Remain in Christ
What does it mean to remain in Christ? This is something we consider today as we listen to the readings. Jesus tells us to remain in Him, and if we remain in Him, we can ask for whatever we want and it will be done for us.
These are strong words  and we might begin to think that when our prayers are not answered the way that we want, then we are not in Him. But we have to be very careful about that kind of thinking. When we are remaining in Christ, then we really want what He wants and so we become accustomed to asking for what we want but also adding: Your will be done!!
It is clear from the first reading today, that remaining in Christ will not always give us a good reputation nor does it mean that others will think highly of us or even trust us. Being a follower of Christ is about following Christ, not about popularity with everyone else.
And the second reading wants us to be clear that following Christ means that we must love God both in word and in truth. It is not enough just to speak about God; we must speak the truth about God. In our Catholic tradition, that means that we must understand the Scriptures and tell others what God has told us about Himself in the revealed Scriptures. Lots of people talk about God, but for us, God speaks to us in Scripture and in His own Son, Jesus Christ. Other insights into God may well be true, but only if there is no conflict with what God has told us about Himself.
Remaining in Christ means living the Word that is given us in Scripture, it means pardoning those who offend, it means helping the poor, it means living in the Christian community, in the Church. Remaining in Christ is persevering in trying to understand His words in Scripture. Remaining in Christ, perhaps most importantly of all, means that we allow every aspect of our lives to be formed by Him and His love for us.
Let us ask today, in our Mass, that we may choose to remain in Christ, no matter how often we may fail. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to give us strength and courage to continue seeking to know Christ in His Word. Let us give thanks to God for His goodness to us because He gives His life for us that we may live.

First Holy Communion
On Saturday next 20th May the Girls from Christ the King N.S. will receive their First Holy Communion at 10.30 am. There will be no Mass at 10 am. We wish the Girls, their  Families and Teachers a lovely day.

Morning Mass
In the coming weeks there will be one morning Mass at 10 am.

South Presentation Primary School
Closing down – July 31st.
Open Days: May 26th 7-9 pm. May 27th & 28th 2-5 pm.
Exhibitions, Photographs, Chat, Refreshments. ALL WELCOME.
Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated by Bishop Buckley in St. Finbarr's Church on Saturday 1st July at 6 pm.

Cork Theology Forum
Sat. 27th May Silver Springs Hotel 9.45am ? 3pm
Faith and Justice Speakers Fr. Sean Healy SMA, Director of CORI Justice Commission, and Fr. Peter McVerry SJ who runs hostels for homeless people, a detox centre and drug-free aftercare houses.
Bookings: Cork Theology Forum, 10 Wallaces Avenue, Ballinlough 087 2282134. See poster at back of Church.

Best of luck to the Munster Team in Cardiff next Saturday.

Exam Time
Mass will be offered for all those doing Exams on Wed. 7th June. Special Cards are available in the Parish Office.

South Parish / Turners Cross Summer Play Scheme
Registration Night Thursday 1st June in Community Centre, Sawmill Street.

Prayer and Reflection
In the Parish Centre every Monday evening at 7.30. Those who come find it very helpful. You are welcome to join the group on Monday evenings.

Congratulations
To Dan Donovan,“Glendon”, Curragh Rd. on having the Theatre in Presentation Brothers College named after him.  Dan a well-known theatre lover was a teacher in P.B.C. for over 40 years.

'MONASTIC EXPERIENCE' EVENT
The Cistercian Sisters at Clencairn, Co. Waterford, invite single women, aged 22-40 to spend five days with them, June 3rd to 7th, to join in their prayer, worship and work, and to explore the possibility of monastic vocation. For details, visit www.glencairnabbey.org, e-mail info@glencairnabbey.org or contact Sr. Eleanor, St. Mary's Abbey, Glencairn, Co. Waterford. Phone 058 56197.

Bulletin by E-mail
Don't forget our email address: kerrymoc@eircom.net
Thank you to those who are now using this facility. All items –  by email and into the letter box at Presbytery – must be received by 4 pm on Thursday.
May we remind all contributors that we do not accept messages for the Bulletin which are left anonymously. Please include a name and phone number.

A thought

‘I am the vine you are the branches.  Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty.' John 15:4

This is a beautiful image presented in our scriptures.  God is presented as the vine and each of us are the branches. So often we undervalue our importance and contribution.  Each branch is crucial to the vine. Likewise each of us are crucial to our own faith community.
God never calls us to the spectacular but we are called to do our best.
Our input and what we have to give is hugely important.  Today is a day when we can say that we are proud to be part of the vine, proud to be a follower of Jesus and proud to be part of a bigger family making a real and lasting difference.