Parish News for Sunday 6th June 2010

Vol.37 No.23

The Feast of Corpus Christi

PRIESTS OF THE PARISH
Very Rev Michael Canny Adm
Fr Peter Raftery CSSp
Rev Daniel McFaul CC
Fr Joseph Varghese

In Search of Presence

The lines snaked up to receive Holy Communion. Among their ranks were the bored, the enthusiastic, the habitual communicant and (at times) equally habitual sinner. Hands or tongues were outstretched to receive their God made visible in a sliver of bread. Their ‘Amen’ confirmed the Eucharistic Minister’s statement: ‘Body of Christ’ (Corpus Christi). And then back to pews, though some had already left - perhaps anticipating the closing words: ‘Go in peace to love and serve the Lord’.

A wobble of the knee or hip vaguely towards the tabernacle and then out. Out to hurried, harried lives. To jostling in the various queues of life; in supermarkets, surgeries and banks. Back to lives where time was an enemy - abundant or scarce commitments mounting, money inadequate and love at times a stranger. Perhaps forgetting that just as God has put himself in our hands and mouths during Mass, he has placed himself in our care this week, at the mercy of our hands and mouths. When we recognise and respond to Him present in those starved of greeting or affection, in the youth who need adult leaders and example, in the elderly, the infirm, the needy - we truly celebrate Corpus Christi.

Today is a time to wonder: if we really believed what we claim, we would genuflect to the tabernacle and then to each other.

Feast of Corpus Christi

The Eucharist is the source of our lives. We are a people who are united through the Eucharist. In Baptism we became members of the Body of Christ. When we receive Holy Communion we celebrate the fact that we are with Christ and each other. We are bonded together. We all eat at the same table. We all eat the same bread, the one bread, the Bread of Life. It is the bread that gives us life, everlasting life. The Bread of Life is the food for our journey to heaven. When we receive that food we have within us the power to live as sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ. We have the power to be truly united to each other in love and peace.

When we receive Holy Communion at Mass we are not receiving a reward for being good. The Eucharist is not about the past. When we receive Holy Communion we are:

1 Professing our faith in Christ present in the Eucharist.

2 Professing our faith in Christ present in the community of believers,
of which we are all members.

3 Pledging that we are a united people willing and eager to go out and
preach Christ’s Good News of love and peace.

Corpus Christi Blessed Sacrament Procession this afternoon (Sunday) from St Columba’s Church, Long Tower at 3.00 pm finishing here at St Eugene’s Cathedral with Benediction at 4.00 pm. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm in St Columba’s Church, Long Tower. We invite children who have made their First Holy Communion to come in their First Communion clothes to be at the front of the procession.

Sympathy

We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of:

Carmel Coyle, 149 Hatmore Park.

May O’Donnell, 19 Oakfield Crecent.

May they rest in peace.

Anniversaries

We remember the anniversaries of:

Lily Brown, Charlie Scott, Vera McDaid, Neil Crawley, Patrick McCaul,

Hugh Hamilton, Brendan Barr, Sadie and Norman Wells.

May they rest in peace.

Baptism

We welcome as members of the Christian community:

Jack Doherty,
9 Princes Terrace.

Clara Rose Cregan,
4 Aberfoyle Crescent South.

Niamh Anna McCay,
48 Beechwood Avenue.

Katie Paige McConnellogue,
66 Elmvale.

Readers Weekdays

10.00 am Jimmy Doyle
07.30 pm Anna Peake

Readers on duty next Weekend

06.15 pm Mary McDowell
07.30 pm Stephen Orr
09.30 am Michael Roddy
11.00 am Blanaid Barr/Peter Lynch/
Sarah Henderson
12.30 pm Piaras O’Meallain

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

St Eugene’s Conference of St Vincent de Paul is organising a bus trip on Thursday, 17th June for Senior Citizens who live in the Parish. The bus will leave Creggan Street at 1.30 pm. If you would like to go on the trip please leave your name, address and telephone number in the box at the back of the Cathedral. A member of the Conference will contact you and distribute tickets later in the week.

Monthly Mass for the beatification of Matt Talbot on Monday in Termonbacca at 7.30 pm.

The Annual Service of Intercession for the Dead takes place in the City Cemetery on Sunday, 20th June at 6.00 pm. Please remember to bring Holy Water to sprinkle the graves of your relatives.

Donations to LASCO should be handed in to their office at the One World Centre, Foyle Street.

Fr Canny acknowledges with thanks donations for:
Trócaire: £10, £10. St Pio: £20. Altar Flowers: £20. Concern: £30.

Last Week’s Collection amounted to £3,392.

Rosemount Primary School are staging a production of Roald Dahl’s ‘Cinderella’ in the Assembly Hall on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30 pm.  Tickets available at School office - price £ 3.00 adult/£1.50 child.

A Service to mark St Columba’s Day will take place in the Oratory of the Celtic Prayer Garden at the IOSAS Centre, Lenamore Road, Muff on Wednesday at 3.00 pm. Refreshments afterwards in the IOSAS Centre.

The Service of Intercession for the Dead takes place today (Sunday) in Ballyoan and Altnagelvin cemeteries at 3.00 pm and in Ardmore cemetery at 6.00 pm. A bus will travel to Ardmore leaving Chapel Road at 4.30 pm (sharp) and calling at Trench Rd at 4.45 pm, returning immediately afterwards. Any one travelling by car is asked to co-operate with Stewards, disabled parking will be available at the upper end of the new cemetery.  You are asked to bring Holy Water to sprinkle on your family grave. Holy Water will be available at cemetery gates, please bring a container.  A collection to help maintain the upkeep of the cemetery will be taken up at the gates. 

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