PROLOGUE: Hail and Blessed be the hour and moment in which the son of God
was born of the pure Virgin Mary, at mid-night in a stable in
Bethlehem in the piercing cold. At the same hour vouch safe to hear my prayer and grant my petition. Advent prayer.
DEATH: We offer our sincere sympathies to Yvonne Smith and her family on the death of her father Michael Mitchell formerly of Dromtrasna Collins and St. Ita’s Housing and late of Ballinasloe. May he rest in peace. Sincere sympathy too, to Gerard Galvin, Duagh on the death in Limerick of his sister, Sr. Mary May she rest in peace. We also offer our sincere sympathies to Micheal, Noreen and Kathleen and the family of the late Brigid Forde nee Collins, Banard and late of Ballagh whose death was announced at the weekend. May she rest in peace. We were also sorry to hear of the death of Monsignor Liam Boyle aged 91, a native of Rathkeale, and later Knockaderry. Jer Kennelly tells us that “He travelled as chaplain with the Irish soccer team to Rome in 1990 and arranged an audience with the Pope and team was blessed by the Holy Father in front of an 8,000 audience.” May he rest in peace.
CHRISTMAS MASSES: Unfortunately, again this year it is not possible to accommodate all who wish toattend Christmas Mass. According to the public health rules for the hosting of
indoor events, the capacity of a venue is reduced to 50%. Two metres socially
distancing of people is still required. While this enables us to accommodate more
people than attended Mass last Christmas, we still have only 50% capacity. Each
individual person who comes into the church, must be counted individually.
In other words, a family cannot be counted as one, each member of the family must
be counted separately. This situation needs to be managed to ensure the safety of
all who wish to attend. So again, this year we will operate a ticket system. This
year Mass will be celebrated on Christmas Eve at 5.00pm and 7.30pm. Mass on
Christmas day will be at 8.00am, 10.00am and 12noon. Tickets for all Masses will
be distributed in the church next Sunday,December 19 between 2.00 – 4.00
pm. Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. This year
St Stephen’s Day falls on Sunday and there will be the usual two
Masses on Sunday 26 at 10.00am and 12noon.
You may decide to attend Mass for Christmas on St. Stephen’s Day.
MARKET AT THE BARNAGH HUB: The final market will be on the weekend of Friday, December 18 -19 inclusive.
CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA: “Mountcollins and its Vicinity, a 440 page book, by Larry Begley, is now on sale at Siopa Milseàn, Mosses (Killarney Rd.), Twohigs Supervalu, Pat Buckleys & Sheehans P.O. Templeglantine, Tournafulla & Brosna shops, and the Creamery Mountcollins. The book deals with the varied history of Mountcollins and its Vicinity including topics such as: Landlords, Placenames, Roads, Evictions, Moonlighters, Faction Fighting, Whiteboys, Rockites, Protestant Church in Fealesbridge, Pubs, Shops, Old trades and professions and many many more.
Please contact [email protected] for local orders, sales/delivery requests and other general queries.The book can also be bought online by visiting https://mountcollinsanditsvicinity.com Delivery available Nationwide and to the UK, USA & Australia.”
BREAKING NEWS: Cllr. Liam Galvin announced recently that Abbeyfeale is to receive €100,000 towards development of a Master / First Plan for Town Centre. Minister Heather Humphreys TD announced funding of €100,000 for each of the first 26 Towns to receive this funding. Abbeyfeale is the only Town in County Limerick to benefit from this. This will focus on making Abbeyfeale Town Centre a more attractive place to live, work, socialise and run a business. Abbeyfeale Community Council in conjunction with our local councillors will be working very closely with Limerick County and City Council on the development of this Master / First Plan.
NOONAN’S CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Why not take a run out to Meenaline to visit the winter wonderland that is Noonan’s Christmas lights.
GLÓRACH BINGO: PRO Lorcan Curtin writes “High winds blowing up from the Feale failed to deter us from holding our penultimate drive-in Bingo last Sunday, with a substantial part of the proceeds going to the Town Park. We were delighted to do so, as two of our volunteers, Celine and Jimmy are actively involved with this wonderful facility that has provided a sanctuary of sanity to so many during the pandemic. Glórach Christmas Vouchers were sold on the day, and for anyone looking for a nice stocking filler we will be selling them again this weekend. This Sunday, December 19th at the GAA grounds will be our final Bingo of the year, and to acknowledge our loyal patrons, all who come on the day will be given tickets for a draw for Christmas Hampers. Look forward to seeing you at the usual starting time of 1.30 pm.”
