THE LITURGICAL YEAR OF COLOUR!
The Church has its own calendar. The year begins on the first Sunday of Advent (four Sundays before Christmas Day).
•In the Season of Advent, purple vestments are worn.
•In the Season of Christmas, white vestments are worn. This season usually lasts for about three Sundays.
•Then Ordinary Time begins (this is sometimes called Sundays throughout the Year). Green vestments are worn.
•Lent interrupts Ordinary Time. Purple vestments are worn.
•The Season of Easter follows; during this time, the vestments are white.
•Pentecost Sunday brings the Season of Easter to an end. Red vestments are worn.
•After Pentecost, Ordinary Time re-starts, and the green vestments are used again. There are 33 or 34 Sundays in Ordinary Time.
•The Last Sunday in Ordinary Time is the celebration of Christ the King: white vestments are worn. This marks the end of the Church's year.
The Lectionary: This is a large book which contains the Readings from the Bible which are included in the Liturgy of the Word at Mass throughout the Liturgical Year. There are three Lectionaries used. The Red Lectionary is read from on Sundays during Advent, Christmas Time, Lent and Easter Time. The biggest is the Blue Lectionary which contains all the readings for weekdays and Saints feast days. And finally the Beige/Brown Lectionary has the readings that are used for Baptism, Confirmation, funerals, weddings and so on.
Fr. Philip (colourful!)
Thank you for the €1,428 which you donated to last Sunday’s collection for the Support of Priests of the Parish (& Dioceses) and for the Share Collection which amounted to €1040.
Diocesan Church 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 need throughout the Dioceses in 2012. Please be as generous as you can.
PARISH ADVENT TALKS
The second of our Advent talks, which will be presented by Fr. Jim Corkery S.J., will take place in the Parish Pastoral Centre at 8pm on Thursday, December 13th.
ADVENT REFLECTION EVENINGS:
The Focolare Group invites parishioners to their Advent Refection Evenings which are taking place in their home in Ramleh Close on Tuesday evenings during Advent. Further details of this programme are on the Parish Notice Boards.
PARISH CHRISTMAS CARDS, CALENDER AND DUES ENVELOPES need to be distributed to all homes in the next number of days. We ask parishioners to call into the sacristy after Mass and collect a bundle of these items to distribute on their own roads. Your help in this matter is very much appreciated.
MILLTOWN I.C.A.
I.C.A. will have their members December meeting in the Parish Pastoral Centre at 7.30pm, sharp, on this Monday December 1Oth.
FOLLOW UP TO WEEK OF GUIDED PRAYER:
In this rich liturgical season of Advent and Christmas there are many opportunities on offer to people. So it seems practical to wait for 2013, le cunamh De, to offer some Prayer with Scripture as a follow up to the Week of Guided Prayer which took place in the parish last month. Sile O’Reilly.
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL:
The December meeting of the P.P.C> will take place on this Tuesday December 11th.
Christmas Craft and Home Produce Fair;
many thanks to all the parishioners who donated cakes and items for sale at last week’s Christmas Fair. A special word of thanks goes to the committee who organised this successful social gathering and fund raising event. There are still some craft items from the sale available for purchase in the Parish Pastoral Centre.
PARISH CHRISTMAS CARDS
This year the parish has printed 2 very attractive Christmas Cards which are available for sale in packs of 10 for €7. These cards are available to purchase in the Parish Pastoral Centre.
KEY FOUND:
a hall door key was found in the church last weekend and may be collected by its owner in the Parish pastoral Centre
YEAR OF FAITH:
Copies of the Advent, Year of Faith Cards are available at the back of the church. There is no charge on these cards, please collect one on your way out.
ALEXANDER COLLEGE
Congratulations and thanks to the R.C. children, and their parents, from Alexander College’s Junior School who participated in last Sunday’s Vigil Mass. Particular thanks to the R.C. Parents Committee for their hard work and commitment.
congratulations also to the 18 pupils who will enrol for Confirmation here at this weekend’s 10am Mass.
CHRISTMAS ARRANGEMENTS
Wednesday 19th December
Penitential Service Clonskeagh Church 8pm
Thursday 20th December
Penitential Service, Milltown Church 8pm
Sunday 23rd December
Advent Carol Service 3.30pm
Monday 24th December
Morning Mass: 10am
Confessions 10.30 – 11.30am
Children’s Mass / Vigil Mass: 6pm
Confessions following Children’s Mass until 7.30pm
Night Mass: 9pm
CHRISTMAS DAY
Tuesday 25th December
Morning Mass: 10am & 11.30am
No evening Mass on Christmas Day
St. Stephen’s Day
Wednesday 26th December
Morning Mass: 11am
Feast of the Epiphany
Sunday 6th January
Usual Sunday Mass times
PARISH PASTORAL CENTRE
The Parish Pastoral Centre will be open for Tea and Coffee on Sunday December 23rd and will be closed on December 24th.
Tea & Coffee will be available between 10.30 – 11.30 am on Thurs. 27th and Fri. 28th.
The Centre will be open after morning Masses on Sunday, December 30th and the Parish Pastoral Centre will reopen on Wednesday, January 3rd
