Harvest Moon Time:

CANONIZATIONS - Sun 7th.

CHURCH NEWS:

Tens of thousands gathered at the Vatican on Sunday last, as Pope Leo XIV proclaimed the Catholic Church's first millennial saint, an Italian teenager dubbed "God's Influencer" for his efforts to spread the faith online.

London-born Carlo Acutis, who died of leukaemia in 2006 at the age of 15, was canonised in a solemn ceremony in St Peter's Square, with his family watching on. Canonisation is the result of a long and meticulous process, involving an investigation by the Vatican and specialists who assess whether the obligatory two miracles have taken place. The first miracle attributed to Acutis was the healing of a Brazilian child suffering from a rare pancreatic malformation. The second was the recovery of a Costa Rican student seriously injured in an accident.

Pier Giorgio Frassati, an Italian mountaineering enthusiast who died of polio aged 24 in 1925, was also made a saint and was held up by the Church as a model of charity. An engineering student who made it his mission to serve the poor and sick of his city, he was beatified by John Paul II in 1990. The Vatican recognised the necessary second miracle to put him on the path to sainthood in 2024, with the unexplained healing of a young American man in a coma.

Season of Creation: Making a commitment is never an easy decision – we may agonise over it; lose sleep over it and revisit it many times. Just think about the commitment of taking on a mortgage; the marriage commitment, the commitment to look after a child/parent with medical needs or the commitment to undertake a college course.

Often we have only a slight idea of what the commitment entails. It is only when we start to adjust to the new demands placed upon us, that we truly understand the work required.

We are called upon as a faith community to reflect on our commitment to the earth and to the peoples with whom we share this earth. Pollution; climate change; issues around safe drinkable water; loss of biodiversity; decline in the quality of human life and global inequality, all these threats pose a challenge to peace.

St. ITA's COLLECTION:

Sun 14th; Before 10.30 Mass. As always your donations are gratefully received and very much appreciated.

There have been many improvements to the hospital over the years, thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Friends of St Ita's. The Palliative Day Care services opened in 2009, a dedicated dementia unit opened in 2014 and the new Rehabilitation Unit was opened in early 2016. They have also funded a number of other projects, including a new dayroom for Ward 6 at a cost of €200,000.00, a new patient minibus costing € 64,000 and other essential equipment for the patients. The ongoing improvements funded by the Friends continue yearly under chairperson Fergus Scanlan.

SUNDAY DANCING:

Sun 14th Sept; 3pm - 5.30pm. Afternoon tea dancing starts back in the Hall, with music by Marian Kirby & Paddy O'Brien. A lovely relaxing evening with refreshments included. Great chance to meet up and have a chat.

IN the HALL:

Wed 24th; 10am. Ladies Club are back. All things style with Ella Marie's Boutique, Newcastle West. Wed 24th; 1-3pm. Five week Cookery class in conjunction with the LCETB. Book your place on 087-0030313.

THE RIVER GARDEN:

Well done to the Tidy Towns volunteers and helpers as work progresses on the River Garden. Massive thanks to John Sheehy & Conor Curtin for their help getting the viewing bridge into place. You can now walk over the river and enjoy the view and the sounds. The two bridges and arch are beautifully crafted by a local man, who also donated the picnic bench. We thank him for giving up his spare time to create these lovely features which enhance this little spot by the river Glasha. He wishes to remain anonymous though, because ye would all want one in yer gardens !!!!

UPSKILLING:

Last chance to upskill this September! Return to education, change careers or boost your skills with our free* QQI Level 5 courses at Charleville Centre: Courses available - • Business Studies for Adults. • Special Needs Assisting (SNA). • Healthcare Support

No tuition fees, laptop loan scheme & study abroad opportunities! Apply now and take the first step towards a brighter future. Apply: https://mallowcampus.ie/charleville-centre/ or call 063 81422 for further info.

Creative Writing Workshops:

Have you ever wanted to write but didn't know where to start? This 6-week taster course is your chance to explore the world of storytelling in a relaxed, supportive environment—no experience needed. Location: Kilmallock Library.

Dates: Tuesdays – September 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th | October 14th & 21st.

Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm. See website to book your place - www.ballyhouradevelopment.com

GET WELL:

Thinking of people from the parish who may be in hospital at the moment, or anyone going through treatment, we wish them well and remember them in our prayers.

DID YOU KNOW:

8 Sept,1965:- The world’s first manufactured boy band, "The Monkees" were formed.

9 Sept,1845: - The arrival of the potato blight in Ireland, is reported in the Dublin Evening Post.

10Sept,1985: - The first heart transplant takes place in Ireland.

11Sept, 2001:- Terrorists hijack a plane and crash it into the Pentagon, killing 125 people.

12Sept,1999: - Every Irish household received a millennium candle to light when the sun sets on New Year’s Eve.

13Sept,1969:- "Scooby-Doo Where are You" by Hanna-Barbera debuts on US television.