. Parish Calendar of Services, Mass Intentions and Feast Days . Saturday 6th Sts. Paul Miki and Jesuit companions, killed in 1597.

9.00am Mass: Special Intention

7.30pm Mass: Special Intentions, William & Maud Moore, Bill & Nina Mc Gee,

Owen Maypother 1st Aniv., Angela Maypother, Billy Walsh (Months mind),

Laurence & May Hagan.

Rosary after 9:00am Mass & at 5.30pm. Confessions at 10.30am or by appointment _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sunday 7th Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

8.30am Mass: Brigid Harford.

10.00am Mass: Graham Farrow, Angela Gardiner (recently deceased)

11.30am Mass: Betty O'Reilly, Redempta Mc Glynn (1st Anniversary)

Rosary at 5.30pm. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Monday 8th St. Jerome Emiliani, 1481 - 1537, Patron saint of Orphans.

9.00am Mass: Thomas & Angela Dormer, Maureen Monks.

Rosary after 9:00am Mass & at 5.30pm. Miraculous Medal Novena Exposition & Benediction: 8pm ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday 9th St Miguel Febres Cordero, 1854 - 1910, Ecuador's first canonised saint.

9.00am Mass: Maura Coakley, Special Intention

Rosary after 9:00am Mass & at 5.30pm. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wednesday 10th Ash Wednesday.

9.00am Mass: Ellen & Jack Dennis

Rosary after 9:00am Mass & at 5.30pm. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday 11th Our Lady of Lourdes / St. Gobnait.

9.00am Mass: Rena Mc Grath.

Rosary after 9:00am Mass & at 5.30pm. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Friday 12th St. Meletius, died in 381.

9.00am Mass: Mary Drumgoole-Deignan.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 9.30am – 12.00pm. Rosary after 9:00am Mass & at 5.30pm _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. ________________________________________________________________________________

Saturday 13th St. Modhomhnog, Irish saint of bees.

9.00am Mass: Charlie Boyle.

7.30pm Mass:

Rosary after 9:00am Mass & at 5.30pm. Confessions at 10.30am or by appointment _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Readings for Sunday 14th February. Deuteronomy 26: 4 - 10. Romans 10: 8 - 13. Luke 4: 1 - 13.

Emmaus Irish Prayer Meeting Thursday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm. We read & reflect on Croí ag lorg an tSuaimhnis (Life and Spirituality of St. Augustine) by Dáithí Ó Ceallaigh OSA. No charge just a donation towards the heat & light. All welcome.

Saint MacCullin’s

Church Lusk

Celebrating 90 Years 1925 - 2015

Bible Study course with Fr Kieran O'Mahony OSA Parish Centre. Tuesday 10:00. Tea & coffee available from 9:30am

“Jesus in Jerusalem at the feasts” (John 5-10) 9th February – Passover; 16th February - John 6;

23rd February - Succoth; 1st March - John 7-9;

8th March - Hanukkah & John 10:

Wednesday 10th February: Ash Wednesday.

Sunday 14th February: Feast of St. Valentine.

Blessing for Engaged couples: immediately after 11.30 Mass.

Lusk Church Choir is looking for new members.

If you enjoy singing please come along

to our weekly Monday night choir

practice in the Church at 8.20 pm.

Newsletter Vol. 7 No. 06 – 7th. February 2016

Lives of the Saints St. Jerome Emiliani,, Born to a wealthy family Jerome became an officer of the Venetian army. He was in command of the fortress of Castlenuovo (Treviso) when it was captured. Imprisoned, he turned to prayer to Our Lady, let go his worldly attachments & devoted himself to God. When he miraculously escaped, he placed his chains at the altar in gratitude for his freedom. After the war was over, he began studies for the priesthood, but the region was hit with famine and plague. So he devoted himself to the service of the poor, the sick and abandoned orphans. Ordained in 1518, he built hospitals in Venice and Verona and later orphanages in Brescia and Bergamo. Next, he founded a congregation of priests & brothers called the Servants of the Poor, or Somaschi. In 1537 he died at the age of fifty six. He is remembered as the Patron of Orphans. St. Miguel Febres Cordero. Born in the city of Cuenca, in Ecuador, he was crippled in both legs from birth. He became a De La Salle Brother, teacher & holy man. At the age of twenty, he was producing textbooks that were used countrywide. At the request of the Order he was seconded to Belgium to translate French books into Spanish. He didn't settle there as the climate didn't suit him & moved to Barcelona. However, after a general strike broke out there, churches were being burned, the Brothers were evacuated. Jerome caught pneumonia and died in Spain in February 1910. His remains were returned to Quito in Ecuado in 1937. Pope Paul VI beatified him in 1977 & Jerome became the first canonised saint in Ecuador by Pope John Paul II in 1984. Ash Wednesday. The annual Lenten season is the fitting time to climb the holy mountain of Easter. 'The Lenten season has a double character, namely, to prepare both catechumens and faithful to celebrate the paschal mystery. The catechumens both with the rite of election and scrutinies, and by catechesis, are prepared for the celebration of the sacraments of Christian initiation; the faithful ever more attentive to the word of God & prayer, prepare themselves by penance for the renewal of their baptismal promises'. (Letter on the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts). Lent traditionally begins on Ash Wednesday and extends for forty days in preparation for the celebration of Easter Day of the Lord's Resurrection. Our Lady of Lourdes On the 11th February 1858, Our Lady first appeared to the fourteen-year-old Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes. Later Bernadette was to learn that the mysterious lady was the Blessed Virgin & to hear 'I am the Immaculate Conception'. In 1992 Pope John Paul II instituted the World Day of the Sick to be held on the commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes. St. Gobnait is one of the best loved saints in west Cork. The main part of her life was spent in Ballyvourney, where there is deep devotion to her. Her gifts of caring for & curing the sick have been a significant part of her cult through the centuries. It is a happy coincidence that her feast is on World Day of the Sick & on the day Our Lady appeared to Bernadette in Lourdes. St. Meletius became Bishop of Antioch (city of ancient Syria and now a major town in south-central Turkey) when the Church was in the throes of the Arian heresy (denying the divinity of Christ, originating with the Alexandrian priest Arius (250 - 336). When it became clear that Meletius did not support Arianism, as the emperor required, he was forced into exile by the order of Eastern Roman Emperor Valens (364 - 378). Subsequently restored as Bishop of Antioch, Meletius went on to preside at the Synod of Antioch in 379 and then at the Council of Constantinople in 381. Soon after the opening of the Council, Meletius died and the Emperor Theodosius ordered his body to be carried to Antioch and buried with the honours of a saint. St. Modhomhnog, seems to have come from the line of the O'Neill clan of Ulster. He went to study with St David at the monastery of Menevia in Wales. While carrying out his studies he chose also to develop a garden and to keep bees there. When he completed his studies in Wales he decided to return to Ireland to set up a church, which he did at Bremore, near Balbriggan, where he again set up a garden and kept bees, many of them believed to have followed him from Wales. Eventually, Modhomhnog made a hermitage for himself in south-west Kilkenny. It is thought that he may have succeeded St Moling as bishop or abbot of Ossory.

is available for sale in the Sacristy after Mass

Parish Office

The Parish Office is open Monday, Wednesday & Friday 9.30am-12.30pm. Tel: 01 8438421. E-mail: luskparish@eircom.net or visit www.luskparish.ie Please contact the Parish Office if you would like to do any of the following: Make an appointment to meet with Fr. Eoin McCrystal. Get Baptismal Certificates. Book Baptisms or Anniversary, Weddings and Funeral Masses. Buy Mass Cards, Baptismal Candles or other religious gifts. First Holy Communion prayer books, rosary beads & cards available.

Child Safeguarding and Protection Policy and Procedures St. MacCullin’s Parish accepts Safeguarding children standards & guidance documents for the Catholic Church in Ireland, Child Safeguarding and Protection Policy & Procedures see www.cps.dublindiocese.ie

Child Protection Contact Personnel

Dublin Diocese Child Protection Office 01-8360314

Dublin Diocese Director of Child Protection Service. (Director and Designated Person) Mr Andrew Fagan 01-8360314

or contact the Child Protection Officer: Ms Julie McCullough 01-8360314

Vivienne Knight, Garda Vetting Administrator Diocesan Offices, Clonliffe College 01-8360314

Local Garda Siochana; Lusk 01-843 7222 or Balbriggan 01-802 0510

Principal Area Social Worker Lusk Health Centre, Main Street, Lusk 01-8709017

Lusk Parish Office: 01-843 8421 Parish Child Protection Representative: Mr. Hugh O’Malley 086 256 1882

Support Representatives Mrs Patsy Russell 087 299 8312 Mrs. Mary Byrne 086 374 4195 Mr. Jackie Byrne 086 817 7875

Samaritans Help line 01-116123

ChildLine 1800 666666 or text ‘help’ or ‘talk’ to 50101

Tusla, the Child and family agency: 01-7718500

Emergency Numbers 999 or 112

Lusk Parish Newsletter For inclusion of items in the Newsletter, please email lusknewsletter@gmail.com by 12 noon Wednesday. The Parish Pastoral Council reserves the right to edit all submissions.

