Masses on webcam are Mon to Fri Mass @ 7pm. Sat – Vigil @ 6.30pm. Sun 10.30am, 12noon & 4pm
Happy New Year from all the community at the Graan.
Today is the Feast of the Mother of God and it is also the World Day of Prayer for Peace. Pope Francis in his message for this day states: “ …we are called to confront the challenges of our world in a spirit of responsibility and compassion. We must revisit the issue of ensuring public health for all. We must promote actions that enhance peace and put an end to the conflicts and wars that continue to spawn poverty and death. We urgently need to join in caring for our common home and in implementing clear and effective measures to combat climate change. We need to battle the virus of inequality and to ensure food and dignified labour for all, supporting those who lack even a minimum wage and find themselves in great difficulty. The scandal of entire peoples starving remains an open wound. We also need to develop suitable policies for welcoming and integrating migrants and those whom our societies discard.”(Message of Pope Francis for the 56th Day of Prayer for World Peace). Today also we celebrate the oldest feast in the Roman Calendar in honour of the Mother of God. This feast day is in existence since the seventh century. The Vatican Council on its document on the Church spoke directly about the role of Mary the Mother of God in the life of a Christian disciple. “The divine mystery of salvation is revealed to us and continued in the Church which the Lord established as his body, Joined to Christ the head and in communion with all his saints, the faithful must in the first place reverence the memory of the “glorious ever Virgin, Mother of God of our Lord Jesus Christ” (No 52). (From Chapter 8 on the Constitution of the Church). A ninth century poem declared: “Mary gave birth to the King, Eternal is his name. With the joy of a mother she combined the honour of a virgin. The world has never seen its like and never will again” From the third century onwards, the title “theotokos” was given to Mary. It means “mother of God” or more accurately “the one who gave birth to God” It is important to note that Mary is not a divine person. Mary gave birth to the human life of the eternal Son of God. Mary may not have borne the Son of God in his divine nature, but she certainly bore him in His human nature. She is our Mother also. She was there on that first day of Pentecost, waiting with the disciples for the Spirit to come. She was being a mother to them! Mary is the teacher, supporter, and helper of those first Christians and still remains in that role. She is not only Mother of God but also Model of the Church. The words that she spoke to the waiters at the marriage feast of Cana still needs to be heard in our hearts in this new year of 2023 “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:6)
Thank you for your very generous contribution to the Graan community at our Christmas collections. Your financial support during these fraught financial times is outstanding. Be assured of a constant remembrance in our prayers and Masses.
Feast Day: On Thursday 5th January we celebrate the feast day of St. Charles of Mount Argus. We will celebrate his feast day Mass here on this Thursday at 11am with a general blessing with his relic after the Mass.
Feast of the Epiphany is on Friday 6th January. (In Ireland, today, is a Holy day of obligation)
Masses for the feast of Epiphany are Vigil 7pm. Friday 10:30am, 12 noon and 7:00 pm.
Christmas Crib: Thank you for all your kind contributions. It will be distributed next week to St Vincent de Paul to help their work with those in need. If you would like to give a donation please place it in the box next to our Crib.
Friday Exposition resumes on Friday 15th January from 10am – 2pm.
Bank Holiday Monday (2nd Jan 2023) Mass & 11am only. There will be no 7pm Mass.
The shop will be open until 1pm.
Confessions resumes on Tuesday 3rd January. (Tues to Fri 2pm – 5pm. Sat 5pm – 6pm). Tues – Brian. Wed – Arthur. Thurs – Charles. Fri – Anthony. Sat – Anthony. Shop: Open Tuesday to Sat – 9.30 – 7pm. Sunday 9.30pm – 5pm.
Aisling Centre – 6th Annual Hope Healing Growth Day of Inspiration 7th January 2023. Crest Centre, SW College, Enniskillen. Further info & tickets available on Eventbrite https://tinyurl.com/28897tmy or Aisling Centre 028 66 325811.
Recently Deceased
Brendan Boyle, Arney
Johnny McGuinness, Enniskillen
Anna Brennan, Derrin Rd. Enniskillen
Sean Whitley, Enniskillen
Anniversaries
Niall Mc Manus, Sligo Rd, Enniskillen
John & Margaret Mc Caughey, Tempo
Bridget & Philip Kaney, Tempo
Dan Morris, Bellanaleck
Pat O’Connor, Bellanaleck & Enniskillen
Gabriel Moohan, Drumlyon, Enniskillen
Teresa Love, Bellanaleck & Enniskillen
Packie Keenan, Galliagh Tce. Enniskillen
Lawrence Clancy, Armagh
