Nollaig Shona Agus Athbhliain fé Mhaise

Daoibh go Léir

St. Matthew’s Ballyfermot

Wishing you a

Very Happy, Peaceful Christmas

and a Blessed

New Year

Silent Night Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright; Round yon virgin, mother and child. Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, Holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight: Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia: Christ the Saviour is born, Christ the Saviour is born

Come All Ye Faithful O come, all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold him Born the King of angels:

O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Adeste Fideles Laeti triumphantes Venite, Venite in Bethlehem Natum videte, Regem Angelorum;

Venite adoremus, venite adoremus,

Angels We Have Heard on High Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains, And the mountains in reply Echo still their joyous strains:

Glor….ri-a in excelsis Deo! Glor….ri-a in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing; Come adore on bended knee Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.

Hark the Herald Angels Sing Hark the herald angels sing "Glory to the newborn King! Peace on earth and mercy mild God and sinners, reconciled" Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies With the angelic host proclaim: "Christ is born in Bethlehem" Hark! The herald angels sing "Glory to the newborn King!" Christ by highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a Virgin's womb! Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel Hark! The herald angels sing "Glory to the newborn King!"

The First Noel

The First Noel, the angels did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay. In fields where they lay keeping their sheep On a cold winter's night that was so deep. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel!

Away in a Manger Away in a manger, No crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus Laid down his sweet head; The stars, in the bright sky Looked down where he lay, The little Lord Jesus Asleep on the hay.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay Close by me forever, And love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children In thy tender care, And fit us for heaven, To live with thee there.

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A SUGGESTION FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER

NOTE: Ideally this should be read around the Crib before sitting down for dinner or alternatively around a lighted candle. (How about holding hands?) Each person could take a line and then everybody else shout out

WE THANK YOU. or

One person could read it with everybody then coming in on

WE THANK YOU.

HO! HO! HO! Whey hey it's Christmas Day and the Dinner is about to begin! For turkey and ham, carrots and peas For cranberry and sprout, WE THANK YOU For all this food and all this drink and the hands that prepared it, WE THANK YOU

Remembering those not around this table this year We remember their hands, we remember their eyes, we remember their smile and WE THANK YOU Yes we are alive and despite pain and ache, worry and fear and even some sickness we are here, we have each other, food and shelter, here together, so yes Lord WE THANK YOU And you know if the turkey is a bit dry and the ham a bit wet and the roasties like bullets and the sprouts like mush, we still thank you and we remember those with bigger problems. Yes Lord, today we ask you to help those with little food, poor clothes and maybe no home of their own. Oh yes Lord today, for all we have, we say together WE THANK YOU

Today is Christmas Day and it makes little sense without Jesus. So we remember the little Baby born in a stable to give us hope, the gentle hands that healed the sick, and the body that hung on the Cross, so that no sickness or pain would win and that we would not die for ever and with our hearts lifted we shout. WE THANK YOU

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

A slightly more traditional grace before meals goes as follows: Lord, as you blessed the loaves and fishes, bless the hands that made these dishes, And when we stir our cups of tea, may our hearts Oh Lord, be stirred by thee. Amen.

J MC DONALD. 20.12.17

ll

AAnd she gave birth to her first-born son

and wrapped him in swaddling cloths,

and laid him in a manger, because there was no place

for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Eucharistic Adoration And Divine Mercy Meetings

Conclude Fri 22 Dec Resume from

Mon 8 January 2018

Parish Centre

Closes for Christmas Fri 22 Dec @ 12.00

Reopens Mon 8 Jan 2018

Because of the Christmas Holidays

we will be using the same newsletter on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve

Copies will be available as usual at the church doors on each of the two Sundays.

Society of St. Vincent De Paul Annual Appeal

Amount Collected:€4295 Thanks to all who contributed so generously.

Parish CentreCloses for Christmas

Fri 22 Dec @ 12.00Reopens Mon 8 Jan 2018

Copies will be available as usual at the church doors on each of the two Sundays.

Society of St. Vincent De PaulAnnual Appeal

AAAAmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmoooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnttttttttttttt CCCCCollected:€4295Thanks tttttooooooooo aaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllll wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooooooooo coooooooooooooooooonntributed so generoussslllyyyyyyyyyyyyyy....

BOOK OF THE WEEK BETWEEN THE DARK AND THE DAYLIGHT,

embracing the Contradictions of Life By Joan Chittister. Image Books, New York 2015 Pp 173

If you plan to read a good book over the Christmas period I strongly recommend this one. I have read a lot of Chittister over the years and she has never disappointed me. This is a particularly beautiful book. ‘ In words as wise as they are inspiring, [ this book] explores the concerns of modern life, of the overworked mind, and of the hurting heart’. Beautifully written - a calming and encouraging book.

