Aghaviller Parish Newsletter

Hugginstown and Stoneyford Churches.

27^th. and 28^th. June 2020.

“Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time”

Priests living within the Parish:

Liam Cassin (Parish Priest)  

Telephone:    056 776 8693        or     

Mobile           087 231 2354

Peter Hoyne (Retired)  

Telephone:  056 776 8678       or     

Mobile         086 373 8492

Please do not hesitate to ring if you need assistance.

Aghaviller Parish:   

 (The Way Forward) The Re-opening of Churches and the Celebration of Public Masses will take place on Monday 29^th. June.Proper protocols need to be put in place in each Church before re-opening for the safety of all.

Weekend Mass

will begin in Stoneyford Church on Saturday 4^th. July at 6.30p.m and in

Hugginstown Church on Sunday 5^th. July at 10.00a.m.

1. Stewards will help in both Churches to remind people to sanitise their hands and to observe proper social distance within the churches. The 2 Metres apart still applies for proper social distance.
2. There will be restricted numbers permitted in both Churches. The Maximum number permitted in Hugginstown Church will be 65 and in Stoneyford Church 50.
3. There will be no Missalettes or the passing of collection bags. A collection box will be placed at the Church door.
4. Holy Communion will be distributed on the hand only from the front of the altar. In Hugginstown Church people will come up the centre and return by the side.  In Stoneyford Church people will come up the centre and return by the side entrance.
5. Mass will be celebrated Mondays to Fridays in Hugginstown Church at 9.30a.m. and in Stoneyford Church on Wednesdays and First Fridays at 7.00p.m.
6. Baptisms can be celebrated – again observing social distancing and limiting the number attending
7. Cemetery Masses will be possible after 20^th. July.  We will arrange the Cemetery Masses as in previous years.
8. The celebration of First Penance and First Holy Communion will be arranged when the schools reopen.
9. Confirmation:  In accordance with current public guidelines, bishops expect that the Sacrament of Confirmation will begin to be celebrated from late summer onwards.  In arranging the celebrations, public health guidelines will determine the number of candidates that can be confirmed at a time. Local arrangements will only take shape later in the late summer/early autumn. Bishops acknowledged with gratitude how children and their families have continued in their preparation for the sacrament during these difficult days for everybody.
10. Every Catholic is entitled to a dignified Christian Funeral Mass and Burial.  Attendance at Funeral Masses are still limited because of proper social distancing.

• Monday 29^th.     Feast of Sts. Peter an.d Paul
• Wednesday 1^st.   Feast of St. Oliver Plunkett.
• Friday 3^rd.         Feast of St Thomas (Apostle)                          
• Saturday 4^th.    Feast of St. Elizabeth of Portugal

Sunday Mass Times on the Web:

St. Canice’s Church www.stcanicesparish.ieat 10.00a.m.

St. Mary’s Cathedral:  www.stmaryscathedral.ieat 11.00a.m.

St. John’s Church:  www.stjohnskilkenny.com  at 11.30a.m.

Mooncoin Church; www.mooncoinparish.ie  at 11.00am.

Mass is celebrated every Sunday and is also relayed on RTE Radio and T.V.  and on K.C.L.R.

Stoneyford School:

End of Year Mass for 6^th. Class will be celebrated in Stoneyford Church on Monday 29^th. at 7.00p.m.

Safeguarding Contacts:

Diocesan Designated Liaison Person:

Mr. Cathal Cullen Tel: 087 100 0232  or  dlp@ossory.ie.

Diocese of Ossory Web Page:  www.ossory.ie.

Gardaí 1800 555 222:

Tusla – Kilkenny Area –  Tel: 052 617 7302.

Aghaviller Parish Representatives are:  Teresa Broderick and Carmel O’Toole

Accord:

Accord establishes support phone line to help relationships during COVID 19: – to support marriage and relationships in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. This will be a free service, but calls are charged at a local rate. The support line is open from 9.00a.m. to 8.00p.m. on Monday to Friday and can be contacted at 01 531 3331.

