Carmel O’Neill sent us this latest news:
On Saturday May 4th, Blessington Parish was delighted to welcome Sr Anna to the 6pm mass. In her talk Sr Anna commended the parish on the achievements over the past three years which led to the parish securing an Endeavour award for the churches of Blessington, Valleymount and Lacken. She was delighted to see the restoration of the mass path in Lacken as it brought back memories of a similar path near her childhood home. Sr Anna encouraged the congregation to aim for the gold award but to achieve this would require more volunteers. Members of Blessington Tidy Town were present and Sr Anna suggested that Tidy Town members and other groups with a shared vision link closely together in future projects. Sr Anna gave some lovely quotes from Laudatio Si and the one most relevant to us all as a parish community is:
‘Caring for Creation is an essential part of our Christian faith. When we see God reflected in all that exists, our hearts are moved to praise the Lord for all his creatures and to worship him in union with them’.
The parish regularly supports Fr Alan Neville’s parish in South Sudan and 150 euro was raised after mass for the children in a school in Rumbek Sudan.
With high levels of rainfall in recent months , farmers and gardeners throughout the country were becoming worried over the delay in sowing and planting. Prayers for good weather were offered at weekly masses and the Holy Hour of adoration in Blessington.
A No Mow May notice was included in the weekly newsletter encouraging everybody to avoid cutting verges and grassy areas in May, to allow dandelions and buttercups to flourish which provide a vital source for nectar for our bee population.
In late Spring Lacken NS embarked on a new initiative of setting up a hen run in the grounds of Lacken school. This project was spearheaded by a 6th class pupil on the Student Council who himself has hens at home. One of the teacher’s sourced a company who were happy to sponsor a hen coop. He also bought the necessary equipmemt, drinks, pellet feeder, grit meal and pellets, straw and bedding.
A rota was set up of students from 3rd to 6th class who were interested in being responsible for the hens. The job list included the following – releasing and putting the hens in, cleaning the hen house, distributing eggs to students, moving the position of the hen house. This project has been very fruitful fot the children with autism who love to watch their progress as indeed do the many parents who find their clucking a calming presence at the school gate
As part of the drive to encourage more sustainable living, Carmel O Neill helped the teachers and pupils grow vegetables in the school garden. Each class were given the task of growing a vegetable – lettuce, onions , potatoes, beetroot, carrots and spinach and 6th class were once again given the reponsibility of checking the watering and feeding. Care is taken with digging and avoiding the use of sprays and pellets. The area also includes a strawberry bed with plants created from the runners of last year’s plants.