Parish Newsletter- 2nd Sunday of Easter: 12th April 2026
| Mass times for the week ahead | MASS INTENTIONS |
|---|---|
| Saturday 11th April @7.00pm Clara | Sr. Immaculata Barrett (Month’s Mind). |
| Sunday 12th April @10.00am Horseleap | Joe Walsh. |
| Sunday 12th April @11.30am Clara | Peter Touhey (Month’s Mind). Johnny & Teresa Hanamy. Patrick Robbins. Joe Slammon. John & Annie Rochford. Mary Robbins. |
| Tuesday 14th April @7.30pm Clara | No Intention. |
| Wednesday 15th April @7.30pm Clara | No Intention. |
| Thursday 16th April @10.00am Clara | St. Bernadette Soubirous Christopher McGowan. |
| Friday 17th April @10.00am Clara | No Intention. |
| Saturday 18th April @10.00am Clara | St. Laserian Bea & Paddy Rickard. |
| Saturday 18th April @7.00pm Clara | Breeda, Luke, Christian & Patrick Bracken. John, Mary, Joe, Marie & Sheila Dunne. |
| Sunday 19th April @10.00am Horseleap | Donie & Monica Scally. Christy, Kathleen & Kevin Glennon. Richard & Margaret Meares. |
| Sunday 19th April @11.30am Clara | William, Maura, Vin & Billy Maher. Jimmy Quinlan |
Please pray for Frank Moloney, Clara/Tullow; recently deceased. R.I.P.
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-8.00pm
All are welcome!
Come and find peace in the Lord.
Where are we on this Second Sunday of Easter??
When we hear this reading from St. John’s Gospel, we can’t help but wonder, where was Thomas? After the crucifixion, the disciples were terrified and kept themselves locked away. But Thomas, alone among the apostles, was conspicuously absent. Why? What could possibly have pulled him away? We just can’t know. Scripture doesn’t offer us an answer. But on this Second Sunday of Easter, we might ask ourselves: Where are we? Have we left the room already? It’s tempting right now to think of Easter in the past tense. Holy Week is history. The fresh flowers of last Sunday have begun to sag. We’ve had our fill of chocolate eggs and we may feel it’s time to move on. There are bulbs to plant and trips to plan, graduations, weddings, vacations. Another holiday is done. But hold on. Are we over Easter so quickly? Have we started to check out and think about what’s next on the calendar? This Sunday, take time to remember: Easter continues! Life goes on, yes, but Easter goes on, too- the season lasts for 50 days, in fact. Our joy should continue, too. Our sense of the impossible becoming possible should still leave us thunderstruck. Are we missing that? Well, maybe we need help. And maybe we need others to remind us of what these days are really about. The readings this Sunday underscore something we might easily forget. We need to celebrate the ongoing miracle and the mystery of Easter, and we shouldn’t do it alone. We are part of a community of believers. The first reading from Acts brings us this vivid description of life among the first Christians: Their lives had been changed, and they were suddenly collaborators with Christ, writing the next chapter of salvation history. And they were doing it together. It’s worth noting that Thomas needed to be with the other disciples to experience the risen Lord. The Christian experience isn’t solitary. It is lived among others, with others, in a community of believers who share a common belief. And it takes us back to the question: Where are we? Do we realize that Easter is far from over? Are we aware of what it means to be part of a body of believers – welcoming one another, uplifting one another, serving one another? Or have we already left the building? Like Thomas, we may need to rediscover that part of living as a follower of Christ involves more than just being aware. It’s also about being there – being with one another in solidarity, in fellowship, in community, in faith…
Collections 4th/5th April – Development Fund: €1,835; Plate: €1,275; Easter Offerings: €3,370.
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!
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.
Catechism Annual Pilgrimage to Knock Saturday 18th April which is the Saturday after Divine Mercy Sunday.
Annual Mass of Remembrance on Wednesday 22nd April at 2.00pm in St. Paul’s Church, Delvin Road, Mullingar, in memory of people buried in the Hospital Cemetery from 1907 to 1970 and deceased patients and staff. See www.mullingarparish.ie
National Epilepsy Week 2026, 18th to 25th May. For further information, please visit www.epilepsy.ie.
Pilgrimage to Padua & Assisi to celebrate the Franciscan Jubilee year led by Bishop Deenihan, 26th September for 5 nights. Contact Joe Walsh tours, (01) 241 0800.
For More inspiring reflections & resources for Lent and Easter check out:
Stations of the Cross: www.dioceseofmeath.ie/pastoral-resources-1
Guide to Holy Week: www.dioceseofmeath.ie/lenten-resources-2026
Blessing of the Home with Easter Water: www.dioceseofmeath.ie
Image: Detail from The Incredulity of Saint Thomas painted in 1602 by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
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