{"id":4240,"date":"2022-04-29T08:55:16","date_gmt":"2022-04-29T08:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/?p=4240"},"modified":"2022-04-29T10:26:51","modified_gmt":"2022-04-29T10:26:51","slug":"st-agnes-parish-bulletin-1st-may-2022-3rd-sunday-of-easter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/?p=4240","title":{"rendered":"ST AGNES PARISH BULLETIN 1ST MAY 2022..3RD SUNDAY OF EASTER"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Weekly Offertory Promise <\/span><\/strong>amounted to<\/strong><\/span> \u00a31,235.00<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trocaire to Date<\/span> \u00a310,162<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine \u00a312,600 <\/span>and an additional donation of \u00a345. Thank you.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for your generous financial support. You can make your envelope contribution via the donate button on the Parish website home page as well.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tr\u00f3caire Boxes <\/span><\/strong>Please return your Tr\u00f3caire boxes to the church at Mass times or to the parish office  or Sacristy at the opening hours. Thank you.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Holy Communion<\/span> <\/strong>will be on  Friday 20th May 2022 at 10.30am and 12.30pm.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

RECORDINGS<\/strong><\/span> <\/span>Please note, all funerals and Masses are recorded. Please tell us if you do not want your loved one\u2019s funeral recorded.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obligation to attend Sunday\/Holyday Mass<\/span> <\/strong>With the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, it is encouraging to see a return to a fuller liturgical life in our parishes. Thankful that we can once again gather as communities of faith, the Irish Bishops have announced that attending Mass on Sunday and Holydays of Obligation will from Easter Sunday (17th April 2022) once again be deemed an essential expression of faith. As always, those whose health is vulnerable or who are unwell will not be under any obligation to attend Mass.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>N.B CONFESSIONS<\/strong><\/span>:<\/strong> Will resume 12-1pm From Sat 30th April 2022<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THANKS <\/span><\/strong>Sincere thanks to all who contributed so generously to the recent Special Collection for Ukraine. Nationally, this collection has raised to date over \u20ac3.25 million. The war in Ukraine, and the terrible suffering which has resulted, has seen a tremendous outpouring of compassion and generosity from our parish communities. Your contributions will bring much-needed relief to those in the region whose lives and livelihoods have been devastated. The funds raised will be used by the international Catholic Church agency, Caritas Internationalis, which is currently operating on the ground in Ukraine and its surrounding areas.  We continue to keep the people of Ukraine in our thoughts, praying for peace and an end to this appalling humanitarian crisis.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

CEMETERY SUNDAYS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milltown- 8th May at 3pm<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

City Cemetery-15th May at 3pm<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannahstown \u201329th May at 3pm<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tullyrusk Cemetery\u2013 5th June at 1.30pm<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

St Peter\u2019s Church The Rock\u2013 5th June at 3pm<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MASS INTENTIONS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SAT:<\/span> <\/strong>Vigil 6.30pm: Pauline Watters<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SUN<\/span><\/strong>: <\/strong><\/span>9.30am: Sadie Dowling, Marie  O\u2019 Hara,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

12.30pm:Tom Savage,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MON:<\/span><\/strong>10.00am: Gerry & Gerard Maguire<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TUE: <\/span><\/strong>NO MASS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WED<\/span><\/strong>:10.00am:Priest’s intention<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THU<\/span><\/strong>: 10.00am:Priest’s intention<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

FRI<\/span><\/strong>: 10.00am: William & Margaret<\/strong><\/span> Burgoyne & family<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SAT:<\/span> <\/strong>1pm: Mai Lacey ( 101 Birthday)<\/strong><\/span> CONGRATULATIONS TO MAI!!!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NB: In the event of a funeral, the assigned intention will be offered privately by the priest at his first available mass.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently Deceased<\/span><\/strong>: Paul Eastwood, Kathleen  O\u2019 Reilly ( Manchester)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those whose anniversaries occur at this time:<\/span> <\/strong>Jean Mc Cartney, Nora Maguire, Gerry & Sadie O\u2019Neill, Martha Devine, Edwin & Martha Leddy, Lily Mc Burney, Philomena Armstrong, Ann Britton, Margaret Barr, Tommy Devlin, May Hickland & Daughter Mary, Charlie Montgomery, Frank Trainor, Francis O\u2019 Rourke, Gerry & Gerard Maguire<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

May they rest in peace<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tr\u00f3caire<\/strong><\/em><\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/em>will be hosting a special Spring Gala Concert at Clonard Monastery, Belfast at 7.30pm on Friday 20th<\/sup> May, with performances from Margaret Keys, The Priests and St Dominic\u2019s Girls\u2019 School Choir. Tickets are free of charge but donations will be gratefully received on the night of the concert with all donations matched by the UK government in support of the 2022 Lent Appeal. To reserve tickets, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk<\/a> and search \u2018Clonard Concert Belfast\u2019, email infoni@trocaire.org<\/a> or call 028 9080 8030.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LOUGH DERG RE-OPENS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lough Derg welcomes Pilgrims again with a full Pilgrimage programme this summer<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three Day Pilgrimage: 1st June – 15th August. Booking advised. Concessions available for students, seniors and groups.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One Day Retreats and guided Pilgrim Path experience: dates in May and late August through September. Booking essential.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

email info@loughderg.org <\/a>or telephone 0(0353) 71 9861518.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lough Derg, Pettigo, Co Donegal, F94 N289.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PRESS RELEASE FROM DOWN AND CONNOR<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pastoral reflection by the Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland on the forthcoming NI Assembly Election.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Politics, lived with integrity, and in a true spirit of service to the common good, is a noble vocation. The freedom to vote is a hard won and precious freedom. For Christians it is also part of our call to shape society in accordance with God\u2019s plan for human dignity, freedom and happiness. Make your voices heard. In this short statement, we offer some reflections on the importance of voting in the forthcoming Assembly election in Northern Ireland. We encourage all citizens to make their voices heard. We do so, not as politicians or political commentators, but as pastors, inspired and motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and guided by the principles of Catholic Social teaching, which have the well-being and dignity of every person at their core.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The responsibility of politics is to develop laws and policies that serve, protect and promote human dignity and the common good, in the particular circumstances of the society in which we live. We do not seek to endorse any political party or candidate. The hard work of weighing up who to vote for lies with each individual before God and in the privacy and primacy of their own conscience. We urge people to come out and vote, even though some are expressing a lack of confidence in the ability of politics to deliver meaningful change. Poverty: an afront to our human dignity. For many people here the hope of a new era of equality and prosperity promised by the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement has failed to materialise. Our society continues to face some of the highest levels of social inequality on these islands, including some of the highest levels of child poverty, fuel poverty and dramatically increasing numbers of \u2018working poor\u2019. Poverty – the inability to meet our basic needs, especially those of our children, the elderly and those with disabilities, and to enjoy a reasonable standard of life – is an afront to human dignity. The consistent failure of our local Assembly and successive Westminster Governments to radically and fundamentally change the dynamics of poverty and social inequality in our society is a huge indictment on the priorities chosen by those elected to serve the common good. Notwithstanding welcome improvements in levels of employment in recent years, wage levels here still rank among the lowest on these islands and the gap between the richest and the poorest continues to increase. The constitutional issue, while important, has dominated our local politics to a degree that routinely undermines political stability and prevents the full economic, social and human development of our society. The urgent need to address our unacceptable levels of poverty, social inequality and the deepening crisis over the cost of living ought to be a fundamental issue for a follower of Jesus in the forthcoming election. While the constitutional issue, including resolving problems of implementing<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

