Happy Days Childcare

 A vacancy exists for a Childcare Assistant to work as part of the childcare team in the Happy Days Childcare, Ratoath Community Centre. This is a FAS Community employment post and applicants must qualify under the CE scheme. Applications in writing only to Ms Deirdre Carroll, Happy Days Childcare,  Ratoath Community Centre, Ratoath, Co Meath.

Happy Days Summer Camp for children age 3 –5 years of age will take place in Ratoath Community Centre from 16^th – 20^th July inclusive, 10.00am – 2.00pm. For further details phone Deirdre on 086 106 7614.

Diocese of Meath Pilgrimage to Lourdes :12^th to 17^th  September 2007

Youth section (18-30)

In recent years many young people have travelled to Lourdes seeking to find out more about this famous Shrine, to lend a hand to the pilgrims who are sick or infirmed, to look for some prayer space in busy lives and still to have a good time! You may know people who have been to Lourdes or you may have no idea at all about it; no matter what, this is a trip that will make a difference to you and create new friendships. Lourdes is a sacred place where people have come to since 1858 now it s your turn. We stay at the Youth Village and total cost for flights etc is € 450.00 More details to follow and there will be a gathering of the group in mid August, which will provide a get-to-know-you chance! Booking Form is available on Diocesan Website - www.dioceseofmeath.ie Further information from: Fr. Mark English, Youth Director, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. Tel: 044-9348338 email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him (Luke 10:33-34).

In the parable Jesus offers his Jewish audience the paradoxical image of the enemy as teacher, the outcast as hero, the religious vagabond as saviour. Jesus passes over the temple functionaries in the story as quickly as they pass by the victim in the ditch, inviting his listeners to make up their own judgement. The journalist Clifford Longley catches the scandal of an outcast Samaritan as Jesus’ choice and how we often misunderstand that choice, when he writes;

“In tabloid culture, the Good Samaritan has come to symbolise anybody who does

anybody else a favour, especially when they need it badly. So someone who gives

a pound to a beggar is called a Good Samaritan. WRONG.

The Good Samaritan is the beggar”.

As a beggar and outsider himself, the Samaritan has a point of ready identification with the casualty in the ditch. Both of them are victims of violence; both of them have been wounded, in different ways both of them have been passed over by representative of the Temple. In this parable it is one victim who goes to the help of another victim, it is the overlooked that befriends the overlooked; it is the wounded that restores the wounded

We know from our own experience the weight of inherited hostility against people who belong to the wrong crowd, an outlook that is often supported by a magical confidence in one’s own crowd. We know that to accept some people in their difference is not only an act of love but also an act of defiance against the bigotry that sometimes passes for religion.

Jesus tells us that we must be disloyal to those who would educate our hate. If religion needs hate to nurture it, who needs that kind of religion? Jesus comes to challenge our hate and promote our love.

                                                                                                                       The parables of Jesus by Denis McBride