The feast of our national patron, St Patrick will be celebrated on Friday, 17 March. It is a Holy Day of obligation. The vigil Mass will be celebrated on Thursday in St Mary’s Church, Cranny at 7pm. On the morning of the feast, Mass will be celebrated in St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen at 9.45am, and in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart at 11am.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ in breadth, Christ in length,

Christ in height,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

(Prayer in the tradition of St Patrick)

We congratulate the girls and boys of our parish who received the Holy Spirit throught the Sacrament of Confirmation today. We thank Bishop Fintsn Monahan for being with us today, our school principal Ms Kathleen Ryan, our class teacher Ms Mary Moloney and all our teachers  for their dedication. We also thank our school choir, the parishioners who prepared the Church and all who took part in the liturgy.

We wish the children, their parents and families every blessing

Ash Wednesday:

Next Wednesday (1 March) is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of Lent.

It is a day of fast and abstinence. Mass including the blessing and distribution of ashes will be celebrated in St Mary’ Church, Cranny on Wednesday at 9.30am and in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart at 8pm.

Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he was tempted by Satan. Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation for Easter. Every Sunday is a commemoration of the Sunday of Christ’s resurrection and so as a feast day on which fasting was inappropriate.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from the palm branches blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday, and placing them on the foreheads of Christians to the accompaniment of the words “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Bishop Fintan Monahan will lead his first Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes on 26 June. The 61st Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes will leave Shannon on Monday 26 June, returning on Saturday 1 July. The cost this year is €692 per person sharing and there will be a €10 discount for online booking at http://www.joewalshtours.ie

Booking forms can be obtained from: Joe Walsh Tours, 143 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2. Telephone: (01) 2410810

A limited number of sick pilgrims will be accommodated in the Sanctuary of Lourdes at a cost of €595. Applications for sick pilgrims only to Fr Tom Ryan, Pilgrimage Director, SS John & Paul Presbytery, Shannon, Co. Clare. Telephone: (061) 364133

Families or individuals often sponsor a family member, parents, or a friend on the occasion of an anniversary or Jubilee with a visit to Lourdes. Sponsorship for sick people is always welcome. For more details, see poster in Church porch and on the Killaloe Diocese website http://www.killaloediocese.ie

The  Feast of our Lady of Lourdes ( 11 February) was chosen as the annual day of prayer for and with the sick by Pope John Paul II in 1992.
We will celebrate the feast day with Mass and the anointing of the sick in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart on Friday, 10 February at 8.00pm.
All members of our parish are welcome to attend the Mass and anybody suffering from an illness or old age is welcome to receive the sacrament of the sick.

You may access Pope Francis’ message for 2017 Day of Prayer for the Sick which is centred on the theme of ‘The Lord has done great things for me …’ (Luke 1:49) here

The financial report for our parish for the years ending 31 December 2016 may be viewed by clicking on kildysart-parish-accounts-2016

The parish finance council wishes to thank all the members of our parish for your generous support of the work of our parish during 2016. The finance council would also like to encourage as many parishioners as possible to use the parish collection envelopes and support the tax refund scheme.

We wish to thanks our fiance council for their careful oversight of our finances.

The following is a summary of our 2016 accounts:

• Current account opening balance:      €25,630.02
• Expenses in 2016:                                   €31,863.22
• Income in 2016:                                      €45,247.72
• Current account closing balance:        €38,158.92.

The blessing of throats will take place on Friday, 3 February at 6.30pm in St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen; at 7.00pm in St Mary’s Church, Cranny after 8pm Mass in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart.
Using two crossed, blessed, unlit candles the minister touches the throat of each person using the following prayer of blessing:

Through the intercession of St Blaise, Bishop and Martyr,

may the Lord preserve you from aliments of the throat and every other illness.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

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Very few facts are known about Saint Blaise. It is believed that he was a bishop of Sebastea in Armenia who was martyred in the early fourth century.

The legend of his life that sprang up in the eighth century tells us that he was born in to a noble family who raised him as a Christian. After becoming a bishop, a new persecution of Christians began. He received a message from God to go into the hills to escape persecution. Men hunting in the mountains discovered a cave surrounded by wild animals who were sick. Among them Blaise walked unafraid, curing them of their illnesses. Recognizing Blaise as a bishop, they captured him to take him back for trial. On the way back, he talked a wolf into releasing a pig that belonged to a poor woman. When Blaise was sentenced to be starved to death, the woman, in gratitude, sneaked into the prison with food and candles. Finally Blaise was killed by the governor.

