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

Calendar 2019 – 2020

2019

January
Saturday 6th – Epiphany
Thursday 18th to 25th – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Sunday 7th February – Catholic Schools Week:
Theme – Celebrating the work of our Local Catholic Schools

February
Friday 1st – Feast of St. Brigid
Saturday 2nd – Candlemas Day – blessing of candles
Saturday 2nd – Enrolment Ceremony, Confirmation (Edgeworthstown) @ 7.00 p.m.
Sunday 3rd – Feast of St. Blaise – blessing of throats
Saturday 9th – Enrolment Ceremony, First Holy Communion (Edgeworthstown) @ 7.00 p.m.

March
Saturday 2nd – Service of Light, Confirmation (Edgeworthstown) @ 7.00 p.m.
Wednesday 6th – Ash Wednesday
Saturday 17th – St. Patrick’s Day
Friday 29th – Sacrament of Confirmation (Edgeworthstown) @ 4.00 p.m.

April
Wednesday 10th – First Confession (Edgeworthstown) @ 7.00 p.m.
Sunday 14th – Palm Sunday
Thursday 18th – Holy Thursday
Friday 19th – Good Friday
Sunday 21st – Easter Sunday

May
Wednesday 1st – First Confession (Rathowen) @ 8.00 p.m.
Thursday 2nd – First Confession (Boherquill) @ 8.00 p.m.
Saturday 11th – First Holy Communion (Edgeworthstown) @ 12.00 p.m.
Sunday 12th – First Holy Communion (Rathowen) @ 12.00 noon
Sunday 19th – First Holy Communion (Boherquill) @ 11.00 a.m.
Sunday 30th – Ascension of the Lord

June
Sunday 2nd – Cemetery Sunday (Russagh)* @ 11.00 a.m.
Sunday 9th – Pentecost Sunday
Sunday 9th – Cemetery Sunday (Rathaspic)* @ 11.00 a.m.
Sunday 23rd – Corpus Christi
* Mass will be celebrated in the cemetery weather permitting

July
Sunday 7th – Cemetery Sunday (Edgeworthstown)
Sunday 7th – Cemetery Sunday (Church Cemetry, St. Fintan’s, Coolamber, Streete)

August
Thursday 15th – Assumption of Our Lady

September

October

November
Friday 1st – All Saints
Saturday 2nd – All Souls
Saturday 9th – (Edgeworthstown) First Holy Communion Enrolment Ceremony @ 7.00 p.m.
Saturday 23rd – (Edgeworthstown) Confirmation Enrolment Ceremony @ 7.00 p.m.

December
Sunday 1st – 1st Sunday of Advent
Monday 9th – Immaculate Conception
Wednesday 25th – Christmas Day
Thursday 26th – St. Stephen’s Day

2020

March
Saturday 21st – (Streete) Confirmation @ 11.00 a.m.
Saturday 21st – (Rathowen) Confirmation @ 3.00 p.m.
Wednesday 25th – (Edgeworthstown) First Confession @ 7.00 p.m.

April
Saturday 25th – (Edgeworthstown) Confirmation Service of Light @ 7.00 p.m.

May
Friday 15th – (Edgeworthstown) Sacrament of Confirmation @ 4.00 p.m.
Saturday 30th – (Edgeworthstown) First Holy Communion @ 12.00 noon

Mass Times and Church Notices

Mass Times This Week:

November Sunday Masses:
St. Mary’s Edgeworthstown: Saturday Vigil 7.00 p.m. Sunday 10.00 a.m. & 12 noon
Our Lady’s Manor, Edgeworthstown: Sunday 11.00 a.m.
St. Mary’s Rathowen: Saturday Vigil 8.00 p.m.
St. Mary’s Streete (Boherquill): Sunday 11.00 a.m.

Eucharistic Adoration this week:
Edgeworthstown (St. Mary’s Church):
Each week Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 11.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
Rathowen:
Wednesday and Thursday 10.00 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.
Boherquill:
Friday 7.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

Proposed 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.

