MINISTERS OF THE WORD AND MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST
The new Rota for both of the above is now available in the Sacristy. Please collect
as soon as possible. The Rotas come into effect in February. The Sacristy is open
each morning Mon to Fri after 9.30 Mass until llam.
RECENT BAPTISMS Euan Christopher Leszek O’Sullivan, Killowen,
Enniskeane. Maeve Mary Ahern, Clancoolmore.
COLLECTION FOR HAITI Bishop Buckley has authorised that a second
collection would be taken up at all masses in the diocese this weekend for the
victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
BANDON BRANCH OF COPE are holding their Annual Dinner and Presentation
of Cheque on Wednesday 27th January 2010 at 8pm sharp in the Brogan Inn. All
friends and helpers welcome. Please contact Julia Slyne at 023 88 39331 or 086
368l8l5.
S.V.P. Church door collection next weekend. Sat 30th and Sun 3lst Jan.
SCHEME OF TAX RELIEF FOR DONATIONS TO THE CHURCH The
Offertory Donations you make every Sunday are tax deductible and the tax can be
reclaimed at the end of the year. Many parishes are now making great use of this
scheme. If you wish to take part in the scheme you will need a numbered box of
envelopes so that a record can be kept of individual contributions. Numbered boxes
are available in the Sacristy where any queries you might have will be addresssed.
ST BROGAN’S COLLEGE ADULT EVENING COURSES Enrol: Mon
25th Jan, 7-8pm. Courses start Mon lst Feb, 7.30-9.30pm. 10 weeks. Cost:
€ l 15: Beginner Computers, ECDL. Allotment/Grow your own, Bridge and Art
(beginners and improvers), Creative Writers Workshop. Also Flower arranging: 6
wks €75. Any further enquiries: Tel Marian on 087 2309653 (2-4pm only).
BANDON OPINION February issue is out on Thursday next, January 28th.
AFTERNOON TEA DANCE in Gaggin on Sunday 3lst Jan in aid of Bru
Columbaras.

2009 was not a Lord’s year of favour for the Church in Ireland. 2009 was the year
of the Ryan Report, a report that will cast a long shadow of pain and of shame for
many years to come.
No, 2009 was not a year of the Lord’s favour. But then again, perhaps it was just
exactly that, a year of the Lord’s favour, painful and shameful as it was.
For it was a year that allowed at long last A truth to be told. True it is not the whole
truth of the Irish Church or of the Irish people but it is nevertheless A truth that
must not, can not and should not be denied. The victims deserve nothing less than
the truth be out. Their story must be listened to and their sufferings always and
everywhere be unreservedly condemned.
The fact is we were blind, we were deaf to the truth of our Second Reading that we
are all part of Christ’s body. This includes the most poor, the most captive, the most
blind and the most downtrodden. If our hope is to proclaim a year of favour for the
Lord, if our hope is to proclaim liberty to captives, to the blind new sight, to set the
downtrodden free then we shall study the Ryan Report in depth, despite the painful
reading it requires.
If our hope is that we will not be reading the ‘Son of Ryan’s Report’ in 20/30 years
time, then accepting that churches and orders have learnt by then the painful lessons,
the fact remains that most child abuse will happen outside of the contexts that are
now being held responsible. What are we going to do about this? Who is going to
speak up for them? Who is going to bring the good news to those poor? Who is
going to liberate those captives? Who is going to give new sight to those blind?
Who is going to give freedom to those downtrodden? Who is going to proclaim a
year of favour to them?
Only when this is done will we be truly able to make our own the words of Jesus in
today’s Gospel: ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’