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Noli temere – ‘Don’t be afraid’
The last words of Seamus Heaney, in a text to his wife Marie, were the Latin words Noli temere –
‘Don’t be afraid’. According to his son Mick, the words became ‘a shorthand for hope’ in the weeks
that followed. He had done what poets and writers do best – express our fears and anxieties in a
way that made sense.
Fear took on new forms earlier this year when we were all thrown into that strange period of
lockdown due to the coronavirus threat. We were fearful for ourselves and our health. We were
worried about our families, particularly our elderly or vulnerable loved ones. Many people were
anxious about the future – they had lost their job or business and were full of uncertainty as to
when, or even if, things would improve. We also became conditioned, in a way, to be fearful of
each other. While we understood it was necessary, it was upsetting to have to stay away from
other people – to refrain from hugging or shaking hands, to move away or even cross the street
when we saw another person approaching.
And of course there are deeper fears that come from being isolated and feeling alone with our
thoughts. It is natural to question God in these circumstances, whether we turn to him in prayer
seeking comfort, or struggle to pray because we cannot understand why all this is happening.
Our communities are still reeling from this new state of fear. We have lost so much, and the
future is uncertain. Jesus has comforting words in today’s Gospel: ‘Do not be afraid…
everything now hidden will be made clear.’ Life does not always make sense, but God has it all
in hand, and armed with this knowledge we can face the future with hope. He is with us through
the mess and the fear: ‘Why, every hair on your head has been counted.’ Tríona Doherty
Parishes of St. Paul’s & Butlerstown Newsletter TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – 21ST of June 2020
DONATIONS
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Parish of St Pauls & Butlerstown Website
To connect with all online resources for Parishes of St. Paul’s & Butlerstown
Click on the link below.
Parishes of St Pauls & Butlerstown
Re-opening of our Churches:
St. Paul's Church is open each day
from 2.00 p.m - 4.00 p.m. Please
notice separate entrance and exit,
use hand sanitizer and follow
directions inside to help with
social distancing.
Butlerstown Church is open each
day (Mon - Sat) from 11.00 a.m.
to 1.00 p.m.
Many thanks to volunteers who are helping us to abide by the
regulations for health and safety.
Stay in touch with News & Information From Parishes of St. Paul’s & Butlerstown
Use these Links
St Pauls Facebook Page Butlerstown Parish Facebook Page Parish of St Pauls & Butlerstown Website
Parish Contact Details
Fr. Pat Fitzgerald 372257
Fr.Seán deLéis 323213
Sr. deLourdes Breen 058 41359
St. Paul’s Church Sacristy: 378073
Parish Office 357730
E-mail: stpaulschurchwt@gmail.com
Web: www.stpaulschurch.ie
The Parish Office is still contactable
during normal Office Hours.
PRIESTS JUNE COLLECTION
Thank you to all of our distributors
who were able and have helped in the
delivery of envelopes for our June
Collection.
As regards returning the June
Envelopes:
If you wish to drop your envelope
to the Church you can do so in
o St. Pauls Sacristy at 10.30am
Monday, Wednesday & Friday
or in the Church any weekday
afternoon 2 to 4pm.
o Butlerstown Sacristy
Tuesday & Thursday
mornings at 10.30am.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Mass & Services from St. Paul’s & Butlerstown Churches
LIVE STREAMING FROM ST. PAUL’S
10am – Monday, Wednesday, Friday &
Saturday
11.30am - Sunday
https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/st-paul-s
LIVE STREAMING FROM BUTLERSTOWN
10am – Tuesday & Thursday
8pm Wednesday – Prayer & Praise
3pm Friday – Exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament.
https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/buttlerstown
Just Trust
Our lives are lightened by people we can trust. We need to trust so much in life. We know the great pain when our trust is shaken by people we thought we could trust. In the gospel today Jesus addresses that need and grace in our lives. He encourages us to place our trust in those who care for us, and to trust in God who does not want destruction/ but development/ who wants peace among people in all sorts of ways. In what do we trust?
Pagola writes: ‘some feel a need to consume more in order to feel secure; and seek a life of entertainment to forget their everyday problems’ (The Gospel According to Matthew/ p. 106). Jesus tells us to trust in God, who would not harm even a hair of our head. He asks and urges us to be people who would not harm another. We are worth this care and love just by being created. Like a parent or grandparent/ or an aunt or uncle/ totally loving a new child before the child is even seen, so God loves each of us. The sight of a starving child brings out our love and a desire to care.
This is linked to the care of God: in this care and trust of each other we find the trust and care of God/ given and received for ‘where there is love, there is God
‘Do not be afraid’ (Mt 10:26). Where have we heard these words before? They are
quite familiar to most of us because they have been quoted often by preachers and
commentators since the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005. A recurrent theme from the
beginning of his pontificate in 1978 was: Do not be afraid.
This was also John Paul’s message to Catholics and to the entire world as he passed from
this life to eternal life. His entire life, and especially his final illness, demonstrated that he
himself was fearless because of his absolute faith and trust in the person and saving
message of Jesus Christ. And he urged everyone else to have the same conviction.
Lord, we remember today the many people who are feeling that no one cares:
– others only see their failures, not how hard they have tried;
– people think they have no problems, when in fact they are heavily burdened.
They feel abandoned like a sparrow that has fallen to the ground
while a hundred others are flying overhead.
Send them someone who will be Jesus for them,telling them that every hair on their heads has been carefully counted.
We are living in a changing world, there is great
uncertainty.
The world pandemic has left us frightened and
confused.
We are mourning the loss of many things:
employment, health and even loved ones. But we
never lose hope; our hope is rooted in God.
Hence, this time can be a blessing in disguise, as it
makes us less reliant on ourselves and more on
the power of God.
LOCAL HELP IS AVAILABLE AT:
1800250185
OR CONTACT:
cOVIDSUPPORT@WATERFORDCOUNCIL.IE
Employment Opportunities Parishes of St Paul’s &
Butlerstown
Maintenance Assistant St Paul’s Parish, Waterford –
Community Employment Programme This is a developmental opportunity, no experience necessary.
Accredited training will be provided to support your career.
Please contact your local DEASP Employment Services/Intreo
Office to check your eligibility and to apply for this vacancy.
Vacancy Reference will be required (Ref: #CES-2145913).
Eligibility to participate on CE is generally linked to those who
are 21 years or over and applicants must also be in receipt of a
qualifying Irish Social welfare payment for 1 year or more.
Duties: Grass Cutting, Hedge Cutting, Litter Control and other
maintenance duties to include painting, hoovering and
cleaning.
Maintenance Assistant Butlerstown Waterford
Community Employment Programme
Conditions and Eligibility as above.
Please contact your local DEASP Employment Services/Intreo
Office to check your eligibility and to apply for this vacancy.
Vacancy Reference will be required (Ref: #CES-2147162).
Duties: Butlerstown Graveyard Maintenance to include grass
cutting, litter control and general maintenance duties.
Recommended