Dear Friends, 

The Season of Advent has arrived.

Sunday, 28th November 2021, we begin a new year in the Church with the season of Advent.  Advent means the coming and is a time to help us prepare for Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. 

The Advent wreath, with its candles representing the Sundays of Advent, came from an 1839 initiative by Johann Hinrich Wichern, a Protestant pastor in Germany. The children he taught were impatient as they awaited Christmas so he made a ring of wood, with nineteen small red tapers and four large white candles. Every morning a small candle was lit, and every Sunday a large candle. So the children could count down to Christmas day.  

The modern version  of the wreath retains the four large candles (3 purple and 1 rose in colour) representing HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE which are lit on the four Sundays of Advent.  There are many designs of child friendly wreaths available online which you as a family may enjoy creating.

The Advent Calendar is another good tool to help count down and prepare for Christmas. Our two Advent Calendars (designed to include all members of the family) is available to download. Checkout the blank version which you can download and track your family’s activities & the other one has a suggestion each day.

Advent Family Prayer

God of Love, Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us. He is a sign of your love.

Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent, as we wait and prepare for his coming.

We pray in the name of Jesus, our Saviour. Amen.

The Christmas Schedule is being finalised and we hope to share it with you shortly. 

In accordance with Government guidelines, we request individuals (children included) to please

Clonakilty Parish Appeal Update

We ask you to continue your Offertory Collection offerings by

1. placing them in an envelope and putting them in the box near St Anthony’s statue or the box near the sanctuary in Darrara Church. (Please mark the envelope ‘Offertory Collection’) or
2. using the Donate Button on this page or
3. by direct bank transfer.

The facility to make your donation to the offertory collections directly to the bank still exists see below:

THIS ACCOUNT IS FOR THE OFFERTORY COLLECTIONS ONLY

IBAN: IE54 BOFI 9026 1029 0094 71 (No spaces)
Account No: 29009471

BIC: BOFIIE2D
Sort Code: 902610

The Offertory Collections finance the upkeep and maintenance of the churches in Clonakilty Parish which includes lighting, heating, necessary supplies and repairs and the deep cleaning and sanitising of the buildings to ensure safe health for those who wish to come in and pray.

During these period, please continue to stay safe.  Please don’t hesitate to make contact with us by phoning or emailing Clonakilty Parish.  We will keep you updated through this website and our Facebook page.

Thanking you in advance for your continued generosity and be assured of my prayers.

God bless you all,