The Eucharist.
Times of Mass.
- Sunday: 10am and 11.30am
- Saturday: 7pm. (Vigil Mass)
- Monday to Friday: 9am
- Holy Days: 10am and 7pm
- No 9am Mass on the day of a Funeral
- Except during Lent or on First Fridays
The Eucharist.
The Eucharist lies at the heart of the Church. When Christians gather to break bread as Jesus asked us to do, they are experiencing the greatest realisation on earth of what the Church is, the Body of Christ.
‘Eucharist’ means giving thanks. It is the celebration of praise that is the highpoint of our joy and thanks at receiving the Good News. It is the core of Christian commitment, the deepest expression of our identity.
Past, present and future merge as we worship. Looking back, we can remember who we are. Looking forward, we anticipate what we are to become. Looking around we are focused and inspired for living.
Celebration.
We used to talk about ‘getting Mass’. Now we talk about ‘Celebrating the Eucharist’. The change of language reflects a change of mindset.
Whereas before we spoke of the priest ‘saying’ Mass and the people ‘hearing’ Mass today we speak of the community celebrating The Eucharist. When we gather for the Eucharist we are all celebrants and are all celebrating. Today we speak of the priest as presiding at the Eucharist, gathering the faith and prayer of the people as an offering to the Lord.
Sacraments.
Through our worship we grow in our relationship to God. This feeds into our living, motivating us, enriching the quality of our Christian life, giving it depth. At the same time, our lives feed into our worship. We bring to God our cares, our pain, our joy, our questions and struggles. This back and forth between worship and life is the pattern of our faith, as well as benefitting from the support of the community.
Participation.
The language of celebrating is about participation. This participation in turn is a reflection of our daily life as a parish family. In our daily life we offer welcome and assistance to one another – we build communion – we prepare and we plan – we pray out of our own need and for each other. Our daily life is a living proclamation of the gospel. Around the Lords’ table we celebrate together. Throughout life in community we live the dream.
Communion Services
In the absence of the priest and with the reduced number of priests, the possibility of introducing alternative services has arisen, including communion services. Communion services conducted by a deacon, by lay people or religious involve some scriptural readings along with prayers and intercessions together with distribution of communion from the tabernacle.
Eucharistic Adoration
Benediction, Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament are traditional forms of Eucharistic devotion that do not involve receiving communion. They help deepen our appreciation of the Sacramental presence of Christ, as well as foster our personal relationship with him.
First Communion
2018 Dates:
- Sunday 29th April 2018 at 1pm – Gael Scoil
- Saturday 12th May 2018 at 12.00 Noon – Boys National School & Girls National School
- Saturday 26th May 2018 at 12.00 Noon – Scoil Bhríde
Preparation. – “Do this in Memory.”
“Do this in Memory”
A Parish-based Preparation Programme for First Communion.
The Programme
The sacramental preparation of Children is the responsibility of the home, school and parish working together in partnership. The work of sacramental preparation begins long before the First Eucharist celebration.The celebration of First Eucharist is a sacred and important moment on a long journey of faith development. Together with Baptism and Confirmation, it opens the door to full membership of the Christian community. It is not an end in itself.
Do this in Memory complements the school-based work and takes place outside the classroom in the context of the parish Sunday Eucharist. It is then continued in the home through the use of activities and resources for both parents/guardians and children. This highlights the importance of the Sunday Eucharist as a celebration where we gather, are nourished by the Word and the Bread of Life, and are sent forth to live the Gospel. It also acknowledges the home as the most important and significant place, where the faith of our children is nurtured, nourished and sustained.
1st Communion Programme Dates:
- Wed 27th Sept, 7.30pm – Parents Meeting
- 21st-22nd Oct – Enrolment – ‘Do this in Memory’ Masses at 7pm and 10.00am.
- 25th – 26th November – ‘Do this in Memory’ Mass at 7pm and 10.00am
- 16th – 17th December – ‘Do this in Memory’ Mass at 7pm and 10.00am
- 20th – 21st January – ‘Do this in Memory’ Mass at 7pm and 10.00am
- 17th – 18th February – ‘Do this in Memory’ Mass at 7pm and 10.00am
- 13th March – First Confession at 7pm
- 28th – 29th April – ‘Do this in Memory’ Mass at 7pm and 10.00am
- 3rd June – 11.30am Mass – Corpus Christi.