April 25th, 2021

Adamstown Parish Newsletter

Weekend of Sat 24th & Sun 25th April 2021   

Volume 22.     Number 15

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ADAMSTOWN TIDY TOWNS NOTICE

We are holding a Clothing Recycling event on Friday 30th April. Bags can be left into Cullen’s Gala from now until the 30th. We can take all clothing, belts, bags, curtains, towels, blankets and bed sheets. No pillows or duvets please.

Your support would be greatly appreciated.

 Please check us out on our face book page.

HEARING AID GRANTS

Minister for Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys T.D. has announced changes to the grants available towards the purchase of hearing aids. As part of the measures announced in Budget 2021, a flat rate grant of up to €500 is now available towards a hearing aid, while a grant of up to €1,000 is available for a pair. The Dept of Social Protection will also provide a grant of up to €100 towards the cost of hearing aid repairs.

For further information phone 1890 500 000 or

www.welfare.ie

MARY’S MEALS

Mary’s Meals feeds almost 2 m hungry children every day in 19 countries. Online quiz to support them takes place on last Friday of every month at 8pm. To join/donate go to

www.bit.ly/QuizforMM or contact Martin Colfer 087 2596159

IRISH EASTER MESSAGE SHOWN UP BY BRITISH

The Easter messaging from the Irish Government has come under fire after Boris Johnson’s strongly worded statement.

“Let’s not lose sight of the fact that this is Christianity’s most important festival” the British prime minister said, continuing, “And that, while churches are open, the ongoing corona virus restrictions mean that once again, it won’t be possible for many Christians to mark Easter in the way they would like”

If there’s one thing British Christians have shown in the past year, Mr. Johnson said, it’s that “Jesus Christ is ‘the way, and the truth and the life’ not just today, but every day”

Mr Johnson commented on the fact that Jesus’ teachings and the message of his death and resurrection “permeate through every aspect of daily life”

Some commentators have drawn a contrast between this messaging and Taoiseach Michéal Martin’s declaration that Easter is a time for “reflection” and “renewal”, which has been perceived by some as not going far enough.

(Jason Osborne – Irish Catholic April 8th 2021)

WINNERS

Congratulations to Sheelagh on winning €300 in the South East  Radio Bingo this week.

Congratulations also to Jonathan Moore, it was nice to see him back to winning ways at Ballinrobe riding Different Beat

a 9/1 winner, and continued success.

STARLINGS – (Joe Kennedy, Sun Independent)

Temperatures as low as minus 40C in Eastern Europe and Russia sent many thousands of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)

helter-skelter to these islands for succour and survival.

The birds rewarded us with spectacular images of great murmuration flocks, much photographed, and for the lucky ones, swirling sightings waltzing to a heavenly orchestra.

The great mass of birds, having performed their aerial ballet, dissolved to settle for the night in sheltered places to chatter and whistle for security.  Some people in these times of confinement may have seen a pair or two starlings food-searching in gardens, but the resident population has seriously dwindled in recent years and is on BirdWatch Ireland’s amber list of medium conservation concern.

Starlings used to be so numerous as to be considered a noisy, ragged rabble, roosting and nesting in wall spaces, holes in roofs. They are endless chatterers, gurglers, and whistlers constantly searching for scraps. These birds are nature’s natural mimics, imitating other birds, mewing cats and barking dogs and the myriad drifting noises of social interactions, mobile phones and radio chatter. They don’t sing – but they could fool you. David Rothenberg, in Why Birds Sing, tells of Mozart buying a starling and being startled when it whistled a fragment of his latest piano concerto. The bird modified the melody to G-sharp, creating a sound “ahead of its time”. When the poor bird eventually died, the composer was so moved that he and friends gave it a “proper funeral”. Scientists are still fascinated by them. In a study a bird making phone-pip sounds was heard asking, “Do you have a toll-free number? Another after listening to piano tunes, whistled the start of The Swanee River.

The great visiting flocks will shortly be heading back to Europe and our depleted groups of resident birds will remain hanging in there, surviving. None of us would welcome seeing them swirling down the Swanee.

THE PEACE VOTE

(Compass Points – Margaret Silf)

During the Second World War, there were a few hundred powerful men who directed hostilities and made choices that would cause maximum destruction to their enemies.

There were hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children who, waking to the aftermath of those acts of destruction, made the choice to get up, go out, bury the dead, bind the wounded, and rebuild their homes.

In the twenty-first century there are a few hundred politicians making strategies of war.

There are millions of ordinary people making plans for peace.

Living as though war were inevitable makes war inevitable.

