Baptisms are in Tullamore on the 1st Sunday & 3rd Saturday
of the month and in Durrow the 2nd Sunday of the month.
Next pre-Baptism meeting - Wed15 Mar - 8.30pm, Parochial House.
All parents who wish to have their child baptised must attend a meeting.  Contact Parish Secretary for details.

Accord: Interested in training to be a facilitator & work as part of marriage education team?  Ph Michelle 41831 for details.
Friends of Chernobyl Children: Host families wanted, June 28-July 19 approx.  Ph Maura 0872974273/Sheila 0872222875/Mary 22511.
ICA: Meeting Wed 8, 8pm, Care Care.  Committee meeting 7pm.
Convent Prayer Meeting Thurs 8-9pm.  All welcome.
Rosary & Exposition, Mercy Convent, 4-4.30pm Wed.  All welcome
Children of Mary: Meeting Tues 7, 8pm.
Secular Franciscans: Meeting Tues 7, 7pm, Mercy Convent.
Pioneers: Take the pledge for Lent.  Ph Larry 21313.
Ready: Outing to Killeigh, Tues 7.  Bus from Day Care, 8.30pm.  All welcome.
Colaiste Choilm Table Quiz Tues 7, 8pm, Bridge House.  All welcome.
SHS: Enrolment for 1st years for 06/07 now closed.
Womens Group: Talk on art and drugs, Tues 7, 8pm, Parochial House.
Ghana Leper Appeal: Thanks to all who supported recent collection- €2117. €1297 received from TCTC.  A/C available for donations in Credit Union.
Scoil Eoin Phoil II 25th Anniversary: Live music & disco Thurs 16, Court Hotel.  Tickets from Mark 086-3888091/ Paddy 087-3551935 or from the school.
GAA Minor Board: Committee meeting Mon 6, GAA Centre, 7.30pm.
TARA holiday to Lisdoonvarna, 24-29 April.  Ph 23978 for details & booking.
Drama: Award winning play ‘Catalpa', Thurs 9, 8.30pm, Court Hotel.
Lost: Amethyst locket.  Finder contact Parochial House.

EVENING MASSES FOR LENT Monday-Friday 6.15pm, Tullamore; Fridays 8.00pm Durrow.

EVENING PRAYER FOR LENT today, Sunday 5, 5.30pm, Church of the Assumption.  Next Sunday, 12th, evening prayer will be especially prepared by young people for young people.

LENTEN STATIONS OF THE CROSS Mon-Sat 9.40am.

BALLINAMERE STUDENTS & PARENTS PREPARATION FOR CONFIRMATION, Tuesday 7, Day Chapel 8.00pm.  (Hospitality Team 4 - Maureen, Marie, Veronica)

BAPTISM TEAM Meeting Monday 6th at 7.30pm, Day Chapel.

WEEKLY ENVELOPES: As the envelope boxes are left open during the week, please only place your envelopes in them during Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses.

LOOP SYSTEM now back in operation.

POLISH MASS on Sunday 19th March at 2.30pm, Church of the Assumption.

TROCAIRE: This year, Trocaire is focusing on the plight of child labourers, especially on the children working in appalling conditions on the plantations of Nicaragua.  Throughout the world, over 180 million children work in hazardous conditions.  Many of these working children work very long hours, for very little or in some cases no pay, without any choice as they need to help support their families.

COMMUNION FOR COELIACS: The chalice is available at all Masses.  People are reminded not to dip the Host into the Chalice, as this contaminates the Precious Blood with gluten and therefore leaves it not suitable for coeliacs.

A friend is someone who dances with you in the sunlight and walks beside you in the shadows. 

 The "Good News" of Lent

We don't usually associate Lent and penance with Good News but the Good News is that we face Lent, penance and our own personal "wild beasts" with Jesus and in the company of His followers.

We are all tempted; we all fail; we all sin.  Sometimes we wonder if we'll ever escape from the "wilderness".  We need to hear, like Jesus, that we are Beloved of the Father.  The call to repentance is a call to stay with the One who loves us.

Lent reminds us of our need to begin again, facing the enemy within.  It challenges us to change our hearts about the Gospel we so often ignore and to change our attitudes to sin.  The Good News is, that when we do so, we take the road that leads us to the Kingdom of God.

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