Today, Sunday 2 November, we celebrate the festival of All Saints’ with our special celebrations of the Eucharist. All Saints’ Day fell yesterday this year, but it has long been a tradition to celebrate it on the nearest Sunday. It is one of the loveliest festivals in the church year when we remember the great worthies of the Church – the saints, apostles, martyrs, confessors and of course all our loved ones who have encouraged us on our pilgrimages of faithful love and service. All Saints’ and All Souls remind us of that great continuum of loving service – the church militant on earth and the church triumphant in heaven and how all of us are bound together in Christ’s embracing arms. It begins for us also the traditional season of remembrance-tide and we thank God for all whom we remember and draw close to at this time.

Summer Holidays:  The rector is taking part of his summer holidays from Monday 27 October to Wednesday 12 November. Canon Gillian Wharton has kindly agreed to look after emergency calls. She may be contacted at 01 288 7118. Cover for the services will be provided by the Revd Hilary Dungan and the services on Sunday 9 November (Remembrance Sunday) will be conducted by the Archbishop.

Poppies:  Remembrance Sunday poppies will be available on the table at the door of the church. Donations for the work of the Royal British Legion in the Republic of Ireland should be placed in the poppy collection tin and not on the normal collection plates.

Parish Sale:      The sale will take place in the Schoolhouse on Saturday 15 November from 10:00 to 13:00. Donations of raffle prizes would be greatly appreciated and may include gifts, vouchers, bottles, and suitable groceries etc for a hamper. These may be dropped off to the parish office in the Schoolhouse. Donations of items for the Bric-a-Brac, books, toy and gift stall etc may be left neatly at the back of the church. All donations of items to sell must be spotlessly clean and saleable.

Stall Holders:
Books: Leo Cullen –  Ph: 2808013

Bric-a-brac / Collectables: Canon Roy Byrne –  Ph: 2806596

Fashion Accessories / New Gifts:  Iris Taylor – Ph: 2896624

Toys: Olwen Keating and Sunday Club  – Ph: 2844327

Jewelry: Colette Murphy  – Ph: 2844006

Refreshments: Liz Neill-Watson – Ph: 087 9791072

Raffle: Valerie Duncan – Ph: 087 640 0542

Plants: Grainne Dempsey – Ph: 087 7537141

Ladies Designer Fashion: – Sue McHugh – Ph: 087 9985425

Raffle:      This year we have sent out raffle cards to all our parishioners in their edition of Monkstown Voice. Each line costs €2 or three lines for €5. Completed cards with monies may be dropped off to Liz in the parish office or in church before the sale or given to Valerie on the day of the sale. We have some wonderful prizes including €250 cash as a first prize, restaurant vouchers, hamper etc.

Selection Boxes:      It is that time of the year again and the selection boxes have reappeared on our supermarket shelves! In tandem with this we therefore launch our annual selection box appeal for the Storehouse foodbank at Crinken. Donations of selection boxes will be gratefully received and may be placed on the pew beside the side chapel altar. As always, we will endeavour to bring the selection box appeal to a conclusion in the first week of December and this will help our friends in Crinken to distribute them as part of their Christmas food parcels.

Ministry of Healing:  CMHI is delighted to invite you to join us for our Advent quiet day, Unwrapping the Gift: a Retreat of Prayer and Presence, which takes place in the Dominican Retreat Centre in Tallaght, on Saturday 22 November.  Unwrapping the Gift: a Retreat of Prayer and Presence, Saturday 22 November 2025, 10:00am – 4:00pm, The Dominican Retreat Centre, Tallaght. You are warmly invited to join us for this gentle. creative, quiet day, as we pause, rest, and replenish ourselves in God’s love. The day offers: silence; scripture prompts; centring prayer; story-telling; poetry and reflections; creative practices; and woodland wanders. Book viahttps://www.eventbrite.ie/e/unwrapping-the-gift-a-retreat-of-prayer-and-presence-tickets 1748091832729?aff=oddtdtcreator or www.ministryofhealing.ie   Many thanks, Warmest wishes, Dr Catherine Smith, 

Buildings Beo:  Broadcast of the Buildings Beo series on TG4 has been confirmed. The series will begin on Wednesday 19 November and conclude on Wednesday 24 December. The programmes will be broadcast at 8.30pm.
Wednesday 19 November – Hope Castle Gate Lodge, Castleblayney.
Wednesday 26 November – Ballinamore Junction, Leitrim.

Wednesday 3 December – Mount Congreve, Waterford.

Wednesday 10 December – The Old Mill, James O’Neill building, Kinsale.

Wednesday 17 December – Monkstown Schoolhouse.

Wednesday 24 December – The Briery Gap, Macroom.

The episodes will be repeated at 6:00pm on the Sundays following the Wednesday broadcast.

Schoolhouse Coffee Dock:      The coffee dock area in the schoolhouse is open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10:30 to 12.30 and you are warmly invited to drop in and have a cup of tea or coffee and a chat. It is also open on Wednesday and Sunday mornings after the 10:45 services.

The Sick: We continue our prayers in the parish for all who are unwell and the recently bereaved. We also remember those who are in hospital currently and those who are recovering at home from serious illness. Our hearts go out to all who need our continued prayers and support, and we pray that you may have a real sense of the love that surrounds you.

Card Machine:  A new card reader machine has been procured for the parish and donations may be made for parish funds after any service. It is on the desk at the back of the church and will also be available in the schoolhouse coffee dock.

 On-line Banking: It would greatly assist our parish treasurer if you would please fill in the line describing what your donation is for and your name also. Sometimes donations are given online without any information provided and it is very difficult to work out who the donor is

General Financial Support: Thank you for your continued financial support of the parish and for remembering that our work of ministry continues week after week. We appreciate your generous and supportive giving. There is a collection at every service in the church. Our Bank of Ireland bank details are: Account Name: Monkstown Parish Church Business Current Account. Account no: 86014381. IBAN IE 17 BOFI 9011 8386 0143 81. If any of our envelope subscribers wish to talk to Ruth Carnegie, she may be contacted at 087 4339367. 

 

With love and kind regards, Roy