9th August 2020 – 19th Sunday Ordinary Time (A)

Feast of the Assumption Saturday 15th August, Vigil Mass 6.00pm Friday.   Mass of the Feast on Saturday at 10.00 am. 

John Hume RIP Benedict XVI conferred a papal knighthood on John Hume in recognition of his commitment to peace, reconciliation, non-violence and social justice.  Archbishop Eamon Martin commented that “John put Catholic Social Teaching into practice – sometimes at great personal cost and risk – working ceaselessly for a process of reconciliation through which the dignity of every human person is recognised and upheld.”  “I want to see Ireland as an example to men and women everywhere of what can be achieved by living for ideals, rather than fighting for them, and by viewing each and every person as worthy of respect and honour. I want to see an Ireland of partnership where we wage war on want and poverty, where we reach out to the marginalised and dispossessed, where we build together a future that can be as great as our dreams allow.”– John Hume, Nobel Laureate speech      Image courtesy of RTE

Death: We remember in our prayers  Cissie Loughlin,  Capwell  Rd who died recently. We extend our sympathy to her family.   May She rest in peace.

26th July 2020 – 17th Sunday Ordinary Time (A)

WHAT REALLY MATTERS        As our Coronavirus restrictions continue to ease, perhaps we would do well to look back on the past few months, remembering those who have died, those who have suffered in so many ways, and to pray for them.  As reflect on our lock-down experience, we might remember the words spoken by Pope Francis on 27th March when he imparted a special Apostolic Blessing from a dark, rain-soaked and empty St Peter’s Square, a blessing on the city and the whole world, urbi et orbi.

The Pope said that we found ourselves afraid and lost, like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. The storm exposed our vulnerability and uncovered false and superficial certainties around which we construct our daily lives, our projects, our habits and priorities. The stereotypes with which we hide our egos, always worrying about our image, have fallen away, letting us see our blessed common belonging, our belonging to each other as brothers and sisters.                                                                                                                             He told us that this is a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not.  It is time to get our lives back on track with regard to the Lord and each other.

  Seeing Life through the Lens of the Gospel  Matthew 13:44-52.
The ‘kingdom of heaven’ is when God is really the ruler in our life. What treasures have you obtained when you allow God to be at the centre of your life?
In life, we gather a lot of things, some good and some bad. The wise person in the kingdom of heaven is one who knows how to sit down and make decisions on what to keep and what to discard. When have you undertaken that kind of discernment? What have you discarded? What have you retained?
John Byrne OSA

Deaths: We pray for Sr. Betty Lyons (Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady), Baton Rouge, Louisiana and late of Friars Walk, Maura Moriarty (née Máire Bheag O’Shea), late of High Street, and Mary Coughlan, Colleras, Goleen, who died recently. We extend our sympathy to their families.

Public Masses in Christ King Church                                                                              Masses in the Church each weekend                                                                         Saturday Vigil 6pm,  Sunday 10am & 12 noon.                                                            Weekday Mass at 10am

Important Information – Leaflet:           information-leaflet

 


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19th July 2020 – 16th Sunday Ordinary Time (A)

Seeing Life through the Lens of the Gospel
The Deep End
Matthew 13:24-30
The owner of the field who allowed the wheat and the darnel to grow together is a reminder to us to be patient with ourselves and with others when we see that not everything is right.
Sometimes a preoccupation with the negative (the darnel) can blind us to the positive in our own lives and in the lives of others. When have you found that a willingness to live with the messiness of the present created the conditions for future growth? John Byrne OSA



Welcome Back
Last week we celebrated our first Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses since March! For the time being there are special Covid-19 Prevention measures, including the following.

The church is in two sections, Section A towards the main entrance doors, and Section B towards the Altar.  These are separated by a distance of four metres.  Movement between these sections before, during or after Mass, is not permitted.

In each section, pews (seats) which are taped off with red and white traffi-tape may not be used. Seating positions are marked on the other pews to ensure two metre separation. People who live in the same household may sit close together.

We enter Section A from the main Evergreen Road doors and leave Section A through the side door to the carpark, the side door furthest from the Altar.  At the end of Mass, we may also leave Section A by the main doors.

