St. Brigid’s Parish, Killester NEWSLETTER March 2009 Dear Friends, Recently I met a woman who informed me she was going on a weight-watchers course for six weeks to be as she put it ‘in shape’ for her daughter’s wedding! It struck me that each year we Catholics do the very same thing – a six week crash course in fasting to get ‘in shape’ for the Church’s most important feast of Easter. That is what Lent is about. Lent’s forty days of penance is the traditional season of renewal and repentance in the Church. It is a time when, in preparation for Easter, we can be more united with Christ and with each other in the shared practice of penance. Through our prayer, self-denial and works of charity, we are joined with all of our brothers and sisters in a special way. Our penances, performed out of love for Our Lord and our neighbour, and in imitation of His 40 days In the desert, ex- press of our desire for conversion. Through penance and with God’s help, we overcome our selfishness and reach out selflessly to others. Our daily penances continuously prod and challenge us by reminding us of how self-centred we can be. Penance has always been part of the life of every Christian. Each Friday throughout the year, because it recalls the crucifixion of Our Lord, is still set aside by the Church as a day of penance. This may surprise you. The Church never did away with penance, but in 1966 when Pope Paul VI left it up to our- selves as adults to decide on our penances, we very nearly did! Fr. Alex Fasting and Abstinence – Did You Know? Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are observed as days of fasting and abstinence. Fasting means that the amount of food we eat is considerably reduced. Abstinence means that we give up a particular kind of food, drink or amusement. In the past it always meant the giving up of meat; nowadays it can cover the following: Abstaining from meat or some other food; Abstaining from alcoholic drink, smoking or some form of amusement; (watching T.V.?) Making the special effort involved in family prayer, taking part in the Mass, visiting the Blessed Sacrament or praying the Stations of the Cross; Fasting from all food for a longer period than usual and perhaps by giving what is saved in this way to the needy at home and abroad; Making a special effort to help somebody who is poor, sick, old or lonely. For whom? Those over 18 are obliged to fast until their 59th birthday. Those over 14 are obliged to abstain. Those even younger should be gently encouraged by their parents in the spirit and practice of penance as it remains an integral part of Christian living. Parish Lenten Programme Daily Masses 09.15 a.m. and 10.00 a.m. Gospel of St Mark (5 Wednesdays - beginning 4th March) 7.30pm Resource Centre To Keep a True Lent I came across this very old yet thought-provoking poem by Robert Herrick, an ordained priest who was born in 1591 and died in 1670. I think it gets to the heart of what Lent is really all about . Fr. Alex I IV Is this a Fast, to keep No: ‘tis a Fast to dole The Larder lean? Thy sheaf of wheat And clean And meat From fat of veals and sheep? Unto the hungry soul. II V Is it to quit the dish It is to fast from Strife Of flesh, yet still And old debate, To fill And hate; The platter high with fish? To circumcise thy life. III VI Is it to fast an hour, To show a heart grief-rent; Or ragg’d to go, To starve thy sin, Or show Not bin; A down-cast look and sour? And that’s to keep thy Lent. St. Joseph’s Young Priests’ Society The next meeting will be held in the Resource Centre on Wednesday 11th March, after the 10 a.m. Mass. All are welcome. Resource Centre News The St. Brigid’s Seniors’ Club (SBS) was launched on the 1st of February by Councillor Eibhlin Byrne Lord Mayor of Dublin. There was a very large turn out and over 100 people joined the club with more enquiries each day. There was an Afternoon Tea Dance on Sunday 15th February. Again, this was very well at- tended and those present were entertained by four professional singers and dancers. There are many enquiries as to when the next Afternoon Tea Dance will take place. Watch this space….. there are many trips and in-house events planned. Our meetings will take place every second Wednesday starting on Wednesday 11th March . Classes are ongoing in the Centre….. Computers for beginners, also Internet and Email courses starting soon. Ballet and Irish Dancing for Adults and Children, Latin, Salsa and Ballroom Dancing, Pilates and Yoga. Maths & Chemistry for young people. Violin lessons for tiny tots. Touch typing for Dyslexia. Bridge