Weekly Bulletin 25th & 26th August

Miraculous Medals.
Congratulations to all our Olympic medal winners, we admire the hard work and effort that goes into all the training. The Paralympics are about to start and some years ago Ireland hosted the Special Olympics. I remember the Special Olympics as an occasion when the whole country welcomed contestants from the ‘four corners of the Globe’. The Country was at its best and everyone seemed to put their best foot forward.
On radio recently I heard a clear definition of each. In the Paralympics, the contestants have some physical disability either hereditary or due to some accident/injury. In the Special Olympics the contestants have intellectual difficulties. Some years ago I watched a film about the beginning of the Special Olympics. The ‘High Point’ of the Factional film was when one of the Contestants noticed that a fellow competitor had fallen on a hurdle. He promptly stopped and helped his fellow competitor up and they ran to the finish line, crossing it with hands held high! The ‘Good Samaritan’ got a medal for his remarkable understanding of the Spirit of the Olympics. ‘The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle, the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well’ (Baron de Coubertin).
Thus I find myself a little uncomfortable with special development units to ensure that next Olympics we’ll get more medals. Picking specialist sports and giving wonderful training, expert nutrition and state of the art facilities etc etc, seems to me to be more interested in winning Medals than participating or getting our younger people involved in sport.
Miracles happen when people feel cherished as a result of participation not success, when a child discovers a hidden talent, and, when all the children of the Nation are cherished equally!

Fr. Philip Adm

Thank you for the €1,153 which you donated to last Sunday’s collection for the Support of Priests of the Dioceses and for the Share Collection which amounted to €803. We also thank you for the Offertory Collection on the Feast of the Assumption was €400 and the Share Collection was €296.

Congratulations to Michael Mc. Carthy and Caroline Stanley who were married here last weekend.

Peter Farrelly was baptised in our church last weekend. We welcome him into our Christian community and congratulate his parents and Godparents.
On Monday next, August 27th, the Parish Baptism Team will meet with parents and Godparents of children who are to be baptised here in August.

The Milltown Branch of the I.C.A. will resume their meetings on Thursday Sept. 6th at 7.15pm sharp in the Parish pastoral Centre. We look forward to new members joining our group.

The Dublin Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place from September 7-12th. There are still places available. We encourage parishes to nominate sick people in the community, especially people who have not travelled before on the section for the sick. Application forms are available on request from the Lourdes Pilgrimage Office Tel: 8376820.

Copies of Cross Care’s Summer Parish Update are available for collection from the Parish Bookrack. Cross Care is the social care agency of the Catholic Archdiocese.

Ever Optimistic! Late Summer BBQ:
Ceol, caint agus craic. (We even have the pig on a spit. It’s a promise!). Featuring Paddy Cole. At the Lansdowne Hotel, Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge on Thursday 30th August 2012 from 5 to 8 p.m. Tickets cost €25. There is no charge for children under 12 and concessions are €20. Tickets are now on sale in the Parish shop, St. Mary’s Haddington Road and from Maher’s Chemists. All proceeds to the “Save Our Parish” Fund.

Beginning Experience:
B.E. is a support group for those coping with the pain of loss of their life partner, through Death, Separation or Divorce. Few people are able to cope alone with the pain of loss. Seeking help is a sign of strength and self-knowledge – not weakness. This is a healing ministry, which helps to resolve the grief that goes with the end of a marriage or relationship. A team, who are themselves widowed, separated or divorced share their experiences with you. Next Coping Programme will commence on Wednesday 5th September, for 7 Wednesday evenings, at 7.15pm in White Friars Community Centre, Aungier St., Dublin 2. For further information phone 6790556 or email bedublin@gmail.com

“Communion and Co-Responsibility in the Church”.
A National Pastoral Conference will take place from the 13th—15th September 2012.This three-day conference, in support of the work of renewal and reform, will take place in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone. For further details contact Julieann Moran, Conference Administrator, Pastoral Renewal and Adult Faith Development, Columba Centre, Maynooth, Co. Kildare. Telephone: 01 5053025. email: pastoralrenewal@iecon.ie Full details of speakers, programme and booking form are available on our website www.dublindiocese.ie

Mass For The Dead will be celebrated at Esker Cemetery Lucan at 3pm on Sunday Sept. 2nd.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

PARISH OPEN DAY
This years Parish Open Day will take place on Sunday September 9th. Additional volunteers are required to help out on the day.

There is a Roster for Helpers available in the Parish Pastoral Centre. Please place your name on this roster as soon as possible if you are willing to help out for an hour or two at this Parish Event.

Due to the generosity of parishioners last year we were oversubscribed with food for this event. With this in mind we are asking parishioners to let us know in advance if they will be providing sandwiches etc. on the day. There is a list in the Parish Pastoral Centre which outlines the required amount of food. Please place your name beside the item which you are willing to provide on the day.

Volunteering Saturday & Sunday September 15th & 16th
Representatives from existing Ministries in the Parish will be available in the Parish Pastoral Centre, after Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses, to answer questions you may have about volunteering.
A list of these ministries, which contains details of what the existing volunteers do, is available at the church doors.
We encourage parishioners to consider becoming involved in one of our ministries.

Congress Memories;
The Communications Office would like to hear from Parishes who held events around the International Eucharistic Congress, that we may not already have a record of. We are working with Archives to collate a broad account of what happened throughout the Diocese leading up to and during that memorable week. We are anxious to include as much information as possible on Parish based Congress events, if you have pictures and/or a written record of what happened in your parish, please contact Carol Faulkner at carol.faulkner@dublindiocese.ie or 01 8360723.