18th January, 2025

Adamstown Parish Newsletter

Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th January 2025

Volume 25.  Number 3

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ADAMSTOWN LOTTO

The next Adamstown Lotto Draw takes place this Thursday 23^rd January in Foley’s, Newbawn for a Jackpot of €3,100. Please leave books back in Cullen’s Gala by 8pm on draw night.

Thanks for your continued support.

COLÁISTE ABBÁIN NEWS

1^st Year Footballers into Leinster Final!!

A massive congratulations to our 1^st year football team, who have secured their place in the Leinster Football Final after an impressive victory against Tyndall College, Carlow. The team displayed outstanding skill and determination throughout the match, with Will Fortune and Charlie Redmond delivering standout performances and earning Players of the Match.

Well done to all involved – onwards to the final.

Coláiste Abbáin Variety Show Friday 24^th January

Location – Coláiste Abbáin Sports Hall. Curtain Up 7pm.

Tickets are selling fast, so don’t miss out!

Tickets on sale: Mornings 9 -10am.

Lunchtime 1.30pm – 2.00pm.  Throughout the day: Available in the office or in Cullen’s Gala Shop.

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, dance, magic and more!   We can’t wait to see you all there.

ADAMSTOWN COMMUNITY CENTRE NEWS

Full Local Link Service:

Would you like a full Local Link Service in Adamstown with a possibility of a late-night service for Friday & Saturday nights to and from Wexford town? Adamstown Community Development Association are hosting a meeting, so please mark your diary for Monday 3^rd February at 8pm to come and have your say. Please help spread the word, it would be great to have big numbers on the night. Another new class will be added to the Community Centres offerings for February. It is great to see more people using the great space that we have right in the heart of our community. Friday’s will see a second Kids dance class by Joelle from Next Level Dance School added to the weekly schedule from February 14^th time 4pm – 5pm. Joelle’s current class runs every Tuesday from 4.45 – 5.45pm. Kids Yoga with Denise from Labyrinth Yoga School, start date confirmed and will run Wednesdays from 29^th January 3.30 – 4pm. We also have had enquiries from a Drama School looking to run classes on a Saturday morning, if this is something your children might be interested in please let us know.

A THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK!

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful,

for beauty is God’s handwriting.

(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

THURSDAY NIGHT CARD GAME

The weekly Thursday night Card Game continues in the Community Centre each week at 8.30pm. Card winners on Thursday 16^th January were: Johnny Nolan, Kathleen Whelan,

Mai Pender, Phil Jackman, Joe Kehoe, Owen & Sammy Elmes.

ADAMSTOWN ICA NEWS

Adamstown ICA held their first meeting of 2025 on Wednesday  last, 15^th January 2025. We had a great turnout considering the time of year. After the usual business, we had a catch up on all the news from over the Christmas period. A lovely tea was provided by Mary J. Furlong and Mary B Doyle and the raffle was won by Eleanor Power and Mary J. Furlong. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 12^th February 2025 at 8pm in Coláiste Abbain. New members are always welcome. Remember, you don’t have to be from the area to join.

KIND SPEECH –  (Fr. Vincent Sherlock, Messenger Magazine)

I noticed a short video clip online recently. It was of a teacher speaking to young students. Her lesson, intended for a younger audience, remains with me. She was telling the pupils that if they were thinking of pointing something out to another pupil that could not be changed in 30 seconds, chances are they should not point it out. In her lesson, she is teaching tenderness in speech, awareness of another’s situation and the sincere desire to be helpful. There is little to be gained in telling someone they are too heavy, for example, since this is something, the other person already knows and clearly something that cannot or will not be remedied in thirty seconds. She reminds her pupils that commends like this can be hurtful and ultimately serve no purpose and hold no prospect of improving the other person’s situation or sense of self-worth and dignity. As she spoke, she held a tube of toothpaste in her hand. When giving examples of comments that are not helpful to share, she squeezed the toothpaste into her other hand. Quickly and messily, it covered her hand, serving as a reminder that the spoken word, when spilt unhelpfully, achieves only one thing – a mess. She continued to talk about the situation where pupils realised the error of the unhelpful word, and she tried to put the toothpaste back in its tube to no avail. Her pupils hopefully came to realise that there is no taking back a hurtful word. We need to encourage others, as we ourselves need to be encouraged. The throwaway remark about weight and appearance, however, remains unhelpful, and hopefully the children in the teacher’s classroom reflected on it, even as they held the tube of toothpaste before bed that night.

