Today's Gospel, 4 April. Holy Saturday/ Easter Eve

 

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


Eve of Easter, Sat 4 April

Easter Holy Communion in Turlough Church at 7pm. Guest preacher, Mr Alan Cousins, Diocesan Reader-in-training


Today's Gospel    Matthew 28:1-10

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.  

But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 

Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’


Empty Tomb, by Micheletb, 2017

Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution

 CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61380436


Christian Art

You can find a short reflection here:

https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-28-1-10-2026/


Sacred Space

You can find a short prayer guide at the link below:

https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2026-04-04




Holy Women at Christ's Tomb
by Annibale Carracci, 1590s
Public domain, via
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15385045


Collect
Grant, Lord, 

that we who are baptized into the death 
of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ 
may continually put to death our evil desires 
and be buried with him; 
and that through the grave and gate of death 
we may pass to our joyful resurrection; 
through his merits, who died and was buried 
and rose again for us, 
your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.


Notices and information

Eve of Easter, Sat 4 April

Easter Holy Communion in Turlough Church at 7pm



Easter Day (5 April)Easter Holy Communion:

- Castlebar 10am. Organist, John Dexter.        

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

- Achill, 3pm. Solo contribution by James Kilbane. Pianist, Willem van Goor.   

 

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.  


Jen McCormack, Castlebar,
 on Inishbiggle
Summer 2025


Spring, Summer and Late Summer Concerts 
(Subject to change)
  • 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 (venue tbc), 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. 


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. Please text 083 8003233 to confirm your attendance. Meet at Dorran's Point, Ballycroy, at 9.30am. Please bring water and a packed lunch and wear warm clothes, a waterproof coat and sturdy shoes. The return ferry crossing is 10 euros per person. 


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

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



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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