KILQUADE PARISH NEWSLETTER Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 19th January 2020

St. Patrick’s St. Joseph’s St. Anthony’s Holy Spirit Oratory

Facing our deepest personal truths is always difficult; it calls us to not just drift along with this world’s evil, al- ways taking the line of least resistance. Discipleship is urgent and costly, but it is also possible and is the way towards the deeper joy and fulfilment that our soul is longing for. If we properly hear the Baptist as he wit- nesses to Christ, our response will be a stock-taking that goes to the root of our being. It may even reveal to us the truth that sets us free.

WICKLOW HOSPICE OPENS

Two thoughts emerge from today’s readings. The first is John’s dramatic declaration, Behold the Lamb of God. the second is an invitation to do a personal stock- taking during this first month of the new year and make some resolutions to improve the quality of our lives.

The Baptist urges us to ask what we are fundamentally about and then seek to reset our lives. And St Paul re- What a great start to 2020. The Hospice will minds us that we are “called to be saints together with open its doors in early 2020 to a 15 bed Hospice with a all those who in every place call on the name of our palliative care team attached. A dream to become reali- Lord Jesus Christ.” ty. Opening date will be the last weekend of January. An honest stock-taking of ourselves may unveil the This is a much-needed facility for people suffering from selfish motives that often direct our actions. To rise a life ending illness and their families. The site, located above an ego-centric spirit we need to recognise at Maghermore, will be fully operational by the end of something outside of and larger than ourselves, the December. The site was donated by the Columban God who cares for us and for the whole human com- sisters, with more than €3.5 million being raised by the munity. people of Wicklow for the project, with further funding being provided by the Department of Health to run the Can we listen to John’s call to restore what is broken, hospice. Thank you all so much for your continued and Jesus’ call, to bring light to the world? Do we see support and patience over the last 10 yrs. The people that it is with our cooperation that the Lamb can re- of Co Wicklow and beyond should be very proud. move the “sin of the world?”

Pastoral Area of Kilquade/ PARISH MASSES

WEEKEND MASS TIMES KILQUADE PARISH: Holy Rosary Church, Greystones Fr. John Daly, P.P.: 086 2365194 Sat 6pm Vigil Email: [email protected] Sun 11:30am Fr. Eamonn Clarke: 01 2876207 Sun 6:30pm Canon Sean Smith: 01 2819253 Holy Spirit Oratory, Newcastle PARISH PASTORAL WORKER: Sat 8pm Vigil Paul Thornton: 0851259753. St. Anthony’s Church, Email: [email protected] Sun 10:30am KILQUADE PARISH OFFICE: St. Joseph’s Church, Mon to Thurs. 11am – 1pm. Tel: 01 2819658. Email: [email protected] Sat 7pm Vigil Website: www.kilquadeparish.ie Sun 8:30am PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL: Sun 11:30am President: Fr. John Daly. St. Kilian’s Church, Blacklion Chair: Rachel Kerrigan. Sun. 10am: CHILD SAFEGUARDING: Frances Stephenson & Máire Ní Shiodhail (contact through parish St. Patrick’s Church, Kilquade office) 12 Noon: GREYSTONES PARISH: Fr. John Daly, P.P.: 086 2365194 NEW CHRISTIANS: We welcome Fódha & Poppy and Conor, John & Email: [email protected] James who were the newest members of our community through the water of Fr. Denis Quinn: 01 2877025 baptism on Sunday 19th January. May Fr. Gerard Young: 01 2874278 they continue to grow in body, mind and Spirit in the years ahead. PREPARATION FOR BAPTISM: WEDDING BELLS: Congratulations to Shane McGovern & Fionnuala Our new approach to preparation for the Shields who were married in St. Sacrament of Baptism in the pastoral area Patrick’s Church, Kilquade over the of the parishes of Greystones and Christmas. May the Lord deepen their Kilquade is well in place. The purpose of love for one another in the years the preparation programme is to support ahead. parents in reflecting on the significant step REST IN PEACE: Please pray for they are taking in bringing their child to be the repose of the souls of John (Sean) baptised into the Christian Community. Chambers, formerly of , Enquiries to the Office. Denis Joseph (Don) O’Moore of Greystones & formerly Bray, Lylah BAPTISM CERT REQUESTS: Gaskin (née Vickers) of Greystones, Due to the new Data Protection Laws, Mildred Matthews of Greystones for anyone wishing for a copy of a Baptismal whom Requiem Mass was celebrated in our pastoral area this past week. We Cert will need to bring the Birth Cert of the offer our sympathy to their family and person in question. friends. May they rest in peace. Amen.

