Today's Gospel, 27 March, plus notices. An attempted arrest
Please scroll down for today's gospel reading, devotional resources and parish notices, including for Holy Week and Easter.
Join us this weekend for Palm Sunday worship:
Sat, 7pm in Turlough
Sun 10am in Christ Church Castlebar
Sun 11.30am in Holy Trinity Westport
Today's Gospel John 10:31-42
They took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?’ The Jews answered, ‘It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.’ Jesus answered, ‘Is it not written in your law, “I said, you are gods”? If those to whom the word of God came were called “gods”—and the scripture cannot be annulled— can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, “I am God’s Son”? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’ Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.
He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. Many came to him, and they were saying, ‘John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.’ And many believed in him there.
"They took up stones again to stone him."
'The Sabbath Breaker Stoned'
by James Tissot
Christian Art
You can find a reflection on today's gospel here:
https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-10-31-42-2026/We had a happy time together in Holy Trinity Westport with the students and staff of Holy Trinity National School on Tues 24 March, at the Lenten Service. Thanks to everyone who helped and came along.
Castlebar: Thank you to everyone who attended the Reconvening of the Annual Meeting of the General Vestry on Thurs 26 March, 7.30pm in Christ Church.
We look forward to another good year in church and parish life in Christ Church, Castlebar, place of warmth and welcome. “In the name of Christ, we welcome you!”
Christ Church Castlebar is a registered charity: Registered Charity No. 20206867
See https://www.churchofireland.org/parish-resources/select-vestry#section-88.
Holy Week and Easter
Eve of Palm Sunday, Sat 28 March, Turlough 7pm. All children and young people are in invited to be part of a Palm Sunday procession at the beginning of the service.
Palm Sunday, 29 March: Castlebar at 10am and Holy Trinity Westport at 11.30am. All children and young people are in invited to be part of the Palm Sunday procession.
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
Wed in Holy Week (‘Spy Wednesday’), 1 April
- The Eucharist, 10.30am in Holy Trinity Westport
- Wed Online Prayer, 8pm. Link below
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
- 12 noon in HTW The Last Hours A reading of the Passion Narrative
- 3pm in Christ church Castlebar The Last Hours The Passion Narrative
- 6pm Good Friday Ecumenical Walk of Witness, starting from Holy Trinity Church, Newport Road, Westport at 6pm and concluding at St Mary’s Church, South Mall. 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.
Fresh opportunities to serve, Holy Trinity Westport: Clean Team, Flower Team, Welcome Team, and Hospitality Team
If you are willing to help on the Clean Team or on the Flower Team, please contact Barbara Shepphard (number on request). Flowers are next needed on Easter Day.If you are willing to help on the Welcome and Hospitality Team, please contact Shirley Kitterick or Mary Farr (number on request).
In light of the rise in fuel costs due to conflict in the Middle East, the Church of Ireland’s Church and Society Commission wishes to highlight the cost-of-living hub on the Church’s website:
- Cór Mhaigh Eo and a visiting choir from Competa (near Malaga), Spain, in Holy Trinity Westport, on the afternoon of Saturday 18 April. (Time tbc.)
- PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED OF NECESSITY: Fundraising Concert for St Thomas's Dugort, Friday 24 April.
- Louisburgh Concert: Wed 27 May, 7.30pm in Holy Trinity Westport
- Bella Capella, in Christ Church, Castlebar, Saturday 6 June. Details to follow.
- Blue Jazz Festival 'Gospel Hour' Service: Sunday 7 June, 11.30am in Holy Trinity Westport.
- Goethe Choir, Concert in Holy Trinity Westport, afternoon of 13 June at 3pm.
- Westport Comhaltas Concert, Sat 20 June, in Holy Trinity Westport
- Scoil Acla Recital Concert: evening of Wed 29 July, in St Thomas's Dugort. Details to follow.
- Westport Festival of Chamber Music: Concerts on Friday (evening) 11 Sept, Saturday (afternoon) 12 Sept, and Sunday (afternoon) 13 September, in Holy Trinity Westport. Details to follow from WFoCM.
- 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
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)
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:
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
