Our Family of Parishes & Other Parish News ~ 8th October 2023

Published on October 6, 2023

This weekend, we welcome the SMA priests from Blackrock Road Parish to celebrate our weekend Masses.  Fr. John Denvir SMA Co-PP and Fr. Jerome Amounu SMA CC will celebrate Masses here in St. Michael’s.

This is the first such time that priests will rotate between parishes which will happen once a month.  Mons. Gearoid Dullea Co-PP will celebrate Masses in SMA Blackrock Road, Fr. Rafal Zielonka CC will celebrate Masses in Ballinlough and I will celebrate Masses in Holy Cross this weekend.

This is a gentle first start as we begin to work together as a Family of Parishes.  In time, we will work together as four parishes to form parish ministries and representative groups.  Very simply, there will be strength in numbers and as those involved get to know one another better, we can develop a sense of shared mission to strengthen our parishes.

May God bless us all as we take these small steps.

Fr. Michael

Remembrance Mass

Our annual Remembrance Mass for those from our parish who have died since this time last year will be celebrated on All Souls Day, Thursday 2nd November at 7.30pm.  Families who have been bereaved during that time are warmly welcome and you might begin to spread the word about this.

November Novena for the Dead

Mass for the November Novena will be celebrated each weekday morning from Thursday 2nd – Friday 10th November this year.  November Lists and envelopes will soon be available in the church for this.

Confirmation 2024

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Wednesday 13th March 2024 at 10.30am.

First Holy Communion 2024

Saturday 27th April              Scoil Barra Naofa Buachaillí

Saturday 18th May                Scoil Barra Naofa Cailiní

Saturday 25th May                Scoil Ursula, St. Michael’s, School of the Divine Child.

Safeguarding Month

The Diocese is fully committed to creating and maintaining safe environments within our churches, parishes and ministry. We have a number of polices and guidance in place to ensure that best practice is maintained through our ministry with children and vulnerable adults. Such as Child Safeguarding, Adult Safeguarding, Garda Vetting, Pilgrimage Polices etc. We also have lots of guidance for ministry within the parishes, as well as general advice around  Safe Use of Social Media etc.  These policies and more can be found on new safeguarding page on the Diocesan website.  www.corkandross.org/safegurding

CONNECT 3 – Faith Gathering for Young Adults (18 to 35 Years)

The Diocese of Cork and Ross is delighted to announce that CONNECT 3 will take place on Sunday, October 15th from 9.30am, in Devere Hall, UCC.  It promises to be a great day of fun, prayer, food, talks, Mass, fellowship, and more.
There is no charge for attending.  To register simply visit corkandross.org

Diocesan Needs Quarterly Collection

The last Diocesan Needs Quarterly Collection in July amounted to €49,098 throughout the Diocese, which is much appreciated.  The next quarterly collection will take place this weekend.

This quarterly collection allows the Diocese to provide ongoing supports to parishes in many areas.  It contributes to the day-to-day running costs of the Diocese including the cost of personnel, utilities (light & heat, phone, postage & stationery, repairs & maintenance, insurance), professional fees, primary and secondary school religious advisory costs, safeguarding, data protection, mission and ministry and levies paid by the Diocese for national hierarchy costs in Maynooth.

People continue to be very generous to these quarterly collections over the years and your support would be greatly appreciated this weekend.

Fr. Colin Doocey

Fr. Colin has accepted our parish invitation to celebrate 11am Mass on Sunday 22nd October next.  We will make him a presentation to honour his dedicated ministry in our parish as Administrator from 2019 until this summer, particularly through the time of the pandemic.  There will be a reception in the Parish Centre after Mass and everyone is invited to the Mass and the reception afterwards.