St. Colmcille's Parish, Holywood

01/06/2026

🌅 Rise and Shine Charity Collection Update 🌅

A huge thank you to everyone for your generosity last weekend! Together, we raised an incredible £2,178👏

Your support will make a real difference and help Rise and Shine continue their valuable work in the community.

We truly appreciate everyone who donated and got involved 💛

31/05/2026

📖 Pope Leo XIV’s First Encyclical: Magnifica Humanitas

Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), takes on one of the most urgent questions of our time: how we safeguard human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence.

In this powerful document, the Pope looks beyond common concerns about AI—like job loss, misinformation, and privacy—and highlights a deeper issue: the growing temptation to see human beings as things to be improved, engineered, or optimized, rather than persons of inherent dignity.

Instead, Magnifica Humanitas reminds us that our limits—suffering, weakness, and vulnerability—are not flaws to eliminate, but places where we encounter love, truth, and ultimately God. Technology, he says, should serve human flourishing, not redefine what it means to be human.

🌍 Written for Catholics and all people of goodwill, the encyclical invites us to reflect:
What does it mean to be truly human?
Should technology serve us—or reshape us?
How do we protect truth, work, and the most vulnerable in an AI-driven world?

👉 This is just a brief overview—read the full, in-depth guide here:

https://ascensionpress.com/blogs/articles/a-complete-guide-to-pope-leo-s-encyclical-magnificent-humanitas?srsltid=AfmBOoqzN5ilDmVF4E6znE3CqEoBMP1dRBv7bVoIrKrZ6MSDi8Rg5c1R

30/05/2026

🚨 Defibrillator Parishioner Training ❤️

We’re pleased to share that a defibrillator (AED) has recently been installed in the Parish. It is located just inside the church entrance, beside the toilet area.

Defibrillators are safe, simple to use, and can be operated without prior training — but we want to go a step further.

👉 During September, we’re offering PARISHIONERS the opportunity to become familiar with the device, so you can feel confident acting quickly in an emergency.

✅ No previous first aid experience is required
✅ Open to any parishioner aged 18+

A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, at any time. When it does, every second counts — and early use of a defibrillator can save lives.

We are planning to provide hands-on training sessions delivered by an external organisation, with certificates awarded to those who take part. This will include practical demonstrations to help you feel comfortable and confident using the equipment.

💡 Please note, UK guidance reassures us that anyone who steps in to help during an emergency is supported and protected when acting in good faith. AEDs are designed for members of the public and will only deliver a shock if it is needed.

We would especially welcome volunteers who regularly attend weekend Masses (Saturday Vigil and Sunday) to take part.

👉 If you’re a parishioner and interested, please send us a message or contact the Parish Office, letting us know which Mass you usually attend. Please note the training is limited to Parishioners of St. Colmcille’s, Holywood.

Let’s work together to make our Parish a safer place for everyone 💙🙏🏻

27/05/2026

✨ St Colmcille’s, BALLYHACKAMORE Fun Day & Walk to Church

The Parish Engagement Group (PEG) at St Colmcille’s Parish, Ballyhackamore (NOT HOLYWOOD) is delighted to invite you to a Parish Fun Day and Walk to Church on Sunday 7th June 2026, starting at 12:30pm.

👣 Take part in the Walk to Church�🎉 Enjoy a fun-filled afternoon of activities�🤝 Spend time together as a wider parish community

This invitation has been extended to parishioners from our St Colmcille’s Parish, here in Holywood — everyone is very welcome to come along and join in the celebrations.

💛 Bring your family, friends, and neighbours for what promises to be a great day together. We look forward to seeing you there!

25/05/2026

24/05/2026

🔥 Pentecost Sunday Blessings 🔥

Today we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles, filling them with courage, wisdom, and divine love. 🌿✨

From fear to faith, from silence to bold proclamation, the Spirit transformed their lives and gave birth to the Church.

As many of you will have seen at Mass today, the altar was dressed in red and the priest wore red vestments. This vibrant colour represents the tongues of fire that came to rest on the Apostles, a sign of the Holy Spirit’s powerful presence. It also symbolises the burning love of God, the courage to witness our faith, and the mission we all share to bring Christ to the world. 🔴🔥

That same Spirit is alive in us today, calling us to renew our hearts and share the Gospel with joy.

