Sunday 15th March 2009

3rd Sunday in Lent

 

CHRIST CRUCIFIED - GOD’S ETERNAL LOVE FOR US

Paul preaches ‘Christ Crucified’ (1 Cor 1:22) in today's Second Reading, not the Crucifixion. There’s a huge difference between the two. The one focuses on Christ; the other on suffering. While the Gospels describe his suffering and death, they don’t dramatise them with lengthy and graphic descriptions of flowing blood and torn flesh. There’s an important lesson to be learnt in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s suffering and death that focusing on pain and ripped flesh won’t provide.

Put simply the lesson is: it was not Jesus’s suffering that was the primary part of God’s salvific plan, or even primary to our redemption. No! It was the Spirit that enabled him to suffer come what may. That Spirit was his loving faithfulness to his Father’s will. It was this love in Jesus’ heart that effected our redemption, not his suffering, which would have had no value had it not been endured because of love. This view may be unacceptable to those of a certain type of spirituality.
However, nothing should get in the way of that understanding - especially not a penance-promoting spirituality that makes a ‘no-pain-no-gain’ claim where God is concerned.

For if suffering was the non-negotiable part of God’s plan what sort of an image does that present of him? A Father, who would want his beloved son in whom he was well pleased to suffer cruelly and be killed - and all to gratify his anger at human sinfulness !

That would certainly be a stumbling block, I’d say - and to more than the Jews.

10 DAY PILGRIMAGE To Holy Land flying direct from Belfast. Saturday 19 - Tuesday 28 Sept £1090 or €1240. Spiritual Director Fr Michael Porter. For info contact Charlie at 07533330756

DERRY TRUST; FUND PILGRIMAGES Medjugorje 25th April Holy Land 5th October Lourdes 10th June Contact Anna Dillon for details Tel 71359673

PILGRIMAGE Rome San Giovanni 17th June Fatima 2nd July, Rome 2nd August San Giovanni 9th September Contact Sean Mulrine 71265926

MEDJUGORJE with Marian Pilgrimages Dept 6th June 7 nights £499 fully inclusive. Tel Colette Carter 71352560

MEDJUGORJE 2-9 May 7 Days £499 contact Mairead 77722121

PILGRIMAGE MEDJUGORJE AND SAN GIOVANNI 2nd - 9th May 2009. Departing Belfast. Cost: Medjugorje & San Giovanni £689.00. 7 nights Medjugorje £499. An addional part of the trip will travel mid week (2 days) to San Giovanni. Padre Pio’s Body will still be present during May in San Giovanni. Contact Pat 71 301474 or Marie 074 936165 for further details

SYMPATHY

We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of

Norman McColgan, Woodbrook West and

Eddie Doherty, Rosskeen Park who died during the week. May they rest in peace

ST PATRICKS DAY

Tuesday is the Feast of Saint Patrick and is a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses for the feast will be vigil mass on Monday 7.30pm Tuesday 10am, 12.30pm and 7.30pm. There will be a special collection at Masses for the Education of Clerical Students of the Diocese and ongoing Formation of Clergy.

SUNDAY COLLECTION

8 March amounted to £3207.01 and €201.09 Thank you.

MASS OF HEALING & RECONCILIATION for parents & families who have lost a child. This mass will be celebrated on Wednesday 25 March at 7.30pm for parents who have grieved after a miscarriage, abortion or death of a young child. Parents are invited to hand them over to the loving care of the Father during Mass. White flowers to be brought to the altar will be available. Anyone wishing to enrol their baby’s name in the Memorial Book may do so at the Sacristy.

WEEK OF GUIDED PRAYER

Have you thought of praying with the Scriptures? Would you like the opportunity to have some guidance in prayer? Have you ever wondered how to develop personal prayer by using the Bible?

We invite you to a week of Guided Prayer commencing Sunday 22 March @ 7pm and finishing Friday 27 March @7pm in Holy Family Primary School Ballymagroarty.

This way of praying Scripture has proved to be very popular and indeed invaluable to those who have participated in it down through the years.
In this season of Lent the Church call on us to reflect on our faith journey and this could be a very good way of doing that by pondering what The Word of God is saying to us in our present situations. This week of Guided Prayer consists of a gathering of the full group of participants on the first and last nights from 7pm until 9pm when the World of God will be shared in a very special way. On the other days we will meet individually for 25 mins to continue this method of praying with our prayer guide or companion at a time that is suitable for both of us. Everyone is welcome, for we are never too young or too old to ponder the Word of God.

If you would like to participate, please leave your name with the parish secretary no later than 18 March on 71267070

STATIONS OF THE CROSS after evening Mass Monday Wednesday and Fridays of Lent

BISHOP REDMOND O’GALLAGHER

Today, Sunday 15 March marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Bishop Redmond O’Gallagher. His story will be shared after 10am Mass tomorrow Monday 16 March in the Upper Room. All are welcome.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY urgently requires good quality household furniture (tables, chairs, bedroom furniture, suites) also bedding and kitchen utensils. Please contact 71265489 or 71268325 for collection.

READINGS FOR NEXT SUNDAY 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23. Psalm 136. Ephesians 2:4-10. John 3:14-21

 

Age Concern Derry are holding the last programme in the present reminiscence and local history evenings schedule. “History of Salmon Fishing” will be facilitated by local historian George Mc Laughlin on Tuesday 24th of March 2009 at 7.30pm in Malvern House , 20 Chapel Rd . ALL are welcome to attend and refreshments will be served. For further details, please contact Age Concern Derry by telephone (028) 71 347 478

A MASS FOR THE SICK with Eucharistic Blessing will take place in the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca, Derry, on Tuesday 17th March at 8.00 pm. All are welcome to attend.

BIG BINGO St Columbs Hall every Sunday at 8.30pm.

LASCO LOTTO 2, 5, 10, 19 numbers drawn 9 March no £10 winner No Jackpot winner Next weeks jackpot £3200. To join please contact LASCO 71374443

CHURCH FLOWER ARRANGERS

The date of the next meeting has been changed to Thursday 26 March at 7.30 in Thornhill Centre.

WORKSHOP ON MARRIAGE renew your wedding vows: Marriage Encounter is a weekend away (Friday 8pm -Sunday 5pm) for married couples of all ages with a stable relationship. Couples explore in complete privacy how to come to a deeper mutual understanding of each other. Dates for next weekends are 27th-29th March, Dromantine Conference Centre Newry Tel 028 90 626503 or 028 71350612

PARENTS ADVICE CENTRE Free parenting courses - Building Self Esteem, 27 March 9.30 -12.30 & Handling Teenagers, 8 wk course commencing 22 April 7pm-9pm.