Parish News for Sunday 2nd March 2008

Vol.35 No.9

Fourth Sunday of Lent

PRIESTS OF THE PARISH
Very Rev Michael Canny Adm
Rev David O'Kane CC
Rev Gary Wade CC

Parish Mission

Prayer for the Parish Mission

Loving Father in Heaven,
we ask you to bless our parish during the coming mission.
May we all experience your love for us.
Help us to know Jesus our merciful Saviour,
that we may walk in the light of faith
and turn away from darkness and sin.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Monday to Thursday : Daily Schedule:
10.00 am Mass and Mission Talk
7.30 pm Mass and Mission Talk (no evening Mass on Monday)

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
after the morning mission until the 12.30 pm Lenten lunch time Mass
(Monday to Thursday)

Tuesday: 2.00 pm Mass and Anointing of the Sick
for those too ill to attend the Mission

During the parish mission, personal appointments with Sr. Briege will not be possible, nor will it be possible for her to take personal phone calls or return them. Letters and other petitions will be accepted by Sr. Briege. A basket for prayer petitions will be made available for those who wish to use it.

SISTER BRIEGE MCKENNA, O.S.C was born in Ireland and entered the Sisters of St. Clare at the age of fifteen. After coming to Tampa, Florida as a teacher, she became crippled by the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. At the age of twenty-four she was miraculously healed during the celebration of the Eucharist and some time later received, in prayer, the gift of healing for which she has become so widely known. In 1974, again during prayer, she was given a deep spiritual insight into the mystery of the call to priesthood. Since then, bishops and priests in many parts of the world have invited her to speak and minister at their retreats and conferences. Her book, “Miracles Do Happen” has been translated into many languages throughout the world. Since 1985 Sister Briege has been ministering to priests with Father Kevin Scallon.

REVEREND KEVIN SCALLON, C.M. is a Priest of the Vincentian Community who was born in Ireland. Following his ordination in 1961, he ministered in England for three years and in Nigeria for six years. In 1970, after graduating from Catholic University of America he was appointed as Spiritual Director at All Hallows Seminary in Dublin, Ireland. In 1976, Fr. Kevin started the “Intercession for Priests” in Dublin, a month-long retreat where priests could come to pray for the spiritual renewal of the priesthood. In 1982, he was appointed director of missions and retreats for the Vincentian Community. Following on that, in 1985, he began fulltime ministry to priests with Sister Briege McKenna.

The Sacrament of Confirmation

Next weekend 191 children from the schools in the parish will receive the sacrament of Confirmation. This is a very important sacrament in their lives and it is also a very special day in the life of the parish. The sacrament of Confirmation is not confined to the schools but involves parents, sponsors, other family members and the wider Christian parish community.

Over the past year the children have been preparing for this day with the help of dedicated teachers and are ready to take this new step in developing their faith. It is also an opportunity for all of us to consider the meaning of our own Confirmation and what it asks of us.

The Catechism teaches us that the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation together form what we call the sacraments of Christian initiation and that by being confirmed we are more perfectly bound to the Church and enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. So we associate Confirmation with the giving of the Holy Spirit and the children also know the seven gifts of the Spirit that they receive when they go before the Bishop.

Confirmation demands that we take responsibility for our faith. Even though the children who receive the sacrament are not yet adults they are making a commitment to God to accept and live their faith. The close link with Baptism is retained when the children openly profess their faith; the faith into which they were baptised and that they can now profess for themselves. They are also asking the Spirit of God, not the spirit of the world, to be their guide for the rest of their lives.

We pray for the children at this time. We pray for their sponsors who have a serious responsibility as well. Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Confirmation is an occasion of joy for all of us and we await this great sacrament to strengthen the spiritual life of our young people.

Lent in St Eugene’s

• Lunch-time Mass: 12.30 pm Mass Monday to Friday during Lent.
• Stations of the Cross: Wed and Friday after the 7.30 pm evening Mass.
• Parish Community Book of Prayer.

Sympathy
We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of:
Dr Paul Crilly, 1 Claremont Street.
Seán Spencer, 102 Glen Road. May they rest in peace.

Baptism
We welcome as members of the Christian community
Conal James McCafferty, 59 Oakbridge Park.
Megan Maria Hamilton, 69 Spruce Meadows.
Kayla Marie McGuinness, 96 Westway.
Dáire Gary White, 4 Killea Manor.
Ava Doherty McMenamin, 3 Rosemount Gardens.

Readers on duty next Weekend
06.15 Garvin Kerr
07.30 Kieran Kehoe
09.30 Gráinne Nugent
11.00 Eugene McClintock
12.30 Marie Canning

Weekdays
10.00 Eugene McClintock
07.30 Mona Tracey

Eucharistic Ministers
Team *A begins its rota at the 6.15 pm Vigil Mass next weekend.

Women’s World Day of Prayer in the Salvation Army Citadel at 7.30 pm on Friday. Speaker: Mrs Alex O’Hara. All welcome.

LASCO wish to acknowledge with thanks donations totalling £220, and €175 received from Father Canny.

Rosary for the Holy Souls will be held on today (Sunday) in St Brigid’s Church, Carnhill at 5 pm. All welcome.

Remembering our Babies and Children (Miscarriage, Neonatal Death, Stillbirth, Infant death). As a tribute to those who have died and to their parents, families and friends, a Remembrance Service will be held in the Clinical Education Centre, Altnagelvin on Sunday next at 3.00 pm. For further information please contact 71345171, ext. 3235.

Thank you
Fr Canny acknowledges with thanks donations for:
Church Funds: £500. St Pio: £20. Niger: £20. Bangladeshi Floods: £20. Darfur: £20. Peru: £40. Kenya: £20.

Fr Canny will forward donations totalling £66 to LASCO.

Last Week’s Collection amounted to £3,387.

Parish Draw
To purchase a ticket by instalments or full payment contact Matt McColgan at 71268997. Promoter’s pack available from the Sacristy after Masses or from the Parochial House, Monday to Friday during office hours. Parish Draw contributions will be collected next Friday, 7th March ( and every first Friday) from 6.30 - 8.30 pm in the room above the Sacristy.

St Eugene’s Parish Hall:
Sunday: Long Tower Bingo 8.30 pm.
Tuesday: Long Tower Bingo 9.00 pm.