Rev. Fr. John Dunphy: Phone: 059 / 9141833 Priest on Call for Carlow Area: (Emergency Only)Phone: - 087/2588118

The R.T.E. Concert Orchestra Perform the Music of Fr Liam Lawton: Friday 11th March in the Cathedral of the

Assumption Carlow. Doors open 7.30pm. Tickets €25 each. Proceeds in aid of County Carlow Hospice. Tickets

available in the Parish Centre St. Fiacc’s Hall: Available for booking

contact 059 9140330

The Sacred Heart Messenger’s

Coffee with the Parish’:- Fr

Donal Neary SJ and a group from

the Sacred Heart Messenger

Magazine will visit our parish on

Thursday 28th Jan. Fr Neary will

say the 10am Mass and will attend

the usual coffee morning in the

parish centre. They hope to use

these coffee mornings as a way to

connect with the promoters and

readers of their magazine, as well

as give them a small thank you for

their support. They will also

bring a small bookshop so that

readers can browse (and buy)

some of their exciting new

publications.

If You Could Choose A Miracle?

If you were in Jesus’ shoes and you were about to

grab the world’s attention with your first miracle,

what might that first miracle be? Might you reverse

global warming or end poverty? Jesus’ first miracle

was to turn water into wine at the Wedding of Cana. To many it seems a

frivolous kind of miracle something akin to a party trick, but John relates

the miracle with good reason. John's gospel is quite different in character

from the other three. It's written in a very symbolic style, and it doesn't

follow the same order, or record the same stories as the others. St. John is

concerned in showing us signs, which gradually reveal the glory of God

through Jesus.

The author seems to be mainly interested in the significance of the deeds

of Jesus. So what is the significance of this miracle? John writes, "This is

written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,

and that through this belief you may have life in his name." Suddenly

confronted with enough wine to swim in, the disciples had no choice but

to begin to believe in who Jesus really was. Neither would the symbolism

have been lost on the people of the time. It was the people’s belief that at

the time of salvation God would provide a table for feasting for his

servants and a cup that would never run dry. In short, the substance of the

sign was of no consequence at all; it was the message the sign conveyed

that was all-important.

The symbolism we read in this first miracle speaks of an old religion

bogged down with oppressive rules and laws liberated by a new faith

governed by love, compassion, joy, generosity, and abundance. Being a

Christian is a very serious business, and as Christians we are asked to

address life and death issues, but that doesn’t mean we should trudge

around with long pious faces. Jesus frequently likens the Kingdom of God

to a feast, so smile…. the changing of water to wine is a sign of better

things to come.

Finance Committee

Monthly meeting this Thurs 21st

Jan

at 8pm in the Parish Centre

Pre- Baptism Meeting: Next Meeting

Mon 25th Jan at 7pm in the Parish Centre.

All parents presenting their Children for

baptism during Feb and March are

required to attend this meeting.

Church Unity Week 18th -25th January:- to coincide with church unity week Rev

Canon Peter Tarleton, from Killeshin Union of churches will speak at the 6.30pm Mass

next Saturday evening in St Clare’s and Rev Paul Maxwell from Carlow Methodist

Church will speak at the 11.30am Mass

on next Sunday in St Clare’s.

Memorial Stone It is proposed to erect a Memorial Stone to

the late Fr. Fingleton on the top of the steps at Holy Cross Church beside

the graves of Fr. P.J. Brophy and Fr. Hugh

Cullen. We are asking people to donate €10 each towards the project. Simply bring

your donation in any colour envelope, to Mass on the weekends of Jan. 21st or 28th and place in usual collection bags or leave

into Parish Centre. Please write Fr. Fingleton on envelope.

Parish Confirmation Preparation

Programme:- the first of our three

meetings for parents and young people

preparing for Confirmation takes place

this Wednesday 20th January @ 7.30pm in

St Clare’s Church.

St Clare’s Hospitality-Food Kitchen

committee wish to thank everyone

who donates to the Food Kitchen.

Food barrels are still available at our

church doors or in the parish centre for

donations of non perishable foods or

cleaning materials e.g. tins of coconut

milk, tomato puree/paste, fruit, veg,

packets of custard powder, stock cubes,

salt, pepper, olive oil etc.

Graiguecullen Bingo Every Tuesday

@ 8.30pm sharp

Jackpot €830 in 41 Numbers

Check on a Double Number

win or share €810.00. Great

Prizes to be won.

Weekly Collection Sat 9th & Sun 10th Dec

Red Bag € 996.00 Blue Bag €1,758.00

We thank you for your support

Fiacc’s Folk 2015

Our parish annual is now

available in the Parish Centre

and local shops, Cost €5. The

Fiacc’s Folk annual is a lovely

way for parishioners living

abroad to

keep in touch with their parish.

St. Abban's Athletic Club

Table Quiz

St. Abban's Athletic Club holds its

Annual Senior Table Quiz in Behan's

of Tolerton on Thursday Night Jan.

21st at 8.30pm Teams of 4 @ €40

Thursday Morning Club in

the Parish Centre after the

10am Mass in St Clare’s.

