7th October 2012

Newsletter for the Parishes of Saggart - Rathcoole - Brittas & Newcastle Parish Team Fr. Enda Cunningham PP St Mary’s Parochial House Saggart. Tel: 4589209 Mob: 087-1380695 Fr. Aidan Kieran CC 1 The Glebe Peamount Road Newcastle. Tel: 4589230 Mob: 087-6397744 Fr. Aloysius Zuribo C.C. c/o The Parish Office St. Mary’s Parochial House Tel: 4589209 Parish Pastoral Worker Mr Sean O’Rourke c/o The Parish Office St. Mary’s Parochial House Tel: 4589209 Mob:087-0540695 Fr. Michael Shortall PC 87 Beechwood Lawns Rathcoole Tel: 4587187 Mob: 087 -2861765 Fr. Michael McGowan PC 7 St. Patrick’s Crescent, Rathcoole Tel: 4589210 Parish Secretary Martina Hopkins The Parish Office St. Mary’s Parochial House Opening Hours: 9.30-1.30 Monday to Friday Tel: 4589209 www.saggartparish.com [email protected]

If you have any items for the newsletter, please contact the Parish Office or email either the Parish Office or Fr. Aidan Kieran at the email addresses given below. Please indicate clearly that the items are for inclusion in the Parish Newsletter. Many thanks. [email protected] or

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Day for Life

We pray for Margaret Kenny (Saggart) who is recently deceased. We extend our deepest sympathies to her family. Day for Life 2012 The Irish Episcopal Conference has asked that annual Day for Life in Ireland this year, on Sunday 7th October, will mark the beginning of a special month of prayer dedicated to theme ‘Choose Life!’ Parishes and individuals are invited to pray a special ‘Prayer for the Child in the Womb’ during Masses throughout the month of prayer which will end on the Feast of All the Saints of Ireland on 6th November next. See the back page of this newsletter for more details St. Finian’s Church 200 Years We are still on target in our hope to produce a book to celebrate the 200 years of St. Finian’s Catholic Church in 2013. Maybe you have a story to add. Talk to any of the Folk Group – they would love to record your story and include it in the mix. Come on, get into that box of photographs (or digital archive) and pull out one or two good ones – have your family represented. Your photographs will be scanned and returned quickly. To contribute a photograph, contact Eileen O’Connor 086/0773340, Anne Trant 086/3644133, Emer McCarthy 087/2733846 or Geraldine in the National School. Time is ticking away... Laying of New Carpet - Rathcoole Church In this week to come, a new carpet will be laid in Rathcoole Church. For this reason, there will be no Mass on Wednesday and Thursday morning in Rathcoole. Mass will be available in Saggart on those mornings. Also, at 10am Tuesday morning, volunteers are needed to move the church seats in Rathcoole Church. Harvest Dues At this time of year, we ask for contributions to the Harvest Dues. The Harvest Dues support the income of the priests of the parish and the priests of the Dublin Archdiocese. A Harvest Dues envelope is provided in the Family Offering boxes of envelopes dated October 7th. Your contributions are very much appreciated. Holy Hour in Reparation for the Sins of Abuse Newcastle Church, Monday 8th Oct, 4.00-5.00pm

Items for Newsletter

27th Sunday of the Year

In his 2010 pastoral letter to the Catholics of Ireland, Pope Benedict XVI asked for prayer to be offered before the Blessed Sacrament in reparation for the sins of child abuse perpetrated by members of the Church in Ireland, particularly priests and religious. Fr. Aidan Kieran will lead a Holy Hour for that intention in St. Finian’s Church Newcastle on Monday 8th October from 4.00-5.00pm. All welcome.

