Today's Gospel, 22 March, plus notices.
Please scroll down for today's gospel reading, devotional resources and parish notices.
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’ Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.’ After saying this, he told them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.’ Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’ Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away,and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’
When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, ‘The Teacher is here and is calling for you.’ And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’
Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead for four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’ Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
Christian Art
You can find a helpful reflection on this Gospel here:
https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-11-1-45-2026/
https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2026-03-22
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Wed weekly at 10.30 am Holy Communion in Holy Trinity Westport, followed by coffee in Cornrue Bakery or Clew Bay Hotel.
Wed weekly online prayer 8pm. Please note, there will be no online meeting on 25 March, due to Adult Safeguarding training.
Castlebar: Reconvening of the Annual Meeting of the General Vestry
Thurs 26 March, 7.30pm in Christ Church.
The purpose of the Easter Vestry meeting (the Annual Meeting of the General Vestry) is twofold:
1. The presentation of the previous year's accounts (2025); and
2. The election of a new Select Vestry for the year ahead (2026 - 2027).
In a Triennial Year the following appointments are also made:
- Diocesan Synodspersons plus Supplementals; and
- Parochial Nominators, plus a Supplementals.
Reconvening is on account of a procedural error, wherein more than the permitted number of members were elected by the Meeting (on 10 March) to be Trustees and members of the Select Vestry for 2026-2027. Nominations are therefore invited again of any registered members of the General Vestry who meet the criteria for Trustee membership and are willing to serve in this capacity. Service on the Select Vestry is for one year at a time. Meetings take place four-to-six times per year and members must be able to attend. The purpose of the SV is to oversee the parish’s Finances, Fabrics, Furnishings and Compliance with law (- both State and Church law). For further information contact the Parish Governance Officer or the Rector at: email aughaval@tuam.anglican.org.
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, Sun 29 March, 10am. 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).
- 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.)
- A Social and Fundraising Concert for St Thomas's Dugort, Friday evening, 24 April. Details to follow.
- 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
