Good Friday Reflection 2019

 ​(Fr. Derek Darby)​

This year’s Good Friday centre-piece​, created by Jessie Heung and Jane Singleton from Ashbourne Community School,​ focuses on the corpus of Jesus Christ.  The body of Christ-crucified is depicted as wood, sand and flesh.  As the figure of Christ crucified is three dimensional, so too there are three spiritual dimensions which invite us to reflect more deeply on the Passion and death of Jesus:

 Sand:

The sand on part of Jesus’ body, recalls the beginning of Lent where, ‘The Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness and he remained there for forty days’ (Mt. 4:1).  There in the aloneness of the desert surrounded by sand, Jesus was tempted by the devil, lured by the promise of food and the glory of power should he bow before Satan.  In his weakened state, Satan derides Jesus: ‘If you are the ‘Son of God’, while at the same time challenging God to protect him should he throw himself off ‘the parapet of the Temple’.  The sand reminds us that throughout his desert experience, Jesus was protected by God who never abandoned him.  He experienced God’s strength, resolve, fortitude and love.  In a special way, the sand reminds us of our utter dependence on God at times when we need Him most.  Like Jesus, we surrender ourselves to Him.

 Wood:

The wood grain on a portion of Jesus’ body transports us from the manger to the cross.  As Jesus’ journey on earth begins with the wood of the manger, so does it end—not with the warm, welcoming wood of the manger, but with the rough wood of the cross.  Read the full post »

Congratulations to Ray Heffernan, Ashbourne-Donaghmore Parish who was recently commissioned for Peregrinatio Pro Christo work with the Legion of Mary in the UK.

Peregrinatio Pro Christo (PPC) is a part of the Legion of Mary apostolate of evangelising which invites the members to improve their skills by travelling to other regions, usually another country, to carry out assignments of spreading the faith.  Volunteers to PPC are doing work similar to that of the apostles and disciples of the early church.  They will spend no more than two weeks in a specific parish where they will engage with people, door-to-door about Jesus Christ.

Gracious God, we present our hopes for these specially commissioned this day. In every age you have chosen servants to speak your word in unique and special and various ways. We thank you for these people whom you have called to serve you. Give them each special gifts to do their special work. Fill them with the Holy Spirit so they may accept all they confront, and be faithful and joyful in their task. Bring them safely home and then let their experience further enrich us so that we, too, may better serve you.  Amen

Holy Thursday   

10.00am-11.00am Confessions in Ashbourne

8.00 pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper and Adoration in Ashbourne

10.50pm  Night Prayer

Good Friday

10.00 am-11.00am Confessions in Ashbourne

3.00 pm The Passion of the Lord in Ashbourne

5.00 pm – 5.45 pm Confessions in Polish

7.00 pm Way of the Cross in Ashbourne

Holy Saturday

10.00 am-11.00am Confessions in Ashbourne

12.30pm   Polish Blessing of food in Ashbourne

9.00 pm Easter Vigil in Ashbourne

Easter Sunday

9.00am, 11.00am and 12.30pm in Ashbourne

10.00am in Donaghmore

Easter Monday      12 noon Mass in Polish in Ashbourne

PIONEER TOTAL ABSTINENCE ASSOCIATION MASS

Mass will be celebrated for the Ashbourne-Donaghmore Pioneers, Saturday 29^th June at 6pm in Ashbourne Church.  For more information on becoming a pioneer, including any aspiring young pioneers (that’s between 12 and 18 years of age) or for existing members to apply for silver, gold, or diamond pins are invited to visit the monthly meetings in the Parish Office on the second Wednesday of each month at 8pm or contact Colette on 01 8352430 or Catherine on 018354260 as soon as possible.  These awards mark a lifetime commitment to the ideals of the pioneers and devotion to the Sacred Heart.

Ashbourne-Donaghmore Pioneers meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 8pm in the Parish Office.  The next meeting takes place 8^th May.

For further information, please check www.pioneerassociation.ie or email eastmeathpioneers@gmail.com.

Congratulations to all involved in the recent Clann Ceol 2019 Candlelight Concert in Ashbourne Church.  Thanks to the Ashbourne Lions Club and the various artists and musicians who contributed to marvellous evening of musical talent and entertainment: Eimear Quinn, The Dublin Brass Ensemble, The Mamisa String Quartet, Cór na Mí, Schola Hyberniae, and The Occasional Singers.

REGISTRATION NIGHT

Non-Catholic Schools

Educate Together & Gaelscoil na Mí

Enrolment of children attending the above schools for the First Holy Communion and Confirmation Preparation Programmes will take place, Wednesday 10th April at 7.30pm in Ashbourne Church.  This meeting is for parents who have children currently attending Year I of the First Holy Communion and Confirmation Parish Sacramental Preparation Programme and who wish to enrol them for Year II.  Parents with children currently in Senior Infants and Fourth Class who wish to enrol their children for Year I of the First Holy Communion and Confirmation programmes in September 2019 should also attend this meeting.

This weekend the parish celebrated the First Scrutiny of RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation) with the ‘Elect’ who are continuing their preparation to be received into the Church on Holy Saturday through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Eucharist.  They are pictured with their Godparents, Sponsors and Fr. Derek.

This weekend the parish paid tribute to a long-serving member of our parish.  Martin Moore takes a step back from parish life as a Minister of Holy Communion, Collector, Counter and Sacristan for many years.  We are indebted to him for his selfless dedication, deep faith, and steadfast commitment to his parish during those years.  His commitment to parish life is an inspiration and we pray the Lord will reward him for his service and loyalty to the Gospel.