Congratulations
Congratulations to our 60 children (young adults) who are to be confirmed this year and who on last Thursday night turned up for the Service of Light.

Palm Sunday   Next Sunday is Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week, and what better way to start our Holy Week than with the blessing of the Palms. So, weather permitting, the palms will be blessed in Kilmore in front of the parochial house on Saturday evening at 7.25pm and on Sunday morning at 9.55am. In Mulrankin they will be blessed in front of the parochial house at 10.55am. Great consideration should be given to this procession, an integral part of the liturgy. Ideally, everyone going to that mass should join in the procession from where the palms are blessed, right into the Church. The emphasis should be on carrying our palms. The palms that we take home should be the palms that have already been carried and used to honour Our Lord. When we go to support our team we bring our flags with us, we do that to show our support and loyalty to our team. We don't just collect flags and take them home with us. The palms we carry on Palm Sunday are our Christian flags and that's why the palms will be blessed away from the Church and we process with them into the Church together. So wouldn't it be lovely this year if no one went into the Church before mass but everyone gathered for the blessing of the palms and then together we process into the Church. May I ask you this year please, to make that special effort and join in the blessing and procession.

First Friday
Next Friday (7th) is the first Friday of the month. All the sick will be visited on that day at the usual time, including the sick in the Mulrankin area and remember evening mass in both Mulrankin and Kilmore.

Sponsored Twelve-hour Fast on Good Friday
Thanks to all those who have taken cards for our fast on Good Friday, cards are available in the sacristy. If you feel who could not undertake the twelve hour fast, by sponsoring somebody who is, you are making the lives of children in these countries a little bit more bearable. Many thanks for your support.

Well done to Bridgetown Vocational College: Last year, the students and teachers of Bridgetown Vocational College held a Fashion Show to raise funds for children who have been orphaned through AIDS in Masaka, Uganda. It was a phenomenal success, and €1,250 was collected and forwarded to the Programme. Last Thursday, 23 March, Sr Ursula MMM, and Evelyn from Masaka, Uganda, visited the school to say a BIG THANK YOU to all those who took part in the event. Evelyn is studying Community Development in Dublin before returning home to run the Farm School in Masaka. She explained how the young adults who attend the School learn basic literacy, farming techniques using organic and native methods, and attend counselling to help overcome the problems that AIDS has caused in their lives. Congratulations and many thanks to all in Bridgetown College - you have made a difference! For those who want to help, please take part in the Good Friday Fast, or, sponsor someone who is.

The twelve hour Good Friday Fast will take place next week and all monies collected will be forwarded to Kilmore Outreach Programme in Uganda, and Fr Doyle's Mission in Brazil.

If you would like to take part, a sponsorship card is available from Mary Younger, Lucy Moore or Valerie O Flaherty.  For those not taking part, please sponsor someone who is, as this money is vital for the basic needs of children living in these countries.  Remember - every little bit helps.

Parish Lottery
The winning numbers in last week's community lotto were 1-7-8-30. We had no jackpot winner, and we had four match three winner who each received €50 each.

• Peter Sills (Ladies Football),
  
• Mary Younger (Kilmore Parish),
  
• Marty Walsh (G.A.A.) and
  
• Fr Denis (Kilmore Parish).