​​Welcome to St. Mary's Star of the Sea, Sandymount
A warm welcome to the website of St Mary’s, Star of the Sea Parish, Sandymount. 
Our parish was constituted in 1851 to meet the needs of a growing population in Sandymount – Irishtown. The foundation stone of a new church was laid in that year and in August 1853 the church was officially opened. Designed by J.J. McCarthy, of the Pugin neo-Gothic school, Star of the Sea has served the people well in Sandymount and Irishtown over the years and they in turn have looked after it in its beauty and prayerful atmosphere. 
The gatherings for the liturgy are creative of a community in touch with God and with each other. 
We hope you’ll find our website interesting and helpful. Don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of any further assistance to you. 
Yours sincerely,
Fr. John Mc Donagh P.P


​‘Do This in Memory’
​Our next Mass for First Communion children and their parents in the ‘Do this in Memory programme’ will be on Sunday 27th January at 10.30am.  The meeting of parents in preparation for that celebration will be on next Saturday January 19th at 9.00am.  
In the meantime, we ask children and parents to prepare by reading and completing exercises in the Thumbs Book and in the newsletter Grapevine 4 issued in December.  The relevant pages in the Thumbs book are pages 16, 17, and 46 to 53, if they haven’t been completed already.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Jan. 18th – 25th

​Christian Communities from Indonesia have chosen “Only Justice” (Deut 16: 18-20) as the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Its  inauguration in Dublin will take place at an Interdenominational Service in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Church of Ireland, Seafield Road West, Clontarf, Dublin 3, on Friday 18th January at 8.00pm.  The Very Reverend Fachtna McCarthy, from Haddington Road, will preach the sermon.
 
Why is it January 18th to 25th each year?  Observance of the ‘Church Unity Octave’ dates to 1908.  It was initiated by Fr. Paul Wattson in America and Rev. Spencer Jones in England.  Fr. Watson proposed the octave from January 18th to January 25th because at the time January 18th marked the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter in Rome and January 25th the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.  For Paul Wattson reunion with Rome was the particular object of the prayers which prompted him to see this particular octave as appropriate.
 
In the early 1930s the idea of working and praying for unity was taken up by the Abbé Courier of Lyon.  He accepted the basic idea of Paul Wattson but believed that it needed to be broadened .  He insisted that ‘we must pray not that others may be converted to us but that we may all be drawn closer to Christ.’  In 1936 the ‘Octave of Prayer’ was re-launched as ‘The Week of Universal Prayer of Christians for Christian Unity’.  He stressed that it must be prayer for the ‘unity Christ wills and by the means he wills.’
 
In 1958 Unité Chrétienne, based in Lyon, and the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches began co-operative preparation of the materials for the Week of Prayer. The Decree on Ecumenism of the Second Vatican Council, published,  in 1964, emphasised that prayer is the soul of the ecumenical movement and encouraged observance of the Week of Prayer.  Two years later in 1966 the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity (now known as the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity) took over the role carried since 1958 by Unité Chrétienne in the joint preparation of the Week of Prayer text with the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches based in Geneva.
 
And so we’ve come to this year’s Unity Octave where Christian communities in Indonesia initiated the process and the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity have filtered their initial work for use worldwide.

World Meeting of Families 2018

Official Family Prayer for
World Meeting of Families 2018​

​God, our Father,
We are brothers and sisters in Jesus your Son,
One family, in the Spirit of your love.
Bless us with the joy of love.
Make us patient and kind,
gentle and generous,
welcoming to those in need.
Help us to live your forgiveness and peace.
Protect all families with your loving care,
Especially those for whom we now pray:
(We pause and remember family members
and others by name.)
Increase our faith,
Strengthen our hope,
Keep us safe in your love,
Make us always grateful for the gift of life that we share.
This we ask, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Mary, mother and guide, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, father and protector, pray for us.
Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us.
Saints Louis and Zélie Martin, pray for us.

Baptism Certificate Request​

​
Under our GDPR Policy a request for Baptism certs must be accompanied by a completed form either by the adult person requesting his or her own Baptism cert or by the parent requesting a son or daughter’s Baptism certificate.  Parents of children preparing for First Communion and for Confirmation will accordingly need to complete that form when seeking , as is required, their child’s certification of Baptism.  This applies to every parish in the Diocese.

Our Parish Choirs
​New members are always welcome in our Choirs and this would be a good time for anyone who likes singing (you don’t have to be able to read music) to join. Choir membership involves a practice one Monday night per month and half an hour before 12 o’clock Mass on Sundays. New members welcome for both choirs. (children over 7 years).