We enter Section B from the Carpark ramped entrance and leave through the front side door on Douglas side of the church.  This exit door also has a ramp, which leads to a concrete path round the back of the church to the carpark.

We must move in the directions indicated by arrows marked on the church floor, staying two metres from other people.

There are two Holy Communion stations at the Altar Rails for Section B, and two in the middle of the church for Section A.  Holy Communion is to be received in the hand only at this time.

We should avoid gathering in the carpark and leave for home as quickly as possible.

These conditions must be observed, if we are to keep the church open, and we ask for patience as we all get used to this “new normal.”

Thanks:
Particular thanks to our Stewards for their generous service, and to our rostered Ministers of the Eucharist and Word for the restart phase. Special thanks also to our Parish Secretary who organised signage, floor markings, and all the special supplies, and to our Sacristan who has also undertaken so much extra work to ensure the church is ready each day.

Important Information – Leaflet:           information-leaflet

 

 

12th July 2020 – 15th Sunday Ordinary Time (A)

                                            GENEROUS SOWING
When Jesus saw the farmer going out to sow the seed, it reminded him of the way God was at work in His ministry. Jesus noticed that the farmer scattered the seed everywhere, almost recklessly, not knowing what kind of soil it would fall on. A lot of the seed was lost; it never germinated; the birds ate it; some fell among thorns and when the plants grew they were choked. Some seed fell on rich soil and produced an extraordinary harvest.

God wants to touch the lives of everyone. There is nothing selective about how God works. Jesus spoke of God allowing His sun to rise on everyone and the rain to fall on the righteous as well as the unrighteous. Jesus tells the parable of the sower to give encouragement to His disciples. Despite the setbacks, opposition and hostility, God is at work and that work will lead to something wonderful. The seed is good and powerful.        A lot depends on how we hear God’s word and how open we are to its possibilities. Our God is a God of mercy and forgiveness. What kind of soil are we as we receive the seed of God’s word? May the Lord pour out His Spirit upon us to be able to hear and heed His life-giving word. May our hearing of God’s word put fresh hope in us all.

Public Masses in Christ King Church

We are happy to announce that there will be  public.                               Masses in the Church this weekend 11th & 12th July                                                                                                 Saturday Vigil 6pm,  Sunday 10am & 12 noon.                                       Weekday Mass at 10am

5th July 2020 14th Sunday Ordinary Time (A)

Live-Streaming of  Masses from our Webcam  this Sunday 5th July  at 12 noon  and daily at  10am.   To tune in, click on the camera icon on left.   We hope that  people while not able to get to Mass will join us spiritually for Mass

 

Because of Covid-19 guidance there will be no public Masses in our Church this weekend.   Daily Mass will continue in the Church this Monday 6th July at 10am  (not more then 50 people)

Public Celebration of Mass and other Sacraments                                                  On Friday evening the government announced some relaxation of the limit of fifty people attending indoor church gatherings.  This is subject to specific conditions, and compliance would involve significant adjustment to the safety arrangements already in place. We will examine the proposals in detail over the next few days, to see if they are feasible in the context of our Church of Christ the King.                                                    In the meantime, the limit of fifty people remains. Following consultation with the Parish Assembly on Friday evening, it was decided that sadly there will be no public weekend Masses in Christ the King Church for the time being.  Mass will be live-streamed from the church webcam at 12.00 noon on Sundays.

Public weekday Mass restricted to fifty people observing social distance of 2 meters will continue in the church at 10.00 am Monday to Saturday, and these Masses will also be live-streamed.

Marriages and Baptisms may be celebrated, but with restrictions. 

 Confirmation and First Holy Communion.                                                           Bishop Fintan hopes that the celebration of the sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion, deferred because of the coronavirus lockdown, will now take place in the Autumn after schools have re-opened.

Removals and Funerals                                                                                       Because of the challenges of sanitising and restrictions on numbers there will be no reception of remains on the evening prior to the Funeral Mass.  The Reception of the Remains will continue to take place just before the commencement of the Funeral Mass.

Rotas for Ministers of the Word and of the Eucharist                                         Limited Rotas involving Ministers who are not in the sheltering age group .have been prepared and will be issued when weekend Masses are restored.  Face Masks will be used by Ministers of the Eucharist.  HSE Public Health have informed us that that a visor is not a substitute for a face mask but may be used along with a face mask.

First Friday VisitsFirst Friday visits have not yet been resumed, but calls may be made if requested and on the basis of a discussion with the persons themselves and their immediate family in advance of a visit.

 Pope Emeritus Benedict.  We pray for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI following the death of his brother, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, who has died.

On-Line Alpha Course  Our first on-line Alpha Course concluded last week.  This was a pilot course, run by Brother Andrew, Bernadette Hegarty and Fr Billy on a Zoom conference format.  There were two one-hour sessions each week, with a two-hour “Holy Spirit Session” on a Saturday morning. Whilst we had a few teething problems, the new method offers many advantages and worked very well.  We plan to offer both traditional and on-line Alpha courses in the year ahead.

Fr. Jacob Madathumpady who ministered with us in Turner’s Cross in recent years wrote last week to thank us for some surplus Mass Offerings.  He conveyed his regards to all parishioners and is praying for us at this time.  As a student priest in Rome he is unable to travel this year because of the pandemic, and cannot undertake pastoral ministry in local parishes. If you wish to write to him, his address is Fr. Jacob Madathumpady, Congregazione Delle Suore, Francescane Insegnanti, Via Nicolò Piccolomini, 27, 0016Z, Roma.

Pope Francis on this Sunday’s Gospel.  Jesus invites us: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  This invitation comes to us in our day, and extends to the many who are oppressed by life’s precarious conditions, those who are most in need.  In the poorest countries and also on the margins of society in the richest countries, there are so many weary people, worn out under the unbearable weight of neglect and indifference.  But he also says it to those who have everything, but whose hearts are empty and without God. Even to them, Jesus addresses this invitation: “Come to me”. Jesus’ invitation is for everyone. But especially for those who suffer most.

Jesus promises rest for our souls, but he also gives us an invitation: “Shoulder my yoke and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart.” The “yoke” of the Lord consists in taking on ourselves the burdens of others, with Christlike love. When we receive Christ’s comfort and rest, we are called in turn to become rest and comfort for our brothers and sisters, in imitation of our Lord. Gentleness and humility of heart help us not only to take on the burden of others, but to make sure that they are not weighed down by our personal views, our judgments, our criticism or our indifference.

We ask Our Lady’s help, Mary Most Holy, who welcomes under her mantle all the tired and worn out people, so that by really living our faith, we can offer relief for so many in need of help, of tenderness and of hope.

28th June 2020 – 13th Sunday Ordinary Time

Opening of our Church for the public celebration of Mass and the Sacraments from Monday 29th June

An E-mail and Video from Bishop Fintan regarding the opening of our Church for the public celebration of Mass and the Sacraments from this Monday 29th June

Bishop Fintan reassure people that our churches have been prepared in a safe way for the public celebration of Mass and the Sacraments. This video also explains the changes that people will experience when they enter the church such as hand sanitising, seating arrangements and how to receive Holy Communion. It is Bishop Fintan’s hope that we will share this video on parish websites and social media platforms extensively. It is available from the following links.

The diocesan website:
https://corkaTndross.org/diocesan/bishop-fintan-welcomes-peoples-return-to-mass/

YouTube:
https://youtu.be/8KHQoAnvjSoIt

Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/432993775

Bishop Fintan says:   “While the government announced on last Thursday that a protocol would be agreed to make an exception for churches from the maximum of 50 to attend indoor gatherings, it has not completed this process and signed the promised protocol. Accordingly, the number of 50 remains the norm for churches at this time.”

Live-Streaming  of  Masses will resume this Monday 29th June  from our Church  daily Mass 10am.  weekends Masses  Vigil 6pm, Sun 10am 12 noon
   To tune in, click on the camera icon below     We hope that  people while not able to get to Mass will join us spiritually for Mass

Our New Taoiseach.                                                                We congratulate Micheál Martin on his election as Taoiseach, a moment of pride for Cork and for Turner’s Cross. We wish him and his family well as he begins a new phase of his service of the people of Ireland, and we pray for him at this time of difficulty and danger.

 

NOTES ON RETURNING TO MASS IN TIME OF COVID-19
The public celebration of Mass resumes on Monday 29thJune, and looks a little different as we comply with public health requirements.

