the storm cloud. To me in the middle of the heat wave the cynic warns us there will be rain next week. Please God I am not a cynic.
I believe we as a church, I mean the Irish Catholic Church, is in serious trouble. Actually I genuinely believe that it is in serious danger of dying. I realise not everybody wants to hear this. Indeed not everyone agrees with it. Nevertheless I believe it is important to say it. I am surprised and somewhat saddened that this is interpreted as betrayal. I guess that it is slightly more predictable that the response to my criticisms of the Church by a few is that I should get out. Needless to say I have not the slightest intention of leaving the church. This is the Church to which I belong. This is the Church I love. Sadly this is also the corrupt, dysfunctional and at times abusive Church which I also belong to. So to be clear I am not going anywhere. I am dedicated to both its reform and renewal but from within, not without!
Ok then for the sake of clarity, what is wrong with the Church? For the sake of brevity I will group this under four headings: Practice, Personnel, Prophetic Witness and Perspective.
Practice: religious practice continues to fall dramatically. This is evident in the indifference on the part of many to any follow up church attendance post First Holy Communion. Sadly for many First Holy Communion is also Last Holy Communion. Equally sad is the fact that for many the beautiful Sacrament of Confirmation happens in a vacuum where faith is little known, less practiced, never mind ‘confirmed’!
Personnel: it looks like the Holy Spirit has cut off the oxygen supply to the male celibate clerical church. Could it be that the same Spirit, is nudging us, or dragging us kicking and screaming towards a female, lay - led church?
Prophetic Witness: whilst there are a small number of public examples of people living and loving in a prophetic way and bearing clear witness to gospel values such as Peter McVerry and Stan Kennedy, there remains very little prophetic witness in leadership. The prophetic leader will break new ground, inspire with a freshness and creativity and clearly live radical discipleship.
Perspective: The perspective or lens which I am speaking of is of course that of the ‘Christ-filter’. Literally everything, past present and future are all different when viewed through the eyes of Christ. The past is entrusted to God’s mercy, the future bursts with hope and potential and I live today mindful of the other and the call of my baptism to be Christ bearer. How wonderful and how exciting is that?
So is there any hope? If we live without hope we are not followers of Jesus. If we live in
darkness and despair then what are we saying to the Lord about Calvary? The central truth for us on our pilgrim way is ‘why look among the dead for one who is alive? He is not here, he is risen!’ Alleluia! Alleluia!
J MC DONALD. 25. 03. 18
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