FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, January 29, 2012

A Word in Your Ear!
Catholic Schools Week
This week all across the island of Ireland we will celebrate Catholic Schools Week. This is the fourth annual celebration of the rich contribution that our catholic schools make to our country, our church, our parish communities, our families and to our own individual lives.
Here in Mooncoin we are very fortunate to have three wonderful Catholic Primary Schools. All three schools take very seriously their commitment to nurture and develop the Catholic ethos within the school community. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Boards of Management, the Parents Associations, the principals, teachers and the entire staff of our schools, for the magnificent contribution they make in the lives of the children and to the quality of life in our parish community.
Our schools will celebrate Catholic Schools Week in different ways but one event which will be celebrated in all three schools is “Grandparents Day”. The rich inheritance of our schools is their stepping stone into the future. Grandparents are a vital link in helping children give thanks for the work of the school and to look forward with joyful hope to the future. Tuesday will be Grandparents Day in Carrigeen and there will be Mass at 11.15am. Everybody in the community is welcome to join us for the Mass and afterwards there will be refreshments in the school. The two Mooncoin schools will celebrate Grandparents Day on Wednesday, the Feast of St. Brigid. Mass will be celebrated in the church at 11.15am and afterwards the children will host their grandparents back at their schools. I look forward to meeting all of the grandparents from far and near during the week.
Fr. Martin

LEARNING ABOUT THE MASS WITH KATH AND QUMEN
THE READINGS
The Minister of the Word goes to the ambo to read. The first reading is usually from the oldest part of the Bible called the Old Testament. In the Easter Season the first reading comes from the New Testament. The stories that we hear during the first reading are the same stories that Jesus would have heard when he was a child. Some of the stories from the Old Testament are thousands of years old. They remind us of how long people have been listening to God’s word. They also tell us how much God loves us. Even though the stories are very old, they still have an important message for us today.
THE PSALMS: The psalms are different from the other readings from the Bible. They were written as poems or songs. There are 150 psalms altogether. Sometimes the psalm is sung. Between each verse there is a response which we are all invited to say. The psalm allows us to reflect on the reading that we have just heard.
SECOND READING: This reading always comes from the part of the Bible called the New Testament. The reading is taken from the books that are found directly after the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
OUR RESPONSE TO THE READINGS: At the end of each of the readings the Minister of the Word finishes by saying, ‘The Word of the Lord’ and we all respond with the words, ‘Thanks be to God.’ This is our way of saying thank you to God for these stories which help us to grow together as members of God’s family.

2012 Winter Music Course at Piltown Community Centre
Piltown Community Centre in association with Kilkenny Leader Partnership and Kilkenny VEC is offering a Music Appreciation Course for adults. The course will be free of charge to participants. Commencing in January 2012 and continuing in twelve weekly tutorials the course will address the way music works and will cover fundamental theory including reading and writing musical notation. Unemployed or retired adults and members of choirs are particularly welcome. The course will be of equal benefit to absolute beginners or to those who wish to revise some previous musical training. Those interested in participating or seeking more information should contact Noel O’Regan by telephone on 085 7063811 / 643112 or by email to noeloregan@mail.com

St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society
Monthly Mass on Thurs. Feb. 2 at 9.30am in Mooncoin. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for intercession for vocations will follow immediately afterwards in the Nagle Chapel until 11am.

Practical Parenting
"How to Parent at your best"
Sheila O' Malley from Practical Parenting will give talk at Abbey Community College, Ferrybank on Thursday 2nd February at 7pm.  www.practicalparenting.ie

Rosedale Kilmacow
Bungalow (Sheltered Housing) to Let. Application form from Sr. Edel Tanner Tel. No. 051 885125

Masses during the week
Tues. Thurs. Fri. 9.30am
Grandparents Day Mass
Carrigeen: Tuesday 11.15am
Mooncoin: Wednesday 11.15am
Blessing of Throats for Feast of St. Blaize:
Kilnaspic: Thursdat 7.30pm
Mooncoin: Friday 9.30am
No First Friday Mass in Carrigeen.

S.V.P.
Conference meeting Tues. Feb. 7 at 8pm

GAA's Social Initiative
Kilmacow H&F Club are hosting a public lecture titled ''Kilkenny Hurling - from the One Parish Rule to the Four in a Row''. It will be held on Sun. Feb 5 at 6pm in the Community Hall, Kilmacow. OAP's & students are free, members of the public €5. This is part of the GAA's Social Initiative to provide a social outlet for elderly men. Everyone is encouraged to bring an elderly relative or friend who might enjoy the lecture and discussion. The Liam McCarthy Cup will also be present on the day and available for photographs.

Drug Education Officer
Mr. Andy Hargreaves, Drug Education Officer, HSE, will give a talk for parents of Confirmation children in the GAA Complex on Monday, January 30 from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. This is an information night for parents on the awareness of drug use/misuse. This meeting is facilitated by Mooncoin Drug Awareness Group.

MOONCOIN
MINISTERS: Feb 4/11 (6.30pm) Margaret Grace, Joe Cashin. Feb
5/12 (11.15am) Liz Knox, Margaret Keane.
CLEANERS: Jan 28/Feb 04 Mary Grace, Noeleen Kinsella, Margaret Crowley (RQ), Mary Telford.

CARRIGEEN
MINISTERS: Feb 05 (10am) Bill & Peggy Healy.
READERS: Feb 05 (10am) Pat & Siobhan Dunphy.

KILNASPIC
MINISTER: Feb 04 - Mary Frisby.
READER: Feb 04 - Kitty Kinsella.
ALTAR SERVERS: Feb 04 - Ciaran & Eimear Quilty.

MONTH’S MIND
Pauline Haley

SYMPATHY
We commend to your generous prayers, the following who died recently.
Tony Power, Cloncunny; Frank Carr, Mooncoin Heights; Philomena Henebery, Luffany; Pat Phelan, Kilcraggan. May they Rest in Peace.


ANNIVERSARIES
Teresa & Thomas Fielding Rathkieran. John Falconer, Clonmore.
Aidan Byrne, Dournane Road. John Crowley, Riverquarter.
Liam Griffin, Midleton 1st Anniversary.
Rev. Matt McGauran, Longford & Cornwall.
Nellie Norris, Clogga. Willie Doyle, Skelpstown.
Johanna Kiely, Williamstown, Waterford. Martin Howley, Ballintarsney.
Hanny Croke, Chapel Street. Anastasia Walsh, Crawn.
Mary Walsh, Luffany. Michael O’Keeffe, Clashroe.
Pat & Ester Delahunty, Portnascully Mills. Una Corcoran, Waterford.
Elizabeth Power, Kilcraggan. Katherine Delahunty, Dournane Road.
Nicholas (Claus) Walsh, Ballincur. Johnny Tobin, Main St.
James & Mary Lynch, Ballincur. James Walsh, Cloneen, Clogga.
Nora Walsh, Clogga & Walsh Family, Kilmacow & Clogga.
James & Mary O’Brien, Ballincur. Maureen Ryan, Rathkieran.
Ella, Mary & Pat Power, Listrolin. Aidan Byrne, Dournane Road.
May they Rest in Peace.