Parish News for Sunday 15th Nov. 2009

Vol.36 No.45

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Here and Now

Warnings of things yet to come are the theme today, even the Son knows little about them. Scarce comfort, then, for us mere mortals trying to make sense of it all in a world already well touched by disaster. End times are a constant preoccupation of the Christian mindset but the events often described are usually starkly familiar. Wars, rumours of wars, disease and famine: we could open our newspaper or listen to the voices from the pulpit of television news and know that these things are happening here and now. There’s nothing new here except, perhaps, our ongoing ability to reach new heights of de-sensitisation to it all. If we were to be ready, here and now, for the second coming of Christ, that cosmic coming together of heaven and earth then we could perhaps look anew at that first coming and contemplate the outrageousness of it all. If we think the second coming, as spoken of in scripture, is extraordinary, then the first is even more than that. From manger to gallows, we can also become de-sensitised to Christ’s second coming. But while disasters and wars only seek to destroy, the incarnation redeems and makes new.

It is easy to talk of things in the future, they have yet to happen; but to talk of things in the here and now is more difficult. Wars and disasters happen to our world in the here and now and it was the same for the people who listened to and wrote about Jesus.

The salutary lesson of today’s Gospel reading, and indeed every Gospel reading, is here and now. If we could contemplate the reality of this world, touched by God in Christ, then perhaps our base and fundamentalist nature (from which none of us is exempt) might stop talking of disasters and punishment in the future and instead look at those things that happen now and recoil in horror at how we refuse to recognise Christ in those around us, waiting for a future disaster while our current one unfolds before our eyes.

Excerpt from Intercom, November 2009 Edition

All Church Musicians

Bishop Séamus Hegarty would be delighted if all who contribute to music in the Derry Diocese as organists, conductors, instrumentalists, choir members, leaders, guitarists, cantors, or in any other capacity in their parish/faith community could attend a Mass of Dedication here in St Eugene’s Cathedral next Sunday, 22nd November at 7.30 pm. For further details and to confirm attendance please contact Teresa at 71262302, email office@derrydiocese.org or Sr Perpetua at 71351233, email thornhillcentre@derrydiocese.org.

Children in Crossfire Advent Calendars will be available to collect outside the Cathedral after Masses over the weekends of 21st/22nd and 28th/29th November. For more details visit www.childrenincrossfire.org/advent.

Sympathy

We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of:

Tommy Bradley, Nursing Home, Antrim.

Ronan Gallagher, 158 Hatmore Park.

May they rest in peace.

Anniversaries

We remember the anniversaries of:

Sarah McGowan, Sarah Duray, George Gallagher, Tom McKinney, Eoín McDevitt, Don Branagan, John McLaren, and Kathleen McHugh.

May they rest in peace.

Baptism

We welcome as members of the Christian community:

Abbie-Rose McGeady,
33 The Meadows.

Aidan Joseph Murphy,
3 Cranlee Park.

Readers

Weekdays
10.00 am Eugene McClintock
07.30 pm Charlie McDermott

Readers on duty next Weekend
06.15 pm Mary McDowell
07.30 pm Stephen Orr
09.30 am Brendan Burns
11.00 am Rebecca Doherty/
Sarah Henderson
12.30 pm Michael Wilson

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

APA (Aids Partnership Africa)

will hold a Church Gate Collection next weekend.

Fr Canny will hear Confessions at 7.00 pm

and celebrate Mass at 7.30 pm in Abbey House on Monday.

A Mass for the sick with

Eucharistic Blessing on Tuesday at 8.00 pm in Termonbacca.

A Celebration of the Mystery of Life’s Cycle: Thornhill Centre presents a very special evening in this month when we remember our dead. Poetry readings led by Mary Murphy. Music led by the Cathedral Choir on Wednesday from 8.00 pm to 9.00 pm. Suggested Donation: £5. Tickets available at Thornhill Centre, telephone 71351233.

Church Flower Arrangers Workshop in Thornhill Centre on Tuesday, 24th November from 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm.

One Day Retreat for Senior Citizens and their friends from Donegal and surrounding areas in Termonbacca on Wednesday, 25th November. Registration from 10.30 am, finishing around 5.00 pm. Cost £15 or €18 includes a four- course lunch. Payment at the Centre on the day. To book telephone 71262512 during office hours only.

Pro-Life Devotions on Tuesday in St Columb’s Church, Waterside commencing with Rosary at 7.00 pm followed by Mass at 7.30 pm.

The Knights of Columbanus Deceased Members Mass in St Columb’s Church Waterside at 7.30 pm on Friday.

Fr Canny acknowledges with thanks donations for: Trócaire: £667.50, £1,000. St Thérèse Statue: £5. Concern: £40. Samoa Disaster: £25. Philippines: £50. Famine: £25. Charity of Adm’s Choice: £10, £100. Altar Flowers: £20. Fr Canny will forward a donation of £20 to LASCO.

Last Week’s Collection amounted to £3,581.

Omagh Prayer Group invites you to a Day of Renewal on Saturday, 21st November from 9.00 am to 5.30 pm in the Mellon Country Hotel, Omagh. Speaker: Frances Hogan. Cost: £20 (includes lunch). To book telephone 82242092 (office hours only).

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