Parish of Coolmeen – Cranny

His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Fr Fintan Monahan (a priest of the Archdiocese of Tuam), as Bishop of Killaloe. The appointment was announced at 11.00am on 29 July 2016 at a press conference held in the Ennis Parish Pastoral Centre.
Fr Fintan Monahan was born in Tullamore, Co Offaly, on 23 January 1967. His parents are Tom and Peg Monahan and he has one brother, Seán, and one sister, Caitríona, who is married to Dominic. From 1980-1996 the family lived in Carraroe, Co Galway where his father was principal teacher at Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin, An Cheathrú Rua. In 1996 the family moved to Castlegar, Galway City, the native home of his mother.
Primary education was in Tullamore and secondary education was in Carraroe before studying for the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Tuam in Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth in 1984. In 1987 he completed a B.Sc. in NUI Maynooth, a B.D. in the Pontifical University in 1990, an S.T.L. in Biblical Theology in 1992 and a H.Dip. in Education in NUI Galway in 1993.
Fintam was ordained to the priesthood was in Séipéal Mhic Dara, An Cheathrú Rua on 16 June 1991 by Archbishop Joseph Cassidy. While studying for the H.Dip. in Education in Galway he was curate in An Tulach, Baile na hAbhann, Conamara from 1992-1993. From 1993-2006 he taught Science, Irish and Religion at the diocesan college, Saint Jarlath’s College in Tuam, along with coaching basketball and hurling.
In 2006 Archbishop Michael Neary appointed him chaplain to Saint Jarlath’s College and diocesan secretary. During that time he also worked in the area of communications, vocations promotion and served as editor of the Tuam Diocesan Magazine, New Dawn. In recent years he joined the Communications Council of the Irish Episcopal Conference. Bishop-elect Monahan is an Irish speaker and enjoys the outdoor life, hill walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and gardening.

 

 

 

The Administrator of the Diocese Killaloe, Fr Des Hillery had made a series of appointments in the Diocese.

They come into effect on Monday 1 August 2016.

To view the full list please click here Diocesan Appointments 2016

We wish everyone who is beginning a new stage in their ministry and the people with whom they will work, every happiness and blessing.

On the weekend of  25- 26 June, 2016 Maureen Kelly, Pastoral Worker with the Diocese of Killaloe spoke at Masses in the parish at the invitation of our Parish Pastoral Council.

Maureen presented a vision for the future of our parish as a praying community with a particular focus on Sunday liturgies led by lay people.

Here is the text of her reflection M Kelly Putting the hand to the plough and turning back

Canons’ Island in the Shannon estuary is  the largest in a cluster of over twenty islands that occupy the expansive stretch of water formed by the confluence of the Shannon and Fergus estuaries.

The island is the site of a medieval Monastery and a traditional pilgrim site for people on both sides of the estuary. The Canons Regular of St Augustine who lived in the Abbey provided pastoral care for the nearby parishes until its suppression during the rule of Henry VIII.

The island has continued to serve as a place of burial up to the present.  In 1990 the late Fr Michael Hillery, PP revived the tradition of going on pilgrimage to the Canons’ Island   A large number of pilgrims travel to the island each year for the annual Mass.

Mass will be celebrated in the ruins of the old Monastery on the island on Sunday 3 July 2016. Boats will leave Crovraghan Pier at 3.30pm. All are welcome.

Irish law requires that life jackets be worn – a limited number will be available at the pier.

 

Golden Wedding:

We congratulate Michael and Mary (Chrissie, née O’Donnell) Quinlivan, London who are celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary.

Chrissie is a native of Shanahea and she married Michael, a native of Ballycorick, in St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen on 24 May, 1966.

The couple, accompanied by their family, received a blessing on the occasion of their golden wedding anniversary during Sunday morning Mass in St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen on Sunday 29 May 2016.

Chrissie and Michael,

May God bless you and grant you joy. May He deepen your love for each other.

May He bless you + in your family and friends,

May Almighty God, Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit, Bless us all,

and keep us in His love always.
Amen.

 

Congratulations to Christy O’Connor, Coolmeen who has been awarded a Benemerenti Medal by Pope Francis for his outstanding service to our parish and to the Church.

