Issue 1335 December 6th 2020

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 6^th December – The message of repentance during this season of Advent is a call to each one of us to look deeply into our lives, to renew and deepen our relationship with God.

Mass Intentions this Week

Georgia Gormally (RD)  Manchester , Michael (Mick)  Eustace (RD) Manor Kilbride

Saturday 6pm: Micheline & Peter Comey (A) Seamus & Josie Byrne (A)

Sunday 10am: Mary Brennan (1st A) Teresa Byrne (A) Dora Byrne (A)

We also remember: Essie Hanlon, Michael & Irene O’Donnell, Michael & Elizabeth O’Toole

Monday: Mass offered for all the Blessington List of the Sick

 Tuesday 8^th December – Feast of the Immaculate Conception

10am Seamus Joyce (RD) Jim Winters (RD)

8pm  Deceased Members of Blessington GAA

Wednesday: Barry O’Donnell (Rem) Jack Thomas (RD)

Thursday: Madelene O’Donnell (A) Peggy O’Conner (RD)

Friday: Michael Malone (RD) Ken Cullen (RD)

►Daily Mass at 9.30am, Monday to Friday

►Saturday 5^th December: Mass at 6pm

►Sunday 6^th December: Mass at 10am

►Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Tuesday 8^th December – Mass Times:

10.00am & 8.00pm in Blessington ***

10.00am in Crosschapel

11.00am in Manor Kilbride

11.15am in Valleymount

***►Rosary & Adoration from 7pm to 7.45 pm (followed by the Holy Day Mass at 8pm)

►The Parish Office will remain closed for the Holy Day

Our Churches have re-opened for public Mass. A ticket is required to attend weekend Masses in Church of Our Lady Blessington, available from the Parish Office: 045 865 327. Parish Office from 9am to 1pm – Monday to Friday. A ticket will also be needed for the 8pm Mass on Tuesday 8th December, Holy Day, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Join with Fr. Richard & Fr. Joe for evening prayer via Zoom Each Wednesday at 7.30pm.  Log on to http://www.blessingtonparishes.com and click on the Zoom button. If you have any difficulty logging in, please contact us at  info@blessingtonparishes.com

A Message from St Vincent de Paul: Please support the SVP Collection next weekend Saturday 12^th & Sunday 13^th December. The funds raised will be spent in the local community helping those who need it most with food, heating and education costs throughout the winter and beyond. We rely almost entirely on the support of our generous parishioners. Your donation will make all the difference. Donations can be made by dropping your donation in an envelope marked SVP Blessington to the Parish Office or by making a lodgement to Ulster Bank Blessington A/c: 15436018, S/c: 985340 YOUR SUPPORT IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, All donations will be acknowledged where details are supplied.

The Annual Senior Citizens Draw which is held in Hennessys Public House is cancelled due to Covid. We would like to wish all our supporters & sponsors a very happy & safe Christmas & New Year.  We will see you all in 2021. Tom, John, Barry, Tara Karen, Edel, Lilly, Bernadette and Geraldine.

Small Sum of Money Found in a little zipped purse on the path opposite St Mary’s Junior School. Enquiries: School Office 045 865 501 or Parish Office: 045 865 327

Sum of Money Found in Church On Friday 20^th November Call Parish Office: 045 865 327

Good Dry Kindling for Sale at Blessington Men’s Shed – €3 for 1 Bag. €10 for 3 Bags. For collection information phone: John Flynn at 087 297 7678. All money raised for upkeep of Shed during these difficult times.”

Blessington Parish Office WE ARE OPEN 9am to 1.00pm Monday to Friday. You may still call or email if you wish to have someone prayed for at Mass. Email: office@blessington.info Office: 045 865 327 Jean: 087 235 0835 – 9am to 5pm. Blessington Parish Christmas Mass Bouquets, Christmas Cards and other gift items on sale. All items can be ordered over the phone and collected later.

