Every New Year brings its own challenges. This year we are all deeply aware of the very difficult times which face our society. Many are struggling to make ends meet as we gradually come to realise the impact that recent policies and dishonesty has had. Many have lost their savings and pensions and as often happens those at the bottom of society will have to pay disproportionately for debts run up by those who controlled millions. The closure of Superquinn in Naas reminds us of those who have and continue to loose their jobs. Our thoughts and support are with them and the many young people who must emigrate to find work. I hope we will be able to support one another through these very challenging times.
Our church continues to be rocked by the scandalous abuse suffered by young people over the years at the hands of priests and religious. Every new enquiry reminds us of the terrible suffering of vulnerable young people at the hands of people who should have been instruments of the love of Jesus Christ. The year ahead will see the publication of yet another report from the diocese of Cloyne. It is becoming clear that the abuse was not just the consequence of the actions of a few ‘bad apples’ but was also the result of systems within the church. Hopefully the current visitations of the archdioceses, religious and seminaries will address systemic failures wherever they are found.
In our group of three parishes we need to continue building up the local Christian communities. The work of catechesis continues in our homes, schools and parishes. There is a growing realisation of the central role of parents in the handing on of the Christian faith. I encourage all parents to be brave in living the faith and in sharing it with your families. Hopefully the rest of us, teachers, priests, parish workers and parishioners will be able to provide you with the support and encouragement you need. I thank the members of our three Parish Pastoral Councils for the commitment they are giving to the life of the parishes. In the future these councils will have to share more and more responsibility for the life of the parish.
Care of the buildings of parishes is an ongoing burden which must be borne by us all if we are to provide the basic facilities necessary for the parish community. In the year ahead Naas and Two-Mile-House parishes face the task of carrying out necessary repairs to their churches. In Two-Mile-House the tower must be repaired. While this is being done it seemed wise to do some other works around the church entrance and grounds. Planning permission has been granted for the work which has received the support of the Pastoral Council. It is hoped it will be possible to carry it out using existing resources available to the parish. Work will begin after Easter and the church will not be available for weddings from May to August.
It is twenty five years since the very major reordering and renovation of Our Lady and St. David’s Church in Naas. Ware and tare of this well used and loved church has taken its toll. In addition some items not addressed in 1985 must now be faced. Water is entering the building in a number of places so the building must now be re-pointed and broken guttering and down pipes replaced. The old mortuary chapel, main porch and stairs were not attended to in 1985; there is no heating in this area. It is now proposed to upgrade this whole area and bring it into regular use. The display at the back of the church gives an idea of areas needing attention. In addition the church grounds and car park will be upgraded. Planning Permission is being applied for and hopefully work will begin after Easter and be completed by Christmas. The church will not be available for weddings during this time. It will be closed for some weeks during renovation but will be available for weekend Masses. While the parish has resources available, it is unlikely they will be sufficient to complete the work. The parish finance committee and pastoral council will need to work on a plan for the renovation once a budget is agreed in the coming month or so.
The recession has put a halt to the ambitious plans for a new church and parish centre in Sallins. It is now clear that the development planned to fund this work will not take place in the foreseeable future. Meanwhile some minimal work has been carried out on the church to make it a safer building and ease circulation. The old school building has been renovated to bring it up to a reasonable standard. Thankfully the resources to carry out this work were available to the Parish Centre Committee and the parish. I would like to thank all who worked on these projects, especially those who gave of their professional services free of charge.
Clearly these are not good times to be seeking funds for parish renovation work but we are lucky to have the resources already available to do some or all of the work. With careful management and phasing it should be possible to bring these projects to completion. I thank you for your support and hope that we can all work together to support one another and build up the Christian community in our parishes. With every good wish for a happy and peaceful New Year.
Tom McDonnell, Parish Priest
Naas, Sallins and Two Mile House
9th January 2011
045 897 150
