By Marian Harnett

PROLOGUE: “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you’re doing the impossible.”
Francis of Assisi

DEATHS: The death occurred in England on October 27 last of Con Murphy of Baranarig, Knocknagoshel – a brother of Mary Piggott. May he rest in peace.

GRAVEYARD: Visiting a Graveyard; May perpetual light shine upon the faces of all who rest here. May the lives they lived unfold further in spirit. May all their past travail find ease in the kindness of clay. May the remembering earth mind every memory they brought. May the rains from the heavens fall gently upon them. May the wildflowers and grasses whisper their wishes into light. May we reverence the village of presence in the stillness of this silent field. John O’Donohue:

NOONANS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS:  It is with a heavy heart that the Noonan Family have, after 19 years of stunning exhibitions, been forced to cancel this year’s charity display in the interest of the health and safety of their patrons. The family hope to organise an online fundraiser in the near future.

PRAYER FOR OUR DEAD:  November is the month of remembrance and for Christians it is a special time of prayer for all the faithful departed.  It is a difficult time for all those who have lost loved ones. But for people of faith, there is comfort in the knowledge that our loved ones are in God’s safe keeping. The November Lists (Purgatorial Society) for the Dead are in your Box of Weekly Envelopes and also available at the entrance door to the Blessed Sacrament Church. Your loved ones will be remembered and prayed for at Mass on All Souls Day which is on Monday, November 2 and at every Mass during the month of November. Our dead are also prayed for at Mass on each First Friday during the year.

ABBEYFEALE COMMUNITY ALERT:  Scammers target victims on online dating websites, but can also use social media or email to make contact. Be very careful about how much personal information you share on social network and dating sites. Always consider the risks. Scammers are present on the most reputable sites.  Go slow and ask questions. Research the person’s photo and profile to see if the material has been used elsewhere.  Be alert to spelling and grammar mistakes, inconsistencies in their stories and excuses such as their camera not working.  Don’t share any compromising material that could be used to blackmail you. If you agree to meet in person, tell family and friends where you are going. Beware of money requests. Never send money or give credit card details, online account details, or copies of personal documents.  Avoid sending them upfront payments. Don’t transfer money for someone else: money laundering is a criminal offence.  Be wary of phone calls whose numbers you don’t recognise, don’t answer and if they want you badly enough they’ll leave you a message.  The same goes for unsolicited emails, never click on links and make sure you have a working anti-virus.    Don’t click on links, attachments or images that you receive in unsolicited text messages without first verifying the sender.  Don’t be rushed. Take your time and make the appropriate checks before responding.  Never respond to a text message that requests your PIN or your online banking password or any other security credentials.  If you think you might have responded to a smishing text and provided your bank details, contact your bank immediately.   Don’t fall for offers that seem too good to be true – there is no such thing as a free lunch.  If you do get a call and they are looking for bank details hang up and ring the bank but not until you hear the dial tone as the scammer could have left your line open. Now that the winter is on its way be sure and check that your security lighting is in working order.  Check the panic button is working by pressing it and speaking to the monitoring service – that’s why they are there 24 hours a day and why you are paying a yearly monitoring service fee.  Gardai are asking people to let them know when people call selling goods or offering services on 068 30010. When you reach the age of 65 and live alone or with a person/s aged over 65 you are entitled to receive a monitored alarm system. But if you have younger people living in the house who are out for long periods of the day then,  because you are spending hours alone you are also entitled to the system provided that you are over 65.  The free equipment is provided by Pobal following an application from Abbeyfeale Community Alert, there will be a monitoring fee to be paid from the second year of installation to the installing company of €72.  There may be some confusion over the word free –  the equipment which costs in the region of €400 is provided free of charge by Pobal as is the first year of monitoring but after that you will be charged by the installing company for the monitoring.  If you fulfil the criteria for a panic button the installing company will drop the gear to your door and then let you set up the connection yourself with assistance over the phone from their staff.  I have been assured that it’s only a matter of connecting a cable and anyone can do it.  I have not included the phone numbers of the committee in this notice but if you want to get a panic button then ring Abbeyfeale Garda Station on 068 30010 and they will contact one of us. Should you not have a landline the installing company Task provide a sim card at a rate of €7.50 per month payable from day one.  Then, in year two you will also receive a bill for the monitoring fee so in year one the bill will be €90 and in year two and every other year after it will €162 approx. If you wish you can arrange a direct debit and pay this amount off monthly.    We recently received a query about the application of VAT to the monitoring charge, your bill shows VAT but it is included in the cost not extra to it.  Committee members are Michael O’Kelly N.T., Seamus Stack, Mossie Gleeson, Kathleen Collins, Mary McArthur, John O’Sullivan, Billy Quirke N.T., Cllr. Francis Foley, Catherine Daly, Maurice O’Connell, Marian Harnett.