Aghaviller Parish Newsletter
Hugginstown, Newmarket and Stoneyford.
9th. and 10th. January 2021.
“Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord”
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.
- Wednesday 13th. Feast of St. Hilary.
- Friday 15th. Feast of St Ita.
Pray For:
Johanna O’Brien, Legan, Thomastown who died recently.
Anniversaries:
May O’Shea, Croan.
Paul Mulcahy, Condonstown.
Covid-19:
All Religious Services are suspended until further notice. No Public Masses on Saturdays or Sundays.
Mass will continue to be celebrated privately each day in Hugginstown and will be offered for your intentions Places of Worship may remain open for private prayer.
Attendance at Funeral Masses are limited to 10people; observing social distance.
All schools will remain closed until the end of January.
We are required to:
a. Wash our hands properly and often:
b. Practice social distancing.
c. Cover coughs and sneezes:
d. Wear a face mask in Churches, Shops and crowded outdoor settings.
e. Stay at home as much as possible.
Lotto:
Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A.
The Lotto is suspended until further notice. Your support is appreciated.
Collections: (To donate directly.)
(To donate directly.) For Aghaviller Parish Funds: Use IBAN: IE74 AIBK 9330 9000 0610 47 (BIC: AIBKIE2D)
For the support of the Clergy: Use IBAN: IE19 AIBK 9330 9000 0561 20 (BIC: AIBKIE2D).
All Parish Property and Accounts are registered under the (Diocese of Ossory, Reg. Charity No. 20015831)
Christmas Offerings 2020:
Many, many thanks for your very generous contributions to the Christmas Offerings over the Christmas period. These Offerings are for the support of the priests working and retired within the Diocese of Ossory. Extra Envelopes for the Offerings can be collected in the Church Porch, and your contributions may be handed in during the coming weeks. Many thanks for all your support and contributions during the past year.
St. Vincent de Paul – St. Brendan’s Conference:
Please note the change of Number to their Helpline: 087 616 4621.
Safeguarding Contacts:
Diocesan Designated Liaison Person:
Mr. Cathal Cullen Tel: 087 100 0232 or dlp@ossory.ie.
Aghaviller Parish Representatives are:
Teresa Broderick and Carmel O’Toole
Be Safe:
Let’s do everything we can to protect others and ourselves from the Covid -19 Virus over the next few weeks. These weeks will determine the kind of Spring and Summer we will have this year. Be extra careful on the roads during these frosty mornings and do show care for others. Safe Driving! With the local ‘Text Alert’ in operation please be vigilant and always be aware there is always a Garda there to help.
Reflection:
Today we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, the moment when God reveals who Jesus is. Our readings are rich with water imagery. Water is a powerful symbol throughout the Scriptures, from the story of creation and the crossing of the Red Sea, to the wedding feast at Cana and Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. It is a symbol of life and newness, an opportunity for God to reach out to us, be present with us and teach us something, as well as an opportunity for cleansing and a fresh start. Our gospel today tells of Jesus being baptised by John in the river Jordan. This immersion in water marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. By approaching John for baptism, along with all the others, Jesus is identifying with the people and allowing himself to be counted among sinners. It is a sign that he submitting to God’s will. At this crucial moment, as soon as he emerges from the Jordan, Jesus sees the heavens open and the voice of God confirming him as ‘Beloved Son’. It is a moment of divine approval, confirming Jesus’ identity and launching him on his new mission.
The baptism of Jesus is a reminder of our own identity and mission. We are beloved daughters and sons of God, sisters and brothers of Jesus, members of God’s family. In today’s first reading we are invited: ‘Come to the water all you who are thirsty’. We are called to the water, to that moment when we recognise who Jesus is, who we are, and our mission to live as children of God. ‘In order to live a life of holiness, we must first receive new life from God — we must be born from above.’ J. Vernon McGee
Newsletter:
If you wish to receive the weekly Newsletter by email, please drop your email address to liamcassin@ossory.ie.
The Newsletter is available on the Stoneyford Website every weekend. (https://stoneyford.ie/news)
It can also be collected in Fitzgerald’s Shop.
All notices for the Newsletter to be left in by Thursdays at 5.00p.m. please.
Contact: Telephone: 056 776 8693 or email liamcassin@ossory.ie.
Newsletter:
If you wish to receive the weekly Newsletter by email, please drop your email address to liamcassin@ossory.ie.
The Newsletter is available on the Stoneyford Website every weekend. (Stoneyford.ie:) News.
All notices for the Newsletter to be left in by Thursdays at 5.00p.m. please.
Contact: Telephone: 056 776 8693 or email liamcassin@ossory.ie.
Sunday 10th. January 2021
First Reading:
A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah:
Thus says the Lord: Oh, come to the water all you who are thirsty; though you have no money, come!
Buy corn without money, and eat, and, at no cost, wine and milk. Why spend money on what is not bread, your wages on what fails to satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and you will have good things to eat and rich food to enjoy. Pay attention, come to me; listen, and your soul will live.
With you I will make an everlasting covenant out of the favours promised to David.
See, I have made of you a witness to the peoples, a leader and a master of the nations.
See, you will summon a nation you never knew, those unknown will come hurrying to you,
for the sake of the Lord your God, of the Holy One of Israel who will glorify you.
Seek the Lord while he is still to be found, call to him while he is still near.
Let the wicked man abandon his way, the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn back to the Lord who will take pity on him, to our God who is rich in forgiving;
for my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways not your ways – it is the Lord who speaks.
Yes, the heavens are as high above earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts above your thoughts.
Yes, as the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth,
making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do.
The Word of the Lord:
Responsorial Psalm:
Response: With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Truly, God is my salvation,I trust, I shall not fear.For the Lord is my strength, my song, he became my saviour. With joy you will draw waterfrom the wells of salvation. R.
Give thanks to the Lord, give praise to his name! Make his mighty deeds known to the peoples! Declare the greatness of his name. R.
Sing a psalm to the Lord for he has done glorious deeds; make them known to all the earth!
People of Zion, sing and shout for joy, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. R.
Second Reading:
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles:
Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘The truth I have now come to realise’ he said ‘is that God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him. ‘It is true, God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ – but Jesus Christ is Lord of all men. You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil.’
The Word of the Lord:
Gospel Acclamation:
Alleluia, alleluia!
John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said:
This is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
Alleluia!
Gospel
A Reading from the Holy Gospel of St. Mark:
In the course of his preaching John the Baptist said: ‘Someone is following me, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals. I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’
It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John. No sooner had he come up out of the water than he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