DUTY TO GO TO MASS
Catholics continue to be dispensed from attending Sunday and Holy Day Masses until further notice. Those over 70 years and those with underlying health conditions should follow health regulations and remain at home where appropriate. Anyone who feels uncomfortable or nervous about returning to Mass at this time has a legitimate reason to remain at home. Anyone who has symptoms of any sickness (even mild symptoms) should not attend the public celebration of Mass.

NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH
The government announced last Thursday that a protocol would be agreed to remove the limit of 50 people attending places of worship where social distancing is maintained. That protocol has not yet been issued, and the maximum number of 50 remains the norm for churches at this time. As the number of people allowed in churches during the pandemic will in any event be extremely limited, we encourage parishioners to join us at one of our weekday Masses, as the church may be full for Sunday Masses, and people turned away. It may be necessary to introduce a seat reservation or booking system for weekend Masses, to avoid turning parishioners away when the church has been filled to the prescribed limit when additional numbers would endanger everybody’s health. Compliance with public health provisions is to be seen as caring for one another in a spirit of Christian concern in this difficult time.

OTHER COVID-19 HEALTH PROVISIONS

Hand hygiene
Parishioners should sanitise their hands immediately upon entry to the church.

Some Pews will be taped off
In order to maintain the required distance between people (currently 2 metres), some pews are taped off, and seat markings are provided on the others where parishioners can safely sit. Two members of the same household may share a marked seating position. A number of “Family” pews will be indicated, when members of the same household may sit together

Singing will be limited
Music may be played on a keyboard in front of the sanctuary, in the space used for the Christmas Crib and the Easter Garden, and a single cantor microphone may be placed there. Sadly, choir or congregational singing is not recommended.

Avoid personal contact with anyone
The sign of peace remains suspended; physical contact with others must be avoided.

Receiving Holy Communion Safely
Parishioners wearing masks will take off their masks to receive Holy Communion. The priest or minister of the Eucharist will wear a mask when distributing Holy Communion and they will always sanitize their hands before and after administering Holy Communion. Whenever they accidentally touch a communicant, they will pause and disinfect their hands before giving Holy Communion to the next person. Parishioners are asked to receive Holy Communion on the hand, or alternatively to refrain from receiving and make an act of Spiritual Communion instead.

The church will be sanitised after every Mass
To ensure everyone’s safety, volunteers will sanitise the church after every celebration of Mass.

Offerings may be placed in a collection basket as you leave Mass
Instead of passing baskets in the congregation, supervised baskets will be available at the exits.

The message of today’s  Gospel:  When we really want something we put a lot of other things aside to get to our goal. It’s the same in what we feel is really important in our lives – in family, sport, health care, among others.
This is the message of Jesus, to be single-minded in our following of him, flowing through on what we say and do.
We admire commitment in people, sticking at something. If they fail, they get up again.     Single minded also in giving and noticing the needs of others. As so many have been doing these past months of the Covid-19 We are concerned about others for their own sake, and – for Jesus’ sake. Giving the cup of cold water is what the servant did. We look for people’s needs and try to give something.
We are people not to be thrown aside by any whim or even a good intention. Like Jesus,  he was the one who would ask ‘what would my Father want?’ That was his goal.
Ours – what would Jesus do? Often we wouldn’t know. Then we ask what would real love do? Then we know!

14th June 2020 – Feast of Corpus Christi

This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, and give thanks for the tremendous gift of the Eucharist.  When we receive Holy Communion, we share the life of Christ.  He is among us in a way that we can see, touch, taste and eat. Jesus is also present in the Word of God, proclaimed at Mass, and he is present in the sisters and brothers around us, for whom he died. Pope Francis comments that the Christ who nourishes us in holy communion is the same Christ we meet in everyday life. He is in the poor person who holds out his hand, in the suffering person who asks for help, in the brother or sister who asks for our time and waits for our welcome. He is in the child who knows nothing about Jesus or salvation, who does not have faith. He is in every human being, even the smallest and the defenseless.  Those who are nourished by the Bread of Life cannot remain indifferent to those who do not have their daily bread. 
We pray that the life of Christ may be seen in us as we receive God’s blessing at the end of Mass and are sent out to bring the light of Christ into our world.

