A branch of the Apostolic Society was started in Claregalway on 24th November 1992. The Society is comprised of active and honorary members. Active members attend the meetings and help to make vestments, albs, altar linens and all other articles required by the missions as well as children’s dresses and knitted garments.
Honorary members make a financial contribution annually to help buy the necessary materials for the work.
All members, both active and honorary, share in the Masses offered by the Association and the missionary priests each month and have many other spiritual benefits.
A display of the work done, and a cake sale as well as a church gate collection are held each year in September or October.
The members wish to thank everyone who helped them each year, by donating cakes and raffle prizes, as well as the people who contributed to the church gate collection, also to the many people in the parish who helped in making children’s dresses, knitted garments and vestments. Also a word of thanks to all the people who collect used stamps for the missions.
This year: 10 jumpers and cardigans, 5 aran jumpers, 2 aran cardigans, 15 children’s jumpers and cardigans, 19 pairs of socks, 43 childrens dresses, 10 knitted vests, 12 flanelette matinee jackets, 175 rosary beads, 33 purificators, 26 corporals, 18 finger towels, 6 vestments—3 green, 2 purple and 1 white were made by the members. All these were displayed at our annual display which took place this year on the 29th September. They were brought to Salthill for the Diocesan display on Mission Sunday and collected by missionaries who came from Africa, China, South America and other missionary areas.
Our total contribution to headquarters in Salthill amounted to £937.61 this year.
We are very grateful to Canon Callinan for his help and we wish him a very hapy retirement. We wish Fr.S. Kilcoyne every happiness and success in his new parish. We welcome the help and co-operation gven to us by our new parish priest Fr.Noel Mullin and by the curate Fr T. Marrinan.
We offer our sincere sympathy to the Noone family on the death of Sadie.
Sadie was very interested in our missionary work and knitted some lovely woollen socks for the missions. May she rest in peace.
Many more active and honorary members are needed so come along to our meetings which are held on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month.
We wish everyone a very holy and happy Christmas and peace and joy in the New Year.
