Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time                  29 January 2012 Fr Frank Grey, Carrick, Finea, Mullingar, Co Westmeath. 043 6681129 e-mail: ballymachugh@eircom.net

Mass Times And Intentions

Ballynarry Sat 28th Jan 8:00 pm The Halton & McCabe families, Lisduff. Servers: Natalie Kiernan. Kerry Rudd. Thur 2nd Feb 8:00 pm Presentation of the Lord Henry Masterson, Lavagh. Fri 3rd Feb 7:00 pm  First Friday. St Blaise. Teresa Lynch & Alice Courtney. Sat 4th Feb 8:00 pm Anri Griffin, Clonlohan. Servers: Aine Goldrick. Ryan Smith

Carrick Sun 29th Jan 12 O’clock Brian Gaffney, Maughera. Servers: Niall Briody. Charlie Mulligan. Tue 31st Jan 8:00 pm Annie & Frank & the deceased members of the McEnerney family, Moynagh. Wed 1st Feb 9:30 am St Brigid. Fri 3rd Feb 9:30 am First Friday. St Blaise. Sun 5th Feb 12 O’clock Deceased Members of Ballymachugh G.A.A. Servers: Eimear Kelly. Shania Smith

ASPIRATIONS Do you feel too pressed for time to pray? Short prayers, also known as Aspirations can help. They are easy to learn. A good many of them are easy to memorize as well. They can provide you with a great way to stay in touch with our Lord and our Blessed Mother, especially for those times you feel most at your wits end. At times like these when it seems like nothing is going right don’t lose hope! You can stay close to Jesus and Mary with some aspirations. Be inspired by with these short prayers by our Lord’s words: “pray always” (Luke 21:36) and by St. Paul’s as well: “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:17)! Jesus, Mary, I love you. Save souls. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in thee. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. St Joseph, Pray for us. O Holy Spirit, sweet Guest of my soul, abide in me and grant that I may ever abide in Thee. It has been noted, incidentally, that a very good effective prayer is just to say the name of Jesus.

St Brigid Day

On Wednesday 1st February we celebrate the feast of St Brigid. Irish monks spread devotion to her all over the world. There are many stories about St Brigid, with the “Cross of Brigid” being best known.

She fashioned a cross made from river reeds and used it to explain Christ’s passion and death to a pagan chieftain. He was baptised before he died.

The old people had a lovely custom of making a St Brigid’s Cross from rushes or straw on the eve of her feast. They placed it above the open fireplace as a mark of respect for her. This was done to invoke the protection of St Brigid on the family and also on the animals. Last year’s cross was hung in the byre or stable.

A prayer accompanied the placing of the cross above the fireplace.

“May the blessing of God and the blessing of Our Lady

And the blessing of St Brigid be upon everyone who enters this house

And upon everyone who looks on this cross”

When St Brigid decided to build her convent, she asked the king of Leinster for some land on which to build it. The king was a sly man, and he did not want to listen to Brigid. He laughed at her when she asked for the land. He said, ’I will give you as much land as your cloak can cover.’ The king knew that Brigid’s cloak was so small that it would only cover a very small piece of land. But, when Brigid spread her cloak on the ground, it grew and grew and grew, and soon there was more than enough land for her to build her church. The king knew then that Brigid was a very holy woman.   

“Spread thy mantle O Brigid, Mary of the Gael,

May thy protection never fail.

Spread thy mantle over me, Where’re I pass, where’re I be;

Weather foul or weather fair, Keep me in thy loving care,

Till I rest, my journeys o’er With God and thee, for evermore.”

St Brigid, Pray for Us.

NOTICES

Feast Of Presentation/ Candlemas Day Thursday is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. It is also known as Candlemas Day. Candles may be left in and blessed before mass in Carrick on Wednesday at 9:30 am and before mass in Ballynarry on Thursday evening at 8:00 pm. Feast of St Blaise Friday is the feast of St Blaise. Throats will be blessed after the 9:30 am mass in Carrick and after the 7:00 pm mass in Ballynarry. First Friday Friday 3rd Feb is the first Friday. Fr Frank will bring Holy Communion to the sick and housebound on Thursday. Operation Transformation Ballymachugh GAA club is considering running an Operation Transformation which is your chance to lose weight, get into shape and feel good about yourself. The club will also take part in ‘Off the booze, On the ball’ which invites participants to abstain from alcohol for a month and in doing so seek sponsorship to go towards our local GAA club. Participants are also encouraged to engage in some new exercises that help them reach their recommended weekly activity levels during the month, and hopefully beyond. Anybody interested in participating in either of these events please contact Brendan 087-6898899 before Friday January 27th. Ballymachugh Youth Group Meeting on Tuesday 31st Jan, National School members 7:00pm to 8:00pm.  Secondary School members 8:00pm to 9:00pm. I.C.A. February meeting will take place on Thursday night, 2nd at 8 p.m. in the Clubrooms.  New members very welcome to join. St. Joseph's Young Priests' Society First meeting of the Society for 20l2 will take place on Saturday,  11th Feb after 8 o'clock Mass in Ballinarry. New members always welcome. Kilnaleck Social Services Fortnightly function on Wed 1st Feb at 2:00 pm in the Realtog Centre. Team C on duty.

Lourdes Ardagh & Clonmacnois Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2012. 27 May—1 June. 5 nights fully Inclusive Price €699. Places Available, Please contact Joe Walsh Tours 143 Lower Baggot Street Dublin 2. (01) 2410812  or (01) 2410811. Pilgrimage Director: Rt. Rev Monsignor Bernard Noonan P.P. Moate Co Westmeath. (090) 6481180. Director Invalid Section: V Rev Michael Scanlon P.P. Cloghan, Co Offaly (090) 6457122 Ministers for February Ballinarry:              Reader:   Brenda Coyle Euch Min:               Eric Plunkett Altar Society:           Noreen Mulligan, Jenny Goldrick, Peggy                                 Clinton. Carrick: Reader:   Kathleen Lynch Euch Min:               Eileen Brady Altar Society:           Mary Reilly. Anna May Reilly. Counters:                Carmel Daly. Bertha Kiernan. Bell:                         Peter Mulligan  Underage registration night Underage registration night takes place in the clubrooms on Monday the 30th January from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm. All parents with children from Minor down must register their children on the night . There will be a charge of €5 per child not already registered with the club (€15 max per family). Girls underage will also take place. Underage committee meeting after registration. Ladies Chat & Exchange Night Buddy Kiernans Pub. 3rd Feb 2012. 8:00 pm All Proceeds in aid of Ballynarry National School.