We congratulate the girls and boys from Cranny-Coolmeen who received the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation today. We thank our teachers Ms Gráinne Sheehan, Ms Kathleen O’Connell and Ms Patricia Cunningham for their work snd dedication.
May the Spirit always guide and the protect the young people, their parents and families.
Ash Wednesday:
Next Wednesday (! March) is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of Lent.
It is a day of fast and abstinence. Mass including the blessing and distribution of ashes will be celebrated in St Mary’ Church, Cranny on Wednesday at 9.30am and in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart at 8pm.
Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he was tempted by Satan. Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation for Easter. Every Sunday is a commemoration of the Sunday of Christ’s resurrection and so as a feast day on which fasting was inappropriate.
Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from the palm branches blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday, and placing them on the foreheads of Christians to the accompaniment of the words “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”.
Bishop Fintan Monahan will lead his first Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes on 26 June. The 61st Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes will leave Shannon on Monday 26June, returning on Saturday 1July. The cost this year is €692 per person sharing and there will be a €10 discount for online booking at http://www.joewalshtours.ie
Booking forms can be obtained from: Joe Walsh Tours, 143 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2. Telephone: (01) 2410810
A limited number of sick pilgrims will be accommodated in the Sanctuary of Lourdes at a cost of €595. Applications for sick pilgrims only to Fr. Tom Ryan, Pilgrimage Director, SS John & Paul Presbytery, Shannon, Co. Clare. Telephone: (061) 364133
Families or individuals often sponsor a family member, parents, or a friend on the occasion of an anniversary or Jubilee with a visit to Lourdes. Sponsorship for sick people is always welcome.
The Feast of our Lady of Lourdes (Saturday, 11 February) was chosen as the annual day of prayer for and with the sick by Pope John Paul II in 1992.
We will celebrate the feast day with Mass and the anointing of the sick in St Mary’s Church, Cranny on Saturday, 11 February at 7.00pm.
All members of our parish are welcome to attend the Mass and anybody suffering from an illness or old age is welcome to receive the sacrament of the sick.
Pope Francis’ message centred on the theme of ‘The Almighty has done great things for me ….’ (Luke 1:49) may be found here
The blessing of throats will take place on Friday, 3 February at 6.30pm in St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen; at 7.00pm in St Mary’s Church, Cranny and after 8pm Mass in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart.
Using two crossed, blessed, unlit candles the minister touches the throat of each person using the following prayer of blessing:
Through the intercession of St Blaise, Bishop and Martyr,
may the Lord preserve you from aliments of the throat and every other illness.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Very few facts are known about Saint Blaise. It is believed that he was a bishop of Sebastea in Armenia who was martyred in the early fourth century.
The legend of his life that sprang up in the eighth century tells us that he was born in to a noble family who raised him as a Christian. After becoming a bishop, a new persecution of Christians began. He received a message from God to go into the hills to escape persecution. Men hunting in the mountains discovered a cave surrounded by wild animals who were sick. Among them Blaise walked unafraid, curing them of their illnesses. Recognizing Blaise as a bishop, they captured him to take him back for trial. On the way back, he talked a wolf into releasing a pig that belonged to a poor woman. When Blaise was sentenced to be starved to death, the woman, in gratitude, sneaked into the prison with food and candles. Finally Blaise was killed by the governor.
Friday next is the feast of the epiphany of the Lord (Little Christmas Day).
In Kildysart and Cranny-Coolmeen parishes we will have the following Mass schedule.
The Feast of the Epiphany (the word means “manifestation”) celebrates the making known of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. The feast commemorates the visit of the Three Kings (the Magi) to the Baby Jesus and the revelation Jesus’ birth beyond the Jewish world. The Kings brought gifts of gold (for a king), frankincense (for worship) and myrrh (for embalming, since Christ was to die for us). In Italy and other countries children receive gifts on this day. Traditionally in Ireland, the day was known as ‘Nollaig na mBan’ as it was the day when women celebrated Christmas
During 2016, the following celebrations took place in our parish Churches:
We pray that the Lord will always be present to us in the special and in the ordinary moments of our lives
Pray for Eileen Finucane, Lancashire, England and formerly of Lissycasey who died recently.
Eileen was the wife of the late Ned Finucane, formerly of Effernan.
May she rest in prace.
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Pray for Betty Cunningham (née Hannon), Aylroe who died on 23 December, 2016.
Betty will repose at St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen on Tuesday 27 December from 6pm until 8pm. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 11am followed by burial in Kilfidane cemetery.
May the Lord grant Betty eternal rest and console her son Kevin, daughter Mary; Antionette and Teresa her daughters-in-law, Martin her son-in-lay and her nine grandchildren.