Changes to Bus Routes

​The National Transportation Authority and Dublin Bus will hold a public information session in the Ballsbridge Hotel, Pembroke Road on Tuesday 11th September from 3.00 to 7.00pm.  The current proposal from the NTA is to put the No. 1 Bus out on the Beach Road leaving no service to Sandymount Village or to our Church.  The discontinuation of the No. 47 bus will mean no direct service to St. Vincent’s Hospital or UCD.
For more information about the Network Redesign visit:

Mass and Confession Times:

Sunday
Vigil: 6.00 p.m (Saturday)
9:00 a.m. Mass
10.30 a.m    Family Mass
12.00 noon  Choir Mass  (Choir away during July and August)
Weekday
7.30 a.m.
Mass
10.00 a.m.
Mass
Saturdays:
10.00 a.m.: Mass
(6.00 p.m. Sunday Vigil) : Mass
First Fridays:
7.30 a.m. Mass
10.00 a.m. Mass
Confessions
Saturdays:
After 10.00 a.m Mass
And at 5.30 p.m 
Open Hours:
Weekdays: 7:15am to 5:30pm
Saturday:  9:15am to 7:00pm
Sunday: 8:45am to 7:00pm
Sacrament of Marriage:
Please contact the Parish Office at 668-3316.
Click on the blue buttons below for more information

Explorers

The Explorers are an inter-church scripture reading group. All are welcome. Bring your bible. Our first session will be held on Monday, 17th September at 7.30 - 9 p.m. in the Community Room of the Mount Tabor Day Centre next to Christ Church on Sandymount Green.

The Magnificat Group

​The Magnificat Group will resume their weekly Scripture / Prayer meetings on Monday 9th September from 3.30 - 4.30pm at the Franciscan Convent, 34 Gilford Road.  A big welcome to all persons interested in Gospel sharing. 

Garda Vetting

As we begin September and the holiday season comes to a close we invite any members of the different teams serving the community as Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Collectors, Catechists or Choir members over 18 years, to avail of a Garda Vetting form in the Parish office or Sacristy, if they haven’t already done so.  This applies to every volunteer who has not been vetted within the past 3 years.  Diocesan policy asks us as volunteers, staff and priests to be Garda Vetted every three years.

General Data Protection Regulation
​The new European Data Protection law, the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), is being introduced on 25th May 2018.  This new law applies to any organisation, including our parish that manages and processes people’s personal information.  We are now working on ways of ensuring that what we do with your information is compliant with this new law.  It is a work in progress and over the next few months we will keep you informed through the parish website and in the newsletter as policies are put in place.  Click on the Button below to view the Parish Data Privacy Notice:

Seeking a Catechist

​There may be a Primary School Teacher in our community who would like to be involved in the classes for children attending St Matthew's School and preparing for First Penance, First Communion and Confirmation. Classes are held on Thursdays, from around 3.45 to 5.15. If so, please contact the Parish Office or Fr John.

A Jesuit Publication for your home

​Why not have a look at one issue.  You might find it’s like a spiritual “Readers Digest”.  There’s something for everyone: chatty articles, accessible theology, out-loud thinking on spiritual questions and serious issues, comforting news, art appreciation, a kid’s page (with puzzles and jokes) gardening hints, seasonal recipes and a challenging crossword.  

The Iris Charles Centre

At our recent parish assembly calls were made for greater attention to building the social life of the parish community. Now here are opportunities to respond to that call.
There will be A Coffee Morning in aid of the Centre on Friday next , 23rd November, from 10.30am to 1.30pm. Raffles and Lucky Dips!  All Welcome-bring a friend!
and
On this Sunday, Nov 18th at 7.30pm, in the Iris Charles Centre there’s a fundraiser for Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association (SAMRA):
’Daunting and Daring-Women of the Gael’
with Glynis Casson and Claire Roche
Tickets €20-includes Show, light supper and wine
Booking 0863731420


​The Iris Charles Centre is one of our local gems with a dedicated group of people running it. Senior Citizens can meet and enjoy a great lunch or participate in a range of organised activities. The Centre also hosts a Bridge evening every Thursday beginning at 7:00pm for both experienced and novice players.  All are welcome.

​Have you ever been to the Centre? Just on the corner of Newbridge Ave. Please know you’re welcome and transport can be arranged. Lunch is served on Mon, Tues, Wed and Fri at 12 noon.

If you would like to make yourself available as a volunteer on an occasional basis, please contact Phyllis 087 6225471 or Claire 087 2368548. ​
IRIS CHARLES CENTRE MAP