Christmas and New Year

Our Christmas celebrations began at the Konvikt Centre with the annual Christingle service, led by Rev. Chris Lyon, assisted by Fr Ed. The Masses of Christmas held in Hollerich were well attended as usual, in spite of so many people being out of Luxembourg. The church looked very seasonal and the liturgies were beautiful, festive and prayerful.

Ss Peter & Paul, Hollerich, Christmas 2012

For the first time in recent years, we celebrated the Feast of Mary, Mother of God on New Year’s Day, and over 100 people came along. The festive mood was slightly diminished when we discovered the church at Hollerich had been broken into, and Mass was delayed as the police made their investigations. Happily nothing had been stolen (although a bottle of altar wine had been drained!) but there was glass from one of the stained-glass windows and from another window by the side door. Once Mass was underway, however, full cheer returned. Mass was followed by tea, coffee — and a glass of Cremant for those who wished.

All Mass times are now back to normal.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

Fr Ed

CONGRATULATIONS TO:

Clara Helen Gaudet, daughter of Liisa Raasakka Gaudet & Francois Gaudet, baptised on 24 November. Clara Helen was presented to the parish at Mass on Sunday 18 November. Photos of the Baptism to follow.

Patrick Joseph Mulrennan, son of Valérie and James Mulrennan, baptised on Saturday 1 December in Hollerich (keep scrolling down!)

And to Poppy Ann Peig McMahon, daughter of Maxine and Brian McMahon, baptised during the 11am Mass in Hollerich on Sunday, 2 December:

Last Saturday was a very special day some of us  parishioners, who
gathered together in Kirchberg to enjoy an unusual Christian experience.

It would be quite possible to spend some years, as many of us do,
working in the institutions which are sited on the plateau, and watching
the architecture evolve, without ever being aware that below the
Philharmonie, down the hill to the south, there is a seminary, whose
chapels and meeting rooms are ideally suited to Christian purposes,
which is set in very extensive wooded country, equally suited to
rambles, peace, reflection and prayer.

This was the perfect place for the pre-Advent retreat, which was
attended by 13  of us who enjoyed the opportunity
of learning, discussion, peace and prayer which the retreat provided.
Its theme was Advent, and the conferences, discussions, prayer and
meditation were centred around the theme of renewal, and the liturgy of
the Sundays of Advent (and particularly of the imminent first Sunday).

To this end we were fortunate to have Père Maurice Gilbert, who is a
member of the Society of Jesus (and an Old Testament scholar) as retreat
leader; his reflections, stimulation and (occasionally) provocation, to
use his own word, gave the happy few much to think of, to think about
and to pray about. For this participant at least, there was enough
material in these sessions to ensure that the times of silent
reflection, reading and prayer woven into the programme passed without
dragging, even though such things are not so common in our everyday life.

It should be so; the very term “retreat” implies an unusual withdrawing
from those preoccupations which fill our minds during the days of our
ordinary live. The final Mass (of the first Sunday of Advent) in the
evening, celebrated in the intimate surroundings of the chapel, was an
appropriate and peaceful culmination to an unusual and enriching day.

Many thanks to Marcella McCarthy for organising this enriching day, and
bringing us all together to enjoy it.

Colin Buckland