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Father JohnFr John is very grateful for all of the prayers and good wishes that parishioners have extended to him in recent weeks. He is grateful too to the priests who have kindly offered their services once again in meeting the parish schedule of Masses while he recovers.
Change to Mass TimesUntil we have a replacement here for Fr Cormac, please note that daily Mass times will change for the next few weeks. Until further notice we will have one Mass per day: 7.30am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 10am on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Message from the Parish TeamDear Parishioners
As you will be aware, Fr Cormac McIlraith has recently retired. Also, our Parish Priest, Fr. John McDonagh, is unavailable following an injury, from which he is recovering. This means that, for the moment, our parish is without a priest. We are receiving support from parishes near and far, providing priests to say Masses hereto meet our existing schedule. We are also receiving support from the Jesuit community for our 7:30 a.m. Masses on Tuesday and Thursday. We are deeply grateful for all this support. The Parish Team continues to work to find celebrants for our daily and Sunday Masses. There may, however, be changes at short notice and we will keep parishioners updated on the Parish website, on noticeboards and with announcements at Mass. We will also post details of our adjoining parishes’ Mass times. The Parish Priest’s Easter Greeting card has been printed already with the schedule intended by Fr. John for Holy Week and will shortly be distributed with the Easter Dues envelope. Please be aware that this schedule may be subject to change and the Holy Week Ceremonies programme and Easter Week schedule will be posted on the website as soon as it has been confirmed and will be put on the Church noticeboards. With the growing shortage of priests in the Diocese, more of the work of the parish needs to be taken up by the Parish Team. Areas of concern are support groups for funerals and for Christenings. There are many ways in which parishioners can help the work of the parish. If you would like to be part of the Parish Team, please send your contact details to Peter Carvill (Acting Chair of the Parish Pastoral Council) (087 7501437) by text message or by WhatsApp and a member of the Pastoral Council will contact you. Please keep Fr John in your prayers. Fr John would like to thank everyone for your prayers and good wishes over the past week and he hopes to be back in action soon, Please God Lay Ministry Sunday
Next Sunday we celebrate Lay Ministry Sunday and a collection will take place which replaces the Share collection at all Masses We are increasingly more dependent on the work of lay ministers in the life of the Church. In his letter to parishes this week Archbishop Dermot Farrell spoke about the ‘green shoots’ emerging through efforts associated with our Building Hope initiative. The Diocesan Certificate in Catechesis, provided by the Office of Mission and Ministry is a good example, it has been a real success. This in-demand programme examines the vocation and mission of the participants inspired to share their faith with others. Other creative programmes supporting lay people to nurture their adult faith and engage with young people include, ‘Servant Leadership’, ‘Confirmation Connect’ and the Laudato Si awards as well as the ‘Just Lent’ campaign which focused on Christian social justice during Lent. These programmes help us to stop and ‘abide’ with Jesus to realise God’s loving presence with us.
Do this in MemoryWe thank all who came along to our final ‘Do this in Memory’ Mass before our First Communion days in May. We celebrate First Communion on May 18th with Scoil Mhuire, on May 25th with Star of the sea and with children attending non- Catholic schools on May 26th. A reminder also that we will have a further special Mass with all the First Communicants and their parents on the following Sunday, June 2nd, when we celebrate the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ ( Corpus Christi). On that day the children will be invited to lead the procession onto the lawn for Benediction at the end of Mass. Before Communion Day children are asked to complete pages 62 and 63 of Thumb and parents are asked to share pages 26 and 27 of Thumb along with Grapevine 9.
Lough DergThe Lough Derg Pilgrimage season for 2024 opens on Sunday 5th May until Sunday 22nd September. Full details of upcoming retreats are available at www.loughderg.org or on the poster at the back of the church.
The Church-24 survey You are being asked for 15 to 20 minutes of your time to complete a Church survey that will enable you to give your perspective, share what you believe about some significant issues, and relate your experiences of church life since the pandemic. The Church-24 survey has three main objectives:
1. To listen to churchgoers on a range of long-standing issues and questions, particularly as they are being brought to light in the synodal process. 2. To explore some new issues that face us now, or soon will, but which were not talked about so much a decade ago, such as climate change, artificial intelligence, assisted dying or safeguarding procedures. 3. The Covid pandemic is over .. or is it? What’s happened to you and your faith community since lockdowns ended? To take part visit www.yorksj.ac.uk Young Adult Camino 2024Plans are currently being made to host a Young Adult Camino in Summer 2024 for the Archdiocese of Dublin. It will be the final stage, walking the 110kms from Sarria to Santiago, with a day trip to Finisterre.
Upon reaching the Cathedral in Santiago, those walking will get their Compostela. Three preparation sessions will be held in March, April and May. Register your interest at www.dublindiocese.ie . All queries can be sent to natalie.doherty@dublindiocese.ie. Trocaire Boxes
Many thanks to everyone who have dropped back Trocaire boxes. If you have one at home please drop it into the sacristy this week. Please don’t leave it at the back of the church. Thanks also to everyone for your generosity to the Easter Dues collections. Envelopes can also be left in the sacristy this week.
