WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES 2018
Icon of the Holy Family
A specially commissioned WMOF2018 icon of the Holy Family has been made available to travel to each diocese in Ireland.   We welcome the Pilgrimage of the Icon to our Diocese of Cork & Ross from 22nd February to 5th March.  It will be brought to three venues here, the Cathedral in Cork, the Cathedral in Skibbereen and Bandon Parish Church.  Everyone is invited to come, pray, venerate the icon and place their prayer petitions in the box which will be taken to the Papal Mass on August 26th.  The following liturgies will take place in the Cathedral in Cork:

Welcome celebration with Bishop Buckley
Thursday 22nd February, 7:30pm.
Hour of prayer for vocations
Saturday 24th February, 3.00 pm.     
Ecumenical Service
Sunday 25th February,  3:00pm.

St Valentine’s Day. In his document Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), Pope Francis suggests that Saint Valentine’s Day is an opportunity for couples to celebrate the importance of romantic love by giving time and attention to one another rather than simply relying on the more commercial approaches to the Saints Day.  World Meeting of Families 2018 have produced St Valentine’s day cards and six free gift tokens that people can give to their loved ones, promising such things as a technology-free evening to do an activity of their choice, time for prayer together as a couple, sharing loads of tender hugs, for a hand-in-hand walk together, a special cooked by one for the other, praying to meet a special person etc.

Samples of the Cards and tokens are free and are available in the Sacristy while stocks last. Also available in the Sacristy are some of the attractive Icon Cards which include the official prayer for the World Meeting and are designed in such a way that they can be set up on a mantelpiece and used as a source of family prayer and reflection as we prepare for next August.

Turner’s Cross Pilgrimage to Lourdes
This Sunday 11th February is World Day of Prayer for the Sick and is the 160th anniversary of the first Apparition of Our Lady to St. Bernadette in Lourdes. This year Fr Kerry will lead a Turner’s Cross Parish Group forming part of the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes from Monday 11th June to Saturday 16th June. Those interested in participating are asked to leave their names in the Sacristy.  Booking forms can be obtained from: Joe Walsh Tours, 117 Patrick Street, Cork, telephone: (021) 4277959.  Enquiries for Special Sick/Assisted Section should be directed to the Pilgrimage Director, V. Rev Canon James O’Donovan, Parochial House, Ballinlough, Cork, telephone (021) 4292296.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes Collection   A special collection will be taken up at all Masses this weekend 10th/11th February to help those whose health and/or means would otherwise prevent them from travelling to Lourdes. It also subsidises the travel of essential care personnel.

World Day of the Sick
This Sunday 11th February is World Day of the Sick, and we remember to pray for the sick in hospitals, in places of care or are looked after by their families in their homes.  We pray also for dedicated doctors, nurses, ancillary staff and chaplains.”

Ash Wednesday
Wednesday next 14th February is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent and a day of Fast and abstinence.   Ashes will be blessed and distributed at the 10.00 am and 6.00 pm Masses. At the 10am Mass on Ash Wednesday pupils from Bun Scoil Chríost Rí will be commissioned to bring blessed ashes to the school where they will impose ashes on staff and fellow pupils.

Evening Mass at 6.00 pm on weekdays of Lent.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesday mornings in Lent after 10.00 am Mass to 11.00 am.

Morning and Evening Prayer of the Church (Lauds and Vespers) on Fridays in Lent after 10.00 am and 6.00 pm Masses.

Trócaire Family Fast Boxes for Lent are available at the back of the Church, and will be distributed through the Schools. Last Lent we raised € 4,204 for Trócaire through the Family Fast Boxes

Preparing for Easter:  The Parish Assembly have organized an evening of Prayer & Reflection in the Chapel of St. Finbarr’s Hospital on Wednesday 21st February at 7.30 pm for all who serve and help in our Parish. Deacon Frank McKevitt  will lead the evening.  All are welcome.

Deaths:  We pray for John Forde, Ballinhassig, who died recently.  We extend our sympathy to his family.

Ministers of the Word may collect their Rota from the Sacristy.

Shrove Tuesday, 13th February – Coffee Morning in Parish Centre after 10.00 am Mass – Pancakes!