ALTAR SOCIETY Group v is scheduled for next week and Group i for week commencing 31st December, 2018. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Christmas Prayer

Little one of Bethlehem Smile your love in our hearts

Hold out your arms to us And take away all our fears.

Reveal to us the power of God In the powerlessness of the Child.

Hold all our family in your open heart That makes space for all of us.

Lead us all out of the darkness of fear Into the gentle light of your love. (JC)

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BRAZILIAN COMMUNITY: A PARÓQUIA DESEJA A TODOS OS BRASILEIROS E BRASILEIRAS UM FELIZ NATAL E 2019. ROSCOMMON PARISH WISHES ALL THE BRAZILIAN FAMILIES A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR!

CHRISTMAS TREE If you wish to remember loved ones who have died or

who are away from home for Christmas, we invite you to inscribe the names on

the tags/stars that are left beside the Christmas Tree in the Sanctuary. Thanks

to the Primary School Children in the parish for making the stars.

THANKS: Sincere thanks to all those who kindly donated flowers and

poinsettias for the Christmas Altar. Also thanks to people who made a

donation towards the cost of flowers.

THANKS TO ALL OUR DISTRIBUTORS WHO DISTRIBUTE ENVELOPES IN THE STATION AREAS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. YOUR HELP IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

CHURCH CALENDAR, 2019 They are available in Porch of Church. Please take one

home.

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

I will give up complaining and be more grateful.

I will give up pessimism and be optimist.

I will stop judging harshly and think kind thoughts.

I will give up worry and trust in providence.

I will give up discouragement and be full of hope.

I will give up bitterness and turn to forgiveness.

I will give up anger and practise being patient.

I will give up gossiping and speak kindly of others.

I will stop being gloomy and enjoy the beauty around me. (JC)

NEXT ISSUE OF NEWSLETTER ON SUNDAY 6TH JANUARY , 2019. SUNDAY’S OFFERTORY COLLECTION: €3,415.00

CHAO MU’NG * BEM-VINDO * NAMASTEE * MARHABN *

* VELKOMMEN * MIRSERLLT * DOBRO PAZHALOVAT *

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We wish all the People of this Parish every blessing

and joy for Christmas and the New Year.

SACRED HEART CHURCH

ROSCOMMON

CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER, 2018

* CÉAD MÍLE FÁILTE * WELCOME * BIENVENUE * MABUHAY *

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The Power of a BABY

Sixty babies were baptised in this church in the past year. The only one man I know who was frightened of a baby - was Herod. We read about his cowardly fears in the Gospel. It is hard to credit, but this man, known as ‘the great’, ordered the execution of all male children two years old and under, because he felt threatened by the news of the birth of Jesus. The Church recognises these children as the first Christian martyrs and they are celebrated on the 28th December as Holy Innocents Day.

There is a moment at every Baptism that I steal a glance to see the look of parents as their baby is baptised in a downpour of grace through the ordinary symbol of water. It is a look that defies all definition. There are no words to describe such a radiant expression of love. A baby is an amazing symbol both of power and powerlessness. Or, perhaps more accurately, power within powerlessness.

I always ask the hold a newly baptised baby as he / she is a touchstone of God’s love. A tangible bundle of grace! A baby is vulnerable, dependant and is an expression of love. The Bethlehem Baby’s defenceless presence, his shocking and precarious weakness, his inversion of all our ideas about the nature of God, stun us into silence. All this runs against the grain of our aggressive, competitive and controlling nature.

God’s love is a reality. But today, fearsome forces threaten it at every turn. The Christmas story reminds us that our human machinations are flimsy, but that Christ has a long practice of foiling them. No matter what motives the world and its rulers employ, all things ultimately - even unwittingly - come to pay homage to the Baby Bethlehemborn in abject poverty.

Every baby is God’s opinion that life should go on. Never will a time come when the most marvellous inventions of human precision, ever replace the wonder of a newborn baby. A baby is new, yet it is also the oldest of the ancients! Before women and men learned how to make the alphabet, how to make the wheel, how to make fire, they knew how to make a baby! May this Christmas help us to recover and rediscover the fragile mystery that is the heart beat of God’s Love - in whose divine imprint and image - we are all made in likeness.

John Cullen.

