January 18th 2009 – 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

You are called by name.
‘When all is said and done what matters to God is you.’
Fr. John Donovan who up to recently was Parish Priest of Bantry and a very good friend of mine presented the radio programme ‘Faith Matters’ on County Sound 103 every Sunday evening. Through his life as a priest and his radio programme he touched many peoples lives.  He will be remembered for his faith, kindness, openness, honesty and his good humour. Since his death many tributes have been paid to Fr. John
At the end of every radio programme John always finished with these words ‘When all is said and done what matters to God is you.’ He always wanted to finish on a positive and upbeat note. The message couldn’t be simpler, we are important, we are special and unique.  As the readings tell us today, we like Samuel and the Apostles have all been called by God, God loves us to bits no matter what we may have done and we are worth celebrating.  May Fr. John be a peace with the God he served so well.t

Scoil Chríost Rí Presentation Brothers Boys Primary School
Turners Cross
Open Night for Parents of
Junior Infants 2009
Thursday 22nd January at
7:30 p.m. All Welcome

Tory Top Library, Ballyphehane – Tuesday 27 January 2009
Book Club meeting at 11.00a.m. – New members always welcome.
Gramophone Recital at 3.00p.m. – Presenter: John O’Gorman. All welcome.
Cúpla Focal Eile Group at 6.30p.m. – All welcome.

Dates for Your Diary 2009
24/25th Jan. We celebrate the life of St. Paul at all our Masses
3rd Feb. Feast of St. Blase – Blessing of Throats
11th Feb. Our Lady of Lourdes – Blessing of the Sick
25th Feb. Ash Wednesday
Beginning of March First Confessions
25th March Parish Confirmations
4/5th April. Penitential Rites
12th April Easter Sunday
May 9th & 16th  First Holy Communions

Offertory Collection
Last weeks offertory collection €2264. many thanks for your generosity.

Short Bible Programmes in Jan/Feb. 2009
Singing in the Reign: An Introduction to the Psalms over 5 Tuesday nights beginning 20th January in Frankfield/Grange Parish Centre. 8.00.p.m. to 9.30.p.m. each night.
Rediscovering Paul: An Introduction to the Life, Letters and Theology of the Apostle to the Gentiles over four Thursday nights beginning 22nd January in Brú Columbanus, Wilton. Contact the Office of Adult Religious Education at 021-4357765 or email are@corkand ross.org. The total cost of each programme is €20 (€10 for Seniors and Students).
A Lecture Series led by professional theologians from Cork & Limerick reflecting on the ways we understand God.  Every Thursday night in Presentation Brothers, Mardyke House commencing on the 15th January until the 28th March, 2009. €10 per lecture.  Contact: Br. Barry Stanton at 021-4346770 or email barrystanton@ireland.com

Christian  Unity  Week
The week of prayer for Christian Unity began on Sunday 18th January and will conclude on Sunday, 25th January.
The past 100 years of prayer and work for the unity of the Church has seen ever closer understanding and co-operation between Christians. The Ecumenical Movement has been a great blessing for the Church and we must continue to pray for the grace of the Holy Spirit to deepen the communion that already exists between all Christians.
http://turnerscross.com/smf/index.php?topic=548.0

Preparation for First Holy Communion  “Do this in Memory Programme”
We welcome the Children and their Parents to our 10.30am Mass  this Sunday

Migrant Sunday
Welcome the stranger, for Christ often comes in the stranger's guise.' Old Irish Saying.  Today is 'Migrant Sunday'. We remember today all who have left their homelands in search of employment, a new beginning, perhaps safety. The aim of any community or parish is to make it a place of welcome for people of any nationality. The challenge each day is to reach out a hand of welcome to those who have come to live among us. We ask God to bless all who live in our community and in particular those who have come to live with us from outside.

Year of St. Paul
Next weekend  we celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. St. Paul will be the theme of all our Masses
The Year of St. Paul that Pope Benedict asked us to observe is  a personal invitation to each of us to discover something more of the man who, by careful reflection and radical change in his own life, shaped the first communities of the Early Church as they struggled to find a way of living the Gospel in a secular and often hostile world. By discovering the man behind the letters, we can find ourselves drawn into St. Paul’s energy and enthusiasm, Paul who placed Jesus at the centre of his life and found not only a sense of fulfillment in all that he did but also a real purpose in all that he undertook. Whoever we are, St. Paul has something to say to us and he might even change our lives…   
The Irish Catholic on sale at the back of the Church continues its series of articles on the Life of St. Paul by Fr. Jerome Murphy-O’Connor.    http://www.irishcatholic.ie/

Deaths:
We remember in our prayers Kathleen O’Connell, High St., Michael Glennon, Friar's Rd, Sr Teresa Keane (Former Principal Christ King Girls Primary School) Christ King Convent, & Susan Keane, Castleview, Buttevant (mother of Mary Keane – Principal: Christ King Secondary School). All who died during the past week.  We extend our sincerest sympathies and prayers to their families and community. 

Parenting Course.
Recently, the Parish Assembly organised a Parenting Course for the parents of young children, it was very successful and parents found it very helpful.  We now plan to organise a course (six weeks) for the parents of teenage children  If there is sufficient interest The course will begin in February in the Parish Centre.  Please contact any member of the Parish Assembly or one of the priests.

Daily Prayer for your family for Vocations
Heavenly Father, we praise you and we thank you for all that you have done for us.
We thank you especially for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to visit and save us.
We ask you to bless our families and all those who are dear to us,
especially  those who are suffering in any way.
Give courage to those in our parish whom you invite to become priests and religious,
and grant them the generosity of mind and heart to follow your call.
May they bring good news to our world today. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen