Sunday 29th November 2009

First Sunday of Advent.

Sunday, 29th November, 2009

First Sunday of Advent

First Reading Jeremiah 33: 14-16
In those days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell in confidence.

Second Reading Thessalonians 3: 12 -4:2
May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another.

Gospel Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36
Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.

 

THE TROUBLE WITH ADVENT

The trouble with Advent is that Christmas comes at the end. We know that Advent is a time for taking stock, but with Christmas just around the comer, we’re far too busy with shopping lists to think about the state of our souls.

It seems obvious that we should spend our lives in preparation for the final judgement day, but it is all too easy to take our eye off the ball. Life heaps demands on us day in and day out. We spend each and every day taking the children to school, going to work, cleaning the house, shopping, cooking, cleaning, fixing the car and paying the bills. At this time of year in particular it is easy to get swamped in the things that the TV ad's convince us we must do before Christmas. We end up feeling trapped and unable to see the bigger picture. All of a sudden it's too late. We never get to do the things we know we should have done.

The Gospel paints a frightening picture of the end of the world, but it is not meant to terrify us. Rather, the signs of the second coming are there to liberate us. Advent is a time of waiting and of looking forward. We are looking forward not just to Christmas but to the second coming of Jesus. The signs of the second coming are there to liberate us from the material preparations of Christmas and the other things that weigh us down. We are invited to take a step back from our fraught lives and take a long-term view. It would be a pity to get to the other side of Christmas only to realise that a host of fake Santa Clauses had distracted us from contemplating the real direction of our lives.

THE ADVENT WREATH

Today we light the first of our Advent candles. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. Three candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles in particular symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and good works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday. The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living and the dead. The light signifies Christ, the Light of the world. Some modern day adaptations include a white candle placed in the middle of the wreath, which represents Christ and is lit on Christmas Eve.

 

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP will continue tomorrow (Monday) at 7.30pm. It will include Mass of Commitment for Confirmation children in Holy Family and St. Eithne’s schools. Please bring your own Petition or pick up a petition card at the main door of the church and place it in the special petition box at Our Lady’s Altar.

MONTHLY DEVOTIONS in honour of Our Lady, will take place in Termonbacca, Derry on Tuesday 1st December starting with confessions at 7.30 p.m. followed by Rosary and Mass, finishing around 10.00 p.m. All welcome

GROUP GUIDED PRAYER Thursday 8.00pm - 9.00pm in the Upper Room. This group will meet each week to pray with regard to Sunday Scripture readings. All welcome

Advent Weekend Retreat. Registration Friday 11th 7.30p.m. to Sunday 13th December. A quiet residential weekend, which will be a spiritual preparation for the feast of Christmas, will be conducted by the Carmelite Fathers in Termonbacca. For details Tel 71262512

Advent Morning: Thursday 10 December, Thornhill Centre is holding a ‘Reflection Morning’ for Advent beginning at 10:30 and concluding with a light lunch at 1:00 pm. Time includes a talk, quiet reflection and prayer. A donation of £5 per morning is suggested. Please ring 71351233 to book.

 

FIRST FRIDAY Friday is the first Friday of December. The sick in Buncrana Road and Coshquin will be visited on Thursday 3rd December and Ballymagroarty, the Branch and Foylesprings, will be visited on Friday 2nd December Confessions will be at the usual times on Thursday. There will be a Holy Hour on Thursday from 8-9pm.

 

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS for December Group A
Vigil: Maire Kivelehan, Rita Duffy, Anne O’Doherty, Leonard Nicell

9.30am Brian Boyle, Marian Boyle
Claire Caldwell, Paul McElhinney,

11.15am Stephen McCafferty
Patricia Murphy Jim Quigg

12.30pm Sean Grant, Hester Mahon, Aiobheann Quigg Declan O’Doherty,

READERS FOR DECEMBER
Vigil Myra Merrigan

9.30am Margaret Harkin

11.15am Bridie Gallagher
John Moore

12.30pm Marcella Patterson
Louise McCloskey

 

DIABETIC ASSOCIATION

meeting on Wednesday 2nd December at 8.00pm in the

Multi Disciplinary Unit at Altnagelvin.

 

SUNDAY COLLECTION

22nd Nov. amounted to £1930.30 and €197.53 Thank you.

 

PARISH SAVINGS

Anyone who has an uncashed parish savings cheque is asked to return it to the parochial house before 30th November even if it is out of date. A new cheque fill be issued in place of the original one.

 

CHRISTMAS FLORAL DEMONSTRATION by John Paul Deehan in St. Columb’s Parish Hall on Wednesday 2nd Dec at 8.00pm. Admission tickets £5

 

ST. EITHNE’S SCHOOL

Rickety Wheel and Santa’s Grotto on Wed 2nd December at 7.30pm

 

College [PTA] are running a Christmas ayre on Thursday, Dec 3rd, to raise funds for their supportive activities

 

T. BRIGID’S PTA will present An Evening of Christmas Flowers and Music in the school assembly hall on Tues. 8th Dec. at 7.30pm. Adm £3

 

COLMCILLE PILGRIMAGES
LOURDES PILGRIMAGE 21st-28th July 2009 Cost £659 For details tel. Margaret 07732468511

STAMP APPEAL A collection box will be in the church over the Christmas period. Please save your stamps and bring them for collection. The stamps will be forwarded to St. Patrick’s Mission after Christmas. They will aid St. Patrick’s Missionaries in their work

THE ROSARY

Philip Carty is having a concert of his piano work The Rosary. The Rosary is a religious work for piano. The concert takes place on the 8th of December, the Feast of Immaculate Conception. in the Great Hall, Magee Campus, University of Ulster. Ticket prices are: £12, concessions: £8

S

ADOPTION

Could you make a child happy again after a difficult start in life? Family Care Society is presently seeking adoptive families who would be interested in parenting children aged between 2 – 6 years and who need the love and attention of a caring and understanding family.Could this be you? Please contact Family Care Society on: Belfast 028 9069 1133 or Derry 028 7136 8592
Email: email@family-caresociety.org : Website:www.family-care-society.net

CHRISTMAS YOUTH 2000 RETREAT for young people age 16-35 takes place at Newbridge College Co. Kildare from Friday 18th- Sunday 20th Dec. An opportunity not to be missed to experience the Catholic Faith and meet many new friends. No charge -donation only. Contact Youth 2000 for information 003531 6753690