(Saturday 22nd December – Sunday 30th December 2018. (No 8 am Mass this week)

SATURDAY: 7:00 p.m. Anne McConn (Month’s Mind)

SUNDAY: 12:15 p.m. Doreen Conlon (1st Anniversary)

MONDAY: 7:00 p.m. Christmas Vigil

TUESDAY: 8:30 a.m. Mass offered for the Intentions of all present

(Christmas Day) 10:30 a.m. Mass offered for the Intentions of all present

12:15 p.m. Mass offered for the Intentions of all present

WEDNESDAY: 10:00 a.m. Owen & Bridget Dervin, & Brian Dervin

THURSDAY : 10:00 a.m. Jim Gibbons & Gemma Golden

FRIDAY: 10:00 a.m. Maureen Thewlis

SATURDAY: 10:00 a.m. Dominic & Catherine Raftery

7:00 p.m. Sharon Scanlon (née Owens) (Month’s Mind)

SUNDAY: 8:30 a.m. Mary O’ Carroll (Month’s Mind)

10:30 a.m. Margaret (Ciss) Beirne (1st Anniversary)

12:15 p.m. Hannah Farrell & deceased family

We also remember Mary, Katie & Peter McDermott whose anniversaries occur at this time.

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Monday 31st January – Sunday 6th January 2019. (No 8 am Mass this week)

MONDAY 10:00 a.m. Marie Daly

TUESDAY: 10:00 a.m. Philip Ryan

WEDNESDAY: 10:00 a.m. Deceased of the Cassidy Family

THURSDAY: 10:00 a.m. Anthony McCormack

FRIDAY: 10:00 a.m. P. J. Fallon

SATURDAY: 10:00 a.m. Michael Reilly & deceased family

Noel & Kathleen McCrann

John & Neil Dowd

7:00 pm. Kathleen Cunningham (1st Anniversary)

& Michael Cunningham

SUNDAY: 12:15 p.m. Raphael Molloy (Month’s Mind)

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THIS WEEK-END & THE COMING 2 WEEKS

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY: Sunday 6th Jan. is the

Feast of the Epiphany. Masses will be celebrated at 7pm

Vigil on Saturday evening 5th Jan & 8.30 a.m,10.30 a.m

& 12.15 p.m on Sunday 6th January

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The priests wish to put on public record through our Christmas newsletter, a

genuine expression of thanks to everyone involved in the service of our parish and

our church. All age groups, from the newest altar server to the longest serving

collector, choir member or altar society member, offer their time and gifts for the

good of our parish community. The time that you give and the tasks that you do are

acknowledged and deeply appreciated. You make a difference for good by the quiet

generosity of your voluntary presence. As a parish, we are truly blessed and fortunate

to have people who are motivated and dedicated and who work cohesively as teams

in their willing involvement to take on the numerous areas of work and service that

are carried out with a loyalty and love for our parish.

Fr. Joe, Fr. Pravin, Fr. Jim, Monsignor, Fr. Sean, Fr. Peadar, Deacon Wando & Fr. John.

Míle Buíochas

BLESSED SACRAMENT CHAPEL:

Chapel will re-open on Saturday 29th December at 11 am.

Western Alzheimer’s Charity Walk – St Stephen’s Day The Roscommon Voluntary Committee of Western Alzheimers will hold their

annual charity walk on St. Stephen’s Day starting from Hannon’s Hotel, Athlone

Road at 12 noon. This will be a real family event with a choice of routes (5K

or 10K). Entry is €10 per person or €20 for a family. Refreshments in Hannon’s

Hotel and lots of entertainment on the day. We hope you can join us.

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People forget what you said.

People forget what you did.

But people never forget how you made them feel.

Ark of Divine Mercy Athlone: Pilgrimage to Medjugorje will take place from

May 22nd- 29th 2019. Cost From €530 flying from Dublin with Aer Lingus including Half

board & travel Insurance and Airport transfers from Dubrovnik to Medjugorje €250 payable

and the final amount before mid March. Details available from Kathleen O’Connor on 087

6600190. Paul Woods 087 7828283 or e-mailarkofdivinemercy@gmail.com

Bishop Kevin’s Christmas Message

“I wish you every Blessing and Peace this Christmas and I take this opportunity to say a particular word of thanks to all of you who are so generous in using your gifts in the service of your brothers and sisters in parishes, hospitals and schools all over our Diocese. I know that there are many people in our Diocese who will miss a family member or a friend, this Christmas, someone who has died, or gone into a nursing home, or gone to live in some other part of the world. You will have a special place in my prayers this Christmas. As a Diocesan community, we will miss Bishop Christy and we remember his family at this time”. For full message see www.elphindiocese.ie