1st
Sunday of Lent
Sunday,
21st February 2010
PARISH
MOVES TO ST. MEL’S COLLEGE
After
the great loss suffered by the parish at Christmas
time we are very pleased to have the use of the facilities
at St. Mel’s College. The College
Chapel is a lovely space for our daily masses and
we are hopeful that the Sports Hall will also be a
suitable venue for our celebration of Sunday Mass.
A great amount of planning and hard work has been
undertaken by members of the Pastoral Council, Temperance
Hall Committee, and many other volunteers in our community
in recent weeks in the preparation of these facilities.
We are sincerely grateful to all who have given so
much time and energy in a spirit of goodwill and generosity.
We say a sincere thanks to each one and to all the
tradesmen and professionals who have helped to complete
the project. We have worked hard on adapting the Sports
Hall for use for our Sunday Eucharist and are indebted
to those who have worked on the design and outfitting.
For the purposes of Parish use we will refer to the
Sports Hall as St. Mel’s Cathedral Centre.
Car Parking Considerations are ongoing
with regard to the provision of car parking spaces
at St. Mel’s’ College for our Sunday Masses.
A short term policy has been put in place which is
as follows:
1. A one way system will operate.
2. Entry is through the front gates of St. Mel’s
College.
3. Proceed past College Chapel to Basketball Court
parking area.
4. Exit at rear of college.
5. Please observe signage and directions of stewards
at all times.
6. Spaces will be reserved for disabled people nearest
to St. Mel’s Cathedral Centre
7. No parking will be available at front of College.
8. Please refrain from parking on any grass areas.
Inevitably there may be teething problems in these
arrangements and we would appreciate your patience
as we try our best to address the car parking issue.
We would encourage as many as possible to park outside
of the college grounds and make their way to the college
on foot. The walk down the avenue is very beautiful!
All Masses now take place at St. Mel’s
College, either in the Chapel or Sports Centre.
All the weekday Masses (8am, 10am and 7.30pm) and
the Sunday morning 8am Mass are celebrated in the
College Chapel. The Saturday evening 7.30pm Vigil
Mass and the 10am, 11.30pm and 1pm on Sundays take
place in the Sports Centre:
| DATE |
MASS
TIMES |
VENUE |
| Mon 22 –
Fri 26 Feb |
8am, 10am,
7.30pm |
St. Mel’s
College Chapel |
| Sat 27th Feb |
8am, 10am, |
St. Mel’s
College Chapel |
| |
7.30pm
Vigil. |
St.
Mel’s College Sports Centre |
| Sun 28th Feb |
8am |
St. Mel’s
College Chapel |
| |
10am,
11.30pm, 1pm |
St.
Mel’s College Sports Centre |
*There is
also Mass every day, except Saturdays, at 11am in
St. Joseph’s Hospital Chapel.
CONFESSIONS are available on Saturdays
from 10.30am - 1pm and from 6.30pm to 7.30 pm at St.
Mel’s College Chapel.
ALTAR
SERVERS - We say welcome back to our young
friends who serve at Sunday Mass. We are delighted
to have you involved in the life of the parish and
we welcome you to resume your commitment to your usual
Sunday Mass.
CHILD PROTECTION - We have just recruited
two new Child Protection Representatives for our parish.
Along with some of the Altar Servers parents they
will be assisting us to ensure that the parish achieves
the highest level of child protection standards. We
are very grateful to all who are assisting us in this
matter.
AFTER MASS CUP OF TEA - The Parish
hosts a Friday morning cup of tea in the Pastoral
Centre at St. Mel’s College on each Friday morning.
We are always pleased to see people come along and
share a cuppa and a chat after morning mass. St. Mel’s
College have kindly offered all mass goers an invitation
to use the John Gerety Hall after 10.00 a.m. Mass
for tea or coffee each day.
NO SMOKING REGULATIONS – Please
note that because St. Mel’s College Chapel and
Sports Centre are on School grounds it is illegal
to smoke in the area. We would ask all parishioners
to observe this rule out of courtesy to the College
staff and students.
HAITI APPEAL – The recent collection
for TROCAIRE’S Haiti Appeal amounted to €12,821.60.
We offer sincere thanks to all for your kind generosity.
PERPETUAL ADORATION – each
day at St. Mel’s College Chapel from 8.30am
– 8.00pm. In the evening times only, adoration
takes place in the oratory at the presbytery from
8.00pm – 12 midnight and also from 6.00am –
8.00am each morning.