READERS – ST CLARE’S

Sat 23rd

January 6.30pm Sean and Margaret Costello

Sun 24th

January 9am: Aidan Power, Lillian Fogarty,

Ned Comerford

11.30am: Katie Webb, Jessica Nolan, Janelle Lalor

READERS – HOLY CROSS

24th

January 10.15am: Aoife Cawley, Ellen

Dempsey, Pauric Dempsey

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

St. Clare’s 23rd

January

6.30pm: Arnold Mahon (C), Mary Tierney, Hazel O’Connor,

Martin Lynch

24th

January 9am: Paul McKevitt, Seán Harte,

Leo Connolly

11.30am: Cathy Lawlor (C), Katie Webb, Bridget Scully, Sandra

O’Brien, Michelle Kennedy, Mary Hennessy

HOLY CROSS

24th

January 10.15am: Ciara Monaghan, June

Farrell, Orla McHugh

Free Child Car Seat Check

The Road Safety Authority’s free CHECK IT FITS

service is in response to a frightening statistic that

shows that as many as 4 out of 5 child car seats are

incorrectly fitted. This can result in serious injury or

worse, a fatality, in the event of a collision. Supervalu

Car Park, Sandhills Shopping Cetrre, Hacketstown

Road, Carlow next Wednesday 20th

January from

10am to 5:30pm and Supervalu Car Park, Bridge

Street, Tullow, Co. Carlow next Thursday 21st January

from 10am to 5:30pm.

Anniversaries Sat 16

th 6.30pm (First Anniversary) Michael Maher, 8 Church St

(Tommy Clarke, St. Clare’s Rd) – (Sean Hurley, 11 Chapel St) (Patrick and Annie Kinsella, also their sons Mark & Dominic and daughters Angela, Betty, Tina & Marie, 9 St. Fiacc’s Tce)

Paddy and Bridget Procter, also deceased family members Elsie Clarke, London

Sun 17th

9am (Willie Brennan, Rathoe (James (Jim) McWey, Sleaty) – (Fr. John McWey, Sleaty)

James Reynolds, Church Street, Governey Park

10.15am Janie O’Rourke, Killeshin 11.30am Tom and Mary Byrne, Ballybar, also their Sons Charlie & Seán (Mary Brennan, Garraugh, Ballickmoyler)-(James Reynolds, Church St)

Wed 20th

10am Myles (Miley) Doran, Fruithill Fri 22

th 10am Elizabeth Maher, Cullenagh Barrow House Athy

Sat 23rd

10am Toddy Kelly, Anneville

6.30pm (First Anniversary) Clare Haughney, 23 Governey Sq, also her husband Tom and son Frankie) – (Kathleen Lawler, 152 Duggan Ave)

Tommy & Lily Hennessy, Maryborough St. Pat & Alicia Finn, Mill Lane, also sons Joe, Tom and John (John & Annie Dempsey, Ardenteggle, also their sons John & Noel, London)

(Paddy & Katie Dowling, Crossneen) - (Joe & Molly Curry, Borris) Steven & Maisie Nolan, St. Fiacc’s Tce, also deceased members

of the Curry and Nolan Family) Sun 24

th 9am Molly & James Brennan, 4 St. Lazerians, also her son Francis

10.15am (Henry O’ Neill, Porthlaoise Rd) – (Tim Rowan, The Strand)

James Mullins, Toronto & Coolnariska also his wife Florence 11. 30am Kathleen (Kitty) Kelly, Lower Rossmore Mickie Webster, The Lock

Myra Murphy, 2 Morrins Lane, Graiguecullen, Carlow

Eithne Murphy (née Byrne) Killeshin Road, Graiguecullen

John King, Lugduff, The Railway, Tinahely, Wicklow

(Mary Furlong (née O'Connor),Villa Rose, Main Street, Borris/ Campile, Wexford)

Killeshin GAA 4km Run

Killeshin GAA are holding a

4km run/walk on the 17th Jan.

Registration in Killeshin hall at

11:15am sharp. €5 per person or

€10 per family, all Welcome.

Askea Seniors Citizens

January Monthly nights out

starting back on Wed 27th

at

7pm. Easter Party will be on

Sunday the 20th

March. First

Holiday this year will be on

May the 9th

to Inishowen

Peninsula Donegal.

Information contact

059 9143010.

Fashion Show:- St. Vincent de Paul are holding a fashion show in The Seven Oaks Hotel, on Thurs Feb

25th @ 8pm.Tickets €10 available from Vincents Shop Tullow St. or any member of St. Vincent de Paul. Door prize of €250 to one lucky holder of an entrance ticket.

Great raffle on the night with lots of wonderful prizes. Top Prize Solid Fuel Stove donated by Flame Stoves

O'Brien road Carlow. ALL proceeds of the night go to St. Vincent de Paul Carlow.

Table Quiz run by Carlow

Lions Club will be held in the,

Seven Oaks Hotel on Thursday

28th

January @ 8.30pm. This is

the annual Lions Club fundraiser

for local needs. Great prizes and

fun guaranteed. Tables: €40:

Contact Joe 087-6384306.

Carlow Meditation Group: Do you ever experience a deep desire to be at peace with yourself and others?

Meditation opens the door to physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Carlow Meditation Group meets

every Thurs evening from 7:30 to 8:30 in Askea Parish

Day Care Centre. No experience necessary. Contact Noel 087 2251183 for info. or just come along any

Thurs evening to try it out for yourself. There is no fee and no long-term commitment is required.

County Carlow Women's

Network invite you to the

opening reception of "Our

journey to here" exhibition in

the Visual Centre for

Contemporary Arts on Friday

22nd January at 7pm. The

exhibition consists of unique

self portraits from women of

what it means to live in County

Carlow. The exhibition runs in

the Visual until 1st February.