Mass Times:
Weekends:
Tourlestrane: Sun 10.30am:
Kilmactigue: Saturday 7pm ( from beginning October to end of April)
Saturday 8pm ( from beginning May to end of September)
Lough Talt: Sun 9.20am
Weekdays:
Tourlestrane: 9.30am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and 7/8pm on Fridays
Kilmactigue: 9.30am on Mondays, Thursdays
Mass on Saturday morning on arrangement with requestor.
Lent
Ash Wednesday is to be observed as a day of penance in the whole Church, one of both fast and abstinence.
Weekday Mass.
The faithful should try to attend weekday Masses, and where this is not possible they should be encouraged to read the lessons, either with their family or in private. We will celebrate an extra Mass in Kilmactigue church on Wednesdays during Lent at 7pm.
Ashes
On Wednesday, the faithful , thus entering into the time established for the purification of their souls, this sign of penance, a traditionally biblical one, has been preserved among the Church’s customs until the present day. It signifies the human condition of the sinner, who seeks to express his/her guilt before the Lord in an exterior manner, and in so doing, express his/her interior conversion, led by the confident hope that the Lord will be merciful.
The blessing and imposition of ashes will take place from 7pm in Tourlestrane church with Mass at 9.30am. Blessing and imposition of ashes in Kilmactigue church at 7pm.
Penance
The role of the Church in penitential practices is not to be neglected. Encouragement is to be given to pray for sinners The faithful are to be reminded that both according to law and tradition, they should approach the sacrament of penance during this season, so that with purified heart they may participate in the paschal mysteries. It is appropriate that during lent the sacrament of penance be celebrated according to the rite for the reconciliation of several penitents with individual confession and absolution, as given in the Roman Ritual.
Stations of the Cross;
The Stations of the Cross harmonise with the Lenten season. They will be prayed this year in the Lake church on all Thursdays during Lent, beginning next Thursday 19th February at 7pm. All are welcome to come.
Baptised and Sent
This Lent, parishes, schools and groups across Ireland are invited to journey together through a set of reflective resources inspired by Baptised and Sent (the preparatory document for the 2025 Assembly in Kilkenny). Grounded in the conviction that baptism is the foundation of our identity, dignity and mission, these resources help us return to the heart of Christian life, that through Baptism we are reborn in Christ and sent out by the Spirit in service of the Gospel.
Each week offers a simple structure for prayer, Gospel reflection and conversations that are linked to key insights from Baptised and Sent. The themes for each week, such as belonging, healing, renewal, and mission, flow from Baptised and Sent’s call to see baptism as the “entry point to a life of faith, a gateway to mission, and the root and foundation on which to build a Christian life” as well as a unifying paradigm for the renewal of the Church in Ireland.
Through these Lenten reflections, each person – lay, religious and ordained – are encouraged to rediscover who we are as God’s people, to listen to the Holy Spirit and to take concrete steps, individually and collectively towards living our baptismal calling more deeply. Our hope is that this season of Lent will open our collective hearts to new life in Christ and prepare us for the continuing synodal journey toward the National Assembly in 2026.
Lenten Reflections on “Baptised and Sent.”
On the Tuesdays of Lent at 8pm in Fr John’s house there will be an opportunity to reflect on the document Baptised and Sent. The document itself can be found at Baptised and Sent. Do come and we can explore and reflect on what it means for us as a parish.
Trocaire
Trócaire is the overseas development agency of the Irish Catholic Church. We work in partnership with local development and humanitarian actors, to support people and communities to tackle the root causes of poverty, injustice and violence and to use their own power to create positive and lasting change. Trócaire is rooted in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, the social teaching of the Church, which inspires us to live out the Gospel message of inclusion, love, justice and dignity for all. It is inspired by Scripture, the wisdom of Church leaders, and the lived experience of grassroots movements. In the words of Trócaire’s founding document, in which the bishops of Ireland gave the organisation a strong and clear mandate, ‘We know that we cannot claim to love God if we do not love our fellow men and women.’ Trócaire has worked through local partner organisations since its foundation. Partnership is at the heart of how Trócaire works. We work with local faith and non-faith-based organisations who share our values and who are working on any or all of our core programme areas of women’s empowerment, resource rights and humanitarian preparedness and response. These organisations understand the needs of their communities and are best placed to work with communities to deliver sustainable long-term change. The theme of the 2026 Trócaire Lenten campaign centres on the story of a multi-generational, female-led household in rural Rwanda. At just 28 years old, Uwamahoro is carrying the weight of three generations on her shoulders. She supports her mother, Verediana, 68, who lives with a disability, her daughter Ineza, 7 and her niece Vanessa, 12. Earning just 60 cent per day working on the land, Uwamahoro is doing the best she can to feed her family and keep the children in school, but it’s never enough. The next storm could destroy everything Uwamahoro has built. Their house is crumbling, the roof is leaking, they live in darkness with no electricity, and with each storm, they fear for their safety. This is not unusual for women across Rwanda, where severe storms are striking faster and more often, before families can recover from the last. We are asking the people of Ireland to help Uwamahoro rebuild her family’s lives and restore their hopes for the future. We wish to thank Bishop Kevin Doran and Pariah Pastoral Worker Mary Kirk for their help in writing this resource.
Trocaire/ Social Justice.
Exposition of Blessed Sacrament:
Tourlestrane: Tuesday 10am - 1pm
Kilmactigue: Monday 10am - 12noon
Confessions:
Tourlestrane: Friday 6pm - 6.30pm (from beginning October to end of April)
Friday 7pm - 7.30pm (from beginning May to end of September)
