Mrs. Hazel Speares - Diocesan President
The reflection below has been prepared by Karen Nelson, Diocesan President of the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough.
New year Reflection "Re-building Hope and Confidence" is our Mothers’ Union theme for 2021. A desire to go into 2021 with confidence, grace, and healed hearts. After enduring months of restrictions and many life changing challenges during 2020 we hoped and prayed that 2021 would be a better year, but that has not started too well. There was disappointment when just a few days before Christmas the Government recommended tighter restrictions and Christmas was one like none of us have experienced before, more compromises and separations from families and loved ones…for many there seems no end! But there is hope and confidence ahead of us as, this week, the various Corona Virus vaccines are being launched and our most vulnerable people have already started to receive this vaccine. We can once again be optimistic and hopefully the summer will bring us back to some sense of normality. The last nine months has been a time of waiting and expectancy, and there have been times when I felt close to God and times when I felt far away. But I trusted in Him, there is always hope, God said he will always be with us even when we cannot see what lies ahead. He has provided for us and he comforts us in grief. Remember we are not alone. Romans 5:v2-5 “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us". Mothers’ Union members have been working as hard as ever to support their communities and have found alternative ways to meet and share in fellowship. We are ever evolving as our needs change. I am confident that Mothers’ Union will continue to attain its goals both locally and globally as we spread God’s love and show Christian care for families. The work of Mothers’ Union is needed more than ever. I would like to share with you the following prayer which I found on the Mothers’ Union website: Breath of life and love, disturb the dark clouds of fear and anxiety that trouble our lives, and in this gentle breeze, as clouds disperse, may we sense hope and healing, as your light breaks in and through our hearts and minds, and shines out in the world. © John Birch Karen x Diocesan President Dublin & Glendalough 
The Diocese covers a large geographical area, taking in Counties Cavan, Longford, Leitrim, most of County Roscommon and much of County Sligo in the Republic and some parishes in County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland.
Mothers' Union has 315 members in 18 branches across the Diocese. Whilst membership in some of our branches is quite small, we must never forget that we are part of a worldwide Christian organisation with over 4.1 million members in 83 countries throughout the world, and that we are united with them in prayer and worship. We share the same Aims and Objectives as we work to support marriage and Christian family life, and to help those who have not been so fortunate in life. Our diocesan link is with the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. Thank you for visiting our website. We hope you find it interesting and informative - please read on to find out more about what we get up to here in Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh and perhaps you will want to join in what we do. |
Mothers' Union is proud to announce a new range of online resources. Based on the 5 Cs model of Dr Radha Modgil, we are delivering a selection of practical guides and activities. https://www.mothersunion.org/.../introducing-mothers...
To register for this event email:
allirelandym@gmail.com Please register before Friday 15th January 2021 Canon Robert Deane - MU All-Ireland Chaplain
Intercessory Prayer in the midst of the on-going Covid-19 pandemic (adapted from the Luthern Federation of Churches) O God our Healer, Show your compassion for the whole human family now in turmoil and burdened with illness and with fear. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. Come to our aid as the coronavirus spreads globally; heal those who are sick, and support & protect their families and friends from being infected. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. Grant us your spirit of love and self-discipline, that observing medical advice to personally vigilant, we may work together to control and eliminate the coronavirus. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. Make us vigilant, attentive, and proactive in the eradication of all diseases that create suffering and often result in death for many people. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. Heal us of self-centeredness and indifference that makes us worry only when the virus threatens us, and open ways beyond timidity and fear that too easily ignore our neighbour. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. Strengthen and encourage all who work in public health services and in the medical profession: care-givers, nurses, attendants, doctors, and all who commit themselves to caring for the sick and their families. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. Inspire and give insight, perseverance and hope to all researchers focused on developing successful vaccines. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. Sustain all workers and business owners who suffer loss of livelihood due to shut-downs, quarantines, closed borders, and other restrictions … protect and guard all whose work is essential and who must travel. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. Guide all leaders of nations that they may speak truth, halt the spread of misinformation and act with justice, that all people may know healing. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. Heal our world, heal our bodies, strengthen our hearts and our minds, and in the midst of turmoil, give us hope and peace. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. Hold in your gentle embrace all who have died and are now at rest. Comfort their loved ones in their grief and despair. Hear our cry, O God, and listen to our prayer. May we live by faith, walk in hope and be renewed in love, until the world reflects your glory and you are all in all. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen. |
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