Fifth Sunday of Lent
Set against the backdrop of Jesus’ impending Death, many elements of the raising of Lazarus foreshadow the good news of Jesus’ own Resurrection. Jesus, facing the conflict with the Jewish authorities, acts in complete obedience to God. In raising Lazarus, Jesus shows his power over death so that when Jesus dies, those who believe in him might remember that and take hope. Just as Jesus calls for the stone to be rolled away from Lazarus’s tomb, so too will the disciples find the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb. Likewise, each of us, as a result of our Baptism, can recognise how Jesus has rolled away the stones of our own tombs and called us to new life. We, in turn, are sent forth to bring hope of new life to others who are entombed by suffering, despair, and injustice. Who are some of the people/groups of people in society today who are ‘entombed’ by suffering, despair, and injustice? How can we bring hope and new life to those who are ‘entombed’ by these realities? When was a time that someone brought hope and new life to you? What are some of the ‘stones’ that need to be ‘rolled away’ in our society so that people may truly be free from injustice? Joe Paprocki
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Anniversaries This Weekend 22nd March 2026
Borris-in-Ossory Sunday Mass 11.00 a.m.
Lilly Sheeran,
Margaret and Michael Houlihan,
Finty Kealy
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First Confessions
St. Joseph’s School
Wednesday 25th March Borris-in-Ossory Church 7.30 p.m.
Killadooley School
Thursday 26th March at Killasmeestia Church 7.30 p.m.
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Killasmeestia Tidy Towns
The Killasmeestia Tidy Towns AGM will take place on Wednesday March 25th at 8pm. All Welcome
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NO MASS IN KNOCKAROO OR KILLASMEESTIA NEXT SUNDAY AS IT IS THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE MONTH
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Diocesan Ministry Discernment Programme Begins –
Last October, Bishop Niall Coll launched the Ministry of Catechist in the Diocese of Ossory. The initiative has received a very encouraging response, with more than thirty people from across the diocese applying to take part in a programme of discernment.
Each of these applicants is exploring the possibility that God may be calling them to a particular form of Pastoral Ministry within the Church, building upon the Baptismal vocation they are already living out in their families, parishes, and local communities.
The first gathering of applicants took place on 4 December 2025, and on Saturday 28 February participants formally began their journey of discernment at St Patrick’s Pastoral Centre, Loughboy.
The day was facilitated by Ms Gemma Mulligan, Diocesan Pastoral Coordinator and Fr Kieran O’ Shea. Bishop Ger Nash, Apostolic Administrator of the diocese, was the main speaker and all present were delighted to witness Bishop Ger’s enthusiasm for the programme, his encouragement, and assurance of continued support.
The discernment programme will continue until the summer with monthly gatherings, individual accompaniment, input from guest speakers on topics such as Prayer, Spirituality, Scripture, Teamwork and the Theology of Ministry, as well as a Retreat.
At the end of the discernment period, participants will consider whether to apply for the programme of formation offered in collaboration with St Patrick’s College Maynooth. All are encouraged to keep the participants in their prayers as they discern their call to pastoral ministry and seek to serve the Church in the Diocese of Ossory.
We hope that their response and commitment will encourage many others to follow the same path in the future.
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Eucharistic Ministers Next Weekend 29th March
Borris-in-Ossory SUNDAY 11.00 a.m.
Pauline Gardiner,
Marie Kelly,
Gail Maher,
Kay Dowling
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Church Reader Next Weekend 29th March
Borris-in-Ossory SUNDAY 11.00 a.m.
Margaret Breen
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Thought for the Day
The best fertiliser stinks. But it is out of that very real stink that something amazing grows. So it is with us: it is the dead and decaying parts of our lives, the rotting resentments, blistering wounds of old hurts, and the festering fears that are the points where we are most likely to be able to experience something new. The only way that happens is to bring them into the light of day, unbind them, and set them free – just as Lazarus was unbound and set free. Doing that takes faith in the process, a faith that Martha confessed, doubted, and then lived out – a faith in resurrection and life. blog.loukavar.com
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