THANK YOU FOR LAST WEEK’S COLLECTION: €1360

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NEXT CHILDREN’S ROSARY: Corpus Christi Church, Lisdoonvarna, Sunday evening, January 5, at 6pm.

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FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY, MONDAY JANUARY 6th, IS A HOLY DAY OFOBLIGATION. Masses in Lisdoonvarna at 8am and 9:30am.

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‍BLOOD DONATION CLINIC: Falls Hotel, January 6th and 7th, 5pm to 8pm.

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POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER FOR THE JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE, 2025. Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, pilgrims of hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise forever. Amen.

I thank the good Lord and His Blessed Mother for the growth and development we have seen in our parish this past year. Thank you so much to those members of the Parish Finance Committee and Parish Pastoral Council who completed diocesan-wide training this year, and thanks to those who have offered themselves for service as funeral Ministers, Ministers of Word and Eucharist, some of whom serve the Stella Maris community, and wedding ministers. This year also we completed, thank God, the renovation of Corpus Christi Church, Lisdoonvarna, by Guerin and Considine Ltd, with the help of grant funding from Clare County Council, and revamped the Community Room, installing a new audio-visual system and refurbished kitchenette, with the help of grant funding from Ennistymon Credit Union. New seating has been ordered. As well as a meeting-room, this room will also serve as a day chapel. Wi-fi has been installed in the church. It is lovely to see members of our Ukrainian and Thomond hotel communities getting more involved in church life through volunteer cleaning and choir membership. We await the outcome of grant applications for the refurbishment of Kilshanny Church and Hall. The carpark wall at Kilshanny church has been completed, along with the installation of wheelchair-accessible toilet facilities and new footpaths. We are progressing the Toovahera church car park project in dialogue with the Diocese. We look forward to the installation of a new boiler in Doolin church, and more accessible doors for funerals and weddings. Doolin church has been power hosed. The entrance and driveway to the parochial house has been tarmacadamed with wheelchair access to the house now available.  The curate’s house was repainted and cleaned for rental income for the parish. An Advent retreat was offered, and guest speakers shared at the Advent Masses. The Kilshanny live crib always starts Christmas off for me! Putting our faith into action for practical care of the poor, parish and secondary school branches of Mary’s Meals have been established. Faith and Light celebrated their silver jubilee. We had another parish pilgrimage to Medjugorje. Regarding youth ministry, the Angel Voices children’s choir was formed, the monthly Children’s Rosary program has been established, and our altar servers are going strong. Members of the Parish Council shared their own parental experience with the First Communion and Confirmation candidates’ parents.  St.Enda’s National School children come for weekly Mass on a Thursday, where the children give the reflection. Doolin school continues to produce a magnificent musical version of the Nativity at Christmas Eve children’s Mass, and Kilshanny school continues to be a haven of welcome and kindness. Mary Immaculate Secondary school continued its close links with the parish by staging their wonderful Christmas service of carols and prayers in Corpus Christi church, this time in aid of young Joe Slattery’s recovery. A blessing in 2025 on all the groups and individuals who keep our parish, the Body of Christ here, so vibrant. Thank you. Pray for me. Fr. Robert

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