Friday next is the feast of the epiphany of the Lord (Little Christmas Day).

In Kildysart and Cranny-Coolmeen parishes we will have the following Mass schedule.

• Vigil Mass (Thursday,  5 January) St Mary’s Church, Cranny at  7pm
  St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen on Friday at 9.45am
  St Michael’s Church, Kildysart on Friday at 8pm

The Feast of the Epiphany (the word means “manifestation”) celebrates the making known of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. The feast commemorates the visit of the Three Kings (the Magi) to the Baby Jesus and the revelation Jesus’ birth beyond the Jewish world. The Kings brought gifts of gold (for a king), frankincense (for worship) and myrrh (for embalming, since Christ was to die for us). In Italy and other countries children receive gifts on this day. Traditionally in Ireland, the day was known as ‘Nollaig na mBan’ as it was the day when women celebrated Christmas

During 2016, the following celebrations took place in our parish church:

• Baptism                                   9
• First Holy Communion        15
• Confirmation                          20
• Marriages                                 3
• Funerals                                   12

We pray that the Lord will always be present to us in the special and in the ordinary moments of our lives

Christmas 2016 in Radharc na nOiléan Cluster of Parishes

Parishes of Ballynacally-Lissycasey, Coolmeen-Cranny and Kildysart

Christmas Night Mass – Saturday, 24 December 2016

• St Mary’s Church, Cranny at 6.30pm
• Our Lady of the Wayside, Lissycasey at 7pm
• Christ the King, Ballynacally at 8pm
• St Michel’s Church, Kildysart at 8pm.

Christmas Day Mass – Sunday, 25 December 2016

• St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen at 9.45am
• Christ the King, Ballynacally at 10am
• St Michael’s Church, Kildysart at 11am

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

• St Michael’s Church, Kildysart on Monday, 19 December at 8pm
• St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen on Tuesday, 20 December at 7pm
• St Mary’s Church, Cranny on Wednesday, 21 December at 7pm
• Christ the King, Ballynacally on Saturday, 17 December at 7pm
• Our Lady of the Wayside, Lissycasey on Saturday, 24 December at 11am
• Christ the King, Ballynacally on Saturday, 24 December at 12noon.

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We wish all the members of our parishes every happiness and blessing as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, the Christ child at Christmas. We thank you for your generous contributions towards the life of our parishes through your presence and prayer at Mass and other liturgies, the gift of your time and talents through your work in parish ministries and on committees and your financial support for the parishes and clergy.

May Christ be born in the hearts and homes of each of us as we celebrate the great feast of Christmas.

Fr Joe Hourigan, PP                                        Fr Albert McDonnell, PP

Mairead and PJ on their wedding day – 1 July, 2016

Edel and Raymond on their wedding day.

Liam and Laura on their wedding day.

Aishling Murtagh and Niall Casey on their wedding day – 23 July 2016.

Martina and Brian on their wedding day.

Sinead Moloney and Dylan Fox on their wedding day 6 May 2016

Nichola and Shane on their wedding day – 2 January 2016.

We congratulate Liam Casey and Laura Kehoe who celebrated the sacrament of marriage in St John’s Church, Kilkenny on Friday, 16 December, 2016.

May the Lord bless their family Nd their home.

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We congratulate Edel Eyres, Cranny and Raymond Bohannon, Kildysart who celebrated the sacrament of marriage in St Mary’s Church, Cranny on Saturday, 24 September, 2016.

May the Lord bless their marriage and their home.

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We congratulate Martina Hehir, Cranny and Brian Eustace, Kildysart who celebrated the sacrament of marriage in St Mary’s Church, Cranny on Saturday, 6 August 2016.

May the Lord bless their marriage and their home.

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We congratulate Aishling Murtagh, Lackanashannagh and Niall Casey, Lissycasey who celebrated the sacrament of marriage in The Church of the Annunciation, Clarinbridge, Co Galway on Saturday, 23 July, 2016.

May the Lord bless their marriage and their home.

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We congratulate Mairead Meade, Craghera and P.J. Tarpey, Abbeyknockmoy, Galway who celebrated the sacrament of marriage in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart on Friday 1 July, 2016.

