03 February 2022

Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin
Group parish notes in
‘Newslink’ February 2022

The Baptism of Ella Roseline Hilary Delbarry in Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton

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/

Welcoming the new Bishop:

Congratulations to Bishop Michael Burrows on his election as the Bishop of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe. Patrick and the new bishop have worked together on many projects, including the Decade of Evangelism, USPG and USPG Ireland, and the talks between the Church of Ireland and the Moravian Church.

Christmas and Carol services:

Christmas celebrations included the Carols and lighting the Christmas tree at the Old Abbey, in Rathkeale, the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols in Askeaton, and the Epiphany chalking of the church and rectory doors in Askeaton. Thanks to Michael Holly for the generous gift of flowers and candles in Tarbert, and to our Parish Reader, Siobhán Wheeler, for looking after Sunday services on Saint Stephen’s Day.

Baptism:

Ella Roseline Hilary Delbarry, daughter of Elizabeth (Ebie) Delbarry and Emanuel (Manu) Delbarry, was baptised on 27 December in Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton. The sponsors were Samantha Bowen, Wendy Mullins and Rob Foley. Ella is a granddaughter of Hilary and Simon White of Nantenan.

Parish services in February 2022:

Sunday 6 February 2022 (Fourth Sunday before Lent):

9.30, Askeaton, the Parish Eucharist; 11.30, Saint Brendan’s Church, Tarbert, Morning Prayer.

Sunday 13 February 2022 (Third Sunday before Lent): 9.30, Castletown Church, Parish Eucharist; 11.30, Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale, Morning Prayer.

Sunday 20 February 2022 (Second Sunday before Lent): 9.30, Askeaton, Morning Prayer; 11.30, Tarbert, Parish Eucharist.

Sunday 27 February 2022 (The Sunday before Lent): 9.30, Castletown, Morning Prayer; 11.30, Rathkeale, Parish Eucharist.

Wednesday 2 March 2022 (Ash Wednesday): 11 a.m., the Ash Wednesday Eucharist, with traditional Ash Wednesday distribution of ashes, Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton.

Lent 2022: ‘Living Stones, Living Hope’

‘Living Stones, Living Hope’ is the title of the new course for Lent 2022produced by the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel). The title of this course comes from I Peter 2, the epistle for the Bible study at the Lambeth Conference later this year.

We, the Church, are the living stones, and we are called to bring living hope though faith in Christ, who is the cornerstone of our faith. ‘Living Stones, Living Hope’ explores this from the perspective of five partner churches around the world, inviting us to reflect on our own experience of being ‘living stones’ bringing ‘living hope’ in our own situations, in the light of the experiences of others.

Canon Patrick Comerford is one of the international theologians invited by USPG to contribute one of the five studies in this new Lent course. In his Bible study and video, he draws on his experiences in ministry and mission in the Rathkeale area, including ecumenical engagement with the Traveller community.

It is planned to use this USPG course during Lent in this group of parishes. Subject to COVID regulations, dates and details will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Epiphany chalking of the church doors in Askeaton

This is an edited version of the Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Group parish notes in the February 2022 edition of ‘Newslink’, the Limerick and Killaloe diocesan magazine

Praying with the Saints in Ordinary Time:
3 February 2022

Saint Teresa of Ávila … her image high on a corner of her convent church in Seville (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

I am on my way back to Askeaton from Dublin today, I have a lot to catch up on, and today looks like being a busy day. But, before this busy day begins, I am taking some time early this morning for prayer, reflection and reading.

The Feast of the Presentation, or Candlemas yesterday (2 February) marked the last of the great festivals of the season of Christmas. The Church Calendar is now in Ordinary Time for a month from today until Ash Wednesday, 2 March 2022, and the liturgical colours have changed from the white or gold of celebration to the Green of ordinary, everyday life.

During this month in Ordinary Time, I hope to continue this Prayer Diary on my blog each morning, reflecting in these ways:

1, Short reflections drawing on the writings of a great saint or spiritual writer;

2, the day’s Gospel reading;

3, a prayer from the USPG prayer diary.

At present, I am exploring the writings of the great Carmelite mystic, Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), so my quotations over these few days are from her writings:

‘Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything.’

Mark 6: 7-13 (NRSVA):

7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

The Prayer in the USPG Prayer Diary today (3 February 2022, Saints and Martyrs of Europe) invites us to pray:

Let us give thanks for the lives and works of those who committed their lives to spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout Europe.

Yesterday’s reflection

Continued tomorrow

Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org