6th Sunday of Easter 13th May 2007

Today - Our Lady of Fatima
Mon - St Matthias (Apostle)

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Gospel Reflection for the Sixth Sunday of Easter

'Let there be peace one earth and let it begin from me'
In today's gospel reading, Jesus bids farewell to his friends and gives them some parting promises. One of his promises is that he will leave us his peace, but it will not be a peace found of this world. We will not find Jesus' peace in being marooned on a desert island, in the freedom of a bank holiday Monday or in a pension plan. We will not even find peace in the absence of hostility conflict or war. We will only find peace by living in God's love, and living in God's love means sharing his mission. Jesus' peace is found in integrity and justice and wholeness.

In Jesus' farewell it is easy to sense the abandonment the disciples must have felt; easy, because there are times when we too feel alone and abandoned. There will almost definitely be times when the inner peace we thought we'd found isn't enough! There'll almost definitely be times when we are afraid and our friends and family seem ill equipped to help us. Jesus reminds us that in times such as these we have the Holy Spirit ever present and dwelling within us to give us strength, comfort and guidance.

In these weeks before Pentecost we celebrate that the Spirit is always there to encourage and remind us of his nearness and encouragement.

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FIRST HOLY COMMUNIONS - 2007

Today is a day for which 10 children of the parish have been waiting for - the day when they will make their first Holy Communion. We can all remember the time of our First Communion and all the circumstances of it. Let us pray that the day will be filled with happy memories for:

• Annabel
• Cillian
• Orla
• Thomas
• Aoife
• Kieran
• Patrick
• Ben
• Nicola
• Tegan-Ann

and that our own communions will be as faith-filled and as formative as our First Communion

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JUBILEE DAY OF MY PRIESTHOOD

Midst all the celebrations, feast-days, anniversaries etc., currently being remembered and commemorated I have to announce my own immanent fest.

Next Sunday (20th May) will be the fortieth anniversary of the day I was ordained to the priesthood. I hope you will remember me as I offer my prayers of thanksgiving and that you will all join me in a very simple celebratory after mass on the day

Fr. Bernard

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BVM - Fatima/Portugal - 13th May - Feast-day

Between 13th May and 13th October 1917 - 3 children experienced visions of the Blessed Mother with repercussions for the Church everywhere. The message of the Virgin to all was one of earnest exhortation to prayer and renewal.

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WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY

Next Sunday there will be a collection at all masses in support of the Church's work in the media of communications.
It is invaluable work with little direct resource to call upon.

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A.G.M. PARISH COUNCIL

The Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council takes place next Thursday Evening (17th May) in the Parish Centre at 8.00pm.

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COME AND JOIN OUR H.U.G!!!
SAINT THEODORE'S YOUTH GROUP

FUN AND GAMES - Sunday 13th. May 6.15pm in the Parish Centre.
Trip to Quasar - 20th May 11.30am
£7.00 per child for 2 games.
All young people 21+ are welcome

Contact Vicky - 07810 835 214