Monday in Holy Week, 30 March. Mary anoints Jesus' feet.

 

Welcome.  Please scroll down for today's gospel reading, notes and notices.

                                                                              

Monday in Holy Week:  Monday on the Mountain - meeting at Murrisk carpark at 11am for a gentle walk to the St Patrick statue, and ecumenical prayers. All welcome.



Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, detail
Johannes Vermeer, 1654 
Public domain, via 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=156396552



Christ in the House of Martha and Mary
Johannes Vermeer, 1654
Public domain, via
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21865869


John 12:1-11

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.  

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”  

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.



Sacred Space

You can find a short prayer guide at the link below, and this reflection:

https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2026-03-30 


 
Christian Art




Another anointing:


The Ointment of the Magdalene 
by James Tissot, 1850
Photo 2007, in Brooklyn Museum. Public domain, via https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10957535


The Collect of the Day

Almighty God, 
whose most dear Son went not up to joy, 
but first he suffered pain, 
and entered not into glory before he was crucified: 
Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of his cross, 
may find it none other than the way of life and peace; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord.



Holy Week and Easter


Monday in Holy Week, 30 March 

- 11am, Monday on the Mountain, 'Patrick, Prayer and Pebbles'.  Meet in Murrisk carpark for a gentle walk to the St Patrick statue, and prayers. Suitable for all ages. 

8pm  Compline in Christ Church Castlebar. A short time of prayer, reading and reflection at the end of the day.


Wed in Holy Week, ‘Spy Wednesday’, 1 April

    - The Eucharist, 10.30am in Holy Trinity Westport

    - Wed Online Prayer, 8pm. Link below: 

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/83306729968?pwd=mVKnDXWs7Npn3aCnRPykJbJK7THANM.1


Maundy Thursday, 2 April

    - Last Holy Communion until Easter Day, with Washing of Feet and Stripping of the Altar. 7.30pm in Holy Trinity Westport


 Good Friday (3 April): 

- 12 noon in Holy Trinity Westport    The Last Hours     The Passion Narrative

- 3pm, Christ church Castlebar     The Last Hours  The Passion Narrative 

- 6pm, Good Friday Ecumenical Walk of Witness, starting from Holy Trinity Westport at 6pm and concluding at St Mary’s Church. All are invited and welcome, from any church tradition or none.

- 8pm  Good Friday Tenebrae in Christ Church, Castlebar





Easter Day (5 April)Easter Holy Communion:

- Castlebar 10am        

- Holy Trinity Westport  11.30am  (Please be aware that the start of this service may be delayed by a few minutes.)

- Achill   3pm  

 

Easter Monday (6 April):  Easter Communion on Inishbiggle 

Meeting at Doran's Point Ballycroy at 9.30am for 10am departure by curragh to the island. If you wish to reserve a place, please contact Revd Suzanne (0838003233). Details to follow and on request.  



Regular Service Pattern 
in the Aughaval Parishes
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 Sundays of the month.
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; Holy Communion or Morning Prayer
- Wednesdays at 10.30am, Midweek Holy Communion, followed by coffee in Cornrue. 



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 on Easter Monday, 6 April. Contact us for details. 


Online Prayer and Bible Reading every Wed at 8pm, via Zoom. Link:

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/83306729968?pwd=mVKnDXWs7Npn3aCnRPykJbJK7THANM.1





Giving towards the upkeep of the churches

The work and upkeep of the churches requires ongoing funding to meet costs. Each of our Church of Ireland parishes has charity (CRA) status - please see note below. 

One-time donations
You can securely give towards these costs and the upkeep of the churches using your phone or electronic device using the link or QR codes (below) which will direct you to the parishes’ iDonate pages. 

Regular giving 
Regular giving can be by means of the weekly envelope system (-information on request), or by standing order. 

Tax refund on donations
If you are a tax-payer, a tax refund on your donation can be made to your parish at no additional cost to you.

For help or more information, please contact one of the Hon Treasurers (contact details on request) or the Rector (details below), or see 

https://aughaval.tlk.ie/2025/11/giving-towards-upkeep-of-churches.html .

Thank-you and bless you +



Westport-Dugort Parishes: includes Holy Trinity Church Westport, St Thomas's Dugort, and Holy Trinity Inishbiggle


Westport-Dugort Parishes 
(Info. Babs Strutt, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request) 

If you are able and willing to contribute to the fundraising efforts towards the next stage of repair works to 'HTW', please contact the Rector (aughaval@tuam.anglican.org) or the Hon Treasurer (bstrutty@gmail.com), or use the link or Westport-Dugort QR code (above). All help is gratefully received. 
Thank you for all donations and support received to date. 



Christ Church, Castlebar  


Christ Church, Castlebar  
(Info. Trevor Ardill, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request)

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




Turlough Church of Ireland Parish Church

https://www.idonate.ie/cause/TurloughChurchofIreland

Turlough Parish Church
(Info. Karin Shaw, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request)



Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA) 

CRA status of the Aughaval Group of Parishes, United Dioceses of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe, Church of Ireland: 

Christ Church Castlebar is a registered charity: Registered Charity No. 20206867.
Westport-Dugort Union of Parishes and Turlough Parish are in process of applying for their own CRA registration numbers. In the interim the parishes are included in the CRA registration of the TLK Diocese, as outlined below by the Diocese: 

The United Dioceses of Tuam, Killala and Achonry is registered as a charity with the Charities Regulatory Authority under No. 20015237 and the Revenue Commissioners No. CHY 7241. The United Dioceses of Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert is registered as a charity with the Charities Regulatory Authority under No. 20015688 and the Revenue Commissioners No. CHY 7327. On 1st November 2021, the dioceses amalgamated to become the Dioceses of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe. The Diocesan Councils remain separate.


For further information, please contact Diocesan Secretary, Mrs Lorna Sharpe at limerickdiocsec@gmail.com, or Assistant Diocesan Secretary, Mr Damian Shorten at admin@tka.ie. They will be happy to help you and to answer your questions.



Go raibh maith agaibh go léir!  

A sincere expression of thanks for financial support in 2025 towards the churches and their upkeep can be found
 here:

Pastoral care and enquiries:  

Rector: 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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