October 18th is Mission Sunday. As followers of Jesus, we reflect on His command to his disciples “Go teach all Nations”.

“Reach Out” is the theme for this year.

The great John Henry Newman wrote:

“God has created me
He has not created me for nothing

I have my Mission
I may never know it in this life
But I shall be told in the next.

He has not created me for nothing
I shall do good.

I shall be an Angel of Peace

A preacher of truth in my own place
while not intending it, if I but keep His commandments.

Therefore, I trust Him wherever I am, for I cannot be thrown away.

If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him.
In worry, my worry may serve Him.

He may hide the future from me
Make my spirit sink
Take away my friends
Still He knows what He is about”.

All of us are called to be Missionaries - in our family, places of work and in our community.
Praise God for all who reach out and make the difference.

Sharon Malone, Tobartaoscain & Conor Egan, Mullagh.

Orlaith Corr, Shannon & Douglas Lanning, Shannon.

Kathryn Durack, Clonroadmore & Niall Considine, Liscannor.

The death has occurred of Linda Mulkerrins, Malasia & Ennis;

Funeral will take place in Malasia on Friday, September 10th. 
Burial in Malasia.

Funeral Mass in St. Joseph’s Church, Ennis on Friday at 11am.

May she rest in peace.

It’s not only sheep and coins that get lost. Anything we lose often becomes more valuable once it is missing. People often get lost too.People can get lost in many ways, including addictions; others can’t hold down a job; some find it hard to hold down a stable relationship; others lack confidence to face the world outside.
We all know the joy we feel when we have found something that we have lost…

‘Once there was man who went for a walk in the Bog of Allen, in Co. Kildare.
He had been walking about half a mile when we spotted a worker’s hut. And as he approached the hut, he heard the bleat of a sheep. He looked around but saw nothing. Then he heard it again. He searched around until he found it, and behind the worker’s hut, there he saw a sheep, about ten feet down, stuck in a ditch.
He thought it would be a messy ordeal trying to rescue the sheep, but he also knew he couldn’t leave it there to die. He had to be careful, that he didn’t get stuck in the hole either. So he went looking in the worker’s hut, for tools to help him.

He found a spade and dug out the sheep, and lifted the sheep to safety.

As he was going home, he was no longer thinking about the trouble the sheep caused him, but only of the joy he felt at having saved a life. But the thing that that was most vivid in his mind was the cry of the sheep.
Without the cry, there would have been no happy ending, because he would never have known it’s plight.

It isn’t only sheep that fall into holes. People fall into them too. But they aren’t as smart as sheep…because often they are ashamed to ask, much less to cry for help.’
                                                                              (Story from Flor McCarthy SDB).

As the weeks roll into months the dry hot weather continues and dust increases. I have had many meetings, some welcome visitors and visited Cuenca Ecuadors third largest city. At present, we have three sections in the parish so each section has a co-ordinator. These people run their section of the parish. We all meet once a month to see how we are doing. We have formation and training every month especially for the 45 Catechists. From 7am on every Sunday morning, the first of the 372 preparing weekly for sacraments arrive. There is no religious education in the schools here. The enthusiasm, life and learning on a Sunday morning here is so life-giving. We have had a number of visits from American High School Students. We visit homes with them and the welcome and hospitality among the poor is always their most striking first impression. And what do we say about first impressions!? I am finding the visits of these young people huge acknowledgement of ‘our’ world and the world here coming together for the good of all. From all these schools 16 will be selected to come and volunteer to live and work here for a year or two. They are supported and cared for by Rostro de Cristo. The change over took place this weekend past. I will miss the four who worked with me but i will have five for the coming year so i am very content. They are the ‘new’ missionaries. Check www.rostrodecristo.org and more too on the site about Monte Sinai!

I am at presently ministering to Anita who has five children and is dying from Cancer in her bamboo home. To be present here when words fail us and we ask ‘why’ does God allow this…all we have is our faith to keep us going. Anita has faith because her dignity is held among the suffering in herself and for her children. We pray a lot.
I visited Cuenca for a couple of days in June. It is the home of the genuine Panama Hat! I saw them being handwoven with natural fibre of Toquilla straw. Now you know where to go before next years Galway Races!

I continue to eat great vegetables and fruit. Have had one portion of ‘Cheviche’ but still rely on the auld Chicken which really can’t be beaten! In my local ’shop’ i can buy one egg, one banana and one onion! No packaging! Hope the cyclists are eating well for 21st. I wish i was with you to cycle but will be in Spirit as i always enjoyed our fun cycle each year. Enjoy…i appreciate so much the huge generosity and efforts of so many and assure you all the money raised will be used directly in our parish here.

THANK YOU.

amigo, john.