Aughaval Group of Parishes

  Good Shepherd Unknown artist Free image, Pixabay Luke 11:14-23 Now he [Jesus] was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven.  But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul.Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and o...

  Matthew 5:17-19 [Jesus said] ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter,  not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks  one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Sacred Space You can find a gentle devotional aid with today's gospel here: https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2025-03-26/ "God's revelation about himself and what he was asking of us came only gradually over a very long period. The keeping of the law and the prophets could never be enough to redeem and save us. Christ alone could do this, but by living according to the law and the prophets the people of God were being prepared for the later ac...

  Midweek Holy Communion in Lent Wed 26 March at 10.30am in St Mary's Church, South Mall, Westport with tea/coffee afterwards in the Clew Bay Hotel. You're welcome! Photo, Alan Cousins

  In today's gospel in Lent, the birth of Jesus is foretold.  The Church celebrates this event, the Annunciation, on 25 March, nine months before Christmas Day! The Annunciation  by Fra Angelico, 1433  Public domain. Wikipedia Luke 1:26-38  In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’  But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jaco...

  Today's gospel reading, set in Nazareth, underlines that God is good news for all. St Gabriel's Greek Orthodox Church in Nazareth Public domain, Wikicommons Today's gospel: Luke 4:24-30 And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers  in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way. Sacred Space You can find a...

  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. 

    Welcome to the Aughaval Parishes The Third Sunday in Lent, 23rd March 2025   “A man planted a fig tree…”  (Luke 13:6) Hymns 646 - Glorious things of thee are spoken 576 - I heard the voice of Jesus say 647 - Guide me, O thou great Jehovah   Collect  Merciful Lord,  Grant your people grace to withstand the temptations  of the world, the flesh and the devil  and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only God;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.   This collect may be said after the Collect of the day until Easter Eve: Almighty and everlasting God,  you hate nothing that you have made  and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:  Create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we, worthily lamenting our sins  and acknowledging our wretchedness,  may receive from you, the God of all mercy,  perfect remission and forgiveness;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.   The First Readin...

As part of our Lent reflections, a small group of us from the grouped (Aughaval) parishes had a thoroughly enjoyable evening in the Rectory on Friday 21 March, reflecting on the wonderful movie Chocolat (featuring a cast which includes Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp and Judi Dench) with the help of the Lent study, ‘Christ and the Chocolatier’. We also enjoyed tea and biscuits, but resisted the temptation to indulge in eating chocolate!           Seen recently in Galway! The next ‘Friday Night at the Movies’ event is planned for 25th April.  Information to follow.

  Today's gospel includes the well-known Parable of the Prodigal Son. Return of the Lost Son , unknown artist Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he told them this parable: Then Jesus  said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with ...

  This weekend, 21 – 23 March: Friday at 11am – 1pm:   Christ Church Castlebar, Open for drop-in visits Friday at 7.30pm: Westport Rectory, Lenten Movie Night with short study based on the Lent course, ‘ Christ and the Chocolaterie ’. Please let us know if you plan to come along.   Sat at 7pm: Turlough, Service of Holy Communion Sunday 10am: Christ Church Castlebar, Morning prayer followed by tea/coffee Sunday 12 noon: Holy Trinity Westport  meets in St Mary’s for Service of Holy Communion, followed by tea/coffee in Carrowbeg House.   Sunday 3pm: St Thomas’s Dugort,  Achill, Holy Communion