FOR PARISHES OF ARDFINNAN, BALLYBACON, GRANGE & NEWCASTLE, FOURMILEWATER
Weekly Mass Times This Week
Saturday Newcastle- Our Lady of the Assumption – 5pm
Saturday Ardfinnan- Holy Family – 6.30pm
Sunday Fourmilewater– Our Lady & St. Laurence – 9am
Sunday Grange– St. Nicholas – 10.30am
Sunday Ballybacon- St. Mary’s – 12pm
Monday Newcastle- Our Lady of the Assumption – NO MASS BANK HOLIDAY
Tuesday Ardfinnan- Holy Family – 9:30am
Wednesday Fourmilewater– Our Lady & St. Laurence – 10am
Thursday Newcastle- Our Lady of the Assumption – 10am
Friday Ardfinnan- Holy Family – 9:30am
EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
This takes place in our parishes on:
Tuesday’s 10-11am in Ardfinnan
Friday’s 2.30-3.30 in Newcastle
Everyone is welcome to come and spend some time in quiet prayer and adoration.
THANK YOU
Many thanks for your contributions last week for the upkeep of our parishes and churches:
Ardfinnan/Ballybacon/Grange: €1,150
Newcastle / Fourmilewater: €793
PARISH & FINANCE COUNCILS
A meeting of the parish and finance councils in both parishes will take place this week. If anyone would like to help serve and assist the parish on these vital councils, you would be most welcome. Please contact Fr Michael for further details.
BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY
There will be no 10am Mass on Monday in Newcastle.
WEEKLY ENVELOPE BOXES
The weekly boxes of envelopes are now available in the churches. These envelopes are distributed to homes in the parish that request them at the beginning of every year to support the day to day running of the parish, and the upkeep of our buildings. They also include the Parish Development fund which goes towards costs in updating our churches (such as Painting in Ballybacon, re-carpeting and new lights in Ardfinnan, New Cemetery area in Fourmilewater, roof work in Newcastle and cleaning the outside area in Grange which will be happening soon.)
We are in the process of setting up the Tax Rebate Scheme in Ardfinnan Parish – which costs the donor nothing extra, but can in some cases, be a huge benefit to the parish. Last year, we received over €9,000 from Revenue from the donations made by the envelopes in Newcastle / Fourmilewater.
If you regularly make a donation to our basket collection, or would simply like to support the upkeep of your local church to pay day to day bills and other expenses, please contact Paddy in Ardfinnan, Daniel Desmond in Newcastle / Fourmilewater or Fr Michael for a box of envelopes which help in the confidential recording of donations to Revenue to allow us to claim a Tax Rebate.
You have all been so generous in these weekly collections in the past and I thank you most sincerely for your support in ensuring our buildings are kept safe and up to date for future generations.
YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
Notice from the Diocesan Youth & Young Adult Ministry Officer (Nodlaig Lillis):
“Imagine a diocese brimming with opportunities for our young people to come to know and love God, and experience how much they are known and loved by Him, to discover their vocation in life and develop real friendships with other young people of faith”.
The Diocese is launching an exciting three-year plan for Youth & Young Adult Ministry which aims to further strengthen existing youth ministry initiatives and develop new initiatives across our parishes.
We are hoping that some parishioners will come forward to be a Parish Faith Representative, at least two volunteers across the parishes who will be trained and supported by the diocese and parish to support the clergy and local schools in providing meaningful opportunities for young people to journey in our Catholic faith together, and to be a liaison for youth and young adult ministry initiatives in their area.
If you are interested in becoming involved in such a role or know someone you think would be suited, please talk to your parish priest.
Information sessions for those interested in becoming a faith rep will be held throughout the diocese in February.
More information on the Strategic Plan can be found on the diocesan website youth ministry page (www.waterfordlismore.ie/youth-ministry) or on posters on the church noticeboard.
CHRISM MASS CHOIR / SINGERS REQUEST FROM THE CATHEDRAL
We are delighted to revive the tradition of inviting choirs from parishes across the Diocese to join with Holy Trinity Choir to sing for our shared celebration of the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral, which will take place at 11 am on Thursday 6th April 2023. If your choir members would like to join with us please let us know by emailing music.waterfordcathedral@gmail.com indicating how many people would like to participate. Please email us by Friday 10th February – details of the music and a rehearsal will follow thereafter.
With best wishes / David Forde / Organist & Director of Music/Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity Waterford
WEEKLY DIOCESAN FAITH@HOME FAMILY NEWSLETTER AND TO THE HEIGHTS YOUTH NEWSLETTER available at www.waterfordlismore.ie/resources To subscribe weekly email faithathome@waterfordlismore.ie
“CHECK IT OUT” EVENTS BULLETIN: Want to know more about what’s going on around the diocese? Sign up to our “Check it out” events bulletin for fortnightly updates. Email events@waterfordlismore.ie or go to https://waterfordlismore.ie/resources
CCTV CAMERAS / LIVESTREAM
Please note that for the protection and security of everyone CCTV cameras are in operation in our churches. All of our Masses are Live streamed in Ardfinnan and are at other times broadcast from Newcastle , Fourmilewater, Ballybacon and Grange on Churchservices.tv and Facebook Live pages.
BAPTISMS
Please contact Paddy in the Parish Office on 052-746 4408 or Fr Michael in Newcastle / Fourmilewater for those who wish to book baptisms in the coming months. We can now have two families at one time – but would ask that each family only bring a maximum of 15 people with them, to keep us all safe.
God bless, and keep safe!
Fr. Michael