www.ballinteer.dublindiocese.ie e-mail: editor@ballinteer.dublindiocese.ie
To read please scroll down the page
When Jesus Called that Christmas week
And the house was much too cluttered to entertain a guest.
He seemed to notice everything, the cards still unaddressed;
The gifts piled high awaiting wraps, the baking and the rest.
His eyes fell on the evergreen and the presents ëneath the tree,
'It's my birthday that you celebrate - what are you giving me? '
'What am I giving Him? I thought; ashamed no words I found.
So many costly things Iíd bought, He looked at me and frowned.
I prayed Heíd let the question pass, but when He did persist,
I blurted out the truth at last, 'you were not on my list'
(Louise Teisberg)
Jesus born in a Stable
I am very glad that Jesus was born in a stable because my soul is very much like
a stable filled with strange and unsatisfactory longings, with guilt and animal-like impulses .
. . .
tormented by anxiety, inadequacy and pain. If Christ could be born in such a place, He can be
born in me also. I am not excluded.
Dorothy Day
Ballinteer Church Repository Shop
Open after Saturday evening Mass and and all Sunday morning Masses
Keeping Christ in Christmas!
Candles - Cards
Calendars - Cribs - Sheds
Children's Books - Small Gifts
Christmas Greetings from Tanzania
Many will remember Fr.Adalbert Donge who,
while studying at Milltown, helped out at evening Masses over two years before returning to his
native Tanzania.
He writes: 'Warmest seasonal greetings to the priests and parishioners of St. John's in Ballinteer.
I thank everybody who was so kind to me when I helped out in the parish. Since returning home,
I have been put in charge of St. Peter Claver's Parish which is situated at Nyambiti village
about 85km from Mwanza city in Tanzania. Nyambiti area has got a population of 250,000 people
who are mainly simple farmers. The parish has got sixteen outstations which are widely
scattered about ten to fifteen kms apart. We have one Mass every Sunday, with two Masses in the
outstations. There is one daily Mass with five to ten people in attendance.
Please remember all of us in our parish in your prayers and have a prayerful Christmas - I
will include you all in Ballinteer in my Christmas Masses.'
Lectio Divina
'Praying with St. Paul' on Thursday nights at 8.00 pm in Church Oratory.
Recommencing 18th January. Details from Fr. Jim O'Sullivan, Tel.: 4944163
Ballinteer Active Retirement
We will resume our Wednesday morning activities (10.15 am - 12 noon) in St.
John's GAA Pavilion on 10th January. All welcome. Computer class starting Tuesday 16th January.
AGM on Tues. 30th January at 8.00 pm at same venue.
Church Concert Cantando
Musical Director: Orla Barry
Selection of Mozartís Wonderful Music
followed by Christmas Carols
Sunday 17th December 2006
at 8 p.m. in the Church
Proceeds for Roof Fund
Admission: Euro10
Tickets available at the Sacristy or Tel: 2985807
Fr. Mattie’s Mass and Party
At end October, a special Mass was celebrated to mark Fr. Mattie O'Farrell's
departure to Kinsealy in north Dublin after five years service as a curate in Ballinteer.
Young and old gathered in big numbers to celebrate with Fr. Mattie. A presentation to him took
place afterwards in the School Hall.
Fr. Mattie wrote the following letter in thanks to all:
‘Thanking you, the Parish Pastoral Council and all the parishioners for a wonderful Mass and celebration last Saturday evening. Thanking all again for their great generosity and good wishes. A night to cherish always.
God Bless, Mattie (O'Farrell)’
St. Benildus College thanks
St. Benildus College would like to thank
everybody, parents, neighbours and friends, who supported their recent 'Run for Life'
Sponsored Run/Walk. Over E35,000 was raised and is now being distributed to designated charities,
local, national and international.
Pontifical Mission Societies
'On behalf of our brothers and sisters who will benefit in missionary territories
, I thank the parishioners of Ballinteer who generously contributed E4,500 to the 2006 Mission
Sunday collection. Every cent of your gift will be sent to a Church in a missionary territory.
