by Kathlen Mullane

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Can you believe it, it’s Christmas week wherever the past year has gone? Anyway firstly I want to take this opportunity to wish each and every one a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS and a peaceful happy and healthy new year, and to Domhnall and Lillian who continue each week in putting the newsletter together keeping everyone at home and abroad in touch with the happenings in ATHEA, and hopefully Santa will pay his usual visit on Friday night to all the eager little children in our parish. And hasn’t the new printer at Cairde Duchais made a great improvement to the quality of the coloured photos in the newsletter.

Well done to Pat Higgins who did a wonderful job of giving the sermon at Mass on Saturday night last. No doubt this will be the way forward for the future with fewer priests and many reaching retirement age..

If anyone, incidentally, would like to make a donation towards the church Webcam which enables people at home and abroad to watch  ceremonies from all over the world including mass, weddings and funeral’s they can do so by contacting [email protected]. It’s quite expensive to run each year so all help would be greatly appreciated.

Christmas can be a very stressful time of the year for many and bring many emotions which can be tough on families, partners, children and parents. We must all be there for each other and look out for those who may be on their own this Christmas, and who would love a card or a phone call to cheer them up. 

I’ll finish for 2021 with these lines: –

There’s something about Winter as the days draw to a close,

With curtains drawn, lamps all lit, turf fires and cosy toes.

There’s something about winter with warming winter dishes,

Soup with buttered  home made bread, fire gazing making wishes.

There’s something about winter when it’s full of Christmas cheer,

Present buying Midnight Mass, carols sung with families dear.

There’s something about winter cold winds and icy rain,

Then it loosens it’s Iron-Fist, and soon it’s SPRING again.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL