St John the Baptist Church

Welcome to St John the Baptist, Ballyvaughan and St Patrick, Murrough, Fanore

What a day, what a marvellous celebration, what a man. Continuing the celebration and congratulations to Willie Doherty on his 100th birthday đŸ„°đŸŽ‚âœš July 2024

The Synodal Pathway of the Catholic Church in Ireland has shared an update re the launch of Instrumentum Laboris, the working document for the first session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October. A large number of people from various parts of the world with different expertise prepared this important text which will animate all the work of the October assembly. To access the Instrumentum Laboris simply click on link below:

synod.ie/instrumentum-laboris-for-synod-2021-2024

On Thursday, the last of the meetings of groupings of parishes in the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora took place. Over seven meetings more than 400 parishioners from each of our parishes attended with their priests to hear input from Bishop Michael and to begin a facilitated discussion on the future of our parishes and our diocese.

“Creidim i mo chroĂ­ istigh gur bronnadh na laethanta grĂĄstĂșla seo orainn le go ndĂ©anfaidh muid ĂĄr gcion. Is fĂșinne Ă© na cinntĂ­ cearta a dhĂ©anamh, cinntĂ­ misniĂșla le cĂșnamh DĂ©, a chuirfeas todhchaĂ­ nua glan ar fĂĄil dĂșinn, athbheochan nua creidimh do na pobail chreidmheach go lĂ©ir.” – An tEaspag MicheĂĄl, Cruinnithe ParĂłistĂ­, 2023

“I am convinced that these days are “our days” – graced days to “do our bit”, to make wise choices and brave decisions that will with God’s help secure a bright, albeit different, future for the faith and for our faith communities.” -Bishop Michael, Parish Group Gatherings ,2023

 

Welcome

Good evening and welcome! Thank you to the priests of this area and to all of you who have taken the time to attend. I would like to begin by (1) giving you a bit of background to the meeting and (2) outlining what we might hope to get out of it.

Background

Last May, on the day of my installation as Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora, I spoke about the current situation we find ourselves in as a faith community and expressed the hope that we would dialogue together bishop, priests, religious and people in order to plan for the future. Last November, I set up a small committee of priests to see how we might bring this idea forward. At the beginning of February, we began the process with a two-day meeting of the priests of the diocese at Spanish Point. That meeting agreed that we need to broaden the conversation and include the voice of our parishioners. As a result, we divided the diocese into seven groupings of parishes/chaplaincies and asked priests to invite a representative body of key parishioners to meet as we are doing this evening. This is just the beginning of a conversation – more dialogue and collective discernment will need to be undertaken as we move forward together.

Profoundly Positive about the Future

Let me preface what I am about to say by affirming that I am absolutely convinced that the times we live in are intensely blessed. Deep down, I am profoundly positive about the future of the Church. I believe that the Holy Spirit is powerfully active in our midst. Uprooting that which is no longer fruitful, planning new seeds, and pointing to new ways. My mother used to always say, “you do your bit and let God do the rest.” So what might be “our bit” when it comes to planning for the future of our parishes and our diocese?

Current Challenges

To throw the ball – let me paint a brief picture of the challenges of our current situation in 7 points.

(1) For a variety of reasons – regular participation in our parishes has rapidly decreased over the last decade and looks likely to decrease even further into the future. While this is a reality in all our parishes, it is perhaps more obvious in small rural parishes than in larger urban ones.

(2) For the most part those participating regularly in the life of our parishes are advancing in age. It is a visible fact that there are fewer and fewer people in the pews between the ages of 20 and 50.

(3) In many places, the decline in participation and the ageing of our congregations is resulting in a lack of volunteers and difficulty paying the bills.

(4) At the moment, we do not have a single seminarian. Over the next twenty years or so we will be left with approximately 20 diocesan priests to serve 40 parishes and chaplaincies. At the moment, we have three parishes without a resident priest and more to follow?

(5) There is only so much a single priest can do especially as we advance in age. Our hard-working priests have never had as much demands upon them. We simply cannot divide the same workload among fewer priests. Something has to give.

(6) We do not have a long tradition of lay involvement and lay led faith communities – there is a great need for training and education so that laity can minister with insight and confidence.

(7) While we need to celebrate Mass and the other sacraments and bury the dead – this will only maintain what we have and only for a limited time at that. Do we not need to focus on rekindling the faith, especially among the young and become more missionary in our practice?

“Freedom From” – “Freedom For”

We owe a debt of gratitude to the selfless work done over the years by our priests, religious and key lay people. I believe that changing circumstances now mean that there are many structures and practices they have served us well for a long time are now no longer as fruitful as they once were.

Let me elaborate a bit. Do we need all the Masses we have at the moment? Does a priest need to do a lot of what he is currently engaged in – or could appropriately trained laypeople do some of it? What role should our Parish Pastoral Councils play in shaping the future? Will we be able to keep open all the churches that we now have? Are there things that we are currently doing that we need to “free ourselves from” in order to be “free for” something better? Would fewer Masses mean more people present, more people to take part and a more meaningful celebration for those who come? How might we ensure that our parishes are genuinely life-giving communities of faith rather than mere anonymous convenience stores where we go to pick up this or that spiritual product?

Could appropriately trained lay people do a lot more? How are we going to train suitable lay people? Who will do it? How will we pay for it?

What of our outreach and ministry to the next generation – young people and young families? Should we be focusing more on preparation for the sacraments? How can we have a more meaningful encounter with the bereaved, the sick, the poor, those on the margins of Church and society?

We spend so much money on our buildings – by comparison how much money do we spend on people and faith enhancing initiatives? Would groups of parishes working more closely with each other and sharing resources mean that they could do more together than they might be able to do on their own?

Ní neart go cur le chéile- there is a special strength when we come together with a common purpose.

Graced days to “do our bit”

Let me finish by repeating –I am not panicked or despondent. I am convinced that these days are “our days” – graced days to “do our bit”, to make wise choices and brave decisions that will with God’s help secure a bright, albeit different, future for the faith and for our faith communities. It is in this spirit that I welcome these gatherings.

It is in this spirit that I hope we will all become involved in positively shaping the future not as passive spectators but as active participants.

Thank you so much for being here.

FĂĄiltiĂș

TrĂĄthnĂłna maith agaibh agus fĂĄilte! Ár mbuĂ­ochas le sagairt uile an cheantair seo agus libhse atĂĄ sĂĄsta freastal ar an ĂłcĂĄid seo. Ba mhaith liom ar dtĂșs mĂ­niĂș daobh cĂ©ard a spreag mĂ© tĂșs a chur leis an bprĂłiseas seo agus lĂ©argas a thabhairt daoibh ar chuid de na cuspĂłirĂ­ a bheas againn.

CĂșlra

MĂ­ na Bealtaine seo caite, ar lĂĄ mo insealbhaithe mar Easpag na Gaillimhe, Chill Mhic Duaigh is Chill Fhionnuarach, labhair mĂ© faoin staid ina bhfuil muid maidir le pobal creidmheach agus an dĂłchas a bhĂ­ agam go gcuirfĂ­ tĂșs le comhrĂĄ nĂł agallamh liomsa mar Easpag, na sagairt, lucht Beatha rialta agus sibhse, an pobal, faoin mbealach is fear pleanĂĄil don todhchaĂ­. MĂ­ na Samhna seo caite, bhunaigh mĂ© coiste sagart le fĂ©achaint cĂ©n chaoi ab fhearr tabhairt faoin obair. Ag tĂșs mhĂ­ Feabhra, cuireadh tĂșs leis an bprĂłiseas nuair a thĂĄinig sagairt na deoise le chĂ©ile do chruinniĂș a mhair dhĂĄ lĂĄ agus bhĂ­ an cruinniĂș seo again i Rinn na SpĂĄinneach, Co. an ChlĂĄir. AontaĂ­odh nĂĄr mhĂłr an comhrĂĄ a leathnĂș amach le go gcloisfĂ­ glĂłr phobail na bparĂłistĂ­. Mar thoradh air seo, roinneadh an deoise in seacht ngrĂșpa parĂłisteach agus socraĂ­odh go mbeadh ionadaithe Ăł na grĂșpaĂ­ Ă©agsĂșla seo. NĂ­le anseo ach tĂșs an chomrĂĄ, dĂ©anfar dianphlĂ© ar go leor ceisteanna san am atĂĄ amach romhainn.

Dearcadh dearfach dĂłchasach maidir leis an todhchaĂ­

Creidim gan dabht go bhfuil muid beannaithe i saol an lae inniu. I mo chroĂ­ isitgh, tĂĄ mĂ© dĂłchasach dearfach faoi thodhcaĂ­ n hEaglaise. Creidim go bhfuil an Spiorad Naomh FĂ­orghnĂ­omhach inĂĄr measc. Creidim go bhfuil sĂ­olta nua ĂĄ gcur, go bhfuil gortghlanadh ar sĂșil agus mar thoradh air seo go bhfeicfear bealaĂ­ nua, cosĂĄin nua, a theorĂłs muid ar bhealach ĂĄr leasa. Deireadh mo mhĂĄthair: “ DĂ©anadh tusa do chion agus lig do Dhia an chuid eile a dhĂ©anamh” ArdaĂ­onn sĂ© sin an chĂ©ist mhĂłr : CĂ©ard Ă© ĂĄr gcion i gcomhthĂ©acs na pleanĂĄla atĂĄ le dĂ©anamh maidir lenĂĄr bparĂłistĂ­ agus lenĂĄr ndeoise.

Na DĂșshlĂĄin Reatha

Seo anois seacht sampla de na dĂșshlĂĄin atĂĄ le sĂĄrĂș again, i mo thuairinse.

  1. Ar chĂșiseanna Ă©agsĂșla, tĂĄ meath tar Ă©is teach tar rannphĂĄirtĂ­ocht an phobail inĂĄr bparĂłistĂ­ le deich mbliana anuas agus tĂĄ gach cosĂșlacht ar an scĂ©al gur in olcas atĂĄ an scĂ©al ag dul. CĂ© gur fĂ­or Ă© seo maidir lenĂĄr bparĂłistĂ­ ar fad, tĂĄ sĂ© an-fheiceĂĄlach ar fad sna parĂłistĂ­ beaga tuaithe i gcomparĂĄid leis na parĂłistĂ­ cathrach.
  2. Tå sé le feiceåil go suntasach go bhfuil na ronnphåirtithe atå gníomhach inår bparóistí ag dul in aois. Is minic an fhirínne searbh ach caithfidh muid aghaidh a thabhairt ar an bhfírinne sin: Is beag duine idir scór agus leathchéad bliain atå le feiceåil sna séipéil go rialta.
  3. De thoradh an laghdĂș rannphĂĄirtĂ­ochta agus an pobal ag dul in aois, tĂĄ laghdĂș ar ioncam na bparĂłistĂ­ agus laghdĂș orthu siĂșd a bhĂ­odh sĂĄsta obair dheonach a dhĂ©anamh.
  4. Faoi låthair, níl åbhar sagairt amhåin again. Tå år gcuid sagart ag éirí sean. Sna fiche bliain amach romhainn, ní bheidh againn ach tuairim is fiche sagart deoiseach chun freastal ar cheathracha nó ar dhå scór paróiste gan tråcht ar na seirbhísí séiplíneachta sna hospidéil agus an arm. Faoi låthair tå trí pharóiste againn gan sagart cónaitheach agus in olcas atå an scéal sin ag dul.
  5. De thoradh ar a bhfuil rĂĄite agam go dtĂ­ seo, tĂĄ ualach mĂłr oibre ar chuile shagart faoi lĂĄthair. TĂĄ athrĂș mĂłr tar Ă©is teach ar an saol i gcoitinne: caighdeĂĄin nĂ­os airde, cĂșrsaĂ­ dlĂ­ agus ar uile. Don chĂ©ad uair ariamh, tĂĄ brĂș ollmhĂłr ar ĂĄr gcuid sagart. Go simplĂ­, nĂ­ fĂ©idir an t-ualach mĂłr oibre seo a roinnt ar nĂ­os lĂș sagart. NĂ­le sĂ© inmharthanach.
  6. NĂ­l rannphĂĄirtĂ­ocht tuatach mar thraidisiĂșn again maidir le cur chin cinn an chreidimh, tĂĄ gĂ©arghĂĄ le hoiliĂșint agus le hoideachas le go mbeadh rĂłl gnĂ­omhach ag tuataigh in obair eaglasta.
  7. CĂ© go bhfuil tĂĄbhacht mhĂłr le ceiliĂșradh an Aifrinn agus na sacraimintĂ­ agus fiĂș dĂ©ileĂĄil le sochraidĂ­ – nĂ­ folĂĄir aghaidh a thabhairt ar athbheochan an chreidimh i measc na n-Ăłg agus nĂ­ folĂĄir cleachtas nua misineach a chothĂș.

Cur Chuige Nua

TĂĄ buĂ­ochas ollmhĂłr ag dul do na sagairt, lucht na beatha rialta agus do thuataigh a rinne obair na gcapaill le blianta fada anuas. TĂĄ go leor de na struchtĂșir is na cleachtaĂ­ a bhĂ­ Ă©ifeachtach san am atĂĄ caite nach bhfuil chomh torthĂșil I saol an lae inniu. Cuirfidh mĂ© mar seo Ă©: An dteastaĂ­onn na hAifrinntĂ­ ar fad atĂĄ againn faoi lathair? An bhfĂ©adfaidh nĂ­os lĂș oibre a bheith le dĂ©anamh ag an sagart- nĂł an bhfeadhfadh tuataigh a bheadh oilte tabhairt faoi chuid den obair seo? CĂ©n rĂłl a bheas ag ComhairlĂ­ TrĂ©adach ParĂłistĂ­ i mĂșnlĂș na todhchaĂ­ I gcomhthĂ©acs comhphĂĄirtĂ­ocht na sagart is na dtuatach agus iad ag obair as lĂĄimh a chĂ©ile?

An feidir linn na sĂ©ipĂ©Ă­l ar fad atĂĄ againn faoi lĂĄthair a choinneĂĄil ar oscailt? An fĂ©idir linn scaoileadh le cuid de na cĂșraimĂ­ atĂĄ againn faoi lĂĄthair le go mbeadh muid in ann tabhairt faoi rudaĂ­ nĂ­os fear- rudaĂ­ nĂ­os tothĂșla?

Mura mbeadh an oireach AifrinntĂ­ againn, seans go mbeadh nĂ­os mĂł daoine I lĂĄthair, rud a chiallĂłdh ceiliĂșradh sollĂșnta machnamhach do chuile dhuine. CĂ©n chaoi gur fĂ©idir linn beocht nua spioradĂĄlta a dhĂșiseacht inĂĄr bparĂłistĂ­? An bhfĂ©adfadh tuataigh a bheadh oilte ar obair eaglasta I bhfad nĂ­os mĂł a dhĂ©anamh? CĂ©n chaoi a ndĂ©anfar an oiliĂșnt seo? CĂ© a dhĂ©anfas Ă­? CĂ©n chaoi a n-Ă­ocfar as an oiliĂșint? Ar cheart dĂșinn dĂ­riĂș ar chlanna Ăłga- ar dhaoine Ăłga?

TĂĄ dhĂĄ scĂłr mĂ­le mac lĂ©inn ag freastal ar na hollscoileanna Ă©agsĂșla i nGaillimh, cĂ©n bealach is fear a bheadh againn sagairt a chur ar fĂĄil agus tuataigh chomh maith, chun tacĂș agus tĂłgĂĄil ar obair shĂ©iplĂ­neachta sna hollscoileanna seo?

Ar cheart dĂșinn a bheith ag dĂ­riĂș nĂ­os mĂł ar ullmhĂș do na sacraimnitĂ­? CĂ©n chaoi gur fĂ©idir linn gaol nĂ­os doimhne a bheith again le lucht an dobrĂłin, na heaslĂĄin, na boicht agus iad siĂșd atĂĄ scoite amach Ăłn Eaglais agus Ăłn tsochaĂ­?

Caitheann muid an t-uafås airgid ar år gcuid foirgneamh- I gcomparåid leis seo, cé mhéad airgid a chaitear ar dhaoine agus ar thionscnaimh athbheochana creidimh?

Deirtear nach neart gur cur le chĂ©ile! Nach bhfĂ©adfadh grĂșpaĂ­ de pharĂłistĂ­ a d’oibreodh as lĂĄimh a chĂ©ile I bhfad nĂ­os mĂł a bhaint amach agus iad ag roinnt acmhainnĂ­ ar a chĂ©ile? B’fhearr i bhfad Ă© seo nĂĄ iad ag obair ina n-aonar, i mo thuairimse.

SEO ÁR SEANS AN DEIS A THAPÚ

Mar fhocal scoir, nĂ­l mĂ© Ă©adĂłchasach nĂł in Ă­sle brĂ­ faoi chĂșrsaĂ­ mar atĂĄ. Creidim i mo chroĂ­ istigh gur bronnadh na laethanta grĂĄstĂșla seo orainn le go ndĂ©anfaidh muid ĂĄr gcion. Is fĂșinne Ă© na cinntĂ­ cearta a dhĂ©anamh, cinntĂ­ misniĂșla le cĂșnamh DĂ©, a chuirfeas todhchaĂ­ nua glan ar fĂĄil dĂșinn, athbheochan nua creidimh do na pobail chreidmheach go lĂ©ir. Is I gcomhthĂ©acs an spioraid seo a chuirim fĂĄilte roimh na cruinnithe seo. Tagaimis le chĂ©ile mar rannphĂĄirtithe gnĂ­omhach mar ag deireadh an lae, is ar scĂĄth a chĂ©ile a mhaireann na daoine.

Míle buíochas ó chroí libh as a bheith anseo. Når lagaí Dia sibh. 

Fr. Richard paid a special tribute in gratitude to Manus Walsh and Philip Kyne for their years of service in the Church.

A special Mass was held in St John the Baptist Church Ballyvaughan to celebrate our Ukrainian friends with the installation of two icons.

Please click the button below to donate dues. Thank you.


Synodal Pathway

Synod is a Greek word (synodos) meaning a meeting or assembly. By convening the Universal Synod, Pope Francis invites the entire Church to reflect on a theme that is decisive for its life and mission.

In recent months the Galway Diocesan Synodal Team has reached out to parishes and to people within and without the faithful community, to listen and hear what they had to say.

The results of this listening is available now in the 10-page diocesan document below, along with the separate appendices information.

 

Click here for the Diocesan Synthesis
Click here for the Appendices

The Parish newsletter will be available weekly at Mass, on the News page https://ballyvaughanfanoreparish.com/news/and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BallyvaughanandFanoreParish/

2021 Season of Creation

Masses

St John the Baptist, Ballyvaughan and 
St Patrick, Murrough, Fanore

Please Note: All sacraments and devotions are impacted by Covid-19 restrictions. We will post any new updates here.

Clergy

Very Rev. Richard Flanagan SVD, Adm.
Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare
T. +353 (0)65 7077045
E. bvfanore@icloud.com

National Schools

St Patrick’s National School
Fanore, Co. Clare
T. +353 (0)65 7076197
E. fanorenationalschool@gmail.com
Principal: BrĂ­d Queally

St John the Baptist National School
Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare
T. +353 (0)65 7077079
E. info@ballyvaughanns.com
Principal: Loretta Gray