PADRE PIO DEVOTIONS: Padre Pio December Devotions in Castleisland on Tuesday, December 21 at 7.30pm. Witness by:Joan Hussey, Tralee, “She will share her story about the heartbreak felt by the loss of her little boy”.
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT: Adoration in the main church every Friday, after the 10.00am Mass – 6.00pm. Entrance through the front door of the church. Please note that when there is a Wedding Mass celebrated on a Friday, adoration will be from 4 to 6.00pm. Pope Paul VI: “Eucharistic adoration extends its influence far beyond the individual adorers, touching their homes and families and reaching out to the parish community and beyond”
CHURCH NEWS: Fr Tony Mullins 0872600414, Fr Dan Lane (Retired) 087/2533030, Fr Denis Mullane 087/26219. Fr Dan Lane will be on call every Wednesday. Fr Mullins will not be available on Wednesdays. Fr Lane can be contacted on 087-2533030 www.abbeyfealeparish.ie email [email protected] Church Sacristy 068 -51915 Parish Office 068 -31133. To book a |Mass intention contact the church before or after Mass on 0668 51915. Mass Intentions: Wednesday 10am Joe Hennessy Died last week. Saturday:No morning Mass. 6.30pm Edward & Kate Reilly and deceased family members. Philly & Donie Cusack, Cratloe. Mary Enright, Caherlane. Rickie Loughane. Geraldine Woulfe, Cratloe.
Sunday 10am Mick Scanlon Athea. John & Mary Collins and son John and daughter Margaret and deceased family members. John Ruane 26 Cryle View Close 5th Anniversary.
12noon Jim O’Connell, 4 St Ita’s Road. John Murphy, Ballaugh. Mike Barry Caherlane.
Phyl O’Kelly, Killarney Road. Eileen Cahill and Paddy Cahill, Hannah O’Neill
and Dano O’Neill and deceased family members. Jim Lane, New Street. Next Saturday December 18 Fr Tony and Fr Dan willbe available to hear confessions from 11.00am to 1.00pm and again on Saturday afternoon from 2.00pm to 4.00pm.
When we reflect on our lives we see the need to forgive others and to seek
forgiveness for ourselves. It’s an aspect of our lives that we find difficult to face.
Reconciliation is always a challenge for us. Yet it is something that we all desire,
to be at peace with God, to be at peace with the people we love and to be at peace
with our neighbours. We need God’s help in our lives to achieve this inner
contentment. The sacrament of confession will help us a long way towards the
peace we all desire.To maintain safety and to ensure safe distancing, confessions will be heard in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. A screen will be in place to give people anonymity or if people prefer, they can celebrate the sacrament face to face, while sitting on a
chair in front of the priest. People wishing to go to confession are asked to enter
the Blessed Sacrament Church through the main church and to wait in the side
aisle. We look forward to welcoming you on Saturday next to Confessions from
11.00am to 1.00pm and again on Saturday afternoon from 2.00pm to 4.00pm.
Holy Communion Call
If any parishioner who has been unable to come to Mass for one reason or another
would like to receive Holy Communion for Christmas please contact the sacristy on
068 51915 any morning at 10.30am.
COMMUNITY ALERT: How to avoid delivery scams; First, are you expecting a parcel?
