Aughaval Group of Parishes

  3rd July, Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle:  Seeing Jesus through faith The Incredulity of Saint Thomas Caravaggio, 1601- 1602 Public domain John 20: 24-29 But Thomas (who was called the Twin ), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ Sacred Space You can find ...

Please note that, as previously mentioned, there will be no Midweek Holy Communion on Wednesday morning, 2 July, nor will there be Online Prayer and Bible Study in the evening. Map of Decapolis  Creative Commons Attribution, via  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Thedecapolis.png Today’s gospel      Matthew 8:28-34 When he [Jesus] came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, ‘What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?’ Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. The demons begged him, ‘If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.’ And he said to them, ‘Go!’ So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and perished in the water. The swineherds ran off, and on going i...

Today's gospel, 1 July 2025 "What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?" (Matthew 8: 27) Christ on the Sea of Galilee Eugene Delacroix, 1841 Public domain, via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eug%C3%A8ne_Delacroix_-_Christ_on_the_Sea_of_Galilee_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg Today's gospel Matthew 8:23-27 And when he [Jesus] got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A gale arose on the lake, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, you of little faith?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed, saying, ‘What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?’ Sacred Space You can find a gentle prayer guide and reflection here: https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2025-07-01/ Coming up in the Aughaval Parishes Please note: ...

  The message The message of today's gospel is this: Follow Jesus and do not let anything get in the way of that following. Prioritise your Christian discipleship.  Fox resting in the garden  on a sunny 'No Mow May' day, 2024, Newcastle, Co. Down. Photo: Alan Cousins Today's gospel: Matthew 8:18-22 Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. A scribe then approached and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’   Another of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.’ Christian Art You can find a  reflection on this gospel here: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-8-18-22-2025/ Sacred Space "There are sayings in the gospels that are not intended to ...

    St Thomas’s Dugort, Achill, 29 June 2025, where the service was led by Rev’d Caroline Morrow. Photo by Deirdre Maguire, Co Down. Aughaval Parishes, Summer Pastoral Letter, 2025  Mini-pilgrimage on Achill, Sunday 20 July At Turlough National Museum and Country Park, 22 June 2025 Revd Suzanne, Valerie Raitt, Dorothy Shaw, Susie Fry 27 June 2025 Dear Friends, Summer   Summer is now well underway, with exam season over and the children having finished the school year. I trust you are well and able to enjoy the long, bright and warm days. Please take note of the summer events and extra services listed below and come along where you are able and bring friends and family. Included is a planned service on Reek Sunday in the Oratory on the holy mountain, to be led (all-being-well and knees-permitting!) by Bishop Michael and/or myself.  A mini-pilgrimage Please note also the publicity (below) for a mini-pilgrimage on Achill, part of our TLK diocesan Spiritual Tou...

The gospel      Matthew 16:13-19 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Sacred Space You can find a gentle prayer guide and reflection here: https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2025-06-29/ Christian Art https://christian.art/daily-...