John Graham works in the Parish of Finglas West – at the Church of the Annunciation. Among many aspects of pastoral life in his work, John has an involvement in various Sacramental programmes in the parish, both First Communion and Confirmation.

Some recent developments in the parish include the formation of school choirs to support and animate various sacramental celebrations. John is also involved in helping to start a parish funeral team.

Other new initiatives will include the establishing of the John Paul II Award in local schools and also helping with parish home visitations.

The Alpha Course in Finglas West Parish

The Alpha Course is a ten-week introduction to the Christian faith. It is being used in many parishes around the world as a tool of evangelisation, helping people learn and understand the basics of Christianity. Here is how the parish of Finglas West are getting on,

“ ...Its almost Holy Week and we are just over the half way point in our parish Alpha course. There are about thirty people on average each week and the feedback from those attending is very positive. We are growing together as a group sharing stories about our personal faith journeys as the week’s progress. By divine plan or pure coincidence, you decide, while trying to locate an Alpha course for research purposes I discovered a course being run by Katherine Lambert in our cluster parish of Finglas South.

I contacted Katherine and she invited me to come and see how the programme was being run in their parish. Katherine offered to help me to organise the course in Finglas West and I was more than willing to take her up on her offer. She in her turn enlisted some people from Alpha Ireland to help us with the group sessions along with some people form Finglas South who had done the previous course with her. We are in the process of organising our Alpha Weekend. It will take place on Saturday 16th of April in St. Oliver Plunket’s Church in Finglas South.

Fr. Seamus Ahearn PP of Finglas South kindly put this venue at our disposal. As the course progresses it is amazing to see how the participants are developing a deeper desire to learn more about the scriptures. I would recommend this course for any parish as there is so much to be gained from it. I think this course world be very beneficial to the parents of the children on our sacramental programmes.” John Graham, Parish Pastoral Worker, Finglas West.

For More Information on the Alpha Course visit www.alpha.org

Celebrating our Parish Feast Day: The Feast of the Annunciation – 25 March 2011!

John Outlines how his parish celebrated its Feast Day

“As the Feast of the Annunciation is our parish feast day we the parish team decided that we should have a special day of prayer to mark the occasion. The day of prayer started with a concelebrated mass at 10am.

We invited all the children on our sacramental programmes from the four schools. St. Joseph’s Girls National School St. Kevin’s Boy National School, St. Brigid’s Girls National School and St. Fergal’s Boys National Schools along with the recently formed choirs for each of the schools to participate in our special celebration. It was wonderful to hear the church filled with children’s voices.

All the regular 10am mass goers were delighted to see the children in such big numbers. There were at least three hundred children in attendance and they all participated fully in the liturgy. At the end of the mass we had exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; this was a first for all the children who attended the mass.

Exposition was to last until 3:00 p.m. so we had various inputs during the course of the day to include those who were listening in over the radio, such as the Rosary the Angelus, Lectio Divina, some Reflections. We finished up with Evening Prayer and Benediction. It was a lovely way to celebrate our parish feast day.”

John Graham PPW Finglas West.

( john.graham@dublindiocese.ie – 01-8644183