Parishes Working Together
Edgeworthstown – Rathowen – Streete

The three Roman Catholic parishes of St. Mary’s serve the adjacent communities of Edgeworthstown, County Longford and Streete and Rathowen, both in County Westmeath. We share a rich historic, cultural and literary tradition, counting Maria Edgeworth, Oliver Goldsmith and Oscar Wilde among those that lived or visited here. To this day there continues a vibrant and talented music, drama and written tradition, most delightfully practiced by our youngest generation.

Na trí paróistí Caitliceacha Rómhánacha Naomh Muire freastal ar na pobail in aice na Meathas Troim, Contae an Longfoirt agus Streete agus Ráth Eoghain, i gContae na hIarmhí. Roinnimid traidisiún stairiúil, cultúrtha agus liteartha saibhir, comhaireamh Maria Edgeworth, Oliver Goldsmith agus Oscar Wilde i measc iad siúd a raibh cónaí nó thug cuairt anseo. Go dtí an lá, tá fós le ceol bríomhar agus cumasach, drámaíocht agus traidisiún scríofa, an chuid is mó iontais chleachtadh ag ár ghlúin is óige.

Throughout the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois neighbouring parishes have been asked to explore ways of co-operating together which could lead to better communication and a better use of personnel and resources in providing the best possible service to our people. With this in mind our parishes of Edgeworthstown, Streete and Rathowen have begun a journey of exploration together.

Le linn an Deoise Ardach agus Chluain Mhic Nóis paróistí comharsanacha iarradh ar bhealaí comhoibriú le chéile a d’fhéadfadh bheith ina chúis le cumarsáid níos fearr agus úsáid níos fearr pearsanra agus acmhainní chun an tseirbhís is fearr is féidir a sholáthar dár ndaoine iniúchadh. Sin san áireamh inár bparóistí de Meathas Troim, Streete agus Ráth Eoghain tá tús curtha turas taiscéalaíochta chéile.

Update 03-11-2019:

PROPOSED CHANGE OF MASS TIMES

“The whole group of believers were united heart and soul”….Acts of the Apostles.

Edgeworthstown Parish Pastoral Council has been considering the Sunday Mass schedule and attendances for the past year or so. While congregations vary in size, it has become evident that frequently, a large number of seats are vacant at our weekend Masses.

There is a very different experience in being part of a gathering that is small in size as opposed to one that has a fulsome congregation.

With a full gathering of the community there is more energy and engagement and it seems that a richer experience of being at prayer together is possible. We have experienced such richness at Masses on Christmas Day, Easter Sunday and St. Patrick’s Day etc.

The Pastoral Council is mindful of the scarcity and aging profile of the priests of the diocese. There are no students in training for the priesthood for our diocese so there are a lot of changes on the horizon in the next few years. The Diocesan Assembly next Spring is a response to this real challenge.

As announced last Sunday, from January 2020 the Parish Pastoral Council is proposing to merge the 10.00 and 12.00 Sunday Masses into an 11 o’clock ceremony. This should ensure that we have a large attendance at both the Saturday evening and Sunday morning Masses in our parish. Hopefully this will lead to a richer, more vibrant celebration and our Sunday Mass will be a place to meet and greet neighbours and friends and a place for the Massgoing public to feel strength and support in worshipping together in good numbers.

This initiative does ask for some compromise from all. Those who are used to coming to 10.00 will have to come an hour later while those who are used to 12.00 will have to come an hour earlier.

In considering this proposal the Pastoral Council has been liaising with the parishes of Rathowen and Streete to ensure that our Mass times are streamlined so that one priest can celebrate all ceremonies if the need arises and indeed, this may be the pattern in the future.

This new proposal would see a 10.00 Mass in Rathowen Church each Sunday morning. It is always preferable that people would worship in their own community but on occasion, that earlier option would be available just a few miles up the road.

The Parish Pastoral Council has given this change a lot of thought. We hope you will see the merit of this decision and that it will meet with the approval of the community. Once more the ultimate goal of this change is to enrich, enliven and strengthen our Sunday celebration of the Eucharist.

“The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself”. – Catechism of the Catholic Church.

“The celebration of the Eucharist is not a private devotion but rather a communal gathering much like a family meal. We come together at the same time and in the same place so that we can take part in a common action. We then gather around the table of the Lord for our family meal. The actual partaking of the food is referred to as “communion”, a joining together of the members of the community, not only with their God but also with each other. Our celebration closes with a charge to go forth as a community and bring God’s love to the world”. – LOYOLA PRESS
 
 

Shaping the Future with Hope

 
Bishop Francis Duffy pastoral letter June '19 - page 1
Bishop Francis Duffy pastoral letter June '19 - pages 2 & 3

~ January 2020 ~

• Monday 1st January – New Year’s Day (public holiday)
• Monday 6th January – Epiphany of the Lord

~ February ~

• 26th February – Ash Wednesday

~ March ~

• Monday 17th March – St. Patrick’s Day (also a public holiday)
• Saturday 21st March – Confirmation (Streete) @ 11.00 a.m.
• Saturday 21st March – Confirmation (Rathowen) @ 3.00 p.m.
• Wednesday 25th March – First Confession (Edgeworthstown) @ 7.00 p.m.