Betty’s months mind Mass will be celebrated in St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen on Sunday 22 January at 9.45am
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Pray for Thomas O’Sullivan Thomas (Brewster) late of Lahinch and Cranny who died on 7 December 2016.
May the Lord grant Thomas eternal rest and console his wife Margaret, son Finbar, daughters Pamela and Melissa and all who knew and loved him.
Thomas will repose at his residence on Friday from 5pm to 8pm. Removal from his residence Saturday morning to Lahinch Church for 12 o’clock funeral Mass.
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We pray for Margaret Hanrahan (née O’Neill), Clondrina who died on Saturday, 3 December, 2016.
Margaret will repose at O’Donoghue’s Funeral Home, Kildysart from 5pm until 8pm on Monday, followed by removal to St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen.
Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday at 11am followed by burial in Kilmurry-McMahon cemetery.
We pray that the Lord may grant Margaret eternal rest and console her daughters Kathleen, Mary her sons Tommy and Pat and all who knew and loved her.
Margaret’s month’s mind Mass will be celebrated in St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen on Sunday, 8 January at 9.45am.
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You are asked to pray for Sinon Moloney late of Alyroe who died recently in Australia.
May the Lord grant him eternal rest and console all who mourn him.
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You are asked to remember in your prayer Michael Corry, Moyfadda who died on 27 September, 2016.
Michael will repose at St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen on Friday from 4pm concluding with prayers for the dead at 7.30pm. The funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday at 12 noon followed by burial in Kilfiddane cemetery.
May the Lord grant Michael eternal rest and console his wife Vera, his son MJ, his sisters Mary, Ann, Catherine and Theresa, his brothers Pat, Kieran, and Martin and all who formed part of his circle of love and care.
Michael’s months mind Mass will be celebrated in St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen at 8pm on Thursday, 27 October, 2016.
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Pray for Pat O’Connor, Carrowreagh West who died on 23 September, 2016.
Pat will repose at O’Halloran’s Funeral Home, Kilmihil from 6pm to 8pm on Sunday, followed by removal to St Mary’s Church, Cranny.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday at 11am followed by burial in Cranny cemetery.
May the Lord grant Pat eternal rest and console his brothers J.J., Toss, Gerry, and Colm, his sisters Mary, Catherine, and Margaret all who mourn him.
The month’s mind Mass for Pat will be celebrated in St Mary’s Church, Cranny on Saturday 22 October at 8pm.
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Pray for Frank (Francie) Kelly, Cranny who died on 17 August, 2016.
Francie will repose at O’Donohue’s funeral home, Kildysart on Thursday from 5.30pm with removal to St Mary’s Church, Cranny at 8pm. His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday at 12noon followed by burial in Cranny cemetery.
May the Lord grant him eternal rest and console his wife, Maureen, family Mary, Gerard, Alice and Francis, sisters Mary, Breda & Nellie, son-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends and all who knew and loved him.
Francie’s months mind Mass will be celebrated in St Mary’s Church, Cranny on Saturday, 17 September at 8pm.
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Pray for Maureen Byrne (née McMahon) late of Sixcrosses who died in Dublin on 1 May, 2016.
May the Lord grant her eternal rest and console all who mourn her.
Mass will be offered for Maureen on Friday, 24 June at 8pm.
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We pray for Monsignor Austin 
McKeon, Pastor Emeritus of Tulsk, Co Roscommon and a priest of the Diocese of Elphin who died on 25 April, 2016.
We pray that the Lord may grant him eternal rest and console his niece Brid Meaney and all who knew and loved him.
To read Austin’s obituary please click here
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You are asked to remember in prayer Mary Sexton, Carrowreagh West, wife of the later Micko, who died on Easter Sunday, 27 March, 2016.
Mary will repose in O’Halloran’s Funeral Home, Kilmihil from 6 – 8pm on Monday, 28 March. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated in St Mary’s Church, Cranny at 11am on Tuesday followed by burial in Cranny cemetery.
May she rest in peace.
The month’s mind Mass for Mary will be celebrated in St Mary’s Church, Cranny on Saturday 23 April at 8pm.
Parishes of Ballynacally-Lissycasey, Coolmeen-Cranny and Kildysart
Christmas Night Mass – Saturday, 24 December 2016
Christmas Day Mass – Sunday, 25 December 2016
The Sacrament of Reconciliation
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We wish all the members of our parishes every happiness and blessing as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, the Christ child at Christmas. We thank you for your generous contributions towards the life of our parishes through your presence and prayer at Mass and other liturgies, the gift of your time and talents through your work in parish ministries and on committees and your financial support for the parishes and clergy.
May Christ be born in the hearts and homes of each of us as we celebrate the great feast of Christmas.
Fr Joe Hourigan, PP Fr Albert McDonnell, P
Parish of Coolmeen - Cranny 
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