The Evangelist incorporatingng g | | || St John’s s | | | Dunmore | | | Johnswell | | churcheshurches

14th January, 2018 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Vol. 2 No. 7

Parish Churches St John’s: Church of St John The Evangelist Dunmore: Church of The Most Holy Trinity Johnswell: Church of St John The Baptist

Parish Contacts Mailing Address: St John’s Presbytery, Dublin Road, Kilkenny Email: stjohns@ossory.ie Website: stjohnskilkenny.com Presbytery: 056-772 1072 Fr Frank Purcell: 086-601 0001 Fr Brian Griffin: 087-064 4158 Fr Lorcan Moran: 086-855 0521 Parish Secretary Áine Butler Sacristan St John’s Jane Dineen Sacristan Dunmore Marian Eardly Sacristan Johnswell Linda Nolan SVP Help Line 086-895 1239

Pastoral Council Mary Brennan; Alan Burke; Margaret Cleere; Fr Brian Griffin; Fr Lorcan Moran; Aidan Phelan; Fr Frank Purcell; Pat Ryan.

Mass Times St John’s – Sundays & Holy Days Vigils: 6.30 p.m. Sundays: 8.00 a.m., 10.30 a.m., 12 noon & 7.30 p.m. Polish Mass: 2nd Sun. monthly at 2.00 p.m. Weekdays: 8.00 a.m. & 10.30 a.m. (Saturday 10.30 a.m. only)

Johnswell – Sunday 10.00 a.m.

Dunmore – Sunday 11.00 a.m.

Office Hours Mon. to Fri. 9.30 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.

Please Note All items for publication in

The Evangelist to be submitted to:

stjohns@ossory.ie

or to the Office by Wed. 1.00 p.m.

FAREWELL TO A

‘GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT’ JOHN JOE

BERGIN R.I.P.

The Parish Community, and many more, came out in great numbers during the week to bid their final farewell and pay their prayerful respects to St John’s Church former Sacristan, Mr John Joe Bergin, R.I.P. He was laid to rest in Kilbride Cemetery, Cal-lan, near his native home last Thursday. His remains were received at the steps of St John’s on Wednesday evening by Fr Frank Purcell. In cherishing his memory, representatives of the Saturday Vigil and Sunday 12.00 Noon choirs provided the sacred music. Fr Liam Cassin, who was in-strumental in John Joe’s initial employment in the parish, was chief-celebrant at the concelebrated Funeral Mass on Thursday morning. During this mass the Sunday 10.30 choir and the Bereavement choirs provided the music. John Joe Bergin gave sterling service to St John’s Parish as the Parish Church Sac-ristan for more than twenty three years. Apart from his sacristan duties, he served on many parish committees, notably the Liturgy Committee and the Saint Joseph’s Young Priests Society.

John Joe was most obliging and patient in assuming various jobs or tasks that had no real bearing to his official duties, although, like many of us, it might occasionally be injudicious to rub him up the wrong way’!

Since the Fall of the Centenary Year (2008), in which he played a crucial role, John Joe endured ailing health and was under doctor’s care. As time progressed he was medically advised to bring forward his chosen month of retirement – which was to be June 2009 – John Joe ceased his Sacristan’s duties at the end of February 2009.

During his time in St John’s, John Joe gave the parish, the parishioners and the cler-gy, 100% loyalty and commitment. He was dedicated to his task as though it were a vocation rather than a job. Despite meeting many church and state dignitaries over the years, John Joe treated the least and the mighty with equal professionalism, cour-tesy and care. He was so often the ambassador and “public face” of St John’s for the countless numbers of tourists that visit our church each year.

So as not to be asked about, or asked for this, that or the other, John Joe, for practi-cal reasons since his retirement, chose the Capuchin Friary as his spiritual home where he assisted and read at masses and various services. However, he never failed to forget or be loyal to St John’s Parish in his traditional parishioner commit-ments. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.

B e r e av e m e n t s

Recently Deceased: Frank O’Neill, Ossory Park. Josie Purcell nee Parker, Assumption Place.Stephen Dooley, Bishop Birch Place. Pat O’Gorman, Naas & Late of Kilkenny John Joe Bergin, John’s Street. Anniversaries: Seán Tyrrell (6.30pm); Teresa Hoban (10.00am);Seamus Hennessy (10.30am);John & Ann Barry (11.00am); Joan Tynan (12.00noon);Martin Kelly (7.30pm); Bernard O’Gorman; James Cleary; William McGrath; Teresa Barcoe; Jimmy & Chrissie Bergin; Mary Leahy; Peg Dowling; Bridget McEvoy; Johnny Brennan; Denis Guilfoyle; Bridget Slattery; Patrick Holohan; Mary, Martin & Brendan Doheny; Peg & Martin Browne; John Holden; Mai Murphy; Tom Phelan; Liam & Margaret Shortall; Ann Kavanagh; Kevin & Michael Dowling.

Readers for Next Weekend – Page 129

8.00am Margaret Leahy

10.30am Mary Hanafin & Seamus Mahoney

12.00noon Anne Maria Walsh

7.30pm Anne Marie Grace

Johnswell 10.00am Robert Butler

Dunmore 11.00am Bernard O’Gorman & John McGourty

Eucharistic Ministers for Next Weekend – Panel 2

Monday: James Cleary (10.30am). Wednesday: William McGrath (10.30am). Thursday: Teresa Barcoe (10.30am). Saturday: Jimmy & Chrissie Bergin (10.30am). Lil Redmond (6.30pm). Sunday: Billy Malone (8.00am). Rita Collings (10.00am). Michael O’Dwyer (10.30am). Jarlath Walsh (11.00am). Richie Grace (12.00 noon). Patrick Meany (7.30pm).

‘BORN INTO ETERNAL LIFE’

Last week’s envelope collec�on: €11,090 Thanks to all who contribute weekly, monthly

and annually, as well as those who pay by Standing Order.

Standing Order forms are available in Parish Office.

St Johns Junior School St Johns Junior School is currently accepting

applications for enrolment for September 2018. The closing date for receipt of enrolments is 31st

January. Please contact the school for an enrolment form. Phone 7762888 or

email info@stjohnsthelake.ie

Parish Pastoral Council Meeting The next mee�ng of the Parish Pastoral Council will take place next Thursday

18th at 7.30pm in the Presbytery. All members are requested to a�end.

St Vincent de Paul The January collec�on

for the Society of St V. de Paul will take place next weekend. Thank you

for your generous support of the Society.

Walking for Fun & Fitness The Newpark Residents Association is organis-ing a weekly supervised walk starting on Mon-day 15th January at 7.30.pm from The Orchard House. The walk will follow the 'well lit' paths encompassing the New Orchard Road - Johnswell Road Loop. All are encouraged to leave the couch and take these first steps to a healthier life.

South Kilkenny Historical Society

A lecture on Alfie Byrne – ‘Lord Mayor of Ireland’, will take place on Thursday, Janu-ary 25th at 8pm in Mullinavat Parish Hall (opposite church). Speaker: Mr Trevor White. Admission: €5 (members and students free). All welcome.

Please Pray For Dermot Our New Bishop-Elect

Eternal God, Shepherd and Guide, may Dermot who will serve our Church

be a shepherd after your own heart, who will walk in your ways

and with loving care, watch over your people.

May he be a leader of vision and a teacher of your truth.

So may your name be glorified and your Church built up

through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SSpeak to me, O God: Come and See

I begged the May flower tree: "Speak to me of God.” and the May flower tree showed herself to me in full bloom.

I asked a poor man: "Please, speak to me of God.” and the poor man shared his tea with me. I entreated the house; "Speak to me of God." and the door opened welcoming me. I asked a child: "Speak to me of God" and the child smiled at me. I told a farmer: "Speak to me of God.” and the farmer showed me his standing crops. I begged nature: "Speak to me of God.” and nature decked herself with luscious beauty. I asked my friend: "Speak to me of God.” and my friend caressed me warmly. I asked a nightingale: "Speak to me of God.” and she filled the air with silvery tunes.

I asked a soldier: "Speak to me of God.” and in shame, the soldier threw away his weaponry. I besought a suffering man: "Speak to me of God.” and I saw in his eyes a quivering tear of accepting joy. I asked a fountain: "Speak to me of God.” and the foun-tain merrily spilled out its crystal water. I begged my mother: "Please, speak to me of God. " and she stamped a soothing kiss on my forehead. I entreated my enemy: "Speak to me of God. " and he, in forgiveness, stretched out his hand to me. I asked the voice: "Speak to me of God.” but the voice could not find words. It remained silent. At last, I asked the setting sun: "Speak to me of God.” and the sun mysteriously set down and left me in dark-ness. But next day, at dawn, when I opened the window of my room, mischievously with his warmth he kissed me on both my cheeks.

‘You Shall Be My Witnesses’ Our Confirmation Classes have just started this program in preparation for the Sacra-ment which they will receive at 11.00 a.m. on Saturday, 3rd February in St John’s Church.

‘You Shall Be My Witnesses’ is a parish-based preparation programme for Confirma-tion developed by Maeve Mahon and pub-lished by Veritas in October 2009. More than 10 000 children and their families used the programme in its first year of publication.

Meeting with Parents

The programme begins with an initial meeting for all parents of Confirmation candidates. Ideally this will take place before the Enrolment Ceremony. It is suggested that the Enrolment Ceremony takes place at Masses on the First Sunday of Advent. The programme includes a PowerPoint Presentation and Notes for this initial meeting. However, there are a number of people available if you would like someone else to facilitate this initial meeting.

The Programme

The programme is designed to offer resources to members of the parish team that will enable them to encourage, challenge and invite parents and the wider parish community to become more actively involved in the preparation for Confirmation. The programme offers parents and members of the wider parish community the opportunity to share their faith with the candidates and hopeful-ly create a space where all can learn from each other.

‘You Shall Be My Witnesses’ explores the themes of belonging, believing, be-ing, becoming and beginning again. Each of these sessions is conducted by two leaders working with a small group of eight to ten candidates. Both leaders are drawn from the parents of the Confirmation class.

We thank the parents, the leaders and the children for all their interest and cooperation. We also thank St John’s Senior School and its teachers for giving us their facilities to conduct this program.

St John’s Parish,Dublin Road,

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