PARISH OFFICE is open Mon–Fri from 10am–5pm (excluding 1pm–2pm).
Canon Declan O’Connor P.P. Phone: 068 21188 / Parish Mobile: 087 0908949 (strictly for emergencies only).
Email: . Notices for Parish Newsletter have to be in by 2.00pm on Thursdays. Funerals take place on weekdays at 11.30am and Sundays and Holy Days at 11.00am. Baptisms are at pre-arranged times and must be booked through the Parish Office. Confessions: every Saturday after 10.30am Mass. Check out our web page and all Diocesan news on: www.dioceseofkerry.ie
RECENT DEATHS Patsy Duggan, Dirha West & Ballygologue Park.
Maureen Josephine O’Donovan, William St. & London.
Peggy Moloney, 52 Charles St.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS Hannah Wetherall nee McCarthy, Vancouver, Canada late of Grogreen. Requiem Mass Tuesday 8th at 10.30am.
ANNIVERSARY REMEMBRANCE Agnes O’Mahony.
MASSES THIS WEEK
Saturday5th / Denis Son Histon, Clounmacon, 1st Anniversary /
Tim Flaherty, Derry / Teresa Bambury, Gurtaglana /
Maltida, Johnny & Patrick Kelly, 6 Crosses /
Bob Kelly, Dirha / Donal Crowley, Blarney /
Maurice & Agnes Scanlon, Dirha East / Vigil
Sunday
6th / People of the Parish / 9.00am
Christy O’Connor, Coolnalaught, James Culhane &
Pat Galvin, Moyvane / Dr. Joseph Devine, Church St. /
Baby Mark Grace, Kenny Heights /
Tadhg Laide, Ballygologue Pk. / 11.00am
Monday 7th / Peg Kelly, Duagh / 10.30am
Tuesday 8th / Funeral – Hannah Wetherall nee McCarthy / 10.30am
Wed. 9th / Thomas Keane, The Lodge / 10.30am
Thur. 10th / Sr. Joan Harnett, Duagh & Presentation Sisters, Killarney / 10.30am
Friday 11th / Ned Moriarty, College Lawn / 10.30am
Saturday 12th / Peter Murphy, Ennismore / 10.30am
Stuart, Damian & Justin Stack, William St. / Vigil
Sunday 13th / William Higginbotham, Cork & Kerry, Months Mind /
John & Eileen Griffin & Deceased Family, Bridge Rd / 9.00am
Christy Somers & Deceased Family Members, Billerough / 11.00am
OFFERTORY COLLECTION FOR OUR PARISH last weekend was €2,715.00 (including all envelopes), Christmas collection €4,670.00. May God reward you.
Priest on duty for Listowel Deanery Sunday, 6th Jan., Fr. Tarrant, 068-41152.
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD 6th JANUARY, 2013.
CHURCH NOTICES
NEEDS OF THE HOLY LAND ANNUAL DIOCESAN COLLECTION: Will be taken up at all Masses this weekend after communion, Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th January 2013. This collection provides assistance to those in need in the Holy Land and helps fund 36 Dispensaries, 21 Charitable Institutes, 120 Centres of Education and also housing projects for the deprived.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
PARKINSON’S ASSOC. NORTH KERRY BRANCH Will host an information evening in the Three Mermaids, Listowel on Tuesday 15th Jan 2013, starting at 8pm. with guest speaker Dr. Helena Moore, Consultant Neurologist. Patients, Carers and Friends welcome. The format of the evening will include a question and answer session.
A BIG THANK YOU to all who contributed so generously to the Christmas Samaritan Collection. Also thanks to the collectors who gave of their time. The amount raised was €6,050.00.
REFLECTION FOR THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY
Any journey to Jesus, like the Magi’s begins mysteriously. As they are led by a star, we too are led in many ways to meet the Lord: through parents, teachers, friends, experiences (both sad and happy) of our lives. If a meeting with Jesus is at all memorable, it affects our lives, just as their meeting with him meant they went back by a different way. We could say that when we have met Jesus and heard his gospel, we will then go through life by a different path. It is a new birth. Everything is new: the stars in the sky are invitations to his depth and mystery and light, the beggar in the street evokes the good Samaritan in us. After we have met him, in prayer, in community, in service, we realise that he graces every human experience with the possibility of a meeting with God.
A meeting with the Lord is an exchange of gifts. What did he give to the magi? We don’t know for sure, but surely is was a sense of peace and joy that all peoples are called into his kingdom. This is the meaning of Matthew’s beautiful story. It is a message of newborn hope and joy for all the people who have ever heard this story. Their gifts seem huge. But in our case Jesus looks beyond the gift to the love of the giver.
The Christmas song, “Drummer Boy” illustrates this well. His gift to Jesus is his song, his music and his drum. “And then he smiled at me……….. me and my drum”. Our gift of ourselves, our talents, our love is what pleases the Lord. Any contribution we can make to the happiness of others and the peace and justice of our world is our gift to him.
Our Eucharist is “A holy exchange of gifts” (RM, Passim).