May the Lord bless their marriage and their home.

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We congratulate Sinead Moloney and Dylan Fox who celebrated the sacrament of marriage in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart on Friday 6 May, 2016.

May the Lord bless their marriage and their home.

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We congratulate Nichola Clancy and Shane McNelis who celebrated the sacrament of marriage in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart on Saturday, 2 January 2016.

May the Lord bless their marriage and their home.

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For weddings in 2015 and previous years please click here

We pray for Anna Teresa Morris (née Hurley) formely of Ennis Road, Kildysart who died recently in Hereford, England.

May the Lord grant her eternal rest.

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We pray for Bridie Houlihan (née Doohan) late of Drumcondra, Dublin and Quay Road  Kildysart who died on 27 November, 2016 in her 91st year.

May the Lord grant her eternal rest  and console her daughter Margaret and her son-in-law John, her sister Eileen Mc Evoy, her sister-in-law Peggy Doohan, her nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, relatives and aLl who knew and loved her.
Bridie will repose at Mc Wey’s Funeral Home, Abbey View, Kildare Town, on Monday 28 November from 5pm with rosary there at 8pm. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11am on Tuesday at St. Columba’s Church, Iona Road, Glasnevin.

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Pray  for Catherine (Kitty) Lavery (née O’Brien), Upperchurch, Co Tipperary and Shanacoole, Kildysart. who died on 13 November, 2016. May the Lord grant her eternal rest and console her family Mary (Carre), Michael, Pat, Francis and Willie, son-in-law Martyn, daughters-in-law Karen, Anna, Kathy and Mary, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brothers Michael and Eamon, sisters Madge, Susan and Teresa, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

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Pray for Maureen Wallace, late of London and Galway who died recently. May the Lord grant her eternal rest and console her sister Bridie Kelly, Blain and all who mourn her.

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Pray for Sheila Loughnane (née McNamara), Monivea,  Athenry amd Kildysart who died on 23 October, 2016.

May the Lord grant her eternal rest and console her  husband Frank, daughter Clare, son Fergus, daughter in-law Rosa, grandchildren Kai and Max, sisters Anna Kennelly and Bernie Power, brothers in-law, sisters in-law, nieces and nephews, relatives, neighbours and all who knew and loved her.

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Pray for Dermot Kinane, 3 Quay Road who died on 25 October, 2016.

Dermot will repose at St Michael’s Church, Kildysart from 6pm to 8pm om Wednesday. The funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday at 11am followed by burial in Kildysart cemetery.

May the Lord grant Dermot eternal rest and console his wife Maeve, daughters Bláthnaid and Gráinne, brother Ernie, sisters in law Christine and Chris, son in law Gerard, nieces, nephews, relatives and all who formed his circle of love and friendship.

Dermot’s month’s mind Mass will be celebrated in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart on Friday 9 December at 8pm.

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We pray for Mrs Phil Tuohy, née Connolly formely of Main Street, Kildysart who died on 14 October, 2016 in Thurles, Co Tipperary.

May the Lord grant her eternal rest and console her daughters Carmel, Maria and Claire, her sons Aidsn and John, her sister Susan and all who knew and loved her.

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We pray for Teresa  Murphy (née Doyle) Crovaghan who died on Tuesday, 11 October, 2016.

Teresa will repose at St Michael’s Church, Kildysart from 4.30 pm to 7 pm on Thursday. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday at 11am followed by burial in Kildysary cemetery.

May the Lord grant Teresa eternal rest and comfort her husband Terence, her family Laura, Noelette, Stephaine, Noel, Vanessa, Donna, Terry, Jennifer, Keith and Aisling, her grandchildren Megan, Dylan, Shane, Jamie and Ella, her sons-in-law Pat, Dermot and Liam, her uncle Peter and all her relatives and all who mourn her.

Teresa’s months mind Mass will be celebrated in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart on Friday 11 November at 8pm.

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We pray for Margaret Meaney, Cappanavarnogue who died on 30 September, 2016 in her 96th year

Margaret will repose at St Michael’s Church, Kildysart from 5 pm to 7 pm on Sunday. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday at 11am followed by burial in Kildysary cemetery.

May the Lord grant Margaret eternal rest and comfort her daughters Maura, Rose and Kathleen, her grandchildren Niamh, Brian and Aiden all her family and all who mourn her.

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