Our Novena to the Sacred Heart continues to Friday 19th June, The Feast of the Sacred Heart.  Each morning Fr. Billy prays the Novena after the live-streamed Masses Sunday 12 noon and weekdays at 10am <http://www.frbillyosullivan.ie>    Novena leaflets are available at the back of the Church take one home.  “O Sacred Heart of Jesus I place all my trust in you.”

Deaths: We remember in our prayers Kelvin Dermody, Green Lawn.   Rose Smithers, Connolly Rd, Desmond (Des) Dunne, Ballincollig and late of South Douglas Rd. and  Anthony (Tony) Cronin  Killard and late of St. Ann’s Park who died recently. We extend our sympathy to their Families

Act of Spiritual Communion  
There are times when we are unable to receive Holy Communion  through illness or at this time of Pandemic. Even though we may not receive ‘sacramental’ Communion, all are united in some way by the Holy Spirit. The traditional idea of ‘Spiritual’ Communion is an important one to remember and reaffirm. On this Special Feast of the Body of Christ let us make a Spiritual Communion
“My Jesus,
I believe that you are present in this Holy Sacrament of the altar.  love you above all things and I passionately desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my soul so that I may unite myself wholly to you now and forever.
  Amen.”

OPENING OF THE CHURCH  FOR PERSONAL PRAYER
Our Church is open from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm on weekdays (Monday to Saturday). special precautions  etc., are in place  relating to cleanliness and disinfection, social distancing, designated prayer spaces, access to the church and movement within the church.     The church is cleaned and disinfected before being opened each day, hand sanitisers have been provided at the entrances and everyone is asked to sanitise coming in and going out.

                                     LOURDES 2020            A SPIRITUAL          PILGRIMAGE
The Diocesan Pilgrimage was due to depart for Lourdes on Friday 12th June. However, this year that is not possible so we are inviting you to join us in a Spiritual Pilgrimage in the company of Our Lady and St Bernadette – as attached here. lourdes-2020-a-spiritual-pilgrimage-from-cork-and-ross
Let us remember one another in prayer over these days.

PLANNED REOPENING OF THE CHURCH
Following the easing of the Covid-19 restrictions, we plan to reopen the Church of Christ the King for public celebration of Mass and the sacraments on Monday 29th June. Special precautions to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus must be in place, and people who are vulnerable or unwell, and especially those with any symptoms that might suggest Covid-19 infection, should stay at home and, if possible, participate via webcam, social media, television, or radio. This also applies to those who have been in recent contact with someone who has the virus.

For the time being, there is no obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.

On 9th June the Bishops of Ireland issued a “Framework Document” for return to public worship, based on public health return to work protocols.  The document contains guidelines for dioceses and parishes, which may be adapted to suit local circumstances.  However, in all cases the safety and health of people, ministers, and priests must come first, and no church should be opened for public prayer or worship until satisfactory arrangements have been put in place.

The Turner’s Cross Parish Assembly members will act as our Covid-19 Support Team, and they met in a Zoom Video Conference format on Thursday to begin this work.  Before the church can be opened we will need volunteers to help with the safe return plan, including stewards, ministers of the Eucharist, ministers of the Word, a hygiene group, a seating planning group and a signage group. Some preliminary work has already been done in preparation for the initial opening of the church for private prayer in May. Volunteer roles will be specified and training arranged during the week ending 27th June.

Social distance requirements are likely to be with us for quite some time, and many of the hygiene and disinfection practices will be permanent. Social distancing requirements specified by public health authorities will determine the maximum number of people in the church.  The present limit of two meters restricts the overall number to about a hundred, a one meter distance would roughly double this.

