Today’s gospel: St Stephen’s Day. When light springs from despair





The Feast of Saint Stephen, 26 December









Today’s gospel     Matthew 10:17-22


[Jesus said] Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.




Saint Stephen

Stephen's Day coming hot on the heels of Christmas, and the story of his faith and his persecution and death by stoning, act as a blunt reminder that for people of many faiths, the reality of persecution is never far away. Perhaps Stephen was an easy target, serving as he did in a very public and visible role in the nascent church at Jerusalem, that of deacon and administrator of the distribution of food aid to widows in the faith community.

Yet it was directly following Stephen's death that the Saul, a chief instigator of persecution of the new Christians and who supervised Stephen's stoning, came to be confronted by the Risen Jesus - in the famous 'Road to Damascus' experience (see Acts chapter 9) - leading to Saul's conversion. Saul's transformation, from hater of Jesus and of Christians, to Paul the great advocate of Christianity and missionary of the church, is symbolised to a degree by his name change to Paul.


Collect 




Sacred Space

When light springs from despair. See here:

https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2025-12-26


Christian Art



https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-10-17-22-2025-2/







Services on the weekend of 27-28 December (subject to change)
Saturday 27 December: Please note, there will be no service in Turlough. Turlough friends and parishioners are warmly invited instead to join the Castlebar service on this occasion. (See below.)

Sunday 28 December:
- 10am, Christ Church Castlebar, led by LLLM (/Parish Readers) Susie Fry and Jennifer McCormack

- 11.30am, Holy Trinity, Westport, led by LLLM (/Parish Reader) Benita Stoney

Please note that there is no service in St Thomas's Dugort on this date.




A prayer for those alone this Christmas

Loving God,
whatever happens,
be with me this Christmas,
especially when I find myself alone.
Be with those whom I hold in my heart,
whether they are near or far away.
Help us all to hear the good news of the angels,
and to reflect on the light that shines in the darkness.
May the world you came to heal
know your peace this day,
for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.





From the Church of England website,
https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-life/what-we-believe/advent-and-christmas/blue-christmas






Exploring Confirmation


If you or young person is interested in exploring Confirmation with a view to Confirmation in 2026, please contact the Rector (083 800 3233/ email augahaval@tuam.anglican.org). The first Confirmation class will be on Saturday 24 January at 10am in the Rectory, Westport, with Bishop Michael.




Regular Service Pattern 
in the Aughaval Parishes
(Subject to change)

Turlough

Saturdays Weekly at 7pm:

- Holy Communion on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month.

- Evening Prayer on 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month.


Castlebar

Sundays Weekly at 10am:

- Holy Communion on 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.

- Morning Prayer on 2nd and 4th.

Open church every Friday from 11am - 1pm.

*Christ Church Castlebar is a registered charity: Registered Charity No. 20206867


Westport

- Sundays Weekly at 11.30am, in Holy Trinity Westport (except on 11th and 18th Jan 2026, during repair works); Holy Communion or Morning Prayer

- Wednesdays at 10.30am, Midweek Holy Communion, followed by coffee in Cornrue.
Please note that there will be no service on Wed 24 and 31 December.


Dugort, Achill


October - April inclusive
- 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month at 3pm. Evening Prayer/ Holy Communion

May-September inclusive
- Services weekly at 3pm. Evening Prayer/ Holy Communion


Inishbiggle

As announced. The next service in Holy Trinity Church, Inishbiggle, will be in the New Year (2026).



Online Prayer and Bible Reading every Wed at 8pm, via Zoom.
Link:
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/83306729968?pwd=mVKnDXWs7Npn3aCnRPykJbJK7THANM.1



Please note that there will be no online meeting on Wed 24 December.








Christmas Eve on Achill,
at St Thomas's Dugort










Mayo Yearbook, 2025





Pastoral care and enquiries:

Revd Suzanne Cousins
Aughaval Group of Parishes,
United Dioceses of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe, Church of Ireland
Tel. +353 83 800 3233
Email aughaval@tuam.anglican.org

Aughaval Parishes' Website aughaval.tlk.ie


Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AughavalParishes

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