At Mass we come together as individuals but it is as a community that we worship. In other words our celebration and participation at our weekend Mass is never a private thing. “It is the place for a vital encounter with the Risen Lord, the one who gives our lives ultimate, meaning and purpose. Our Eucharist particularly on a Saturday or Sunday continues to be a source of hope, life and profound meaning. In this sacred celebration, we have the opportunity to be transformed, to receive God’s grace, and to become the best versions of ourselves.” Those words from the Bishops statement this year on Why Sunday Matters, provide an opportunity for us to reflect as a Family of Parishes and we continue to work together in transforming and restructuring how we minister to one another.
For some time now is has become very evident that we, the priests of the Family of Parishes can no longer sustain the present weekend Mass schedule of 13 Masses. With this reality we recently convened a coordinating committee for the Family of Parishes comprising of 3 members of each Parish Assembly and the priests and deacon who hold a diocesan appointment, where we looked at how best we can deliver a weekend schedule for the next number of years. We realised that too many of our Masses were at the same time and but for the generous help of Fr. Martin Barry, who is known to you all, we couldn’t deliver as things stand.
Together we agreed that the priority going forward is to continue to deliver a weekend Mass in each of the 8 churches in our Family of parishes. Unlike other Families of Parishes, where apart from the Parish Church, other churches might have Mass once a month. And so each Parish is to schedule for one Mass less each weekend and no two churches having Mass at the same time. This was agreed in consultation with the new coordinating committee and they reported back to each Parish Assembly. This means that we can deliver this new schedule for the foreseeable future.
From Saturday 3rd January 2026 the weekend Mass schedule for our Family of Parishes will be as follows:
Saturday evening (Vigil)
5.30pm Springhill
6.00pm Little Island
7pm Glenville
Sunday
9.00am Knockraha
10.00am Upper Glanmire
10.30am Springhill
11.00am Glounthaune
11.30am Carraig na bhFear
12 noon Watergrasshill
Fr. Christy Fitzgerald Co-PP and Moderator; Fr. Pat Fogarty Co-PP; Fr. Damian
O’Mahony Co-PP; Fr. Pat Nugent C.C.; Fr. Emmanuel Ihomon C.C.
