Newsletter 13th & 14th January 2024

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

PARISH OF ARDFINNAN, BALLYBACON & GRANGE
Fr Michael Toomey V.F. / P.P. / ADM.
Second Week in Ordinary Time
13th & 14th January 2024

Website: www.abgnfparish.ie
☏ For Priest on Duty Please Call: 087- 6564170
✉ Please email us at:  office@abgnfparish.ie
📫 The Parish Office, Holy Family Church, Ardfinnan, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
☏ Phone: 052 – 7464408 E Mail parishofagb@gmail.com
ARDFINNAN: Mass Saturday 6.30pm

GRANGE: SUNDAY 10.30am

BALLYBACON: Sunday 12.00noon

THANK YOU
Many thanks for your contributions in the last weeks in the collections and envelopes for the upkeep of our parishes and churches:
Ardfinnan/ Ballybacon/ Grange: Weekly Collection €1,170 & Parish Development Fund €795.
Newcastle/Fourmilewater: Weekly Collection €1,663 & Parish Development Fund €505.

BISHOP WILLIAM LEE – RIP – A TRIBUTE BY FR MICHAEL

We received the sad news last weekend of the death of Bishop Emeritus William Lee, who served as our Bishop from 1993-2013. Bishop Lee was born in Newport, Co. Tipperary, on December 2, 1941.  He received his education at Rockwell College, Cashel.  He studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth and was ordained in 1966.
After ordination he studied Canon Law at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, and was awarded a Doctorate in Canon Law in 1969. Later in 1969, he was appointed curate in the parish of Finglas West in the Archdiocese of Dublin where he ministered for two years.
On his return from Dublin, he studied Canon Law for a short period at the Gregorian University, Rome.
Bishop Lee was then appointed Bursar and Professor of Philosophy at Saint Patrick’s College, Thurles.  While there he served on the Cork Regional Marriage Tribunal, was Chairperson of the Diocesan Catholic Marriage Advisory Council and was a member of the first National Executive of the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council in Ireland.
He was appointed President of Saint Patrick’s College, Thurles, in 1987, and was ordained Bishop of Waterford and Lismore on 25 July 1993.Over this time he had meetings with three Popes – John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.
He served on the Commission for Clergy, Seminaries and Vocations and the Commission for the Laity of the Episcopal Conference and was also President of Accord.
Bishop Lee retired as Bishop of Waterford & Lismore on 1 October 2013.
He will be remembered for his gentle and caring ways, his support and commitment to our local schools, the many he confirmed over those years, and I will always be grateful to him for his support to me in my studies for the priesthood, and his care and support when he ordained me to the priesthood in 2009. His funeral took place on Tuesday and he was buried on the Cathedral grounds.
May he now Rest in Peace. Amen.

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION WEEKEND MASSES
This weekend, we welcome many of our 6th Class students and their parents to the next gathering of our ‘Confirming Our Children’ parish masses. The candidates and their parents will be involved from time to time in the readings, offertory, and other reflections at our community weekend Mass, in preparation of them receiving their Confirmation in the spring.
We remember all our young parishioners as they prepare for these wonderful sacraments in their lives, ahead of their Confirmation in the coming months.

ROTAS
The new readers and minister’s rotas are available for the coming months in all churches. We thank you all most sincerely for your continued ministry and support.

ALTAR SERVERS
We are currently asking students in 3rd – 6th Classes if they wish to join our Altar Server teams in the coming weeks. I thanks our parents and Safeguarding teams for their support in this important ministry for our young parishioners.

PARISH PASTORAL COUNCILS
Meetings will take place :
Newcastle / Fourmilewater – Monday 15th January 7.30pm in Newcastle Church
Ardfinnan – Tuesday 16th January 7.30pm in Ardfinnan

BAPTISMS Please contact the Parish Office on 052-746 4408 for those who wish to book baptisms in the coming months.

EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
This takes place in our parishes on:
Tuesday’s 10-11am Ardfinnan & Friday’s 2.30-3.30 in Newcastle Everyone is welcome to come and spend some time in quiet prayer and adoration.

PARISH OFFICE CLOSURE
The parish office will be closed on Wednesday 17th & Thursday 18th January.