Slane & Monknewtown Parish

30/08/2026

St. Patrick's Pastoral Area

The above area consists of the following four parishes,
Slane,
Rathkenny,
Beauparc,
Duleek.

There are nine churches in this pastoral area. Owing to a shortage of clergy it is necessary to have parish groupings.
Certain advantages will accrue from this formation as well as disadvantages.

For a start please note the following new Mass times in two parishes, namely
Slane and Rathkenny, which will take effect from Sept. 5th & 6th [next weekend]

Slane Parish

Saturday Vigil : Slane 7.15 pm
Monknewtown : Sunday 9am
Slane : Sunday 11am

Rathkenny Parish

Rushwee, Saturday Vigil, 6.15 pm
Grangegeeth, Sunday, 10 am
Rathkenny, Sunday, 12pm

The blue area on the map hereunder is our new St. Patrick's Pastoral Area.

10/08/2026

15th AUGUST LADY-WELL AT SLANE,
FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF Mary

Preparations are well underway for Lady- Well Day.
Following 7 p.m. Mass on August 14th. [ vigil of feast] Fr. Richard will lead a procession from St. Patrick's Catholic Church to Lady Well in the grounds of Slane castle to celebrate the feast of the Assumption. A statue of Mary will be carried in the procession.

On Saturday 15th, pilgrims are welcome to bring a bottle to fill with water from the blessed well, leave flowers, write petitions, sit in quiet prayer, read or join in the many rosaries and prayers which will be recited throughout the day.

The Parish Pastoral Council have arranged with Flexibus to transport pilgrims to and from Lady-Well from the main Castle Gate on the Slane/Navan road.
Flexibus, funded by Slane Parish will provide this service for pilgrims with mobility issues, free of charge, from 11.30 am till 4.00 pm.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be celebrated in St Patrick's Church Slane at 11am on Sunday Aug. 16th for the intentions of all.

We look forward to seeing you at Lady Well again this year.

06/08/2026

TODAY IS THE FEAST OF THE
TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD.

The Lord is king, most high above all the earth.
His throne, justice and right.

The painting hereunder is by
Johann Georg Tautmann [1713-1769]
It can be seen in Städel museum in Frankfurt, Germany.

10/06/2026

VISIT TO ARMAGH

Yestetday, 9th June, feast of St. Columba, a large group from Slane & Monknewtown Parish departed church car park at 9am for Armagh. After refreshments in the city hotel we visited the historical sites of Church of Ireland Cathedral where St. PATRICK is reputed to have built his first stone church in 445 A.D., the Robinson library, and the Catholic Cathedral. Warmly welcomed in all centres we were given interesting talks, conducted tours, and all questions answered.@

Brian Boru's burial place in C.O.I.Cathedral, original copy of 'Gulliver's Travels' by Jonathan Swift in Robinson Library, and the distinctive bronze crucifix by Imogen Stuart in Catholic Cathedral are just three of the numerous thought - provoking items we saw. At 1pm a very special event occurred when Fr. R.
Matthews, our P.P. celebrated Mass in the Catholic Cathedral when Tom Dunne, a member of our group, did the readings of the day and we all received HOLY COMMUNION under both species.

After taking in as much information as possible we were ready to choose from the carvery in the Carrickdale hotel where we ate heartily.

Aftwrwards, it was off to the Poor Clare monastery in Upper Faughart. We were informed here of the origin of the monastery where it seems divine influence and St. Brigid played a major role. Eventually, we joined with the sisters in adoration of the Blessed Eucharist with prayers and song.
A WONDERFUL DAY
thanks to Bernadette Nulty, chair of Slane P.P.C. for organizing the event.
Hereunder are some images from the outing.

06/06/2026

THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF
CHRIST

Tomorrow, Sunday, 7th June, we celebrate the above feast.

'The peopke listening to Jesus did not understand the words ' I am the living bread that came down from Heaven'.
When He said ' unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you', Jesus was not speaking literally but metaphorically.
With metaphor the qualities of one thing, bread and wine, are figuratively carried over to another, flesh and blood. We receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist as food for the soul and as a reminder that Jesus shed his blood so that we might abide in him'.

[The above paragraph was taken from the 'Sacred Heart Messenger' magazine, June issue]

Other names for the Body and blood of Christ are,

1 : The Eucharist

2 : Holy Communion

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, present in the Most Holy Eucharist, I kneel before You in adoration. You are here—silent, humble, and waiting for me. In this sacred silence, I open my heart to You. Take my worries, my hopes, and my gratitude. Draw me ever closer to Your Sacred Heart. Amen.

This is the new page for Slane & Monknewtown Parish. This Page will inform the Community of Church events within the parish.

03/06/2026

@ EXAM TIME

GO N-ÉIRÍ AN T-ADH LIBH.

Good luck to you all. Read the questions carefully and twice at least. Stay calm, do your best, and leave the rest to God.

@
Dear Lord, as I begin my exams today, please calm my nerves and quiet any anxiety. Clear my mind, help me to focus, and guide me to recall everything I have studied. Grant me peace and the confidence to do my absolute best. Amen."

24/05/2026

PENTECOST SUNDAY

You remember for the feast of the Ascension, about ten days ago, you were asked to watch out for Pentecost Sunday. Well, here we are.
This is the day when the disciples who had gathered in a room, fearful and uncertain, were transformed. A powerful wind enveloped the room and tongues of fire came to rest on the head of each of them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.

What a transformation. The disciples became brave energetic preachers and evangelizers ; new men you could say.

Since then the disciples and their followers [Religious and lay] have transformed the world and continue to do so.
If you like you could call this day
'THE OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY OF THE CHURCH'.

17/05/2026

THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

Today we commemorate the above feast. This event occurred forty days after the Resurrection, on the Mount of Olives which is near Jerusalem.
The disciples who saw their leader work miracles, crucified, die, buried, rise from the dead, make many appearances to them afterwards must have been extremely saddened to see Him leave them again.
However he promised that He would return and that he would be with them always even to the end of time.

WATCH OUT FOR FEAST OF PENTECOST

Also, He gave them a command. He said, 'go make disciples of all the nations, baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you'.

We are the followers of the disciples.
How are we faring with the command of Jesus?. [doing our best]

01/05/2026

MAY IS MARY'S MONTH.

The lovely month of May has arrived. May has been Mary's special month for centuries.
Mary's great title is 'Mother of God'. She was with Jesus from the beginning to the end of His life.
Devotions to Mary still flourish in many areas of the world. Marian hymns are sung,
the rosary and appropriate prayers recited, processions organised, while Marian shrines are frequently visited.

Here are the lyrics of a hymn you have often heard.. You will find it on Utube.

Bring flowers of the fairest,
Bring flowers of the rarest
From garden and woodland
And hillside and vale.
Our full hearts are swelling,
Our glad voices telling,
The praise of the loveliest
Rose of the Vale.

O Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the angels, Queen of the May. [R]

Mary, mother of God, pray for us.

,

26/04/2026

ST.JOSEPH THE WORKER

Next Friday, 1st May is the feast of
ST. JOSEPH, the worker.

Many of you quietly and without fuss contribute of your time and talents to the needs of the church/community. In thanksgiving you are invited to a Mass in Slane at 9am on the above date.

Some light refreshments will be available afterwards.

St. Francis' prayer to St. Joseph

Hail, guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
To you God entrusted his only Son;
In you Mary placed her trust;
With you Christ became man.
St. Joseph pray for us.