the NI Protocol, and preparing for a possible future border poll, have important implications for economics and identity, this cannot continue to supersede the urgent need to address the ever deepening crises of poverty, inadequate access to health services, housing insecurity and the need for a reasonable standard of living in our society. People\u2019s lives and well-being are at risk. This should be a key priority and an urgent concern for all our politicians. Life is precious: equal dignity for all, including the unborn. We say to all voters: make your voice heard. Make your vote count. Speak up clearly and unequivocally for the rights and urgent needs of the most vulnerable in our society. This includes the rights and dignity of unborn children which are being increasingly relegated – culturally, politically and legally – to the realm of the worthless and sub-human. We are very fortunate to live in an age when awareness of the preciousness of all forms of life and of every species on our planet is growing. We are more aware than ever that the intricate and interdependent systems of life on the earth, even in their most microscopic forms, need our constant care, respect and protection. All, that is, except unborn children in the womb! In an inexplicable medical, scientific and cultural contradiction, so many of our local politicians seem willing to disregard the rights of our children in the earliest stages of their development before birth, while at the same time properly and stridently defending the rights of animals, plants, trees and rivers. In a similarly bizarre twist of logic, many who stridently proclaim their commitment to equality for all are, at the same time, quite content to support legislation that would discriminate against children in the womb, even directly targeting those with disabilities, and denying them the very right to be born. We ask all voters to consider seriously the choice before them in this election – of supporting a loving, positive culture of life and care, or of further facilitating a culture that denies the very humanity and right to life of our unborn children, even directly targeting those with disabilities. We believe it is possible to create a respectful and life-supporting environment for every person, at every stage and in every state of our lives. A culture of love and care that embraces all – especially the most vulnerable – offers the greatest hope for humanity and its future. Both mother and child in a crisis pregnancy have a right to a humane and life-affirming outcome for both. Rather than using medically destructive interventions to take away life, it is possible to build a loving and supportive society around every child in the womb, including those diagnosed with a disability. We therefore encourage voters to make their voices heard by telling candidates on the doorsteps that they expect them, if elected, to work for the equal dignity of all, including the protection of all mothers and their unborn children.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A warm welcome to those in need. Christians, and all people of goodwill, should seek to build a civilisation of love and care that promotes the well-being and progress of all. This culture of welcome and care includes an obligation to welcome those who are fleeing violent conflict, persecution, famine or other tragic human situations, including the increasingly irreversible consequences of climate change.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Brexit, ongoing changes to immigration laws and benefits processes are making the situation of migrants here increasingly difficult. Similarly, in contrast to the generous and welcoming response of the European Union, the so-called \u2018Homes for Ukraine\u2019 scheme recently introduced by the Westminster Government is proving too difficult to access and is so far failing to provide an effective response to the urgent needs of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. Yet, the difficulties being experienced by Ukrainian refugees and migrants in general, is receiving little comment or attention from our local politicians. We appeal for urgent cross-border cooperation on the island of Ireland to address the plight of Ukrainian refugees. We ask all those seeking election to the NI Assembly to pledge their support for ending the increasingly hostile policies and processes that are making our society a less welcoming place for migrants. Building a culture of care for each other and for our common home. Welcoming the stranger, protecting and nurturing human life in all its stages, these are fundamental values of the Christian faith. They extend also to our duty of care for<\/strong><\/span> the earth itself – our common home. As Pope Francis once put it, \u201cA Christian who doesn\u2019t safeguard creation, who doesn\u2019t make it flourish, is a Christian who isn\u2019t concerned with God\u2019s work, that work born of God\u2019s love for us.\u201d As he also pointed out, \u2018\u201cThe earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth\u2026 We received this world as an inheritance from past generations, but also as a loan from future generations, to whom we will have to return it!\u201d There is an urgent need to meet the commitments made at the Glasgow COP 26 Conference last November. This includes reviewing immediately our use of fossil fuels and developing more sustainable modes of agricultural, industrial and economic activity. These are important issues to be considered while weighing our Christian conscience in preparation for voting in the forthcoming election. In Ireland, we have the privilege of living in a particularly rich and beautiful natural environment. Ensuring this rich heritage is protected now and for future generations is a fundamental responsibility of every politician in their service of the common good. Respect for religious freedom and for faith in the public square. Those who stand for political office deserve our respect. Their role is often a difficult and challenging one and increasingly undermined by vile and highly personalised attacks, often from anonymous persons. Those in public life are called to model respectful<\/strong><\/span> and constructive debate, and to demonstrate high standards of tolerance, inclusion and respect in public discourse and policy making. Increasingly, those of religious faith and conviction can find themselves marginalised, excluded or treated differently from other groups in society. The idea that politics should be \u2018neutral\u2019 and \u2018does not do religion\u2019 is itself a concept that implicitly denigrates the right to hold and live by one\u2019s religious convictions. Among the ways it manifests itself is in the view that, to be a truly tolerant and inclusive society, we must \u2018liberate\u2019 ourselves from religious institutions, religious identity and religious belief. As leaders in the Catholic faith we see this reflected, for example, in the erroneous<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

charge that Catholic schools are divisive, or are somehow to blame for the violent conflict that pervaded our society. Similarly, it is suggested that a politician, or other public figure, with a religious faith, should never allow that faith to influence their approach to policy and legislation. We encourage politicians and voters to support a truly diverse and tolerant political culture, and to challenge the trend towards a culture that claims to be secular but is in fact intolerant and increasingly hostile to religious faith and its right to offer a respected voice in the public square. Catholic and other faith-based schools contribute actively to reconciliation and the common good. They have the right to be treated equally and with respect. Political stability serves the common good. To address these issues effectively and urgently, our society requires a stable and effective Government. The absence of a functioning Executive has profoundly negative consequences for the most vulnerable in our society. A prolonged absence of the Assembly after the election would serve to destabilise society and disenfranchise many voters. Political stability and a functioning Executive will maximise social cohesion, provide the most fertile ground for economic prosperity and offer the greatest defence against those who would seek to manipulate a failure of politics for alternative means. A functioning and stable Executive and Assembly will provide the most stable space to work through the important issues of reconciliation, legacy and our constitutional future. We remain convinced that human dignity and the common good of our society are best served by a commitment to the stability of our locally devolved institutions. We encourage all citizens to work to restore and help build a better future fo<\/strong><\/span>r all by making<\/strong><\/span> their voices heard in the forthcoming Assembly election.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Weekly Offertory Promise amounted to \u00a31,235.00 Trocaire to Date \u00a310,162 Ukraine \u00a312,600 and an additional donation of \u00a345. Thank you. Thank you for your generous financial support. You can make your envelope contribution via the donate button on the Parish website home page as well. Tr\u00f3caire Boxes Please return your Tr\u00f3caire boxes to the church […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4240"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4240"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4261,"href":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4240\/revisions\/4261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stagnesbelfast.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}