The diocese of Killaloe has a special concern for migrant ministry which includes a dedicated chaplain to the Polish community, Fr Tomasz Daukszewicz. Fr Tomasz is based in Ennis, County Clare.

[2] Keep in mind that the Eucharistic Prayer is, above all, a prayer of praise and thanksgiving. If reflects the central truth of our faith: that our Christian life is primarily a life of praise and gratitude to God. It brings together all the elements which make up our faith. The earliest record of the Eucharistic Prayer goes back to 215AD and it begins with the exact same dialogue we use at the beginning of the preface. It is the living tradition of our faith – let us give thanks to the Lord our God!

[2]  The gifts of bread and wine are brought to the altar – this procession became one of many symbols, but in recent times we only bring bread and wine; these are gifts offered to the Lord which unlike other symbols, cannot be taken back. There are a number of small but significant gestures – the priest adds a drop of water to the wine. This symbolises the faithful – the people gathered in celebration. Just as the water can no longer be separated from the wine, so our union with Christ is so firm that nothing can separate it. The priest washes his his hand, asking God to cleanse him from sin; a signal of of our unworthiness, our humble service. And we conclude with a prayer that our gifts may be acceptable to God. It is often mumbled and trails away – maybe take a moment to reflect on this prayer, it is as important as any prayer we make.

The parish accounts for 2011 were presented and were passed. A marginal drop in the basket collection was noted and it is hoped that the substantial outlay on church and houses renovations would not have to repeated in 2012. There are works to be done on the Church of the Annunciation, Carrig and some minor paintwork to be completed on the Parochial House but the income from the Parish Development Fund should cover these costs.

The PPC will be invited to join with the PPCs of the other parishes in our Brendan cluster for a meeting as part of the ongoing listening process in the diocese of Killaloe. This meeting will take place probably in Lent, and more information will be given at the next meeting.

The International Eucharistic Congress preparations continue and are noted elsewhere on the website.

A decision was taken on the present system of sympathising at funerals. It was decided that for a trial period, people would be allowed to sympathise with the bereaved after Mass and the conclusion of prayers and before the funeral left the church. It is hoped that this will allow greater dignity for the family especially outside the church. This will be reviewed in May 2012.

For full details visit their website www.iec.2012.ie On this site you can find the full programme of events as well as how to book and costs, etc.

Dear Parishioners,

It may seem to many of us that we have staggered through a great storm to arrive at the sanctuary of the crib this Christmas. The social and economic turmoil of these days threatens to engulf and overwhelm us. The certainties we seemed to have are now being swept away and the faith and trust we invested in the institutions of Church and State now appear to have been wasted and misused. Many people are in great pain and yet we must learn to find hope and faith again. Maybe the story of Christmas can help us to find that hope.

For Mary and Joseph and Jesus, their newly-born babe, the future must have seemed a very difficult prospect over 2000 years ago. Think about it – they were penniless refugees fleeing for their lives with the barest of necessities; their only shelter was a meagre stable. Their only heating was the warmth of the stable animals. And yet what hope and joy has come from that event. That night who could know that the lines of countless millions would be touched by joy and the world would never be quite the same, ever again. So the message of this Christmas is that we must not despair but that we must renew our faith in God our Father and in each other. We must find and share the care, respect and love which was surely present in that Bethlehem stable that first Christmas night. There are so many in need, from the despairing unemployed to the many forgotten and unrewarded carers, to the abused, to those who do not feel they are wanted or included, to the suicidal and the addicted, to the sick and those with special needs, to the bereaved and dying, the lonely emigrant and those who miss them and all who are burdened with worry and anxiety.

May the unconditional love and joy which was present on that first Christmas night, shine through all our lives this Christmas season and beyond. May we look forward to a new year with that same hope and faith which came into the world at the moment of Jesus our Saviour’s birth.

We, the priests of the parish, wish to acknowledge and sincerely thank all who help our parish function by giving of their time, talent and energy so generously on a daily basis throughout the year. Whether you are a regular, occasional or non-church goer, may you experience the blessing and joys of Christmas time.

Nollaig Shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh go leir.

6 Whereas a lot of the Mass involves our active participation in response and movement, we are expected to listen to the readings, the Word of God. In the early days of the Church the number and length of the readings was not fixed; the reader would continue for as long as time allowed. Since the Second Vatican Council of the 1960s more importance is placed on Scripture in Mass. On Sundays, the order usually follows that we hear an Old Testament reading, the Psalm, a New Testament reading & finally the Gospel. It is the living Word of God, it has the power to change us. So both reader & listener should give it full attention, full reverence, as God invites our listening and our response to the Word. The Old Testament readings give us historical insights as well as how God revealed himself to his people throughout ages. The New Testament readings are taken from the writings of the Apostles, showing us their response to Jesus, showing the beginning of the Church and Faith we celebrate today. Maybe this weekend you might listen to the Word of God rather than reading along with it, see what phrase stands out for you as you hear God’s Word being proclaimed.

