Sunday 16th March 2008

PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION

THE LIFE OF JESUS- NOW AND FOREVER

Passion Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. Most of us have stood at this place many times before. We know from memory the names of the people who played a part in the suffering and death of Christ. Through their association with that tragic event, some of them have become famous and some infamous. We know the story, the cruelty, the suffering and the sorrow.

There is another side to the story that we may wish to focus on, a brighter side. The one who died on the central cross that day was a member of the human family. The One who suffered without bitterness, the One who prayed for His tormentors, the One who kept faith with himself and never lost his faith in God or in people, was a man, a person like us. My first look at Calvary makes me feel ashamed of the entire human race. But a second look, a closer look at the man on the central cross makes me proud to be a member of the same human family to which that man belonged. The crucifixion of Christ is a revelation of human nature. It shows us at our worst and also at our best.

The Crucifixion of Christ shows us what God is really like. For many people, that is a difficult idea to accept, and understandably so. How could the tragic death of a truly good person demonstrate the kind of God in whom we Christians claim to believe? The answer to that question rests in the identity of the crucified One. He was God the Son. Paul said it like this ‘Though he was in the form of God...Jesus did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave…’

Jesus became one of us in order to show us the true nature of God. When divine goodness in him confronted human wickedness in us, we nailed it to a cross. But Jesus never stopped loving.

HOLY WEEK CEREMONIES
Penitential Services
Sunday 6.00pm. Long Tower
Monday 7.30pm. Holy Family
Tuesday 7.30pm St. Mary’s

HOLY THURSDAY
10.00am Mass of Chrism in St. Eugene’s Cathedral. There will be NO morning Mass in Holy Family.
7.30pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper Washing of Feet Ceremony. Adoration will continue until midnight with special prayers at 11.30pm - 12midnight No Mass at 5.00pm.

GOOD FRIDAY
10.00am - Morning Prayer
3.00pm - Solemn Liturgy of the Passion.
7.30pm. Alternative Celebration -Meditation on Christ’s Passion.
Shrines of the Holy Land Collection will be taken up on Good Friday
Good Friday is a day of Fast and Abstinence.

HOLY SATURDAY
10.00am Morning Prayer
9.00pm. Easter Vigil.

CONFESSIONS
Tuesday and Wednesday
Before evening Mass only
Holy Thursday 6.30pm and 8.30pm.
Good Friday 10.30am 12noon & 6.30pm
Holy Saturday 10.30am, 12noon and 7.00pm - 8.00pm.
Confessions in St. Eugene’s Cathedral from 11.am-6.00pm

SYMPATHY We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of Kevin Kelly, Templegrove who died last week. May he rest in peace.

BAPTISMS Our Parish family welcomes:
Eamon Joseph McLaughlin
6 Gogarty Close
Caiden Ryan Jordan 44 Barr’s Lane

Extra Mass Mon -Wed at 5.00pm.
Stations of the Cross after evening Mass Monday to Wednesday.

PALM SUNDAY DEVOTIONS 6.00pm

READERS There will be a meeting for ALL readers on Tuesday at 8.00pm in the church to arrange Holy Week Ceremonies.

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS There will be a meeting for ALL Eucharistic Ministers on Tuesday at 8.00pm to arrange Holy Week Ceremonies

GARMENT OF SUFFERING As a sign of the pain or grief in the lives of so many people we invite you to bring a piece of cloth about six inches long and leave it in the basket at our Lady’s altar by Monday. The pieces of cloth will be sewn together into one garment which will be draped over the Cross on Good Friday and will remain there until after the Vigil Mass on Pentecost when it will be taken outside and burned symbolising the handing over of hurts into the healing power of God.
‘By His Wounds We are Healed’

SUNDAY COLLECTION 9th March amounted to £2551.50 and €111.40 Thank you

TROCAIRE BOXES should be brought to any of the Holy Week ceremonies.

MONTHLY PRO LIFE DEVOTIONS on Tuesday 18th March in St. Columb’s Church Waterside commencing with Rosary at 7pm followed by Mass at 7.30pm.

MASS OF HEALING AND RECONCILIATION for parents who have grieved after a miscarriage, abortion or death of a young child will be celebrated on Monday 31st March at 7.30pm. 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.

HOLY FAMILY SILVER JUBILEE
This year we celebrate our 25th Anniversary. If you have any memorabilia or photographs of the opening of the church in September 1983 or any photographs or material about anything to do with the story of our parish especially in the early years we would be grateful if we could borrow them. Please leave them in the parochial house. These will be returned to you later on.

DIVINE MERCY NOVENA commences on Good Friday and finishes on Divine Mercy Sunday 30th March. This is a very powerful Novena

Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca Three Evening Retreats in preparation for Easter on Mon.17th Tues. 18th Wed. 19th March (7.30 p.m. -10.00 p.m.) An opportunity to spend some time in quiet adoration, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and celebrate Mass. All welcome

DERRY DIOCESAN LOURDES PILGRIMAGE 16-21 July Application forms for any young person aged 14-15 years old who would like a place on the Lourdes Pilgrimage. Special arrangements are made for the youth who will be lead by the Pilgrimage Youth Team
The Lourdes Pilgrimage would be grateful for volunteers who are qualified nurses to work as part of a care team. For further information contact the Pilgrimage Office 164 Bishop St. Tel. 71260293

BHCP Cardiac Risk Assessments Tuesday 18th March from 10.00am-4.00pm in 14 Synge Court. Appointment system only. A Pill for Every Ill Wednesday 19th March from 10.30am-3.00pm in St. Eithne’s School (Youth Wing) .To make an appointment contact Mary Cruickshank on 71271977

YOUTHLIFE in partnership with the Young Peoples’ Beginning Experience will present a residential weekend in St. Columb’s Park House Friday 4th April to Sunday 6th April 2008. This programme helps young people who have experienced the death of a parent, divorce or separation of their parents to work through the process of grief and make a new beginning in their changed family situation. The residential is free to participants. For more information contact: Bridie at Youthlife tel: 71377227 or 07912507388

MEDJUGORJE IRISH CENTRE Located beside St. James Church, the Irish Centre is the meeting place for all Medjugorje Irish Pilgrims. Tel. :028 8224 1888

Thornhill College 25-year Reunion event organised for those pupils who started Thornhill College in September 1975 - the first group of 1st years to attend Artillery Street. The City Hotel, Derry, has been booked for the night of Saturday 19th April. Please contact Emer asap at 71353863 after 6pm for more details about the event. We look forward to hearing from you!"

Prayer for the sick
Lord, as I face an uncertain future.
I am in need of your mercy and ask for healing in mind and body.
Lord, hear my pain.
I unite my pain with your pain.
May this benefit me and others.

Taken from the mission Booklet
Prayers and Reflections

Before Surgery
Lord, I thank you for the wonders of medicine.
Bless the surgeon and the medical team.
Give skill to their hands and clear vision
to their minds to set me on the path of recovery

Taken from the mission Booklet
Prayers and Reflections