The Good Samaritian
We have the story of the Samaritan, a natural ethnic enemy of the Jewish people. This Samaritan is the one who stops to help an injured Jewish person, while he had been ignored by a Jewish priest and a Jewish Levite. This Samaritan has to really overcome so many of his natural prejudices again Jewish people. But what a reminder to all of us that our love should never suffer limits of race, ethnic background, color, gender, culture or anything else. We simply must learn to love everyone.
We can stop for a moment and think how different our world would be if all the wars stopped, if all hatred disappeared, if anger and impatience never guided decisions. What a world we could have. And always the responsibility for having a world like that begins with you and with me. We must live that way. We should not worry that others are not living that way! Instead, we must simply keep our eyes on the Lord and strive to live as He lived and to relate as He related.
Let us ask the Lord to change our hearts and to convert them so that in His love we may learn to love. May we especially learn to love our enemies as ourselves!
Stop Sex Trafficking
On this Sunday as we hear the Parable of the Good Samaritan and ask Who is my Neighbour? The Bishops of Cork and Kerry have asked us to highlight this contemporary form of slavery in our midst. It is believed that more than 1.5 million are trafficked globally each year, 800.000 of them through European countries, including Ireland.
These people, mostly women and children need our help. They may be living among us. Let us open our eyes to see with honesty and respond to the needs of our neighbours in our modern world and maybe in our neighbourhood.
Leaflets are available at the back of the Church highlighting the problem.
Death
We offer sincere and prayerful sympathy to the Family of Paddy O'Regan, Derrynane Rd. Lord grant him eternal peace and joy, and to his family & friends strength and comfort.
Our congratulations
to Mairead Bushnell, a former Cork Regional President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul who made history recently when she was elected National President of the Society, becoming the first woman to hold the post in the body's 160 years. Mairead is of one of the collectors for the SVP here at our Church every month. She takes responsibility for over 9,200 volunteers in 1,000 regional conferences. We wish Mairead God's blessing and every success in her new post.
Church Grounds
Because of the bad weather the final phase of the laying of the Tarmacadam on the Church Grounds could not be completed. If the weather improves it will be completed early this week. While completing the work the Church Grounds will be closed off. We apologise for the inconvenience.