Mass Schedule Saggart: Sunday: 9 am & 11.30 am Weekday: 9.30 am Rathcoole: Saturday Vigil: 6.30 p.m. Sunday: 10 am & 12.00 pm Weekday: 9.30 am Saturday: 10.00 am Brittas: Sunday: 10.30 am Newcastle: Saturday Vigil: 7.30 p.m. Sunday: 10.30 am Weekday: Announced Weekly Confession Saggart: Friday, after 9.30am Mass Rathcoole: Saturday after 10.00am Mass Newcastle: Saturday after 7.30pm Mass Baptism Saggart 2.00pm Sunday Rathcoole 4.00 pm Saturday Newcastle 2nd Saturday 4pm Last Sunday 2pm Please contact the Parish Office Marriage Please contact the Parish Office

The Legion of Mary Rathcoole Wednesday 8.00pm Rathcoole Church

World Mental Health Day Concert: Weds 10/10/12 8.00pm A fundraising concert will be held in Tallaght Hospital Education Centre in aid of Tallaght Mental Health Association, a voluntary association which provides support to people affected by mental health difficulties. Tickets €10/adult. Family Ticket €30(2 adults & 2 children). Trim Singers, Tallaght Youth Band, Celtic Choristers, Barbershop Chorus, June Rodgers. Tel. Claire/Mary 01-4635200.

The Legion of Mary, Saggart Monday 8.00pm in Saggart School.

Choose Life Summary • From the moment of conception, every human life is beautiful, every human life is precious and every human life is sacred. • Government does not have to provide for abortion in Ireland to comply with the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights. • Legislating for abortion denies the humanity and dignity of the child in the womb and violates the most basic human right of all – the right to life. • It is never necessary to target the life of the baby in the womb to save the life of the mother. Ireland, without abortion, is consistently one of the safest countries in the world in which to be pregnant. • Many women who have had abortions speak of their deep regret, and research also confirms the harm that abortion can cause women. • International experience shows that once abortion is legalised, even in apparently very limited situations, it becomes more widespread than was first intended.

How can I support the ‘Choose Life’ initiative? Say the ‘Choose Life’ prayer every day during the special month of prayer between Sunday, 7 October and the Feast of All the Saints of Ireland on Tuesday, 6 November. • Visit our special www.chooselife2012.ie website for additional resources and watch the video presentation there. • Sign up to the ‘@chooselife2012’ Twitter account and receive regular messages on the ‘Choose Life’ theme. • Contact your public representatives asking them to ‘Choose Life’ and not to introduce abortion to Ireland. Invite them to set out their position on this important matter. • Write letters to local and national newspapers expressing your views. Participate in radio and televisions debates and use social media such as Twitter, Facebook and blogs to participate in discussions about this issue. • Make people aware of the many services of CURA Crisis Pregnancy Support Service. Details can be found in your parish or at www.cura.ie. • Volunteer with a pro-life group. The Precious Life of the Unborn Child

Choose Life: Prayer for the Child in the Womb

Lord Jesus, you are the source and lover of life. Reawaken in us respect for every human life. Help us to see in each child the marvellous work of our Creator. Open our hearts to welcome every child as a unique and wonderful gift. Guide the work of doctors, nurses and midwives. May the life of a mother and her baby in the womb be equally cherished and respected. Help those who make our laws to uphold the uniqueness and sacredness of every human life, from the first moment of conception to natural death. Give us wisdom and generosity to build a society that cares for all. Together with Mary, your Mother, in whose womb you took on our human nature, Help us to choose life in every decision we take. We ask this in the joyful hope of eternal life with you, and in the communion of the Blessed Trinity. Amen. Our Lady of Knock, pray for us. All the Saints of Ireland, pray for us.

The baby’s life in the womb is an astonishing odyssey of growth and development. As science makes clear, it is at fertilisation that a new, unique and genetically complete human being comes into existence. From that moment onwards each of us did not grow and develop into a human being. We grew and developed as a human being. • 18–21 days after conception, before many women will even realise they are pregnant, the baby’s heart is beating. • At 8 weeks every organ to be found in a fully grown adult person is already formed. • At 11 weeks fingerprints and fingernails can be clearly seen. • At 12 weeks the baby’s lips open and close. The baby can turn her or his head and move around the womb. • At 16 weeks the baby reacts to sound, sucks, swallows and yawns. • At 18 weeks most mothers feel the baby moving. The baby exercises her or his developing muscles by pushing with the feet and head. The baby now sucks her or his thumb. • At 24 weeks the baby continues moving, hearing and perhaps even dreaming. • At 30–40 weeks the baby, if protected from harm, will continue to grow bigger and stronger until it is time to be born.