COVID-19 Support Line for Older People:

ALONE has launched a national support line and additional supports for older people who have concerns or are facing difficulties relating to the outbreak of COVID-19. Professional staff is available to answer queries and give advice and reassurance where necessary. The support line is open seven days a week, 8.00a.m. to 8.00p.m, by calling 0818 222 024.

Collections:

The “June Collection2020”for the support of the priests of the Parish and the Diocese will be taken up during the months of July/August.  Envelopes for this collection are available at the back of the Churches.  I would like to thank most sincerely those who have already contributed to the Collections during the past few months.  Many thanks for all of your support during these times.

The Diocesan Finance Committee has asked that we make available the parish bank account details so that people might be able to donate directly.

For Aghaviller Parish Funds: Use IBAN:  IE74 AIBK 9330 9000 0610 47 (BIC: AIBKIE2D)

For support of the Priests: Use IBAN:  IE19 AIBK 9330 9000 0561 20 (BIC: AIBKIE2D)

Crochet or Knit a square to help vulnerable children in South Africa.

Kilkenny County Council Arts Office has initiated a blanket project to help you use up of all that extra wool you have lying around your house and to help improve the lives of children in South Africa. What better time to get back to knitting, crocheting or indeed take it up for the first time or to get your children knitting.    Knit or Crochet a square 7’’ x 7’’ and your squares will be stitched together into beautiful blankets for the children supported by the Elkana Childcare charity in South Africa.  If you are interested in getting involved in this wonderful project please let us know by  email bernadette.roberts@kilkennycoco.ie / or call the Arts Office on 056 779 4203. We ask that for now you collect your knitted squares at home and we will send out further instructions re. Collection.

Newsletter:

All notices for the Newsletter to be left in by Fridays please. 

Contact: Telephone: 056 776 8693 or email liamcassin@ossory.ie.   

Bígí Cúramach  Keep Safe

 

MASS READINGS

28^th June 2020

First Reading:

A Reading from the Second Book of Kings 4:8-11,13-16

This is a holy man of God; let him rest here.

One day as Elisha was on his way to Shunem, a woman of rank who lived there pressed him to stay and eat there. After this he always broke his journey for a meal when he passed that way. She said to her husband, ‘Look, I am sure the man who is constantly passing our way must be a holy man of God. Let us build him a small room on the roof, and put him a bed in it, and a table and chair and lamp; whenever he comes to us he can rest there.’ One day when he came, he retired to the upper room and lay down. He said to his servant Gehazi, ‘Call our Shunammitess. Tell her this: “Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us, what can we do for you? Is there anything you would like said for you to the king or to the commander of the army?”’ But she replied, ‘I live with my own people about me.’ ‘What can be done for her then?’ he asked. Gehazi answered, ‘Well, she has no son and her husband is old.’ Elisha said, ‘Call her.’ The servant called her and she stood at the door. This time next year,’ he said ‘you will hold a son in your arms.’

Second Reading:

A Reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans 6:3-4,8-11

When we were baptised we went into the tomb with Christ, so that we too might live a new life.

When we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glory, we too might live a new life.

But we believe that having died with Christ we shall return to life with him: Christ, as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over him any more. When he died, he died, once for all, to sin, so his life now is life with God; and in that way, you too must consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel:

A Reading from the Gospel of St. Matthew 10:37-42

Anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.

‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.

‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.

‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’

Prayer:    

God our loving Father, we gather together this morningbut it’s not the same:

many of us are not hereand there is a distance between those who are –not the distance of fear or mistrust,

but the distance of care, of thoughtfulness,  the distance that will help us to stop the virus from spreading.

 

We pray for friends and classmates who are at home.We know we will see them again in real life

and value their real presence even more, the gift of friendship.Help us to ‘see’ more clearly what is important,

the good things we had perhaps overlooked,the small details of everyday life,graced with your presence.

 

We pray for a better world to come out of this –  more grateful for the people who do the ordinary jobs,

more just in the way people are treated, more caring for the vulnerable.

We pray for a world which is more determinedto look after the earth, our common home;

a world that will live wisely, think deeply,love generously.

We make all our prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen