Newsletter 4th April 2021

Holy Cross Church Mass Times

Because of the re-imposition of the government restrictions, there will be no public masses in any of our churches until further notice.
The only exceptions are funerals and weddings, where there is only limited congregation allowed.

Masses will be streamed from Holy Cross church each week day at 10.00am, Sundays and Holy days at 10.30am.

Visit the parish website www.tramoreparish.ie Click on “Live Stream” on the homepage when the services are on.

For anyone who does not have access to online services:

Tramore Parish Radio Services are broadcast From Holy Cross Church, Tramore at 10.am from Monday to Sat and 10.30am on Sunday on your radio 105.4FM

The Church will be open for private prayer on Mon to Sat: 11.00am-4pm (except Thurs 11.00am -5pm)
Sunday: 11.30am-4pm. EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT on Thurs from 11am until 5pm. Sunday opening 11.30am-4pm.

CCTV/Live stream
Please be aware that for the protection and security of all, CCTV Cameras are in operation in Holy Cross Church. All Masses are live streamed and broadcast over the internet.
*Due to government restrictions at the moment not all Masses are live streamed.

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PRIEST ON DUTY
086-6004384

 

 

Easter Message from bishop Phonsie 

Waiting on God
Years ago, I read a book which I think every human being should read: Viktor Frankl’s, Man’s Search for Meaning. Frankl had survived the horror of three years in a concentration camp.
Not that I am equating a pandemic with life in a concentration camp, but we are in a lockdown not of our choosing. For a second year running we face a Holy Week with doors closed for public worship. Where is God in all this? God’s answer is already given. Jesus is
God with us. Jesus is human and divine. The Lord did not create
this pandemic, but he is meeting us in it. When he says I am with
you always He means including now. How therefore should we act in this situation? Frankl writes in his above-mentioned book:
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are
challenged to change ourselves.”
It is clear that we cannot change the virus, but we can change
the attitude we take to what it has caused. We are being forced to take a closer look at our lives. If we think we are in control of life,
then we are sorely mistaken. Life is wonderful but passing. I must
face life as it is presented to me. Lockdown has caused so much stress. I have found it very difficult, but I must say in a strange way enriching. I have learnt more profoundly what faith, family and
friends really mean. I am more conscious of the persecuted, the
poor and the homeless. I value more highly things of true value.
My prayer has become more real, and I have learnt to face myself more courageously. The person one first meets in silence and in prayer is one’s self. And I may find in myself and in my past things
I would rather not face. This is, I feel, why modern humanity finds silence so difficult. Maybe lockdown will help us face ourselves and set things aright with God’s grace.
The Lord Jesus is not afraid of my past or my situation. JESUS LOVES YOU AND ME. He is not afraid of our sin. He knows our human condition. It is precisely because he knows us and wants to heal us, to forgive our sins and show us glory that he becomes human. From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, we follow Jesus who, though he is all-good and without sin, takes on the filth of human sin which we throw at him and lovingly forgives and accepts the Cross. His Passion is awful, gut-wrenching torture. Holy Week should mean more to us now since we know something more about the Cross and are forced to ask ourselves what are the essentials things that make up life. He knows what He is going to face and still wants to go through it to make all things new. This is what Lent and Easter is all about. His death is not the end neither is this pandemic. His LOVE is the last word, and he will rise from the dead. So, I am learning to wait on God.As the psalmist says: “Be strong let your heart take courage, all those who wait for the Lord.” (Ps 31.)”

 

To all our Parishioners

   

 

We wish you and your families
   a very Happy Easter 

 

 

 

Collections:

Trocaire Boxes may be returned to the parish Office from Tuesday April 6th.

For SECURITY REASONS please DO NOT leave boxes around the church or by any door.

If you wish to donate online go to www.tramoreparish.ie click Donate Now, click Other Collections where you will see the collections specified.

Easter: The Easter Collection is for the support of the priests of the parish and diocese,
Your support is greatly appreciated.

 

New Donate Facility

In response to a number of enquiries from our parishioners, we now have an online donate facility on our parish website, where you can make your Sunday offering to the parish. Please quote your envelope number, if applicable, when you make your donation. All contributions are gratefully received, and we thank you in advance for your generosity.

 

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The Parish Office

The Parish office is closed to the public due to Government Covid 19 restrictions but you may ring the office with any inquiries.
Contact : 051-386477.

Closed: Holy Thurs & Good Friday.
Re-opens for phone queries on Tues 6th April from 9.30am-1pm.
Wed/Thurs 9.30am-4pm
Friday 9.30am-3.30pm

Recent Deaths

Please remember those who died recently, Paula Burns

We remember the months mind for  Dermot Blount & Helen Costello

We pray Helen Hayes née Le Blanc, Anna Cuddihy (1st Ann),Mary McGrath, Catherine Roche & John O’Driscoll & deceased family members, Sean Flanagan (1st Ann),Shin Young Sheehan, Patrick & Kitty Kett, John & Kathleen Roche  whose anniversaries occur about this time.

Easter Sunday April 4th 2021 Reflection

Easter Glad-rags
There are some proverbs about clothing one not very complimentary ‘cuir sioda ar ghabhar agus is gabhar í gcónaí é – put silk on a goat and it is always a goat’ only to be countered by a much nicer one: Déanann cleiteacha deasa éananacha deasa ‘nice feathers make nice birds’ Yes, the externals are important but all those external factors which define and often bind us are nothing compared with being clothed in Christ on this Easter day.

Today, Easter Sunday, is about you and I being given Easter clothes because Christ is risen and we are clothed anew in Christ. With joy we proclaim in unison with the greetings of the early Christians this day: ‘Christ is risen, Alleluia’ and to which we respond: ‘He is risen indeed, alleluia.’
Today, we remember that on our Baptism day we were clothed in a white christening shawl and the words said to us were: ‘See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity’. So, once more, the outer clothes but reflect our inner dignity in Christ. In the words of Peter to Cornelius and his household today: ‘God does not have favourites and does not judge by appearances’. So Peter is telling us that if we believe in the risen Jesus we are already clothed as new people.
Twice the linen cloths which bound and defined Jesus in death are mentioned in the gospel. Both Peter and John saw the linen cloths lying on the ground … and also the cloth that had been over his head; ‘this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself ’. These linen cloths, the burial garments, the trappings of death are put aside in a place by themselves, separated from the body. In the business language of today they are now, ‘surplus to requirement’
Jesus will not die again. So from this day we should not be bound by trappings of death and now we are invited to let go of those outward garments which define and sometimes bind us.
In John’s gospel, Jesus is already glorified on Calvary. Today is the day of our glorification, of our being re-clothed in Christ. While it is always good to look our best, how important it is on this Easter day that I should look beyond the externals and see a brother or a sister clothed anew in Christ.