MONTHLY HOLY HOUR on Sat next will
be held in St. Mel’s College Chapel after 7.30pm
Mass in the Sports Centre. We invite all families
to join with us for this special time of prayer.
LONGFORD PRAYER GROUP meet this Monday
at 8.00 pm in St. Joseph’s Hospital. All are
welcome as we pray for family, friends and all people
in our community.
GOSPEL OF LUKE – Sr Anna Burke
& Fr Padraig Kelliher continue to look at the
Gospel of Luke at the Diocesan Pastoral Centre, St.
Mel’s College for the next three Monday nights
at 8.00pm –Feb 22, Mar 1 and Mar 8. Please feel
free to still come along. The Pastoral Centre is in
the old main building of St. Mel’s College which
faces you directly as you go down the entrance avenue.
GROW COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH MOVEMENT meets
every Tuesday evening at 7.30 pm in the Family Centre.
Further info: 087 8225797.
PARISH WEBSITE - WWW.LONGFORDPARISH.COM
– More photos taken recently by Tiernan Dolan
from inside the Cathedral with close-ups of remaining
statues such as that of St. Mel and Our Lady which
amazingly survived the fire and other features have
been uploaded onto our website. Please click on the
“Images after the fire” gallery which
can be found at the bottom of the homepage to see
what has come through the events of last Christmas
Day.
CRY OF THE EARTH – In 2009
the Bishops’ Conference issued a Pastoral Reflection
“The Cry of the Earth” urging us to respond
to the distress of our planet. To consider this challenge
three speakers have been invited to give their reflections
at Diocesan Pastoral Centre at St. Mel’s College
over the next 3 weeks on Tues 23rd Feb, 2nd &
9th Mar at 8.00pm. The speakers are Kathleen Glennon
RSM, Mary Kate Hagan RSM and Hugh Hanley. Please consider
attending these talks which promise to be informative
and challenging.
TROCAIRE – This year’s
Fast encourages people to ‘Give it up for Trocaire’
on 4th/5th Mar in support of people in the world who
go to bed hungry at night. What you give up for a
day is up to you – food, your phone, coffee,
TV or a bad habit – and ask family, friends
and colleagues to sponsor you. Your efforts can make
an enormous difference to the lives of some of the
world’s poorest communities. To order your Fast
Pack, log on to www.trocaire.org/fast where you can
set up your own sponsorship page or call 1850 408
408 or text Fast4 to 51727.
YOGA FOR HEALTH – Gentle Yoga
Therapy course planned for Mar 4th at 8.00pm in St.
Joseph’s Hospital Day Centre, cost €60
for 6 lessons in Yogic postures, breath work, relaxation
and meditation techniques. All abilities welcome.
Groups: M.S,. Arthritis, Pregnancy and Age Active
facilitated. For Information and booking call Nurse
Mary Henry, Post Grad. Dip. in Yoga Therapy 043 6675061
or 087 1404200.
CONSOLE support the Suicide Bereaved
as well as those people who are suicidal. Console,
along with the 3T’s, have recently launched
a 24 hour Suicide Prevention Helpline entitled 1 Life
on 1800 247 100) this compliments Console’s
existing Postvention Service. Dunnes Stores have generously
offered Console Saturday 20th March for a National
Bag Pack Day. Volunteers are urgently needed at local
level. If you could volunteer on your own or as part
of a group you could really make this a very successful
campaign. If you can help in any way please contact
Ciaran Tighe on 01 6102638 or email ciaran@console.ie
LONGFORD
BRANCH OF CHILDREN OF CHERNOBYL are currently
recruiting families to host children during the month
of July. For more information please contact Joan
at 043 3345021 or 085 8372144. AGM on Mon. 8th March
at 8pm in the Family Centre, All welcome.
THE FRIENDLY PHONE CALL SERVICE provides
a free social daily ‘phone call to those who
wish to avail of the service. For more information
or to make arrangements to receive a call contact
Mary 043 3349678 or Margaret 043 3345555. This project
is supported by LCRL
We welcomed
the following adult and children into our Christian
Community:
David Makuna,
Hibernian Court
Oisin Masterson
McHugh, Glack
Ciara Pompova,
Hibernian Court
Odhrán
Foley, Carbury, Co. Kildare
Please
pray for our departed parishioners:
Mary Trew
(nee Leonard), Clonterm and formerly London
& Castlebar
Linda McInerney,
London and formerly Longford
