Fourth Sunday of Advent
PARISH PHONE NOS.
Fr. Liam O h-Icí: House: 4871180
Emergency No.: 087 0956190
Parish Centre / Sacristy: 4289768
Ring for bookings : Baptisms & Marriages etc.
WEEKEND MASSES 30TH/31ST DECEMBER
The Vigil Mass will be in Ovens Church on Saturday next 30th December at 7pm.
Farran: 9.30am.
Ovens: 11.30am.
WEEKDAY MASSES
Ovens:
10.30am: Mon Weds & Fri.
Farran:
10.30am: Tuesday & Thursday.
ANNIVERSARIES 30TH/31ST DECEMBER
Ovens:
7pm: Seán Desmond, Kilcrea (1st Anniversary).
11.30am: Tom & Mary Jolley, Lower Ballygroman.
Farran:
9.30am: Paddy Langford, Farran (1st Anniversary).
May they Rest in Peace.
CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES
Christmas Eve:
Ovens: 6pm & 9pm.
Farran: 7.30pm.
Christmas Day:
Ovens: 8.30am & 11.30am.
Farran: 9.45am. (Please note change of time, just for Christmas morning).
Ovens Church Choir will sing at the 9pm Mass on Christmas Eve and the 11.30am Mass on Christmas Day.
The choir will commence singing at 8.45pm and 11.15am, so come along and join in the singing of the Christmas Carols.
Jack O’Rourke will once again sing at the 8.30am Mass on Christmas morning & we are most grateful to him for that.
THE MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF THE NATIVITY SCENE
The presence of the poor and the lowly in the Nativity Scene remind us that God became man for the sake of those who feel most in need of His love and who ask him to draw near to them.
Jesus, “gentle and humble in Heart” (Mt. 11:29), was born in poverty and led a simple life in order to teach us to recognise what is essential and to act accordingly. The Nativity Scene clearly teaches that we cannot let ourselves be fooled by wealth and fleeting promises of happiness.
From the manger, Jesus proclaims, in a meek yet powerful way, the need for sharing with the poor as the path to a more human and fraternal world in which no one is excluded or marginalised.
Pope Francis.
A Happy, Holy & Peaceful Christmas to all Parishioners
Fr. Liam, Monsignor Kevin and the Parish Assembly.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION FOR CHRISTMAS, A TIME OF HOPE
A Poem of Hope
“Be content, my heart, though you cannot see God’s vast eternal mystery. Be at peace, my soul, like a child at rest, in the simple truth that God knows best”.
Anonymous
For further Reflection: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
ÁR DTEANGA FÉIN AM NA NOLLAG
Nollaig Faoi Shéan is faoi Mhaise Duit
A happy and successful Christmas to you. A common Christmas Greeting.
And the reply:
Gurab amhlaidh duit féin. And the same to you.
AT THE END OF ADVENT
Right now we end the season of Advent. At the end of Advent is Christmas. The word ”Advent” means “waiting”. It is the season when we remember the coming of Jesus Christ, God’s only son, into the world.
We can all think of a time when we waited for something for a long time. God’s people had been waiting for a very long time for God to send a Saviour to them and keep all of His promises. That Saviour was Jesus, who was born long ago in a stable in Bethlehem. The baby Jesus would grow up to save all of God’s people.
Yet that is not all of the good news. It was God’s plan to send Jesus to the world twice. He came long ago and He is coming again.
This weekend we light the third purple candle on the Advent Wreath. This candle is called The Angel’s Candle. The 4th week of Advent represents Love.
During this final week of Advent we rejoice in the endless love that God has for us & we reflect on the good news of God’s love brought to us from the Angel Gabriel.
“For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”.
John 3:16.
This weekend also we place the final 8 symbols on the Jesse Tree. These symbols focus on people important to the Christmas story: The Scallop Shell, the White Rose, Mother & Child, the Pencil, Carpenter’s Tools, The Star, The Manger and The Chi-Rho Symbol.
FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
On Sunday, 7th January we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, by St. John the Baptist.
On that Sunday we will have the annual Prayer Service in Ovens Church at 3pm for all 63 children Baptised in the Parish of Ovens/Farran during the past year.
We invite the families of all the children baptised to the Prayer Service & afterwards for some light refreshments in the Parish Centre.
Families will be notified by post.
ÉIRE ÓG
Annual Tony Dineen Perpetual Cup Puc Fada will take place on St. Stephen’s Day on the Boreen Road at 2pm.
Registration from 1.30pm sharp.
Proceeds of the day will go to local charities.