Parish Newsletter 17th May 2020

Where is God?

I think we find one answer in this Sunday’s Gospel. Just before he ascends to the Father, Jesus tells his disciples: you will not be alone.

“The Father will give you another Advocate to be with you always,” he says, “the Spirit of truth, you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans…I will come to you.”

The Advocate, of course, is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will be with you, Jesus says. You will not be abandoned or alone.

Soon, we will celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, when the Holy Spirit fell like fire upon the apostles. That fire is still burning. The Advocate continues to advocate for all of us.

To those who ask, “Where is God?” the answer is: “Look around you.” God the Holy Spirit is vibrantly, wondrously, beautifully alive.

This day, he lives in the hearts of those who are caring for the sick, the elderly, the poor and the helpless. He is in the hands that reach out to bathe the old, or feed the hungry. He is in the eyes that look into the faces of those who are alone. He is in the arms that embrace children who have been pushed aside.

Throughout this pandemic it is work that is happening everywhere. , in nursing homes and orphanages, in hospitals and homes across our communities—any place where the Good News is being proclaimed not just with words, but with lives.

The good disciple is much more than someone who, out of a dogged sense of duty, just avoids personal sin and tries to stay in the “state of grace”. When we truly become loving persons to both friend and enemy, to family and strangers, we know that the Spirit of Jesus is living within and transforming us. Then, in the words of Jesus, we can see and, because we can see, we are fully alive.

The Good News is that Jesus has not left us orphans. God lives on around us and within us. Love prevails. Hope endures.

There is an old fable about a changeling eagle. A tribal leader who lived in a forest, one day found an egg of an eagle. He took the egg home and hatched it along with the other chicken eggs. This eaglet started growing up with the other chicks. It started eating mud, pecking and hopping here and there like the other chicks. But it never learned to fly like an eagle.

   One day as it was foraging for food from the ground, it saw an eagle majestically soaring high in the sky. As the eagle was admiring the grandeur of the soaring eagle, the other chicks came and said to the eaglet, “Look that is the eagle –the king of the birds. You and I are chickens. We cannot fly like the eagle. –Often we lead poor lives without realizing the power inherent in us. We are like that eaglet helplessly admiring the power in others when we ourselves possess that power. Often, we end up in defeat, frustration and failure because we are ignorant of the power God has given us through his Spirit. We can do marvelous things when we associate with God.

The letter from Peter this morning exhorts us: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.”

     Here is my explanation, my reason for hope: It is Jesus Christ! It is God’s son showing us, with open arms on the cross, just how wide is the breadth of his love.

     My reason for hope? It is The Word made flesh keeping his word.

It is the joy and certainty of a two-thousand-year-old promise that has been kept.

     It is the continuing presence of the Holy Spirit, doing his work in the world in astonishing and exuberant and surprising ways.

‘Laudato Si’ Week, May 16th – 24th

Pope Francis has invited us all to participate in a global campaign to mark the 5th anniversary of the signing of his encyclical ‘On Care for our Common Home’. He repeats his urgent call to listen to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor and to celebrate and take care of God’s gift of creation.

Do you want a reason for hope?

Look before you, to the tabernacle.

Look within you, to the fire that still burns,

 the flame that won’t die.

Trust and believe: here is our hope.

We are not orphans.

God—Father, Son and Spirit—is with us.

16th – 24th

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St. Colman’s Parish 6th Sunday of Easter 16th /17th  May 2020

Fr. Michael Fleming

Many people are still reeling at the sudden death of Fr. Michael Fleming, the parish priest of Killorglin, last week. His family, first and foremost, but also his friends, colleagues and parishioners.

Fr. Michael was ordained for the Kerry diocese in 1971 and served in the following appointments:

Dingle (‘71 – ‘72);                               Waterville (‘72 – ‘73);

Wembley, London (‘73 – ‘77); Glenflesk (‘77 – ‘83);

Tralee (‘83 – ‘86);                               Killarney (‘86 – 2001) (secretary to the Bishop and then in the parish of Killarney); Moyvane  (‘01 – ‘03)                          Killorglin (‘03 – ‘20).

One of his classmates from his days in Maynooth wrote:

‘Fr. Michael was tall in stature and firm in perspective, unpretentious in manner yet confident in judgement.  He was blessed with a natural sense of people and situations.  The overbearing ones he would keep in check while being kindly and benign to the wounded and weak.  He was a pastor to his fingertips.  He was greatly bemused by our oddities and foibles.

May God have mercy on his soul and may the light of heaven be his for eternity’.

Fr. Kevin Sullivan (087) 6277638 Parish Residence: 18 Ballyoughtragh Heights, Milltown Rev. Conor Bradley (087) 3664057 Email: milltown@dioceseofkerry.ie Safeguarding Children: Contact (087) 6362780

Pray for: Fr. Michael Fleming, Killorglin and Scartaglin

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Weekend Mass Intentions

Sat., May 16th at 6:00 p.m.   Charlie & Mary Tangney, Rockfield

Sun., May 17th at 11:15 a.m.  Martin Galvin, Knockavota

Sun., May 24th at 11:15 a.m.   Kathleen Doherty, Knockreigh

                                                     John Dowling, Castlemaine Post Office

                                                     Maurice O’ Dwyer, Lassabee

                                                     Francy Teahan, Ballyfinnane

                                                     (Months Mind)

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Re-opening of our Churches

Our parish churches will re-open on Wednesday, May 20th for personal prayer. Please follow the guidelines set out in the church.

You will be asked to sanitise your hands as you enter and exit the church. This is crucial. The main door of the church is the point of entry and you will be asked to leave by a side door. If you wish to sit for a while, please use the single seats near the front (not the pews). Feel free to light a candle for your intention but follow the guidelines outlined in the church.

Parish Envelopes

A huge ‘mile buiochas’ to all who have handed in their parish envelopes over the last few weeks. It is greatly appreciated. Many have been unable to do so and that is perfectly understandable in the present circumstances.

If you would like to deposit your parish envelopes, please put them into the post box at the Parish Office or drop them in to James Arthur’s shop.