- Baptism Baptism is the gateway to all the sacraments. In the font there lies the opening to the life of God that all the baptized share. When we bring a child or an adult for baptism, we are not just having a naming ceremony, we though the anointing with holy oils and the pouring of water a bring the newly baptized into the church, give them the nature of Christ and allow them to have God in their lives.
- When bringing a child for Baptism please call Fr Tony 0449373923. Baptisms are conducted in both churches on Saturday at 4.30p.m. and Sunday at 12.30p.m.
- Confession Confession has become the forgotten Sacrament. Remember it is not the priest who judges you or forgives you it is the Lord. Through the priest in Confession the Lord forgives us when we confess to him our sins. Confession is a not general absolution or just coming up and saying “I have sinned.” Confession is a meeting with Jesus who wishes to extend his love and mercy to us. In confession we tell our sins to the Lord and say the prayer
Confession is held in Ballynacargy Church after each Mass and Sonna Church the same. Easter and Christmas will have ceremonies for Confession.
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
The Holy Mass/ The Blessed Eucharist In the Holy Mass we meet Jesus in a most sacred moment. At the Last Supper the Lord says ” This is My Body[…] My Blood.” Bread and wine become his presence to us. In our parish the Blessed Eucharist is our most precious gift as we walk though the path of Time. Our churches are blessed with beautiful altars for the Holy Mass to be offered on and we have wonderful vessels to hold the Sacred Body of the Lord. Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the life of our parish. Please come and visit him.
Holy Mass: Monday-Friday 10a.m. Ballynacargy Church.
Saturday 5.30p.m. Sonna Church 6.30p.m. Ballynacargy Church
Sunday 10a.m. Sonna Church 11.30.a.m,. Ballynacargy Church.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Ballynacargy Church every Wednesday 9a.m. -10a.m.
First Holy Communion:
Sonna Church Saturday 22nd May 2021 at 11.a.m.
Ballynacargy Church Saturday 29th May 2021 at 11a.m.
Confirmation: For “by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed. In Confirmation conferred by the Bishop the candidates receive the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit to be images of Christ in the world they live in.
Anointing of the Sick: “Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ” -James 5:13-15
He gave us priests who bring us the graces of the sacrament of the sick, called Anointing of the Sick because the principle sign is anointing with oil consecrated by the bishop. In this sacred oil the ill person is given through the Sacrament the strength of Christ. If near death the anointing ensures the Lord’s comfort, strength and presence.
Fr Tony is available day or night to anoint those near death. Also he visits those who are ill in the parish in need of the Sacrament. We have First Friday calls to visit the housebound who are anointed. If you have somebody ill please let Fr Tony know.
Holy Matrimony is not just the act of agreeing to be together. Holy matrimony is a sacred act of togetherness, honored by God, and created as a lifelong obligation to one another. For example, within the Roman Catholic church, the act of being married is seen as a sacrament not to be taken lightly. According to the Catholic church, agreeing to marriage signifies that the two individuals are at least 18, willing to agree to being faithful, and open to the idea of having children. This act of matrimony is seen as irrevocable. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24, NKJV)
For a church wedding, there are two options: a) the Celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage without Eucharist; or (b) the Celebration of the Rite of Marriage in the context of the Mass. In other words a Wedding does not have to be celebrated by having a Mass. If you are not an active Church member, it may be more appropriate not to have Mass with Holy Communion. Your decision ought to respect your own integrity, the integrity of the Sacrament and the integrity of the Priest who will be officiating. The Rite of Marriage without Mass in itself is a beautiful ceremony and has a time frame of about 35 minutes and commences with the Word of God as is the case with the Mass. You are welcome to discuss the matter with the priest preparing your Marriage papers. We hope that the following information will be helpful to you.
In order to be married in our churches or outside them in another parish then the following applies:
How much notice do I need to give to get married in the Catholic Church?
In Ireland there is a Church and a State requirement to give each a minimum of three months notice.
What do we need to do ?
- Contact the priest in your local parish where each of you presently live to let him know of your intention to marry and make an appointment to meet him. This may not be the same priest who will celebrate your wedding with you.
- Book the Church in which you hope to get married
What documents should we bring to the meeting?
- A new long form baptismal certificate issued within six months of the proposed date of marriage from the parish of Baptism
- Indication of Confirmation (separate certificate if not recorded on baptismal certificate)
- Proof of Freedom to Marry
(This can be established through the traditional letters of freedom from each of the parishes the person has lived in for six months or more since he/she was 18 years of age.
