Click below to read letter from Bishop Michael regarding Catholic Schools Week

 🎄 Just a reminder that Sunday 1st February is the next  play & pray Mass. Hope to see you all there.

Newsletter

             PARISH OF LISDOONVARNA, KILSHANNY, TOOVAHERA, AND DOOLIN. January 17/18, 2026.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK- NORMAL LIVES, CALLED TO HOLINESS

Fr. Robert Mc Namara PP, 065 7074142, 087 0949030 lisdoonpp@galwaydiocese.ieLisdoonvarnaparish.ie

CORPUS CHRISTI, LISDOONVARNA 10am: Thomas and Agnes Flanagan. Donal and Bea O' Grady. Sean and Mary O' Loughlin.

Our recently deceased: Mary O' Leary, Ballymacraven and Dublin. Michael Moloney, Milltown Malbay, brother of Bridie Sammon.

7pm Saturday evening Masses in January:

Toovahera, January 17th: Anthony 'O'Donohue, first anniversary, also remembering his brother John and parents Stephen and Eileen.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK: is celebrated this week. The theme is Normal lives, Called to Holiness, expressing holiness through prayer and ordinary actions at school and home. Holiness is doing the ordinary things in an extraordinary way, as St Therese would put it. In his message for this special week, Bishop Michael presents this theme in an interesting way. While visiting a classroom of children, he asked if anyone would like to be a saint! The response was muted, to say the least. Then he asked if they desired to be the best they could be in life. The response was much more enthusiastic! Bishop Michael then explained that to be a saint and to be the best you can be are much closer than they thought; in fact, a saint is someone who, with God's grace, has grown into the fullest and finest version of who they were created to be. Bishop Michael rounds off his reflection with a quote from our new teenage St. Carlo Acutis: "all people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies." "I pray that our Catholic school communities will continue to inspire us all to foster our God-given originality and, in the process, teach us how to walk the journey of life, striving always to be the very best we can be. Striving, with God's help, to grow in holiness. Striving to be saints."

May I take this opportunity to thank and ask God's blessing on all our wonderful school staff and Boards of Management for their great work, and on all our young people and their families.

THE WAY: Jesus Himself tells us that He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), and His first followers, the first Christian movement is called "The Way" in the Acts of the Apostles, 9:2. Recently the Irish Catholic Bishops have started a wonderful on-line resource called theWay.ie. This is a new national platform for our Church providing high-quality content about our Catholic faith for all ages. Please visit and share with family and friends. You can also follow this content on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, and YouTube.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED PLEASE to help with opening and closing Lisdoonvarna church. Please let Fr. Robert know.

EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST NEEDED to bring the Blessed Sacrament to the sick and housebound. If you have not been a Eucharistic minister before, no problem; training will be provided. Garda vetting will also be necessary. THANK YOU FOR LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: €1557.

NEXT MARY'S MEALS COFFEE MORNING: after 10am Mass in Lisdoonvarna on Sunday, February 1st.

NO MASS on Wednesday evening, January 28, due to a clergy conference, but Adoration will be held. My apologies for the inconvenience.

GALWAY CATHEDRAL NOVENA: Theme: Let us go to the house of the Lord (Psalm 122). Beginning Monday, February 2nd, three sessions a day: 11am, 1.10pm, and 7.30pm. Sunday times: 10.30am, 12.30pm, 3pm, and 6pm.

LISDOONVARNA FAILTE MATTERS: your views are requested to help shape the future of our community facilities and services. Please complete the form online at https://forms.office.com/e/CWR7Auh4Tr or take a paper copy from the back of the church and return it to the Lisdoonvarna Failte Office by January 19 please.

Exercise classes at the Pavilion: Tuesdays, Body Conditioning, 7pm; Wednesdays, Move and Mobility classes suitable for all, 1pm; Fridays, Zumba Gold, dance/exercises classes, can even be done sitting! Fridays: coffee, craft, and chat, 10.30am to 12.30pm, everyone welcome.