17th January 2016 World Day of Migrants and Refugees

Parish Team Clergy Fr. Enda Cunningham PP St Mary’s Parochial House Saggart. Tel: 4589209 Mob: 087-1380695 Fr. Aidan Kieran CC 1 The Glebe Peamount Road Newcastle. Tel: 4589230 Mob: 087-6397744 Fr. Aloysius Zuribo C.C. 2 Carrigmore Place Saggart, Co. Dublin Tel. 01-4589209 Fr. Michael Shortall PC 87 Beechwood Lawns Rathcoole Tel: 4587187 Mob: 087 -2861765

Legion of Mary Patrician Meeting Monday 18th January, 7.30pm, Rathcoole Church Legion of Mary Discussion Group (The Patricians) will meet in the Meeting Room in Holy Family Church, Rathcoole on Monday 18th January 2016 at 7.30pm. Subject for Discussion: "What Should the Jubilee of Mercy mean to me?" All welcome Invitation to an Extraordinary Week From Group 175 of the Irish Pilgrimage Trust For a number of years, parishioners have been very generous to supporting a group young people with disability to Lourdes for a week every Easter. This year, our Group would like to extend a welcome to anyone who would like to come as a carer. In particular, our group is in need of a registered nurse. Perhaps you may interested or know of someone who would be willing. It is a hectic and hard-working week but it is extraordinarily joyful. To learn more visit http://irishpilgrimagetrust.com and get in touch with Fr Michael Shortall at 087 2861765.

Time: Week beginning March 27th plus short introductory meetings. A nurse would be required to commit to some Fr. Michael McGowan PC preparation and support. Cost: 650 euro plus a commitment to do a little fundraising so 7 St. Patrick’s Crescent, that the children can go for free. Rathcoole Tel: 4589210 Parish Pastoral Worker Ms. Breda Carroll c/o 01-4589209

R.S.V.P as soon as you can to: Fr. Michael Shortall (087 2861765). Thank you.

Husbands and Wives

Why not gift one another with a Marriage Encounter Weekend to enrich your communication, rekindle romance, deepen your love Parish Secretary and discover the rich spirituality of your marriage. The next Martina Hopkins Weekend will be at The Creggan Court Hotel, Athlone from 26 The Parish Office St. Mary’s Parochial House to 28-Feb-2016. For more info. and / or to book, visit Opening Hours: 9.30-1.30 www.marriageencounter.ie or call 087-784 0408 for a brochure. Monday to Thursday Tel: 4589209 www.saggartparish.com [email protected]

Items for Newsletter Items for Junction 4 should be sent to the Parish Office or emailed to the addresses given below. Many thanks. [email protected] or [email protected]

Mass Schedule Saggart: Sunday: 9 am & 11.30 am Weekday: 9.30 am Rathcoole: Saturday Vigil: 6.30 p.m. Sunday: 10 am & 12.00 pm Weekday: 9.30 am Saturday: 10.00 am Brittas: Sunday: 10.30 am Newcastle: Saturday Vigil: 7.00 p.m. Sunday: 10.30 am Weekday: 10.00am Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. Confession Saggart: Friday after 9.30am Mass Rathcoole: Saturday after 10.00am Mass Newcastle: Saturday after 7.00pm Mass Baptism

Medjugorje Pilgrimage 9th - 18th May 2016 Spiritual Director: Fr. Aloysius Zuribo. From €595 pps including insurance. Contact Pat 086-0677392 or Phil 087-2238911 Retrouvaille a Lifeline for Marriage Have you lost the desire to communicate with each other? Do you feel disillusioned n your marriage? The Retrouvaille programme can help you recover your marriage. Next programme 5th – 7th February 2016. For information contact Tony & Anne: 01 4953536. Email [email protected] www.retrouvaille.ie

Saggart 2.00pm Sunday Rathcoole 4.00 pm Saturday Newcastle 2nd Saturday 4pm Last Sunday 2pm Please contact the Parish Office Marriage Please contact the Parish Office

