You are warmly invited to join us for an informal OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) Information Evening at St. Patrick’s Church, Dundalk, at 7pm on Thursday, 17th September 2026.

This invitation is open to anyone who is searching for God, exploring the Catholic faith, has not yet completed their initiation into the Catholic Church, or perhaps has stepped away from the Church and is considering returning. Come along just as you are, with your questions, your hopes, or simply your curiosity. There is no obligation or commitment — just an opportunity to meet others, learn more about the Catholic faith, and discover where God may be leading you.

You are not alone on this journey, and you will be very welcome.

For further information, please contact Sharon Dunne on 087 641 7334 or email dunnesharon.pastoralcentre@gmail.com

This Mass will give us all an opportunity to thank Bishop Michael for his six years of generous service in the Archdiocese of Armagh and wish him well on his appointment as Bishop of Derry.

This has been grown from an oak tree which still exists in Ardpatrick (north of Dundalk) where St. Oliver Plunkett lived. Many trees have been planted over the years from this great oak tree and we have been gifted one of these trees.

We know that St. Oliver met locally with priests and people from the Dunleer and surrounding area in a time of great challenge our country and our Catholic faith.

Tuesday, September 1st marks the beginning of the Season of Creation and is also the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.

To mark the day, we will celebrate a special Mass for the Care of Creation at 10.00am in St. Brigid’s Church, Dunleer. During the Mass, Holy Water will also be blessed, reminding us of the precious gift of water and our call to cherish and protect God’s creation.

A limited number of Holy Water bottles will be available on the day. If possible, people are encouraged to bring their own suitable bottle or container to take some of the newly blessed Holy Water home.

As we give thanks for the gift of creation, we pray for the grace to care for our common home and all that God has entrusted to us.

All are very welcome to join us.

As a new school year begins, all children, college students, teachers, SNAs, education staff and their families are warmly invited to our Annual Blessing of School Bags & Backpacks during the 11.30am Mass this Sunday, 30th August, in St. Brigid’s Church, Dunleer.

Bring along your school bag or backpack as we ask God’s blessing upon everyone returning to school.

AND our annual parish picnic will take place after the Mass in the parochial house grounds (or in the parish hall and portacabin depending on the weather!).

A special invitation is extended to our 2026 First Holy Communion children to wear their beautiful clothes again. I’ll call them to the main door of the church just before Mass begins so they can process to the altar with me. That invitation is also for our 2026 Confirmation classes.

Dunleer Active Retirement return to St Brigid’s Hall on Tuesday 8 th September at 2 pm after summer break.

We welcome our regular members back and hopefully new members.

We start with 8 sessions of Chair Aerobics .

Anyone who would like to come for visit and have cup tea would be very welcome.

Dear Parishioners,
After prayerful discernment and consultation with our Parish Pastoral Council, I have decided to suspend the celebration of Mass on Wednesday mornings in the parish, from the week beginning Monday, September 7ᵗʰ, 2026.

 
In deciding which weekday Mass to suspend, I have chosen Wednesday because the Wednesday morning Mass appears generally to be attended by fewer people than the other weekday Masses. Going forward, Mass intentions will not be taken for Wednesdays.

 
One of the principal reasons for this decision is the need to ensure that I have a genuine day off each week. Very often, my day off (previously a Thursday) would only begin at lunchtime that day. Indeed, there have been weeks when I have not been able to take a day off at all. This is no longer sustainable, especially given my current family commitments.

 
At the same time, I believe that this change presents us with an opportunity for our parish to grow in prayer, participation, and responsibility.

From Wednesday September 9ᵗʰ, instead of Mass on Wednesdays, there will be a Liturgy of the Word at 10.00am, led by trained lay members of the parish who are already Ministers of the Word. This will provide an opportunity for the parish community to continue to gather, to listen to the Word of God, to pray together and to support one another even when a priest is not present.
This is something which the Church encourages. The National Centre for Liturgy, in its publication It Is Good for Us to Be Here, reminds us:

 
“When a parish does not have the celebration of the Eucharist on weekdays, people who wish should continue to gather and encounter the Lord in his Word and in the assembly, prayer and witness of God’s people.”

It is an opportunity for us to recognize more fully the responsibility that belongs to all of us through our Baptism. Each of us is called to pray, to serve, to proclaim the Gospel and to play our part in building up the life of our parish community.

I am also conscious that some may wonder why Holy Communion will not form part of this Wednesday celebration. The Church does not encourage the distribution of Holy Communion during such Liturgies of the Word. The Eucharist is at the very heart of the Church’s life, and precisely because we hold the Eucharist in such reverence, we should not try to reproduce part of the Mass when the celebration of the Eucharist itself is not taking place. When the people gather for a Liturgy of the Word in the absence of Mass, we encounter Christ in the Scriptures proclaimed, in prayer and in our gathering together as his people.

 
When a Funeral Mass is arranged for a Wednesday, the Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 12 noon (as is current practice) and there will be no Liturgy of the Word or Mass that day at 10am.

Thank you, as always, for your understanding, your prayers and your continued support.

 
Yours in Christ and in His service,
Fr. Damien
Sunday August 23ʳᵈ, 2026, Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

“The Lord gathers and unites us together.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 296–373), Festal Letter X

For many years, they have served God’s people faithfully — celebrating Mass, baptising, marrying, comforting, preaching and walking with their parish communities. Some, even in retirement, continue to help in our parishes; others now live in nursing homes or are unable to minister because of long-term illness.

Through a dedicated parish envelope in these weeks, we have an opportunity to support them in their retirement, illness and later years. We give thanks for their years of priestly service and ask God’s blessing upon them.