Aughaval Group of Parishes

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...

  31 May The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth V isitation,  National Gallery of Ukraine   Creative Commons, Wikimedia Luke 1: 39-56 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’ And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord,    and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness ...

  Everyone is called.  Everyone has a calling.  What's yours?              This weekend is Vocation Weekend/ Vocation Sunday. Watch the video here: "Keep asking God, throughout your life, 'What do you want me to do?' "  https://youtu.be/ildk_FvvOtk?si=n1u446GecfpOh06O This weekend's bulletin with readings, prayers and notices: The Seventh Sunday of Easter 1st June 2025 Sunday after the Ascension Day: Vocation Sunday It’s Your Call See: https://tlk.ie/vocation-sunday-2025/   https://youtu.be/ildk_FvvOtk?si=n1u446GecfpOh06O   Hymns 34 - O worship the King all-glorious above        Children’s song: Build up one another  459 - For all the saints, who from their labours rest    (HTW in St Mary’s) – vvs 1,4,7,8 281 - Rejoice, the Lord is King!  303 - Lord of the Church, we pray for our renewing    Collect O God the King of Glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Chr...

John 16:20-23 Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. The disciples' great joy at being with Jesus: "I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me." Christian Art You can find a reflection on the gospel reading here: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-16-20-23a-2025/ Sacred Space You can find a gentle prayer guide here: https://sacredspace.com...

The Thinker/ Le Penseur Bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin, 1904 Today's gospel      John 16:16-20 ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.’ Then some of his disciples said to one another, ‘What does he mean by saying to us, “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me”; and “Because I am going to the Father”?’ They said, ‘What does he mean by this “a little while”? We do not know what he is talking about.’   Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, ‘Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me”? Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. Sacred Space You can find a gentle prayer guide with a short reflection on this gospel here: https://sacredspace...