GENEROUS LOVE A remarkable story of generosity featured on Joe Duffy’s Liveline: Call Back Programme on RTE recently. It was the story of Shane O’Neill, who had a history of drugs offences and ended up serving time in prison in Belgium. On release from prison he went to the Irish Embassy to ask for the price of a flight to return home, but was turned down. Another Irish man, Charlie Kiernan, overheard the exchange and decided to help, booking him a flight and buying him breakfast. When Shane asked how he could repay h im, Charlie suggested he ‘pay it forward’. The kind gesture was the catalyst for Shane turning his life around.
It is this sort of generous love that we hear about in today’s gospel, in the parable told by Jesus. The master who cancels the servant’s debt does so out of compassion and generosity. It is of no benefit to him to pardon the debt. He will be down ten thousand talents—one talent was worth more than 15 years’ wages of a labourer, so we are talking about a large sum of money! The servant who owes him just one hundred denarii—one denarius was the usual day’s wage for a labourer.
The parable speaks to us about the kindness of God, but also what he expects from us. Because we have been loved, we must love. Because we have been forgiven, we must forgive.
Intercom—September 2017.
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On Sunday, 24th September, Bishop William Crean will ordain six Permanent Deacons for service in the diocese of Cloyne. Those to be ordained are all married men and fathers of families.
The ceremony will take place at St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, at 2.30 p.m. and all are welcome to attend. The following men are to be ordained as Deacons, following a four year period of formation:
Garrett Cody, parish of Ballymacoda.
Peter Gurbal, parish of Cobh.
Edward Mulhare, parish of Imogeela.
Damian McCabe, parish of Aghada.
John Nestor, parish of Imogeela.
Brian Williams, parish of Macroom.
The Bishop asks the people of the diocese to pray for these men and their families as they approach their Ordination Day.
A Farewell Night for Archdeacon Gerard Casey
our retired Parish Priest
will be held on Wednesday, 27th September
commencing with concelebrated Mass of Thanksgiving in St. Mary’s Church at 7.30 p.m.
Followed by refreshments in the Hibernian Hotel.
Everyone welcome.
Contributions towards the presentation may be handed in
to the Parish Office on or before Wednesday, 27th September.
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USING YOUR EIRCODE SMARTLY
It has come to my notice that the Eircode number for each individual house works for guiding a person to the house with exactitude. Hence the request from emergency services for people to know their Eircode. IT WORKS. I recommend that homes have their Eircode adjacent to their phone and be able to give it to those who need it to find their house. This includes priests who may have to search for a house, perhaps at night, when called to a sick call. For a searcher to find the house, they must have Google maps on their phone. These are the only maps, to my knowledge, that work with Eircode at present.
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MASS FROM ST. MARY’S CHURCH, MALLOW
NOW LIVE ON THE INTERNET
All Masses from St. Mary’s Church can now be watched live on the internet. You can now follow Mass and all Services from St. Mary’s Church live. Most households now have an internet connection, for some, if not all, members of the household. It is hoped users will share their facility for others who may not have the skills.
The service is intended firstly for the sick and housebound. It will also facilitate relatives and friends who are unable to attend a funeral Mass or families abroad who cannot attend a wedding.
The existing radio link remains in place also.