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Parish of the Assumption Area Code: 057 Tel: 93 21587 - 93 22415 Fax: 93 51510 23rd July 2017 ~ 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Fr. Joseph Gallaghar P.P MASS TIMES Weekend Masses Church of the Assumption: Saturday (Vigil) 6.30pm Sunday 8.30am, 10.00am, 11.30am & 1.00pm St Colmcille’s Church Durrow: Sunday 11.30am Holy Days Church of the Assumption: 7.45am, 10.00am, 1.10pm, 6.30pm. St Colmcille’s Church Durrow: Vigil 8.00pm Weekday Masses Monday-Friday 7.45am & 10.00am Saturday 10.00am First Friday 7.45am & 10.00am CONFESSIONS Saturday: 12 noon-1.00pm, 3.00-4.00pm GET IN TOUCH St Mary’s Parish Centre, Benburb St, Tullamore Phone: 0579321587 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web: www.tullamoreparish.ie Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 9.30am-1pm; 1.30-5pm to book weddings, baptisms, certs, etc; Reception service 5-9pm. Priest available for emergencies 24 hours daily. Parish Shop selling a selection of religious items. Teas after 10am Mass Mon, Wed & Fri. Meeting Rooms available: Contact Administrator for details of rates, availability etc. Parish Support Services: Bereavement Listening, etc. For appointment, ph 0579326604, Monday-Thursday 9.30am-1.00pm; Wednesday & Thursday 6.00-8.00pm. SAINTS AND SINNERS In the Gospel today Christ compares the church to a field where wheat and weeds grow side by side until the harvest time. Only then are the good separated from the wicked. In the world around us, good and bad people mix like the wheat and weeds growing together. Why does God allow evil to flourish? Every human heart contains a mixture of good and evil. There are no clear cut lines between saints and sinners. The church is not an exclusive community of the good. It is here because we are sinners looking for salvation. The Gospel shows us that God cares for everybody, especially for those whose lives are choked by sin. The Pharisees were highly critical of Jesus choosing the company of such people. By wanting to right the wrongs, we can easily forget that it is God’s world. It is not our business to judge other people. The emphasis in this Gospel is on the patience and tolerance shown by God. We all share this patience of God by forgiving the faults of others. Many of us find this challenging. It is easy to categorise people. This does not mean cultivating an attitude of indifference towards evil. We must hate sin and never stop loving the sinner. Judging others before God does is a very foolish business. We are weak in many things and have enough to contend with in the bad patches of our own lives, where wild weeds are growing. The good news is that, it is never too late for a sinner to turn back to God and be accepted. Weeds can never become wheat, but by the power of God, a sinner can become a saint. Let us be thankful that on the last day, we shall all be judged and not by one another. 19TH TULLAMORE INTERNATIONAL SUMMER ORGAN SERIES 2017 The 19th International Summer Organ Series presents in Church of The Assumption, Tullamore, Tuesday 25th July, 8.00pm. This week, “An Alpine Evocation”, features Klaus Kuchling, Organ, (Klagenfurt, Austria). Tickets available at the door. PARISH CEMETERY DAYS Clonminch will be on Sunday 20th August at 1.00pm. Durrow will be on Sunday 10th Sept. Blessing of graves will follow 11.30am Mass. CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ADMISSIONS POLICIES No Catholic school wishes to refuse any child. It would be contrary to their ethos to do so. Where there are sufficient spaces available, and a school has not reached capacity, it has always been the Diocesan Policy and a D.E.S. requirement that ALL applicants, regardless of religious affiliation or ethnic background should be admitted. Our Catholic Parish schools are exemplars of inclusive education. In fact, 94% of Catholic Schools enrol EVERY pupil that applies for a place. There are less than a hundred over-subscribed Catholic schools in country (out of 3800 schools). In Dublin, where the problem is most acute, there are 42 oversubscribed schools and of these 42 schools only 17 schools have been in the regrettable position of refusing enrolment on grounds of religious affiliation. Even in those 17 schools non-baptised applicants have been prioritised ahead of the Catholic applicants (where they have an older sibling already enrolled). Where schools of this Diocese experience over-crowding or ‘over-subscription’, it is recommended practice that: 1. The younger siblings of existing pupils receive first priority; 2. Thereafter all those resident within the parish boundary or school catchment area are prioritized; 3. Those applicants who are resident outside the parish boundary/catchment area; 4. In no circumstances may schools enrol applicants who live outside the parish boundary/school catchment area while refusing a school place to any applicant from within the boundary (regardless of religious affiliation). The Minister for Education is blaming Catholic Primary Schools for a problem caused by a lack of Government investment in school places in a small number of locations primarily in Dublin. Rather than criticising Catholic Schools the Minister should be committing additional resources to supply more school places where they are needed. In Ireland, there are 23,000 dedicated members of BOM of local schools, serving their local community in a selfless and voluntary capacity. Many such board members in our parish schools regret and reject the implicit impression given by Minister Richard Bruton in his recent contribution to a recent meeting of the Oireachtas Education Committee which would seem to infer that the Chairpersons and BOM of Catholic Primary Schools are less committed to equality of access and require more regulation and oversight than the Board members in the other denominational and patronage sectors, a suggestion which is, undoubtedly, offensive to the many committed local members of our local parish schools. The issue of over-subscription has been grossly exaggerated in certain sectors and the evidence would suggest that, where over- subscription occurs, BOM deeply regret that they do not have the capacity to enrol all applicants but nonetheless strive, at all times, to process applications in an efficient, transparent and professional manner. The Minister’s proposals seem disproportionate and suggest an innate distrust or lack of confidence in Principals and committed board members at local level. Furthermore the proposals seem entirely contrary to the principle of subsidiarity. Schools which are over-subscribed will always have to prioritise pupils when they cannot accommodate all applicants. The Minister's proposals, may impact on how schools manage over-subscription and prioritise applicants but the schools will still be in the most unenviable position of refusing enrolment to some applicants. The minister’s proposals will not address the shortfall in school places in certain areas. SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM The next available Baptism dates are Sat 26th Aug & Sun 03rd Sept in Tullamore. The pre-baptism meeting for these dates is on Wednesday 16th Aug. To book in for the meeting and baptisms, contact the Parish Secretary, at the Parish Office, Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5pm. NO BAPTISMS IN DURROW SUN 10TH AUG. SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE It is advisable to give six months’ notice of your intention to marry to both the Church and the Registrar. To book the Church for weddings, contact the Parish Secretary, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-5.00pm. All couples getting married must attend a pre-marriage course. Contact ACCORD, 9341831 or www.accord.ie. ACCORD also available for marriage and relationship counseling. NB: NOTICES FOR THE BULLETIN MUST BE IN THE PARISH CENTRE BY 9.30AM WEDNESDAY. Only notices from parish groups, non-profit making organisations & clubs included. MASS INTENTIONS Mon 24 7.45 Joe, Brigid, Jane & Harry Higgins, Chapel St 10.00 Dan & Joan Hurley Tues 25 10.00 Willie Duffy, Healy St Wed 26 10.00 Frankie Donoghue, Mark, Stephen, Mckenzie, Michael & Mary Rattigan Thurs 27 10.00 Bridget Tyrell Fri 28 10.00 Seamus McDonagh Sat 29 10.00 Anne Fahy 6.30 Maisie Toner, Mon Mem Sun 30 8.30 Philomena Flynn 10.00 Esther Galvin 11.30 Francie Hill, Mon Mem 1.00 Nora Armitage, 1st Ann DEATHS We offer our sympathy to the family of Maidie Leavy & Bridie Kilroy nee Wrafter. BAPTISMS Welcome to God’s family Charlie Gerard Smyth, Oliver Brol, Billy Phoenix Cutler, Nia Skyler Bugyte, Laurence Joseph Malone & Sadie May Clooney who were baptised recently. PARISH COLLECTIONS Tullamore €3367; Durrow €151 Envelopes €2375 Thank you for your continued support PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR FIONA PENDER, OUR PARISHIONER WHO HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE 22ND AUGUST, 1996. COMMUNITY NOTICES PERPETUAL EUCHARISTIC ADORATION HOSPITAL CHAPEL: Can you sit one hour with the Lord, most urgent, Mon 8-9am or any hour? Ph: 085-1162668. READY: Dinner & Dance in Town House, Sun 23, 7.30pm. To book contact: 9341235. IRISH WHEELCHAIR ASSOCIATION/BALLINAGAR/ TULLAMORE: Volunteer Recruitment Day, Friday 28, 1-4pm. Bridge Centre, Tullamore. TULLAMORE GARDEN CLUB: The last outing of the season is on the 26th of July to Kylemore Abbey Connemara. Bus leaves O'Connor Square at 9 a.m. sharp. Contact Eileen at 0871375125 or 0579352312 for more info. OXFAM TULLAMORE: currently looking for volunteers Mon (Afternoon), Tue, Wed (Afternoon) and Friday. No experience is needed as full training will be given. For more info & to apply please contact Susanne on 0579322801, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call into our shop in person. EXPERIENCE GENTLE DANCE/MOVEMENT FOR MEDITATION & WELLBEING: Thurs 27, 7.15-8.45pm, Parish Centre. Donation of €5 towards Parish Funds. BOLANDS LOCKHOUSE: Open to the public until Aug 31st. 12-4pm or by appointment. Contact Mick: 0861946991. FAMILY CARERS IRELAND: Martin Bracken, Killmucklin invites you for tea & chat to celebrate his carer of the year award & as a fundraiser, Sun 30, 3-6pm. All support most appreciated. TULLAMORE LIBRARY: Be a Summer Star, join the reading adventure over summer with lots of goodies along the way. Creative Writing Workshop with Pauline McNamee for 8-10yrs, Aug 8-10th, 10-1pm. Enquiries at library for more info. YOUTH 2000 FESTIVAL: For people aged 16-35, an opportunity to experience the Catholic faith, Festival is donation only, free busses. Cistercian College, St. Joseph Abbey, Co. Tipperary. Book online www.youth2000.ie or Ph: 016753690. DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES: Led by Bishop Smith, Sept 12-17th, Hospital pilgrim section, contact A. Boland 087-7914828, as soon as possible. |
18 April 2024
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