Dear Parishioners,
Lent 2022
Lent this year begins on Ash Wednesday 2nd March. In All Saints’ there will be a children’s Service at 9.30.am.and a Service of Holy Communion at 10.30a.m.
In Killucan there will be a Service of Holy Communion at 12 noon.
In Almoritia there will be a Service of Evening Prayer at 5.00 p.m.
Last year during Lent we held an evening service by Zoom at 8.00 p.m. every Wednesday. During Lent this year we will hold a Zoom Service each Wednesday at 8.00 p.m. and I hope each Service will involve children and families.
It was lovely to have so many people joining together for these Lenten services and I hope we will have good numbers again for Lent this year. If you and your family would like to join us on Zoom please let me know and I will send you an invitation. The Services last no more than 25 minutes.
Lighten Our Darkness
The special weekend on learning about Bio-Diversity will be held on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th March.
On Saturday morning everyone is invited to meet at All Saints’ at 11.00 a.m.
To avoid traffic congestion you are invited to park at the Rectory and to walk through the Rectory garden to the church. After the first short meeting in All Saints’ we will then move on to Stonehall and Leney churchyards.
At each of the churchyards Dr. Dara Fitzpatrick, a distinguished scientist from Cork University, will outline the bio-diversity in each pilot site. At 6.00 p.m. in All Saints’ Dr. Fitzpatrick will give a presentation on ‘The challenge to bio-diversity by climate change and the difference we can make by our actions’.
On Sunday 6th March at 11.00 a.m. we will hold our second Climate Sunday Service in the church grounds. This Service will be posted on Facebook and I hope we will have a very good number of parishioners attending as a witness to what our church is undertaking in Mullingar. At the Climate Sunday Service women will be participating to mark the International Women’s Day of Prayer.
We are all aware of the need to repair the damage to God’s world and, together in our Parish, we can make a difference with your support and participation. I do hope parishioners will be able to attend the events over this weekend.
Fridays in Lent
There will be a Service of Holy Communion every Friday in All Saints’ at 11.00 a.m. I encourage parishioners to come if at all possible.
Lenten Bible Study
Bible Study will be held on Saturday 12th March and Saturday 9th April at 10.30 a.m. in All Saints’.
Lenten Project
This Lent the young people are calling the Project ‘Drop a Coin ‘ and the proceeds will go to support Syrian children in their education following the recent civil war. Collection boxes will be placed in each church
St. Patrick’s Day
We will be celebrate St. Patrick’s day with a special Service in All Saints’ on Thursday 17th March at 11.00 a.m. with the Blessing of the Shamrock and special music by the Choir.
Select Vestry
The Select Vestry will hold a meeting on Monday 21st March at 7.30 p.m.
Aspire Magazine
The Aspire Diocesan magazine is available each month and carries news of the Diocese and all the different parishes. The subscription for this year is now due and I would ask the subscribers in the parish to either send their subscription of €27 to John Hales, our Honorary Treasurer, or give it to one of the churchwardens at the church you attend. If anyone would like to become a subscriber they should please contact Edna Craig on 087-2761568.
Holy Baptisms
I am pleased to announce that we will be having three baptisms during March. We pray for the children to be baptised, their parents and godparents. We also congratulate those children who have been recently baptised and pray for them, their parents and godparents.
Bereavement
We offer our deepest sympathy to Warwick O’Hara on the sad death of his wife, Anne, who had been a much loved and highly respected parishioner of Killucan parish.
Anne’s contribution in so many aspects of life in Westmeath was truly significant. Warwick and Anne’s house in Mornington always offered a warm welcome to everyone. Anne’s gifts as a chef were par excellence and her cooking for guests in Mornington and her work in Wilson’s Hospital School was legend.
Anne bore her illness with great courage and, in recent months when she was sadly encountering ill health, she showed amazing bravery and dignity. She was a person of great faith and we pray that, now in the fuller presence of God, she may rest in peace and rise in glory.
We offer our deepest sympathy to Warwick, their daughter Katy and son Patrick, grandchildren Owen, Ellen and Olivia, Anne’s sister and niece Heather and Salena, and John and Sarah. We hope they will be comforted by their wonderful memories of Anne and in knowing that she is now at rest and at peace.
We also offer our deepest sympathy to Arthur and Marion O’Toole following the sad passing of Arthur’s sister, Claire. Claire had in recent times become very unwell and Arthur and Marion’s support, love and care provided a wonderful comfort to her. Claire’s funeral service took place in Grange Con, Co. Wicklow. Claire had a wonderful faith and we pray that Arthur and Marion will be greatly comforted by their memories of her and also strengthened in their sorrow by Claire’s faith which has given them such strength and comfort. May Claire rest in peace and rise in glory.
Coming Out of the Pandemic
As the country begins to come out of the recent pandemic, we hope parishioners will now feel comfortable in returning to church where they can feel safe and at ease. Faith is such an important aspect of life. We hope our Parish will provide a Christian nurturing that gives everyone a sense of purpose and meaning and, through our worship and activity, an opportunity to deepen our faith and witness openly in the Mullingar Union to all that is finest in human living under God’s healing, care and protection.
As I have mentioned on so many occasions, I am always available at any time if anyone in the Parish has any need. Please never hesitate to telephone me on 087-7870985.
With God’s blessings,
Revd. Alastair Graham
087-7870985