Have you missed an issue or want to check something you read before? Visit www.luskparish.ie to see previous editions. Remember you can have the newsletter by email before the print version is available. E-mail to lusknewsletter@gmail.com

Lenten Talks: The Scripture group in the Church of St John the Evangelist, Greendale Road, Kilbarrack/Foxfield, has arranged four Lenten talks on God’s Mercy, in the Parish Centre, by renowned scripture scholar, Frances Hogan on Tuesdays from February 16th to March 8th. Suggested donation of €5 for each talk. All are welcome.

Primary Education in the Village of Lusk: email: luskschoolhistory@gmail.com Paperback at €20, Hardbacks at €30. Al anon Help for those effected by someone else's drinking. Meeting every Wednesday 8.15 - 9.15. Flemington Community Center (Beside Educate Together School) Hamlet Lane, Balbriggan. Confidentiality assured - No fees charged. Dublin Information Center: 01 8732699. www.al-anon-ireland.org Italian Mass: For all Italians in Dublin - the Archdiocese of Dublin will be offering a Mass celebrated in Italian on the second Sunday of the month in St Kevin’s Oratory at 3 o’clock. Next Mass on Sunday, 14th February. All welcome. The Five First Saturdays – Fairview Parish. Devotion of the Reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. First Saturday of each month at 3.00 pm at the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Confession before Mass, Rosary recited after Mass to praise God through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. God’s Mercy in the Old Testament (Scripture reflections for the Year of Mercy) Jessie Rogers will look at key texts in the Old Testament dealing with God’s mercy to discover where Jesus’s teaching is a continuation of the Old Testament vision and where he offers something radically new. Orlagh Retreat Centre, Gunny Hill, Kilakee Road, Dublin 16. February 11th, 7.30pm-9.30pm €10 per week. Information & bookings 01 4958190, info@orlagh.ie Website www.orlagh.ie UNWANTED GIFTS The St Vincent De Paul Shop in Swords would appreciate & ask people to consider giving any UNWANTED GIFTS to our shop at 1 Castle Shopping Centre in Swords, tel 01 8400752. All donations greatly received & turned into much needed funds. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5:30pm, free car parking available. Blessing for Engaged couples: Sunday 14th February, immediately after 11.30 Mass. Please give your names to Yvonne in the parish office or just come to the altar after Mass that day. All couples will be given a special blessing Husbands and Wives Why not gift one another with a Marriage Encounter Weekend to enrich your communication, rekindle romance, deepen your love and discover the rich spirituality of your marriage. The next Weekend will be at The Creggan Court Hotel, Athlone from 26th to 28th Feb 2016. For more information and / or to book, visit www.marriageencounter.ie or call 087-784 0408 for a brochure. Anam Cara Bereavement Information Evening on Wednesday 17th of February from 19:30 to 21:30 in Applewood Community Centre, Castleview Lawn / Bunbury Gate Road, Swords, Co Dublin. The guest speaker for the evening is Peter Mc Cartan. All Anam Cara Services are available free of charge to bereaved parents. Anam Cara will need to confirm numbers for room set up, we would appreciate if you could RSVP to info@anamcara.ie before Tuesday, 16th February or call us 01 4045378.

Aware Volunteering Opportunities:

Aware, national organisation providing support

and information to individuals and families

impacted by depression & bipolar disorder, is

recruiting volunteers. Aware was this year

awarded the Investing in Volunteering

Standard in recognition of the level of training

& support it provides for its 400 volunteers.

See www.aware.ie for info and requirements

for all volunteering opportunities. Minimum

commitment is 18 months. Help Aware

continue to be a supporting light through

depression. www.aware.ie

Emmaus have a variety of different courses

and programmes taking place during the

month of February. On 13th February we

welcome back Maria Lynch for a workshop

entitled Confidence and Energy Booster

for WOMEN.

Our Holy Week retreat will take place from

24th - 27th March and will be facilitated by Fr. Brendan Keane.

For information or to book a place on any of

the programmes log onto www.emmaus.ie or

call Emmaus on 01-8700050.

Alone are delighted to announce that we have recently become the first organisation in Ireland to achieve the "Quality in Befriending Award". This award brings to 3 the number of quality awards we now hold. Last year we became one of the first Irish charities to receive the Investing in Volunteer Award and we were the second Irish charity to achieve the internationally recognised ISO quality standard.

