Patrickswell news for w/e May 2nd

CHURCH NOTICES: Listed readers for this weekend, May 3-4, The Third Sunday of Easter Year A, are as follows, Saturday at 6-30pm Dan Riordan and Sunday at 11-30am Julie Darcy. Eucharistic Ministers, Saturday at 6-30pm Louise Carey, Breda Carroll and Eileen Nally, Sunday at 11-30am Patricia Barry, Rory Bennis and Rose Kelliher, please arrange a replacement if you are unable to fulfill any duty allocated to you. Weekday masses are at 9-30am Monday to Friday. Items for inclusion in the weekly newsletter should be with Pauline at the Parish Office by 12noon on Thursdays, Tel 061-353454 or email pwbbparishoffice@gmail.com  A weekly newsletter specifically for children is also now available. Fr. Mike’s contact details are, Tel 061-353711, Mobile 087-1279015, or email mcuss@eircom.net There will be no weekly prayer meeting on Bank Holiday Monday May 5.

FIRST FRIDAY: This Friday, May 2, is First Friday when communion will be distributed to the sick. If you know of anyone who is sick or housebound who would like to receive communion on Friday, please hand their names in to the sacristy. Devotions to Our Lady of Fatima will take place before the 6-30pm mass on Saturday.

MINISTERS’ ROTAS: Listed readers for the next two weekends are as follows: Saturday May 10 and 17 at 6-30pm James McCarthy, and Sunday May 11 and 18 at 11-30am Joanne Tierney. Reverting to the sequence of the previous rota, the listed  Eucharistic Ministers for Saturday, May 10 at 6-30pm are; Mary Bennis, Rita Madigan and Christy Murphy, and Sunday at 11-30am Pat Kirby, Noreen Murray and Michael Punch.

BELARUS CONVENT: The sisters of the Saint Elisabeth Convent in Belarus give ongoing spiritual, social and financial assistance to the sick, suffering and homeless in various centres in and around Minsk. They produce beautiful items of art in their own workshops including paintings, embroidery, ceramics, candles and wood carvings, the sale of which funds their work. The sisters will be visiting the parish this week to speak about their history and community service, and will be in Ballybrown on Thursday May 1 and Patrickswell on Friday May 2 at 9-30am mass. A stall displaying the items made at the convent will be set up, and the religious items and souveniers will be for sale, the proceeds of which will be used to support their ongoing charitable work.

TRÓCAIRE: Boxes for the Lenten Campaign should be returned during the next few weeks in order for the money to be forwarded to Trócaire. It would be much appreciated if the small coins could be exchanged into larger denominations beforehand, to facilitate an easier counting procedure. For those who haven’t a box to return, envelopes are available in the church porch if you wish to make a donation.

BLOOD DONORS: The Irish Blood Transfusion Service requires three thousand donations every week, and a clinic will be held at the South Court Hotel, Raheen Roundabout, next Tuesday, May 6, from 5 to 8pm to facilitate that ongoing requirement. You can visit any blood donor clinic as long as ninety days have elapsed since you last gave blood, and you are urged to please give regularly. For more information contact the Donor Information Line on 1850 731137, or their website.

ALZHEIMER’S COFFEE MORNING: A coffee morning and cake sale will take place on Sunday May 4, in the Cu Chulainn, after 11.30am mass. All proceeds from the event will go to the local Alzheimer's Day Care Centre.

WEST LIMERICK RESOURCES: There will be a Public Meeting on the threat to the future of West Limerick Resources and its supports on Wednesday, May 7 in the Courtenay Lodge Hotel, Newcastle West, starting 8pm.  Please attend to learn how changes to the local development sector will affect your community and you. The meeting will outline the government’s proposed changes under the Local Government Reform Act 2014 and how these changes threaten the community’s ownership of and involvement in the future delivery of  the local  supports  and  could potentially  lead  to  the  closure  of  West  Limerick Resources.  You can also sign a national on-line petition in support of local development companies, available at: www.ipetitions.com/petition/support-local-development-companies

FIRE FIGHTERS: International Firefighters’Day (IFFD) will be observed this Sunday, May 4. It was instituted due to the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a wildfire in Australia. May 4 used to be a traditional Firefighters' Day in many European countries, because it is the day of Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters.

VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED: If you are over eighteen years old and interested in becoming part of Limerick’s National City of Culture, volunteers are required to assist  in the many events taking  place. Various roles are available in the form of stewards, ushers, and providing information to the festival audiences, ensuring that the events are a fun experience, safe and enjoyable. A limited number of production and performance roles are also up for grabs. Log on to www.limerickcityofculture.ie to apply. Limerick’s Buzzing is also looking for volunteers to take part in a national wildlife survey, to monitor bumblebees and butterflies in the Irish Pollinator Initiative, http://pollinators.biodiversityireland.ie/   The ideal volunteer would be a person who loves nature, is very observant and is always stopping to notice a new flower or listen to the birds. There will be a training day on Thursday May from 10am-3pm at the University of Limerick, and if there is sufficient demand there will be another day of training on a Saturday. Volunteers should contact Veronica Santorum

Co-ordinator of Limerick’s Buzzing Project Tel 063 91576 / 087 264 5952 or

www.limericksbuzzing.ie as soon as possible with their contact details.

LUNCHTIME CONCERTS: Devotees of classical music will be delighted to hear that lunchtime concerts have returned to St.Mary’s Cathedral, on Wednesdays at 1-15pm up until September. The varied programmes will include the cathedral’s own resident organist, music students, solo performances and recitals, all enhanced by the rich acoustic setting which the cathedral offers.

VIGIL FOR LIFE: A bus will be leaving Patrickswell church this Saturday, May 3, at 10-20am to attend the Pro-Life Vigil in Dublin, which is taking  place from 3 to 4pm. To book a seat call Dan on 061-397460.

SUMMER MUSIC: An evening of classical music is being presented at St.Mary’s Cathedral this Sunday May 4 at pm. Admission is available at the door at 10euro per ticket and 5euro concessions.