Noli temere – ‘Don’t be afraid’

The last words of Seamus Heaney, in a text to his wife Marie, were the Latin words Noli temere –

‘Don’t be afraid’. According to his son Mick, the words became ‘a shorthand for hope’ in the weeks

that followed. He had done what poets and writers do best – express our fears and anxieties in a

way that made sense.

Fear took on new forms earlier this year when we were all thrown into that strange period of

lockdown due to the coronavirus threat. We were fearful for ourselves and our health. We were

worried about our families, particularly our elderly or vulnerable loved ones. Many people were

anxious about the future – they had lost their job or business and were full of uncertainty as to

when, or even if, things would improve. We also became conditioned, in a way, to be fearful of

each other. While we understood it was necessary, it was upsetting to have to stay away from

other people – to refrain from hugging or shaking hands, to move away or even cross the street

when we saw another person approaching.

And of course there are deeper fears that come from being isolated and feeling alone with our

thoughts. It is natural to question God in these circumstances, whether we turn to him in prayer

seeking comfort, or struggle to pray because we cannot understand why all this is happening.

Our communities are still reeling from this new state of fear. We have lost so much, and the

future is uncertain. Jesus has comforting words in today’s Gospel: ‘Do not be afraid…

everything now hidden will be made clear.’ Life does not always make sense, but God has it all

in hand, and armed with this knowledge we can face the future with hope. He is with us through

the mess and the fear: ‘Why, every hair on your head has been counted.’ Tríona Doherty

Parishes of St. Paul’s & Butlerstown Newsletter TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – 21ST of June 2020

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Parish of St Pauls & Butlerstown Website

To connect with all online resources for Parishes of St. Paul’s & Butlerstown

Click on the link below.

Parishes of St Pauls & Butlerstown

Re-opening of our Churches:

St. Paul's Church is open each day

from 2.00 p.m - 4.00 p.m. Please

notice separate entrance and exit,

use hand sanitizer and follow

directions inside to help with

social distancing.

Butlerstown Church is open each

day (Mon - Sat) from 11.00 a.m.

to 1.00 p.m.

Many thanks to volunteers who are helping us to abide by the

regulations for health and safety.

Stay in touch with News & Information From Parishes of St. Paul’s & Butlerstown

Use these Links

St Pauls Facebook Page Butlerstown Parish Facebook Page Parish of St Pauls & Butlerstown Website

Parish Contact Details

Fr. Pat Fitzgerald 372257

Fr.Seán deLéis 323213

Sr. deLourdes Breen 058 41359

St. Paul’s Church Sacristy: 378073

Parish Office 357730

E-mail: stpaulschurchwt@gmail.com

Web: www.stpaulschurch.ie

The Parish Office is still contactable

during normal Office Hours.

PRIESTS JUNE COLLECTION

Thank you to all of our distributors

who were able and have helped in the

delivery of envelopes for our June

Collection.

As regards returning the June

Envelopes:

If you wish to drop your envelope

to the Church you can do so in

o St. Pauls Sacristy at 10.30am

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

or in the Church any weekday

afternoon 2 to 4pm.

o Butlerstown Sacristy

Tuesday & Thursday

mornings at 10.30am.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Mass & Services from St. Paul’s & Butlerstown Churches

LIVE STREAMING FROM ST. PAUL’S

10am – Monday, Wednesday, Friday &

Saturday

11.30am - Sunday

https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/st-paul-s

LIVE STREAMING FROM BUTLERSTOWN

10am – Tuesday & Thursday

8pm Wednesday – Prayer & Praise

3pm Friday – Exposition of the Blessed

Sacrament.

https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/buttlerstown

Just Trust

Our lives are lightened by people we can trust. We need to trust so much in life. We know the great pain when our trust is shaken by people we thought we could trust. In the gospel today Jesus addresses that need and grace in our lives. He encourages us to place our trust in those who care for us, and to trust in God who does not want destruction/ but development/ who wants peace among people in all sorts of ways. In what do we trust?

Pagola writes: ‘some feel a need to consume more in order to feel secure; and seek a life of entertainment to forget their everyday problems’ (The Gospel According to Matthew/ p. 106). Jesus tells us to trust in God, who would not harm even a hair of our head. He asks and urges us to be people who would not harm another. We are worth this care and love just by being created. Like a parent or grandparent/ or an aunt or uncle/ totally loving a new child before the child is even seen, so God loves each of us. The sight of a starving child brings out our love and a desire to care.

This is linked to the care of God: in this care and trust of each other we find the trust and care of God/ given and received for ‘where there is love, there is God

‘Do not be afraid’ (Mt 10:26). Where have we heard these words before? They are

quite familiar to most of us because they have been quoted often by preachers and

commentators since the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005. A recurrent theme from the

beginning of his pontificate in 1978 was: Do not be afraid.

This was also John Paul’s message to Catholics and to the entire world as he passed from

this life to eternal life. His entire life, and especially his final illness, demonstrated that he

himself was fearless because of his absolute faith and trust in the person and saving

message of Jesus Christ. And he urged everyone else to have the same conviction.

Lord, we remember today the many people who are feeling that no one cares:

– others only see their failures, not how hard they have tried;

– people think they have no problems, when in fact they are heavily burdened.

They feel abandoned like a sparrow that has fallen to the ground

while a hundred others are flying overhead.

Send them someone who will be Jesus for them,telling them that every hair on their heads has been carefully counted.

We are living in a changing world, there is great

uncertainty.

The world pandemic has left us frightened and

confused.

We are mourning the loss of many things:

employment, health and even loved ones. But we

never lose hope; our hope is rooted in God.

Hence, this time can be a blessing in disguise, as it

makes us less reliant on ourselves and more on

the power of God.

LOCAL HELP IS AVAILABLE AT:

1800250185

OR CONTACT:

cOVIDSUPPORT@WATERFORDCOUNCIL.IE

Employment Opportunities Parishes of St Paul’s &

Butlerstown

Maintenance Assistant St Paul’s Parish, Waterford –

Community Employment Programme This is a developmental opportunity, no experience necessary.

Accredited training will be provided to support your career.

Please contact your local DEASP Employment Services/Intreo

Office to check your eligibility and to apply for this vacancy.

Vacancy Reference will be required (Ref: #CES-2145913).

Eligibility to participate on CE is generally linked to those who

are 21 years or over and applicants must also be in receipt of a

qualifying Irish Social welfare payment for 1 year or more.

Duties: Grass Cutting, Hedge Cutting, Litter Control and other

maintenance duties to include painting, hoovering and

cleaning.

Maintenance Assistant Butlerstown Waterford

Community Employment Programme

Conditions and Eligibility as above.

Please contact your local DEASP Employment Services/Intreo

Office to check your eligibility and to apply for this vacancy.

Vacancy Reference will be required (Ref: #CES-2147162).

Duties: Butlerstown Graveyard Maintenance to include grass

cutting, litter control and general maintenance duties.