FAITH MOMENT To be human is to search for God. Throughout history to the present moment, religious beliefs and practices express the human search for God. As creatures made in God’s image and likeness, each one of us have been given a mind to search for the truth and a heart that longs for unconditional, forgiving love. These basic human desires are ultimately fulfilled in God, who is truth and love.

GOSPEL READINGS FOR NEXT TWO WEEKS Tues 26/12 Mt 10: 17 – 22 St Stephen, First Martyr. ‘Do not worry about how to speak….’ Wed 27/12 Jn 20: 2 – 8 St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground Thu 28/12 Mt 2: 13 – 18 The Holy Innocents, Martyrs. The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream Fri 29/12 Lk 2: 22 – 35 St Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr. A light to enlighten the pagans Sat 30/12 Lk 2: 36 - 40 And she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. Sun 31/12 Lk 2: 22 – 40 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. And God’s favour was with him

Mon 1/01 Lk 2: 16 – 21 Mary, the Holy Mother of God. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart Tue 2/01 Jn 1: 19 - 28 But there stands among you - unknown to you - the one who is coming after me Wed 3/01 Lk 2: 21 – 24 The Holy Name of Jesus. They took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord Thu 4/01 Jn 1: 35 - 42 ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel’ Fri 5/01 Jn 1: 43 – 51 St Charles of St Andrew. ‘You will see greater things than that!’

Mass Intentions 23 - 31 December Ronan Andrews Michael Birch Desmond Breen Tom Byrne Thomas Canavan Dayne Cody Martin Cuffe Christine Cullen Brian Kavanagh Ann & Jacqueline Kelly William Kershaw Lily & Michael Lawlor Bill & Kathleen Merriman Rita O'Gara Michael O'Gorman Snr. Michael O'Gorman Jnr. Thomas O'Grady Annie Peppard Walsh & Mowles Families Mayella Wilkes

EVENING FOR VOLUNTEERS Our Thank You Evening for all those who serve in various ministries here in St. Matthew's will be held on Thursday, January 25th at 7.30 pm . Just a date for the diary. Details to follow.

CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE 2017 (Dec 23rd- Jan 7th)

CHRISTMAS CONFESSIONS Friday Dec 22nd:11am - 1pm

Saturday Dec 23rd:5.30pm - 6.30pm and 7.15pm - 8.15pm MASS TIMES

Saturday 23rd Dec: Vigil 6.30pm

Sunday 24th Dec. Christmas Eve: 10.30am Mass only (No Masses at 9.00am or 12.00noon)

5.30 pm (Mass for Young Families.) 9.00 pm (Vigil Mass for Christmas.)

Monday 25th Dec Christmas Day: 9.00am 12.00noon (No 10.30am Mass)

Tuesday 26th Dec: Church Closed No Mass Today

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 27th, 28th, and 29th Dec: 10.00am Saturday 30th Dec: Vigil 6.30pm

Sunday 31st Dec New Years Eve: 10.30am 12.00noon (No 9.00am Mass)

11.30pm Mass: We let go of the old year and embrace the New Year in the Presence of Jesus

Monday 1st Jan 2018 New Years Day: 11am Mass Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God

Tuesday 2nd Jan: Church Closed No Mass Today. Wednesday Thursday and Friday 3rd, 4th and 5th Jan: 10am Mass

Friday 5th Jan: 6.30 (Vigil of The Epiphany) Saturday 6th Jan: 10.30am (Feast of The Epiphany)

6.30pm (Vigil Mass for Sunday) Sunday 7th Jan: 9.00pm, 10.30am, 12.00noon

From Jan 8th 2018 New Mass Schedule Mon, Thur, Fri Morning: 10.00am Tues: 10.00am Morning Prayer Wed: Evening Mass 7.00pm

VERY SPECIAL INVITATION…. Why not ring in the New Year in the Company of Jesus?

Leave the mess, big or small of 2017, the bad decisions, the sins of the past year

to God’s mercy Come and listen to God’s Word.

Be fed with the food that lasts forever, the Body of Christ.

Resolve, in the company of the Lord himself to do better in 2018,

putting the year ahead in the Lord’s hands. I would love to see you at this Special Mass at

11.30pm on New Years Eve Night. It really is a beautiful way to bring in the New Year.

Fr. Joe

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New Year’s Eve

SUNDAY: 31 December 2017 Special Mass

@ 11.30pm Celebrate The

New Year in the

Company of Jesus

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