~ April ~

• Sunday 5th April – Palm Sunday
• Thursday 9th April – Holy Thursday
• Friday 10th April – Good Friday (not a public holiday)
• Saturday 11th April – Holy Saturday
• Sunday 12th April – Easter Sunday
• Monday 13th April – Easter Monday (public holiday)
• Saturday 25th April – Confirmation Service of Light (Edgeworthstown) @ 7.00 p.m.

~ May ~

• Monday 4th May – May Day (public holiday)
• Friday 15th May – Sacrament of Confirmation (Edgeworthstown) @ 4.00 p.m.
• Thursday May 21st – Ascension Thursday, Holy Day of Obligation, celebrated on Sunday May 24th
• Saturday 30th May – Holy Communion (Edgeworthstown) @ 12.00 noon
• Sunday May 31st – Pentecost Sunday

~ June ~

• Monday 1st June – June Bank Holiday (public holiday)
• Thursday 11th June – Corpus Christi, celebrated on Sunday June 14th

~ July ~

• Sunday July 5th – Cemetery Sunday (Edgeworthstown), time of Mass to be confirmed

~ August ~

• Monday 3rd August – August Bank Holiday (public holiday)
• Saturday 15th August – Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary

~ September ~

~ October ~

• Monday 26th October – October Bank Holiday (public holiday)

~ November ~

• Sunday 1st November – All Saints Day
• Sunday 29th November – 1st Sunday of Advent

~ December ~

• Tuesday 8th December – Immaculate Conception
• Friday 25th December – Christmas Day (also public holiday)
• Saturday 26th December – St. Stephen’s Day (public holiday)

Mass Times and Church Notices

Mass Times This Week:

Arrangements for liturgies and church events in the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois during the period 13th March to 29th March 2020 are detailed on the Home Page.

Sunday Mass Times from January 2020:
Vigil Mass Saturday evening: Edgeworthstown @ 7.00 p.m. & Boherquill @ 8.00 p.m.
Sunday Morning: Rathowen @ 10.00 a.m. & Edgeworthstown @ 11.00 a.m.
Mass times will remain the same throughout the year.

Eucharistic Adoration this week:
Edgeworthstown (St. Mary’s Church):
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday – No adoration this week.
Rathowen:
Wednesday and Thursday – No adoration this week.
Boherquill:
Friday – No adoration this week.

Weddings:
Three months notice must be given to the Parish and to the State.
Pre Marriage course is required – ACCORD.

Baptisms:
By arrangement.

Parish Secretary (Edgeworthstown):
If you wish to book Anniversary Masses.
Also if you wish to contribute to Offertory Collections and to Priests Dues by way of the weekly envelope system the parish secretary will include you.

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
The Presbetry
St. Mary’s Church
Dublin Road
Edgeworthstown
Co. Longford.

Phone no. 043 6671046
E-mail edgeworthstownparish@gmail.com

Live Mass Streaming

Recent Baptisms and Deaths

We welcomed the following children into our Christian commmunity in recent weeks:

~ January 2020 ~

• Lucie Brigid Victory Jones, Cranlemore and Dublin

~ April ~

• Jacob Eamon Maguire, Kilbride Park
• Freya Nevaeh Ward, Parc na hAbhainn

Please pray for the souls of our recently departed:-

~ January 2020 ~

• Nancy Jennings, (nee Smith), Castlebar, formerly St. Patrick’s Terrace
• Margaret Mahon, Main Street
• Patrick Casey, Cloverwell

~ February 2020 ~

• Nell (Ellen) Coughlan (nee Keane), Ballinasloe, formerly of Ringowney

~ March 2020 ~

• Barbara Leavy, Monadarragh

~ April 2020 ~

• Austin Reilly, Kilsallagh
• Elizabeth Carthy (Lily), (née Clarke), Lisryan
• Maura Doyle (née O’Donnell), Cam
• Donal Drake, Ballinree

~ May ~

• Jimmy Gill, Devine Crescent

 
Requiescant in Pace
Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a n-anaim
May they rest in peace and rise in glory

Those we love don’t go away,
they walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard, but always near.

Jesus, thank you for destroying death so I may live forever!

Rotas

Edgeworthstown:

READERS
Saturday 7.00 p.m: Sinead Farrell, Monica Coyle
Sunday 11.00 a.m: Yvonne Tuite, Sinead Crosson

MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST
Saturday 7.00 p.m: Angela Dockery, Diane Spillane, Margaret Kelly
Sunday 11.00 a.m: Ita O’Farrell, Niamh Cassidy, Lauryn McKeon

Please arrange a substitute if you cannot be present

Readings for Today

(Courtesy Irish Bishops Conference):

Click for today’s Mass readings

Thought for this Week

(Courtesy Fr. Tom Cox)
Sunday Newsletter 08-03-20 Thought for this week

Links