The Claregalway Branch of the Apostolic Society meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 8pm in the Sacristy.
The members and their many helpers are working away knitting and sewing and making vestments for the Missions. We are very grateful to all the people who help us, to the many honorary members who pay their yearly subscription, to all the people who collect used stamps etc.
Members take a break from meetings during July and August, but still work quietly at home.
Church Gate Collection On the 3rd and 4th July, we have our Annual Church Gate Collection and we are confident that the people will be as generous this year as they were in the years gone by. The money collected will help to buy wool and material for our work and some of it will go to help priests and religious in buying tape-recorders Mass Kits and many other things needed on the mission field.
Teddies
Last year, the children in Claregalway School collected bags of teddies. These teddies were sent abroad to Africa and the Philippines and other places. Here is an extract from a letter received from Fr McLoughlin in the Philippines.
“It was marvellous that the teddy bears arrived in time for Christmas.
I gave a few teddies to Sr. Kathleen Gearey—a Columban Sister (Native of Nenagh) to share with some of the Muslim children who have become her friends. According to Kathleen, their joy was unbounded. So whoever sent in these teddy bears, on behalf of all who received them, I say this—if I could, I’d comb and sky and collect the stars, quickly pile them into a basket until it overflowed with silvery light, and then I’d give the basket to you, because all things precious and beautiful should be yours today and everyday to thank you for sharing your love with so many poor children here in the Philippines and making them happy during the Christmas season.
I will offer Mass for all their intentions to say thank you.”
—(Baggio City, Philippines).
From the members of the branch we say many many thanks to all the children who were so kind and generous in giving all these teddies to brighten the lives of so many children in faraway places. All the priests and religious abroad remember you in their daily masses and prayers.
Beannacht Dé agus na Maighdine oraibh i gcónaí.
Sarah McCallen
Recent Ordinations
Bishop of Galway, James McLoughlin ordained four priests at a unique ceremony in the Galway Cathedral on Sunday 30th May. Olan Rynn, whose family are now parishioners of Claregalway (recently moved from Renmore), was one of the newly ordained. It is usual now for ordination to take place in the priest’s own parish. However, these young men had studied together for seven years, and it was their wish to be ordained together in the Cathedral. What a happy day for them, and their families.
Anyone who was lucky enough to attend 9.30am Mass in Claregalway on Tuesday 1st, had the unexpected privilege of attending Fr. Olan’s first mass in Claregalway. Fr Olan’s gave an individual blessing after mass to all present, and there was a sense of occasion given to this very ordinary weekday, morning mass. On behalf of the parish, may we of the Nuacht Chláir wish Fr. Rynn every blessing in his future work.