November – Month of the Holy Souls
Rosary in our Cemeteries
Sunday November 3rd Boherquill – Church cemetery after 11.00 a.m. Mass
Sunday November 10th – St. Fintan’s cemetery after 11.00 a,m, Mass
and 3.00 p.m. in Russagh cemetery
Sunday November 17th – Coolamber cemetery after 11.00 a.m. Mass
Sundau November 24th – Streete cemetery after 11.00 a.m. Mass
and 3.00 p.m. in Rathaspic cemetery.

Pro Populo Mass
Every parish priest celebrates Mass for the people of the parish each week.
This is traditionally known as the Pro Populo Mass.
This Mass is celebrated in Our Lady’s Manor each Wednesday morning.

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:

~ March 2019 ~

• David Obedunmi
• Charles Edward Expedite Ward, Crosea
• Laura Maebh Holly, Lacken
• Lucinda Sandra Patricia Stokes, Corboy

~ May ~

• Bernard Noonan, Dublin Raod

~ June ~

• James Nigel Gilchrist, Cullogue
• Tommy Marius Dzieciol, Mostrim Oaks

~ August ~

• Hallie Mary Lena Mullane, Auburn Park
• Emma Veronica Ogbodu Idomele, Back of Main Street
• Ariana Rea, Bracklin Park
• Amelia Jane Cosgrove, Lisnanagh
• Nadia Mularczuk, Abhainn Glas
• Seán Gerard Victory, Bracklin

~ October ~

• Brajan Baldyga
• Emilia Marta Nowicka, Abhainn Glas
• Roddney Ndaba, Mostrim Oaks

~ November ~

• Hayley Marie Donnelly, Kilbride Park

Please pray for the souls of our recently departed:-

~ January 2019 ~

• Thomas (Tom) Nugent, Devine Crescent
• Mary Flynn (Nee Kelly) originally from Rathowen who died recently in Dublin
• Seamus Kiernan, Legan

~ February ~

• Catherine (Kay) Quinn (nee Skelly), Dublin Road

~ March ~

• Billy O’Neill, Russagh
• Eddie Early, Boherquill
• Patrick Kelly, Cappagh
• Patrick (Paddy) McGrath, Bracklin

~ April ~

• Patrick (Pat) Gilheaney, Church Street and Kilbride Park
• Jim Phelan, Castlepollard and Streete

~ May ~

• John Victory, Bracklin

~ June ~

• Mona Kettle, Our Lady’s Manor
• Bernie Tighe, Barradrum
• Hal Gaynor, Lisryan
• Sean Reilly, U.S.A. (originally of Coralanna)
• Anthony (Tony) Coundland, Aughnahowna, Ardagh and Devine Crescent
• William (Willie) McGuinness, Kilcoursey
• Colm Sullivan, originally from Kilmore who died in Liverpool recently

~ July ~

• Paddy Reilly, Balloo
• Christina (Crissie) Flood (née Mc Grath), St. Patrick’s Terrace

~ August ~

• Ita Doyle, Ringowney
• Jim Taffe, Rathowen

~ September ~

• Sean Duffy, Monadara and London
• John Dermody, England, originally from Coole and Rathowen

~ October ~

• Mona Walsh, Corwella
• Rosemary Gilchrist, Lisnagrish
• Patrick (Pat) Quinn, Garryandrew
• Marcella Mulligan, Coolamber
• Jimmy Duffy, Corry

~ November ~

• Helen Harte, Corboy
• Tommy Gallagher, Bracklin
• Genevieve (Gen) Doherty, Culloge

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: Monica Coyle, Marie Cassidy
Sunday 10.00 a.m: Ann Mulligan, David Greene
Sunday 12 noon: Cora Murphy, Sarah Jane Murphy

MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST
Saturday 7.00 p.m: Sr. Maureen Brennan, Sandra Durkan, Margaret Kelly
Sunday 10.00 a.m: Mairead Fulham, Ita O’Farrell, Liz Brady
Sunday 12.00 noon: Colm O’Reilly, Mary Kelly McGrath, Angela Dockery

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 17-11-19 Thought for this week

Links