Aghaviller Parish Newsletter
Hugginstown, Newmarket and Stoneyford.
30th. and 31st. December 2023.
“Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph”
Priests in 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
Mass Times in Aghaviller Parish:
Monday 1st. to Sunday 7th. January 2024
Hugginstown:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 9.30a.m.
Vigil – Friday 5th. at 8.00p.m.
Vigil – Saturday 6th. at 8.00p.m.;
Sunday 7th. at 10.00a.m.
Stoneyford:
Vigil – Friday 5th. at 6.30p.m.
Vigil – Saturday 6th. at 6.30p.m.
- Monday 1st. Feast of Mary, the Holy Mother of God.
- Tuesday 2nd. Feast of Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen.
- Wednesday 3rd. Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
- Saturday 6th. Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. (Holy Day) Vigil Masses only.
Pray For:
Tom Holden, Stonecarthy, who died during the week.
Anniversary Mass:
Katie, Tommy and Cissie Delahunty, Catstown. Mass in Hugginstown Church on Saturday 30th. December at 8.00p.m.
Anniversary Mass next weekend;
Eddie Walsh, Ennisnag. Mass in Stoneyford Church on Saturday 6th. January at 6.30p.m.
Months Mind Mass;
Marie Duggan, Ballinteskin. Mass in Hugginstown Church on Saturday 6th. January at 8.00p.m.
Rota for next week-end:
6th. and 7th. January 2024 (Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord)
Readers:
Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Margaret Ryan.
Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Catherine Dwyer. Sunday 10.00a.m. Mary Foran
Eucharistic Ministers:
Stoneyford: Saturday 6.30p.m. Pat Kenny
Hugginstown: Saturday 8.00p.m. Teresa Broderick. Sunday 10.00a.m. Ann Power
Safeguarding Contacts:
Diocesan Designated Liaison Person: Ms. Ailish Higgins Tel: 087 100 0232.
Aghaviller Parish Representatives are: Deirdre Rohan and Catherina Roche.
Ossory Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes:
The Annual Ossory Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2024 is now available to book!
The departure will take place on 22nd. May 2024 from Cork Airport; flying direct to Lourdes with accommodation available in the hotels La Solitude, Padoue or Agena. With capacity being limited this year, it is strongly advised that pilgrims wishing to travel to Lourdes book as soon as possible.
Should you require any additional information on the pilgrimage, please do not hesitate to contact 01 241 0800 or info@joewalshtours.ie. For Assisted Pilgrims please contact Fr. Anthony O’Connor 087 251 7766 or maoc50@me.com
Thanks:
Many thanks to all the Children; Parents; Teachers; Musicians; Choirs; Readers; Eucharistic Ministers; Servers and others who prepared the Christmas Masses: and to all who cleaned and decorated the Churches in the Parish for the Christmas Season and throughout the year. Thanks to all who erected the Cribs; donated flowers and Christmas trees etc. A sincere thank you and appreciation to all.
Confirmation 2024:
Confirmation will be celebrated for Aghaviller Parish in Hugginstown Church on Thursday 22nd. February at 11.00a.m.
First Holy Communion 2024.
For Stoneyford School on Sunday 12th. May in Stoneyford Church at 11.00a.m.
For Monroe/Newmarket Schools on Sunday 19th. May in Hugginstown Church at 11.00a.m.
Christmas Offerings:
Envelopes for your Christmas Offerings 2023 may be collected in the Church Porch, and your contributions may be handed in during the coming weeks: or you may wish to donate directly – Use IBAN: IE19 AIBK 9330 9000 0561 20 (BIC: AIBKIE2D).
Many thanks for all your support and contributions during the past year.
Roman Catholic Diocese and Parishes of Ossory – Registered Charity No. 20015831
Parish Contributions:
The “Church Door” Contributions last weekend amounted to €975.00. Thank You.
Lotto:
Aghaviller Parish and Carrickshock G. A. A.
Next Draw on Monday 8th. January. Please submit returns by 8.30p.m. Draw at 9.00p.m.
Next Draw: Match 3: €500.00; (First 3 Numbers Drawn) Jackpot: €7,300.00. (4 Numbers)
Family prayer for the New Year:
“Dear God we thank you for the gift of a New Year. We pray that you will guide us and bless us throughout this year. We ask you that you will help us to grow in faith, hope and love. May we be a light to others and share your love with those around us. We pray for peace in our homes, our communities and in our world.
May we be instruments of your peace and work towards justice and reconciliation. We pray for those who are suffering, that they may find comfort and healing. We pray for those who are lost, that they may find their way. Keep our family in your care today, tomorrow and always. Amen. ”
Blessing: May the Lord bless us and keep us.
May the Lord let his face shine on us and be gracious to us.
May the Lord uncover his face to us and bring us His Peace.”
Newsletter:
If you wish to receive the weekly Newsletter by email, please drop us your email address.
The Newsletter is also available on the Stoneyford Website every week.(www.stoneyford.ie) All notices for the Newsletter to be left in before 5.00p.m. on Thursdays please.
Contact: Telephone: 056 776 8693 or email: liamcassin@ossory.ie
A Happy and Peaceful New Year to All.
First Reading
A Reading from the Book of Genesis:
The word of the Lord was spoken to Abram in a vision, ‘Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great.’
‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘what do you intend to give me? I go childless…’ Then Abram said, ‘See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir.’ And then this word of the Lord was spoken to him, ‘He shall not be your heir; your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood.’ Then taking him outside he said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.
The Lord dealt kindly with Sarah as he had said, and did what he had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the time God had promised. Abraham named the son born to him Isaac, the son to whom Sarah had given birth.
The Word of the Lord
Responsorial Psalm
Response: He, the Lord, is our God. He remembers his covenant forever.
Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
O sing to him, sing his praise;
tell all his wonderful works!
He, the Lord, is our God. He remembers his covenant forever.
Be proud of his holy name,
let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
Consider the Lord and his strength;
constantly seek his face.
He, the Lord, is our God. He remembers his covenant forever.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, the judgements he spoke.
O children of Abraham, his servant,
O sons of the Jacob he chose.
He, the Lord, is our God. He remembers his covenant forever.
He remembers his covenant forever,
his promise for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
He, the Lord, is our God. He remembers his covenant forever.
Second Reading:
A Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews:
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore.
It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation (Please stand)
Alleluia, alleluia!
At various times in the past and in various different ways,
God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last
days, he has spoken to us through his Son.
Alleluia!
Gospel
A Reading from the Holy Gospel of St. Luke:
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised;
because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the
nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.’
As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were
being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in
Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your
own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’
There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.
When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.
The Gospel of the Lord.