Parish Newsletter- 16th June 2024

Adoration of the Blessed Eucharist
Come to me all you who labour and are burdened. I will give you peace
Monday & Friday – 5.00-6.00pm
Tuesday & Wednesday – after 7.30pm Mass to 9.00pm.
All are welcome!

Please pray for the souls of Brigid Ann Woods, Kilcoursey and for Joe Fitzsimons, Lahinch; both recently deceased.  R.I.P.

The Kingdom of God is a Mustard Seed growing into the biggest shrub of All.
Today’s Gospel message is not an easy message, ‘to grow in our world’. Jesus knew it himself and he told us it would be the same for us. When Jesus lived, the world was small. People lived a local existence rather than the global or cosmic existence we live. Yet for them war, death, hunger, poverty, disease and pandemics were just as real and just as devastating. For the first Christians, the destruction of the Temple and the terror of Roman occupation were felt just as profoundly as we feel climate change, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, or present world conflicts. The words of Jesus in today’s Gospel are just as relevant to us and our times as they were for those first hearing them. What the first Christian communities did, and what we must do, is keep on repeating the simple message of the Gospels, “You seek Jesus of Nazareth. He has risen, he is not here!“. Why? Because we believe that somehow, some way, it is going to work. The seed of the Kingdom of God was sown by Jesus and now, whether we are watching or not, whether we are tending it every moment or not, it is growing. It grows silently and mysteriously in people’s hearts, and like the mustard seed it may not look like much to begin with, but it will produce a tree which will attract many to its branches. As the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass reminds us, the Holy Spirit, like the dewfall, is present in every corner of our planet. We may not see it but it is happening. We are not called to take responsibility for the coming Kingdom of God. God, through Jesus, has already begun this process and God is more than capable of completing it. All we are called to do is point to Jesus, without fear, and say “Look, just like the tiny mustard seed becomes a huge tree, so will God’s Kingdom grow. Stay awake and watch for it…witness to it gently and without ever losing hope.”

‘Day for Life’: a dedicated day celebrating the beauty and dignity of all human life is a day specifically dedicated to raising awareness and reflecting on the deep value and meaning of human life at every stage, and in every condition. This Sunday 16 June is Day for Life 2024 and offers a message on the theme: “The Lord is my shepherd – Compassion and Hope at the End of Life.”
More on www.councilforlife.ie/day-for-life-2024/

Clara Library: Summer Stars is an initiative aimed at helping children continue their reading over the summer months. Sign up at your local library, membership is free. Each participant receive a booklet to record the 8 books they read over the summer (4th June-31st August). All receive a small prize at the half way point & a certificate and invitation to an awards ceremony at the end of August for all who complete the challenge. Board Games: Join us for board games each Wednesday @ 3.30pm Toddler Story time and Rhyme: Thursday @ 10.30am No booking required. Arts & Crafts: Crafty Friday every Friday @ 3.30pm. Lego Free Play: Saturday @ 11.00am.

Clara Town Band 50/50 Draw will be held on the 2nd Monday of each Month. Envelopes, €2 or 3 for €5. Please support, envelopes from any Band Member.

Collections for 8th/9th June:
Development Fund: €1,310; Plate: €795.
Thank You!

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