Aughaval Group of Parishes

This weekend Bishop Michael  will be with us to celebrate Holy Communion, as follows: Saturday 15 Feb - Return to Inishbiggle with Bishop Michael, leaving Dorian's Point Ballycroy at 9.45am - 7pm Turlough, followed by tea Sunday 16 February  - 10am Christ Church Castlebar  - 12 noon Holy Trinity Westport service in St Mary's on the Mall. To include a Blessing of the Liturgical Colours St Thomas’s parishioners are warmly invited to join the Westport congregation on this occasion. 

  We are so grateful to so many people who, with selfless goodwill, are pulling out all the stops to help us and other parishes repair our church buildings and premises; from roofers, builders, architects, engineers and structural engineers, safety advisers, insurers and loss adjusters, and county councillors, not to mention the many faithful church wardens and other vestry members who are working away behind the scenes.  We see Christ in them and God in all the detail! Great to see repair work to the roof underway in Christ Church Castlebar.  The Lecture by Dr Michael O'Connor on the 200th Anniversary of the Decision by the Select Vestry to Rebuild the Christ Church, will go ahead as planned on Thursday 13 February at 7.30pm in the church. This is a free event and open to everyone, with tea/coffee to follow. Come along if you can! 

  Westport Sunday Club  2025 dates Sunday Club which up until recently has been meeting monthly in Holy Trinity Church, Westport ('HTW'), has relocated of necessity with the temporary closure of the church building, and is now meeting with HTW in St Mary's Church on the Mall, still monthly but at the new (temporary) time of 12 noon.  Parents/ grandparents/ guardians bring their children to the Holy Trinity service in St Mary's at 12 noon for the beginning of the service, then the group moves next door to Carrowbeg House for their Sunday Club session.   The team of teachers are Steffi Jabaraj and Paul Kirubakaran, Shirley Larkin and Barbara Sheppard.  Sunday Club is run in accordance with the Church of Ireland's Safeguarding Regulations.  Enquiries: Please contact  Steffi on 089 941 8165, or the Rector, Revd Suzanne Cousins, on 0838003233, or by email, aughaval@tuam.anglican.org . Steffi, Paul, Revd Suzanne, and Eddie Pierik, Safeguarding Panel member f...

“Blessed are the poor” reads one translation of Jesus’ opening words in next Sunday’s gospel. How can “the poor” possibly be blessed or ‘happy’ as that rather vague word is translated typically today? We are greatly looking forward to listening to Bishop Michael preach this weekend, and perhaps to shed light on these words and the famous Beatitudes.  Michael our Bishop, for whom we pray every week, will be back with us in the parishes this coming weekend, to celebrate the Eucharist, encourage us, and be encouraged by us!  Visitors are particularly welcome.  - Sat 15th Feb, visit to Inishbiggle, leaving Dorian's Point, Ballycroy, at 9.45am - Sat 15th Feb, 7pm in Turlough Church  - Sunday 16th Feb, 10am in Christ Church Castlebar, and - Sunday 16th Feb, 12 noon in St Mary's RC Church, for Holy Trinity, Westport, with sincere thanks in anticipation to Bishop Francis Duffy and Fr John Kenny for their ecumenical friendship and hospitality under the present trying circumst...

 The first of the official TLK Diocesan Spiritual Tourism and Pilgrimage events over in this part of the diocese took place on Saturday 8 February, in Connemara National Park and Kylemore Abbey. Two of us from these (Aughaval) parishes went along for the day and we were not disappointed. For starters, the weather was perfect- nippy but dry, bright and sunny. Valerie Raitt, TLK Pioneer Minister and developer of the Spiritual Tourism and Pilgrimage ministry, had planned a day that was beautifully balanced, with outdoor and indoor activity, and food for body, heart and soul. The scenery in both locations was magnificent and we enjoyed the opportunity to make Brigid’s crosses and to learn more about the tradition and the person behind the original ones. It was a bonus to be able to see inside the new monastery at Kylemore Abbey, the first to be built in Ireland (RoI) for 400 years. The abbess and one of the sisters welcomed us warmly and we enquired about retreats and the likes, plus t...

A thoroughly enjoyable evening was had by all on Friday 7th February in the Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, at the Social and Fundraiser Table Quiz in aid of repair works in Holy Trinity Church. There was plenty of head-scratching, chat and laughter over each set of questions, and the event concluded with a raffle in which a generous number of prizes were won.  Major thanks go to the organisers, Henry McInney and Babs Strutt, and to Ann Bourke who supported on the night. Thanks also to everyone who donated prizes, those who came along or contributed otherwise, and to the management and staff of the hotel who looked after us so well. The amount raised was over 700 euros - exact figure to follow.  The event was planned many months ago before any of us knew that Storm Eowyn was coming and that we would find ourselves in greater need than ever of repair funds and expressions of friendship such as have been apparent since the unavoidable and temporary close of the church (Holy Trinity We...

  Next Sunday Club: 9th February, 12 noon While Holy Trinity Church, Westport, remains closed on safety grounds due to recent storm damage, please note that Sunday Club will go ahead on the previously advertised dates but meeting at the later time of 12 noon, in keeping with the Holy Trinity temporary service time, until notified, meeting  in St Mary's Church (on the Mall, Westport) f or the start of the (HTW) service, moving next door to Carrowbeg House for the children's Bible lesson, activities, music and songs, and finishing with snacks. For all children of school age.  Please spread the word! 2025 Dates:  9th Feb, 9th March, 6th April, 18th May, 1st June 7th Sept, 12th Oct, 16th Nov, 7th Dec If you would like more information, please contact Steffi (089 941 8165) or the Rector, Revd Suzanne (083 8003233).  

A fascinating interview with Bishop Michael following his most recent visit to Rome and meeting with the Pope. Bishop Michael with Pope Francis, January 2025 Photo courtesy of the United Dioceses of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe https://www.mixcloud.com/TLKCOMMS/bishop-michael-in-rome-january-2025/

    Ecumenical hospitality:  Holy Trinity Westport temporarily relocates to St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church  at their kind invitation   Signing the equivalent of The Preacher's Book L-R: Roger, Rector's Church Warden, the Rector, Fr John Kenny,  and Nolan and Peter, Sacristans Photos by  Ugnius Brazdžiunas, Amayo Photography   Sunday 2 February 2025 was a memorable, ecumenically significant and moving day for Westport Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic communities alike, when for the first time, the congregation of Holy Trinity Church of Ireland Church celebrated Holy Communion in St. Mary's Church on the Mall. This remarkable event was, in the mind of many in Westport and beyond, the "silver lining" behind the storm cloud and ferocious winds of 24th January that caused damage and the temporary closure of Holy Trinity Church. Commenting on the circumstances which had led up to the significant event, Revd Suzanne Cousins, Rector of Holy Trinity C...