Updated Parish Privacy Statement
Knock Pilgrimage Archbishop Dermot Farrell will lead the annual diocesan pilgrimage to Knock on Saturday, April 27.This year we are celebrating 145 years since the apparition in 1879 and the Choir of Many Voices from throughout the Archdiocese will be back this year. A series of workshops with interesting and thought-provoking speakers is being planned. If you would like to take part in the choir or have any other queries, email knockpilgrimage@dublindiocese.ie
Click on Button Below for Responses from Synod Meetings
The Synod PrayerDCU Theology CoursesScholarships are available for incoming students wishing to pursue studies in Theology and Religious Studies at the beautiful DCU All Hallows Campus in Drumcondra, where there is a part-time BA course on offer and an MA programme in Theology and World Religions.
Visit: https://www.dcu.ie/your-guide-to-student-application-portals/ Sandymount Community CentreHome from Home, SandymountEveryone is most welcome to the drop in morning hosted by the Community Centre for anyone in the area who wants to meet some new people, read the papers, have a cuppa and learn more about what’s going on in the community. Pop in on Thursday morning between 10am and noon or email info@sandymountcommunitycentre.ie
The centre also runs a fortnightly parent/baby meet up, on the 2nd and 4th weekend of the month. The group is ideal for parents of non-walking babies in buggies or carriers. COMMUNITY CENTRE MAP
Home from Home
Sandymount Community Centre, formally the Irish Charles Centre, on Newbridge Ave is very excited to announce their new Home from Home initiative. Every Thursday from 10-12 the centre will be open to the community offering a warm cuppa, newspapers, cards and games as well as loads of chats! |
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 1876 to meet the needs of a growing population in Sandymount – Irishtown. The foundation stone of a new church was laid in August 1851 and 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 Mass ScheduleWeekly Mass:
For the week commencing 7th April,2024, and until further notice we will have one Mass per day. 7.30am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Weekend Mass: Saturday: 6pm Sunday: 10:30am, 12 Noon Cuppa after MassWe’d love to see you for a coffee or tea after 12 noon Mass on 1st Sunday of each month, if you are not rushing away. We are starting on 3rd March 2024. Tea and coffee will be served at the back of the church beside the bookshop. Please stop and say hi. Everyone is most welcome!
Click on the blue buttons below for more information
Diocesan News
The Episcopal ordination of Fr Donal Roche as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin will take place in St. Andrew’s Church, Westland Row, on Trinity Sunday, May 26th, at 3pm.
This week also it was announced that Bishop Paul Dempsey, the Bishop of Achonry since 2020, has been appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin. Archbishop Dermot Farrell will lead the annual diocesan pilgrimage to Knock on Saturday, April 27.This year we are celebrating 145 years since the apparition in 1879 and the Choir of Many Voices from throughout the Archdiocese will be back this year. A series of workshops with interesting and thought-provoking speakers is being planned. If you would like to take part in the choir or have any other queries, email knockpilgrimage@dublindiocese.ie
For the past number of years, we haven’t had sufficient interest to engage a pilgrimage bus from the parish. Perhaps this year, we might join with our partnership parishes if numbers warrant bus hire. Please let us know if you are interested by contacting the parish office. The timesheet for our annual golf classic is now open. Hopefully the rain will stop in May in time for our annual fundraiser! The classic is planned for Friday, May 24th in Elm Park Golf Club. If you would like to play in this year’s event or come along to the meal after golf, please contact Martin Coonan on 087 230 4042 or fill out an entry form – available at the back of the church this weekend. .Thanks again to Martin Coonan and his team for their commitment to what is a significant fundraiser for the parish. Last year’s Classic raised €14, 522.21; a great achievement.
Handmade cards
We have a small selection of handmade cards in the parish office on sale for €2. The cards are made by Sr. Mairead Brophy and all proceeds will go towards those who find themselves in difficult situations and to the missions.
Family CarersAre you caring for a loved one at home with additional needs? A spouse, partner, child, close relative or neighbour? Then you are a family carer! Become a member of Family Carers Ireland, the national charity supporting Ireland’s 500,000+ family carers nationwide. Contact 057 93 70221 and hear how we can support you or for more info visit www.familycarers.ie.
Baptism CelebrationsOn the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month we currently celebrate baptism with four families at a time. Covid impacted heavily on parents trying to organise the baptism of their children and understandably, too, we are baptising two babies of a family together quite frequently.
Over the first two years of Covid our numbers baptised were down 70 below the annual expected number but slowly we’re catching up again on the backlog. Last Sunday saw the baptism of six little children. Whereas previously we held a meeting once a month with all parents coming in celebration of their child’s baptism, we do so now in anticipation of each baptism whether on the two Parish Baptism Days each month or when on other days a visiting priest is coming to celebrate. We ask all parents to attend a preparation meeting. A Jesuit Publication for your homeWhy 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.
Baptism Certificate RequestUnder 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.
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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: