A MUSICAL TREAT FOR CHRISTMAS??

My friend Carole sent this video to me several days ago and I am still laughing.  I have forwarded it to many relatives and friends - I hope they are still my friends!  Because I believe we can all do with a good laugh during this Covid Christmas, I am posting it here for all to enjoy.🎅🎄

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE.

FRIENDS AT RUMPLESTILKINS

I have recieved a photo from Joan Reynolds Fogarty and I am so happy to hear that she and her group of school friends are continuing their tradition of meeting up several times a year.  This photo was taken at their Christmas get together which was held at Rumplestilkins.    

 

The friends  pictured are, left to right;



 

Betty Fitzgerald Pye, Catherine Corbett Stanley, Mary Fitzgerald, Eleanor Sears Vatcher, Brenda Casey Grouchy, Mary Bulger Corcoran, Joan Reynolds Fogarty, Joan Ryan Cobb, Patricia Connolly Leonard, Kathleen Dobbin Benson, Rosemary Ashley Healy.

 

Thanks Joan for letting us share your Christmas gathering.  Thank you also for all the help you have give to this blog over the years.  It is very much appreciated.  I would also like to commend you and your group on the loyalty you show to one another.  You ladies really show us what friendship is all about.   

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

This is a nice little Christmas video. It will probably set us straight on some Christmas "facts". Enjoy the video and a very Happy Christmas to everyone.

You Don't Know Jack...about Advent

TODAY IS THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT. HOW MUCH DO WE KNOW ABOUT ADVENT? HERE IS A LITTLE REFRESHER FROM FATHER JACK COLLINS.

FRIENDS FESTIVE GATHERINGS

We have two nice festive pictures to post today. The photos come to us courtesy of Joan Reynolds Fogarty and Pat Hurley McDonald.

Joan Fogarty and her school friends really have something very special.  Their friendship! These ladies have been friends since their school days at St Patrick’s and they maintain that friendship by being there for one another in good times and not so good times.  They also meet up several times a year to share a meal, chat, laugh and just take pleasure in each other’s company.  Long may they continue to do so!

This photo was taken on 2^nd December at The Sheraton Hotel where the friends held their Christmas Dinner and enjoyed a lovely evening.

BACK ROW: Rosemary Ashley Healy, Joan Connolly Alston, Kathleen Dobbin Benson, Judy Fitzgerald Squires, Mary Bulger Corcoran, Brenda Casey Grouchy, Joan Reynolds Fogarty

FRONT ROW: Madeline Adams Thomson, Catherine Corbett Stanley, Mary Fitzgerald, Betty Fitzgerald Pye, Eleanor Sears Vatcher.

Our second festive photo  comes from Pat Hurley McDonald.  Again we have a group of school friends who have become life-long friends.  Janet McGrath Crane is home from Florida to celebrate Christmas with her daughters and their families so, as always, the friends took advantage of the opportunity to meet up.  The celebratory meal took place on 16^th December at Milestones Restaurant on Torbay Road.  From the looks of the ladies, we can see that it too was a happy and enjoyable event.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Kay Johnson, Cynthia Murphy, Maureen O’Brien, Pat Hurley, Carmel Hayes, Mary Johnson and Janet McGrath.

Many thanks to Joan and Pat for the photographs and thanks to both of you for all the help and support you give to this blog.  We wish you and all your friends a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy 2016.  We look forward to hearing about your future escapades.  May they be many and may they all be happy ones!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

We have received a lovely email and photograph from Joan REYNOLDS Fogarty.  Joan & her school friends have had their Christmas party and she very kindly shared it with us.     The closeness and loyalty to one another of this group of St Patrick's girls is inspiring. They help us see the importance of maintaining the bonds of friendships that were forged in childhood and youth.  Also, all those happy, smiling faces tell us that there is a lot of pleasure in it too.  Keep it up ladies!

 

Joan wrote:

"We had our Christmas party last night at Rosemary ASHLEY Healy's home. We had a wonderful catered three-course meal, exchanged gifts, and had a wonderful evening together. There were fourteen of us this time."

MERRY CHRISTMAS

SEATED:

Madelyn Adams Thompson, Judy Fitzgerald Squires, Eleanor Sears Vatcher.

STANDING:

Betty Fitzgerald Pye, Joan Reynolds Fogarty, Catherine Corbett Stanley, Joan Connolly Alston, Bonnie Beck Byrne, Mary Fitzgerald, Rosemary Ashley Healy, Patricia Connolly Leonard, Kathleen Dobbin Benson, Joan Ryan Cobb, Mary Bulger Corcoran.

 

Joan's email continued:

"Our next get-together is May 13.

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2015 to everyone."

 

Thanks for sharing this with us Joan.  We look forward to hearing about your next adventure together.

LULU'S CHRISTMAS POEM

This post comes courtesy of Lulu Tucker.  Lulu, better known to most of you as Marylou Mallard, is a St Patrick's girl with a talent for writing poetry.  Lulu's lovely Christmas poem puts the emphasis where it belongs - on the birth of Jesus and the message of love which He brought.  Thank you Lulu and may you all have a very Happy CHRISTmas.

CHRIST'S WISH FOR CHRISTMAS

 

 

As willow white snowflakes fall to the ground

With a cool breeze blowing all around

The only skin showing is rosy red cheeks

Christmas will be coming to our town.

 

 

The beauty of this wondrous season,

Pretty colours peeking through the snow,

Many tired shoppers rushing all around

With perfect Christmas parcels all in tow.

 

 

As this Holy Season approaches we have to reflect

On the blessings that's presented to us

From a little child named Jesus placed in a MANGER

He is trying to teach us we really should not fuss.

 

 

The presents He wants us all to give

Come from our beautiful hearts within

Faith, Hope and Love as we all help each other

Then forever we'll stay closer to him.

CHRISTMAS LONG AGO

FIGURE OF INFANT JESUS FROM ST PATRICK'S
CHURCH CRIB, CHRISTMAS 1948

 

Once again it is almost Christmas and I have a very special Christmas picture to post.  Some of you will have no recollection of the wonderful living Nativity scenes that were re-enacted at Midnight Mass in St Patrick's Church long ago. 

 

However, I have no doubt that many of us not only remember but have very fond memories of those Christmases of our childhood.   If my memory serves me correctly, the children from Kindergarten and grade 1  were chosen to play the parts of Mary, Joseph and the Angels.  At the beginning of Midnight Mass (and it actually was MIDNIGHT Mass in those days!) priests, altar boys, Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and all the Heavenly Host processed into the church.  The crib was blessed and the Holy Babe lovingly placed in the waiting manger.  It was a simple yet beautiful and moving ceremony.  Despite the years and the miles between now and that very happy childhood experience, the memory of it still adds  a warm and happy feeling to my Christmas Mass.

 

Are you ready for this?  As promised, here is that very special picture.  It was taken at Christmas 1948 and in it we see Mary and the Heavenly Host.

 

 MARY, ANGELS AND INFANT JESUS - ST PATRICK'S CHURCH, CHRISTMAS 1948

 

 

FRONT ROW:   Carol Ann Maddigan, Constance Jackman, Judy Murphy, Bernice Everard, Judy Whiffen

 

BACK ROW:  Roseann Bulger, K Jardine, Catherine Simms, Peggy Bradbury

 

A very big "THANK YOU" to two wonderful St Patrick's girls, Cathy and Betty Simms, for this beautiful picture.   Cathy is the proud owner of the picture and Betty obtained the picture and Cathy's permission to post it here.  Thank you both for sharing it.  I think it will provide a very pleasant walk down Memory Lane for a lot of people this Christmas.

 

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO

ST PATRICK'S GIRLS AND BOYS

EVERYWHERE. 

MAY 2014 BE FILLED WITH MANY BLESSINGS FOR EACH AND

EVERY ONE OF YOU.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!

ADVENT?