World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2016 Sunday 17 January is the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Pope Francis has asked us to reflect on a particular theme for 2016 which is ‘Migrants and Refugees Challenge Us. The Response of the Gospel of Mercy’. In his message Pope Francis says: Migration movements are now a structural reality, and our primary issue must be to deal with the present emergency phase by providing programmes which address the causes of migration and the changes it entails, including its effect on the makeup of societies and peoples. The tragic stories of millions of men and women daily confront the international community as a result of the outbreak of unacceptable humanitarian crises in different parts of the world. Indifference and silence lead to complicity whenever we stand by as people are dying of suffocation, starvation, violence and shipwreck. Whether large or small in scale, these are always tragedies, even when a single human life is lost. Migrants are our brothers and sisters in search of a better life, far away from poverty, hunger, exploitation and the unjust distribution of the planet’s resources which are meant to be equitably shared by all. Don’t we all want a better, more decent and prosperous life to share with our loved ones?

Extract from Homily of Bishop Kevin Doran for World Day of Peace 2016 Looking back over 2015, two of the major challenges we have faced and which, to a large extent, still remain to be resolved, are the crisis of homelessness and the problem of flooding which has affected so many parts of our country in recent weeks. On the international scene, the challenges are quite similar. We have the refugee crisis and the on-going challenge of protecting the future of the earth, which is our common home. There have always been refugees, of course but, at least in such large numbers, they have always been somewhere else. This time they are in Europe and it is not so easy to be indifferent. Today, we acknowledge that, as a society, we have a lot to do. I think it is also good to celebrate how much has been achieved during the past year, through the hard work of the naval service, the civil defence, the Red Cross and so many men and women both those who are working for local authorities and those who serve in a voluntary capacity. In recent weeks, in the context of a break-in at home, I became “known to the Gardai” and, in a more personal way came to understand the significance of someone who comes when you need help. This year also brought the stark reminder, with the death of Garda Golden in Co. Louth, that the Gardai never know what awaits them when they respond to a call. We pray for Garda Golden and his family. Emergencies tend to bring out the best in us. Between the army and the volunteers in Athlone, the sand-bags have been filled and put in place and the pumps are working away. In much the same way, volunteers and statutory agencies have worked together to in places like Munich Central Station, to welcome refugees and to provide them with essential services. Sometimes, however, we need to ask ourselves if it is enough simply to be responding to emergencies as they arise. Peace and the common good might be better served if the needs could be identified and responded to before it becomes an emergency. Looking to the future, one of the first tasks of 2016 will be the election of a new Oireachtas and the formation of a new government, which will serve the common good. I know that people sometimes feel powerless in the face of the democratic process and I think that experience of powerlessness is shared by some of the politicians themselves. Be that as it may, but non-engagement would be an abdication of our responsibility. What we need to do is to consider the quality of our participation. As Christians and as citizens, we need to engage with the candidates about the questions that really matter, not just to ourselves personally, but to our society as a whole. Alongside the things I have already mentioned (the homelessness, our response to the refugees and our stewardship of the environment), there are a number of other challenges facing us as citizens and as Christians. I believe, for example, that we need to examine very carefully what the various political groupings are proposing to do about education, not just based on what they say in their manifestos, but on what they have said and done in the past few years. Our Catholic schools have a very good track record of inclusiveness, but there are those who would like them to be less Catholic. Does religious education have a place in our schools? If you believe it does, will that influence how you vote in the election? How will you support that choice in your own family? We are, after all, talking about your children and your grand-children. There has been a lot of political posturing about repealing the eighth amendment, which is the only remaining protection unborn children have in our legal system. That protection has alread been significantly eroded in recent years. I believe that committed Christians must make this an election issue and that candidates must be questioned politely but firmly, not just on their future intentions but on their past record. These are, after all, your children and your grand-children.