The Advent Wreath
The Fourth Candle Symbolizes PEACE the Angel's Candle The Message of the Angels:
"Glory to God on high and peace to all people on earth!"
Christmas Masses
Christmas Eve:. 24th Dec.: 6pm (The O'Connor /OMahony Families will lead us in the singing of carols). 10 pm: Mass & Blessing of Crib. (Parish Choir).
Christmas Day: 9am, 10.30am Children Mass (Parish Choir), 12 noon The O'Sullican Family will lead us in the singing of carols)
Confessions: This week – Tues. Wed, Thurs. after 10am Mass. Christmas Eve after 10am Mass and 12 noon.
Christmas Triduum
The Triduum Masses will be offered be offered on 23rd, 24th & 25th Dec. Cards available at Parish Office
The New Parish Christmas Card and Christmas Triduum Mass Card available in the Parish Office after Mass today and during the week after the 10am Mass. The Triduum of Masses will be offered on 23, 24, 25 Dec
Carol Service:
The Parish Assembly express the thanks of all of us, – to those who organised the wonderful Carol Service here in our Church last Tuesday. To Paula Murphy and the Parish Choir, The Teachers, the Choirs and Pupils from Scoil Chríost Rí & Christ King Girls NS. and the Pupils from Christ King Girls Secondary and Colaiste Chríost Ri who were the narrators. It was a great team effort and got us all in the right spirit for the Feast we are about to celebrate. Well done to all.
'We don't know real poverty"
Ireland needs to stop obsessing about its financial woes and be thankful for what we have, broadcaster Lorraine Keane has said during a visit to Trócaire projects in Haiti. Read Irish Catholic this week available at back of Church
Flowers
Like other years would you like to donate a Red Poinsettia Pot Plant to decorate the altar for Christmas. Many thanks to those who have handed in plants.
Support of the Priests of the Parish
The collection on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is for the support of the priests of the Parish. There will be only one collection at each Mass.
Christmas gifts with a difference.
Last year there was a very good response to the Gift with a difference. Are you searching for a Christmas gift idea? You can purchase one of the Trocaire gifts and get the card to sent or give to a friend. They are available at the back of the Church from members of the Parish Assembly. This Christmas change someone's world for the better with a Trócaire Gift.
A Christmas Prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson
Give us, Lord Jesus, the eyes of children,
To see your birth with Christmas wonder.
Help us to share in the songs of the angels,
The gladness of the shepherds,
And the worship of the Wise Men.
Close the door on hate,
And open the door of love, all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift,
And blessing with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing Christ brings,
And teach us to be happy with clean hearts.
May Christmas morning
Make us happy to be your children,
And Christmas evening
Bring us to rest with grateful thought,
Forgiving and forgiven. Amen
Confession
As we make so many preparations and plans at this time of year, its most appropriate that we also make all the necessary spiritual preparations too. This weekend after the Masses. A number of priests will be available for Confessions. We have an ideal opportunity of preparing for the birthday of Jesus. We come together in faith as a community to celebrate God's forgiveness. None of us is without sin. We are all in need of forgiveness. God knows that deep down in our hearts we want to turn back to him. God offers us this most wonderful gift, that is, the assurance that no matter how we have failed, no matter how far we have strayed away from his way, his forgiveness is there for us all – what a gift,
Examination of conscience
A good way of preparing for confession is to divide your life into a few general areas, and take a look at each.
1. My relationship with God:
Do I give time to God?
Do I pray each day?
Do I attend Mass at weekends?
2. My home life:
Am I hard to live with?
Do I make my home happy?
Am I moody and selfish?
Do I cause serious problems in my home – unfaithfulness,
drunkenness, taking of drugs, violence, long cold silences?
Do I seek help?
3. My relationship with others
Am I tolerant of and unselfish towards others?
Do I respect others? Have I used others selfishly or irresponsibly?
Am I kind, in word and deed?
Do I pray for my enemies and forgive them?
4. My practice of justice:
Do I respect the needs, rights, and property of others?
Am I honest in my business dealings?
Do I pay my debts?
Do I cheat, or make false claims?
Do I pay my taxes?
Act of Contrition
O my God I thank you for loving me. I am sorry for all my sins, for not loving others and not loving you. Help me to live like Jesus, and not to sin again. Amen.