| Castlemaine Parish First Sunday of Advent 27th/28th November 2021 |
Advent is a time of waiting for Christ, allowing Jesus to be reborn in our lives. It is also a time for purifying our hearts by repentance and for renewing our lives by reflecting on and experiencing the several comings (advents) of Christ into our lives. Besides coming into our world through birth, Jesus comes into our lives as we live them through His Church, its Sacraments (especially the Eucharist), the Word of God, the worshipping community, as we die, and finally, in His Second Coming.
Missing the signal! In its day, the Titanic was the world’s largest ocean-liner, weighing 46,328 tons, and it was considered unsinkable. Yet, late during the night of April 14-15, 1912, the unthinkable happened to the unsinkable. Near midnight, the great Titanic struck an iceberg, ripping a three-hundred-foot hole through five of its sixteen watertight compartments. It sank in two and a half hours killing 1,513 people. Before the Titanic sank, warning after warning had been sent to tell the crew that they were speeding into an ice field, but the messages were ignored. In fact, when a nearby ship sent an urgent warning, the Titanic was talking to Cape Race about the time the chauffeurs were to meet arriving passengers at the dock in New York, and what dinner menus were to be ready. Preoccupied with the trivia, the Titanic responded to the warning, “Shut up. I am talking to Cape Race. You are jamming my signals!” Why did so many die that night? Perhaps the crew disregarded the danger of the weather; there were not enough lifeboats on board; and the radio operator of nearby California was off duty; perhaps those responsible did not heed the warnings; they were preoccupied with other things!
Sometimes we believe that our ‘ship’ is unsinkable, our life is completely planned, and the unthinkable can never happen to us. We need to read the signs of the times; we need to pay attention to the warning signals. But if we are preoccupied with the trivial things of life we will miss the most important things till it is too late. The First Sunday of Advent gives us the warning to be watchful, waiting, and prepared.
First Sunday of Advent
God of light and life,
Give us hope as we wait
For your coming again.
When we are tempted
To be grateful to have found you
While others are lost,
Send us out into the darkness
In search of those
Who need you most
Amen
| Eucharistic Ministers |
| Keel Nov. 27th Elizabeth Ryle O’Connor & Patrick Flynn Kiltallagh Nov. 28th Jack Keating & Eileen Lovett Keel Dec. 4th David Flahive & William Evans Kiltallagh Dec. 5th Fergus Culloty & Catherine O’Connor |
| Sanitisers |
| Keel Nov. 27th Caroline McCarthy & Kathleen O’Brien Kiltallagh Nov. 28th Eileen Keating & Eileen Lovett Keel Dec. 4th Eileen Murphy & Joan O’Connor Kiltallagh Dec. 5th Catherine O’Connor & Breda Murphy |
| Moderator : Fr. Danny Broderick (087) 9061255 Parish House: 3 Meanus Heights, Castlemaine Parish Office: Tue. & Thur. 9:30am-12:30pm (087) 2979864 Email: castlemaine@dioceseofkerry.ie Website: www.castlemaineparish.com Safeguarding Children: Contact No (087) 6362780 Please pray for Helen Lane, Dublin, nee Clifford, Boolteens Masses & Intentions Sat. Nov. 27th Keel 7.30 p.m. Eileen Flynn, Shanahill Bridge 1st Anniversary Sun. Nov. 28th Kiltallagh 10:00 a.m. Christy, John & Julianne Barrett, Gransha Upper Tues. Nov. 30th Keel 10:00 a.m. Thurs. Dec. 2nd Keel 7:30 p.m. Fri. Dec. 3rd K iltallagh 6.00 p.m Elizabeth Foley, Droumavalla, Farmers Bridge Sat. Dec. 4th Keel 7:30 p.m. James Costello, Boolteens East 1st Anniversary Sun. Dec. 5th Kiltallagh 10:00 a.m. Eileen O’Connor, Conovola 1st Anniversary Reminder Masses will be streamed live online vis our webcam system: www.castlemaineparish.com Priest on Duty: Fr. Kieran O’Sullivan 087 2432155 Castlemaine Pastoral Council: A Meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council was held on 24th of November. Planning for Christmas was discussed. Timings of the masses have been agreed & we were delighted to hear that both Keel & Kiltallagh will have both a Christmas Vigil Mass & a Christmas Day mass. We will be planning for half capacity for these masses (every second seat closed off) to ensure people are comfortable & safe. This will be done on a first come basis. It is hoped that new crib figures will be in place for Keel church soon. The issue of bats in Kiltallagh church is being looked in to, a report is being prepared by a member of Killarney Parks & Wildlife. We would hope to add more members to the committees of the parish. Anyone interested in helping out in any way please inform Caroline, Parish Secretary at castlemaine@dioceseofkerry.ie Online Theology Open Evening, is this for you? The Priory Institute provides online Theology courses to degree level. Attend Saturday lectures in Tallaght or from the comfort of your own home. Email enquiries@prioryinstitute.com to find out more about our Online Open Evening on Thursday 2 December 7pm. 9 Day Rosary Novena for Ireland: we are inviting you to join in a 9 Day Rosary Novena beginning Tuesday 30th November and ending on Wednesday 8th December. People all over Ireland will pray the Rosary together each evening at 9pm. On the final evening at 9pm on Radio Maria the Primate of All Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin will lead the final Rosary live. If you are gathering to pray in groups we encourage you to gather safely adhering to local Covid 19 regulations. Lectio Divina reflections on the Advent and Christmas Gospels. The Priory Institute is delighted to offer a Free of Charge online retreat which is a repeat of the popular Advent Retreat we ran in 2018. Visit prioryinstitute.com Medjugorje Irish Centre Pilgrimages: April – Oct 2022: 7 Nights Apartment B&B and return Airport transfer from Dubrovnik or Split from €315 per person sharing. Guaranteed Airport transfer price for any flight. Contact us for details Tel. 01 4434 510 or email reservations@med-irishcentre.com Booking an Anniversary Mass for 2022 If you wish to book an Anniversary Mass for a loved one for the coming year, the 2022 diary will open on Tuesday November 30th, 2021. Please note the first week will be designated to taking bookings for first Anniversary Masses only. The diary will then be open to all other Anniversary Masses from Tue. 7th December. Parish Office: available for sale Christmas Mass cards, Get Well, Sympathy & Trocaire cards for Christmas. Also Christening, Wedding and Christmas candles. |