Dear Parents and children,

We hope you are keeping well and that your extended family and friends are well.

Boys and girls these are indeed the strangest of times. We hope that you had a good Easter time and that being at home is going well. Not being able to visit your grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins and friends is a huge sacrifice and might even make you feel sad and lonely at times. But thankfully you can keep in touch via social media and even letter writing. Here in the parish we are very lucky to have the webcam and radio in the church which allows so many people to tune into our masses and ceremonies.

This week is supposed to be a very important week in our parish and for yourselves. We will be missing having you and your family and indeed the Archbishop with us for Confirmation. We do know that you are probably very disappointed that you will not be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation and having your family and friends with you. We want you to know that we are not forgetting about you and so we are inviting you and your extended family to join us via the webcam ( http://www.castlebarparish.ie and click on webcam) or parish radio (105.3fm) on Wednesday evening at 7pm. Together we will spend about 20 mins in remembering this special time in your lives and as we do not know when this important occasion will be rescheduled again we hope that this little gesture will add something special to your week. All we ask is that you find a candle – your Baptism one would be great but any candle will be fine – and tune in with your family. So boys and girls we look forward to spending this short time with you virtually! It would be great if you would ask your grandparents and godparents to also tune-in.

So until Wednesday, keep well, keep safe, keep smiling and keep happy.

Best wishes and God bless,

Fr Conal, Fr Shane, Fr Dixy and Mary