Fr Noel’s Bulletin:
Happy New Year!
It might seem strange to wish you ‘Happy New Year’, when we are still at the end of November. But that is precisely what is happening today: we are beginning a new Church year, also called the start of a new liturgical year. So ‘Happy New Year’. New beginnings are always good; they are opportunities to start again in all sorts of ways.
Advent is the season which opens the new Church year. It comes from a Latin word meaning ‘coming’ and refers to the coming of Christ in different ways. There is the obvious coming of Christ at Christmas but there is also the coming of Christ to each of us every day in a myriad of ways, through prayer, Holy Communion, through other people. And then there is the coming of Christ at the end of time. So, Advent is not just about Christmas. In fact, the beginning of Advent has more to do with the coming of Christ at the end of time. So, we will let that be our focus today.
Father in Heaven, … increase our longing for Christ our Saviour and give us the strength to grow in love, that the dawn of His coming may find us rejoicing in His presence and welcoming the light of His truth.
Eucharistic Adoration
We will have Eucharistic adoration on the Thursdays of Advent after the morning Mass until 11.00 am.
Goodbye to Fr Billy
The night for Fr Billy will take place
in Nemo on Friday, 9th December,
at 8.00 pm.
Parish Ministries
The Annual Mass for all involved in ministry and service of the parish will take place in the Chapel of St Finbarr’s Hospital on Tuesday, 6th December, at 8.00 pm. It will be celebrated by newly-ordained, Fr Ronan Sheehan.
Christmas Cards (including shared Mass Cards) are available from this weekend at the office inside the front door of the Church.
Advent Wreath
This is a German custom of lighting a candle on the first Sunday of Advent and, then, an additional candle on subsequent Sundays. Three of the candles are purple, while the candle lit on the third Sunday of Advent is pink, indicating that Christ is near (Gaudete Sunday).
The Jesse Tree
The Jesse Tree is a way of reflecting on the key people who prefigure the coming (adventus) of Christ. The symbols for the Jesse Tree have been divided over the four weeks of Advent.
Week One:
The Sun and the Moon represent CREATION
The Tree and the Apple symbols represent ADAM & EVE
The Ark and the Dove symbols represent NOAH
The Sword represents ABRAHAM
Recent Deaths
We pray for Eddie McNally, Derrynane Rd, and Jim Alwell, Railway Place, who have died. We sympathise with their families.