Computing Truth  

The world’s fastest computer makes 1,759 trillion calculations per second. Though faster than any human brain for calculating, it can’t do the mundane problem-solving that Joe Soap does daily. Neither can it calculate what the important things in life are. Such things as meaning, purpose, destiny, friendship, service and love. Maybe that’s because it doesn’t have a mind of its own. But even humans with a mind of their own don’t always calculate correctly either.

Take the prodigal son in today’s Gospel. (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32) He has a mind of his own, but focused on himself. If ’garbage in garbage out’ is the techno mantra for computers, then ’selfish in, selfish out’ is the moral mantra for people. The father knows this, yet allows his son the freedom to act selfishly. Rather like God with us, if we don’t use our head we’ll suffer for it. Unfortunately, often, so too will others. The father can object to his son’s demand, but doesn’t.

He acknowledges that his son is a free agent. So he gets his way. Not surprisingly, it’s the way to disaster. Back he comes to his father the wiser for a lesson that only life can teach him. Wisdom doesn’t come from machines, even from supercomputers that use 147,456 processors to simulate just 1 per cent of the human brain. The director of America’s National Science Foundation claims that supercomputers ’let you get closer to the truth. ’Good to know! Yet even better is to know that when you accept God’s word without calculation you find real truth even more quickly.

Fr Tom Cahill SVD

THE MOTHER OF THREE NOTORIOUSLY UNRULY TEENAGERS WAS ASKED WHETHER OR NOT SHE’D HAVE CHILDREN IF SHE HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN. “YES,” SHE REPLIED.

“BUT NOT THE SAME ONES”

St. Patrick’s Day Mass Times

Vigil (Tues) 7pm

Wed 17th
8am,10am,12 noon. No 7pm Mass.

Friday 19th March - Feast of St. Joseph.

Focal scoir

“N і l aon D і a eile ann, na ni raibh, ná ní raibh riamh,

Ná ní bheidh go deo, ach Dia an tAthair gan ghiniúint, gan tús, aruaidh gach tús, arb ann gach ní, de réir an teagaisc a fuaramar; agus a Mhacsan, Ìosa Críost, a dhearbhaímid a bhí fara an Athair I gcònaí.’

(Faoistin Naomh Padraig)

IS MINIC A RINNE BROMACH GIOBLACH CAPALL CUMASACH
A raggy colt often made a powerful horse.

TÚS AGUS DEIREADH AN DUINE TARRAINGT AR AN TINE
The beginning and end of one’s life is to draw closer to the fire.

BÌONN GACH TOSACH LAG
Every beginning is weak

NÌ HUASAL NÁ ÌSEAL ACH THUAS SEAL AGUS THÌOS SEAL
It is not a matter of upper or lower class but of being up a while and down a while

SÌLEANN DO CHARA AGUS DO NAMHAID NACH BHFAIGHIDH TÚ BÁS CHOÌCHE
Both your friend and your enemy think that you will never die

IS FEARR GLAS NÁ AMHRAS
A lock is better than suspicion

IS BEAG AN DEALG A DHÉANAS SILEADH
Even a small thorn causes festering

ÓN LÁ A PÓSFAIDH TÚ BEIDH DO CHROÌ I DO BHÉAL AGUS DO LÁMH I DO PHÓCA
From the day you marry your heart will be in your mouth and your hand in your pocket

MÁS MAITH LEAT TÚ A CHÁINEADH, PÓS
If you want to be criticised, marry

AN RUD A LÌONAS AN TSÚIL LÌONANN SÉ AN CROÌ
What fills the eye fills the heart

Parish Pastoral Council

Mission Statement

We, the people of Mary Immaculate Parish, believe that we are called by God to make his Kingdom a reality in the world of today. We are aware of the deep faith, devotion to our Lady and hospitality, of those who have worshipped here over the years. We commit ourselves to the values of the Gospel by:

Inchicore-Bluebell Pastoral Area

LENT 2010
RECONCILIATION SERVICE
Wed 24th March, 7pm
Mary Immaculate

Discernment

People knew the sage as unsparing in his efforts to help those in need. Yet he
would insist that helping others has to be done with considerable wisdom and
discernment, When asked about wise helping, his message was clear:

Help only those who, in fact, need your help.
Help only those who are willing to help themselves.
Help only those you are happy to help.
Help with the awareness of the impact of your help.
Help in ways that set people free, not bind them in any way.
Help others in ways that allow them to enrich you also.

Addiction

A school teacher explained that she was addicted to pleasing people. ‘I have made a career out of pleasing others. I do it with my husband and children. I do it with the principal and kids in my school. Everywhere I go I do too much, give up my own comfort and time to make other people happy and when someone is disappointed, I am devastated’

‘Relationships based on the need to please are never happy. They turn you into a victim,’ the sage remarked. ‘But seeing that you are a slave is the beginning of your freedom’

A Pilgrimage to the region of Aix en Provence
Marseille and Avigon will take place, Places are limited.

For further details see poster at back of the Church, contact the parish office or email oblatepartners@btinternet.com

Fr Lorcan O’ Reilly OMI, The Mission Office
House of Retreat. Phone: 01 4541117

Oblate Dynamo’s basketball Club

Over the weekend of the 5th, 6th, &7th March, twelve teams represented the club, eleven of them won and one lost.

On Friday evening the boys under 16 team beat The Lions and the men’s team beat
Templeogue and the ladies senior 2 team beat the Tigers from Kilcock.

On Saturday the under 14 girls beat Meteors, the under 13 boys beat Tolka Rovers, the under 15 boys beat Killester after three periods of extra time by two points .

On Sunday the under 14 girls, the under 16 girls and the senior 1 girls beat Liffey Celtics (Leixlip). The under 12 girls also won. Our only loss over the weekend was the under 11 girls.

The under 14 girls played in a Tournament in Tralee on Saturday against the beat under 14 girls teams in Ireland and won, they played six games.