“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.”

Let us pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our parish, our families, and our world.

❤️ Happy Pentecost Sunday! Come, Holy Spirit! ❤️

21/05/2026

Down & Connor Diocesan Novena to The Sacred Heart
June 4th to June 12th, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

It is with great joy as a diocese we celebrate the Novena to The Sacred Heart. The Sacred Heart Novena invites you to nine days of prayer, cumulating in the celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Come to Me. These words of Jesus are among the most tender in all of the Gospels. They are not a command but an invitation - offered freely, offered personally, offered to each one of us.

To set aside time each day for prayer is to say yes to that invitation.
It is a simple act, yet a profound one. In the busyness of our lives - with all their demands, their joys, and their anxieties - to pause and turn our hearts toward Jesus is itself a form of love.

The prayers will be available in a booklet you can pick up at Mass or read online (link in the comments); it will also include a piece of scripture and a reflection for each day for those who wish to go a little deeper. The images used in this year’s Novena book are by students from our schools from across the diocese. Bishop Alan’s hope is that this novena will be prayed either individually or together by parishes, groups, schools or families. Even young children can join in with the short prayers!

14/05/2026

🌿 Feast of the Ascension 🌿 - Today we celebrate the glorious Feast of the Ascension, when Our Lord Jesus Christ returned to the Father in heaven, forty days after His Resurrection.

The Ascension is central to our Catholic faith, marking Christ’s exaltation, His intercession for humanity, and the promise of our own eternal life with God. Christ has not abandoned us, but goes before us to prepare a place for us, calling us to live in hope and faith.

As He entrusted His disciples with the mission to go out into the world, we too are sent to share His love in our families, workplaces, and community.

Let us take time today to reflect on this great mystery of our faith, and to renew our trust in God’s promise. May we be strengthened to witness to the Gospel with courage and joy.

At the moment of the Ascension, the disciples were reminded:

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

May the hope of the Ascension fill your hearts with peace. 🙏

26/04/2026

🕊️ Good Shepherd Sunday – 4th Sunday of Easter 🐑

Today the Church invites us to reflect on one of the most comforting images of our faith: Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. In today’s Gospel (John 10), Jesus reminds us that He knows His sheep, calls each one by name, and lays down His life for them.

As we continue our Easter journey, the focus shifts from appearances of the Risen Lord to a deeper trust in His ongoing care, guidance, and protection. The Good Shepherd does not force or drive—He walks ahead of us, inviting us to follow Him in love and trust.

This Sunday is also observed as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. We pray especially for priests, deacons, religious, and all those discerning God’s call—that they may courageously respond to the voice of the Shepherd and serve His flock with generous hearts. 🙏

“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” (Psalm 23)

May we learn to listen more closely for His voice amid the noise of daily life, trust in His care during uncertain times, and follow Him faithfully as one flock under one Shepherd.

🕯️ Good Shepherd, guide us, protect us, and lead us to life in abundance. 🐑✝️

Blessed Fourth Sunday of Easter! 💛

24/04/2026

🥗 Lettuce Turnip the Beet! 🥗

The Parish Pastoral Council is tossing together something special – a Parish SALAD Recipe Book – and we’re calling on our parish’s finest salad creators (yes, that means you 🥕).

We’re looking for your favourite salad recipe:

🥬 Starter, side, main course, or fruit salad
🥬 Fancy or simple
🥬 If it involves leaves, it counts

You can also add a short story or memory about the recipe (optional, but bonus points if it makes us laugh or cry into our vinaigrette).

📩 How to submit your masterpiece:

• Email it to [email protected]
• Or drop a written copy to Gabrielle Burns, c/o Claire at the Parish Office

Please remember to include all ingredients and step‑by‑step instructions so no one ends up accidentally inventing a new form of penance.

All recipes will help us support a chosen charity (TBC) and create a leaf‑through‑forever keepsake for our parish.

🍾 And yes — every entrant will be entered into a draw to win a FREE copy of the recipe book!

So don’t romaine silent, submit your salad and let us know what makes it radish‑ingly good! 😄