Dear Friends
Tomorrow we enter the season of Advent and the intense time of preparation for Christmas. I hope it will be marked with hope for all of you.
Over the next few weeks, there will be a number of events in the Chapelle Saint Patrick
At the 11h30 Mass on Sunday, December 8, there will be a prayer of blessing for children and on expectant parents. Children will be invited to decorate the Christmas tree after Mass.
The Advent Carol Service will take place at 17h00 on Saturday, December 14. Doors will open at 16h45. After the Carols, there will be a reception. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd from Angers will hold a Sharing Fair with crafts for sale from their Justice Projects in developing countries. Final prayers will be in the Chapelle at 19h30. Everyone is welcome and this always proves to be a beautiful time of friendship and celebration.
There will be Mass each Sunday as usual at 11h30. Mass on Christmas Day will also be at 11h30. If you happen to be in Paris for Christmas, you will be welcome to join us.
Fr Dwayne Gavin will take over as chaplain on January 1, 2014 but his first official function will be Mass on Sunday, January 5 (Feast of the Epiphany) at 11h30, followed by the reception with Galettes des Rois. Please come along on that day to wish him well as he begins his ministry here in Paris.
Finally, as this will be my last message, I would like to thank all those who made my time in Paris a real joy. I am very glad that Fr Dwayne has agreed to take over the chaplaincy and I am sure he will bring it to new and better places with the gift of his warmth and friendliness. I am confident to leave the mission in his hands. I will remember my days here always and I promise you all a place in my prayers. Thanks again!
(Please note: during the month of December, there will be an inevitable difficulty in communications as the changeover between chaplains happens. Messages to this address may not be answered as promptly as desired. In advance, I would ask for your understanding. Personal messages to me should no longer be addressed to this service but to my personal e-mail. Requests around baptisms and sacraments would probably be best left to the New Year.)
God bless!
Sean
Fr Sean Maher
THE IRISH CHAPLAINCY