Sunday 31st January 2010

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus said: “I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country”. The word prophet conjures up the image of someone who foretells the future, a bit like a fortune-teller. No! A prophet is someone who gets to the deepest reality of human life and is able to proclaim that this deepest reality will come to the surface sooner or later and calls us to make it sooner. Generally people don’t like to hear about these deepest realities because they get used to the way things are. A good example of this is: the deepest reality of marriage is that it is a sacrament, a source of Christ’s presence in and salvation of the world we live in. Couples need to do a lot more to bring their love to that pitch. Every home is a Domestic Church, a sacred place. Every parish is the living Body of Christ. We have a lot of change to work on.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

“This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.”

 

Sunday, 31st January 2010

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading : Jeremiah 1: 4-5.17-19
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you; I have appointed you as prophet to the nations.

Second Reading: Corinthians 12: 31 – 13:13
There are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.

Gospel: Luke 4: 21-30
Jesus’ message is meant for all people.

 

 

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

Sometimes it takes a visitor to notice the beauty of an area. Often when we are surrounded by beauty we can begin to take it for granted. It fails to stop us in our tracks. We can even become negative and cynical about it.

Catholic Education is a beautiful gift that we have had in this country for many years. It is a gift that cost our forebears dear. We have so many examples of people who gave their lives and indeed their livelihoods to ensure that many who would not have been able to afford it got an education that enabled them to bear much fruit in life. Catholic Education can continue today to be a beautiful gift in this country. It will continue if Catholic Educators don’t lose their confidence or the truth of what they are about. Catholic Education in not primarily child centred. It is Jesus centred. Catholic education is to recognise Jesus in all people to live in communion with all people. What make Catholic education different is Jesus whose call communion we celebrate in the Eucharist. When we live in communion we live united. We live in equality. We serve one another. We live the love that St. Paul describes so clearly in the Second Reading.

Yet as the reaction to Jesus in the Gospel reminds us, the gift of Jesus and his Word is a gift that can be undermined; that can be greeted cynically; that can be rejected. Ironically the Good News can cause terrible reactions. One of the reasons for this is because the Good News is primarily for the poor. That will always threaten the rich. However the Gospel reveals to us how Jesus dealt with this negative reaction. He didn’t fight, he didn’t become defensive. He told the truth and he continued his mission with tremendous confidence because he believed in what he was sent to do.

As we begin our celebration of Catholic Schools Week it is important that we don’t take the gift of our Catholic Schools for granted or that we don’t become negative or cynical about them. We need to celebrate and we need to own our mission. We do that in the words of the First Reading from the book of the prophet Jeremiah by bracing ourselves for action.

The action that we are bracing ourselves for is at all times to proclaim Jesus – o recognise Jesus— to serve Jesus and to live in communion with all people. Then in our day our Catholic Schools will continue to be a light to the nations.

MASS IN HONOUR of Blessed Alexandrina Maria Da Costa will be celebrated in Termonbacca today Sunday at 7.30pm. All welcome.

PARENTING APART FREE

4 week programme, practical advice and guidance on what children need to know, and what parents can do to meet their children needs. 10th February - Wed 3rd March from 6-8pm Parents Advice Centre, ph 7137 2006 Funded by Northern Ireland Family Mediation

ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP on Wednesday 3rd February at 7:30pm In Seven Oaks Fold, Day Centre Crescent Link Alzheimer’s Presentation “What is Dementia?” Everyone welcome

 

 

COLMCILLE PILGRIMAGES

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land including Egypt and the Pyramids, Ephesus in Turkey, Paphos in Cyprus Rhodes and Athens.
Price £1095 Travelling Derry- Stanstead -Athens
Returning Athens- Stanstead-Belfast.
1st - 11th March Contact Margaret 07732468511 or Parochial house

Only 2 Seats left

SYMPATHY

We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of Margaret Gallagher Elmvale who died during the week. May she rest in peace.