elcome! If you are a new to this area or just visiting you are very welcome and we, the existing faith community, hope you feel at home. Our pastoral area incorporates the villages of Kilquade, Kilcoole, Newcastle, Newtownmountkennedy, and the surrounding W countryside in Kilquade Parish and the town of Greystones and the surrounding hinterland in Holy Rosary and St. Kilian’s Parish. If you are new to either parish, please make yourself known to one of the priests of the parish. Be sure to visit our respective parish websites www.kilquadeparish.ie and www.greystonesparish.ie. used for both. The difference is that the strong cup of tea results from the tea leaves immersion in the water longer, allowing the water more time to get into the tea and the tea into the water. The longer the steeping pro- cess, the stronger the cup of tea. In the same way, the greater our immersion in God’s Word the more Christ- like we become.

CHURCH UNITY WEEK: At least once a year, Christians are reminded of Jesus’ prayer for his disci- ples that “they may be one so that the world may be- lieve” (see John 17.21). Christians come together to pray for their unity. Congregations and parishes all over the world exchange preachers or arrange special TACKLING POVERTY IN IRELAND: The So- ecumenical celebrations and prayer services. ciety of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has welcomed what it Traditionally the week of prayer is celebrated between called the “long awaited” publication of a plan to tackle 18–25 January, between the feasts of St Peter and St poverty in Ireland. Paul. The theme for 2020 is ‘Unusual Kindness’. Hos- Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020–2025 sets a target pitality is a much needed virtue in our search for Chris- of reducing the share of the population in consistent tian unity. It calls us to a greater generosity to those in poverty, but the SVP was disappointed that there is no need. The people who showed unusual kindness to firm commitment to benchmark social welfare pay- Paul and his companions did not yet know Christ, and ments. yet it is through their unusual kindness that a divided people were drawn closer together. Our own Christian The plan sets out a target to reduce consistent poverty unity will be discovered not only through showing hos- to 2 per cent or less by 2025, down from the 2018 fig- pitality to one another, but also through loving encoun- ure of 5.6 per cent of the population or approximately ters with those who do not share our language, culture 270,000 people who were living in consistent poverty or faith. according to 2018 figures.

THE POWER OF “Ireland hasn’t had a national strategy to tackle poverty GOD’S WORD: This for over two years now, so we are pleased to see the weekend at our eucharistic publication of this Roadmap,” said Dr Tricia Keilthy, celebrations for families st Head of Social Justice, SVP. preparing a child for 1 Ho- ly Communion we are fo- The Roadmap sets important objectives to benchmark cusing on the power of the the state pension by 2021, but contains very little detail Word of God. It is to help on its plans for other social welfare payments, which our young people under- the SVP would like to see set at a rate that provides stand why we listen to people with a minimum standard of living. “Without an God’s Word at Mass and adequate income, people get locked into poverty as why we strive to follow God’s Word in our day to day they don’t have the means to access opportunities or lives. to fully participate in society,” she continued. We cannot overestimate the importance of God’s Word in our daily lives and church ministry. God’s Word is The SVP highlighted that in 2018 the gap between so- His chosen instrument to create, convert and conform cial welfare and the cost of a minimum essential stand- His people. God gives life and health and holiness to ard of living (detailed by the Vincentian Partnership) His people through the power of His Word. God always was €80 per week for a one-parent family with two chil- sends His Word when He wants to renew life. dren, €47 per week for a single adult living alone, and €74 per week for a two-parent household with two chil- God’s Word sustains us “In the beginning was the dren. word…in Him was life.” The Word grows and fights (Acts 20:32). The Word builds us up and preserves us (Rom. 1:16). The Word gives us new birth and convicts

