Mission Sunday Collection at all Masses this weekend 19^th & 20^th Oct. replacing the Share Collection

Saturday 19^th October 2019

► Blessington Interfaith Visit to Bolton Abbey at the Cistercian Monastery, Moone, Co. Kildare. The cost is €30pp. Coffee & tea provided please bring a packed lunch. Info: Joan Griffith 087 970 4832; Gerry Curran 087 2841009.

►Eadestown Church Choir “Songs for Saplings” with Patrick Hyland, (tenor) Aisling McCarthy (soprano) & The Ballymore Eustace Band in Eadestown Church at 8pm. €20

Sunday 20^th October 2019

►Children’s Church at 10 am Mass in Blessington, for children aged 6 to 10 years

►Valleymount Country Market from 10am to 3pm in the Community Hall, Valleymount.

►Vales around Cloughlea Mini Festival Manor Kilbride Hall 12 noon to 2.30pm. Tea, chat, songs & raffle. All welcome.  Admission free. Hosted by Kilbride & Lakeside Music Committee & Glen Heste Pure Mile Group

Monday 21^st October 2019

►Holy Hour in Crosschapel every Monday after 10am Mass (ex-Bank Holidays)

►Blessington Parish Office closed from 10am for Staff Training.

►Eucharistic Adoration every Monday after 9.30am Mass until 12 Noon in the Crying Room, Church of Our Lady, Blessington.

►Blessington Children’s Choir practice 2:45pm to 3.30pm in the Church.

Tuesday 22^nd October 2019

►Citizens Information Centre in Blessington Library from 1pm to 4pm. Legal advice service on 1st & 3rd Tues of month by appointment

►Blessington & District Active Retired meet at 2.30pm in the Coimin Centre Blessington, new members welcome.

►Eucharistic Adoration from 7.30pm to 8.30pm in Blessington Church.

Wednesday 23^rd October 2019

►The Citizens Information Centre is open in Blessington Library today 10am to 12.30pm.

►The Rosary will be offered at 7.30pm for the intentions of our families in Blessington Church

►Christian Meditation Group meet in the Mass Centre in Brittas from 11am. All welcome

►Blessington Parish Folk Group rehearsal every Wednesday at 8pm in the Church.

Thursday 24^th October 2019

►West Wicklow Cancer Support: Monthly drop-in  at 7.30pm in the Coimin Centre, Blessington. A special meditation hosted by Gemma Deeney. Free of Charge, all welcome and so feel free to bring a friend. Info: 087 434 6004 / Facebook / westwicklow15@gmail.com

Friday 25^th October 2019

►The Cruthú Art Group ANNUAL TABLE QUIZ will take place at 8pm in Hennessy’s Lounge.  €10 per player.  Max 5 per team.  Always a fun night.  All welcome

Mass Intentions this Week 

Kate O’Neill (RD) Nicola Sheehy (RD)

Saturday 6pm: Pat Dignam (A) Odie & Cissie Flanagan (A) Michael O’Brien (A) Kathleen & Willie Dunwoorth (A)

Sunday 10am: Alan Lunders (A) Michael Connolly (RD)

We also Remember the following:  Elizabeth O’Toole (A) Christy Mooney (A)

Monday: Mass for those on the list for Sick

Tuesday: Christy Mooney (A) Anne Power (RD)

Wednesday: Special Intention, Special Intention

Thursday: Special Intention, Special Intention

Friday: Blessington Deceased Mass Card List

The family of the late Shay Fitzsimons of Brittas & Donard, wish to acknowledge the huge expression of sympathy & kindness shown to the family, on our very sad loss of Shay. We are truly grateful to extended family, neighbours & friends for their continued emotional support, which has given the family great strength & comfort during our time of grief. For their cards, mass intentions & charitable donations, please accept our heartfelt thanks. A special thank you to The Staff of Tallaght & St Vincent’s Hospital, Fr Colin Rodey, Fr Kevin Lyon, Tony & Regina Clarke for their sensitive handling of Shays funeral arrangements. Finally a sincere thank you, to all Shays musician friends who shared their music & stories from over the years, which gave the family much comfort, peace & support at such a sad time. Mass will be offered for your intentions. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam, Ned, Cis & Family.

Visitation of the Sick: If there are any parishioners ill, at home or in hospital who would like a visit from a priest, please contact the Parish Office to let us know and to make arrangements 045 865 327

Mass of Harvest Thanksgiving & Blessing on Saturday October 26^th at 7.30pm in Lacken. Donations of home-baking, fruit, veg & jam, welcome. All donated produce will be sold after Mass with proceeds going towards the maintenance & improvements of the church grounds. There will be a special blessing for our farming community & for all who work in the parish. Deacon Gerry will be calling to homes in the Lacken area to ‘Bless the Stock’ during the week of 21^st to 26^th October.

September Winners of Valleymount Draw Margaret & Mattie Brown, Angela & John Richardson, Oliver Stones, Mairead & Seamus Graham, Lizzie Brophy & Ivan Carroll. Each received €100.

November Mass of Remembrance for all our parishioners who died during the past year, will be held on Friday 1^st November at 8pm. If you have a relative or friend who has died outside our parish & would like their name called out on the night, call the parish office with details

Blessington Library is bidding farewell to Margaret Birchall after 13 years on the staff of this branch.  Margaret is moving to Library Headquarters in Bray as a Senior Executive Librarian for Co. Wicklow, To mark her departure, celebrate her success, & wish her well, the staff of Blessington Library invite all our friends & customers to join her for a cup of tea & cake on Wednesday 23^rd October.  We are open from 10 till 5 p.m. & we will keep the kettle on the boil all day.

