Weekly Bulletin 19th September

Today is the Twenty-Fifth Sunday of the Year: Today in the Gospel (Mark 9:30-37) Jesus is travelling south to Jerusalem with his disciples. As He travels, He is teaching the disciples privately. He is speaking about the fate that awaits Him when they get to that city. In that place, Jesus will be handed over, betrayed and put to death, but after a short time He will rise again. But they do not understand him. Later, when they are stopped at Capernaum, Jesus questions them about their own private conversations on that journey. They are embarrassed. Because they were squabbling over precedence. Notice how Jesus the Teacher takes a seat and begins to teach them about what it means to be His disciple. He takes a little child in his arms – one who is helpless and defenceless and said: “Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcome not me but the one who sent me” (Mark 9:37) Notice that the word “welcome” or “receive” is said four times in that sentence.  At the time of Jesus, a child was not that precious to society.  Of course they were precious to the parents but the culture at that time did not have the idealisation of children that we have today. Outside of their family circle a child was not that welcomed. They had no social status or value whatsoever. To welcome a child would be to turn prevailing values and social mores upside down. Imagine Jesus is calling us to put aside all ideas of self-importance and adult status to simply meet the child as an equal – as “child” to child. This is what we must practice – in doing this we will be welcoming Him and not only Him but the Father who stands behind his entire life and mission. The mission of Jesus is not one of dominance and being served but one of service. Jesus’s gesture of hugging the child in front of all shows more powerfully than any words could express the preciousness of each and every human life in the sight of God, no matter how small, how insignificant. A child is the symbol of those that Jesus aligns himself with – those without strength, dominance, access to structures or a place in society. We are all – in our “littleness”- rather than our achievements – hugged by God in this moment. St Therese (Little Flower)(1873-1897) aspired for holiness and perfection. She wanted to be a saint. She continued to try, yet came up against the wall of her own “littleness”–her weaknesses, limitations, and failures. Her frail humanity weighed her down. But instead of being discouraged, she continually turned to God in prayer. And thus she writes in her autobiography, Story of a Soul: I want to seek out a means of going to heaven by a little way, a way that is very straight, very short, and totally new. We are now living in an age of inventions, and we no longer have to take the trouble of climbing stairs, for, in the homes of the rich, an elevator has replaced these very successfully. I wanted to find an elevator that would raise me to Jesus, for I am too small to climb the rough stairway of perfection.” St. Therese began to develop her “little way” of being a child of God. With childlike trust and confidence, she threw herself into the arms of Jesus. We celebrate her feast day on the first day of October.

Feast Days: Monday: St. Andrew Kim, Paul Chōng and Companions – Korean martyrs includes 101 others who were martyred between the years 1839-1867. Tuesday: St. Matthew – tax collector identified as Levi son of Alphaeus in Matthew 2:3. Said to have preached the Gospel in Persian & Ethiopa. Thursday: Padre Pio – Capuchin friar died on 23 September 1968. A stigmatist, confessor, friend to all who suffer. Saturday St. Finbarr (550-623) – patron saint of Cork. 

Thanks for the weekend collection. It came to £1960. In these financial straitened times we are so appreciative of your generosity and support of our mission here. Thanks also to our Ushers and Ministers of the Eucharist for helping in the smooth running of our religious services. We are grateful for the expenditure of your precious time in helping to keep us safe from the ravages of this pandemic. Be assured of the prayers of this community.

Masses Monday to Friday @ 7pm. Confessions: Tues – Fri 2.00 – 5.00pm   Sat 5.00pm to 6.00pm. Mon (20^th) – Arthur.  Tues – Charles.  Wed – Victor.  Thurs – Arthur.  Fri & Sat – Anthony.

The Shop: Open Mon to Sat:  9.30am – 7pm. Sun 9.30 – 4.30pm.  Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament every Friday 10am – 2pm.         

Guild Mass Cards:  We have a wide selection of cards for Deceased, Mass Bouquets, Get Well, Graduation, Wedding, Christening  etc. Cost £2 / €2.50. We value your support.