Weekly Bulletin 2nd February 2020

Sunday Collection: Came to £1355. The Development Collection came to £720. Thank you as always for your generous contributions. There will be a Development Collection taken up next Sunday 9^th February.

Today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord: The old name for this feast in the Eastern Church is called –“The Meeting”  That word expresses the meaning of today’s celebration. Forty day after Christmas, the Lord Jesus meets the God of his Fathers in His temple; He also meets the believing people in Simeon and Anna, witnesses and proclaimers of this meeting. God enters the Temple because God entered history. The Most High made a promise to his people, and God is faithful. The initiative was always God’s. So it must be. The only question to ask is whether or not we are among those who humble themselves, who await God in the temple.

Monday 3^rd Feb is the feast of St Blaise (blessing of the throats). Blessing of the throats will be after 8pm Mass.  

Friday is the First Friday of the month. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 10am until 5pm.

Confessions Tuesday to Friday 2- 5pm. Saturday 5pm – 6pm.

Philip Mc Grade has been making us St Brigid’s Crosses. We appreciate and are thankful to Philip for making these Crosses. They are on sale at our shop at the usual price of £1/ €1. The money will be donated to Marys Meals.

Novena of Hope 2020: Takes place from 29^th Feb – 9^th March 2020. Please put the following date in your diary for our next Novena meeting – February 10^th at 8.30pm. We will have our Novena posters and leaflets for collection.

HEALING PRAYER with anointing with Blessed oil and laying on of hands on Thursday 6^th February @ 8.30pm in the Prayer Room at The Graan Monastery. Everyone is welcome.

Guild Mass Cards: We have a new selection of cards for Deceased, Mass Bouquets, Get Well, Birthday, Special Occasion, Thinking of You & Exam Mass Bouquets which cost £2 / €2.50 each.

We also have new St Patrick’s Day Mass Bouquets available.

DUTY FOR THE WEEK: Sun & Mon No Duty. Mon Mass @ 8pm – Victor.   Tues – Arthur.. Wed: Victor.  

Thurs – Charles   Fri – Charles    Sat – Arthur.

Eucharist Ministers:We are looking for additional Eucharistic Ministers so if you would like to become one please come and speak to one of our Community, who will assist you in your request.

February’s Church Cleaning Group meet on Wednesday 4th: Thanks to our Church cleaning groups for their hard work. We are always looking for new volunteers to help. If you could spare two hours, 4 times a year we would appreciate your help. Please give us a call at the Monastery on 02866322272 and leave your details.

Feast of the Week: Mon St. Blaise bishop and martyr died 315 bishop of Sebaste. He was a doctor before he became a bishop. Since the 8th century he has been venerated as patron of those who suffer from disease of the throat. Wed: St. Agatha died a martyr in Catania Sicily in the 3rd century. Thurs: St. Paul Miki and Companions martyred at Nagasaki Japan in 1597. The 6 Franciscans, 17 Franciscans Tertiaries and 3 Jesuits died suspended on crosses. Fri: St. Mel died in 488. Came to Ireland with St. Patrick and reputed to have given the religious veil to St. Brigid.  Saturday: St. Josephine Bakhita (1868 -1947) from Sudan brought as a slave to Italy became a Christian and later entered a convent. Today is also a “Day of Awareness” and of “Prayer against Human Trafficking”

Vocation Retreat: A weekend retreat for young men interested in knowing more about life as a priest or brother in the Passionist Community will be held at the Passionist Monastery, Tobar Mhuire, Crossgar, County Down, beginning on the evening of Friday, 13 March and concluding with lunch on Sunday, 15 March. Anyone interested in taking part should speak to contact Fr Victor at The Graan or contact Father Paul Francis at passionistvocations@gmail.com