(James 1:18). So listening to the Word is important to us as we gather as a community or the time we take to reflect on it individually. If we want new life, health, and SCRIPTURE READING holiness in our church then it will come through work- ing according to His word. God’s Word is his supernat- Each week we suggest a piece of Scripture to use in ural power for accomplishing His supernatural work. your prayer. Light a candle and read slowly the pas- sage, re-read it a couple of times and reflect on it How many of us like a good cup of tea? Consider for a and listen to what God is saying to you. moment the difference between a strong and a weak cup of tea. The same ingredients - water and tea – are This week’s is Matthew 4:12-23 calling you and to be open to hear- take place this year from Sunday 26 ing that invitation as we explore to- January – Sunday 2 February on gether in February what it means to the theme ‘Catholic Schools: Living be a disciple. in Harmony with God’s Crea- tion’. During Catholic Schools HOLY ROSARY Week families, parishes and SOUP & SAND- schools, North and South, are invit- WICHES : 29 Jan- ST ed to participate in a week of cele- 1 COMMUNION PREPA- uary 2020 Kilian bration of Catholic schools and on RATION MASS: Sunday’s House Family Cen- their contribution to the common 10.30am in Kilcoole and the tre; 12:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Meet good of our society. This year’s 11.30am & 6.30pm Mass in Grey- your friends for delicious home- theme ‘Catholic Schools: Living in stones will be celebrated especially made soup and sandwiches. Fol- Harmony with God’s Creation’, en- for families who are preparing a lowed by tea/coffee and cake. Sug- st courages us to see that we all have child for 1 Holy Communion and gested donation, €5.00.All proceeds a responsibility to care for the earth, will focus on explaining the im- go to local charities. Everyone is not just for our own future, but for portance of listening to the Word of most welcome for good food and a the future of every one of God’s God at Mass. friendly chat. creatures. ANAM CARA: Wicklow, is hold- ing it's monthly Parent Evening on Monday 20th January at 7:20pm in the Parkview Hotel, Newtown- mountkennedy, Co. Wicklow. This event is free and open to all be- CONFIRMATION PREPA- reaved parents regardless of the st age your child died, the circum- RATION: We have the 1 of our stances of their death, or whether preparation sessions with our candi- their death was recent or not. dates for the sacrament of Confir- Please contact us on in- mation and their parents next Sun- [email protected] or 085 2888 888 GREYSTONES BRIDGE CEN- th day afternoon, 26 January. It be- for any queries. TRE CLG Beginners Bridge Clas- gins at 4.30pm in Kilian House, the ses commence Monday 20th Janu- Parish Centre, in Greystones. It ary 2020 at 10.00am (10 weeks for explore what it means “To Belong” €120 p.p.) Improvers Bridge Clas- and will conclude with the celebra- ses commence Tuesday 21st Janu- tion of Mass at 6.30pm which will be ary 2020 at 10.00am (10 weeks for focusing on all those preparing for €120 p.p.) For further information Confirmation. pleaseemail:board.greystonesbridg [email protected] HELP IS JUST A KILQUADE PARISH ANNUAL PHONE CALL GENERAL MEETING: It is good AWAY: ALCO- practice for charities to have an HOLICS ANONY- AGM to act as a review of the year MOUS: Meet in the and reviewing the annual accounts. Parish Centre Kil- We will be holding the meeting on coole ,Tuesdays Thursday 23rd January at 8pm in 8.30 p.m. WICKLOW SUICIDE Kilcoole Community Centre. It SUPPORT, 086 7779868 .ST. VIN- will include a presentation of the CENT DE PAUL: Kilquade 01 parish accounts and a parish review 8550022. Greystones: 089 4292769 by the chair of the Parish Council. AL-ANON: meet at St. Kilians Fami- WHO ME? In February we will be All Welcome. ly Centre Sundays 8.00p.m. GAM- looking closely at the call to ministry BLERS ANONYMOUS: Details from each of us have as a result of our Pat 01 2874799. Baptism. In this picture by Caravag- gio of the calling of Matthew, he, Matthew, is sur-prised that Jesus is calling him. There is a ‘who me?’ moment. We are all called to be more. As we begin our new year we Catholic Schools Week 2020 will ask you to think about how God is