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Wishing you all a blessed 2023
We are at the end of a year that brought many changes, new dangers and new hope too! Society opened up post-covid, war broke out in Europe and the Church set about a new listening process that will intensify over the next several years. Change is essential, it can be good or bad but never neutral, and we are being asked to give our time and involvement to renew ourselves, our parish and also society. In all this we must be guided by the Holy Spirit, who strengthens, guides and protects God’s holy people. Human means alone are never enough. Yes, it will be needed and yes, we will be able for it! God is with us! This is always our parish’s first and greatest need, YOU, just you, with your time, your gifts, your talents, your quirks and everything else, thrown into the mix, to bring about more life and happiness. Without you we are always less, never more. ‘Leaving it’ to others often increases their burdens and at times takes some of their joy away also. We have financial needs too, of lesser but real importance.
In any discussion about our Parish finances, it is helpful to remember that we are not simply operating a business. Our Parish is a Catholic Faith Community, called in Baptism to enrich with all good intentions our purpose here on earth through the sacraments and in our daily lives. Here are some ways your generous financial support has helped advance our Parish.
In Excess of 1,000 houses call the Parish of Oughterard Home in 2022
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The Sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated 468 times in 2022. This same year…
32 children were baptized into our Catholic Faith
64 children made their First Confession and First Holy Communion
37 young people anointed with the Spirit in Confirmation
18 couples celebrated the Sacrament of Marriage
23 Parishioners of Faith were called home to God
Over 100 house calls bringing Holy Communion and anointing of the sick
Over 750 Children and Teens grew in their faith through our school and Faith Formation programs.
Many, many food boxes delivered by St. Vincent de Paul…and much more…
Of lesser importance, our structures
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Apart from Collinamuck church, our parish emits ZERO CARBON. Heat pumps, space heaters, upgraded insulation, an EV and a push bike all together heat and move our parish
40 high-efficiency solar PV panels producing 16kVA max have been installed, meaning our parish office and Church are partly powered by the sun.
Also:
The old convent school cleaned out (2 large skips!). All black mold and debris removed, walls and door cleaned. Loose plaster removed.
2 ground floor rooms renovated with new timber joisting and flooring.
A new kitchenette for a ground floor meeting room
New wiring, new lighting and soon to be installed 2 new heat pumps, if grant aid is available.
New camera systems for the church and Lamb of God chapel installed.
Please consider supporting our parish on a weekly basis, so we may continue with our plans and pastoral projects for 2023. Without your support what can we do after all?
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To donate to the ongoing running costs of the parish, so vital for everyday parish life, please transfer your donation to Oughterard Church parish account,
IBAN – IE20BOFI90393993752657
To donate to the Church Restoration and upkeep works please transfer your donation to Oughterard Church Restoration account
IBAN – IE69BOFI90393931117711
To donate to the support of the priest of the parish and one retired priest please transfer your donation to Oughterard Church priest’s account
IBAN – IE95BOFI90393993752665
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Our living, Praying & Serving
We would like to take a moment to thank all of our dedicated Eucharistic Ministers, Mass Readers, School sacrament preparers, Choir Members, Choir Leaders, Alter Servers, All Pastoral Volunteers for whom without our Parish could not survive.
To all of the tradespeople and grounds workers that have used their talents in our Parish Church, its extensive grounds and in the beginnings of renovation and decoration of the Convent School during 2022, Thank you.
Sincere thanks to our CP and finance committees, and all who wish to give of their talents to the parish and wider society.
In 2023, we look forward to increasing our pastoral outreach, by offering guided prayer and reflection spaces. We will continue to develop our Sacrament preparation programmes. We look forward to the further development of our renovations in the Convent School should funds be available. This will provide a place for reaching out to teens and young adults with faith-based support. We need the beginnings of a Pastoral Council, Building Bridges in Our Parish where possible and working together to make ourselves stronger in Faith and Community.
Plans are easy, almost a drug, but they will not come to fruition without prayer and support.
We also look to visit those whom are in the hospital for personal and spiritual support. We want to set up a sound structure for Eucharistic ministers to bring Holy Communion to the house bound EVERY SUNDAY.
We as a Parish always show kindness, this will continue.
Adoration of the blessed sacrament is ongoing in our parish.
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“Could you not wait with me one hour?”
This cry from the Lord’s troubled heart reverberates through the centuries, as He wishes to call select souls to be closer to Him in His trials. It is a privilege to feel the call. The Lamb of God chapel is well ventilated and heated. Please give your hour per week to the Lord in Adoration, praying for so many great needs in our world. Amen.
Eucharistic Adoration
Tuesday 10:30-11:30
Thursday 19:00-20:00
Friday 10:30 – 11:30
Lamb of God Chapel