Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday                        8 April 2012 Fr Frank Grey, Carrick, Finea, Mullingar, Co Westmeath. 043 6681129 e-mail: ballymachugh@eircom.net

Mass Times And Intentions

Ballynarry Sat 7th Apr 9:00 pm HOLY  SATURDAY Servers: Donna Smith. Jack O’Reilly. Thur 12th Apr 8:00 pm John Smith (R.I.P.) Fri 13th Apr 7:00 pm May Reilly nee Coyle formerly of Tawlaught and deceased members of the Coyle family. Fri 13th Apr 8:00 pm Pappy Galligan and the deceased members of the Galligan family. Sat 14th Apr 8:00 pm Felix & Mary Harten and Olivia Goldrick, Moydristan. Servers: Donna Smith. Jack O’Reilly.

Carrick Sun 8th Apr 12 O’clock  EASTER SUNDAY Servers: Darragh Sheridan. Niall Briody. Mon 9th Apr 9:30 am Mass Sun 15th Apr 12 O’clock  Patricia O’Neill, Castlepolard. Servers: Darragh Sheridan. Niall Briody.

This day was made by the Lord, we rejoice and are glad. The great Vigil celebrates that ‘night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth.’ Ten times the Exultat proclaimed that night when darkness was conquered. Day dawns and the women go to the tomb. The stone is rolled back and the tomb is empty! It is the dawn of the new day which reaches into eternity. With the psalmist we rejoice and give thanks for his goodness which has overcome sin, and for his love which has no end. We are called to be witnesses to the resurrection, rising above darkness and sin. The most authentic witness is the testimony of charity in though, attitude and action. God’s love comes to perfection only when we love one another. “See how these Christians love one another.” May the stones of hard hearts be rolled away by the angels of God’s grace. May our lives show to the world that he is risen. Jesus Help Me  Jesus, help me, your servant, Whom you redeemed by your blood: In every need let me come to you with humble trust, JESUS, HELP ME. In all my doubts, perplexities, and temptations, JESUS, HELP ME. In hours of loneliness, weariness, and trial, JESUS, HELP ME In the failure of my plans and hopes, JESUS, HELP ME.  In disappointments, troubles, and sorrows, JESUS, HELP ME. When I throw myself on your tender love as Father and Savior JESUS, HELP ME. When I feel impatient and my cross is heavy, JESUS, HELP ME. When I am ill and my head and hands cannot do their work JESUS, HELP ME. Always, always, in joy or sorrow, in falls and shortcomings, JESUS, HELP ME. AMEN.

The Easter story invites each of us to recognise the empty tomb within our own selves. In each of us there is an empty tomb in which Jesus is not found. It is the selfish and sinful part of our own selves We will find in it our pride, lust, gluttony, envy and laziness. This morning we are invited to renounce all that is in this tomb.      
At Easter Mass we renew the promises of our baptism our promise to live like Jesus; to live the life of Jesus
- a life of faith hope and love; - a life of courage, honesty and compassion.

Then at Communion we will receive Jesus himself. Jesus will not be found in an empty tomb this Easter morning, but in each of us, and among us all here in this church.  Praise be to God! Alleluia!   

 I see His blood upon the rose,

And in the stars the glory of His eyes;

His body gleams amid eternal snows,

His tears fall from the skies.

I see His face in every flower;

The thunder, and the singing of the birds

Are but his voice; and, carved by his power,

Rocks are His written words.

All pathways by His feet are worn;

His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea;

His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn;

His cross is every tree.

(Joseph Mary Plunkett)

HAPPY EASTER

Many thanks to those who helped out over Holy Week:

· Both choirs, organists and musicians.

· All the readers who made themselves available.

· The girls and boys who took part in all the ceremonies.

· The Eucharistic Ministers.

· The Altar Servers.

· Those who cleaned and decorated the churches.

· Finally, thanks to you the ‘faithful who turned out in such large numbers over the Easter period.

 Station Masses: The group market with ✔ have been booked for Station Masses.

Please contact Fr Frank at 043 6681129 to organise Station Masses for your areas.

Group 1 Kilgolagh	Group 4 Carrick	Group 5 Moynagh Up Moynagh Lr	Group 7 Clonlohan Ballynamone Killakeen	Group 9 Moydristan Mullaghboy Moate	Group 11 ✔ Omard Relagh Lossett	Group 13 Bracklagh Carrickbane	Group 15 Tawlaght Cortrasna Shankill
Group 2 Maughera Up Maughera Lr	Group 3 Freeduff Cullaboy Lisnadarragh	Group 6 ✔ Lavagh Kilnahard Fortland	Group 8 Ballyheelan Aughakilmore Garrison Cappragh	Group 10 Turin Killafassey Crover Lisduff	Group 12 Foxfield Ballinarry Bellsgrove	Group 14 Clonoose	Group 16 Carrickakillew

NOTICES

Death We remember in our prayers Ned Clinton, Lisduff, whose funeral takes place in Ballynarry this Easter Sunday, 8th April at 2:00 pm. May he rest in peace. Eucharistic Congress A full programme of events is available at Church doors. Please take one home. We ask each household to avail of this interesting and very useful handout. The Diocese advises that the Eucharistic Congress Donation Envelopes, dated 10th June, should be handed in no later than the weekend of the 5/6 May. This collection is to help defray the cost of hosting the Eucharistic Congress. Knock Summer Festival Taking place on Sat 28th July. This day will be full of talks, workshops, music, prayer and reflection. The theme for the day is ‘ONE’. Why not come and join for this day. The day is free of charge. It is for all people aged 17– 30. For more info. Check out www.knock-shrine.ie/youthfestival or call 087 6927850. Find us on Facebook Knock Summer Festival. Trocaire Boxes Thanks to all those who have handed in the Trocaire Boxes. Your generosity will go towards helping poor communities who are hungry.

St Joseph’s Young Priest’s Society April meeting will take place after 8:00 pm mass in Ballynarry on Sat 14th April. New members always welcome. Collections Ballynarry:               € 448.88 ICA Very important meeting on Thursday 12th April at 8.00pm in Club Rooms.  Plans for Social evening to be discussed and outing to An Grianan .  New members welcome, we are always updating and would encourage more ladies to join and see all the work ICA does in our community.  Kilnaleck Social Services Fortnightly function on Wednesday next April 11th. at 2pm in Realtog Centre. Bailieboro' group will be guests on the day. Easter Bonnet Competition. Teams A&B on duty. Our group are invited to Templeport on Wednesday April 18th from 2-5pm. For more information or to book contact Ann Campbell, 4336332. Baptism We welcome into the Christian Community Ellie Jo Briody, daughter of Alma and Joseph Briody, Clonoose, whose Baptism took place in St Mary’s Church, Ballynarry on Sunday 1st April.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Fifth Sunday of Lent               23 March 2012 Fr Frank Grey, Carrick, Finea, Mullingar, Co Westmeath. 043 6681129 e-mail: ballymachugh@eircom.net

Mass Times And Intentions

Ballynarry Sat 24th Mar 8:00 pm Kathleen Kiernan, Foxfield. Servers: Enya Kiernan. Sean O’Neill. Wed 28th  Mar 8:00 pm The Donohoe and Briody Families. Fri 30th Mar 8:00 pm Hugh & Agnes Cooney, Crover. Sat 31st Mar 8:00 pm Edward Galligan, Ballyheelan Servers: Donna Smith. Jack O’Reilly.

Carrick Sun 25th Mar 12 O’clock Phil & Brigid Clarke, Kilnahard. Servers: Dwayne Mulvey, Roisin Coyle. Mon 26th Mar 9:30 am Mass Tue 27th Mar 9:30 am Mass Sun 1st April 12 O’clock Servers: Darragh Sheridan. Niall Briody.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Penance is sometimes called the sacrament of Reconciliation.

As you prepare to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation, begin not by thinking about your own life but about the life and words of Jesus. It is good to have a standard against which to measure your life and the kind of person you are. Jesus provides the standard for us Christians. It is his life and words that give meaning to our own. So, before celebrating the sacrament, spend a little time thinking about Jesus, the kind of person he was, the attitudes and values he had, the way he treated others. Think of what Jesus has to say to us today, and to our world.

Having looked at the life of Jesus, now take time to look at your own life.

A. What kind of Christian am I? Do I pray, go to Sunday mass etc.

B. My home life: what am I like to live with? Do I practice moderation, temperance etc.?

C. My relationship with others: Do I treat them with respect? Am I forgiving etc.?

D. My practice of justice: Do I respect the needs, rights and property of others? Do I respect the environment? Am I honest, Do I pay my debts etc.?

Remember that God isn’t interested in how good a memory you have, or how many failings you discover in yourself. It is impossible to recall every fault and failing. God knows that. All God asks is that you come before him genuinely sorry for those times when you have failed him and failed the community.

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”.

Our Burdens lead to life.

‘If the virtuous man is God’s son, God will take his part and rescue him from the clutches of his enemies.’…. They do not know the hidden things of God, they can see no reward for blameless souls.

Wisdom 2:18, 22

Each of us has a burden to carry; if not today’s burden, at lease to recall yesterday’s, or prepare inevitably for some burden tomorrow, for that is the way of life. There is no human life that does not have its burdens. Much of our lives is indeed the way of the cross, or at least it is so at times.

That burden may be a sorrow, or an anxiety; a broken heart; a secret fear; a chronic pain-illness; a disappointment; a frustration; a wound from the past. Burdens take different shapes and are of varying weights but they have this in common: they press hard on us causing us sometimes to falter and stumble. They make our journey through life more difficult and perhaps at times seemingly impossible and lead us to wonder about the meaning and purpose of it all. That is, until we remember that the burdens we carry always lead to life, life hidden with Christ in God.

All those burdens we carry are crosses which he asks us to carry, and we carry our crosses through life as he carried his. We meet him in a marvellous manner when we help him to carry his burden and he helps us to carry ours.

The sharing of his Passion is the most certain way of growing closer to him and a sure way too of discovering the meaning of the resurrection, the knowledge that whatever befalls us, whatever happens, we can never be separated from love of him.

Lord, help me to unite the burden I carry to

your cross, to carry your cross with you, to

allow you to carry my burden with me.

The Garment of Suffering

Each one of us has some amount of suffering or hurt in our life, something dating from our past. The Garment of Suffering symbolises the hurt that is contained in our lives and community. During Lent we ask that you bring to the Church a piece of cloth (any colour) about six inches square and leave it in the basket, anonymously. Your piece of cloth can represent the pain, grief or hurt in your life. It may be associated with:

Grief at death and separation.                 

The Pain of sickness.

The pain of being misunderstood.          

The pain of failure, etc.

Pain of living with a partner, parent or child who has a problem.

During Holy Week the cloths will be collected and sewn together into one complete garment. On Good Friday after the Veneration of the Cross the garment will be draped over the Cross and left there throughout Easter. During Lent and Easter we will pray to be healed.

What is unique in this ritual is that you will be able to recognise your piece of cloth, your own grief and suffering and yet understand that so many others share similar worries. Please feel free at any time during the coming week to place a piece of cloth in the basket. All pieces of cloth to be in basket by Palm Sunday so they can be assembled together for Good Friday.

NOTICES

Palm Sunday Next Sunday is Palm Sunday. Palm will be blessed at the Masses. Stations of The Cross During Lent on alternate Sundays Stations of the Cross in Carrick and Ballynarry. This Sunday evening Stations of the Cross in Carrick at 6:00 pm. Pastoral Council There will be a Pastoral Council meeting in the Parochial House on Wednesday evening at 9:00 pm

New Time Clocks go forward one hour this weekend. Sunday Night Country Starting in Crover House Hotel this Sunday 25th March with Ray Montanna & Hubby Harten. Admission € 10. Dancing 9 to midnight I.C.A. Last night of “Dancing for Pleasure” classes with This Thur 29th Mar at 9:00 pm . All welcome to join the fun while exercising! Get in Shape for 2012 4 week aerobic course from Monday 26th March 2012, until Monday 23rd April 2012 (no class on 9th April 2012 – Easter Monday), at the Réaltóg Centre, Kilnaleck. There is a choice of courses. 7:30pm – 8:30 pm. The total cost of the course is €25.00 for the 4 weeks. To secure your place please call 049 4336070.