7 Scripture tells us that angels greeted the birth of Jesus with jubilant singing. Later, those who heard him preach and teach were moved to sing ‘Hosanna’. So we are encouraged to join the joyful song of ‘Alleluia’ as we prepare to hear the words of Jesus in the Gospel. Whether spoken or sung, join in this Hebrew cry of joy which in the liturgy means ‘Praise the Lord present in his Word.’ The priest traces the sign of the cross first on the words of the text and then makes that sign on forehead, lips and breast, as if taking from Christ the grace of light and strength he offers to all. Then all the people do the same – we take our strength from the Word of God. His Word can enlighten our mind strengthen our lips with the words of faith and fill our hearts with the love of God.

8 The Homily is about bringing the Gospel to life; it is not an instruction but rather the priest taking the Word of God and applying it to the concrete circumstances of life and to the particular needs of the congregation. In the past, the homily was neglected but today it is embraced as part of our liturgy, building up the faith of each one who listens to it with open ears, and as part of God’s word it has the power to save, the power to give life. And next time you are complaining about the length of the homily, be thankful that you were not around at the time of St Paul who once preached a sermon that went on from evening until the middle of the night with rather unfortunate circumstances for one listener. Find out what happened in the Acts of the Apostles chapter 20.

9 To do justice to the Creed would probably take up an entire newsletter. As we pray the Creed remember, it is a prayer that teaches us that our living and dying is intimately bound up with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It was written in the fourth century and while there are statements of doctrine in it, the prayer also invites us to take a close look at what God does and who God is. A council of the Church held in 589 declared ‘Let the Creed resound … that the souls of believers, in accepting that faith, may be ready to partake, in communion, of the Body and Blood of Christ.’

10 Prayer of the Faithful From the readings and the homily we may beging to understand that God is bound up intimately with everyone and everything in this world. The prayer of the faithful are a mixture of local and worldwide concerns, helping us believe that God is the Lord of All. As one writer puts it, these prayers ‘place the name of the Lord on every thing and every being on which our thoughts rest.’

11. Preparation of Gifts
The focus of the Mass now moves from the Liturgy of the Word to the Liturgy of the Eucharist, from the ambo where the Word was proclaimed to the altar table on which the bread and wine will be transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus. The presentation of the gifts has its roots in ancient custom; people would bring bread and wine from their homes to the place where the Eucharist, or Mass, was to be celebrated. The Word of God has prepared us to share fully in the Mass.

First Holy Communion

Mercy PS & Crinkill NS Saturday 12 May 2012 at 11am

St Brendan’s Boys PS, Killeen NS & Oxmantown school  Saturday 26 May 2012 at 11am .
Bishop Kieran O’Reilly SMA will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation on Friday 18 May 2012 at 11am.

Also planned is the work to be completed at the Church of the Annunciation, Carrig.

When our Parish Youth Committee met with students at St Brendan’s Community School in Birr, one of the recurring statements that came up was “why do we do what we do at Mass?” In response to this we are running a series here online and in our newsletter which will – we hope – shed some light on our celebration of Mass. We hope that you will find it informative and would be delighted to hear your response, plus any other questions that you might have – contact us through the parish office  info@stbrendansbirr.ie

1. We call to mind what we are gathering for – in memory of Jesus, in memory of the Last Supper, in prayer for ourselves and for one another. Perhaps we enter the church, we can bless ourselves to call to mind God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit in whose name we gather, We could spend a moment preparing our busy hearts and minds to spend this time with Jesus.

 2. At the beginning of Mass, the priest touches the altar with his lips. The altar represents Christ, the cornerstone, the foundation of the Church. It contains the relics of saints, and so this kiss of greeting unites the priest with Jesus Christ and the saints in heaven. Together, the priest and people make the sign of the cross, recalling the Trinity in whose name they celebrate the Mass. These opening moments bring home to us that it is not merely one priest and the parishioners who gather around the altar for the celebration of Mass, it is the whole Church, united to give praise and glory to God our Father.

3. At the beginning of every Mass, we ask forgiveness for our sins – why? It is not so much a reminder of our sinfulness but rather that we are gathered in the presence of God, whose love and mercy for each one of us is so great that it should be a cause to truly celebrate. Take a moment, pause, reflect on God’s love for you right now.

4. The Gloria is a hymn of praise, and takes us back to the beginnings of our faith. The song of the angels as Christ was born, we use it today as Christ comes among us in Mass. It is part of the celebration of Mass since the 6th century, and while it has an ancient history, we should not think of it as old and antiquated. It is a prayer of the heart, to give us a sense of joy as we celebrate Mass.

5. The Opening Prayer, or ‘Collect’, gives us a moment’s pause in the Mass. It ought to make us stop and pray as it summarises the theme of the Mass in a few lines. The priest extends his arms, as did Christ on the Cross. This reminds us that the prayer is on behalf of everyone assembled for Mass and for the whole Church and that the priest prays to the Father in the Holy Spirit.