Parish News for Sunday 8th March 2009

Vol.36 No.10

The 2nd Sunday in Lent.

PRIESTS OF THE PARISH
Very Rev Michael Canny Adm
Rev David O'Kane CC
Rev Daniel McFaul CC

Observing Lent

You could no more observe Lent without actual fasting or some kind of bodily inconvenience than you could make a painting without canvas and paint, or a play without some kind of stage and costumes and props. These things have to be really physically there. At the same time, however, their value is not in their own physical reality but in what they symbolize or dramatize. You cannot observe Lent by just thinking about self-denial. You dramatize it by, say, fasting. But the point of fasting is not to deny yourself by starving to death; it is to symbolize all the self-denial that is part of being alive.

I haven’t talked about the other and equally important and traditional side of Lenten observance. If we are to die to ourselves it is because we are to live for others. The other side of fasting is almsgiving, helping those in need. But here, too, remember that we are engaged in a drama, a symbolic act. We do not give alms in Lent because we are under the illusion that almsgiving will solve the problem of world poverty; and by the same token we do not think it foolish to give alms just because we know it will not solve that problem. The point is again to dramatize for ourselves the reality of poverty and oppression and need, and of our responsibility in the face of it. Almsgiving is not a substitute for political action. Art is not a substitute for reality.

Excerpt from ‘God, Christ and Us’ by Herbert McCabe OP

Two Bridges - Sponsored Parish Walk

Fr Canny is organising a sponsored Parish walk of the two bridges to raise funds for Trócaire and the Parish Missionaries Overseas. During Lent it will be an opportunity for us to think of people less well off than ourselves. Parishioners are invited to join in this event on Saturday, 28th March. If you wish to help organise the walk contact Fr Canny. Further details from the Parochial House.

St Eugene’s Folk Group will be singing at Mass on RTE1 on Sunday next, 15th March at 11.15 am. Celebrant will be Fr Daniel McFaul.

Monthly Mass for the Beatification of Matt Talbot on Monday at 7.30 pm in Termonbacca. All welcome.

Sympathy
We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of:

Annie Corcoran,
87 Academy Road.

William Bradley,
formerly Cable Street.

May they rest in peace.

Baptism

We welcome as a member
of the Christian community

Bobby Killian Keeney-Edgar,
1 Glenview Avenue.

Readers

Weekdays
10.00 Neil McMahon
07.30 Mona Tracey

Readers on duty next Weekend
06.15 pm Sharon Duffy
07.30 pm Christine McDevitt
09.30 am Laura Kelly
11.00 am Jemma McGlinchey/
Rebecca O’Doherty
12.30 pm Piaras O’Meallain

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

Thornhill Centre, is at present, providing the following courses: Lenten Thursdays/Lenten Scripture Course/Dreams Workshop. Please contact the Centre at 71351233 for further details.

Sick Visitation

Fr David O’Kane will visit
the sick this week as follows:

Mon 10.00 am: The Village, Rosemount Gdns, Montrose Gdns, Ernest St: Rosemount Ave, Academy Tce, Northland Parade; Tutor Close. Fairman Place, Northland Way, De Burgh Tce.

Mon pm: Lower Nassau St, Glen Road, Ardglen Pk, Glenbank Rd, Northland Road, Edanmount Park.

Tues am: Meadowview Cres, Osborne St, Norcross St: Baldrick Cres, Cedar St, Argyle St, Argyle Tce, Glasgow Tce, Glenview Ave.
Tues pm: Glenbrook House.
Fri am: William Street Home.

The Holy Family Padre Pio Prayer Group will hold their monthly meeting in the Holy Family Church, Ballymagroarty on Monday starting with 7.30 pm Mass. There will be two 1st Class Relics of St Pio at the meeting. The Way of the Cross with Padre Pio, will also be read. This will replace the Rosary for this month only. Everyone is welcome.

Church Flower Arrangers: The date of the next meeting has been changed to Thursday, 26th March at 7.30 pm in Thornhill Centre.

Fr Canny acknowledges with thanks donations for: Trócaire: £10, £105. St Pio: £5, €5. Flowers for Forty Hours: £10, £10, £40, £50, £40, £5. Sisters of St John: £20.

Last Week’s Collection amounted to £3,402.

Lent in St Eugene’s

• Lunch-time Mass: 12.30 pm Mass (Monday to Friday).
• Stations of the Cross: Wednesday and Friday after the 7.30 pm evening Mass.
• Parish Community Book of Prayer: At the Cross we can say the prayer that we will be faithful to our commitment during the season and so be more prepared to celebrate the resurrection of Christ at Easter.

The Monthly Pro-Life devotions will take place in St Columb’s Church, Chapel Road, Waterside on Tuesday commencing with Rosary at 7.00 pm followed by Mass at 7.30 pm. All welcome.

St Patrick’s Missionaries thank you for your tremendous support to their Stamp Appeal during Christmas. They will collect stamps again at Easter.

Please take a Trócaire box from the back of the Cathedral.

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