02 December 2020

Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin
Group parish notes in
‘Newslink’ December 2020

Preparing the Advent Wreaths in the Rectory in hope and anticipation (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2020)

Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Group of Parishes

Rathkeale, Askeaton, Castletown and Kilnaughtin

Priest-in-Charge: Revd Canon Patrick Comerford,
The Rectory, Askeaton, Co Limerick.

Parish Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RathkealeGroup/

The Covid-19 regulations make it difficult to predict what we can do and what to expect. But Advent is a time of anticipation and expectation and calls on us to be prepared for Christ’s coming – in many unexpected ways.

With this in mind, should the Covid-19 regulations make Advent, Christmas and Epiphany services possible, then the planned services for December and January become possible in appropriate but modified ways.

Sunday 6 December (Advent 2):

9.30, Askeaton, Parish Eucharist (Holy Communion 2); 11.30, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), Morning Prayer.

Sunday 13 December (Advent 3):

9.30, Castletown, Parish Eucharist (HC 2); 11.30, Rathkeale, Morning Prayer.

Sunday 20 December (Advent 4):

No morning service in Askeaton

11.30, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), Parish Eucharist (HC 2); 3 pm, Askeaton, Carol Service.

Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December:

6 pm, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), Christmas Eucharist (HC 2); 8 pm, Castletown, Christmas Eucharist (HC 2) (please note revised times).

Christmas Day, Friday 25 December:

9.30 am, Askeaton, Christmas Eucharist (HC 2); 11 am, Rathkeale, Christmas Eucharist (HC 2).

Sunday 27 December (Christmas 1):

11 am, United Parish Service, Rathkeale (Morning Prayer with Siobhán Wheeler, Parish Reader)

Sunday 3 January 2021 (Christmas 2):

9.30, Askeaton, the Parish Eucharist (HC 2); 11.30, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), the Epiphany Eucharist.

Wednesday 6 January 2020 (The Epiphany):

11, Askeaton, the Epiphany Eucharist (HC 2).

Sunday 10 January (Epiphany 1): 9.30, Castletown, Parish Eucharist; 11.30, Rathkeale, Morning Prayer.

Sunday 17 January (Epiphany 2): 9.30, Askeaton, Morning Prayer; 11.30, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), the Parish Eucharist.

Sunday 24 January (Epiphany 3): 9.30, Castletown, Morning Prayer; 11.30, Rathkeale, Parish Eucharist.

Sunday 31 January (Epiphany 4, the Presentation): 11 am, United Parish Eucharist, Askeaton (HC 2).

A special thank you:

In a recent sermon on the parable of the talents, Patrick said: ‘I am aware … of how many people in this parish are now feeling the financial pinch because of the fall-out from the pandemic. Shops and businesses have closed, household incomes have gone down, economic activity is in freefall.

‘Yet the cost of living remains the same … and people in this parish have been more than generous in continuing to pay into the parish finances to keep parish life going even when parish life is shrinking, without expecting a thank you. Your continuing commitment is an expression of your faith and values. Thank you.’

On-line sermons:

During the lockdown, when church buildings are closed, the Parish Eucharist continues to be celebrated in the Rectory, and the Sunday sermon and the intercessions go online through the Parish Facebook page and through Patrick’s blog (www.patrickcomerford.com). The sermons are also made available on YouTube.

This is an edited version of the Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Group parish notes in the December 2020 edition of ‘Newslink,’ the Limerick and Killaloe diocesan magazine.

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