Paws a while!
I’m not a dog lover but I have a friend whose porch mat has a graphic of four dog’s paws, which welcomes the visitor by saying paws a while, it’s a call to Pause a while!
Pausing is so important for us all. In the Celtic Tiger era, we were very busy, now, many are distracted and under immense financial pressure. We’re still under time pressure, often because the ‘Job’ is demanding so much more of us,( for less money).
In the news last week end we heard of the ‘Darkness into Light’ fund raiser for Pieta House, a Charity which helps people with Suicidal ideation and Self harm. 40,000 people walked! A couple of weeks ago we heard of a High Court ruling on Assisted Suicide. And the death of a terminal ill youth who while ill pleaded with his peers to value life.
I recently found an old newspaper clipping from the Irish Times letters page from 2005 by Angela McNamara in which she gave an opinion on why Ireland was close to top of the world list for youth suicide. She says:
• In affluent homes, everyone in the family has too much of the unnecessary and little of the gentle, relaxed family togetherness. Children are over-indulged Parents no longer know how to reward or punish appropriately.
• Parents fear to be seen smacking children. Children kick and their parents.
• Having to do without anything is seen as intolerable failure; failure is misunderstood.
• There is confusion between what tragedy is and what mere inconvenience is.
• Pain is not seen as a normal part of life, which it is.
Maybe we can pause and see if the list still applies or if we can produce a more up to date one.
Fr. Philip (www.Pieta.ie www.Smaritans.org)
Thank you for the €1,208 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 €1023.
Welcome to the Cor na Nog Choir who are singing at this morning’s 10am Mass, Welcome also to students who are sitting exams this year and some pupils and their families from Alexandra College.
Condolences to the families and friends of the late Claire O’ Liathan whose funeral Mass took place here during the last week.
Thanks to all who supported our Tea Morning for the Alzheimer’s Association. The €141 which was donated has been forwarded to the organization.
Thank you to those who have already returned their Easter 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.
PARISH CENSUS.
Please collect a Census Pack, (one for each household) and return your completed Census Form to the Parish. Returning a completed form will mean that a parish representative will not have to call to your home in the autumn.
PARISH LITURGY GROUP:
the Parish Liturgy group will meet at 8pm on Tuesday, May 21st.
Adult & Toddler Group meets in the Parish Pastoral Centre at 10.30am on Friday morning.
Dublin City Council & Milltown Parish Pastoral Centre invite you to a Blooming Plant Sale which will take place at the Parish Pastoral Centre on Friday 24th May at 11am A tray of Summer Bedding Plants costs €1.50 Maximum purchase of 5 trays per household
The Holy Rosary Missionaries thank parishioners for the €1,580 which they collected here last weekend.
Saint John Of God Hospital, Public Lectures Series 2013:
Minding the Mind. The fifth lecture in this series will take place at 8pm on Monday, 20th May, in St. John of God Hospital Stillorgan. The title of this lecture is ‘Bullying in Adolescents’. Further details of this series of lectures are on the Parish Notice Boards.
The Society of St. Vincent De Paul is seeking your help with their annual appeal for second hand clothing. The Appeal is for clean, good-quality clothes, bedclothes, curtains, shoes etc. The Society will leave empty collection bags for you to take home this weekend and they will collect your returned filled bags on the weekend of May 25th & 26th. The Society is very conscious of the tremendous support given by the parishioners of this parish for their charitable works over the years. They thank you most sincerely on behalf of those you have helped.
DIOCESAN CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION:
The Annual Eucharistic Procession led by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will take place in the grounds of Clonliffe College at 7.30pm on Thursday May 30th. There is ample parking in Clonliffe for those who wish to attend this Diocesan event as we celebrate the richness of Congress 2012 and our commitment to live that theme every day.
Foxrock Parish Annual Solemn Novena In honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour -will take place Monday 20th May – Tuesday 28th May Three sessions daily: 10.00am Mass and Novena Prayers 7.00 pm, Mass and Novena Prayers 9.00 pm Quiet Prayer, Adoration of Blessed Sacrament, Benediction and Novena Prayers.
Third Ballinteer International Male Voice Choir Festival Gala Concert will take place on Saturday 25th May 2013 at 8.00pm in St. John the Evangelist Church, Ballinteer. It will include 4 Choirs, from Italy, France, Baldonnell and Ballinteer. Tickets, price €15 are available from the parish office and Deacon Noel Ryan (a member of the choir), the repository at the front of the Church and the Maxol on Ballinteer Avenue. For further information log onto www.bmvc.ie or see posters on our Parish Notice Boards.
What really Matters? Focolare are having a Summer Gathering for all ages in Dungarvan from the 1st to the 6th of July. This is a gathering where people of all ages, background and faiths meet to take time out together. It’s like a retreat but different because it is lived together with each day having talks, workshops, outings, fun and moments of reflection and discussion. Accommodation is in the Gold Coast Hotel (choice of lodges, hotel and camp site accommodation available). A reduced basic option is available for young adults over 18 years of age. Programmes for adults, teenagers and children will take place in St. Augustine’s College. For more information call the Milltown Focolare Centre at 2698081 or look at their website on www.focolare.org
IRISH CHURCH MUSIC ASSOCIATION; SUMMER SCHOOL 2013:
The 44th Annual Summer School of this association will take place in St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth from Monday