The Medal was presented to Christy during 8pm Mass in St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen on Friday, 27 May, 2016. The Mass was celebrate by Fr Albert McDonnell and Fr Michael O Grady and attended by members of Christy’s family in addition to the local parish community.

Benemerenti Medals are conferred on people for distinguished service to their parish or diocese and to the Faith. The medal is worn on the breast, suspended by ribbons of the papal colours. It is a gold Greek cross depicting the image of Christ, His hand raised in blessing. On the left of the transverse arm of the cross is a depiction of the tiara and crossed keys, and to the right is the shield of the Pope and his motto. On the reverse is the word Benemerenti, which means “good merit”. The award is accompanied by a certificate. The medal is accompanied by a parchment in Latin, issi ed by The Pope, which states

The Supreme Pontiff, Francis,

using his power to honour by a mark of distinction,

has seen fit to bestow upon

Christopher O Connor the gold medal

Benemerenti

established for those exceedingly

well deserving in Christian service.

We congratulate Christy.  As we thank him for his service to the parish of Coolmeen-Cranny, we pray that the Lord may continue to bless him.

Mass will be celebrated in the cemeteries in Coolmeen-Cranny Parish at the following dates and times:

• Kilfiddane cemetery – Friday, 8 July at 8pm;
• Cranny cemetery – Friday, 22 July at 8pm;
• The Cillin, Clondrina – Friday, 12 August at 8pm.

All are welcome to participate in our cemetery Masses and to remember and pray for their relatives and friends who are buried there, for the deceased of the parish and for all the faithful.

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Mass will be celebrated in Kildysart cemetery on Friday, 1 July 2014 at 8pm.

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Blessed John Henry Newman’s Prayer for the Departed

May He support us all the day long, till the shades lengthen

and the evening comes,

and the busy world is hushed,

and the fever of life is over,

and our work is done.

Then in His mercy

may He give us a safe lodging,

and a holy rest

and peace at the last.

We congratulate the girls from Coolmeen who received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Pentecost Sunday, 15 May 2016 in St Michael’s Church, Kildysart.

We pray that the Holy Spirit will always guide and protect them and their families.

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We congratulate the six children form our parish who received Holy Communion for the first time on Saturday, 7 May, 2016.

We pray that the Lord will always be at the centre of their lives  and continue to bless their parents, families, teachers and all who form part of their circles of love and care.

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We pray for the young people in our parish who are currently preparing to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation, First Holy Communion and Confirmation and for the parents, teachers and families.

Our parish programme of preparation for these sacraments includes the following:

• Enrolment for the sacraments of reconciliation and First Holy Communion Saturday 28 November at St Mary’s Church, Cranny;
• Enrolment for the sacrament of confirmation; Sunday 6 December at St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen;
• Preparation Mass for First Holy Communion, Sunday 24 January at St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen:
• Preparation Mass for First Holy Communion: Saturday, 20 February at St Mary’s Church, Cranny;
• Ceremony of Light with our candidates for Confirmation: Wednesday, 2 March at St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen;
• First Confessions for our Cranny and Coolmeen candidates for First Holy Communion: Tuesday, 15 March at St Benedict’s Church, Coolmeen;
• Celebration of First Holy Communion on Saturday 7 May at St Mary’s Church, Cranny;
• Celebration of the Confirmation on Pentecost Sunday (15 May) at St Michael’s Church, Kildysart.

The month of May is the month of Mary, the Mother of God.

During May we will pray the rosary at the shrines to Our Lady in our parish, at the following dates:

• Tuesday, 17 May at 8pm at the Grotto in Coolmeen;
  Tuesday, 24 May at 8pm at the Cillenn in Clondrina;
• Tuesday, 31 May at 8pm at the Grotto in Shessive.

All welcome.

The rosary invites us into meditation. The gentle repetition of its prayers makes it an excellent means to moving into deeper meditation. It gives us an opportunity to open ourselves to God’s word, to refine our interior gaze by turning our minds to the life of Christ.

By focusing on the lives of Christ and Mary through meditation on the mysteries, we learn about ourselves in relation to God. Mary herself is the model for the daily practice of meditation. She received the word of God through Gabriel. She pondered God’s word in her heart. She took in the events around her, capturing them internally and carrying them within her like a treasure. This is the essence of meditation—receiving God’s word and making it our treasure.