and Bowling. Aerobics and Unislim. Artzone for Children …...and many many more. Recently deceased - please pray for the souls of: Thomas Sheehy Rosemount Avenue William Ronayne Brookwood Avenue Willie Garland Gracefield Avenue Kathleen Walsh, Harmonstown Road Baptisms - we are happy to welcome into our Christian Community: Meabh Cahill Abbey Park Killian Richmond The Orchard Sophie Lawless Dunluce Road Senan Devitt Burnell Sq Recent Weddings — our congratulations to: Margaret Mullaly & Stuart Fox, Maryfield Crescent. Ann Marie Lynch, Killester Park and Ronan O’Dalaigh, Springdale Road St. Patrick As St. Patrick’s Day falls this month, I thought I might pen some reflections on our principal Patron Saint. Coming from a reasonably well-off clerical family, he was captured as a boy of almost 16 and brought to Ireland from Britain. He is unique in that he is the only Roman citi- zen known by name who not only escaped from captivity but whose story has come down to us in his own words. In later life when he returned as a missionary bishop in 432AD, he wrote two Latin works which have survived: his Confession (or Declaration) on the mighty works God has done through him, and his Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus, in which he excom- municates them for enslaving newly-Baptised Christians. He was to spend over thirty years here and his writings reveal that at times he felt isolated, homesick and misunderstood. We now know that Patrick was one of several missionaries who came to Ireland around that time. But by the 7th Century, the clergy had singled him out as the great Apostle who con- verted our nation. Some 500 years later, in the 12th Century, we first read of him as a ‘wonder worker’ who banished snakes from Ireland! And the legend that he used the shamrock to preach about the Blessed Trinity began as recently as 300 years ago! Indeed, we can surmise from the Creed which he used and preached, as found in his Confession, that his use of a shamrock as an illustration of the Blessed Trinity would have been highly unlikely and even heretical to him! Patrick’s boyhood experience as a slave brought about a profound religious conversion which coloured the remainder of his life. It was to bring him back here as a missionary to a land con- sidered in those days as being at the outer-most limits of civilisation. Here he taught his Chris- tian beliefs and condemned types of behaviour Christians should avoid. A very early calendar tells us that he died and was ‘born into heavenly life on the 17th March’. He makes a final request in his Confession to those of us who believe and revere God: “If any of you see fit to examine or obtain this document, which has been written in Ireland by Patrick, an uneducated sinner, do not attribute to me in my ignorance the little I achieved or pointed out, that pleased God. Let your conclusion and the general opinion rather be the real truth, that my success was the gift of God” Fr. Alex St. Brigid’s Parish Shop, Killester There is now in the shop a large selection of St Patrick’s Day cards and Rosettes, Easter cards and Mass Bouquets. There are also First Holy Communion, Confirmation and Baptism cards together with a wide range of rosary beads, prayer books and other items associated with these sacraments on dis- play. So why don’t you call into the shop and see this lovely display for yourself before you go any- where else. The shop is located at the car park side of the Church. J.D.E. ENTERPRISE Stonemasons/Bricklayers. Walls-Piers-Extensions Fireplaces-Garden Sheds. Garden Maintenance and design. Phone 087 983 0609 or 086 150 6506 Parish contact details: Parish Office/Sacristy Ph. 833 2974 Resource centre Ph. 853 4030 Parish email: [email protected] Resource Centre email: [email protected] Parish website: www.killester.dublindiocese.ie Killester School of Ballet and Modern Theatre Dance. TOOLEN ELECTRICAL 360 Howth Road Raheny Dublin 5 Domestic and Commercial 20 year ESTB Family Business. R.A.D. Ballet and I.S.T.D. Modern for all levels. Personal Quality Service guaranteed. “Ballet for Babies” – 31/2 – 5-yr. olds on Saturdays House re-wiring - Fuse Board replacement - Grant work Additional 11.30 – 12.00 noon. Strictly by appointment. Sockets and Lights - Shower installation - Garden Lights Connecting Enquiries to Ann Coffey Tighe New Appliances – Maintenance Emergency Call out 831 4535 or 086-804 6790 Fully insured ECSSA Free estimate Phone: 831 5682 Des: 087-266 1843 - Roy: 087-211 1406 Stafford's – Family Funeral Directors Over three generations John Quill F.A.O.I.