What’s that twig on the Altar??!!
You may have noticed that there is a rather dull/withered sort of a tree at the back of the Sanctuary. It’s called a ‘Jesse Tree’. The idea of a Jesse Tree comes from a line in Scripture “a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse” (just at the moment I can’t actually remember the reference).
Often when a tree is cut down we presume that it’s dead and that’s that. However, after some time a shoot sprouts from the stump. “Ah ha, it’s NOT dead at all!” So we use this image for our own salvation. We thought that after Adam and Eve things were gone/dead, and we were shut out from God. But God the Father sent his Son and ‘that which we thought was lost and gone is now the source of new life’. ‘That twig’ is supposed to look dead and withered but it springs to new life!
Jesus’ family tree is portrayed as the Jesse tree and all the happenings that lead to his coming on the earth. Here is where all the symbols come in. You may have seen/noticed some of them on the tree already. We add more as the weeks of Advent go by. The tree could be filled with symbols of Creation: Sun, Moon, Stars, Animals, fish and bird. Keeping the running order from Scripture, we move on to Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob etc. The symbols of the Holy Family and Jesus, and the four Evangelists are put up last.
So have a good look at ‘that twig’ to date we have Joseph’s coat, a hammer (Joseph the Carpenter), the ten commandments, Jacob’s ladder. More are due to be put on this weekend. It all leads to the Incarnation of Jesus at Christmas.
And speaking of Christmas: the Christmas Timetable will be available shortly. We’ll need help to deliver it to parishioners. We kick off with a Carol Service on Sun 18th at 3.pm; it was a super event last year. Our Penitential Service takes place on Wed 21st Milltown and Clonskeagh is Thur 22nd both at 8pm.
Fr. Philip Adm
Thank you for last Sunday’s Offertory Collection of €1,338 and the Share Collection which amounted to €1,053.
Sean O’ Mahoney and Lucy Clinch were recently baptised. We welcome them into our Christian community and congratulate their parents.
We offer our condolences to the O’ Nolan family on the death of Maev.
Diocesan Collection for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
This collection will replace the Share collection at all Masses this weekend. It is probably unnecessary to say that a successful Christmas Church Collection is vital in enabling the Society to expand their programme of assistance to those in needs throughout the Dioceses in 2011. This year they have spent over €17 million in the Dublin Dioceses. Please be s generous as you can.
Parish Advent Programme.
Sr. Celine Mangan O.P. will present the final talk of her three weeks series in our Parish Advent Programme on this Monday evening at 8pm.. It is not necessary to have attended the previous talks as each presentation is complete in itself. The title of the course is: The Bible and Ecology. These sessions are a dialogue with the Scriptures to see what they might say to us about present-day ecological concerns
The Parish’s Carol Service will take place at 3pm on Sunday Dec. 18th. Refreshments will be served after this Service. A meeting to plan this reception will take place after the 10am Mass on this Monday morning. If you are available to help out at the reception please come along to Monday morning’s meeting.
A copy of the Radharc film on St. Columbanus & Gall is available on loan from the Parish Library.
Volunteers from the Volunteer Missionary Movement will address the congregation at next weekend’s Masses. They will speak about their experiences on the missions and the work of the V.M.N. Envelopes will be made available to parishioners who would like to make a donation to this registered charity.
MILLTOWN PARISH CHAMBER CHOIR
For many years our Parish was blessed to have a Chamber Choir who sang at the Saturday evening Mass and at main Liturgical gatherings throughout the year. The cost ‘.in the main’ of this professional choir was covered by a very generous sponsor. However our ‘Sponsor’ is no longer in a position to sponsor the Choir.
We thank Him for his most generous contribution and also the Choir for their part in enhancing our Liturgies.
The loss of music at our Saturday evening Mass has been noted by many. With this in mind we are appealing to any parishioner who can play the organ or help in anyway to contact Fr. Philip re the possibility of playing at our evening Masses.
Ecumenical Community Carol Singing: will take place in front of the Mansion House, Dawson Street, on Saturday 17th December at 3.30pm. All are welcome to attend.
Liam Lawton will be in concert in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Nutgrove Avenue, Churchtown, Dublin 14 on Tuesday 20th December at 8pm. Tickets are €20 and are available from the parish office, phone: 01 298 4642 Mobile: Jackie 086 608 6088 www.goodshepherdchurchtown.ie.
The Parish Liturgy Group will meet at 8pm on this Tuesday, December 13th
The Adult & Toddler Group meets in the Parish Pastoral Centre at 10.30am on Friday morning
The following items were discussed at the December meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council.
Eucharistic Congress: A discussion took place about the Parish’s preparation for the International Eucharistic Congress which will take place in June 2012.
Diocesan Pastoral & Financial Planning meetings: very positive comments and feedback were received from members of the Council who attended these meetings.
Sacramental Preparation: The Council was updated on the preparation that is underway for pupils in Alexandra College who will receive their First Holy Communion in this Parish on May 13th 2012.
Milltown Parish / Foroige Youth Club
This club will re-commence in January. New members are welcome. Please leave your name and contact details in the Parish Office if your children would like to join this group.
Ministers of the Eucharist & Ministers of the Word are asked to collect envelopes in the Sacristy which contain copies of the Rota for the coming weeks and also contact details of fellow ministers.
Next Sunday’s 10am Mass is part of the ‘Do this in Memory of Me’ programme for children who will be receiving their First Holy Communion in May. We welcome the children their parents and families.
THE OCTAVE OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 2012
This Octave of Prayer will be observed as usual from the 18th to 25th January. Its inauguration in Dublin will take place at an Interdenominational Service here in our Parish Church at 8pm on Wednesday January 18th. The Church of Ireland’s Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Michael Jackson will be homilist. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin will preside. Priests and people of the diocese are welcome to attend.
The theme, “We will be changed” was chosen by Christian leaders in Poland. Change is at the heart of human life. Change is also the heart of the ecumenical movement. Refreshments will be served after the ceremony in the Parish Pastoral Centre
PARISH CHRISTMAS ARRANGEMENTS
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
A Penitential Service will take place in Milltown Church at 8pm on Wednesday December 21st and in Bird Ave. Church at 8pm on Thursday, December 22nd.
Advent Carol Service
An Advent carol Service will take place at 3pm on Sunday 18th December.
Christmas Eve
Saturday 24th December
Morning Mass: 10am
Children’s Mass / Vigil Mass: 6pm
Night Mass: 9pm
Christmas Day
Sunday 25th December
Morning Mass: 10am & 11.30am
No evening Mass on Christmas Day
St. Stephen’s Day
Monday 26th December
Morning Mass: 11am
Feast of the Epiphany
Friday 6th January
Vigil Mass: Thursday 6pm.
Morning Mass; 10am & 11.30am
Evening Mass: 5.30pm
PARISH PASTORAL CENTRE
The Parish Pastoral Centre will close on Friday December 23rd. Tea & Coffee will be available between 10.30 – 11.30 am on Thursday 29th and Friday 30th. The Centre will be open as usual, after morning Masses on Sunday January 1st. The Centre will fully reopen on Tuesday, January 3rd.
