Newsletter Saturday 28 November to 4 December 2020

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (CYCLE B)

Your prayers are requested for James Kelly recently deceased and for Sheila Clarke and Noel Keegan those whose anniversary occurs around this time.

MAY THEIR SOULS AND THE SOULS OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED THROUGH THE MERCY OF GOD REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

Mass Times and Intentions
Saturday	10 am Also Also Also	Pat and Betty Stafford – Remembrance Mass Niamh McNally – Recently Deceased Michael Fuery – Recently Deceased Paddy Conway – Recently Deceased
	4.30 pm Also Also Also	Mark White – Anniversary Liam Cassidy – Anniversary Breda Hennessy – Recently Deceased Seamus Rigney – Recently Deceased
	6 pm Also Also	Michael Connor – Anniversary Deceased Members of the O’Riordan and Deasy Families Des O’Riordan – Recently Deceased
Sunday	9.00 am	Tom Ahern – Recently Deceased Elizabeth Lovatt-Dolan - Recently Deceased
	10.30 am Also Also Also	Tom Maguire – 2^nd Anniversary Deceased Member of Holy Family Church Choir Christopher Heron – Anniversary Gerald McNaughton - Anniversary
	12 noon	Parishioners’ intentions
Monday	10 am	Jimmy and Nancy Stafford – Remembrance Mass
Tuesday	10 am	Altar List of the Dead
Wednesday	10 am	Celebrant’s intentions
Thursday	10 am	Lally Stafford – Remembrance Mass
Friday	10 am	Altar List of the Dead

Kindly note that once the list of intentions for the coming week as above has been posted to the Newsletter page on the Parish website (www.holyfamilyparish.ie) and printed off for the Priests’ use during the Masses, additions/adjustments to that week’s list cannot be easily and conveniently made after 11.30 a.m. Thursday of the week.

This weekend sees the beginning of Advent. From next Wednesday 2^nd December and each Wednesday in Advent, 9^th. 16^th 23^rd, we will have Evening Prayer of the Church at 7 pm, with a short period of Adoration, concluding at 7.30 pm with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. You are invited to join this Service via the Webcam. The Church will not be open for this Service.

The Church is open from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm each morning, Monday to Friday for private prayer. From next Monday 30^th November the Shop will be open from 10.30 am to 11 am where the Christmas Tridium Mass Cards will be available from Margaret. The shop will be open at these times for two weeks only Monday to Friday ending on Friday 11^th December.

The Christmas Envelopes are ready for distribution to the homes in the Parish. This year it is more important than ever that this Christmas message reaches every home. These Envelopes are available for collection at the back of the church and are set out in bundles for Streets/Areas. We would be grateful if you could volunteer for the distribution of these envelopes in your area. And we thank you in advance for your help and support.

The Liturgical Year begins on the vigil of the First Sunday of Advent (Cycle B).

Advent is a time of waiting for both the birthday of Jesus Christ and his return in glory at the “end of the World”. In the four weeks leading up to Christmas night, we try to prepare ourselves for better days ahead in these days of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The “Advent Wreath” is a widely recognized symbol of Advent. It is traditionally a practice derived from the Lutheran Church (Germany). The circle of green branches represents the eternal life of God which had no beginning or end. There is also the promise of renewal. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent with one being lit for each Sunday of Advent. The fifth candle in the middle of the wreath represents the newly born Christ reminding us that he is the light of the world and when one follows this way, we will never walk in the darkness but in the light of the true light of life. Advent is also a time of penance in preparation for Christmas.