Lay Retreat Association: A silent one-day Lenten retreat for men and women will be held on Sunday 14th February at Milltown Park from 10.00am to 6.00pm. Spiritual direction by Jesuit Fathers. Talks, Guided prayer, Sacrament of Reconciliation, Mass and Blessing of the Sick. Meals provided. Suggested offering €30. Contact Lay Retreat Association 01 5577113. Orlagh Retreat Centre: Afternoon of Prayer for Eucharistic Ministers in Orlagh Retreat Centre on Sunday, February 14th from 2.30-5.30pm. Led by Bernadette Toal & John Byrne. Cost €15 Tel (01) 495 8190; Email: info@orlagh.ie; Website www.orlagh.ie

St. Valentine http://www.catholicireland.net/saintoftheday/st-valentine

Relics of St. Valentine are venerated in

the Carmelite Church in Whitefriar St. in

Dublin. The history given is that in 1835

Fr John Spratt, the then Prior of the

Carmelite Church in Whitefriar St. Dublin,

on a visit to Rome received the relics of

St. Valentine, martyr from Pope Gregory

XVI (1835) and installed them in his

church, where they became an object of

great devotion. The website of the Irish

Carmelites tells this story about Saint

Valentine which gives some indication of

why this devotion developed.

Why St. Valentine is patron of lovers

The first story locates the story of Valentine’s patronage of lovers in a tradition of

ancient Rome. 14th February was a holiday to honour Juno – the Queen of the Roman

Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and

marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia, an early

form of Carnivale or Mardi Gras.

Although in ancient Rome the lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate, one

of the customs associated with the eve of the festival of Lupercalia was name drawing:

the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each

young man would draw a girl’s name from the jar and they would then be partners for

the duration of the festival. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year,

and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II (268-270 AD), Rome was involved in many

bloody and unpopular military campaigns. Claudius was having a difficult time getting

soldiers to go to the army. He believed the reason was that Roman men did not want

to leave their loves or their families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and

engagements in Rome. But Valentine was a priest who would secretly marry any

couples who came to him. For this he was taken captive and brought before the Prefect

of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head

cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th February, in either 269 or 270.

Emmanuel 2016: Book now for the Emmanuel Concerts – 29 February /1, 2 & 3 March at the Helix (Tel 01 7007000 or www.thehelix.ie) – 62 schools – & 2400 students over four nights singing liturgical music. Support your local school - see our website for details www.litmus.dublindiocese.ie Our Lady of Lourdes Novena: Inchicore Mary Immaculate Parish will host Our Lady of Lourdes Novena from the 2nd -11th February at 10.00am each morning and at 8.00pm each evening. The torchlight procession Thursday 11th at 7.30pm. Further information please contact the parish office on 01 4534408. Beechwood Avenue Parish: Join us for a talk on Thomas Merton - Saint & Contradiction given by Fr. Bernard Kennedy in Beechwood Avenue Church, Ranelagh Dublin 6 (Luas green line to Beechwood) on Monday 8th February at 8.00pm. For information click on www.beechwoodparish.com

Lusk Athletic Club Good luck to our athletes taking part in this weekend's Rás na hEireann. Final call for club registration to be made online at www.luskathleticclub.ie. Training menu for this week: Saturday: Parkrun 5k timed run in Donabate, Malahide and Ardgillan Castle 9.30am sharp.

Morton Stadium session at 12pm. Note: open to adults too.

Sunday: Junior 2k parkrun in Rush at 9:30am sharp. Rás na hEireann - 1pm

Tuesday: Training for all groups at 7pm.

Thursday: Training for all groups (except Little Athletics) at 7pm. The 40 Day Challenge Ready to Run. We are starting a new challenge that is open to everyone in the community both members and non-members. Starting on Ash Wednesday we will run the ring road at 6am every morning until Easter Sunday. The route will start at Lusk NS 6am and proceed to Skerries Roundabout for 6.05am, Rush Roundabout 6.10am, Dublin Roundabout 6.15am, Centra Dun Emer 6.20am, Round Towers GAA 6.30am. No warmup, no waiting, steady pace (this is not a sprint session). People can join in along the way and drop off the route as it suits them. During the period of the challenge we will have a donation box at training on Tuesday and Thursday for two local charities details to follow. So set the alarm and get morning running!

40 Day Challenge in Rush. For any of our members living in Rush, Frankie Hollands will also be doing the challenge starting at 6.30am at Rush Harbour. Again this is open to the entire community. Route to be decided before Ash Wednesday.