By Kathleen Mullane

ATHEA   NEWS

Again its been quite another nice week thankfully, and the roads are getting busy with the tractors heading to cut the Silage. The turf is being sliced, turned and in some cases footed if one was lucky enough to have it cut in the earlier days at the end of March, as someone we met out walking the other day said –  isn’t it GRAND to be living in the Country, to hear so many Cuckoos all around singing their song and the lovely smells of wild garlic, white thorn etc., we are indeed blessed.

Congrats to Nicole Ahern,  daughter of Maura and Gerard, of Rathronan, Athea who celebrated her 18th birthday at the weekend along with family and friends at her home and afterwards at Brown Joe’s Bar. A great night was enjoyed by one and all.

This weekend at the evening mass a collection will be taken up for our so dedicated sacristans Siobhán and Teresa. These two ladies do untold work in and around our church 365 days of the year. From organising readers, Eucharistic Ministers and preparing the Altar for the many Feast days, along with Christmas and Easter celebrations and a whole lot more, including being there always to open and close our church. Envelopes are available at the church doors or if you want use your own envelope and put your name on it. Please acknowledge the great time, work and commitment they give our parish.

We had Bishop Brendan Leahy celebrate mass on Saturday night last here in Athea. He was very happy the way Athea are doing so well as regards having a brilliant choir which makes such a difference to our masses, along with having a Finance group in place, as well as a Funeral group and a Pastoral Group and Pat Higgins has done a Ministry course through Mary Immaculate College. It’s The Way Forward, he said that Lay PEOPLE  will be doing much more now that there is such a scarcity of priests. The Youth hopefully will bring new ideas and maybe a Youth Mass  would be  on the cards.

Sincere congrats are extended to Ala Browne son of Eileen and Lal of Gortnagross who was married last week to Niamh O’Farrell. The wedding took place in Carvoeiro, Portugal and Family members, relatives and friends travelled over to celebrate the happy occasion with the Newly Weds in glorious sunshine. They are wished all the very best for the future.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:-

A wise man once said – Be careful who you let on your ship, because some people will sink the whole ship, just because they can’t be THE CAPTAIN.