Winners of Valleymount & Lacken Parish Members Draw for November – Seamus Doyle, Jane Broe, Breda O’Brien,  John Holmes, Mary Fitzpatrick. The FINAL DRAW will be held in Valleymount Church after 11.15am Mass on Sunday December 13^th

The Annual Senior Citizens Draw which is held in Hennessys Public House is cancelled due to Covid. We would like to wish all our supporters & sponsors a very happy & safe Christmas & New Year.  We will see you all in 2021. Tom, John, Barry, Tara Karen, Edel, Lilly, Bernadette and Geraldine.

Blessington Library has re-opened under Level 3 of the Plan for Living with Covid-19. Our usual opening hours apply: Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat: 10am – 5pm. Tues/Thurs: 10am – 8.30pm The library is open for browsing and borrowing only. Study spaces & computers are not available at this time.

Gaelscoil na Lochanna- Oíche Oscailte agus Chlárúcháin, 14ú Eanáir 2021. Our Open/Enrolment night for places in school for next Sept is on 14th January 7:30pm by Zoom Webinar. Webinar will be open from 7pm. Please see our website to click and join the Zoom, www.gaelscoilnalochanna.com Enrolment period lasts from 14th Jan to 3th Feb, 2021. We have a new website for parents FAQ about joining a Gaelscoil: www.gsnl.info 087 938 8651 for any enquiries.  Fáilte!

Fr Kevin’s Homilies are always available on our website: https://blessingtonparish.ie/homilies-year-a/

Home sharing Give a Little Time- Make A Big Difference have you the time to offer breaks to an adult with an intellectual disability in your home for mid-week and weekend overnight BREAKS? You don’t need a qualification, just energy, commitment & the desire to support a person with a disability in your community. Information & support are PROVIDED, & you will be paid an allowance. If you are interested in hosting, please contact: Jennifer Alfa Ogbaje, Social Worker, KARE,  Mc Mahon Centre, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare. Email; Jennifer.alfaogbaje@kare.ie  45 480 200 or 087 720 6779

Calling all Local Businesses, Artists & Crafters! Community Pool for West Wicklow are hosting an online Christmas Market and we would like you to be part of it! Every day from early November we will be posting a new video to our social media pages, like an extended Advent Calendar. Each video will showcase a different local business or artist and their products. We hope that our online Christmas Market will help to encourage people to shop local and support local businesses this Christmas. If you think this is something you would like to get involved in, then email us at poolforWestWicklow@gmail.com

SUPPORT OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES THIS CHRISTMAS: follow our New Instagram page BLESSINGTON BUSINESS WOMEN.  A page set up for women in business & also other local  businesses in Blessington & surrounding areas to network, connect & support one another. Find out more about all the amazing small businesses we have in our fantastic village from highly talented nail salons, beauty salons, hair salons, make-up artists, eyelash specialists & holistic therapists, our local cafe & health shop. Or introduce yourself to some of the top fitness specialists, nutritionists, dance & yoga studios, photographers & nutritionists. We even have our very own Doula! Take the hassle & stress out of Christmas Shopping this year and help to support our community by treating someone special to a Gift Voucher for some wonderful pampering or buying a gift from one of our many talented businesses.

Senior Line If you are an older person and would like someone to talk to, consider phoning Senior Line.  A National Confidential Service for Older People. Open every day from 10am -10pm.  We are older people too, trained to listen & support.  Freefone 1800 80 45 91

Crosscare Appeal for Support this Christmas as their normal food collections have been cancelled. Crosscare is appealing to people to support them online this Advent as they will be unable to hold their annual Parish Food Collection for those most in need. Every December, Crosscare collected thousands of Euros worth of non-perishable foods to restock their foodbanks and support their community cafés. This year, due to Covid 19 restrictions Crosscare will not be able to launch a food collection in the Diocese of Dublin as usual. However, in order to ensure they have adequate supplies, they are asking people to support them by making a donation online to make sure families struggling to cope can have food on the table this Christmas. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has appealed to priests and parishes to encourage those parishioners who would ordinarily have supported food drives and the unwanted gifts appeal to go on line and make a donation www.crosscare.ie