Advent Reflections

After Annunciation [Madeleine L’Engle]

This is the irrational season
When love blooms bright and wild.
Had Mary been filled with reason
There’d have been no room for the child.

The above poem brings to mind the uncertainty that Mary struggled with in responding to the invitation to become the mother of Jesus. The whole world is struggling at present with the uncertainty caused by the Corona virus Will there be a Christmas this year? What kind of Christmas will it be? 

You are invited to join with others in reflecting on Advent on Monday, December 7that 7.30pm on Zoom, the first in the series of three Monday nights [See the poster attached for details]. As an organising group we hope to provide an opportunity to look at Advent in a new way, drawing on our tradition as Christians in the light of what we now know about the origins of the universe.

The session will last no longer than 45 minutes and will not involve any small group sharing. There is no need to register for the event. The link will be sent out in advance of the meeting.

Let us remember one another in prayerful thought as Advent approaches, remembering particularly those who are most vulnerable in our world.

Organising group: Monica O’Reilly, Vivek da Silva, Denis Gleeson, Fergus Reilly, Jim Donovan

Remembering our Loved Ones

The second session in our series: ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS – PRAYING OUR QUESTIONS will be held by Zoom on November 2nd. It will begin at 7.30pm. The focus for this session will be on remembering our loved ones who have died. If you would like a loved one to be included, please send me a photograph and name of the person, before October 28thEven if you don’t have a photo you might send the name. 

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On the Road to Emmaus – Praying our Questions

The Christian Brothers Spirituality Group has organised a series of Zoom meetings over the coming months.

The title of the series is ‘On the Road to Emmaus – Praying our Questions’. The meetings will be held on Monday nights from 7.00pm to 8.30pm as follows:

October 5 th: Season of Creation (incorporating a celebration of the Equinox)
November 2 nd:  All Souls Memorial of the Dead
December 7,14,21:  Advent Series

The meetings, open to Brothers and others, will consist of presentations involving prayer/reflective practices, scripture etc. followed by small group sharing. An application form for the October Zoom meeting will be issued later.

As we approach the Equinox and celebrate the Season of Creation you might find food for reflection in this prayer from Bruce Sanguin.

 

LIVING EARTH’S WISDOM

We tune our ears to the wisdom of Earth.

It is deep prayer, this listening to her cries,

As Spirit sighs,

Too deep for words.

Unborn generations

Call us from the future:

What did you do when the planet

Could no longer bear your foolishness

And began to break?

The growl of the grizzly –

Caught in the crosshairs

Of trophy hunters and policy makers,

Who seem to prize extinction –

Is a plea for the rights

Of all the disappearing ones.

Hear the howl of the caribou

Asking us for room enough to roam

And arsenic-free water to drink.

The cardinal’s whistle,

Once joy’s message,

Is now a haunting lament

For the dwindling chorus of songbirds.

The topsoil – living organism and not lowly dirt –

Clears its thinning, chemical-burned voice,

And speaks for the biotic kingdom

Teeming within this dark body.

Mother Ocean beckons us to return t

To Her womb,

That we might be born anew

And know our salty tears to be her own.

The willow drops her loving arms

Around our shoulders and brushes us with grace,

Whispering that it’s not too late.

It falls to us, Wisdom pupils,

To turn this dirge into a dance of the cosmos.

Let those with ears to hear, rise up.

Amen.

Summer Solstice Celebration

 

You are invited to a Zoom meeting celebrating the Summer Solstice. The meeting will last not more than an hour.

 

Topic: SOLSTICE CELEBRATION

Time: Jun 21, 2020 12:00 noon Dublin

 

Link: https://zoom.us/j/97504237459?pwd=MmYwVzNLeEdpSTJCMGIzUHRISklUZz09

Password: 199243

 

You can join the meeting by clicking on the link above. Note that you will need to type in the password to gain access to the room.

Edmund Rice Triduum

In preparation for the feast day of Blessed Edmund Rice on 5th May you might like to participate in this Triduum of Prayer and Reflection.

Please feel free to download the booklet here:

LEAF May 5 Triduum Booklet SM

Celebrating Eucharist in the context of the New Story – Diarmuid Ó Murchú

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH 2020 – EMMAUS CENTRE, SWORDS, CO. DUBLIN

 

Diarmuid will be exploring our theology of Eucharist within the context of Creation’s story.

Registration with tea, coffee at 6:30 pm onwards and talk beginning at 7.15 pm. Concludes at 9.00pm.

 

Booking essential, as places are limited.

 

BOOKING at Emmaus Centre:

 

EMAIL:                     emmauscentre@emmauscentre.ie

TELEPHONE:          01-8700050

 

DONATION: €10

 

Perpetual Profession

 

We pray for and send best wishes to Brothers Chrispinus Munialo, Stephen Wandabusi and Sunday Otieno of the East Africa District of the Africa Province on the occasion of their Perpetual Profession in Mary Mother of God parish, Embulbul, Kenya this Saturday, 15th February.

“Glory be to God, whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine”

 

Advent Reflection Retreat

Sr. Sheila Curran and Br Declan Power are holding an Advent Retreat on December 8th in Emmaus Retreat and Conference Centre. The topic for the retreat will be the Amazon Synod and its challenges. It is a wonderful time to come away and to prepare for Christmas while at the same time reflecting on the issues that Pope Francis and many others spent the month of October discussing, reflecting on and finally decided to implement.  It will also be a time to understand more clearly the issues of the Amazon people. and what they are doing to find solutions to meet their present and future needs.
As we are aware the Synod drew  criticism from different quarters within and outside the Church.  This criticism was accepted by Pope Francis as a means for others to say what they needed to say but it did not deter the Holy Father from continuing on his path of service with the people from the forestsSr. Sheila Curran CMS who worked for many years in Latin America and has a deep passion for the poor of that continent will provide the main inputs of the retreat.   Br. Declan Power cfc will facilitate the day.

Samhain, Autumn – The Harvest of our Lives

Timiri will hold its annual gathering on Saturday, 16th November, in Emmaus Retreat and Conference Centre, Lissenhall, Swords, Co. Dublin.
The theme for the day is “Samhain, Autumn – The Harvest of our Lives”.
Registration and welcome cuppa will be at 2pm and the ritual will begin at 2.30pm. The day will conclude with a meal at about 5.30pm.
We would be delighted to see you there and feel free to invite any friends along. Booking is essential so that meals can be organised. Please contact Dick Fields at dfields17@hotmail.com or 0876322746 if you wish to book a place. The cost of the day is €30.

Autumn of our Lives

A brief moment of beauty, fulfilment and acceptance;

a time when effort and work are reduced, mulled over

and remembered with gladness and joy.

Autumn, the autumn of our years, comes slowly, calmly

and acceptance reduces the hurt.

Gradually the winds and chill of life weaken us

and reduce the strength of limb

but not of mind or spirit.

The spirit remembers the springtime of energy,

of new ideas and of inspiration. 

The spirit remembers the earlier years,

the years of creativity and enthusiasm

and the spirit holds those years.

They are not lost.

A Cosmology of Connection- Conversation with Drew Dellinger

Drew Dellinger, Ph.D., is an internationally sought-after speaker, poet, writer, and teacher who has inspired minds and hearts around the world, performing poetry and keynoting on justice, ecology, cosmology, and compassion. He is also a consultant, publisher, and founder of Planetize the Movement.

He will speaking in Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin D09R232 on Wednesday, 31 July from 7pm to 9pm. At this time when there is a growing awareness of the effects of climate change we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to hear Drew’s insights. Places are limited so reservation is advised. The cost of €10 is payable at the venue.

For full details contact Vivek da Silva at vivekdasilva@gmail.com

Edmund Rice Alive Today

May is the month in which we celebrate, in a special way, the life, work, spirit and charism of Blessed Edmund Rice. To mark this Timirí will hold an event in the birthplace of Blessed Edmund Rice in Westcourt, Callan, Co. Kilkenny on Saturday, 18th May from 2pm to 5pm.

The theme for the afternoon is “Edmund Rice Alive today”  and will explore how the spirit of Edmund continues to inspire the work of so many who deal with such issues as homelessness, addiction, refugees and immigrants, advocacy for the marginalised and vulnerable, and who empower young people through alternative education opportunities.

 

 

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Feast Day of Blessed Edmund Rice

Tomorrow, 5th May, marks the feast day of Blessed Edmund Rice. This will be marked by the Edmund Rice communities, schools and groups in Ireland and around the world.

As usual, the Cork Life Centre, has a very full, diverse and stimulating programme of events to mark the occasion. Edmund Rice Week will be celebrated by the Cork Life Centre from the 7th – 10th May.

Click here to download the full brochure of events: Edmund Rice Week 2019 Brochure

 

Remembering the dead is a true celebration of life.

During the month of November we remember our loved ones who have passed from this life. Each of us has very personal memories of our loved ones and we remember them in our own way. We visit their graves and bring flowers. We mark their anniversaries with memorial Masses, dinners or celebrations.

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