Remembering Our Dead

From next Tuesday 16th September the Diary for the booking of the masses for 2009 will be available in the Sacristy.  Months Mind and First Anniversary masses will continue to get priority.  Outside of this, parishioners are earnestly requested to consider having one mass for all their deceased relatives or at least couple together husbands and wives, brothers and sisters etc.  This would ensure that as many families as possible can be accommodated in this important but very sensitive matter.

Bandon Flower Club Presents a flower arranging demonstration by Roz jute A.O.I.F.A. on Monday 15th September at 8 o'clock in Munster Arms Hotel.  Visitors Welcome.

Bandon Branch of Cope Foundation will hold a meeting on the Munster Arms Hotel, September 15th at 8pm.  Please note change of time.

Stage Stars Drama resumes on Tuesday 23rd of September in Gaggin Hall 5 - 7yrs, 5pm 8 - 12yrs 6pm New Seniors (13 - 17 commencing at a later date all enquires telephone 087 2465118.

St.  Brogan's College Bandon is offering the opportunity to acquire computer skills in its new morning computer course for beginners.  This course offers excellent opportunities with new technology to improve your employment prospects or just to keep up.  There is no course fee required.  Mature students are particularly welcome on this course.  The course starts in mid-September.  For further information phone the school at 023 41120 or Irene Houlihan at 023 41688.

Foster Carer if you would like to find out more about becoming a foster carer an information evening has been organised by the Fostering Resource Unit on Monday 15th September at HSE Unit 9a, Kinsale Road Roundabout (near Smyth's Toys) at 7.00pm or you can contact the Fostering Resource Unit, St. Finbarr's Hospital, Douglas Road, Cork.  Tel. 021 4923025.  Email: fosteringcork@hse.ie

Tai Chi For Health and Fitness Whatever your age or level of fitness, Tai Chi Chuan is the ultimate form of exercise to keep you strong and healthy in body and mind.  A 10 week morning and evening course will commence on September 25th at 10.30am and 7.00pm At the Town Hall Bandon.  For further details please contact Mary Niles on 0872492921 or 0861780680.

Autumn Stations 2008 If you would be willing to have the Station for your area this Autumn please contact Sheila Hayes (023-41473) before September 21st.  Dangan, Cripple Hill and Danganmore.  Tullyland, Curravreeda, Lissaphooca, Gurranebeg, & Knockanrea.  Curraclough, and Callatrim.  Derfycool, and Carhue South.

RECENT BAPTISM Timothy Johannes Hegarty, Hill Terrace.  Maoliosa O'Regan, 1 Court Wetherton.  Hannah Michael France, 1 1 The Priory.  Carlo Federico Fuentes, 93 Radharc an Bhaile.  Caoimhe Johanna Bennett, Teach an Tir, Gaggin.

Special CoRection The Collection for the Education of Students for the priesthood will be taken up at all masses next weekend 20th & 21st September.

Youth 2000 Retreat for Young Adults: Youth 2000 will host a retreat for young adults aged between 16 - 35 years (approx) in Myross Wood Retreat Centre, Leap from Friday September 26th (7.30pm) to Sunday 28th.  The retreat weekend will be filled with fun, laughter, craic and prayer.  Meals and Board provided, donation only.  Newcomers especially welcome. www.youth2000.ie. Contact: Eamon on 086 9972539.

Gramophone Circle Monday September 15th 8pm.  Gateway Hall.  Everyone welcome.

It's hard to conceive of any way in which dying on a cross could be described as triumphant.  To be put to death on a cross as a common criminal is to come to the worst end possible.  It is the ultimate failure.  It is impossible to sink any lower.

But any standards Jesus' mission was a failure.  He alienated the important people.  He made enemies in the wrong places.  He managed to get himself arrested and convicted on trumped up charges.  His closest friends abandoned him in his hour of greatest need.  He was tortured and dragged through the streets before mocking crowds carrying the Cross to which he would be nailed.  And he was stripped and crucified between two criminals.

To describe an unspeakably brutal execution as a "triumph" seems either a bad joke or utter madness, which is what makes this feast - and the Christian story - so hard for so many people to understand.

But we Christians delight in this paradox because we know it points to just how deeply God loves us.  The cross of Christ is proof of God's love for us.  In order to show us the way, the truth, and the life, the Lord Jesus was prepared to risk everything, to give up everything, even his own life.  He was willing to die for us.  And his death and resurrection destroyed death and gave us life.  The deepest truth of the cross is God's swallowing up of even the greatest sin.  And so like Paul in today's second reading we glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