by Marian Harnett
Sincere sympathy to Bridie O’Shea and family on the death of Harry, Convent St. May he rest in peace.
WEDDING BELLS: Congratulations to Elena Harnett, Knockbrack daughter of Maurice and Margaret and Alan Martin, son of Gerry and Mary, Castlebar on their recent wedding. We wish them a long and happy life together.
OUTDOOR MARKET AT THE BARNAGH HUB: There will be an evening Market at the Barnagh Hub on the weekend beginning Friday, December 3 – Sunday, December 5 inclusive and the following Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The final market will be on the weekend of Friday, December 18 -19 inclusive. To book a free pitch contact Eileen from 9-2pm on 085 2552890.
NOONAN’S CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Our official opening is on Sunday November 21 at 4 PM. Limerick all Ireland winning goalkeeper, the great Nickie Quaid, will flick the switch to begin our fundraising event. A host of county champions will be in attendance and of course the main man himself Santa will be there to greet all the children and take their letters back to the North Pole. So an open invitation to all which promises to be a great evening. Many thanks to everyone for their continued support.
SEÁN KEANE RETURNS TO THE GLÓRACH: We are delighted to announce that Seán Keane will visit the Glórach on Friday December 3rd at 8pm. A night not to be missed in the newly renovated theatre. Tickets can be booked by ringing the booking line on 087 1383940.
CRAFT FAIR: Craft fair Sunday, November 21 in Duagh Sports Complex from 12.00pm – 4pm. All crafters welcome. To book a table telephone Geraldine on 087 2684540. Get some lovely Christmas goodies there!
BISHOPS OF IRELAND GO ON PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK: Delighted to have been able to attend the Mass in Knock last Sunday celebrated by the Bishops of Ireland in honour of those who lost their lives during the pandemic. It was a very special ceremony.
GLÓRACH BINGO: Bingo is at the earlier time of 1.30pm. While plans for a November concert have had to be put on hold, we are looking forward to hosting Seán Keane on Friday, December 3rd, tickets can be booked at 0871383940.
QUIT MID WEST: Stop Smoking for 28 days and you’re 5 times more likely to stop for
good. Quit Mid-West is a free service for providing tips, tools and support to help you stop smoking. For further information contact 065-6865841. A counselling service to support parishioners who wish to stop smoking is now available at St Ita’s Hall, Abbeyfeale. For an appointment contact 065-6865841.
COLLECTION: If you missed the Trocaire special collection recently you can also donate directly by visiting https://www.trocaire.org/
- TIM HAS LEFT FOR SOUTH SUDAN:Fr. Tim said his last Mass in Abbeyfeale last week and there were tears from most of us there as we wished him a safe journey.Fr. Tony presented him with a donation from the parish to help in his work. The a/c opened in the Credit Union in 1995 for Fr. Tim is available for donations should you wish to support his work.
GLÓRACH: PRO Lorcan Curtin reports ; “Amazingly mild day on Sunday, with little need for more than a shirt, and it suited us to a tee at the GAA grounds for our drive-in Bingo, with a large crowd in attendance. New GMT (Glórach Mean time) of 1.30 pm, and will continue at this starting time from now on. Tickets moving fast for our Seán Keane concert on Friday, December 3rd, to book, call 0871383940.”
ADULT SINGING WORKSHOPS: Siamsa Tíre are offering Adult Singing Workshops with the Irish National Opera on Thursday, November 18 from 7 – 9pm. You don’t need to have any experience of singing, reading music or of opera to take part. Just an enthusiasm to try something new. The Sea Shanties workshop is an ideal workshop for people who enjoy singing in groups. Contact www.siamsatire.com or call 066-7123055 to book. Cost €15.
COVID-19 : Despite the opening up of all areas of society below are some points that we all need to keep in mind as we go about our daily business:
Be conscious of those in the community who have underlying conditions and continue to be vulnerable. Continue to support our frontline workers by acting responsibly at all times 67 Covid related deaths in Ireland were reported to health authorities last week. 58 died in October and 9 in September. The increasing numbers of people admitted to our hospitals with COVID-19 is putting the health system under increasing pressure and leading to the postponement of vital services for non COVID patients. Continue to wear a mask while indoors in churches and public buildings Parishioners are strongly advised to refrain from shaking hands with mourners when attending funerals. Ensure social distancing at all times Those attending Mass are still required to wear face masks as we are in an enclosed area and all visitors to the church should continue to sanitize their hands. Windows will remain open for ventilation purposes. As the autumn approaches and the temperatures drop, parishioners are urged to wrap up well. Some seats will remain closed off to help maintain some distance between people attending Mass. Any person with COVID-19 symptoms should not attend Mass. You should self-isolate and contact your doctor. We need to remind ourselves not to become complacent as we try to return to life with fewer restrictions. Thanks to everyone for your continued support and understanding. Religious services and weddings can proceed without capacity limits as existing measures remain (social distance/no physical handshakes/no full choir/no holy water in fonts/one way entry and exit/to Communion/Communion in hand only etc.) All advised to be responsible as the incidence rate is very high at the moment. Dispensation from Sunday Mass and Holy Days obligation remains while Mass during the week is encouraged in lieu.