Achonry diocese welcomes a new Priest

Achonry Diocese – New Priest Welcomed.

Bishop Paul Dempsey has welcomed Fr Victor Akongwale to ministry in the Diocese of Achonry. A priest of the Ogoja Diocese in Nigeria. Fr Victor brings to our diocese many years of experience in priestly ministry. As he joins our diocese, we recall Bishop Thomas McGettrick SPD – a native of Killavil in Bunninadden Parish, who was ordained a priest of Achonry Diocese in 1930 but went on to be a founder member of St Patrick’s Missionary Society, Kiltegan. Later he became Bishop of Ogoja Diocese, Fr Victor’s native diocese (1955-1973), and would no doubt rejoice with us as a son of his diocese returns to Achonry to share the Gospel in new surrounds. Reflecting on this link and in welcoming Fr Victor, Bishop Paul said “it has gone full circle”. Thanks be to God. Fr Victor takes us duty as Curate in Swinford Parish. He is wished every joy, happiness and a fulfilled ministry in our midst.

Parish Ministries meeting

Meeting to renew and rebuild all the different ministries.

On Thursday night next February 10th, a meeting will take place in Culfadda Church at 8.00pm.

The focus of this meeting is to review and hopefully renew all Parish Ministries following the last two years and the difficulties that presented .

This is an invitation to everyone – all existing members and indeed new members are all invited.

The Ministries include for example: Readers, Ministers of the Eucharist, those involved as Collectors and those who would like to see Altar serving up and running again.

The people of our parish are wonderful and they support their churches no end but the numbers involved in these roles have fallen in recent years.

Please continue to pray and look within oneself to see can I as an individual help in some way. In all walks of life, there can be a mindset that someone else will do it. Participating in these roles is a form of prayer in itself – it’s an offering of oneself to the will of God. Please allow yourself to remain open within your heart to the voice of the Lord – should he be asking you at this time to assist him with these roles.

We will set up a what’s App grouping to enable people in different Ministries to easily call upon others to swap with them, where difficulties present in attending on certain weekends.

If you cannot attend the meeting but are willing to be involved, please phone or e mail Fr. Gabriel.

Maybe you might not be able to be involved in a regular rota due to work or otherwise but are willing to be on stand by (in a what’s app grouping or otherwise); if someone else cannot attend on a specified weekend. That in itself can play a wonderful part. If you can play any part, please come forward.

Prayer to St. Paul

Prayer:

O glorious St. Paul, who from a persecutor of Christianity, didst become a most ardent Apostle of zeal; and who to make known the Savior Jesus Christ unto the ends of the world didst suffer with joy imprisonment, scourgings, stonings, shipwrecks and persecutions of every kind, and in the end didst shed thy blood to the last drop, obtain for us the grace to receive, as favors of the Divine mercy, infirmities, tribulations, and misfortunes of the present life, so that the vicissitudes of this our exile will not render us cold in the service of God, but will render us always more faithful and more fervent.

V. Pray for us, Saint Paul the Apostle,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

Let us pray

O God, Who hast taught the multitude of the Gentiles by the preaching of blessed Paul the Apostle: grant unto us, we beseech Thee, that we who keep his memory sacred, may feel the might of his intercession before Thee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dates for First Confession, First Communion and Sacrament of Confirmation

Dates for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Communion and Confirmation.

First Confession for pupils from Keash National School – Tuesday March 8^th at 7.00pm and for pupils from Culfadda National School – Thursday March 10^th at 7.00pm.

Confirmation for 5^th & 6^th class pupils from Keash & Culfadda National Schools – Saturday March 12^th at a time to be confirmed by the Bishop.

First Holy Communion for pupils from Keash National School – Saturday May 7^th at 11.30am.

First Holy Communion for pupils from Culfadda National School – Saturday May 14^th at 11.30am.

Proposed images for Sanctuary of Keash Church

Archbishop Nearly to the people of Tuam..

‘I want to thank you for being the people that you are’ – Archbishop Neary to the people of Tuam

Archbishop Michael Neary delivered his final address as Archbishop of Tuam in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Tuam, at the start of the Mass of Installation for Archbishop Francis Duffy as the new Archbishop of Tuam. This Mass was celebrated on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, 9 January 2022.

Archbishop Neary welcomed the incoming Archbishop on behalf of himself and the people of Tuam. He said, “I reserve the warmest welcome for our new Archbishop. Céad míle, míle fáilte romhat a theachtaire Dé! Francis, this is your day and we are delighted for you; we congratulate you on your appointment, we rejoice with you, we pray for you, and we offer our wholehearted support as you assume your new responsibilities as Metropolitan Archbishop.”

Speaking directly to the people of Tuam, both religious and lay, Archbishop Neary extended a personal word of thanks. He said “If I may be permitted to express my deep personal gratitude to the People of God that is the Church of Tuam, the lay faithful young and old, religious, priests and deacons. I thank you that with over fifty years as a priest, thirty years as a Bishop and twenty-seven years as your Archbishop, you have prayed for me, befriended me, supported and encouraged me.”

The Archbishop Emeritus of Tuam continued, “From the islands off the western seaboard to the island parish of Moore on the eastern boundary, you are the people from whom I have learnt so much. With you I have journeyed, we have prayed together, we have celebrated together, we have dealt with challenges together and, very briefly today, I want to thank you for being the people that you are, for reminding me of the God whom I have been called and chosen to serve. For all of that I want to express my deep gratitude to you. And, because I know you so well, I am confident that your relationship with Archbishop Francis will be characterised by the same warmth, affection and joy.

“Go raibh beannacht Dé oraibh, agus faoi choimirce na Maighdine Muire sibh anois agus í gcónaí.”