Aughaval Group of Parishes

  What's on on Wednesday? Midweek Holy Communion, 10.30 am in Westport (St Mary's Church, S. Mall), followed by tea/coffee in the Clew Bay Hotel (James Street) Online Prayer and Bible Study, 8pm.  Link on request - email aughaval@tuam.anglican.org.  Please note that these Wednesday services will stop for August and resume in September.   Christ the True Vine, icon Athens, 16th century https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christ_the_True_Vine_icon_(Athens,_16th_century).jpg Today's gospel      John 15:1-8 ”I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those...

Illumination, A Sacred Opus Heartfelt thanks on behalf of the congregation of Holy Trinity Church, Westport (Westport-Dugort Union of Parishes) and the Aughaval Group of COI Parishes, to everyone who came along on Friday evening, 30 May, to this stunning concert, held in support of HTW repairs. The congregation of Holy Trinity have been out of their usual place of worship since 27 January for reasons of safety following damage internally, to the ceiling, as a result of Storm Éowyn. In the meantime St Mary's Church Westport and Fr John Kenny have welcomed the Holy Trinity congregation warmly and with remarkable hospitality, and we continue to be deeply grateful to them for providing a safe and friendly sacred space, including for this fundraiser concert. Enormous thanks are due, then, to Kathy Fahey for getting in touch way before the storm and offering to bring 'Illumination', inspired by the Northern Lights/ Aurora Borealis , to Westport for the purpose of raising funds a...

Community Radio Castlebar (CRCfm) interview  On Monday 12 May Anne Marie Gibbons of CRCfm interviewed Revd Suzanne Cousins and esteemed musician and composer Kathy Fahey, about an upcoming musical event, ‘Illumination’. Poceeds of this much-anticipated concert will go towards Holy Trinity Church (Westport) restoration and repairs, with the present state of closure of the church in mind and efforts to bring about its reopening.  ‘Illumination’, t he stunning 'Sacred Opus', was composed by Kathy Fahey and is sponsored by Port West. T he performance (approximately 90 minutes) will take place on Friday 30 May in St Mary’s Church, Westport, on the Mall.  You can listen to an extract of the interview or the full interview, about the event and about the church, its history and status and current predicament, at the links below.  Our sincere thanks to Kathy and her guests Anne Marie herself and Andrew Gavin, to Vocalessence Choir and Mayo Concert Orchestra, to Port West...

On Sunday 11 May, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, 'Good Shepherd Sunday', it was a pleasure to welcome to St Thomas's Dugort visitors from Finland (pictured) - from the Evangelical Lutheran Church - as well as from St Alban's and Huddersfield, England, and a party from 'Solid Rock' fellowship church in Drogheda. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland, like the Church of Ireland, is a member of the Porvoo Communion. 'Porvoo' is a fellowship of 15 Anglican and Lutheran churches throughout Europe. Among this year's speeches at this year’s Church of Ireland General Synod, reference was made to the importance of our Porvoo Communion relationships, and in light of this it was particularly good to make new Finnish friends and learn about their experience of church and faith in their own context. At St Thomas's Dugort, Achill Porvoo You can learn more about the Porvoo Communion here: https://porvoocommunion.org/ "The Porvoo Communion is a communio...

Inishbiggle on Easter Monday: A Service of Wholeness and Healing with Holy Communion  It is always a joy to return to Inishbiggle. Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, was no different except that weighing on our hearts and minds was the fresh news of the death of Pope Francis and the great loss for Catholic people across the world and in our own communities. We give thanks for his life and rich spiritual influence and legacy.  May the Holy Father rest in peace and rise in glory. Here are a few photos of the island and some of the people who were present for the service, A Celebration of Wholeness and Healing with Holy Communion , in Holy Trinity Church, Inishbiggle. Thanks to the islanders for the wonderful welcome, preparations and tea and hospitality. A new wand for the Church Wardens, Jeremy and Christine Photo thanks to Kevin Toolis The progress in the work to restore the church to its former beauty was evident.   Church door, ready for its 'overcoat' https://aughaval.tlk.i...

  Dundrum Bay, Co. Down Today’s gospel    John 7: 1-2, 10, 25-30  After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish  to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths  was near.  But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were  in secret. Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, ‘Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah?  Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah  comes, no one will know where he is from.’  Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, ‘You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.’...

  Sincere thanks to everyone in the community and the parishes who supported the recent fundraising events for repairs to Holy Trinity Church, Westport.  The Table Quiz (7 Feb 2025), hosted by the Clew Bay Hotel, raised 1000 euros. The Concert by Dublin Choral Union (3 March 2025), hosted by St Mary's Church Westport, raised 6,659 euros. A prayer of thanks  For  vibrant voice and music  and  the joy of fun with friends,  for resources joyfully shared, we give you thanks, O Lord, for these, knowing each gift reflects your face of love.   Amen. 

  Today's gospel reading, Lent week 2, Thursday 20 March  In this chapter of Luke's gospel, Jesus continues to challenge his listeners, especially his religious listeners. Jesus tells this parable,  The Rich Man and Lazarus ,  which includes  the idea of the reversal of fortunes and a strong concern for the poor. The parable is essentially  about mercy and compassion. It teaches us to be like God who is merciful, and challenges us about listening to God. It concludes by hinting at Jesus' resurrection.     Lawrence W. Ladd,  Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus , ca. 1880,  watercolor and pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Bates and Isabel Lowry, 1986.70.3.  https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/parable-rich-man-and-lazarus-14164 The Rich Man and Lazarus by Gustav  Gore ( 1832–1883) Public domain Luke 16:19-31     The Rich Man and Lazarus ‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine ...