1. New restrictions announced by government during the week asking that we keep our social contact to a minimum
2. In response to this announcement
   1. Distribution of Holy Communion is discontinued
   1. Moring Prayer each weekday is discontinued
   1. The Parish Office is closed to the public. Please contact the Parish via telephone 067 31272 or Parish mobile 087 2405762 or email (nenaghparishoffice@gmail.com)
   1. If you wish to book a Mass, request an Anniversary Mass or make a booking for a Baptism / Wedding please contact the Parish Office via telephone (067 31272) or email (nenaghparishoffice@gmail.com)
3. Both churches in the parish will be open during the day except during time of ceremonies. 
   1. St. Mary of the Rosary church open from 8.45am to 4.45pm
   1. St. John the Baptist church open through the day.
4. An interim schedule will be in operation which is on the Parish Website and posted at entrances to the churches.
5. In addition to our Mass schedule and the weekday Holy Hour we are offering a short moment of prayer titled ‘Food for Thought’ @ 1pm Monday to Friday. This is mainly focused on the theme currently being explored by 6^th class pupils using the ‘Grow in Love’ programme of catechetics.
6. The Parish newsletter will continue to be available at the entrances to our churches and on the parish website.
7. To facilitate the ongoing financial support from people there are secure boxes at the entrance to both churches. We cannot over emphasise our gratitude to each person who contributes to the running of the parish and the welfare of us priests. Your kindness is very much appreciated.  

Please join us via the Parish Radio (106.2FM) and/or the Parish Webcam. Please note that due to current restrictions no congregations are allowed during ceremonies.

St. Mary of the Rosary

(Open from 8.45am to 4.45pm except during Ceremonies)

Monday to Friday

Mass @ 8am and 11am (No Congregation Allowed)

‘Food for Thought’ 1pm (No Congregation Allowed)

Holy Hour @ 5pm (No Congregation Allowed)

Saturday

Mass @ 10am & 6.15pm (No Congregation Allowed)

Sunday

Mass @ 8am, 12noon and 6pm (No Congregation Allowed)

St. John the Baptist church

St. John the Baptist church will be open Monday to Friday during the day

Sunday

Mass @ 10.30am (No Congregation Allowed)

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The must-have item of this year has been released. Yes, the Nenagh Parish 2021 Calendar has been launched and is now available in both churches outside Mass times. Get in, grab a copy, take a couple for your neighbours and friends who may not be venturing out right now. To the volunteer community groups supporting those not leaving the house, you know what to do! And the best news of all…it’s free!!

https://nenaghparish.ie/newsletter/

We remind parishioners that you can obtain a paper copy of the Newsletter at weekends inside both Nenagh Parish churches. Downloadable copies are available here on the website or by joining the mailing list at nenaghpastoralcouncil@gmail.com

We also remind any community support groups who deliver supplies to those who need to remain at home to protect themselves, that you too can grab a bundle of newsletters each weekend for distribution to anyone who might request one.

As a special gift from us to you, Nenagh Parish presents a short video reminder of 2020. The many photos include far too few people, perhaps a reflection of the year that was. From everyone in Nenagh Parish, the Parish Team and the Pastoral Council, we thank you for your outstanding support during this saddest of years. We look forward to 2021 with optimism and great hope that we can once again be together without the threat of further separation. Until then, God Bless you all and have a wonderful New Year.

This year the Nenagh Community Christmas Day Dinner committee will operate a FREE “meals on wheels” service only due to COVID restrictions. They will visit on Christmas morning with a hot dinner with all the trimmings and an extra dinner for St. Stephen’s Day. This free “meals on wheels” service will be available to all people of the North Tipperary catchment area. If you would like to avail of our free “meals on wheels” service, donate a gift or volunteer then private message, call or text Sandra 087 6989401 or email farrellsandie@gmail.com

On Sunday, 20 December, members of the Nenagh Kairali Indian Community accepted an invitation to hold a Christmas Celebration at St Mary of the Rosary Church. We hope you enjoy some of the videos. We will post more videos from this wonderful celebration later this week. Enjoy!

With the beginning of Advent recently, preparations have begun in earnest in parishes across the country for the celebration of Christmas – albeit in a very different context this year. Priests working with Parish Pastoral Councils are making decisions at a local level on how best to celebrate Christmas in a safe manner. We extend our sincere gratitude to parish teams throughout the country – including stewards and cleaners – who generously ensure that our churches are safe environments where people can confidently assemble for worship. Their task, as Christmas approaches, will not be easy, and we appeal to all the faithful to cooperate fully with them.

We strongly encourage the faithful to keep Christ at the centre of Christmas this year. Clearly it will be impossible for our usual large congregations to assemble for Mass on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We wish to remind Catholics that the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days remains suspended during the pandemic. But Christmas is about more than just one day. Families are welcome to attend Mass at some point during the twelve days from Christmas Eve to Epiphany. Christmas Masses will also be widely available over webcam and we strongly encourage families to “tune in” from the “domestic churches” of their living rooms and join with those who are gathering in their local churches in welcoming the birth of the Christ-child.

Extract from A message from the Irish bishops: “Keep Christ at the Centre of Christmas” –

2 December 2020

The members of the Parish Pastoral Council, working with the Nenagh Parish COVID-19 Management Group, considered the options in relation to the celebration of Masses this Christmas. After lengthy and often painful consideration, it was decided that the best option was to hold Christmas ceremonies in the absence of a congregation. The decision to hold Masses online only was based on experiences to date of having to abide by the guidelines issued by the government during Level 2 and Level 3 (with exceptions). Without the generosity of those who volunteered as Stewards and Cleaners we would have been unable to welcome people back into the church buildings for Mass. The reality of Stewards having to restrict access to the church building was not a pleasant experience on their part nor on that of parishioners who were denied access. This situation was a regular experience, especially during weekend Masses.

The wellbeing of each person is paramount, and the restrictions exist to ensure the safety of each individual entering our church buildings. How to control numbers is an issue that is very sensitive to address. Fortunately, here in Nenagh Parish we have a very good communications system in our Parish Radio and Webcam. Over the years people have become accustomed to the benefits of connecting via both channels of communication. A decision to celebrate the Masses on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, St. Stephen’s Day and Sunday 27 December, in the absence of a congregation allows for the safety of everyone. It also directed us to seeing that the core of our faith is nourished at home with our families.

One might reasonably ask, why not welcome the permitted number into Masses at Christmas as usual. The heartbreaking reality of this is that on Christmas Eve night and on Christmas Day, our churches are typically full to capacity. How do we select the maximum number people for admission to each Mass and refuse many hundreds, possibly thousands, of others over the course of the period? Who do we exclude? Those who are home to Nenagh for their Christmas visit with family? Those who attend the church all throughout the year? We have examined all of the options and as painful as this decision is, it is the only one that is fair to everyone. It is also the safest.

Gathering at home as family and linking in with the celebrations from our church buildings via the Parish Radio / Webcam is what the Irish Bishops describe as the “Domestic Churches”. Are the restrictions of COVID-19 directing us to see a flicker of light in the growth of our faith as we gather together in our homes at the crib, at table, by the lighted candle at the window or wherever a family can find a space to pray? While the decision of the Parish Pastoral Council may seem to some as a restriction on our celebrations, can we see it as a safer option allowing everyone to be treated equally and families to pray together? After all, Joseph and Mary were locked out of the Inn and what was at first a very disappointing experience allowed the Infant Jesus be born in a stable and welcomed by both shepherds and royalty!!! Maybe this year’s restricted experience is giving us a more realistic understanding of the true meaning of Christmas?