Parish of Lismore & Ballysaggart news

Weather permitting we will gather to celebrate Mass in St Carthage’s Cemetery at 6.15pm on July 2nd. We will be among the Church suffering and the Church victorious in heaven and ourselves still in the joys and sorrows of living. There is a shared sense of solidarity in the Mass here. Personal grief may isolate us from others and we can feel no one understands of notices our loneliness and loss.

Everyone seems to be getting on with their own lives. This a moment to stop. This a moment to notice who are the people with us. This is where God is with us. Thanks to the choir for coming back from their summer holidays. On your behalf I want to praise Mr Donal Kenefick our organist along with the choir for the magnificent contribution to our Sunday Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi.

The children and teenagers are now on their summer holidays. It calls for much creativity on part of their parents to keep the young occupied. Great credit is due to the many sporting, cultural and religious volunteers who reach out to the young and to their parents. Children at holiday time are in the university of life. For the teenagers who will get their first paid job, we hope it will be a good experience and great credit is due to employers who take on these young people and firmly mentor them. This is where real lessons can be learned. This is where lessons if not done must be repeated over and over till they are learned. There is no hiding place in the university of life. It is where we all get as they say in Irish, translated into English ‘bought wisdom’.

Many may take some holidays out of the country. Staying at home may be too expensive if what the general media are preaching at us about the costs in Ireland. Board Fáilte needs to be much more proactive at all levels in our land. The advertisements links at the main weather forecasts each evening to Irish tourism is very attractive.

Should you be away for holidays do try and participate in Sunday Mass . You may get new experiences of the celebration and may like to bring them to the notice of the pastoral council. What really impressed me when I was away in 2019 attending Mass was the ministry of welcome. There is something very human but also very divine to be made welcome. No one should feel a stranger at Mass in Lismore or Ballysaggart. Don’t leave it to chance that someone might greet the visitor, reach out in friendship. Of course do not come across as the parish busybody. It takes tack to reach the visitor.

I often feel that we are too shy of allowing moments of creative silence run through our Mass. Maybe it’s my age that noise can be an irritant. Even funeral Masses cry out for stillness and loving silence. Before the grief of another, respectful, loving silence can say so much. Enjoy your holidays.