Parish Newsletter- 15th February 2026

Adoration of the Blessed Eucharist
CLARA: Monday & Friday – 5.00pm-6.00pm
CLARA: Tuesday & Wednesday – after 7.30pm Mass to 9.00pm.
HORSELEAP: Tuesday – 7.00pm-9.00pm
All are welcome!
Come and find peace in the Lord.

Getting ready for Lent! What we have done? What we have failed to do?
This Sunday, Jesus lays it all on the line for us. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets,” he says. “I have come not to abolish but to fulfil.” He then shows us just what he means. He gives his audience an earful. Christ boldly clarifies what it really means to kill, to commit adultery, to take a false oath. It’s more than what his listeners probably expected. What he has to say is rigorous and demanding. “Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment,” he says. In his own way, Christ was echoing John the Baptist — calling people to repentance, to conversion, to living by a higher standard than what they were used to. It packed a punch 2,000 years ago. It still does today — and for us here and now, it comes at just the right moment. This Gospel helps set the stage for the next several weeks and, really, can serve as a powerful and provocative prelude to Lent. Yes, Lent. Get ready. It’s almost here. Wednesday, three days after hearing Christ’s admonitions, with his words still ringing in our ears and burning in our hearts, we line up to have our brows marked and remember we are dust and begin to skip meat on Fridays and embark on the “campaign of Christian service” that prepares us, ultimately, for Easter. It’s fitting, then, that this last Sunday before Lent offers us a lesson in what is expected of us as disciples, Jesus maps out the road we need to travel. It’s a message we all need to hear, and not just in the days before Lent. We could read parts of the Sermon on the Mount at any time and find ourselves searching our consciences and examining what we need to change, how we need to grow, where we need to redirect our lives. Or, to put it in a way that should sound familiar: What have we done? What have we failed to do? Yes, it’s all been leading up to this. But the real question now: where will it lead us in the days ahead??

Collections 7th/8th February – Development Fund: €1,245; Plate: €865; Offerings: €20.
Thank You Very Much!

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you can support our parish with a quick and simple donation, by simply clicking the button below: 

Dates for Your Diary!
Confirmation: Monday 9th March.
First Holy Communion:
Boys School, Clara: Sunday 3rd May.
Girls School, Clara: Sunday 10th May.
Horseleap & Streamstown Schools: Sunday 17th May.
Blessings of Graves in Clara & Horseleap: Sunday 31st May.

Family Carers Ireland are conducting the State of Caring 2026 Survey, to better understand the experiences of family carers. Please take part by clicking State of Caring Survey 2026. Or contact Joanne Murphy, Research Officer or phone (086) 032 6187. Survey will remain open until 4th March.

Self Help Africa: consider walking the last 120 Km of the Scenic Camino Portuguese Way of the Camino De Santiago into the Compostela in Santiago in Spain next October over 7/8 days in aid of Self Help Africa. More Info contact Ronan Scully (087) 6189094 or email

Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart, Parishioners who wish to take a
short-term pledge for Lent are invited to visit www.pioneers.ie or to speak to a Pioneer in the parish. Copies of the recent edition of the Pioneer newsletter are available on request to

Pilgrimages 2026

Holy Week Camino: Experience the Camino de Santiago in the Spirit of St. James for Holy Week, Sarria to Santiago – the last 100km! Departing Dublin on 27th March. Contact Marian Pilgrimages (01) 878 8159 or www.marian.ie

Pilgrimage to Medjugorje: 15th April for 7 nights. Spiritual Director, Fr Oliver Devine. Phone Amy on (087) 655 2453 for details.

Trip to Medjugorje: June 17th to 24th. Cost €805 when booked before the end of January. Contact (087) 123 2611 or (01) 878 8159 for further information.

Kingscourt Parish Pilgrimage: in the footsteps of St. Blaise to Medjugorje 22/29 September. Bookings; Navan Travel 046 9068600 or (042) 966 7314.

This season of LENT is a sacred time of reflection, repentance, and renewal for Christians around the world. It is a 40-day journey that mirrors Jesus’s time in the wilderness, a period of fasting, prayer, and preparation for the celebration of Easter. During this season, we are called to draw closer to God, examine our hearts, and seek His will for our lives. Prayer is at the very heart of this journey, serving as a powerful tool to connect with God, express our deepest desires, and align our hearts with His purposes.

Prayer for Spiritual Renewal.
Dear Heavenly Father, as I enter this season of Lent, I come before You seeking spiritual renewal. Cleanse my heart, mind, and soul from all that separates me from You. Renew my spirit and draw me ever closer to Your healing presence. Help me to let go of all distractions and focus on Your will for my life. May this season of Lent be a time of deep reflection and transformation as I grow in faith and obedience to You.
Amen.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

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