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Parish of the Assumption
Area Code: 057 Tel: 93 21587 - 93 22415 Fax: 93 51510
www.tullamoreparish.ie
E-mail Parish Secretary:
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Second Sunday of Christmas
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3rd January 2021
Fr. Joseph Gallaghar P.P
Rt Rev Sean Heaney CC VG
Fr Kevin Fleming SSC
Fr. Luke Ohiemi C.C.
Fr. Fergal Cummins C.C.
Sr. Genny Hassey
Sr. Margaret Burke
GET IN TOUCH
St Mary’s Parish Centre, Benburb St, Tullamore
Phone: 0579321587
Email:
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Web: www.tullamoreparish.ie
Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm; Sat 2.00pm to 4.00pm to book Holy Mass tickets, 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.
WEEKEND MASSES
Church of the Assumption: (Vigil) 6.00pm
Sunday 9.00am, 11.00am & 1.00pm
Durrow: Sunday 11.30am
WEEKDAY MASSES
Monday-Friday 7.45am & 10.00am
Saturday 10.00am
First Friday 7.45am & 10.00am
All Masses both in Tullamore and Durrow can be viewed on the webcam. Go to www.tullamoreparish.ie
GET IN TOUCH
St Mary’s Parish Centre, Benburb St, Tullamore, open Monday-Friday 9.30am-5.00pm. Phone: 0579321587
Email:
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Web: www.tullamoreparish.ie
THE DEEP END – TAKING ROOT
We talk about having ‘roots’ as a way of describing our connection to a place or people. Being rooted somewhere means we are part of that place. When we are ready to settle down, to become part of a community, maybe to buy a house or start a family, we talk about ‘putting down roots’. It means we are making this place our home. It is a rich metaphor from the plant world. The roots of a tree or plant represent its relationship with the soil it is planted in and the elements around it. The deeper the roots, the more connected a plant is to its environment. It becomes part of the place where it’s planted. We use this expression in everyday language too – when an idea ‘takes root’ in us, it is something that becomes a part of us, inseparable from our very selves.
Today’s first reading speaks of the wisdom of God ‘taking root in a privileged people’. It describes it another way as ‘pitching a tent’. These images offer us a way into understanding the complex language of today’s gospel, which talks about God’s relationship with us by sending Jesus: ‘The Word was made flesh, he lived among us’.
By becoming human, God put down roots not just in our physical world, but in humanity itself. God pitched a tent among us and became one of us. It is a connection that cannot be broken – the roots go too deep. We are in God, and God is in us. This is the mystery we celebrate in this season of Christmas – that in Jesus, God became part of the very world that God created, and part of us: ‘He was in the world that had its being through him.’ We are indeed a privileged people!
‘Christ asks for a home in your soul, where he can be at rest with you, where he can talk easily to you, where you and he, alone together, can laugh and be silent and be delighted with one another.’ Caryll Houselander
Triona Doherty, Intercom Jan 2021
SEEING YOUR LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE GOSPEL John 1:1-18
John opens his Gospel with a profound reflection on the meaning of creation, of life and of Jesus. Remember when you had a special awareness of the gift of life that filled you with gratitude to God for creation, and the beauty and wonder of the world: ‘All things came into being through him and without him not one thing came into being.’
We often listen to a reading from the gospels. Sometimes it goes in one ear and out the other. Then there are occasions when it made us feel more alive, times when it helped us see the way ahead, like a light that shines in the darkness. Recall when the gospel gave you hope in the midst of anxiety or sadness and helped you to see what action would be most life giving for you and for others
Bring to mind people who have had a prophetic voice in the world – speaking the truth for the world to hear, like as a witness to testify to the light. Some of these may have been public figures. Others were ordinary people who have helped you see the ‘light’ by the witness of their own lives and words.
‘No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son of God, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him know.’ Jesus came to us to teach us about God and put a human face on God for us. For the people of his day, and for us, that was a mission of getting us to think again about how we see God, and to believe in a God who is a God of love. Who, or what, has helped you along this journey?
John Byrne osa, Intercom Jan 21
FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY
Wednesday 6th is the Feast of the Epiphany. Mass times are as follows: Vigil 6.00pm, 7.45am, 10.00am, 1.10pm.
MESSAGE FOR THIS NEW YEAR
Last year, 2020 is a year that will be etched on our minds forever. It has been a very difficult year for everyone. Nobody could have believed that our world would be turned upside down so easily and it has really tested our faith. In times of crisis we can rediscover the strength of faith. We have been asked to travel along an unknown road. We are not in charge of the journey and we do not know what the “new normal” will be like.
During the past year we have prayed as we have never prayed before. We have prayed for ourselves, for our families, for those who are away. We have prayed for our frontline workers who have bravely worked to save lives. We have prayed for our researchers and scientists that they will be inspired to learn about the working of this virus and come up with medicines that will keep us healthy. We have prayed for our workers who have been unable to work and for businesses who are struggling. We have prayed for our nursing home residents and for their families who have endured a terrible separation from people that we love dearly. We have prayed for our dead. We have lived with the pain of not being able to go to funerals and grieve our dead and support their families.
And now it is the season of Christmas and we begin a new year. It is a light in a very dark time of year and we look forward in hope. This is the time when Christ comes to us as our saviour. This is the time when Christ takes us by the hand the leads and guides us on this mysterious journey. It is very difficult for us to put our hand into the hand of another and say, I trust you, and that is the very essence and the reality of faith. This is not a dream, this is the promise of Christ to us. This is what makes us strong. We can look beyond ourselves to a better future. This is Christmas - Christ the saviour is born!
On behalf on everyone on the parish team I want to thank you, our parishioners for your prayers and support during the past testing year. We have rallied together as community and as parish and we have grown together. May the hope and strength of Christ be with you in this New Year.
Fr. Joe.
SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE
To book the Church for weddings, contact the Parish Secretary.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
EUCHARISTIC ADORERS: Thank you all for "keeping watch" for the holy hour of Eucharistic Adoration, during past difficult years! We wish you a holy & blessed Christmas Season & a healthy & happy 2021. From the Adoration committee.
MABS: Helpline 0761 07 2000 Mon to Fri 9am - 8pm.
ALONE: COVID support line for older people. Ph 0818 222 024, 8am-8pm daily.
AA: Offaly House, Offaly St, Mon, Wed, Thur, Sat & Sun 8.15pm, Tues, Wed, Fri & Sun, 1pm.
TULLAMORE RAPE CRISIS CENTRE: Ph 0579322500; Freephone 1800323232;
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website www.tullamorerapecrisis.ie. Opening times Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR FIONA PENDER, OUR PARISHONER WHO HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE 22nd AUGUST 1996
MASS INTENTIONS
Mon 4 10.00 William & Brigid Grennan; Jimmy & Liam Wyer
Tues 5 10.00 Vincent Wynter; Paddy Egan
Wed 6 7.45 Our Lady’s Mass
10.00 Chris Cuskelly
Thurs 7 7.45 Ned & Eileen Grennan, Loughaun
Sat 9 10.00 Margaret ‘Peggy’ McDonagh
6.00 Kathleen Westman, 1st Ann
Sun 10 9.00 Kathleen, James & Joseph Kelly, O’Molloy St; Marcella Egan, 21a Marian Place
1.00 Elizabeth Hornby, nee Heffernan, 1st Ann |
