ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH PARISH NEWSLETTER

21st June 2020

After the 10 a.m. Mass on Sat and after the 10 a.m Mass on the Thurs before the First Friday

St John the Baptist Mon - Sat :10.00 am Sundays: 10.00 am.

Parish Office 833 4606

Fr Martin Hogan 8338575 087 9721213 Fr. John Callanan S.J. 087 2296894 Parish Centre: 805 3033 Bethany Bereavement Support Bernadette 087 6445309

On the 2nd Sunday of each month at 11.00 am and the 3rd Saturday of each

Sun: 10.00 am Michael Devine (M/Mind) Mon:10.00 am Dan McCarthy (Rec Dec) Tues:10.00 am Mary McGrath (Anniv) Wed: 10.00 am Special Intention Thur:10.00 am Brendan McKeever (Rec Dec) Fri: 10.00 am Tim O’Connor (Rec Dec) Sat: 10.00 am Kitty Duggan (Rec Dec)

Feast of the Week Wednesday, 24th June, is the feast of the Nativity of the Birth of St John the Baptist, our parish feast. John the Baptist is the only saint whose birth the church celebrates with a solemn feast. Just at the time when the light of the sun begins to make a comeback after darkness has reached its peak, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the light of the world. Just at the time when the light of the sun begins to decrease, after reaching its peak, we celebrate the birth of the one who said of Jesus, ‘he must increase, but I must decrease’. We usually have our Parish Fair on the weekend nearest the feast. Unfortunately, that won’t be possible this year.

Quote from Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the Environment, Laudato Si ‘The Father is the ultimate source of everything, the loving and self-communicating foundation of all that exists. The Son, his reflection, through whom all things were created, united himself to this earth when he was formed in the womb of Mary. The Spirit, infinite bond of love, is intimately present at the very heart of the universe, inspiring and bringing new pathways’ (Par. 238).

MASSES

Website www.stjohnsclontarf.ie

Email sjtbclontarf@eircom.net

Parish Office Opening Hours

9.00 am—1.00 pm

Monday to Friday

CONFESSIONS

BAPTISMS

CONTACTS

Re-opening of our church for public Mass A small group of parishioners have been working on a plan for the safe re-opening of our parish church for public Mass. The Archbishop has asked that each parish submit a plan to him at their earliest convenience. Allowing for social distancing, and because some internal scaffolding will still be in place, the church can only accommodate 90 people initially. As the Sunday obligation has been suspended for now, we hope that those who are free to do so will go to a weekday Mass, leaving Sunday Mass for those who are not free on weekdays. All three Masses (6.00 pm Sat; 10.00 am and 12.00 pm Sun) will be available through our parish webcam. Also, Holy Communion will be distributed after the 12.00 pm Mass, at 1.00 pm, for those who attended Mass via the Webcam and would like to receive the Eucharist. For further information, please take away the information page in the front porch on the church. It can also be viewed on our parish website.

Stewards needed To reopen our church safely for Mass on 29th June we will need a team of at least twelve stewards but preferably more. They will be needed for the three Sunday Masses which begin on the first weekend of July (4th/5th). Please give consideration to this important service of others. There will be a meeting of all stewards in the week before 29th June to go through the safety protocol. If you can help us with this please let me know or contact the Parish Office (8334606),

Holy Communion to the Housebound Now that there has been a lifting of some of the restrictions on visits to those over seventy, it is possible to bring Holy Communion to people in their

homes again. If you know of anyone who would like the Eucharist brought to them, please let Fr Martin know or make contact with the Parish Office.

Donate Button and Envelopes for first and second collection Thank you to everyone who has sent in Easter Offerings. Your generosity is deeply appreciated especially in these financially stringent times. There is now a Donate button on our Parish Website for the Easter Offerings and for the First and Second Collections at Sunday Mass. Another way of contributing to the two Sunday collections is to make use of the special envelopes in the front porch which can be returned to the box near the pulpit.

Family Groups at Mass The figure of 90 as an upper limit in the church due to social distancing is based on three people sitting in a seat. If a family of two, three, four or more come, they can obviously sit together in a seat, with perhaps one non-family member at the opposite end of the seat. If there were several family units the maximum number would go above 90. Also, because of the layout of the gallery, we could maximize the space more if family units went to the gallery. Some seats there are two small to take more than one person for social distancing purposes, but they could take a family of four or five. We would ask family groups to consider going to the Gallery.

Talks from Fr Brian Grogan SJ Fr Brian Grogan’s talks have been gratefully appreciated by all who tuned in to see and hear him on our parish webcam. He will be continuing with his talks until Tuesday, 3oth June. Next Tuesday, 23rd June, he will speak on, Christian Living as Growth in Love and on Thursday, 25th June he will speak on Is Christian Hope Limitless?

Message from the local conference of Saint Vincent de Paul Society The Society of St Vincent De Paul in Clontarf would like to remind people

who have been affected by unemployment or any other issues associated with the current Covid 19 pandemic that they are available to assist people. If you would like to get in contact with them, please phone Kieran or Padraic at 083-3843741 to discuss in strictest confidence how they can help with utility bills or other domestic expenses.