REMEMBER!

It’s OK to not be OK

Some days are just harder than others.

CHURCH NOTICES

IN MEMORIAM

Sat 18^th – Joe Crosbie, Misterin (A)

Also – Statia & Syl Barron, Coonogue (A)

Also – Philip & Elizabeth Jackman, Danny & Hannah Falvey, Raheenduff (A)

Sun 19^th – People of the Parish.

Sat 25^th – People of the Parish

Sun 26^th – Mogue & Mary Kealy, Ellen, Johnny, Jim & Sonny Kehoe, Tom & Liz Murphy, Rathurtin & The Leap (A)

Pray for Noel McCarthy, Tomgarrow (A)

May they rest in peace.

Feast Days this Week

Friday – St. Francis de Sales: 1567-1622. Bishop of Geneva, founder of the Visitation Sisters. Patron saint of writers, editors & journalists.

Mass each week day morning at 9.30am.

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

Sunday 2^nd February – Presentation of the Lord

Candlemas Day.

READERS OF THE LITURY

Sat 18^th – Cáit Bradley        Sun 19^th – Callie Doyle

Sat 25^th – T.J. McDonald     Sun 26^th – Sheelagh Delaney

Sat 1^st – Anthony McGee    Sun 2^nd – Ann Ryan

RING A BELL FOR 2025

The father of a well-known American lawyer one day rang his daughter. He lived in a remote part of the U.S. He had spent most of his livelihood on a good education for her. She rarely called or visited him. He was an elderly widower and very lonely. She was a celebrity who featured on high profile trials. Her secretary was reluctant to put his call through until he said “I am  her Dad”. On receiving the call, the daughter said: “Hi, Dad how are you”. Rather abruptly he replied. “I rang to ask you if you intend coming to my funeral?”. She replied very dramatically “Oh, Dad, how could you be so cruel? Of course I intend to come to your funeral. Immediately he responded “I’d prefer if you came now”.

SYMPATHY

The death occurred on Thursday 9^th January of Maura Rossiter, (née Finn) Bellary, Duncormick. We extend our deepest sympathy to her sons Shane, Tomás, David and daughter Ruth.

Condolences also to her sisters Breda, Rena, brothers Tony and Jim, relatives and friends. Maura was predeceased by her husband Pat. Maura’s funeral Mass was celebrated on Friday last in The Church of the Assumption & St. Laurence O’Toole, Rathangan followed by burial in Rathangan Cemetery.

May she rest in peace.

STRAW FROM THE CRIB  (Fr. Nolan)

For many years in Enniscorthy I brought the Blessed Sacrament to Patrick Lynch, affectionately known as DADA. I was intrigued to be told that he played in goal for Leinster in the Railway Cup on hurling and football teams. Dada also looked after the cows at the time, as many parishes farmed, as did St. Aidans. Each year he would send straw from the Crib to friends all over the world to protect their homes from fire. Many people keep straw from the Crib in their wallets, or in their purses with the hope that they will have a bit of money in the coming year.

Historian Michael Fortune informs us of a tradition common among members of the Polish Community, who retain scales from the fish they consume on Christmas Ever and they put this in their wallets for the same reason.

NOTE: Straw from St. Abbans Crib will be available in the Inner Porch for those who would like to have some in their homes in the coming year.

Again, our thanks to John, Catherine, Lorna, Joe and Cáit who dismantled the Crib this week.

BREAD FROM HEAVEN

For two hundred years, people have been blessed to have in their midst the Sisters of Mount Carmel in New Ross, whose hands are lifted in prayer night and day on our behalf.

They also supply us with Altar Bread which after the invocation of the Holy Spirit becomes the Manna the Bread from Heaven and the food of our souls at the Holy Mass. The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson reminds us ‘that there is more wrought by prayer than this world dreams of’

On your behalf I would like to thank the Sisters for their prayerful support as we all pray everyday for our daily bread.

BETHANY BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT

Bethany Bereavement Support, New Ross,

Call 087 3846577. Drop-In Centre in St. Michael’s Pastoral Centre on the first Thursday of every month at 11.00am.

WEXFORD CO. COUNCIL NOTICE

Wexford Co. Council give notice of the closure of the R735-18 to vehicular traffic from Friday 24^th January – Friday 14^th February to facilitate the construction of Aughnaglaur Bridge,at Chapel, Adamstown.  Alternative Routes signposted.

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

O Lord, give me true charity, which never fails so that my life may shine as a light that warms my own heart and gives comfort to others. Amen.