A4 Newsletter 2013
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Father Peyton Cluster Newsletter The Parishes of Attymass, Bonniconlon, Foxford, Killasser and Straide together on Mission. Issue No. 10 August 2013 Habemus Papam! Congratulations Jubilarians! In 1988 there were three priests ordained for the Diocese of Achonry and coincidentally, 25 years later, all three are working together in the Fr Peyton Cluster. Fr Martin Convey was ordained in Killasser, Fr John Durkan in Swinford and Fr John Geelan in Cloonloo. The end of year Mass for our cluster in the Fr Peyton Centre was a special Mass of thanksgiving for their vocation to the priesthood and for their work in our Diocese. We heartily congratulate all three, we thank them for their 25 years of service to the church and and we pray God’s blessings in abundance on their future ministry. The announcement of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in February this year came as a surprise to most Catholics throughout the world and the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a 76 year old Jesuit from Buenos Aires, was equally unexpected. From what we know of his life so far and from his first few months in office we can say that the choice was a good one. Already he has been called the “no frills” pope with a simpler approach to the papal office, choosing to live in the guesthouse at the Vatican rather than in the official residence and to wear an ordinary white cassock rather than the ornate robes worn by his predecessors. During his life we are told that he was noted for his humility and his commitment to the poor. He is also a good “people person”, realising the importance of As proclaimed by Pope Benedict in 2012, the ‘Year of Faith’ dialogue to build bridges and avoid confrontation. runs from the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council on 11 October 2012 until the His choice of the name ‘Francis’ is a popular one and gives Solemnity of Christ the King on 24 November 2013. Pope an indication of the path he would like to take in his Benedict outlined the purpose of the ‘Year of Faith’: 'to give papacy. His patron, St Francis of Assisi, is a man who came fresh impetus to the mission of the whole Church to lead very close to following the way of life of Christ himself. human beings out of the wilderness in which they often Even though he was from a wealthy family, he discarded all find themselves to the place of life, friendship with Christ possessions and lived a life of poverty. He loved the Mass that gives us life in fullness.' and the Blessed Sacrament and he saw the splendour of God in all creatures. Pope Francis has taken some brave The ‘Year of Faith’ is an invitation to everyone in the steps to follow in the footsteps of his patron. The road he Church to celebrate and renew their faith - individually, in faces is a difficult one but with the support of his people families, in parishes and schools, in our Diocese, country and the guidance of the Holy Spirit his journey will bear and across our global Catholic community. The prayer of much fruit. the Year of Faith is the Nicene Creed in which we profess our belief in all the doctrines that our faith proclaims. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked1 evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor Year of Faith: Year of Symbols Religious faith and expression have their own unique symbols also. However, these symbols are usually much Straide Parish more subtle. Their great age means that they do not need the protection of a patent. As religious symbols tend not famous philosopher once said that “symbols give rise to encroach upon the market place of the economy they Ato thought”. In other words, symbols speak for tend to be able to speak to us, unhindered, within their themselves to us and do not require language to explain the own realm. Regrettably, however, there are a growing fundamental truths which they express. Symbols point to number of examples where secular and sacred symbols deeper realities beyond themselves and always invite the clash – especially secular and sacred symbols which are beholder to engage with them. The interpretation of associated with the two great Christian feasts of the symbols is usually very personal and unique to the observer. Nativity and the Resurrection. We live in a world of symbols. In fact there can be so The Year of Faith, as proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI on many in our daily lives that we often fail to notice many October 11th 2012, sought to bring our attention to many of them. Their potent charms, however, have long been things. It asked us, above all, to take a fresh look at the understood and exploited by those in the advertising Faith of the Church – especially the faith of the early industry. Here, for example, the much sought after symbol Christian communities which has been safeguarded and of a common apple (with one bite missing) sells more handed down to us in all its richness and purity. computers, mobile phones and music storage devices than most of its competitors put together. Likewise, the golden During this Year of Faith, as a parish community in twin arches of McDonalds symbolise another fast food Straide, we strove to highlight some of the Symbols of our chain outlet from the world’s most recognisable and Christian Faith and Tradition. These are the symbols dominant food brand – a brand which guarantees high which we encounter throughout the yearly liturgical sales wherever on the planet they are located. calendar. Unfortunately, they can easily become symbols which, perhaps, we are so accustomed to that we don’t Much of the free world economy is dominated by always afford them the opportunity to engage us and patented symbols used to market commercial products. As speak to us as they should. the market place becomes more and more crowded, the symbols can clash and vie with one another in a bid to The following are just a few of the symbols we tried, gain the unsuspecting customer’s attention. We cannot during the Year of Faith, to emphasise, give prominence to walk down the main street of the average city or town and allow our minds and thoughts to engage with. without being affected subconsciously (or otherwise) by these universally recognisable symbols of commerce. First Holy Communion 2013 First Holy Communion took place on Sunday, April 28th in the Church of Ss. Peter & Paul, Straide. Congratulations to the children (all girls) who received their First Holy Communion on the day – Danielle Bourke, Claire Coleman, Anna Dempsey, Kila Gruddy, Erin Mulroy, Caelia Noonan Byrne, Sheena Ward and Sheena Smyth. Special thanks also to their parents and teachers (Mrs. Finnerty, Mrs. Kelly and Mrs. Staunton and, also, to Mrs. Mary Byrne) and to all who helped to make the occasion so very special. Thanks, especially, to the children who prepared so very well for the occasion and for all their art work and visual presentations. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked2 evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor The Month of November each year presents us with an “Calvary” of three Crosses located at a strategic position opportunity to remember our dead and celebrate the outdoors, with the centre cross draped in purple and all resurrection which we hope we will all, one day, share in. three illuminated at night, can be a very powerful The Tree of Life provided us with many powerful reminder to the passing world of the commencement of symbols. A dead tree, in the main body of the Church, the Lenten Season. This visual reminder remains long after devoid of life-giving leafy green branches, symbolises the the ashes of Ash Wednesday have faded from foreheads. emptiness and darkness of death. However, the The absence of decoration within the Church also speaks “cardboard leaves” which allows the community to write volumes during Lent. The green decoration of the palms the names of their deceased loved ones upon, when hung can, on Palm Sunday, give a glimpse of the New Life upon the tree, provide a powerful symbol of the promised with the Resurrection. resurrection– especially when the tree is illuminated with a subtle warm white light emanating from the earth which On Good Friday the empty Cross, draped in red or black, secures the tree. speaks for itself. The month of November also lends itself to liturgies of Easter is the highlight of the Christian Calendar and is Remembrance of the Dead with appropriate emphasis on also the period that lends itself most to Christian symbols. the symbols of light and colour. The empty tomb and the empty cross are the greatest of Christian symbols. The empty tomb can be easily Advent symbols are particularly enthralling. The constructed from stones and decorated with ivy and moss. evergreen endless circle of the Advent Wreath, together Subtle lighting can add greatly to the overall effect. There with its candles, herald the dawn of a new era with the are few symbols on Easter morning that can “give rise to birth of Christ. thought” better than the empty tomb. It brings adults and children alike close to the very heart of the Mystery of The Jesse Tree, which recalls and exhibits the genealogy of Redemption. Christ, is a forceful symbol of the direct link between the First and the New Adam. The placing, at every Mass The Easter Cross has its origins in the Lutheran Church celebrated during Advent, of additional symbols which where, on Easter morning, the congregation brings fresh represent key individuals in each generation from Adam flowers to decorate and transform the cross from a to Christ, explains the role of the prophets and forefathers heretofore instrument of torture and scandal to a means to of Christ very admirably.