 

 

7th June 2020 – Trinity Sunday

Trinity Sunday
Whatever we make of the mystery of the Trinity, the readings today stress that God, no matter how we talk of God, is love – the God of tenderness in the first reading, and in the gospel God loved the world as to send his son. A picture of the Trinity is given by St Ignatius Loyola: think of the Trinity, he says, looking down on the world, and saying ‘our lovely world needs to be saved’. They saw people in darkness and wanted to send the light of the world, in grief and wanted to send the joy of their life into the world. Trinity Sunday is the feast of God’s desire to be with us in the dark times of life, as we are now in many areas of our life, to bring the light of the risen Lord.
God cannot do that alone. The picture of Ignatius ends with an account of the Son coming to earth in the womb of Mary who accepts this love to become the mother of God. As Mary was chosen, so is each of us in our own way. Married or single, we are called into the love and the service of God by our baptism, and our very birth.
Our  need to be saved through love, and a just society not what we have seen this past week.    Our planet needs to be saved from the damage and hurt caused to it. May we, in the words of the second reading’ live in peace’ – with each other and with our planet. We pray that we experience the love and care of God and each other in this time of pandemic, with a special prayer for those who are ill or have been bereaved.
I bless myself today and always: in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Our Parish Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus will start on this Thursday 11th June and conclude on Friday 19th June (the Feast of the Sacred Heart.)    Novena Prayers will be available at the back of the Church. The Church is open each day except Sunday from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Why not come and make the Novena privately or make it at home with with your family.   Novena prayers also after the live-streamed Masses from 11th to 19th June  <http://www.frbillyosullivan.ie>                                                               “O Sacred Heart of Jesus I place all my trust in you.”

PRAYERS TO PRAY AT HOME DURING THIS PANDEMIC
Pope Francis has composed two prayers to Our Lady and asks us to to pray them with him, especially during the Month of May this year. He also asks people across the world to pray the Rosary. http://corkandross.org/pope-francis-let-us-pray-together-to-mary-in-may/prayers-we-can-say-during-covid19

OPENING OF THE CHURCH  FOR PERSONAL PRAYER
Our Church is open from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm on weekdays (Monday to Saturday). special precautions  etc., are in place  relating to cleanliness and disinfection, social distancing, designated prayer spaces, access to the church and movement within the church.     The church is cleaned and disinfected before being opened each day, hand sanitisers have been provided at the entrances and everyone is asked to sanitise coming in and going out.

LIVE-STREAMED MASSES 
Fr Billy  says a live-streamed Mass from the Presbytery at 12.00 noon on Sundays and 10.00 am on weekdays (Monday to Saturday) on the separate internet address   frbillyosullivan.ie<http://www.frbillyosullivan.ie>   

Death: We pray for Cecilia Seward, Greenhills Estate who has died.  We extend our sympathy to her family.

Updated Funeral Guidelines
Bishop Fintan has updated the diocesan guidelines for funerals in a letter to priests of the diocese.  From Monday 8th June Funeral Masses may have up to 25 people attending the church and the burial.  This change is in light of updated government Covid-19 restrictions. Physical distancing and sanitising requirements  remain unchanged.

Eventual Return to Public Worship   
Bishop Fintan has also advised us that plans are being made involving parishioners, clergy and the bishop to develop guidelines to be used in churches during the road-map phase of preparation that begins on 29th June.  These plans will be based on guidance from the Irish Bishops Conference to be published this coming week and on the requirements of the public health authorities.  The proposed guidelines will be considered by the Turner’s Cross Parish Assembly on Thursday next 11th June, to ensure that any necessary arrangements will be in place at the beginning of the implementation phase on 29th June.

Blessing of Lilies  will be blessed after the 10.00 am live-streamed Mass from the Presbytery on Saturday next, 13th June, the feast day of St Anthony (connect to <http://www.frbillyosullivan.ie>  for this Mass). A necessarily limited number of blessed lilies will be available in the church during the period of personal prayer on Saturday afternoon.

it should read: special precautions etc, are in place.

31st May 2020 – Pentecost Sunday

   Pentecost:   The Spirit of God says that your looks and appearance can be very deceptive.  You must look into your heart, into the depth of your life to see who you really are. The Spirit of God says that failure can be more important than success.  We can learn even from the sad and difficult times.   The Spirit of God says that my vision must always be outward not inward and this will always  include others.   The Spirit of God says that love is about giving of myself even when I feel that I cannot. The Spirit of God says that forgiveness is the greatest reality that we know.  We sin, we fail, yet we can be freed to go on.  The Spirit of God says that honesty and commitment are the only things that matter in the end. The Spirit of God says that the sick and disabled are often those who are most alive for they know their dependence, they know that life is not in their control.  The Spirit of God says that death is not the end of life as the great spirit present in us is not extinguished but  transformed.
It would be a pity to let the weekend go by without a simple prayer to the Holy Spirit for guidance, direction and a sense of hope and courage in everything we do.  Spirit of God teach us what is really important in life.           

