By Kathleen Mullane

CLEAN UP

Well the parish of Athea were OUT IN FORCE on Good Friday when the annual Team Limerick Clean Up took place. Last year if you remember it had to be cancelled due to Covid and this year it once again didn’t take place in some areas. But we here in Athea, with the help of the Tidy Towns who supplied the volunteers with all the necessary gloves bags etc had other ideas and it was amazing to say the least when all along the approach roads into our little village, families with young kids, elderly people,our youth, our Priest and many more took to the roads and ditches and bog roads and back roads collecting other people’s rubbish. Not mentioning any names I even saw a man over beyond Reidy’s shop with two walking sticks picking up rubbish, that’s what you call DEDICATION. The huge skip at the hall which was overflowing with bags was proof of a job well done. Please let’s keep ATHEA tidy now after every volunteers help. Well done yet again Athea parishioners.

The Easter Ceremonies went off very well despite not being able to celebrate them in the church ourselves. It’s wonderful to have the webcam to view all. The altar looked fabulous, well done to Hannah Mai for the flowers, to Teresa O’Halloran for organising the altar and John Redmond and of course Siobhán Barrett who had all the readers and readings sorted. Not forgetting all those who helped with the readings or in any other way to make the ceremonies so nice and Fr Duggan who had a lot to do over the week in strange times. Easter water is available at the back of the church outside.

You are asked not to forget to hand in your Trocaire donations in an envelope or box preferably as little coins as possible with Covid and a lot more counting to do. This year more than ever your help is needed for those so badly off in deprived countries.

It’s back to school for everyone this Monday and hopefully the next few short weeks will run smoothly, and that the Leaving Certs especially will get on well despite their difficult year. Here’s to the safety of all the children. Over 40 per cent of the population in the USA have got their vaccines but the Covid Variants are still winning hence their rush to get as many as possible vaccinated quickly. We live in HOPE.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:-

It is during our darkest moments we must focus on

SEEING THE LIGHT.