Ed Grimes CSSp, National Director
Intercessory Prayer Team
Kay, Jennifer, Pat and Philip meet regularly to pray for all in our parish and
for the particular needs of those who ask for prayer. They can be contacted on 087 6677749
Parish Walking Groups
New walkers are always welcome to join us at Kilmashogue Wood car park on
Saturday mornings at 9.30 and 11.00 a.m. If planning to go on 9.30 a.m. walk please phone
01-4945397 (evenings) to check availability. All other enquiries to 01-4941948.
Roof Fund - A Milestone Reached!
Thanks to the generosity of our parishioners the Church Roof Reconstruction
Fund has broken the E100,000 milestone and the total now stands at E104,500.
As we still have a long way to go - the amount borrowed was E820,000 - we will continue with
the Church door collections in 2007.
Faith & Light
The Ballinteer Faith and Light Community - The Little Lights Community - meet
in the conference room of the Church of St. John the Evangelist, Ballinteer at 3 pm on the 2nd
Sunday of each month. All welcome.
Ballinteer Parish Cell Community
Our 'Home Centres of Prayer' meetings continue every second Wednesday. These
meetings are held in homes in Broadford, Pine Valley, Woodpark and Old Ballinteer and all are
welcome. If you would like more information about Cell Community or if you would like to
'Come and See' a Cell meeting please call 085 7788395 or leave your name and number in the
Sacristry and we will call you.
Ballinteer Parish Website www.ballinteer.dublindiocese.ie
The number of people accessing our website has greatly increased during the past
year. We make every effort to keep the website up to date with all aspects of our parish but we
cannot do it without your help.
If you wish to have details of your Group, Club, Social event, Birthdays, etc. displayed on
our 'Bulletin Board' page please send your details by e-mail or drop them into the Sacristy and
remember the service is completely free.
The e-mail address is: editor@ballinteer.dublindiocese.ie or Jimmy Finlay, c/o The Sacristry.
As well as containing information about our parish community on the website you may also
look up our 'Links' page which has information on our neighbouring parishes and over 40 links
to some very interesting websites both in Ireland and abroad.
Baptisms - September to November, 2006
We welcome into our Christian Community:-
Alex Brian Edge
Christopher John Edge
Aoibh Angel May Maguire
Peter Joseph Fox
Jack Ryan OíConnor-Hearty
Ethan Sean Keyes
Ellen Ciara Woods
Dylan Matthew Dingley
Andrei Emanuel Lukas Miclos
Darragh Kit Bradshaw
Max Bennie Caulwell
Shane Joseph OíDea
Alex Christopher Corcoran
Patrick Christopher Tuomey
Michael Damian Brennan
Max Patrick Keegan
Sean Patrick Matthew Coffey
Gwen Hannah Delaney
Martha Daisy Dunne
Deaths - September to November, 2006
Lord, Grant eternal rest to the souls of :
Jenny Lawless, Ballinteer Gardens
Margaret Ennis, Haroldís Grange Road
Amelia Ellen Beale, The Gallops/Ballinteer Drive (26/7/06)
Frances Blake, Kingston
Gerard Hendrick, The Pines
Margaret Magee, Clonlea.
p>Our sympathy and prayers are with their families, relatives, friends and neighbours.
Weddings - June to November, 2006
Congratulations and best wishes to
Niall Thomas Murray, Ludford Drive who wed Olive Evelyn Mary Quinlan, The View, Woodpark
Darren Cosgrove, Cavan who wed Marianne Wyse, Broadford Close
John Keane, Birmingham who wed Anne Griffin, Clondalkin
Our Lady's Schools
At 10 o'clock Mass on Sunday 12th November there was a ceremony of enrolment for
the 33 boys and girls for confirmation next year. The following Sunday there was a similar
ceremony for the 31 children for first penance and first holy communion. There are banners at
the back of the church showing pictures of the children. Parishioners can become prayer friends
by praying for them during their period of preparation.
Many thanks to those who supported the Sale of Work for the girls' school on Sunday 19th
November. It realised E4,200. Also thanks to participants in the recent Table Quiz in Ballinteer
House in aid of the special unit in the boys' school for children with autism and Asperger's
syndrome. Including the raffle and donations, it raised almost E6,000.
The schools' Christmas concerts will take place in the School Hall on Wed. 13th at 8.00 pm
for the girls and Thurs. 14th December at 7.30 pm for the boys.