The Ashbourne Knights of St. Columbanus are hosting a table quiz in aid of Christmas Day Dinners for the homeless in Dublin, Friday 16th November at 8.30pm in Donaghmore-Ashbourne GAA Club.

Cost per table of four is €40.

The Knights of St. Columbanus are a fraternal order dedicated to the living out of the Gospel in their daily lives.

All welcome.

Thanks to all who joined our parish All Saints Party on the eve of All Hallows.  Thank you to all who prepared costumes, organised games and activities, refreshments and the children (and adults!) who dressed up and joined us on the evening.  Happy All Saints Day!

An exhibition of Eucharistic miracles from across the world will take place in Ashbourne Church, 27th Oct-3rd November.  The exhibition features details of Eucharistic miracles in eighteen countries including the testimony of Carlo Acutis (1991-2006) who placed the Sacrament of the Eucharist at the heart of his young life, calling it ‘my highway to heaven’.  Supporting leaflets are available for all who visit the exhibition.

Students preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation commenced their preparation recently.   ‘Behold the wood of cross’ – each student was given a strip of wood on which they wrote their baptismal names.  The names were arranged in the shape of the cross – the first sign they received in the Sacrament of Baptism. Through Baptism, they are ‘United in Faith’.

During his homily. Fr. Derek reflected on Pope Francis’ recent visit to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families and how he asked parents to teach their children how to make the sign of the cross properly.  He explained, “It’s one of the first things we learn from our parents.  The Holy Father said, when he sees people blessing themselves, it looks like they are casting a magic spell, waving their hands in all sorts of directions.  But making the sign of the cross properly and intentionally, in other words, thinking about it, is an act of faith in the father, son and Holy Spirit.”

“How do we remember how to bless ourselves properly?

First, in the name of the Father.  Where does the father live?  Think of the prayer Jesus taught his disciples: Our Father, who art in heaven.  Heaven is upwards.  We lift our right hand to our forehead.

Second, and of the Son.  Where is the son?  Where should the Son be?  In our hearts.  We move our hand to our heart.

Third, where is the Holy Spirit?  All around us.  The best way of depicting that is this way (moving hands from left to right).  There we have the sign of the cross.

When we make the sign of the cross, we are reminding ourselves of our baptism, the moment we began our life as a follower of Christ.  When we make the sign of the cross, we are uniting ourselves in faith with every Christian across the world gathered for Eucharist as Jesus commanded his followers to do.  We do it, because he loved us this much (opening his arms wide).”

Ashbourne-Donaghmore Parish’s ‘All Saints Party’ takes place in the Parish Hall, Wednesday 31st October (eve of ‘All Saints’) from 6.30 p.m.-8.30 p.m.   Children are invited to model their costume on a saint.  The evening includes traditional games, music and refreshments.  Check out some costume ideas on www.catholicicing.com.  All welcome.

Our annual Harvest Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated recently by Bishop Paul Tighe, a priest of the archdiocese of Dublin, and now Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, rome.  This annual celebration affords us all the opportunity to pause and give thanks for the blessings we have in life, to reflect on the sustainability of our ‘common home’, from which we sustain our families with food, and to think of, and respond to those without food.

In his encyclical, Laudato Si—On Care for our Common Home, Pope Francis quotes St. John Paul II who reminds us, “The earth will not continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship.  We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future generations.”

Our thanks to the many local growers who  contributed to this years harvest display: Gráínne & David Farrell, K&K Produce, Hilltown Growers, Darragh Donnelly, & Anthony Battersby.  All produce kindly donated was distributed by St. Vincent De Paul to needy families in our Parish and supported the work of the Missionary Sisters of Charity who care for the homeless.  Ashbourne-Donaghmore Parish encourages our parishioners to support local businesses by shopping local.

We welcome Bishop Paul Tighe, Rome, who will be the main celebrant at the 11am Mass this weekend.  A priest of the archdiocese of Dublin, and now Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Bishop Paul joins our parish community to celebrate the months memory Mass for the late Margaret Molloy.

Sunday 14th October 2018

Ashbourne Church 11am

All welcome.

Fr. Derek & Fr. Ciarán would like to express their thanks to all who assisted with the ordination of Fr. Fergal Cummins to the priesthood  by Bishop Tom Deenihan in our parish last weekend.  We owe an immense gratitude to Mark Cowley, Cowley’s Haulage & Civil, for cleaning the church carpark, neighbouring businesses (AIB, Super Valu, Conway’s Pharmacy and The Stag’s Head) who offered their carparks to assist with parking; the Knights of St. Columbanus, and those who assisted with car parking.  Thanks to those who decorated the church environs with bunting, our stewards both within and outside the church, Kalef our caretaker, and Paddy and William, the caretakers of our Parish Hall.  Our thanks to those who prepared the vestments and oversaw the vesting of visiting priests.  Thank you to our Parish Safeguarding Reps, those who cleaned the church, sacristans and servers.  Our gratitude to those who prepared food, the many who looked after hospitality, Ephrem & Giovanna Feeley, Ashbourne Church Choir, musicians, cantors and psalmists, those who beautifully decorated the church with flowers, our Junior Readers who acted as ushers, and our Parish Pastoral Council.  To witness the involvement of so many of our parishioners made it a proud day for our parish and a memorable, blessed occasion for Fr. Fergal and his family.