22nd October, 2023

Adamstown Parish Newsletter

Weekend of Sat 21st & Sun 22nd October 2023  

Volume 23.  Number 39

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ADAMSTOWN LOTTO

The winning numbers in the Adamstown Lotto draw on Monday 16th Oct were: 3 – 15 – 17 – 28. There was no Jackpot winner and no match three including online players. The following were Lucky Dip winners and each received €50. Maureen Bradley, Glenour.  Liz Murphy, Ballyrue, New Ross, Ann Martin, Enniscorthy & Joe Doyle, Ballagh.

The next draw is on Tuesday October 31st. in the Community Centre for a Jackpot of €15,000.

Adamstown Lotto “Halloween Special”

The next draw on 31st  October will share €1000 between all match three winners if the Jackpot is not won on the night, and is a once off special and a thank you to our loyal supporters. When this present €15,000 Jackpot is won, new Jackpot is worth   €7,300 at the moment and will go up another €200 every draw until the  €15,000 is won.

CARD GAMES STARTING AGAIN

Calling all card players – the Card Game in the Adamstown Community centre will recommence on this Thursday 26th October at 8.30pm. This is being organized by Kay Whelan, she hopes it will be a social occasion and a bit of enjoyment for people who have missed the card games since Covid began. All card players welcome to come along.

ADAMSTOWN GAA CLUB NEWS

Congratulations to our Ladies team & Management from 1988, who brought the ultimate honour to Adamstown GAA in becoming All Ireland Senior Club Ladies Football Champions – the best ladies club team in the country.

Many of the same family names are still representing our club today and hopefully will do long into the future. The ladies were honoured at last weekend’s Co. Senior Final and thoroughly deserved the tremendous reception which they received. Hopefully, one day in the future another team representing the club will come close to emulating their amazing feats. There is no reason to believe that it won’t happen – we just have to keep trying!!

Well done ladies – you are an inspiration.

Camogie Junior D County Final:

Fantastic to see the Adamstown Ladies in the Co. Final this Sunday in Monageer at 12 noon playing Glynn/Barntown.

This is their first year back competing in camogie and a great achievement to reach the Co. Final

Wishing the ladies the very best.

ADAMSTOWN COMMUNITY CENTRE

Our very successful Annual Christmas Craft Fair is back again this year and will take place in the Community Centre on Sunday 3rd December. Spaces are limited so book your space as soon as possible.

A THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – (Martin Luther King)

” Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”

A BIT OF NATURE – PUFFINS: Parrots of the Sea

Did you know there are parrots in this part of the world?

I have seen them, but they are not like the green and blue parrots you see in the tropics. In fact, they are not true parrots at all, but puffins, which have been nicknamed

“parrots of the sea”. Their colourful, triangular beaks reminded people of parrots and the name stuck. These very cool birds are skilled swimmers and strong fliers. When flying, they can average speeds of 80km (fifty miles) per hour and are known to flap their wings between three and four hundred times per minute. Baby puffins have the delightful name of pufflings and they live in burrows which their parents dig out of sandy cliffs. One egg is laid and when they are young, they depend entirely on both parents for their survival. Puffins are one of the few birds which can hold many small fish in their beaks. One survey showed that 10-12 fish was the average for one foraging trip. All this hard work by parents ensures that the precious baby gets well nourished and ready for its challenging life ahead. By seven weeks the puffling is ready to survive by itself. It heads out to the open sea and after two years, it returns to its birthplace, but it must wait another three years before it can mate and begin the cycle all over again. Puffins spend the winter months in the open sea, in the vastness of the North Atlantic Ocean, possibly, without touching ground for eight months.

How different their lives are from ours. It is unimaginable that at seven weeks these birds can fend for themselves. We know they are in God’s care as they live far away at sea. We are all in God’s care too and He looks after all His creation be it human or puffin.

(Elizabeth McArdle – Far East Magazine)

Note: You can see lots of puffins on the Saltee Islands from about April – August, but the best months are June & July.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING  – A few hints

Clean up with brilliant bread soda!

When it comes to an effective household cleaner, bread soda, wins hands down.

To clean sinks, sprinkle bread soda around the stainless steel and scrub off with a cloth, or add lemon juice to the mix. A cut lemon with a spoon of bread soda on it will clean your shower door like never before and leave it smelling great.

To clean your oven, sprinkle the inside with bread soda and then spray it with vinegar, it will fizz up from the acids. Leave for 15 minutes, then wipe off with a warm, damp cloth, rinsing as you go.

Add a cup of bread soda to the laundry to brighten up your wash. After bread soda, vinegar is your next best friend. To make a cheaper and universal household cleaner, mix equal part water and distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle. Add a few drops of tee tree oil or lavender to make it smell great and give you a natural antiseptic.

(Valerie O’Connor – Sunday Independent)

CHURCH NOTICES

IN MEMORIAM

Sat 21st – Kathleen Rothwell, Groveside (A)

Also  –      Thomas & Elizabeth Walsh, Brocurra (A)

Sun 22nd – Bernard Doyle, Oldcourt (A)

Sat 28th – Tom Furlong (Junior) Castlelodge (A)

Sun 29th – Patrick, Kathleen Murphy & deceased members of the Murphy family, Kilrane & Coolnagree and Babs Carr (A)

May they rest in peace.

READERS OF THE LITURGY

Sat 21st – Cáit Bradley.        Sun 22nd – Neasa Cloney

Sat 28th – Liam Whelan       Sun 29th – Kathleen O’Connor

Sat 4th – Annette English  

Sun 5th –  Tosia & Amelia Swierczynska

Morning Mass each week day morning at 9.30am

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Thursday from 10.00am – 1.00pm.

MISSION SUNDAY – 22nd October 2023

This Sunday we celebrate Mission Sunday and in all parishes all over the world where the Church is present, the Annual Collection for the Propagation of the Faith is taken up.

Here in St. Abban’s Church a basket will be in the Church porch following the Vigil Mass on Saturday night and also following 10.30am Mass on Sunday morning where you can make your donation. Please be as generous as you can. Thank you.

IRISH PILGRIMS PRAISE GOD AFTER SAFE RETURN FROM THE HOLY LAND  ( James Osborne -Irish Catholic)

A group of 52 Irish pilgrims caught in the Holy Land as war broke out have returned safely to Ireland, with the group’s spiritual director saying that “God’s supporting presence” was very much felt by the pilgrims during their time there. At least 1,400 people were killed and another 3,400 injured in Israel after the militant group Hamas launched an incursion on Oct 7th as pilgrims were staying in Bethlehem in the West Bank.

Speaking to the Irish Catholic, the group’s spiritual director, Fr. Conor McDonagh OP said that “as a priest, it was a great blessing to see God’s grace in action as our pilgrims faced up to the challenges that emerged in a spirit of love and prayer”. “We were given great support by Michael Kelly, Editor Irish Catholic, Marian Pilgrimages the Irish Embassy in Tel Aviv. The group left Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and landed safely in Dublin on Oct 12th.

MARY’S MEALS QUIZ

This monthly online quiz will take place next Friday (Oct 27th) at 8pm. To take part google MyQuiz.org

We have now provided more than 400,000 meals to feed hungry children in schools. To donate go to www.bit.lyly/QuizforMM or contact Martin Colfer on

087 2596159

JUNIOR CYCLE RESULTS

Well done to all local students who received their results of the Junior Cycle Examinations on Wednesday last, we hope you got the results you hoped for.

SUMMARY NOTE OF PRIEST’S ASSEMBLY

As part of the universal Church’s ongoing journey of synodality, the priests of the Diocese of Ferns met together for three days. The assembly of priests worked with facilitators on pastoral development, Scripture, lay ministry, collaboration, synodality, pastoral area formation and leadership. This work complements the synodal meetings of the Diocese, which is being developed by representatives from the Council of Priests and Diocesan Pastoral Council and grew from the Synodal Pathway. This plan looks at ways of empowering people, priests and religious to work more closely together in the proclamation of the Good News.

As we continue to discern together the way forward in a time of change for parishes, we pray that Parish communities within pastoral areas continue to work together to reflect a reinvigorated communion amongst clergy and laity, an outward pastoral reach and a renewed evangelising mission.

CLOCKS GO BACK – DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME CHANGE

Don’t forget to put your clocks back one hour on Saturday night next 28th October as we move into winter time.

Daylight saving time was originally adopted in Europe by Germany in order to conserve coal during World War 1. The practice was quickly copied in neighbouring states as well as the UK and US. After World War 11, the system was largely abandoned in Europe until it was reintroduced in the 1970’s in response to an oil shortage. EU regulation on Summer time was introduced in 1980, but it wasn’t until 2001 that a uniform system was put in place across the EU. In 2019 the EU voted overwhelmingly to abolish the twice-yearly change.

But progress has stalled due to a lack of consensus among EU member states. Some of the blame has been attributed to a number of more pressing concerns including Brexit, Covid-19 and the invasion of Ukraine. “It’s on the shelf” says Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune.

PRESENTATION SISTERS LEAVE WEXFORD

The Presentation convent has closed its doors and the Sisters have left after 205 years in Wexford town this October. A special tribute was paid to them on Friday13th in Rowe St. Church and Bishop Ger Nash celebrated Mass for them. The Presentation School will still continue we are glad to say under lay leadership. Nano Nagle was the foundress of the Presentation Sisters and there is three part series on her life on Simply Divine starting this Saturday 21st October, 28th October and 4th November on South East Radio at 10.04am on Saturday mornings.

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

Heavenly Father, may I be given the strength to make all things new by the fire of your love, in my work and leisure, joy and sorrows today.

Grant that I may seek your heavenly wisdom and share it with others. Amen.

A SMILE! –(Ireland’s Own)

During a history lesson, the teacher asked little Johnny who his forefathers were. “I don’t know, replied Johnny ” sure I always thought I only had one”