AROUND THE DISTRICTS
CHRIST CHURCH COI
Services of Worship for Sunday, December 17 – The Second Sunday of Advent 8.30 a.m. – Holy Communion One ; 11 a.m. – Holy Communion Two; 7 p.m. – Carols by Christmas Tree Lights.
Christmas Timetable: Sunday, December 24 – Christmas Eve:.30 a.m. – Holy Communion One ; 11 a.m. – Holy Communion Two; 11 p.m. – ‘ Quiet Carols’; 11.30 p.m. – Christmas Communion. Christmas Day: 9 a.m. – Holy Communion Two; 10.30 a.m. – Family Services; 11.40 a.m. – Short Communion.
Recycled Teenagers: Thanks to all who helped decorate our ‘Zimmer Tree’ for the Christmas.
Tree Festival. We will be back on Wednesday, January 31, In the meantime, a very peaceful and joyful Christmas and New Year to all.
Confirmation Class: Confirmation Class will be back on Sunday, January 14, at 6 p.m.
Christmas Cards: Christ Church Christmas Cards for sale at the Back of the church and from the parish office six for €5 or €1 each.
HOLY REDEEMER PARISH
Taize Evening: An open invitation to come, away to the quiet, for 30 minutes of silent reflection, at 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20, in Holy Redeemer Church.
Fr John Moses: Fr John Moses will be returning home to Nigeria this coming Monday. Some parishioners have already been kind enough to donate to his Church Building Project. If you wish to make a donation you can do so by leaving it in to the parish office before this Friday. Cheques should be made payable to Holy Redeemer. These will be forwarded, by our outreach group, to the St Peter’s building account at Bida in the diocese of Minna.
Annual Carol Service: Let’s Sing Together. Come and Sing your favourite carols with the Bray Concert Band this Sunday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. 5 p.m. We have special guest appearances from Beating Time Barbershop Chorus, Holy Redeemer Ceoltoirí Group and more. Mulled wine (non-alcoholic) and festive nibbles will be served afterwards in the Little Flower Hall. We look forward to seeing you there.
Holy Redeemer Crib: Do you have happy Memories, as a child, of coming in to visit the crib in Holy Redeemer around Christmastime? We are taking a step back in time this year, by placing the crib, where it used to be in years gone by, at the rear of the church. The crib hasn’t been seen in this part of the church for several years now. On Christmas Eve, during our Masses, the infant Jesus will be placed in the crib, which will by then have moved to the front of the church. We invite you to come in, light a candle, say a prayer and spend a few quiet moments reliving old memories over the busy Christmas season.
Christmas Mass Intention Cards: These are available in the sacristy after Mass or in the parish office. These intentions will be remembered in a Special way during all our Masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day here in Holy Redeemer. The suggested offering is €5.
The Coffee Dock: The Coffee Dock will close on Thursday, December 21, after the 10 a.m. Mass, where alongside regular tea and coffee, we will have mulled wine (non-alcoholic) and mince pies. We will also be holding a raffle raising funds for the Coffee Dock. Tickets are €2 a strip or three for €5. Any donations for raffle prizes would be most welcome in the parish office on or before the December 21 the Coffee Dock will then close for Christmas and will re-open on Monday, January 8, after 10 a.m. Mass.
Crosscare Appeal: Archbishop Diarmuid Martin extends his appreciation to those of you who supported the Parish Food appeal for Crosscare that took place last Sunday week in Holy Redeemer.
ST PETER’S PARISH
Christmas Arrangements 2017: Carol Service on Sunday, December 17, at 3 p.m.; Penitential Service – Monday, December 18, at 7.30 p.m. Christmas Masses: Christmas Eve – 6 p.m.; Christmas Day – 10 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. Christmas Dues envelopes and timetable are available in the porch at the back of the church. Please feel free to take one.
St Vincent de Paul Christmas Help: New system in place for Assistance. Anybody looking for help from the SVP this Christmas must do so by ringing SVP Dublin at 01 8550022. Please do not leave any Post/Letters in the post box in the parish or Bungalow as they will not be read or considered for Christmas help. Many thanks for your co-operation.
Thank You: Crosscare would like to thank all parishioners who donated items to the Parish Food Appeal. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Young at Heart Dinners: Young at Heart dinners have now ceased and for 2017 and will resume in February 2018. Date to be confirmed.
ST FERGAL’S PARISH
Cake Sale: The recent December Parish Cake Sale amounted to €560. Thank you for your continued support.
Request for Mince Pies: To be served after the Christmas Carol Concert, which will take place this Saturday at 7.45 p.m. All donations will be gratefully received and can be brought to the church or the parish office. Thank You.
St Fergal’s Christmas Carol Concert this Saturday at 7.45 p.m.: You are invited to bring a gift to be placed under the Christmas Tree which will be distributed by the Women’s Refuge Centre and our local St Clare’s Conference of the society of St Vincent de Paul. Many Thanks.
Christmas Timetable 2017: This Saturday: Mass at 9.30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Christmas Carol Concert at 7.45 p.m. This Sunday: Masses at 8 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. Monday, December 18, to Saturday, December 23: Mass at 9.30 a.m. and Vigil Mass at 7 p.m. Sunday, December 24 – Christmas Eve.: Masses at 8 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. Vigil Masses for Christmas: 6 p.m. Family Mass (Family Mass Choir); 9 p.m. Vigil Mass (Parish Choir). Christmas Day: 8 a.m., 10.30 a.m. (Men’s Choir), midday (Gospel Choir). Tuesday, December 26 – St Stephen’s Day: Mass at 9.30 a.m. (Intentions of all who received Christmas Mass Bouquet Cards); Wednesday, December 27: Mass at 9.30 a.m.
