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Parish of the Assumption Area Code: 057 Tel: 93 21587 - 93 22415 Fax: 93 51510 4th Sunday of Easter ~ 3rd May 2020 Fr. Joseph Gallaghar P.P MASS TIMES WEEKEND MASSES Church of the Assumption: Saturday (Vigil) 6.30pm Sunday 8.30am, 10.00am, 11.30am & 1.00p.m WEEKDAY MASSES Monday-Friday 7.45am & 10.00am Saturday 10.00am First Friday 7.45am & 10.00am 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; Priest available for emergencies 24 hours daily. Parish Support Services: Bereavement Listening, etc. For appointment, ph 0579326604, Monday-Thursday 9.30am-1.00pm; Wednesday & Thursday 6.00-8.00pm. SEEING YOUR LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE GOSPEL In the Middle East, it was the task of the shepherd to find water and pasture and to ensure safety. In your life, who have been the people who nourished you and gave you security? For whom have you done this? How has Jesus been a good shepherd for you? Important to the shepherd’s ability to give security to the sheep is the fact that he was known and familiar to them. They recognised his voice. Does this resonate in any way with your experience? We are familiar with the image of Jesus as the shepherd. The imag eof Jesus as the door (or gate) is not so familiar, but is one that merits attention. Jesus presents himself as the door through which we pass and find life. What are the doors through which you have passed and found life: a situation, a place, a book, an experience, a person? For whom have you been a door to a richer life? - John Byrne OSA, Intercom May 2020 DEATHS We offer our sympathy to the families of Leigh Shortall, Tommy Healion & Olivia Brennan MASS INTENTIONS Mon 4 10.00 Frances McCormack Thurs 7 10.00 Kathleen Dunne, O’Molloy St Fri 8 10.00 Ann Marie Devlin & Michael Hurley Sun 10 8.30 Michael & Kathleen Clooney grandson Mark 10.00 Maureen Bracken, 23 CaraigCluain 11.30 Kathleen Brophy nee Lambe, 1st Ann Dr Glynn & Ursula Coe, 1st Ann 1.00 baby Michael James Sweeney, Mon Mem Martin McDonagh, Mon Mem Shared Mass Sat 9, 10.00am: Alice Murphy; McMahon &Mannion Families, Jimmy & Kathleen Lynch & daughter Sandra, Paddy Mannion& John Cunningham, Matthew & Rita Flanagan; Willie Carroll; James Bracken & Family; Jack, Isabella & Sean Drumm; Marcella McNamara & McHale & McNamara Families; Kathleen & Michael Keane; Ursula Hacker; Tom Kearney; Michael Connolly, Conor Ward; Elizabeth & John McArdle; Frank Cunningham &Fr Michael Conroy; Nellie Scully; Kenneth Keegan & his sister Claire & Pa, Jim, Pat & Mary Molloy; Mary Healy; Kathleen & Paddy Morgan; Christina & Frank O’Brien; Tom &Phyl Gilson; Tim Smollen; Sean Larkin; John & Annie Connolly; Jimmy Dooner; Margaret, William, Sean & Liam O’Reilly & Maeve Shiels. BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY: There will be no 7:45 a.m. Mass streamed on our webpage on Bank Holiday Monday, 4th. May. PARISH COLLECTIONS Envelopes €2133 You can donate to the parish in a number of ways:- 1) Parish Envelopes, Cash or cheque donations can be left into the Parish Centre or Parochial House. 2) Credit card donations can be made by phoning the parish office at 057-9321587 4) Credit Transfer to Tullamore Parish Account. Bank of Ireland, Tullamore, Co. Offaly IBAN – IE34 BOFI 9019 0987 1557 41 BIC – BOFIIE2D Please include your email or postal address so that we can acknowledge your donation. Thank you most sincerely for your continued support. VOCATIONS SUNDAY - GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY This Sunday, 3 May, is Vocations or Good Shepherd Sunday, the dedicated annual day for Catholics around the world to offer special prayers to encourage vocations from families and parishes to the priesthood and to religious life. On Sunday RTÉ One television will broadcast Mass for vocations at 11.00 am and it will be celebrated by Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan and concelebrated by Father Willie Purcell. Men and women are called, in every age, including ours, to give their lives in His name as priests and religious. Responding to this call demands commitment and trust along with the support and prayers of many along the journey. Some Frequently Asked Questions How do I know I have a vocation to the priesthood? You may have enjoyed serving Mass as a young person, or perhaps you admired the dedication of a priest you knew; you may feel you would like to give your life to God more fully or in serving others; or again some respected person may have challenged you to think of priesthood – any such experiences can set you thinking about becoming a priest. However, as Pope Francis says ‘Vocations are born in prayer and from prayer and only in prayer can they persevere and bear fruit‘.To hear God’s call in the heart one needs to spend time in silent prayer. A suitable prayer is that of St. Paul ‘Lord, what doyou want me to do?’ Prayerful reading of how God called various people in Scripture can be helpful e.g. the call of the apostles Luke 5: 1-11. A deep inner peace at the thought of priesthood (even if you have concerns at a surface level) is a positive indication as is the continual return of thoughts of priesthood in prayer. Every vocation is a unique story. A vocation to priesthood will need to be discerned finally with the help of a vocations director. I think I might have a vocation to the priesthood in the Diocese of Meath. What do I do? Talk to someone. Talk to a priest you know, your own parish clergy, chaplain in school or any priest with whom you can identify. You can also make contact with the vocations directors in the Diocese of Meath. Just because you talk does not mean you commit. You can be assured of a kind ear and good advice. What is the procedure for entering seminary? One does not just knock of the door of a seminary and begin training for the priesthood. It takes time from your initial contact to beginning studies. You should expect a time frame of anything up to two years of ‘accompaniment’ with thevocations director of the diocese. If things progress an applicant is required to do a pre-seminary assessment. At this point the Bishop will hold an interview and make the decision on acceptance.All candidates do what is called a ‘propaedeutic’ course; a six month or twelve month time of preparation in a seminary environment in order to get ready for seminary life. Seminary follows the academic cycle, so the beginning of the year is late August or September, depending on the seminary. I have pursued a career and worked since leaving school. Can an older man study for the priesthood? Many men in our diocese have followed the call to priesthood later in life. There is in fact an array of previous professions among the clergy; solicitors, painters, nurses, bus drivers, horticulturalists and retailers to name a few! Every application is taken on its own merits. Could God really be calling me? I am your average Catholic, middle of the road, not exceptionally holy, could I be called to the priesthood? Yes of course! God calls regular men from the family of the Church. We are all called to holiness. We are all a work in progress. Is the study part of the formation hard? The basic entry requirement is the Leaving Cert. Seminary studies are tailored to suit all levels of academic skill. Priestly training takes anything between five and seven years – sometimes more – depending on the candidate’s age and courseshe followed. Every assistance is given to students to help them in their studies. If this is a concern make sure to mention it tothe vocations director. The idea of public speaking seems very challenging to me. Could I still be a priest? This can be an understandable concern for someone who may consider himself shy. It can be a daunting prospect. However, bear in mind formation and training for the priesthood is comprehensive. By the end of a seminary journey you will be well equipped, with the grace of God, to stand up and proclaim Jesus is Lord! The Next Step Being a priest is challenging; there is no escaping that fact. Challenges, however, have never stopped the spread of the Gospel. If the idea of serving God as a priest is attractive to you, take the next step and find out a bit more. A candidate for the priesthood in the Diocese of Meath needs to be an unmarried, baptised man, over the age of 18. He needs to have good physical and psychological health, free from major commitments. Contact the Vocations Team For more information, contact:Fr Shane Crombie ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) in Navan parish, or Fr Joe Campbell ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) in Mullingar parish or a priest in your own parish. ACCORD COVID-19 COUPLES & RELATIONSHIPS SUPPORT LINE: If you need to speak to anexperienced couples & relationships counsellor during this time ofunprecedented stress and pressure on family life... Contact:01 5313331, 9.00 am - 8.00 pm, Monday to Friday
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26 April 2024
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