The Avondhu

Parish of Lismore and Ballysaggart news

The priest approached a parishioner in church one Sunday just before Mass with a request. Please, would you be so kind as to ‘do the readings’ to which the person replied, certainly. When do you need me to do that. Just now! Oh I could never do such a task without careful preparation. That was a lesson for the priest.

So to give you so way of finding the Word of God for the coming Sunday, remember that in Ordinary Time we are using Sunday readings in Cycle C. We are using St Luke’s Gospel, the Gospel of evangelisation, or sharing the Gospel with those unfamiliar with Jewish scriptures. Try and get a copy of the Sunday readings and prepare at home with the family before you come to participate in the Mass. The one hearing of the Word on the Sunday expects too much of those unfamiliar with the Word of God. For you who come to weekday Mass it is cycle B.

We are still restricted due to Covid in how we can plan pre sacramental preparation at parish level. We may have to work in smaller groups using the synodal method of catechesis which may be very new to many in our church, but not so in the African church who have been using that method for more than half a century.

Our church has lived through many changes, many turblent times. Each generation faced their own ‘Herods’. By ‘Herod’ I mean the many serious challenges true faith people had to deal with in their own times. On Sat 15th we call to mind one of Waterford’s great saints, Saint Ita who grew up in mid county, around Kilmacthomas. Her parents were Christians and had a bearing on her vocation to serve Christ and His church as a religious.

I am unsure of the Christian faith in Lismore in her time. She would make her way to Killeedy, Co Limerick where she would establish a monastery. She would draw many young people to Christ, some to the religious life. She was given the title of ‘’foster mother’ of the saints of Ireland. She died in 570. Here in Lismore we have a very fine stain glass window in her honor beside the collective stain glass window that depict St Brigid, St Patrick and St Columcille. She got a full window to her serl while the other three had to share the one window. Take time as you gaze at those windows and take in the ‘Nationalist revivalist movement from the start of the 1900s.

I will end our piece by recommending ‘The Furrow’ magazine publised at The Furrow, St Patrick’s College Maynooth , Co Kildare. Or you may wish to follow this link; http;//thefurrow.ie/register/. It will help keep you in to touch with the current religous thinking in Ireland.

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2022-01-13T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-13T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://avondhu.pressreader.com/article/282930978719522

The Avondhu (Ireland)