Catholic Schools Week 2011 - Rooted in Jesus Christ

We are very proud of all the schools of our Parish. They work very hard in trying to provide an atmosphere that facilitates learning and values. In particular, we say thank you to the teachers and principals, the boards of management and parents for all their dedication, professionalism and care. 

During Catholic Schools Week we are offered the opportunity to celebrate the contribution that Catholic Education makes to the wider community and the people who make up the living and vibrant faith communities which characterise our schools. The theme Catholic Schools - Rooted in Jesus Christ is inspired by the Pastoral Letter of Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to the Catholics of Ireland, which was published on 20 March 2010. In section 9 Pope Benedict directly addresses the children and young people of Ireland.

For more click here

To learn more about the schools of our parish click here

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will take place from the 18th to the 25th January, 2011.
Its Inauguration in Dublin will take place at an interdenominational Service in the Church of John the Baptist (Church of Ireland), Clontarf on Tuesday, 18th January at 8 p.m.
The preacher will be Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.
Please click here for a list of events that have been organised in the Dublin Diocese

A Film Everyone Should See

The film is called Des hommes et des dieux (Of Gods and Men), on at the Lighthouse cinema, Smithfield. It has been running for a few weeks and will run for next week at least, though when I was there last Sunday, there were lots of empty seats, a sign surely that it will end its run soon.

It is about the killing of seven Cistercian/Trappist monks of the monastery of Tibhirine, south of Algiers in Algeria, in March 1996. They were abducted one night by a band of militants whose exact identity has never been determined (whether Islamic militants or soldiers of the Algerian army). Two monks escaped the round-up as they were in another part of the monastery. The heads of the seven monks were later found but not their bodies.

Such an event, naturally, caused uproar especially in France and much has been written about it. You can get an idea on Google/Wikipedia.

It is a film that everyone should see. There is so much in it about a whole range of topics: monastic/missionary life, other religions and cultures, 'dying for the faith', commitment and the decision to stay to the end, the exploration of life's meaning and purpose and, throughout all, the beauty of the French language, religious language in particular.

I notice that the film carries a 15A certificate. I just cannot see how it needs such a cautionary advice-note. This prompted me to visit the site of the Irish censor at http://www.ifco.ie/. Such a cert indicates that the film is suitable for those aged 15 or over and also for those under 15 accompanied by an adult. I feel it is a film that would be of great interest to any young person of today, and far far above the quality of the religious films of my own day (e.g. The Ten Commandments, Exodus, even Ben Hur).

A film, then, highly recommended for people of all ages, young and old. I rang a 90+ year-old friend of mine suggesting we go and see it, but she had already seen it! Agreed, she had been a teacher of French.

Each person will take away their own lasting impressions. To crown it all, we have the comfort and facilities of the cinema itself: the seats and the wonderful acoustics that allow us to follow every word of, say, a community meeting round a table to discern whether they should go or stay, or every word of a beautiful Christmas hymn.

Donal, WebSec.

Again, please feel free to comment. Did you enjoy the film as much as I did?