  O come, O Holy Spirit, come!
                                                                       Come as holy light and lead us.
                                                                                Come as holy truth and teach us.    
[St. John Henry Newman]

SPIRITUAL CONFESSION  

Recently Pope Francis spoke about what we can do when we cannot go to confession because of the current restrictions. He advised: ‘It is very clear: If you cannot find a priest to confess to, speak directly with God, your Father, and tell him the truth. Say, “Lord, I did this, this, this. Forgive me,” and ask for pardon with all your heart.’ Make an act of contrition, the pope said, and promise God, ‘I will go to confession afterward, but forgive me now.’ And immediately you will return to a state of grace with God.’ (Pope Francis, 20 March 2020)

OPENING OF THE CHURCH  FOR PERSONAL PRAYER
Our Church is open from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm on weekdays (Monday to Saturday).  Special precautions against the spread of the Covid-19 virus will be in place, relating to cleanliness and disinfection, social distancing, designated prayer spaces, access to the church and movement within the church.
The church will be cleaned and disinfected before being opened each day, hand sanitisers have been provided at the entrances and everyone is asked to sanitise coming in and going out.  Disposable gloves are provided for use with the electric votive lights at the shrines, and may be placed in bins at each shrine after use.  Tissues may be discarded in the bins at the entrance and exit points.

LIVE-STREAMED MASSES 
Fr Billy  says a live-streamed Mass from the Presbytery at 12.00 noon on Sundays and 10.00 am on weekdays (Monday to Saturday) on the separate internet address  frbillyosullivan.ie (http://frbillyosullivan.ie).

Death: We pray for Seán Houlihan, Cross Douglas Road, who has died.  We extend our sympathy to his family.

The NET Ministries Team working in Turner’s Cross, Douglas and the South Parish leave Cork this weekend, concluding a second year of NET involvement in our parishes. They leave with our sincere thanks for their contribution to Turner’s Cross parish life, and in particular for their work with Bun Scoil Chríost Rí. 
NET operates through teams of young Catholics who give a year of voluntary service ministering to young people in schools or parishes. NET Ireland began in 2004, and has worked in schools and parishes across Ireland. Teams are equipped to set up and run youth groups, lunch-time school programmes, after-school programmes, faith discussions and much more. 
This was a difficult year for the NET team in Cork, with illness after Christmas resulting in two members being replaced, followed by disruption of their work by the Coronavirus restrictions from March. The mission continued with the team remaining in the house in the South Parish and maintaining an on-line presence until this week.
We thank God for their presence among us, for the witness of bright and happy young people filled with faith and the joy of the Gospel, and we ask God’s blessing on each of them throughout their future lives.

Act of Spiritual Communion:     My Jesus,
I believe that you are present in this Holy Sacrament of the altar.
    I love you above all things and I passionately desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, 
come spiritually into my soul so that I may unite myself wholly to you now and forever.
  Amen.

 

24th May 2020 – Feast of The Ascension

         Feast of the Ascension
This is a sort of here and there feast! We celebrate that the Lord’s earthly mission is over, and the Easter apparitions have finished. He prepares to go to the Father and his followers will see this. He also has said that he ‘would not leave them orphans’, so we wonder how he is still with us.
Through the holy Spirit soon to be celebrated at Pentecost Jesus lives on. The Spirit of Jesus lives on in each person, given at baptism and confirmation. This Spirit is given to us all, so it is his followers today that Jesus lives on.
Where we give and share love in the ordinary times of our lives, where are pray to God and make time to be in the presence of God, Jesus is present. When we work for peace, justice, and when we show compassion and forgive – or try to forgive – each other, Jesus is present. We are not neglected by Jesus because he has gone to the Father – we are in the presence of Jesus because of the Spirit living in all of us.
It’s a feast that links heaven and earth. Jesus who is in heaven, also lives among us today. We pray also today that ‘where he is, we one day hope to be’. The presence of Jesus ascended to the Father is an eternal presence of love for us all.
‘Today is the feast of the Ascension. To those who wonder what it’s about: it’s the day when Jesus started to work from home’ !!    Donal Neary SJ,

                                             CARE OF OUR COMMON HOME

Pope Francis invites us the people of the world to join him in prayer on this Sunday 24th May to mark the 5th anniversary of the publication of Laudato si on this day in 2015.

