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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Sunday we celebrate the life of St. Patrick and his legacy in Christian faith of generations of Irish men and women. St. Patrick is believed to have arrived in Ireland in 432 and to have died in 461. We are blessed to have his writings available in what is known as ‘The Confession of St. Patrick’ and in ‘The Letter to Coroticus.’ It was many hundreds of years later before printing was invented so our earliest copies of these works are hand-written or in manuscript form. There are eight manuscripts in existence holding copies of The Confessions. The oldest of these is in the Book of Armagh in Trinity College, which dates to 807 A.D. ‘The Confessions’ is the first recorded life story of an identifiable person in Irish history and a fascinating spiritual biography. If you haven’t read it, consider doing so. It’s typically about 25 pages long, rich in scriptural references and available in a recent edition published by the Royal Irish Academy and translated by Pádraig McCarthy, a priest of our diocese. ‘I am Patrick, a sinner, the most unlearned of men, the lowliest of all the faithful, utterly worthless in the eyes of many. My father was Calpornius who was a deacon and a son of the priest Potitus. He ministered in the suburb of Bannaven Taberniae where he had a country residence nearby. It was there I was taken captive. I was about sixteen years of age at the time and I did not know the true God ...’ Read Patrick in his own words and you’ll be prompted to say ‘Put St. Patrick back into St. Patrick’s Day’ when today’s civic authorities choose instead to turn St. Patrick’s Festival into a celebration of ‘Irishness,’ of ‘who we are,’ with scarcely a word of the great man himself.
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 Congratulations to all the children who were confirmed this week. Thanks to our wonderful music director Deirdre Seaver, Monsignor Ciaran O'Carroll and Fr Des Hayden and to everyone who made this day special.
Exploring our Relationship with GodAll are most welcome to St. Mary’s Haddington Rd. every Wednesday of Lent for ‘Exploring Our Relationship with God’ series. The series continues this Wednesday from 7pm – 8.45pm. Booking is on 0852544232, or 24.7beloved@gmail.com
The Golf Classic this year is planned for Friday,May 24th. We thank 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.
Lectio DivinaPat Talbot has kindly offered to continue the Lectio Divina opportunity each Tuesday evening at 6.30pm in the parish meeting room (entrance through the door at the back of the Church, up the steps). All are welcome. With a focus on the Sunday Gospel, Lectio Divina is a way of praying with the Scriptures that enables conversation between the Word of Scripture and what’s happening in our own lives. We read the Scriptures but the Scriptures also read us.
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. 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:
7:30am and 10am 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
The Arts in our Neighbourhood – What’s Next?Our lovely Community centre has been promoting various drama, dance, music, poetry, literary and cultural evenings on the first Friday of every month. Now we want to have a conversation about the potential for the Arts and Culture within our parish and our community. We would be delighted if you could come along next Friday, 8th March, at 7 o’clock, give your opinion and have your say at a relaxed and enjoyable workshop. Please let us know if you are interested by emailing culture@sandymountcommunitycentre.ie
Evening Prayer in LentOn the Tuesdays of Lent beginning this Tuesday, Evening Prayer of the Church will be celebrated at 6pm. All are welcome.
After Evening Prayer, Pat Talbot will lead a weekly Lectio Divina on the Gospel of the following Sunday in the Church Meeting Room at 6.30pm. Just Lent 2024Another interesting programme is offered this Lent by the Diocesan Office of Mission and Ministry entitled ‘Just Lent’ with a strong emphasis on ‘Social Justice’. The programme will run for the six weeks of Lent following the theme of each Sunday’s readings. This week’s theme is ‘Flood and Desert’ and a copy of the reflection is available at the back of the church.
Prayer for Lent Loving God, in this season of Lent you call us to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with each other so that we can build your Kingdom of justice and peace your Kingdom of love and truth, your Kingdom of holiness and grace, in our world today. AMEN. Journeying through Lent
Join Fr Vivian Boland OP on Ash Wednesday, 14th Feb, at 7pm in St. Andrew’s Church, Westland Row, as he leads a talk on the theme of ‘Journeying through Lent with the vision of Pope Francis’. More info on www.dublindiocese.ie
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: