Weekly Bulletin 19th & 20th January 2013

Just sit right down…….
Do you remember the article I wrote this time last year which suggested that we write ourselves a letter that we would not open until 1st December 2012? The content of the letter was to contain a little post mortem on Christmas 2012. Perhaps you found that to be a worthwhile project and have already composed a letter for next December. If not, now that Christmas is over and we are settling into the New Year I wonder would it be a good time to reconsider this idea and write yourself a letter which you will open in December 2013?. So let’s look at Christmas 2012, before we forget all about it and possibly lose some insights that could help next year.
Did you put the Christmas tree up so early that all the pine needles were on the floor by Christmas Day and you were tired of cleaning them up and bored with looking at the tree by the 27th Dec.?
Did you accept or refuse invitations which, in hindsight, you would change next year? We don’t have to accept all the invites that we get, some of them occur more by duty or habit than by intention.
Did you buy too big a turkey and think that you’d have feathers before you had eaten it.
Did children ask for too much from Santa, who gave them the idea that Santa’s bag was bottomless?
Did you see too much of your family, extended or otherwise? Sometimes we go to one sibling one day and another the following day, only to meet the same people twice.
Were you stuck watching the TV in one room, with Granny not able to hear, your teenagers not interested in what was on and Dad or Mam trying to keep everybody happy? Its’ not a sin to have two TV’s even at Christmas! Some of the younger people could ‘travel the house’ with a round of chocolates.
Did you get lots of presents that you know you won’t use and you won’t get around to changing? Should they go to the Crosscare in the Pro-Cathedral?
Did you go to Church, were there too many or too few children at it? Was it overpowering or left you wanting to go to ‘real Mass’? And did you forget/not get round to going to the Carol Service?
Also, did you put everything away on the 6th Jan but leave the Crib for at least a week (gently explaining that Christmas is about the Birth of our Saviour and not about the tinsel etc).
Don’t forget that the ‘Media’ depict Christmas as ‘all happy families’ sitting by a log fire with a flurry of snow, everybody blissfully happy. That’s not always the case. Christmas often magnifies how your situation is now. So if you’ve had bereavement, or you are alone then the emotions will be magnified. Conversely if you are just married or have recently had a ‘big happy event’ then these emotions/feelings will be magnified too.
So, sit right down and write yourself that letter (and you won’t have to ‘make believe’….), dated 1st Dec 2013 ‘It did come from you’
Fr. Philip Adm

Thank you for the €1,423 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 €1091.

We thank those of you who have already returned your Christmas Dues. Dues envelopes may be placed in the collection bags at Mass, given to one of the priests or handed into the Sacristy or the Parish Office.

Lucy Campion was baptised in our church this weekend. We welcome her into our Christian community and congratulate his parents and Godparents

DUBLIN DIOCESAN LITURGY SEMINAR:
will take place from 9.30am to 12.45 on Saturday 26th January. Details of the morning’s workshops are available on the tables at the back of the church. Booking forms are attached to the information sheet. These forms can be returned to the Parish and your booking will be forwarded to the Dioceses.

LITURGY GROUP MEETING:
the Parish Liturgy group will meet at 8pm on Thursday next, Jan. 24th

DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME PROGRAMME:
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.

Mary Aikenhead Day Centre:
There will be an outdoor collection after all Masses next weekend for the Mary Aikenhead Day Centre in Donnybrook. This Centre provides excellent day care for elderly people, many of whom are from this parish. The Centre also provides meals on wheels. Part funding is provided by the HSE but additional funds are required in order to keep up the standard of care provided for by the Centre. Please be as generous as you can.

MILLTOWN PARISH ACTIVE RETIREMENT GROUP:
members of this group are invited to attend Afternoon Tea, in the Parish Pastoral Centre at 2.30pm on Tuesday, January 22nd. A celebrated actress will attend to provide entertainment at this event.

The Milltown Parish Adult & Toddler Group meets in the Parish Pastoral Centre at 10.30am on Friday morning. Next Friday is Jamboree Day! All welcome.
The Annual Radharc Memorial Mass will take place in our church on next Sunday, January 27th at 3pm. Refreshments will be served after Mass in the Parish Pastoral Centre and will be followed by the screening of two Radharc Films. All welcome. (Please contact the Parish Office if you are available to help with the refreshments after this Mass)

The Parish plans to start computerizing its records over the next couple of months. If you have experience in data inputting perhaps you could volunteer to help with this task. Please contact Fr. Philip if you are available to help.

Silver Screen at Avila:
on Sat 2nd Feb at 7.30pm. The Silver Screen showing for February is 'Touching the Void’ , a gripping film based on the true story of 2 men's attempt to reach the summit of the Suile Grande peak in the Peruvian Andes. Teas/ Coffees and discussion take place after the showing. Offering: €5

Pilgrimages to the Holy Land in April and May:
These 9 day pilgrimages take in all the major sites - Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Cana, Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. In addition to a local guide there is an Irish Spiritual Leader who will celebrate Mass each day at one of the sacred shrines.
Full details are available from MAP Travel (01) 8783111 or www.maptravel.ie

TABLE QUIZ:
The Grouped Parishes of Sandford and St Philips Milltown, Diocese of Dublin are having a Table Quiz. This will take place at 8pm on Wednesday 30th January in St Philip’s Hall (Temple Road, Dartry). The cost is €12.50 per person, tables of (up to) 4, and includes finger food. Tables can be formed on the night. While it is not necessary to book a table it would be helpful to have an idea of numbers prior to the event, so if you are planning to attend perhaps you would e-mail sandfordandstphilips@eircom.net or tel./text 086 0386432 All welcome