Parish News…
Offertory Promise collection amounted to £2784.00 Many thanks for your continued support
THE PARISH OFFICE Is now closed and will reopen again on Tuesday 3rd January 2017.
PARISH HALL Is now closed for the Christmas period and will reopen on Tuesday 3rd January 2017
PARISH BULLETIN There will be no Parish Bulletin over the Christmas period. It will resume again on the weekend of the 7/8th January 2017
ST AGNES CHRISTMAS CARD St Agnes’ Christmas card with all Christmas arrangements is now available. You are invited to take one home, drop one into friends and neighbours who are housebound and perhaps send one to family and friends who are away from home.
8OTH BIRTHDAY Pope Francis was 80 on Saturday 17th December. Birthday Greetings can be e-mailed on PopeFrancis80@vatican.va
Baptised in Christ. We welcome: Michael Patrick Edwards, Ronan Henry Pinto, Saoirse Roisin Thomas, Francie Anthony Davey Gavin, James Patrick Martin.
Remember in Prayer…
Recently Deceased: Monsignor Colm McCaughan, Jimmy Hughes, Hannah Ward Gavin, Thomas Alan Mc Cartney
Those whose anniversaries occur at this time: Cornelius Small, Maryann Small, Mary Small, Grace Kemp, Sean & Loretta O’Neill, Sr Margaret Mc Keown, Eamonn Friel, Bernie Mc Auley, Colin Canning, John Mc Gourty, Charlie Corr, Paul Williams, Isabella & Patrick Higgins & family, Alfie Love, Helen & Gerry Smyth, Tom Harte, Ellen Melley, Harry Flynn, Margaret Mallon, Phillip O’Hara, Kathleen, Eddie, & Eamonn Armstrong, Maureen Prentice, Larry & Rose Mc Cahey & children P.J, Peter, Josie, John & Anna.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord!
What’s on Locally…
THE LIVE CHRISTMAS CRIB IN BELFAST – The Live Crib in Belfast is now open in the Grotto of St Mary’s Church featuring Joseph, Mary, and the shepherds and the baby Jesus and three Kings. Also featuring, Henry and Poppy, the donkeys, goats, Emily, Buttercup, Daisy, Molly and Milly, sheep Sean and Larry and Alpacas Snowy and Bambi. The crib will run until 7th January 2017, animals arrive at 10.30am and go home at 5pm each day. Entrance is free. Donations (100%) to the crib will go towards Tuesday’s Child Following Yonder Star Christmas Appeal for children in Gaza, Syria (Aleppo) and Kenya. There will be prayers each day at the crib at 3pm for peace for every child born and unborn. For further details text 07545452362.
St Dominic’s Open Day – Saturday 14th January 2017
9.30AM – 1.00PM
Principal’s Address– 9.30am and 11am
Primary 6 and 7 pupils are welcome.
DE LA SALLE COLLEGE OPEN NIGHT Primary 6/7 pupils and their parents are invited to attend on Tuesday 17th Jan 2017 at 7pm-9pm. Address by Principal at 7pm.
ST GENEVIEVE’S OPEN NIGHT Tuesday 10th January. Address by Principal at 7pm.
HOLY CHILD NURSERY SCHOOL Monday 9th January 2pm-3pm. Application forms available. All welcome
CHRISTMAS DAY
If you were to put together a guest list for the birth of the Messiah 2000 years ago one might expect political leaders like Caesar Augustus and religious leaders such as the chief priests and the Pharisees to be included. Yet for Luke, the shepherds are some of the first to welcome Jesus into this world and are the first ‘preachers’ of the Good News. Many would find it completely shocking that Shepherds would be included. It was a disreputable trade and shepherds were considered ‘unclean’ because of their profession. At first they were terrified, but the angels reassured them: ‘do not be afraid’. The response of the shepherds was immediate: ‘let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing which has taken place’. The poor, the marginalised, the outcast will be the first to experience the abundance of God’s hospitality through Jesus and the shepherds come in their name. We are told that people were amazed by the shepherds and their words. Their journey didn’t end in Bethlehem, for them it was perhaps only the beginning as they returned ‘glorifying and praising God’. We are invited to Bethlehem today, to open up our hearts to the one who has come to bring hope and joy. And we return, like the shepherds, ‘glorifying and praising God for all they have seen and heard’. We must allow that love to penetrate our hearts and celebrate with our family and friends the joy that lives amongst us. And when we have finished celebrating we remember that the real work of Christmas begins once again.Veritas intercom
Fr Thomas and staff wish you and your family Christmas Joy and Peace and a very Happy New Year
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