There’s no need to enter sensitive information to receive one, and none of the major delivery companies will ask for this – if an app or message is asking for this, it should raise alarm bells. Next, check with the company (not the delivery company) where you placed an order using your online account rather than an email. Again, don’t click on links from within the email. If it’s asking for money or personal information, it could be a scam. Check the address of the email sender and if it looks suspicious, ignore it. Watch out for generic greetings and grammatical errors. Got the following message from AIB Internet Banking: “Dear Customer, Criminals use text, email and phone calls to steal your money.We’re removing false websites designed to look like AIB Online Banking.We use text messages to communicate with our customers. Criminals can make their fake text messages look like they come from us. We don’t put links into our text messages. We don’t ask you in a text message to log into Online Banking. If a text asks you to do this, it comes from a criminal. By clicking these links you will be giving them your personal details.Never click a link in a text message – even if it appears to be part of a conversation with us.Criminals call you pretending to be from us, the Gardai or a Government department. They can make phone numbers look legitimate. For our part, we will: Never call you to ask for an SMS or Card Reader code to cancel a transaction. Never give these codes to anyone. Never tell you not to log into Online Banking. You should: Never make payments from your account even if you have been pressurised to do so by any caller. Never let your bank account to be used by criminals. Doing so is illegal. If you believe you have received a false text message, email or phone call, please go to our website and search Security Centre for our contact details.For further information to protect yourself against fraud, visit the Security Centre on our website or refer to Fraudsmart.ie. If you are 65, you live alone or with a person/s aged over 65 you are entitled to receive a monitored alarm system. But if you have younger people living in the house who are out or if you spend long periods of the day on your own then, because you are spending hours alone you are also entitled to the system provided that you are over 65. The free equipment is provided by Pobal following an application from Abbeyfeale Community Alert, there will be a monitoring fee to be paid from the second year of installation to the installing company of €72. There may be some confusion over the word free - the equipment which costs in the region of €400 is provided free of charge by Pobal as is the first year of monitoring but after that you will be charged by the installing company for the monitoring. I have not included the phone numbers of the committee in this notice but if you want to get a panic button then ring Abbeyfeale Garda Station on 068 30010 and they will contact one of us. Should you not have a landline the installing company Task provide a sim card at a rate of €7.50 per month payable from day one with a deposit of 6 months payable on the day of installation. Then, in year two you will also receive a bill for the monitoring fee so in year one the bill will be €90 and in year two and every other year after it will €162 approx. If you wish you can arrange a direct debit and pay this amount off monthly. Committee members are Michael O’Kelly N.T., Chairman Seamus Stack, Secretary Mossie Gleeson, Assistant Treasurer Kathleen Collins, Assistant Secretary Mary McArthur, John O’Sullivan, Billy Quirke N.T., Cllr. Francis Foley, Catherine Daly, Maurice O’Connell, Assistant Treasurer Marian Harnett.
HELPLINES: If you are experiencing domestic abuse, #CoerciveControl reach out and talk to someone you trust. Call or Text our support team on 0579351886/0860419154. COVID-19 Support Line for Older People: The support line is open every day, 8am-8pm, by calling 081 822 2024. Hospice Bereavement Line 1800807077 Monday to Friday 10am – 1pm. Jigsaw support line is now up and running on freefone 1800 JIGSAW (544 729). It will provide free mental health support and advice to young people aged 12 to 25 years old, and parents or concerned adults who live in the Republic of Ireland. Text 50808 to receive support from a volunteer. A helpline for Men suffering domestic abuse operates 36 hours a week on 1800816588. Men’s Aid (Amen) 01 5543811 Monday – Friday 9-5pm. 24 hour helplines for women suffering domestic abuse 1800 341900 or Adapt 1800 200504. Limerick Social Services: 061-314111. AA 061/311222 Al-Anon 086/8143425. Parent Support worker 068/31019. Accord NCW 069/61000. Samaritans Freephone 116123 or text 087/2609090 or email [email protected] Aware (Depression & Anxiety 016617211. National Suicide Helpline (Pieta House) 1800 247 247or text HELP to 51444. Irish Advocacy Network (Peer advocacy in mental health) 01 872 8684 Pieta House (Suicide & self-harm) 01 623 5606 IACP (Counselling & Psychotherapy) 01 230 3536 Shine: (Supporting people affected by mental ill health) 01 860 1620 061 – 412111 or Free phone 1850609090 A.A. 061-311222. ACCORD; are now offering over the phone counselling for couples, Individuals & family members during this time of unprecedented stress & pressure during these weeks of COVID-19. Call: 01 5313331. Al-Anon 086-8143425 Bereavement Support: 068 / 31203 068/ 31262 068/51984 St Vincent De Paul Tel 087/1213560. Counselling Appointment 061/314213. . Milford Care Centre, Castletroy, Limerick. Tel: 061 485 800 Email: [email protected]
Children’s Grief Centre, Limerick. Tel: 061 224 627 Email info@childrensgriefcentre.
DO YOU HAVE NEWS: If there is something you’d like covered in the Abbeyfeale notes please contact me on 087 6866450 or email me on [email protected]
087 260 0414