Penitential Service: Tuesday, December 19, at 7.30 p.m. Saturday, December 23: Confessions from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE
Planned Giving Boxes and Christmas Cards: The planned giving boxes and Christmas cards are ready for distribution, if you can help to deliver in your area, please call to the sacristy. Thank you.
Fourth Communion Preparation Mass: The fourth Communion Preparation Mass will take place this Sunday at 10.30 a.m. in our Church.
Our Lady Queen of Peace Christmas 2017 Arrangements: Carol Service on Sunday, December 17, at 7 p.m. Mass Times: Monday, December 18, to Saturday, December 23 to December 10.30 a.m.; Vigil Mass on Saturday, December 23, at 6.30 p.m.; Sunday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) – 10.30 a.m. and midday. Christmas Masses: 6.30 p.m. (Family Mass); 9 p.m. (Christmas Night Mass). Christmas Day: 9 a.m., 10.30 a.m. and midday. Tuesday, December 26: St Stephen’s Day – 10.30 a.m. Wednesday, December 27, to Saturday, December 30 – Dairy Mass at 10.30 a.m. New Year’s Eve Service of Thanksgiving – 4.15 p.m. Saturday, January 6 (feast of the Epiphany) – 7 p.m. (Vigil Mass) on Friday, January 5, and on Saturday, January 6, at 10.30 a.m.
Sacrament of Reconciliation: Our Lady Queen of Peace, Monday, December 18, at 7.30 p.m.; St Fergal’s Tuesday, December 19, at 7.30 p.m.; St Mary’s Enniskerry Wednesday, December 20, at 7.30 p.m., and Holy Redeemer Saturday, December 23, at midday. Our Lady Queen of Peace Confessions on Saturday, December 23, from 11 a.m. to midday.
Heart Children Ireland: Thank you for the recent support of their coffee morning. We raised €160 for the association.
Eucharistic Ministers: A meeting for those on duty at the 6.30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Christmas Eve Masses will take place in the church after the Reconciliation Service on Monday, December 18, Church Cleaners: We are in need of cleaners for the church for Wednesdays 11 a.m. to midday. Please contact the sacristy at 01 2723865.
QOP YOUTH CLUB
Members of the Queen of Peace Adventure Youth club are invited to advise Albert about any ideas for inclusion in the programme for next year. It is expected that it will have 90 events, and expansion will be possible subject to feasibility. The first draft will be put to the committee during the Christmas holiday, and it will then be put to the membership for ratification at the first club session in January.
DIVING CLUB
Congratulations to Cormac, who has completed all the required pool training in scuba gear, and he will be sea scuba diving as soon as he has had three snorkel dives. Bray Divers is one of the very few clubs that continue under water diving every week throughout the year. Club membership would be an ideal gift to give to anyone with a wish for adventure and all the other aspects of the underwater world. Call 087 6756439 for information.
BRAY LIBRARY
The library will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, December 22, and reopen on Tuesday, January 2, at 10 a.m.
CUALANN SOCIETY
Last Thursday morning James Scannell, PRO of the Bray Cualann Historical Society, the local history society for Bray and North Wicklow, presented a talk ‘Christmas 1942 in Bray’ at 11.30 a.m. in Ballywaltrim Library, Boghall Road, Bray, at which he recalled some of the events that happened in and around Bray that Christmas.
The following day, last Friday, James presented his talk ‘Christmas 1917 in Bray’ at 11.30 a.m. in Bray Library, Eglinton Road, Bray, at which he recalled some of the events happened in and around Bray that particular Christmas. Brian White, chairman of the Bray Cualann Historical Society, updated those in attendance on when the documentary of Bray World War One US Army Nurse Josephine Heffernan will be screened on French TV in January and on whose grave in St Peter’s Cemetery, Little Bray, in January the American Legion in Ireland will place a special plate testifying to her service with the U.S Army.
Members of the Bray Cualann Historical Society are asked to note that tomorrow’s (Thursday) previously advertised meeting of the Enniskerry Historical Society has had to be cancelled due to reasons due to circumstances outside the control of the society.
Events which may be interest to members are this Saturdays 2.30 p.m. meeting of the Western Front Association (Dublin Branch) in the lecture theatre of the Museum of Decorative Arts and History (Including Military History), Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Dublin seven, at which Bill Gibson will present his lecture on ‘Irish Golf and Golfers: Experiences of War and Revolution, 1914-16’ – donation of €3 appreciated; and to next Tuesday night’s 6.30 p.m. talk by James Scannell recalling ‘Christmas 1917 in South Dublin’ in Stillorgan Library, St Laurence Park, Stillorgan. All welcome – admission free – further information from 01 298 9655 or email stillorganlib@dlrcoco.ie.
The 2018 Dublin City Library and Archive Local History Society Group Day will now take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 24, in the Dublin City Library and Archive, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin – details of the programme will be issued in due course.
The AGM of the Bray Cualann Historical Society will take place at 8 p.m. on Thursday, January 18, in the Royal Hotel Bray and all members are requested to attend. The meeting will conclude with a presentation by Brian White on ‘1918 – Votes for Women’ – all welcome, admission free for members and €5 for visitors, Those wishing to join the society can do at this meeting.
Further information on the Bray Cualann Historical Society programme available on the Society’s web-site: braycualannhitoricalsociety.ie.