Parish of Lismore and Ballysggart news

Thanks to those who formed the communities of Faith to celebrate Holy Week in our parish. Thanks to all who exercised special ministries in the Liturgies. Authentic Liturgy has to affect the spirit we bring to our daily Christian living. Good Liturgy must flow from life and life must link to Liturgy.

So all who have reverently participated in the Liturgy will be a real leaven in our wider community. Faith is personal but it is also social and political. These days of Holy Week have helped deepen our awareness of the Lord’s love, mercy and trust in us.

Welcome now to our 50 days of Easter. This is a fine time to see and experience Easter life in our relationships, in our work, in our social conscientiousnes. That Easter Faith will come to our aid as we do what we can for the people of Ukraine. Of course pray in your families for an end to this aggression and destruction of life, homes, infrastructure. It is easy to destroy but very slow to restore. Lives cannot be restored. Covid-19 had taught us the importance of each human life. This war is shouting the very opposite lie.

Reclaim your Baptismal promises in your daily prayer. Recall what it is we reject when we accept our Baptismal/Easter life. We reject evil. Some people find it hard to imagine the Prince of Evil, Satan, the Devil yet try as we might. Too lightly we say the words without adverting to the meaning. Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer taught us to pray ‘ But deliver us from the evil one’.

Families whose young member is preparing for celebrating of First Eucharist are expected to make a real effort in praying at home, using the prayer candle and coming actively to Sun Mass.

Families whose young member has chosen to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation have a right to look to adults in their lives for support, teaching, example and leadership. This leadership may mean some negotating with sports leaders who fight hard for the honor of the club. That is a noble ambition but the right to worship must not be stolen. Sunday afternoon sportfields are quite deserted.

Thanks to you who have returned your Trocaire Family Fast box. If it is still languishing at home do take pity on it, fill it and return it to Church. If you meant to give a donation towards the poor Christians in the Holy Land, you are not too late to drop in your kind donation. Thanks to you who acted so generously to the Easter Collection for the Bishop, priests and retired priests of the diocese.