Living as if peace were possible, makes peace possible.

CHURCH NOTICES

IN MEMORIAL

Sat 24th – John & Josie Barden, Doononey (A)

Sat 1st May – Peter, Tommy, Joey & Aoife Kelly,

Doononey (A)

Sun 2nd May – Peg & Joe Kelly, Coonogue (A)

& deceased members of the Kirwan Family, Coonogue (A)

May they rest in peace.

SYMPATHY

We extend our sympathy to Margaret Chambers, Woodview Drive on the death of her sister Kathleen Bagge, Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford who died last week. May she rest in peace

VIRTUAL PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES

The Annual Ferns Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes is taking place in a virtual format this year due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. The online programme from Sunday May 9th to Thursday May 13th has been devised by Pilgrimage Director Fr. John Carroll.

The Masses and ceremonies will be online only and will come from St. Aidan’s Cathedral, Enniscorthy. 

Log on to www.churchservices.tv/enniscorthycathedral

to join in. The dates are as follows:

Sunday 9th May  – 10.00am

 Bishop Denis Brennan will celebrate Mass to launch the virtual pilgrimage and light the Lourdes Candle.

Sunday 9th May – 7pm

Fr. Jim Doyle will guide pilgrims through prayer and adoration, recalling quiet times at Lourdes grotto in the past.

Monday May 10th – 10.00am

Fr. Odhrán Furlong will celebrate Mass and offer a short reflection.

Monday May 10th – 7pm

Fr. Matt Boggan will guide participants through the Mysteries of the Rosary.

Tuesday May 11th – 10.00am

Fr. Ricky O’Connor will celebrate Mass and share a short reflection.

Tuesday May 11th – 7pm

Fr. Billy Swan will pray around the Stations of the Cross.

Wednesday May 12th – 10.00am

Monsignor Joe McGrath will celebrate Mass and share a short reflection.

Wednesday May 12th – 7pm

Fr. Billy Caulfield will lead an evening pray on God’s healing grace.

Thursday May 13th – 10.00am

Fr. Brian Broaders will celebrate Mass and share a short reflection.

Thursday May 13th – 7pm

Fr Aodhán Marken will bring the Virtual Pilgrimage to a close with a ceremony of Light.

REMINDER – Please bring back your Trócaire Box as soon as possible. To date 21 boxes have been returned and we thank all those who have returned boxes and their  generous donations.

GUIDANCE & GRATITUDE – Week 4

The Sorrowful Mysteries

The Resurrection: I think how Jesus returned to bless us with his heavenly presence.

The Ascension: I think of the joy the apostles must have had to witness this event. We also witness great events in our lives.

The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles: I imagine how God’s love is available to each one of us and how we can enjoy the embrace of God.

The Assumption: I love this mystery. I see our friends and neighbours who have died enjoying the embrace of God.

The Coronation: I marvel at the radiance of Mary in our lives and all the waters of the earth where our life springs.

Each mystery can open up our thoughts to meditate and reflect on God an on our own life, in our own private way.

This is my way to meditate on the Rosary. For me it brings heaven and earth closer together.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

We hold the future of this planet in our hands,

The earth is a gift from God

And has been given to each and everyone of us to use

in our lifetime.

(Lorna Byrne – Angels in my hair)

THE YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH – A PRAYER

Saint Joseph, you are the chaste and loving spouse of the Virgin Mary. The foster father of Jesus and the protector and provider of the Holy Family and of all families.

With complete confidence in your loving care for new life and in your fidelity to the family.

We commend our efforts to your prayers and protection.

Help us always to defend the gift of human life.

That it may grow to the abundance of eternal life promised and bestowed on us by your son our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

MUZZLE & 2 METRE DISTANCE  ( Newsletter 2/12/2017)

Some dogs have to wear a muzzle. Did you know that under the Control of Dog Regulations Act 1998, the following dogs must, when in public, be led by their owner on a strong chain not exceeding over 2 metres in length and the dogs must be securely muzzled: This applies to:  American Pit Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff, Doberman Pinscher, English Bull Terrier, German Shepard (Alsatian), Japanese Akita, Japanese Tosa, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Staffordshire Bull Terrier. To every dog known as a ban dog (Bandog) and to every other strain or cross of every breed listed above. Fines up to €1,000 may be imposed by the district court for a breach of the above regulations.

(We never thought back then that face masks & 2 metres would make such a difference to our lives today)

P.S.  All dog owners are requested to clean up after dog fouling. It is very annoying to see our parks, public places, foot paths soiled by dog fouling, at a time when everyone is out and about enjoying the lovely weather and fresh air.