Parish Newsletter 10th December 2017177 be 010th Decemmber 20Decem 177

www.dundrumparish.comomomom

The Word Of God

First reading Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

This really beau�ful reading was wri�en

at a �me of tremendous pressure and

disillusionment, the �me of the great ex-

ile in Babylon. In the midst of disaster, a

very resourceful prophet challenges them

to think thoughts of hope. The images are

especially powerful.

Second reading 2 Peter 3:8-14

The original hearers were bothered that

the world had not yet ended. Even

though that’s a very different context to

ours, this can s�ll speak to us, because

the short reading faces a simple ques�on:

how can we live so that we don’t sleep-

walk through life?

Gospel Mark 1:1-8

If you ever tried to write a story, you will

know that the beginning ma�ers hugely.

The same is true of Gospels and today

Mark opens the story of Jesus simply but

deeply.

Thought for the day

As Christmas approaches, we could ask

ourselves: how can we prepare to cele-

brate the birthday of our Saviour? The

proclama�on of John the Bap�st points to

the prepara�on that really counts, con-

version of heart and life. The deeper

meaning of metanoia is a change of vi-

sion, a radically new outlook, in the light

of the Gospel. God is our compassionate

father, our Abba, who desires nothing less

that our hearts, our whole selves. We are

accepted and loved by him, while we are

s�ll sinners (Rom 5:8). Receiving his for-

giving love means a revolu�on in values,

beliefs and direc�on in life.

ADVENT HOPE

It is the best of �mes and the worst of �mes. We ap-

pear healthy, wealthy, well-travelled, well fed, well

educated. All looks so good and yet we may feel well

less than happy. We have seen our security sha�ered a

short �me ago. Many feel empty and bored. We suffer

from “speed fa�gue”. We may suspect that our culture

sabotages our faith. We squirm at the frequency of

suicide. We are appalled that we cannot house our

people. We exhaust ourselves trying to avoid our world pain.

In that experience of the best and worst we have Advent. Advent is a dream-

season, an adventure of faith and imagina�on. It is not an escape from reality –

rather an escape to reality. Advent plants our feet on the earth. Here the Word

becomes flesh. We now become God’s address.

It is a pity that we turn the Christmas story into the Baby-Jesus story. Of course

we have to remember our history. But for Chris�ans, Advent and Christmas are

about the Adult Jesus. In fact, they are about the Risen Christ. Advent is really

about Easter, about God’s break-through in saving our world. History has now

become mystery. The mystery of dying and rising up in new life and energy is con-

�nuing to happen in all of us. Our world, in all its brokenness and disappointment,

calls out for divine help. Our broken beauty needs a new design. The fer�lity of

failure makes massive possibili�es, whether in Bethlehem or in any of our streets

or home. It is the ship-wrecked who have a right to be at

the stable. The gospel is for the desperate, not for the

pious.

Will you be a person of hope and energy this Advent and

Christmas? Will you let the living Christ people your imag-

ina�on with hope? Will you let the dreams of Isaiah call

you to new fire? Will you let the seriousness of John the

Bap�st challenge you to wake up to social responsibility?

Will you let Mary and Joseph invite you to ask what would

make your home dance with joy and peace and provide a

real space for everyone to be blessed and contribute to

each other’s happiness. AND, will we no�ce a couple

knocking at the door and wan�ng a word or a meal? You might even guess who

they are. People have entertained angels. Fr Michael Screene MSC

BLESSING OF THE BABY JESUS FROM YOUR CRIB

Bambinelli Sunday is a beautiful cus-

tom instituted by St John Paul II during his

Papacy. On the Third Sunday of Advent

(Gaudete or Rejoice Sunday), children

and their families travel to St. Peter’s

Square and bring with them figures of

baby Jesus – the Bambinelli – from their

family Crib. After the Angelus Pope Francis

blesses both the children and the figurines.

NEXT SUNDAY AT 10.30am FAMILY MASS or ask any of

the priests or Deacon Gabriel a�er any Mass

ADVENT

KINDNESS

PROJECT

Dundrum Parish Newsletter

www.dundrumparish.com Dec 10th

Saturday December 9th

6pm Bridget Hanlon (Remembrance Mass)

Hannigan & Halpin Families (A)

Sunday December 10th

9.00 am – Special Inten�on

Phyliss Hurst (RD)

Jack & Deirdre Quinn (60th Wedding Anniv)

10.30am - William Devi� (A)

James & Hannah O’Sullivan (A)

Marie Gunning (A)

12.00pm Gerard Hickey (Snr) (A)

Frances Smyth (RD)

Owen & Be�y Hayes (A)

Katherine O’Malley (A)

Recently Deceased : Bridie Corry (RD), Alice McMullen (RD)

Anniversaries: Jim Sweeney

Mass inten�on can be requested by contac�ng or by visi�ng the

Parish Office and at the weekend calling to the sacristy.

This weekend Dec. 9th and 10th is the annual

collec�on for SVP Holy Cross Conference

Dundrum. It replaces the SHARE collec�on

Sunday 24th

December

Christmas Eve.

NO 12.00pm Mass

Reconcilia�on

Service

Saturday 23rd

12noon

Thanks to our

volunteers who will

deliver Christmas

Cards throughout

our parish in the

coming week.

Parish Souvenir

Book

and Christmas

Cards

available from

the Parish

Office.

CHRISTIAN

MEDITATION

Every

Thursday

11.15am —12noon

Pastoral Centre

Come along and try

it out.

All very

Welcome

CROSSCARE FOOD APPEAL

A BIG THANK YOU to the children and staff of Holy

Cross School and parishioners for the great response.

Pope Francis— Prayer Intention for December 2017

AADVENT KINDNESS PROJECT

Advent prayer

(Joyce Rupp)

Holy One,

awaken my heart,

quiet my mind,

open the door of my being

to perceive your presence.

Settle what stirs endlessly within me.

Quiet the voice of haste and hurry.

Awaken my inner senses to recognize

your love hiding beneath the frenzy.

Enfold me in your attentiveness.

Wrap a mantle of mindfulness

around every part of my days.

I want to welcome you with joy

and focus on your dwelling place.

Recently I brought a copy of our Parish Logo into some classes in our parish primary schools. I was enlightened by the

various elements they saw. Seemingly the image was designed in Autumn 2012 for a brochure for the Holy Cross

Exhibi�on and consulta�ons re. the proposed restora�on building works. The children saw in the logo: a tree with

leaves, a person reaching out, Jesus on the Cross, the three shamrocks of the Trinity, the leaves represen�ng people

around the Cross, the Holy Spirit and one saw the Risen Jesus full of Life. I was enlightened by the wisdom of our

children.

During November many people placed the names of their deceased family on our tree of remembrance. Now that Advent has arrived our

tree in the sanctuary is bare. . . Wai�ng!

ADVENT KINDNESS PROJECT Over the next 15 days you are invited to get involved.

ACTION— Take on the prac�ce of doing some Random Acts of Kindness as we journey through Advent

(some sugges�ons below). As a parish family preparing for the World Mee�ng of Families in August we could

take on our AKP challenge with our own family members.

PRAY Along with our Act of Kindnesses - lets pray. It could be a prayer for someone in need, or some

quiet �me with Jesus, or a decade of the Joyful mysteries. . . Some sugges�ons can be found behind the

daily windows of the online Advent Calendar — www.catholicbishops.ie or perhaps try www.sacredspace.ie

From Sunday 17th ‘Joy Sunday’ we will be invi�ng you to place a gi� tag on our bare Advent tree represen�ng your involvement in

our ADVENT KINDNESS PROJECT- and then, with the Lord’s help, we could become that living logo, with Chris�an kind-

ness flowing out from Holy Cross. - Advent Blessings, Fr. John

Holy Cross Church

14 Main St, Dundrum

Dublin 14

Liturgical Publications of Ireland Limited

For AD information Please Call:

Ruth on 086 045 27 37 or 1850 790000

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