 

 

BAPTISM

Our Parish family welcomes

Aimee Maire Coyle,
29 Barr’s Lane
Rhiti Annette Meehan
1 O’Connor Court
Katie McClelland Quigley’s Point
Callum Michael Curtis 13 Grainan Pk

 

FIRST FRIDAY

Friday is the first Friday of February. The sick in Coshquin, Whitehouse Park, Buncrana Rd., Ballymagroarty, and Foylesprings, will be visited. Confession will be at the usual times on Thursday. There will be a Holy Hour on Thursday from 8-9pm

 

SUNDAY COLLECTION 24th Jan

amounted to £2027.54 and €209.73

 

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

READERS FOR FEBRUARY

6.00pm Sr Anne

9.30am Ken Austin

11.15am Jackie Conway
Anna Begley

12.30pm Patricia Murphy

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS FOR FEBRUARY

Vigil Mass Brendan Ferris
Nell Smyth Myra Merrigan
Mark Mc Chrystal

9.30am Brigid Mc Nutt
Peter Mc Court Bridie Gallagher
Kathleen Cullen

11.15 am Gordon Hyndman
Jackie Knox Eileen Corcoran

12. 30 p.m. Louise Mc Closkey
Gerry Mc Monagle, Ann Lynch
Majella Heaney Fidelma Coyle

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

If you would like to be considered to become a Minister of the Eucharist please leave your name, address and phone number in the parochial house.

 

CONCERN HAITI APPEAL

The Concern Office in the Millennium Forum has now closed. CONCERN thanks all those who have contributed to date. Any person who still wishes to make a donation can do so by leaving it in Great James St Health Centre C/o Dr. Lee Casey or at the office in Holy Family School

 

The Holy Family Adult Faith Group is hosting an inspiring series of video talks during Lent entitled: 'This is My Body Experiencing the Power of the Mass based on the book by Fr Ian Petit OSB Commencing Wednesday 10th February in the Upper Room at 8p.m. All welcome.

 

 

MONTHLY DEVOTIONS in honour of Our Lady, will take place in the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca, Derry on Tuesday 2nd February starting with confessions at 7.30 p.m. followed by Rosary and Mass, finishing around 10.00 p.m. All are welcome to attend

PRAYER VIGIL

Thornhill Centre, Derry is holding a Prayer Vigil from 8pm – Midnight on Friday 5 February. In this, the Year for Priests, we pray for our Church, our Priests, our Parish & Faith communities at this time of difficulty. There will be a 10-minute led Prayer at the start of every half hour. To ensure enough prayer leaflets are available, it would be helpful if you could ring 71351233 to indicate your interest in attending.

Poetry Evenings – Mary Murphy will explore how Coleridge’s poetry can help us reach within to describe the beauty of nature, the pain and joy of life and the dimensions of spiritual experience. Dates: 10/24 February & 10/24 March. Time: 7:30 – 9:30 pm. Venue: Thornhill Centre. Cost: £5 per night. Please phone 71351233 to reserve a place.

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

 

A SPECIAL VALENTINE GIFT

Give your husband or wife a special Valentine Gift of a weekend away with (12-14 Feb). A weekend with a difference that will help deepen your commitment to one another. For details and booking visit www.marriagencounter.ie Tel. 90626303 or 71350612

HOME SAFETY C.R.J. will install free security door bars and door peephole viewers in the homes of elderly residents and any one feeling vulnerable in the Ballymagroarty– Hazelbank area. Security marker kits and fire safety information will also be given. If you or anyone you know would like any of these home security devices installed contact CRJ Tel 71353144 or Mark Doherty 07706031894

GOOD MORNING NORTHWEST is back. They provide an invaluable service to the elderly and vulnerable. They urgently need volunteers to operate their telephone lines. If you have a few hours to spare on weekdays call Eileen on 71353694.

Naíscoil & Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir, Irish Medium Nursery and Primary School still have a few places available for the coming school year beginning September 2010! for further information or call in to visit our Nursery and Primary School at anytime @128 Lecky Road, Derry - 71268020.