By Marian Harnett
PROLOGUE: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.
American poet Maya Angelou.
WELL DONE: The children of the Boys N.S. recently wrote letters to the residents of St. Ita’s Sheltered Housing in an effort to reduce any sense of isolation that the elderly people who inhabit the houses might feel. I was contacted by a resident who asked me to tell everyone how nice it was to get the letter and how much it was appreciated.
A MESSAGE FROM JAMES HARNETT: One of the most distressing aspects of the pandemic lockdown was the curtailment of the traditional Irish funeral. Baptisms, confirmations and weddings can all be postponed, but funerals must take place at the time of death. At the very time in their lives that the bereaved most require the support of friends and neighbours, Covid 19 has greatly restricted that community involvement. New ways have been found to offer sympathy and support to those in mourning, online books of condolence, live streaming of Requiem Mass, guards of honour at church and cemetery.At present funeral homes are not open to the public, so, in memory of deceased friends and neighbours in this month of November, Harnett’s Funeral Home has displayed on its window a selection of memoriam cards collected by the late Moss Harnett from the 1950s to the 1990s.
WEST LIMERICK COMMUNITY RADIO PLAYING THEIR PART: WL102fm has provided a great service throughout West Limerick since the lockdown began with Mass broadcast every Sunday morning at 10am to all the people who are cocooning . Advertising and fundraising pay their expenses and like everyone else they need money to survive. Please buy a ticket for their weekly draw and help them stay on air – it’s as simple as that – you’ll never miss the water ‘til the well runs dry. Tickets on sale at Ann Lyons’s, The Square for €2 each. Please be generous in your support. They are also need volunteers to help run the station.
A PRAYER FOR OUR DECEASED LOVED ONES: Take some time today, and every day of the month to remember your deceased loved ones. Give thanks to God for them and the love they have shown during their time on earth. Take time to visit their graves. Pray for them each day, using this or a similar prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you for our loved ones whom You have called from this life. Watch over them and protect them and bring them to fullness of Eternal joy where we hope one day to be united with them in Your presence forever. Amen. Killarney Parish Newsletter.
DEBUT NOVEL LAUNCH: At a recent launch ceremony in Newcastle West the Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Michael Collins welcomed the publication by The Limerick Writers’ Centre of the debut novel of local writer Pat McLoughlin entitled The Canary in the Mine. The novel charts the ups and downs of a diverse collection of Irish emigrants who come together in 1950s London. In their daily struggles, the full spectrum of conditions, emotions and feelings are experienced: love, companionship, loyalty, separation, abuse, honesty, deceit, despair, but above all, hope – they all have a story to tell. The proceeds from Pat’s novel will go to Friends of St Ita’s. It is available at the following: Ann Lyons’s shop, Abbeyfeale; or www.limerickwriterscentre.com.
CHURCH NEWS: The church has closed and Masses are now back on line on www. Church Services tv. Masses at the usual times: 7pm Monday, 10am Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Saturday Vigil Mass 6.30pm, Sunday 10am and 12 noon. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is open every day from 11-6pm for private prayer. Mass Intentions: Thursday 10am Noreen O’Rourke, Clash Rd. Saturday 6.30pm John Ward, Balaugh Months mind. Patrick & David O’Connor, Caherhayes. Jack & Mary McKenna, Knockbrack. Donal & Nell Fitzgerald and their son Patrick. .Julia Anne & Jimmy Browne Main Street. Bridget Browne and deceased members of the Browne and Lane families. Sunday 10am Kathy & Tom Scanlon and Mick Scanlon. Fr Bill Lane and Sr De Pazzi. 12noon Shelia O’Connell. Eileen & Patrick Roche, Killarney Rd. The celebration of Masses will continue online during this period, except for the 11.00am Saturday morning Mass which will no longer take place. All Mass intentions that are booked to be celebrated over the next three weeks will be offered as planned. Parishioners can link in online through the Church Services TV Network and the 10.00am Sunday morning Mass will continue to be broadcast on West Limerick 102FM. Priests will not be making any house calls in the parish during the current situation, except for a necessary pastoral visit. All contacts with the church should be through the telephone or by email. [email protected] Tel Church 068/51915 during Mass times. Parish Finance: I am very aware that it is a challenging and stressful time for everyone. During this time of economic uncertainty, the ongoing financial support of all who contribute to the parish is greatly appreciated. In recent weeks we have put a donate facility on the parish website and parishioners have begun to use this facility to make contributions to the parish. This is a simple method of contributing to the parish. Just click on to the parish website at www.abbeyfealeparish.ieand you will see a Donatebutton on the right hand side on the front page of the website. Just follow the instructions and you will be able to make your donation to the parish. Tax Relief on Donations to Eligible Charities Another important way you can assist the parish with its funding is through participating in the Donations to Charities Tax Relief Scheme. In recent years, those who qualify for this scheme have helped the parish gain additional funds for the parish at no extra cost to themselves, by simply signing the CHY 3 Enduring Certificate. This cert is renewable every five years. In other words, it needs to be signed by the donor every five years. This year there are a significant number of donors who haven’t renewed the CHY3 Cert. If the CHY 3 certs are not signed, there is a real danger that thousands of euros that could come to the parish will remain uncollected from the Revenue and the parish will be at a significant loss. It is particularly important this year that donors complete the CHY 3 certificates as due to the Covid-19 pandemic the parish is down 60% on its income. During the week, the parish office will be sending out the CHY Certs to the relevantdonors and I am appealing to them to sign the certs and return to me as soon as is possible in the enclosed stamped address. Fr Tony Mullins PP