Blessington Community College Parent’s Council will be holding their AGM at 7.30pm on Mon 21^st October in the school. All parents welcome & encouraged to attend.

Calling all Ex-Students of St Brigid’s National School of Manor Kilbride.  You are invited to come to our 60’s Assembly in celebration of the school being fifty years old in St Brigid’s National School on Friday 8^th November from 11.30am to 12.30. Dress: 60’s!! Come along for a few songs, stories & a few memories & maybe a few sandwiches!!

The Parish Book Club meets 4 times a year.  The group originated out of the Croí Nua Celtic Spirituality course which ran in the Parish a few years ago.  The books chosen for review are varied and are of spiritual and philosophical interest.  We notify the book under review here in the newsletter.  Our next meeting is on Thursday 21st November at 10am in The Parish Meeting Room.  The book is ‘Traveling Mercies’ by Anne Lamott.  New members are always welcome.  Please contact the Parish Office if you are interested and would like to go on the text reminder list.

Appeal to parishioners to join the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) which has been running since 2005. This is an opportunity for parishioners to be involved in helping with the pastoral needs of the Parish. The PPC needs new members with new ideas. This is not an elite group of people; this is for everyone in the parish, it is an essential group for the well-being of the parish. Meetings are held on the 2^nd Thursday of every month at 8pm in the Coimín Centre (approx 10 meetings a year) Various issues discussed to do with the pastoral needs of the parish eg: Easter & Christmas & other Liturgical events in the year. This group are not involved in the parish finances or building projects in the parish. In the current climate with the diminishing number of priests it is even more important to have lay people involved in the parish. For further information, please contact the parish office by phone: 045 865 327 or email: office@blessington.info

GROW Community Mental Health “West Wicklow” Support Group meets every Wednesday at 7.30pm in Camphill, Grangebeg, Dunlavin,Co Wicklow (border of Kildare).   Why not come along & learn more about positive mental health, wellbeing, recovery & how GROW may help you achieve this.  New members are always welcome (free of charge).  Contact John 086 803 3126 or visit our website, www.grow.ie for further information & different meeting venues.

Cub Scout Blessington. Is your child aged 9-11years, if they are interested in joining scouts & you would like to become a scout leader (free training provided) please contact me aoibheannmc1@yahoo.ie for more details.

Hollywood Friendship Club every Wednesday from 2.15 to 4.15pm in Hollywood Centre New members welcome.

AXA Community Bike Rides for beginners will leave Blessington Square each Wednesday morning at 10.30am for a very leisurely 12Km spin. More details and register at www.axacommunitybikerides.com

Mini-Rugby for Tots for Under 5 (2013) & Under 6 (2014) in St Kevin’s Community Centre, Blessington every Saturday at 10:15am for boys & girls’

Rugby at Russborough for U7s (2013) to U12s (2008) boys & girls this Sat 5th Oct at 11:30

Blessington Comhaltas Classes in Bodhran, Concertina, Accordion, Whistle, Flute, Beginner Fiddle, Intermediate Fiddle, Tune Classes, Guitar Lessons, Singing Classes, Ceili Band. Classes on Sundays from 5pm in St. Mary’s SNS Info Pat 086 075 2072 or Rebecca 087 228 2012 www.blessingtoncomhaltascoislocha@gmail.com

BLESSINGTON MILLENNIUM CHOIR

In 1999, an interfaith discussion led by Fr Tim Murphy & Rev Nigel Dunne concluded that the foundation of an ecumenical choir would be one appropriate way to celebrate the Christian Millennium in our parishes.

Blessington Millennium Choir was born,

under the musical direction of Yvonne O’Connor with accompanist Ruarc Gahan.

On Sunday 8^th December 2019,

the choir proudly celebrates its twentieth anniversary with a major concert in St Mary’s Church in Blessington.

It will be a concert of famous & favourite pieces which have brought joy to choir members &

audiences over the past twenty years.

Tickets (€10 adults, €5 children) will be available from The Parish Office from 1^st November.

In addition to this concert, Harry Meyer has compiled a book of photographs, programmes & interviews tracing the history of the choir since its foundation.

Supporters of the choir & former members may be interested in having a copy of this book.

It runs to approximately 100 pages, in colour, & will cost €40.  It would make an ideal Christmas Present!

If you would like to reserve a copy, please contact a member of the choir or leave a note in the Parish office for Harry’s attention.

Thank you for all your support down the years!

December Dates for your Diary

►Hollywood Senior Citizens Committee are holding a Mini Christmas Fair on weekend 30^th November & 1st December after all Masses. Crafts & Christmas Fayre.

►Variety Concert on Sun 1^st December in Church of Our Lady Blessington

►As part of Russborough’s Oscar Wilde Christmas join us on for ‘An Evening with Oscar Wilde’ on Dec 6^th at 7pm. Compiled & performed by Richard Lynch, share Wilde’s sparkling humour & wit, tinged with a certain pity & sadness.  Tickets €15. Booking 045 865 239 or www.russborough.ie

►Community Pool for West Wicklow are delighted to announce that we will be hosting a Christmas Market in the Hippodrome at Russborough House on Dec 7^th from 12pm to 4pm. Come & do some Christmas shopping, visit Santa, enjoy a mince pie or two all while supporting the campaign for a pool for West Wicklow. Any local Crafters, Artists, Bakers or Businesses interested in having a stall at the market please email at poolforWestWicklow@gmail.com

►Annual Carol Service on Sunday 15^th December in Church of Our Lady, Blessington

►Valleymount Christmas Concert on Tuesday 17^th December at 7.30pm in St Joseph’s Church Valleymount