Kathleen Mullane

Sincere congrats and good wishes go this week to Áine and Moss O’Connor on the birth of their new baby boy they are naming James Patrick, a little brother for Sophie-Mai. We also send good wishes to the very proud grandparents Margaret and Jim Geaney of Toureendonnell.

This coming weekend before all masses the annual Christmas Collection in aid of the St. Vincent de Paul Society will be taken up on Saturday and Sunday. Your generosity, as always, will be greatly appreciated. The money raised will go towards helping out those less fortunate than ourselves. Great work is done by the society behind the scenes and who knows some day someone may need the help of the St. Vincent. de Paul – who are always ready when one is in need.

Well this Thursday is a big day in the U.S.A. – when they have “Thanksgiving”. It’s the equivalent of our Christmas Day when they have the turkey, ham and all the trimmings! Of course the day after is “Black Friday” where people queue overnight and early morning to grab a bargain. We now have taken on the idea of “Black Friday” with everything this weekend at cut down prices. But they say “a bargain” isn’t really “A Bargain” unless you really need what you buy. I think over the past number of years people and families have “drawn a line” and haven’t gone overboard with the “Christmas Frenzy” and rightly so.

On this Wednesday, November 27th at 7.30pm in The Longcourt Hotel in Newcastlewest, an information evening will be held for anyone interested in the new programme of Formation for Lay Pastoral Ministry and Leadership. The programme will train lay volunteer catechists/animators/co-ordinators etc and in general people will be there to help the clergy when needed. The training sessions will take place over 30 or so weekends and participants will receive a cert when completed. So men and women are welcome to come along on Wednesday night.

The ‘Joshua Tree’ is in the sanctuary near the altar and there are still a few days left to place the names of your deceased relatives and friends on the branches. They will be remembered during the remaining days of November. Church contribution envelopes are now available at the church – you are asked to help out and distribute them to neighbours.

A sincere thank you to all who contributed to last weekend’s collection for the Con Colbert Community Hall. Your generosity is much appreciated.

Thought for the week:-

“The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer someone else up first”.