Kilbrittain Parish Bulletin

October 2003

Samhain.

“Naoib in domhain dálaigh, sóerait samain síanaig”.  “The saints of the teeming world ennoble stormy Samhain”.  The saying is found in a ninth century Irish martyrology, or list of the saints.   Samhain goes back to pagan Ireland.  It marks the night of the beginning of the darkest season of the year, when the winter days set in.  The people believed that on this night the dead were permitted to come back to visit their old homes again.  So they left the doors open, kept the fire blazing brightly and went to bed early to allow the ancestors to revisit undisturbed.  Many of the traditions of Halloween have their origin in paganism.

The Christian missionaries were able to associate these traditions with our belief in the Resurrection of the dead and so encouraged people to use this time to pry for those who had gone before.  It is still a very strong tradition not only in Ireland but throughout the whole Christian world.  The Church Catechism puts it:

From the beginning the Church has honoured the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified they may attain the beatific vision of God.  The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead."                                                Catechism of the Catholic Church;  1032.

 

Autumn Stations:

Monday 27th Octoober:  

                Niall and Noreen O’Brien,  Cloundereen. 8.00 p.m.

Thursday 30th October:

                Jim and Sharon Moore, Barley field  11.00 a.m.

Friday 21st November:

                Martin and Martina O’Mahony  Shanakile 11.00 a.m.

Thank you to all who have hosted the Stations this Autumn.  We are winding down now as we come close to winter.   Our thanks is due to God for the wonderful weather we had for the stations.  There has not been one wet station this time around.

Baptisms:

Natasha, daughter of Gerard and Sharon McSweeny, Burren

                Chloe, daughter of Stephen McCarthy and Victoria Hine,  Bandon.

Donnacha, son of Denis O’Mahony and Michelle Sexton, Brookfield, 

                Andrew, son of Keith and Marie Comrie, Norfolk.

                For in the one Spirit we are all baptised into the one body. (1 Cor. 12:13)

 

Marriages:

Pauline McCarthy, Rathclaren to Seamus Comerford,Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.

                This is a great mystery and I am applying it to Christ and the church.

(Ephesians 5:32)

   Deaths:

Maureen O’Sullivan,  Kilshinihan.

                God’s grace and mercy are with those he has chosen.  (wisdon 4:15)

 

Sunday Collection

 

Sunday  19th October                  €820.00

Mission Collection                        €800.00

Preparation for the Sacraments

Meetings were held recently with the Parents of the First Communion and Confirmation Candidates, the Teachers and Fr. Riordan to discuss the programme and the children’s preparation for the Sacraments.

The Enrolment Ceremonies will be  held on Tuesday 11th November for Confirmations children and Tuesday 18th November for First Holy Communion children, at 8.00 p.m. in the Church. 

Confirmation  Tuesday 2nd March 2004

First Penance will be on Tuesday 9th March 2004

First Communion on Saturday  8th May  2004

 

November Novena

The envelopes for the Novena of Masses have been distributed.  The Masses from the 2nd to the 10th of November are offered for those whom you wish to be remembered.  The Mass for the Novena will be at  8.00 p m. each week day and at 11.00 a.m. on Saturday.

On Friday, 7th November, we will remember especially those who died in the last year.  We will also remember especially those buried in the cemeteries of the parish on different evenings of the Novena:  Monday, Currarane;  Tuesday,  Clashavanna;  Wednesday,  Rathclaren;  Thursday,  Shanakiel and on the following Monday the priests buried in the church grounds and past priests of the parish.

First Sunday of Advent is on 31st of November

 

Building Projects.

Tenders have been submitted  for the repair of the leaning wall and for the slating of the church.  These are being examined and a decision will be made in the coming week. We hope that work on both projects will go ahead in the not too distant future. 

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