Diocesan Designated Liaison Person: Ms Joan Treacy 085 8021633 Rev. Fr. John Dunphy: Phone: 059 / 9141833 / 9182882

Priest on Call for Carlow Area: (Emergency Only) Phone: - 087/2588118

Living the ‘New Normal’ In these days of Coronavirus, there has been much talk of a ‘new normal’.

For those of us stuck at home there has been time to sit and re-evaluate what is truly important in our lives.

Perhaps there are those who have decided that the ‘old normal’ is something they definitely don’t want to go back to. What was it that kept us tied into that ‘old normal’?.

What was it that kept us tied in meaningless jobs or hollow lifestyles? Was there an expectation that we live out our retirement sitting in front of daytime TV? Were we tied by fear of the unknown? Were we tied by a need to cling to what was

familiar and safe? There’s no doubt about it, life is a big tumultuous sea full of hidden dangers. Is it any wonder we seek to

carve a little niche in which to tuck ourselves away?

In today’s gospel, Peter displays some odd behaviour. The disciples have gone ahead of Jesus and are sitting alone in a small fishing boat. Suddenly a storm brews up and the disciples are terrified for their lives. Just then, Jesus walks over the water

telling them, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Surely any of us at this point would have decided to sit tight and wait to be

rescued. Not Peter! Peter scrambles out of the boat and begins in all faith to walk towards Jesus. The great news is that when Peter suddenly got frightened and his faith faltered, Jesus was there with a strong arm to hold him up.

Just as Jesus called Peter from the boat, so Jesus calls us over life’s storms. What is it we might venture to do? We might

venture to change our jobs for something more worthwhile. We might venture to take on some kind of voluntary role that we might not previously have considered or initiate a local community project …. a global one even! We might think it makes

more sense to stick to what we know, but if Peter hadn’t have obeyed the call to walk on water he might never have had the

great opportunity to experience God’s life changing support. So too if we spend our lives splashing around in the shallows, we are in danger of missing the opportunity to truly recognise God and so deepen our faith.

It’s said that the safest place to be is not in the boat at all; the safest place is out on life’s seas, because that’s where Jesus is!

Friends of Fiaccs House have set up a Go Fund Me

page to raise funds as we

lost out on our Flag Days for

this year. Our Flag days

would normally generate

approx €6,000. We are

asking people to walk or run

5k anytime before 15th

August and donate €10 to

the fundraiser.

Thank you for your support.

Feast of St Clare – 11th

August Clare (1193-1253) was born in Assisi the eldest daughter of Favorino Sciffi, Count

of Sasso-Rosso and his wife Ortolana. Ortolana was a very devout woman who had

undertaken pilgrimages to Rome, Santiago de Compostela and the Holy Land. Later in life,

she entered Clare's monastery, as did Clare's sisters, Beatrix and Catarina (who took the

name Agnes and was later declared a saint herself). As a child, Clare was devoted to prayer.

When she was a teenager, she heard Francis preach during a Lenten service in the church of

San Giorgio at Assisi and asked him to help her to live in the manner of the Gospel.

On the evening of Palm Sunday, 20 March 1212, she left her father's house and accompanied

by her aunt Bianca and another companion proceeded to the chapel of the Porziuncula to meet

Francis. There, her hair was cut, and she exchanged her rich gown for a plain robe and veil.

Francis placed Clare in the convent of the Benedictine nuns of San Paulo, near Bastia. Her

father attempted to force her to return home but she resisted any attempt, professing that she

would have no other husband but Jesus Christ. In order to provide the greater solitude Clare

desired, a few days later Francis sent her to another monastery of the Benedictine nuns. Clare

was soon joined by her sister Catarina, who took the name Agnes. They remained with the

Benedictines until a small dwelling was built for them next to the church of San Damiano.

On 9 August 1253, two days before her death, Pope Innocent IV confirmed that Clare's rule

would serve as the governing rule for Clare's Order of Poor Ladies. Her remains were interred

at the chapel of San Giorgio while a church to hold her remains was being constructed. At

Pope Innocent's request the canonization process for Clare began immediately. While the

whole process took two years, the examination of Clare's miracles took just six days. On 26

September 1255, Pope Alexander IV canonized Clare as Saint Clare of Assisi.

In art, Clare is often shown carrying a monstrance or pyx, in commemoration of the occasion

when she warded away the invading soldiers of Frederick II at the gates of her convent by displaying the Blessed Sacrament and kneeling in prayer.

One Christmas Eve Clare was too ill to rise from her bed to attend Mass at the new Basilica of

St. Francis. Although she was more than a mile away she saw Mass on the wall of her

dormitory. So clear was the vision that the next day she could name the friars at the

celebration. It was for this last miracle that Pope Pius XII designated Clare as the

patron saint of television in 1958.

Feast of St. Clare:-

We will celebrate the Feast

of St Clare this Tuesday 11th

August at the 10am Mass in

St Clare’s Church. The chief

celebrant will be Most Rev

Bishop Denis Nulty.

Due to limited numbers

allowed in the church the

Mass can be viewed on our

webcam

https://www.graiguecullenkilleshin.com/web-cam/

Finance Meeting:

a meeting of the finance

committee will take place in

the parish centre on this

Thursday 13th

August at 8pm.

Guidelines As the Covid 19 numbers appear to be on the rise we have been

asked to highlight the guidelines for churches again for the safety

of everyone. The wearing of a face mask is now strongly

recommended when you visit the church.

1. Please use hand sanitiser when entering and leaving the church.

2. Wearing of a face mask is strongly recommended.

3. Please follow the direction of our stewards.

4. Please only sit in designated areas. (Please only sit in the seats with the ‘please sit here’ signs and remain in seats for the duration of the service)

5. Holy Communion can only be received in the hand.

6. People are asked to leave the church slowly and not to gather outside in large numbers.

7. If you have flu-like symptoms, please remain at home and join us for Mass via our parish webcam.

8. At all times, be mindful of social distancing

The parish are doing everything we can to keep people safe while

maintaining an atmosphere where people can come to

worship in prayer. Please be mindful of your own and other

people’s health at all times. A big thank you to all our volunteers who sanitize the churches after every Mass, baptism, wedding, funeral etc. We would not be

able to open the churches at all without them. If you would like to

volunteer please contact the parish centre.

ANNIVERSARIES

(Please note all Anniversaries can be emailed to gkparish@gmail.com) Fri 7

th 7.30pm Sharon Murphy, Rossmore View (Birthday Rem)

Sat 8th

10am Jack & Nancy Brennan, Quakers Hill and deceased family

(James Hurley, Church St)-(Peter & Mary Duggan, Knockbeg)

6.30pm (First Anniversary) Liam Dempsey, Tullow & Ardenteggle

Margaret Barcoe, Coolnamara, Borris & deceased family

John Barcoe, Killeshin Road (Birthday Rem)

James Hurley, Church St

Marie O’Brien, 10 Oakley Crescent

Sun 9th

9am Dick Byrne, The Numbers & New York

11.30am (Month’s Mind) Mary Byrne, Mount View Lodge, Hollymount

(Month’s Mind) Sadie Salter, 111 Church St

(Month’s Mind) Patrick Devlin, 89 Rochfort Manor

Jimmy Byrne, 137 O’Hanrahan Avenue

James & Angela Flynn, Dublin

Mon 10th

10am Margaret & Liam Byrne, Bagenalstown & Ardattin

Tue 11th

10am Pat O’Gorman, Athy (Birthday Rem)

(Ellen Hanly, Limerick)-(Mary Ryan, St. Fiacc’s Tce)

Sr Ann Whelan, St Fiacc’s Hse

Fri 14th

10am Jane Keenan, Co. Dublin

7.30pm Mary (Moll) Hennessy, Springhill Road

Sat 15th

10am Paddy Lawler, Staplestown Rd

6.30pm Peter Nelson, Pearse Rd & New York

Gerald O’Reilly, Brennan, Old Derrig, Killeshin Rd

May & Martin Fennell, Springhill

(Elizabeth & James Brennan, Clonpierce, Ballylinan

also sons J.J. & Paddy and daughter Betty Whelan, Barrowhouse)

James O’ Reilly, Springhill also daughter Breeth Nolan &

her husband Gerard, Crossneen)

Eileen & Jimmy Dalton, Springhill

Betty & Johnny Hughes, Schull, West Cork

Tommy & Rita Lyons, Staunton Ave

Sun 16th

10.15am Seamus Hearns, Clonmore, Killeshin

Noel McAssey, 118 St. Clare’s Rd

Michael Cantwell, St. John’s, Kilkenny

O glorious Saint Clare!

God has given you

the power of working

miracles continually,

and the favour of answering the

prayers of those who invoke

your assistance in misfortune,

anxiety, and distress;

we beseech you,

obtain for us from Jesus,

through Mary, His Blessed Mother,

what we beg of you so fervently

and hopefully, if it be for the greater honour and

glory of God

and for the good of our souls.

Saint Clare Pray For Us.

PRAYER INTERCESSORS: This group is available to pray regularly but

individually for the life of the parish as well as specific intentions that arise from time

to time. If you have a family member who is seriously ill or is undergoing a major

operation or any other special request please ring the parish office (9141833) & we

will send out a group text to request prayers. In order to maintain confidentiality, we

do not use names in the texts. If you are interested in joining this ministry please give

your name and mobile number to the parish office.

Killeshin Drive in Bingo, Sunday August 16th/August 30th/ September 13th/

September 27th @ 3pm in KIlleshin GAA grounds. €3000 in prizes. €500 Jackpot

Eircode R93XF53. All Welcome!

St. Vincent De Paul: Local Conference – St. Fiacc’s. Tel: 086-1592775

A new pilgrimage on Lough Derg’s lakeshore

Walk and Pray in the Lough Derg tradition on 16, 18, 22, 26 & 30 August. At

times in the 1600s and 1700s when Station Island was closed by the Penal Laws,

pilgrims undertook a form of pilgrimage on the lough shore. Walk in their

footsteps. Contact 0 (0353) 71 9861518 or info@loughderg.org for details.

Numbers are limited. Advance booking essential.

Carlow Family Support Group - You Are Not Alone

Drugs and Alcohol abuse effects families regardless of status in life.

You did not cause it, you can't control it and you can't cure it.

Help is available for those who live with this dreadful disease call 085 7872730

An Gairdín Beo is happy to respond to the popular demand to continue with

the Sale of Vegetables in the garden for a further few weeks even though

there is only a limited amount available.

Every Wednesday from 10.00pm- 1.00pm The Gairdín Beo will be open.

As usual you are invited to pick your own vegetables, using your own utensils and

carrier bag.We hope to have the following on sale: potatoes, beetroot, onions,

herbs,carrots, courgettes, tomatoes, cucumbers, dahlias (bee friendly) apples,

homemade pesto and chutney. We regret we are unable to give change so a

Donation Box will be available for change. Looking forward to seeing you.