Parish News for Sunday 14th February 2010

Vol.37 No.7

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Seeing Your Life Through The Lens Of The Gospels

Luke 6:17, 20-26

In the Beatitudes Jesus captures one of the paradoxes of life – contentment and blessedness is sometimes found in unpromising circumstances.

1 ‘Blessed are the poor,’ those who know their need of God, of others and of relationships. When have you found that thinking of yourself as self-sufficient led nowhere and that you needed these things in order to grow?

2 ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now.’ Have you ever found happiness in hungering for something, desiring more, rather than feeling you have all you want? Have you been inspired by others who were not content with the way things were and hungered for justice and peace?

3 ‘Blessed are you who weep.’ Your capacity for tears speaks of a person for whom other people and relationships are important. If you had not been able to weep would you have been able to experience the joys and thrills of love and friendship?

4 ‘Blessed are you when people hate you ... on account of the Son of Man.’ It is never pleasant to meet with disapproval, or to be excluded, but how has it felt for you when this happened because of your faith or values? Is there good news here for you? Excerpt from Intercom - article by John Byrne OSA

Ash Wednesday, 17th February

Masses at 8.00, 9.00, 10.00 am, 12.30 and 7.30 pm

Ashes will be distributed at all Masses

Ash Wednesday - A Day of Fast and Abstinence

There is an obligation to fast (one main meal and two light meals in the course of the day) and to abstain from meat. The law of fasting obliges all Catholics (except the sick) between the ages of 18 and 59 years. The law of abstinence obliges all Catholics over the age of 14 years.

Forty Hours Adoration

The Forty Hours Adoration begins next Sunday after the 12.30 pm Mass.

Donations of flowers for the Altar would be much appreciated and can be left in the Sacristy next Friday and Saturday.

Update on donations for Haiti

Donations received during the week amounted to £3,880 and €1,020. This brings donations received to date at St Eugene’s Cathedral to £58,420. Donations have been received from the parishes of Pennyburn, Newstownstewart, Long Tower and Sion Mills, the School Council of the Nazareth House and St Patrick’s Primary School totalling £23,460. This brings the overall total raised to date to £81,880. Donations have been sent to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost Fathers) and the Sisters of Mercy in Haiti. Thank you for your generosity.

Welcome Fr Joseph Varghese

This weekend we welcome Fr Manoj Karukayil Varghese (known as Fr Joseph Varghese) to St Eugene’s Parish. Fr. Joseph is a native of Kerala in India and a priest of the Archdiocese of Changanacherry, India. His Archbishop has permitted him to minister in the Diocese of Derry. Bishop Hegarty has appointed him as ‘Priest in Residence’ in the Cathedral parish.
 
Fr Joseph is a priest of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. The Syro-Malabar Church is one of the Eastern Catholic Churches, an autonomous Church, which is in communion with the Pope. Until recently, Fr Joseph was studying in London and assisting in a parish in Bromley.

As well as ministering in the Cathedral parish in the ‘western’ rites (the form of Mass and Sacraments with which we are familiar), Fr Joseph will also minister to the Syro-Malabar Catholics throughout the diocese in their own rites.  The celebration of the Mass and Sacraments is quite different in the Syro-Malabar Church.

Sympathy

We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of:

Con Doherty,
9 Marlborough Road.

Gerard Arbuckle,
14 Patrick Street.

William Mapp,
8 Creggan Terrace.

May they rest in peace.

Anniversaries

We remember the anniversaries of: Kevin Brown, Elizabeth Murphy, Patrick (Pashe) Doherty,

Charlie McConway, Sadie Morrison, Margaret (Maggie) Coyle.

May they rest in peace.

Baptism

We welcome as members of the Christian community:

Fayne Marie McIntyre,
19 Grangemore Park.

Millie Mary Rose McHugh,
39 Marlborough Street.

Readers - Weekdays

10.00 am Eugene McClintock
07.30 pm Mona Tracey

Readers on duty next Weekend

06.15 pm Mary McDowell
07.30 pm Tommy McCay
09.30 am Brendan Burns
11.00 am Eoin Garvin
12.30 pm Marie Canning

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

Fr Canny acknowledges with thanks donations for:
St Pio: £10. Irish Missionaries: £40. Altar Flowers: £20.
Fr Canny will forward donations totalling £85 to LASCO.

Last Week’s Collection amounted to £3,664.

Lent in St Eugene’s

• Lunch-time Mass: 12.30 pm Mass will be celebrated on Ash Wednesday and continue every week day (Monday to Friday) during Lent.

• Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: after 10.00 am Mass until 12.30 pm Mass Monday to Friday during Lent beginning on Ash Wednesday.

• Stations of the Cross: Wednesday and Friday after the 7.30 pm evening Mass.

• Parish Community Book of Prayer: We are invited to write down what we are doing for Lent. 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.

Going off alcohol for Lent?

You are invited to take a short term Pioneer pledge from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday, 4th April. Contact one of the priests or phone 71352285, 71351249 or 71352725.

‘Reflection Mornings’ for the Thursdays of Lent

beginning 25th February in Thornhill Centre. Each Thursday morning begins at 10.30 am, includes a talk, quiet reflection, ritual and concludes with a light lunch at 1.00 pm. A donation of £5 per morning is suggested. To book telephone 71351233.

Could You Be Called To Serve God and His People as a Priest in the Diocese of Derry? Vocations Information Day - a Day of Reflection on the theme of Vocation on Saturday, 20th February from 11.30 am - 4.00 pm in Thornhill Retreat Centre, Derry. For further information contact any of your local priests/RE Teachers or Fr Paul Farren at 71264087, Email: ddcc@derrydiocese.org or Fr Colm O’Doherty at 81661475, Email: c.odoherty@btinternet.com.

Pro-Life Devotions next Tuesday in St Columb’s Church,

Waterside commencing with Rosary at 7.00 pm followed by Mass at 7.30 pm.

St Vincent de Paul wishes to acknowledge with thanks a donation of £200.

Please take a Trócaire box from the back of the Church

Trócaire works to bring about positive and lasting changes in some of the world’s poorest places.

Programmes are carried out with partner organisations so local people drive the whole process and,

in turn, their own development.

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