MARY’S MEALS MEETING with Patricia Friel for adults, Parochial House, Tuesday, March 5 th , at 7pm.

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GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LENT: our best friends love, accept, and forgive us, even when we are at our

most unpleasant. They give us many chances. Our best friend Jesus brings this to a new level altogether, by

providing us with a new start every year with the holy season of Lent. The Letter to the Hebrews tells us

beautifully that we are always welcome to approach God’s throne of grace, where we are guaranteed to find

divine mercy. This is especially so in the holy season of Lent. Sometimes the changes we need to make are so

great that we haven’t a chance to doing it on our own. That’s why we need the supernatural strength which

comes from outside of ourselves, which can only come from God, which we call amazing grace. This is

particularly “on tap” in the beautiful, healing Sacrament of Confession, which will be available to you after

7pm Masses on Wednesday evenings in Lisdoonvarna. Let us never delude ourselves into thinking that we

have no sins! A cursory glance through the ten commandments will cure us of that! A lovely way to give God

more time this Lent is to take part in our candle-lit Holy Hour on Wednesday evenings in Lisdoonvarna Church

at 6pm, beginning with Our Lady’s Rosary and ending with Holy Mass at 7pm. Surely we can give Jesus in the

Blessed Sacrament one hour a week in Lent, where we praise and thank him for His blessings, tell Him we love

him, ask His amazing grace for ourselves and our loved-ones, and ask forgiveness for our sins?

Last week’s collection: 1337. Sincere thanks.

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MICHO RUSSELL FESTIVAL: U 18 and U 12 sean nos competition in the attic, Hotel Doolin in memory of

Gussie and Brian Mc Mahon, Thursday 22 nd at 7.30pm. Donations at the door for Pieta House and Irish Heart

Foundation.

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PREP SESSION FOR FIRST HOLY COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION: Monday March 4 th , at 7pm in

Lisdoonvarna church, conducted by Patricia Friel, for children and parents/guardians.

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CLERGY PLANNING MEETING IN ARMADA HOTEL: taking place on Tuesday, February 20/Wednesday,

February 21, with Bishop Michael and the clergy of our diocese of Galway-Kilfenora. Because of this meeting,

there will be no 9.30am Mass in Lisdoonvarna on Tuesday, February 20 th .

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CONGRATULATIONS and blessings to our parishioners Leonard Mc Namara and Coral Gonzalez who

celebrated the Sacrament of Matrimony last week.

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PARISH WEBSITE: our new parish website, www.lisdoonvarnaparish.ie has been live since Christmas, and

contains all parish information, featuring the weekly newsletter, a secure link for donations, a link to a daily

blessing, and my weekly homilies. Any web designer out there would be most welcome to assist us. This might

be a nice project for secondary school students. All suggestions to Kate at katemcgavinwalsh@yahoo.com

Sincere thanks to Kate, Louise, and all involved.

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MARY’S MEALS: Patricia Friel has sent a thank you Mass bouquet from Knock to the people of the parish for

your gracious hospitality and welcome. Thank you so much to those who invited us to their homes. Patricia

hopes to return in a few weeks to help set up a branch of Mary’s Meals in the parish. We already have the

names of an interested group from Mary Immaculate Secondary School, but it would be great to have some

adult members as well. Please let me know if you are interested.

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CLARE OLDER PEOPLES’ VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD 2024: to nominate someone who gives of their

time, energy, and skills to help others in the local community, please email agefriendlyclare@clarecoco.ie, or

phone 065 6846240.

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PRIMARY SCHOOL ENROLMENT: parents/guardians are advised that application forms

for Junior Infants are available by email request from each school. Closing date is Friday, February 23 rd .

lisdoonvarnans@gmail.com, 065 7074231 kilshannyns@gmail.com, 065 7071344

doolinns@gmail.com 065 7074403

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Thank you for last week’s collection of 1768 euro, and to the kind anonymous donor of the new altar cloth to

Lisdoonvarna church

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