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Dear Parishioners,
A particularly unfortunate aspect of Covid and its related restrictions this year has been the inability to meet the desire of parents to see their new-born babies baptised. There is a growing waiting list which we will address as soon as opportunity allows us to do so. Meanwhile, parents may wish to apply for placement on that waiting list. Funerals during Covid Restrictions Parishioners will know that currently only 10 persons in total may attend a funeral in a church. The same ruling applies at a crematorium. We appreciate what a difficult burden this places on grieving families. We also recognise from reports of the HSE that funerals are the occasion of unfortunate transmission of the virus. While we fully understand the desire of people to be supportive, we appeal to all that it’s not appropriate at this time to be gathered outside the church when a bereaved family follow a coffin to the hearse before going to a graveyard or crematorium. It puts added pressure on the bereaved to be approached at a time when each one has been asked to consider themselves as possible carriers of the virus. The situation for public health is far too serious at present to neglect what we’re all asked to do and insensitive also to a family who painfully decide who may come and who may not come from their own family circle. There are ways to safely express condolence and lend support. Please avail of them instead. Parish Office; closed to the public for the time being Because of the current seriousness of concern for public health, we have decided to close the parish office to the public for the time being. However, parishioners are invited to leave a message on the phone (01 6683316 or 01 6683894) or to contact Fr John (01 6684265/0876294325) or Fr Cormac (01 6686845) for any services required. Phone messages to the parish office will be checked daily and responded to. We are happy to facilitate the booking of Masses, the provision of Baptism application forms and Statement of Freedom Forms for those planning a marriage in the coming months, the procurement of Certificates, or of items from the shop such as Mass cards, or the weekly editions of the Tablet or the monthly magazines such as Reality and Messenger. We can arrange the safe collection of items as needed and should a payment be involved it can be made appropriately by dropping an envelope through the parish office letter box. Newspapers like the Irish Catholic are at the back of the Church but should not be handled unless purchased and taken home. For those in preparation for marriage it is best that they contact Fr John or Fr Cormac directly to arrange appropriate meetings. As schooling on line begins, we pray for its success and that along with the challenge it sets for teachers and children everyone will be able to learn well. 
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Well Deserved
Many of our parishioners over the years have merited a ‘well done’ accolade. We are in debt to all who voluntarily commit themselves to serve the parish community in a host of different ways.
When Paddy Kavanagh reluctantly, and with doctor’s direction, reached a time to ‘step back,’ it brought to a close a service which Paddy had given over a span of seventy years. Apart from a short time spent outside his parish, Paddy was altar server, church collector, assistant sacristan and latterly assisted at every Baptism in the parish. Anxious to mark his long years of service the pastoral council decided to petition the Benemerenti Medal for him. Bob Harewood has been our wonderful sacristan since the death of a great servant of the parish, Margaret O’Doherty, nine years ago but over many years, like Paddy, he has been consistently present to help, counting and banking Sunday collections and ready to stand in whenever and wherever there was a need. We greatly appreciate Bob’s great commitment to the parish in a totally voluntary capacity with kindly cheerful disposition. We readily sought that he also should be honoured with the Benemerenti Medal. It’s a Pontifical medal requested by the Archbishop on behalf of each recipient and a limited number are awarded yearly. We are delighted that both Bob and Paddy have been honoured and were presented with Benemerenti Medals at the end of the 12 o’clock Mass on Sunday, 9th June. 
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.
The Iris Charles CentreIRIS CHARLES CENTRE MAP
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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 
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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: