WE WISH ALL OUR PARISHIONERS EVERY BLESSING
IN THE YEAR AHEAD
THANKS
Very many people helped to make our celebration of Christmas so special. We are most impressed that the parish community came together with such generosity of spirit to prepare the Church for this great feast and to give of their talents and service to ensure that our Masses were memorable celebrations. May the graces of Christmas enrich all our lives and prepare us to enter into the New Year with courage and hope.
A special word of thanks for the generous response to the collection at Christmas Masses. Collections every weekend are for the running of the parish, except the collections on Christmas Day and Easter Sunday which form part of the priest’s income.
Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church
The liturgical celebration of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, has been ascribed to several different dates down through the ages. The liturgical reform which prepared the way for the Second Vatican Council prompted the restoration of the feast to January 1st, the completion of the Octave of Christmas, the eighth day, on which the child Jesus was circumcised and officially given the name which the angel gave him before his conception. Restoring this feast to the Octave of Christmas rightly celebrates Mary’s participation in the mystery of salvation.
Mary recognised as Mother of God
In the first three centuries after the life of Christ on earth, there were many different explanations of the unity, diversity and relationships of the Blessed Trinity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Some said Jesus was divine but only seemed to be human. Others said he was human but not divine or that he became divine at some stage of his life. Similarly, there were multiple speculations regarding the Holy Spirit. The Councils of the fourth and fifth centuries clarified the dogma that Jesus was truly divine and truly human. It followed then that Mary, the mother of Jesus, could be called Mother of God.
Prayer
On the first day of the New Year, we celebrate Mary as the Mother of God and Mother of the Church. We pray that she will intercede for us as she did at Cana. May it be a year of justice and peace … peace in the Ukraine, peace throughout the world, peace in our families and peace in our hearts. Holy Mary, Mother of God and Mother of the Church, pray for us.
Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
Solemnity of the Epiphany
Next Friday, 6th January is the Solemnity of the Epiphany. Masses will be as follows:
Vigil Mass: Thursday at 6.00 pm
Morning Mass: Friday at 10.00 am
Parish Assembly
Next meeting: Monday, 9th January
Recent Deaths
We pray for Patrick Reidy, Douglas Road; Anthony De Roe, Summerhill South; Agnes O’Flynn, O’Connell Avenue, who have died. We sympathise with and pray for their grieving families.