Please note:

Sunday Masses on Webcam
10.00am
and
11.30am
until further notice.
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Advent Prayer Services
​On the four Sundays of Advent we will celebrate an Advent Prayer Services at 4.00pm, relayed by webcam.  It begins next Sunday and we’d love if you can join us in prayer.
Click on Blue Icon Above

Sunday 29th November 2020  
​A New Year Begins 

Advent is the first season of a new year in the life of the church.  It begins today.  The seasonal colour is purple and the first candle of the Advent wreath is lit. 
Just as the flowers each have their season the liturgical seasons each bring their uniqueness to the spiritual garden of life.  In the natural world the crocus and the pansy have a field day long before the familiar and abundant flowers of spring and summer.  Similarly aspects of our spiritual journey are nurtured more in one season than in another.  What is uniquely nurtured in Advent are time related qualities like patience, perseverance, hope, joyful waiting and courage.  Christmas nurtures other qualities and it’s a pity, that overshadowed by Christmas and particularly by the commercial realities of a modern Christmas, Advent as a season is often lost on us in its spiritual nurture.
 
This year in the world wide struggle with a dangerous virus we find ourselves very much in waiting.  Advent is important for us.  Waiting for a return to normality, whatever that will be; waiting for the next step in the guidance of politicians and public health doctors; waiting for the vaccines that may end the nightmare; waiting to visit loved ones; waiting to share in the Eucharist; waiting to celebrate the sacraments; waiting to meet people; waiting to revive businesses and livelihoods before it’s too late; waiting to feel safe.  It’s a world in waiting. 
Most of us find it difficult to wait in a fast moving world.  Yet the challenge is to wait with ‘joyful hope.’  For all of us there is surely a best way of waiting.  We tend to become frustrated, annoyed, even angry in our waiting.
Unless we’re resolved and ordered in our waiting we can slip easily into negativity and loss of heart.  What is asked of us in restrictions is the respectful care of ourselves and others.  It is part of a hopeful effort to resist a danger and we’re all in this together.  Take pride in understanding our problem and its challenge; take pride in trying to save lives.  While sadly over 2,000 of our people have died, and worldwide 1.42 million, because of the virus, many more have been saved because of our joint efforts.  And in our waiting, take joy in the ‘advent’ of vaccines that promise to bring resolution.
 
We are waiting for the Lord, for his Second Coming and the fulfilment of the Gospel promises.  Advent is a time of prayer.  Amid all our difficulties we cry out ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’  In all our waiting, the Lord is our hope, when all is said and done. 
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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.  

Baptism Certificate Request​

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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 Centre

IRIS CHARLES CENTRE MAP

Parish Collections
​​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

Mass and Confession Times:

Sunday
10.30 a.m   Webcam Mass
11:30 a.m. Webcam Mass (From Sunday, 15th November, during Covid Restrictions)
Weekday
10.00 a.m.
Webcam Mass
Saturdays:
10.00 a.m.: Webcam Mass
First Fridays:
10.00 a.m. Webcam Mass
Confessions
Saturdays:
After 10.00 a.m Mass (Suspended for now due to Covid Restrictions)
And at 5.30 p.m (Suspended for now due to Covid Restrictions)
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

Celebration of Baptism

​We regret that for the time being under Government direction we are unable to hold Baptism celebrations in the Church.  As you know in recent months we have celebrated Baptism with families one at a time and within HSE guidelines.  We thank all who were so cooperative in doing so and hope that it won’t be long before the celebration of Baptism may resume.

Enrolment for Sacraments 2022

At this time we invite parents who wish their child to be enrolled in preparation for Confirmation in 2022 and are presently attending fifth class in a non-Catholic school to register their intention with us by phoning the parish office, Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 12.30pm.
 
We similarly invite parents of children attending 1st class in a non-Catholic school who wish their child to prepare for first Communion in 2022 to register their intention by phoning the parish office.
 
We thank those parents who have contacted us in regard to their children’s Confirmation and First Communion in 2022.  Because of Covid-19 restrictions we are currently unable to begin the preparation classes.  However, we would appreciate if parents teach their children the basic prayers like the ‘Our Father’ the ‘Hail Mary’ and the ‘Glory be to the Father’ and try and connect with the web cam Mass at 10.30am on Sundays.
This coming week is the last week of our accepting candidates for the sacraments in 2022.

 
​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.  
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General Data Protection Regulation

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​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: