LOUGH DERG:

One Day Retreat to Lough Derg Monday 5th May 2025.Leaving St. Mary’s Church, Westport at 5.30a.m./pick up in Castlebar at the Fire Station at 5.45.a.m.  booking, please contact the Presbytery on 098-28871.

Jubilee Year Pilgrims of Hope

Three Day Pilgrimage to Lough Derg Friday 30th May – Sunday 1st June 2025, bus departing from St. Mary’s Church Westport, at 8. 00a.m. Ph. No. 087-7401391

STATIONS OF THE CROSS DURING LENT:

Friday’s during Lent at 7.00p.m in St. Mary’s Church Westport.

LENTEN SCRIPTURE STUDY:

Fr. Benny McHale will conduct a study of St. Luke’s New Testament writing on Wed. 19th March, 26, Mar. 2nd & 9th April @7.30p.m. – 9.30pm Prayer Centre Knock Shrine. Contact Nicola Mitchell 094-9388100

WESTPORT AUTISM FRIENDLY TOWNS COMMITTEE: Are delighted to inform you that this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17th we will have a relaxed area in town to view the Parade. Our relaxed, quiet area will be on James St. at the entrance to St. Mary’s Church. All are Welcome.

CHARITABLE TAX Exemption: Sincere thanks to everyone who generously supports St Mary’s Westport Parish. It is deeply appreciated. If you are a PAYE and self-assessed tax payer contributing in excess of €250 annually you might please consider further helping us avail of a tax reclaim by filling out a CHY Form. We have posted out 350 such requests from Westport Presbytery. Please consider returning the completed forms in the weekend offertory collection or the presbytery office or the wooden box for offerings at the mall or James Street entrance to St Mary’s Church, Westport. Thanks again for your ongoing support of the parish.

DAFFODIL DAY:

Friday, March 28th next. Can you volunteer 2 hours of your time on this day to help collect funds for The Irish Cancer society? Please contact Jackie on 085 1962566

if you are willing to help out.

ANAM CARA:

The organisation that supports bereaved parents, will hold its monthly Parent Support Evening on Tuesday 25th March at 7.30pm in the TF Royal Hotel, Castlebar

PILGRIMS OF HOPE:

Croagh Patrick, Lough Derg and Knock are three well-known Irish sanctuaries that have offered hope to pilgrims across the generations. With the Pilgrim Passport initiative, we invite you to make pilgrimage to all three shrines in the Jubilee Year 2025. When you have completed all of them you can receive a special commemorative, Jubilee Medal. For more details visit www.pilgrimpassport.ie  wwwcroaghpatrick.org                 www.knockshrine.ie  

HEAVENLY FATHER: In the glorious moment of the Transfiguration, you revealed the divine light of Your Son, Jesus Christ. May we, too, be transformed by His love and grace. Help us to see the beauty of Your presence in our lives and to carry that light into the world. Strengthen our faith, inspire our hearts, and guide our steps, that we may reflect Your glory in all we do. Amen.

SUGGESTIONS FOR LENT:  What will you give up or abstain from this Lent?Give up hurtful words and say kind words instead.Give up complaining and be filled with gratitude.Give up anger and be filled with patience.Give up worries and trust in God.Give up bitterness and fill your heart with joy.Give up selfishness and share with others.Give up holding grudges and be forgiving.Give up always talking so that you can Listen to othersinstead. Adapted from advice given by Pope Francis

CARE OF CREATION ECO CONGRATAGION:  Earth Hour 2025 takes place on Saturday March 22nd.  Every year, in late March, people and institutions come together to switch off all non-essential lights for sixty minutes at 8.30 p.m. local time. They do this to show symbolic support for the planet and to raise awareness of the environmental issues affecting it. Earth Hour reminds us that each of us has the power to make a positive impact on our planet. This could be as simple as planting a tree, taking a bus or cycling rather than using ‘the car, planning a meal with no food waste, or reducing the amount of plastic we use. The invitation is to do something positive for our planet. In this Season of Lent, we are reminded regularly of the call to conversion. Pope Francis issued his landmark encyclical, ‘Laudato Si’ on May 24, 2015.  In it he called for an ecological conversion in response to the many ecological crises facing our planet. Amidst our increasingly divided and polarized societies, earth hour becomes a precious moment of unity, reminding the world that our one shared home needs our help and that we all can - and must - play a part in protecting it.

Máméan Pilgrimage - Lá Fhéile Pádraig

The St. Patrick's Day Mass scheduled for Máméan has, for health and safety reasons, been transferred to Kilmilkin Church (H91 HX64) at 10.00 a.m. on Monday, 17 March 2025.Beidh fáilte roimh chách.

HAPPY ST PATRICK’S DAY:

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Shona Duit

 Mass on March 17th Kilmeena 9.30a.m. Westport 11.00a.m. Lecanvey 8.00pm