 

Bishop Fintan Gavin will lead the people of the Diocese of Cork and Ross in prayer at the conclusion of the 11:30am Mass in the Cathedral on this Sunday approx. 12:15pm – you are invited to join via the webcam at    www.corkcathedral.ie

A prayer for our earth                                                                       All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

OPENING OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST KING FOR PERSONAL PRAYER
Since last Monday  The Churches in the Diocese of Cork and Ross have been open for personal prayer. In a message to the priests of the diocese, Bishop Fintan issued guidelines which must be followed before each church can be opened.  “This needs to proceed very carefully so that people can visit churches safely knowing that procedures are in place in line with government advice and HSE guidance,” the Bishop wrote.  “This forms part of a phased plan towards being able to celebrate the sacraments with a congregation at a later date.
Our Church of Christ the King is open from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm on weekdays (Monday to Saturday).  Special precautions against the spread of the Covid-19 virus will be in place, relating to cleanliness and disinfection, social distancing, designated prayer spaces, access to the church and movement within the church.  Notices giving full information will be in place and volunteer stewards will be on hand to give advice.
The church will be cleaned and disinfected before being opened each day, hand sanitisers have been provided at the entrances and everyone is asked to sanitise coming in and going out.  Disposable gloves are provided for use with the electric votive lights at the shrines, and may be placed in bins at each shrine after use.  Tissues may be discarded in the bins at the entrance and exit points.                                                                         From Monday the carpark gates will be opened for walking through each weekday from 9.30 am to 6.00 pm, and the Capwell Road gate will be open to cars from 2.30 pm to 6.00 pm.  Access to the Church will be restricted during Funeral Masses to the permitted number of mourners (at present family members only with a small number of close friends in special circumstances, subject to the overall total not being more than ten people).

LIVE-STREAMED MASSES 
Fr Billy and Fr Kerry are still unable to say Mass in the church due to the Covid-19 restrictions, and the church webcam is turned off except for Funeral Masses.  From Easter Sunday, Fr Billy has says a live-streamed Mass from the Presbytery at 12.00 noon on Sundays and 10.00 am on weekdays (Monday to Saturday) on the separate internet address  frbillyosullivan.ie (http://frbillyosullivan.ie). This will continue until the Church is opened for webcam Masses again. Mass is also celebrated and broadcast from the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne each day, Bishop Fintan celebrates the Mass on Sundays at 11.30am, and Mass on Monday to Saturday is celebrated at 10.15am.  RTE 521 Mass at 10.30am.   Details of other live-streamed Masses are given on the Diocesan Website.

Ignite 2020 Be A Light In The Darkness  Hosted by Saint Mary’s Dominican Church Popes Quay    Ignite Conference On Saturday & Sunday (30th &31st May) Featuring: Bishop Fintan Gavin, Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Mike Schmitz, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, Ralph Martin, Sr. Mara Grace and more. Register for Free at www.dominicanscork.ie

“The All Ireland Rosary Rally Conference” live on Radio Maria Ireland from 5.30pm on Saturday June 6th (The First Saturday) featuring Fr. Donald Colloway, Dr. Mary Healy,        Fr. Patrick Cahill, Kathy Sinnott and Fr. Marius O’Reilly

SCRIPTURE SUMMER SCHOOL
This year the Dublin Diocese Scripture Summer School will be presented online as a series of Zoom Conferences because of COVID 19 and will be offered from 22nd to 26th June.  This is instead of the normal series of workshops in Dublin each summer. The online programme is offered at a reduced cost of forty euro.  Fr Sean O’Sullivan, PP Monkstown, in recommending the programme comments that he has personal experience of all three of this year’s presenters and have found each of them to offer wonderful insights into the scriptures in a way that is both accessible and engaging.  He recommends the Summer School to us as an opportunity to revisit the study of the scriptures from the comfort and convenience of our own homes, while we may have a little more time because of the current restrictions.  Full details of the Summer School are available online at www.tarsus.ie/page-28/