Alternatively they can ask a parent or somebody who has known them all their lives to write a letter stating their relationship to them and to the best of their knowledge they have never been married religiously or civilly in any jurisdiction.
Another possibility is for the person to swear an affidavit before a Commissioner of Oaths attesting that he/she has never been married religiously or civilly in any jurisdiction.
It is always best to check with your local priest with regards to methods of establishing freedom to marry as practices vary from place to place).
- Marriage Preparation Certificate
What is a Pre-Nuptial Enquiry Form?
As part of the pastoral care of the Church for you as an engaged person you will each complete a Pre-Nuptial Enquiry form with your local priest. The form records when you were received into the Church at Baptism and then Confirmed. It also indicates that you are free to marry and helps identify any special permission that you might need.
It also affirms that as a mature adult you understand the nature of marriage and accept the duties and responsibilities of married life. The individually completed forms of the bride and groom are sent to the parish priest of the Church where the wedding is taking place and after the wedding the forms are kept in the parish archive.
What happens if my situation is particular?
If your situation is particular such as a Catholic marrying somebody from another Christian denomination or marrying somebody who is not baptised you should immediately consult with your priest informing him of the special situation. You may wish to consult our FAQ’S for more information.
What are the Civil requirements?
The Civil requirements are separate to the Church requirements and need to be fulfilled by all couples intending to get married in Ireland.
In the Republic of Ireland the couple must arrange to meet in person a civil registrar at least three months before the wedding to give the required three months notice of their intention to marry (in advance of meeting the registrar, know the name of the priest/deacon (solemniser) who has agreed to celebrate the Marriage).
- Receive the Marriage Registration Form (MRF) from the civil registrar-without this document no Marriage can take place.
- Show the MRF to the priest/deacon (solemniser) to check that details are correct
. - Make the verbal declaration of no civil impediment not more than two days before Marriage.
- Return the signed MRF to any civil registrar no later than one month after the wedding.
The Sacred Priesthood: If you feel called to the Sacred Priesthood then contact Fr Tony Gonoude, Vocations Director, Diocese of Meath on 0449373923, Facebook Diocese of Meath Vocations or Instagram Diocese of Meath Vocations
- Follow me”( LK 9:51-62).
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”[a] But he turned and rebuked them. 56 Then[b] they went on to another village.
Here we see the image of Jerusalem and the cross come into view. The disciples want to punish those who do not receive Jesus with fire; the burning of the wrath of God but this is not the way of the Lord. The city and the Calvary he must go to is the essence of the call he has to give of himself and so burn hate with love. With his cross, he wants to set the world on fire with the presence of the God who dies and gives us his sacred Body down the ages. The disciples must be with him as he goes from Golgotha, to Gethsemane to Pilate and indeed beyond the morning of the resurrection. Real power, the power of Christ’s High Priesthood comes not in burning away but setting aflame that which destroys with hate, division and exclusion. Here we see in a way the formation of the priesthood of Jesus for us. We are called to follow him, you are asked to answer him by setting the city here on earth on fire with his love but to do this, we have to know that his cross is the key that opens the eternal Jerusalem, heaven. This is the message and mystery of Jesus we are asked to give to all those we meet. Note something else from the account, James and John want to act alone on their impulse, and the Lord rebukes them. This is something essential to a call. As Jesus says to Peter, you will be brought, so it is with us. When we try to impose our will on the call of Christ then it is ourselves, our way but this is not following Him. You don’t give yourself the Priesthood; it is from the summons of Jesus that the office to serve derives from. If you are looking for social standing, an upper class existence or a comfort zone then just look at the Jerusalem of the Cross and know that with love comes sacrifice and with the flame of Christ comes the joy of service. The Apostles in going with the Lord must give of all themselves; the call is not part time, a clock in or set hours. To be with God’s Son as priest is total, beautiful. Yes you can bring your personality, your gifts, enjoy breaks and have lots of joy but remember the cross; the gift of Jesus demands our yes always. You have to be near God’s fire, not in a half-hearted way but fully. Finally, remember that this is a ministry of joy because of the cross we have Life, we have Christ with us always. This is a happy message for families, students, the sick, the old and those with difficulties. From the altar to the font, to the graveside, we are ministers who bring the Good news; God has not gone away he is here. In everything we must hear Jesus speak follow me.
Parish of Ballynacargy and Sonna 