Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Group parish notes in ‘Newslink’ July/August 2021

Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale, in the summer sunshine

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/

Easter General Vestries:

The easing of the Pandemic lockdown restrictions has allowed the four Easter General Vestries to meet in sequence, one after another.

Askeaton: Churchwardens Simon White (Rector), (People); Glebewardens Simon White (Rector), Ralph Drew (People); Ann Drew, Secretary; Richard Langford, Treasurer; Select Vestry: Barbara Comerford, Ebie White-Delbarry, Brian Fitzell, Gerard Griffin, Patricia Ruttle, Charles Slagel, Trixie Slagel, Donagh O’Grady, Siobhán Wheeler, Hilary White.

Castletown: Churchwardens Declan Shier (Rector), David Downes (People); Glebe committee, Thomas Downes; Raylene Downes, Secretary; Thomas Downes, Treasurer; Select Vestry: Valerie Downes, Jackie Gardiner, Victor Gardiner.

Rathkeale: Churchwardens, Shirley Sheehan (Rector), Susan Shorten (People); Glebewardens, George Shorten (Rector), Niall Shorten (People); Susan Shorten, Secretary; Jennifer Shorten, Treasurer; Select Vestry: Rose Baker, Daphne Casey, Jean Fitzell, Evelyn Lambert, Isaac Langford, Pearl Mitchell, Ian Shorten, Niall West.

Tarbert: Churchwardens Eric Parkinson (Rector), Nigel Fitzell (People); Glebe committee, Joe Gleeson; Margaret Fitzell, Secretary; Nikki O’Mahony, Treasurer; Select Vestry: Ajay Philip, William Fitzell.

Group Treasurer: Victor Gardiner.

Safeguarding Trust Panel: Raylene Downes (Castletown), Nikki O’Mahony (Tarbert), Shirley Sheehan (Rathkeale), Hilary White

The late Ena Downes:

Ena (Florence) Downes (nee Shier), of Beagh Cross, Askeaton, died on 1 June at Thorpe’s Nursing Home. Ena’s funeral will took place on 3 June, in Castletown Church with burial afterwards in the church grounds.

Ena was the wife of the late Sam Downes, and the mother of David, Tommy, Janet and Helen, and sister of the late Bertha and Bobby. She is survived by her sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, and her 11 grandchildren.

Ena was involved in church life at every level from parish to diocesan level, and speakers at her funeral recalled her work with the Mothers’ Union, the Girls’ Brigade, the Girls’ Friendly Society and the Irish Countrywomen’s Assocation.

Parish services in July and August 2021:

4 July (Trinity V): 9.30, Parish Eucharist, Askeaton; 11.30, Morning Prayer, Tarbert.

11 July (Trinity VI): 9.30, Parish Eucharist, Castletown; 11.30, Morning Prayer, Rathkeale.

18 July (Trinity VII): 9.30, Morning Prayer, Askeaton; 11.30, Parish Eucharist, Tarbert.

25 July (Trinity VIII): 9.30, Morning Prayer, Castletown; 11.30, Parish Eucharist, Rathkeale.

1 August (Trinity IX): 9.30, Parish Eucharist, Askeaton; 11.30, Morning Prayer, Tarbert.

8 August (Trinity X): 9.30 Parish Eucharist, Castletown; 11.30 Morning Prayer, Rathkeale.

15 August (Trinity XI): 9.30 Morning Prayer, Askeaton; 11.30, Parish Eucharist, Tarbert.

22 August (Trinity XII): 9.30, Morning Prayer, Castletown; 11.30, Parish Eucharist, Rathkeale.

29 August (Trinity XIII): 11 a.m., Joint Parish Eucharist, the Rectory, Askeaton, and Parish BBQ (subject to Government and Diocesan Covid guidelines).

Painting and decoration:

Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale, is looking bright and cheery inside after the recent painting and decoration arranged through Councillor Adam Teskey. The gutters, chutes and downpipes at Saint Mary’s, Askeaton have been painted in recent decades. However, the interior works at Tarbert are facing some unexpected snags. But things are looking brighter, and thanks are due to all involved.

Staying online:

The Sunday sermons continue to be posted online through Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Canon Patrick Comerford’s blog (www.patrickcomerford.com), and still attract more viewers than Sunday church attendances. A link to these sermons is available each Sunday by email by request.

An early summer sunrise at the Rectory in Askeaton

This is an edited version of the Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Group of Parishes parish notes in the July/August 2021 edition of Newslink, the Limerick and Killaloe Diocesan Magazine (pp 21-22).