Parish News for Sunday 22nd July 2007

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

PRIESTS OF THE PARISH
Very Rev Michael Canny Adm
Rev David O'Kane CC
Rev Gerard Mongan CC

Vol. 34 No. 29

A Martha or a Mary?

It is hard not to feel sympathy for Martha and a little frustrated with Mary. Martha worked, Mary sat. Martha fretted, Mary was at peace. Martha was rebuked, Mary praised. Sometimes, life is just not fair.

Mary chose to sit at the feet of Christ. We, too, are called to sit at Jesus’ feet. Sitting at the feet of Christ is what we call prayer. You just can’t live the Christian life without prayer. It’s like saying,

I’m happily married but I never speak to my husband/wife’ - in the same way that this doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t make sense to be a Christian and not pray.

St Clement of Alexandria said, ‘Prayer is conversation with God’ and, as with any conversation, prayer involves taking time to be with God, as Mary did. Finding time is probably the hardest challenge we face concerning prayer.

Our problem, however, is that we misunderstand prayer as a departure from the issues and concerns of our daily life. As if once we finish praying, we can get on with living. This is a wrong way of thinking about prayer.

We are all different and have different body clocks and ways of living our schedules, but the masters of the spiritual life have always encouraged praying first thing in the morning. This can be a sacred time for us to examine ourselves, collect our thoughts and give praise to God. Perhaps Mary, after sitting at the feet of Jesus, got up and served but peacefully, without fretting and free of undue anxiety. Perhaps this is the point about prayer: when we pray and choose what is better, we equip ourselves to serve God and others.

I got up early one morning and rushed out into the day. I had so much to accomplish that I didn’t have time to pray. Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task. ‘Why doesn’t God help me,’ I wondered. He answered. ‘You didn’t ask.’ I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on grey and bleak. I wondered why God didn’t show me, he said, ‘But you didn‘t seek.’ I tried to come into God’s presence; I used all my keys in the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, ‘My child, you didn’t knock.’ I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day. I had so much to accomplish, that I had to take time to pray.

Sympathy
We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of:
Mary McConomy, 43 Glenbank Road.
Bobby Cooke, 41 Glenside Road.
Kathleen Turner, 4 Crawford Court.
Edward O’Donnell, Brickfield Court.
Barbara Griffiths, Fr Mulvey Park. May they rest in peace.

Baptisms
We welcome as a member of the Christian community
Christian John Beckett, 9 Bealachmore Lower.

Readers on duty next Weekend
06.15 Rita McCauley
07.30 Mona Tracey
09.30 Louise Davies
11.00 Geraldine Uí Meallain
12.30 Carita Kerr

Weekdays
10.00 Terry Willman-Gallagher
07.30 Mona Tracey

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

Sick Visitation
Fr Gerard Mongan will visit the sick in his care this week:
Mon 10.00 am: Westend Terrace, Beechwood Avenue, Marlborough Avenue, Marlborough Road, Creggan Road, Oakfield Drive, Forest Park, Kylemore Park, Hatmore Park, Glenowen Park.
Mon 2.00 pm: Foyleville Nursing Home.
Tue 2.00 pm: Mass in Lavery Fold.
Wed 10.00 am: Helen Street, Clarendon Manor, Creggan Street, Clarendon Street, Princes Street.
Wed 2.00 pm: Father Mulvey Park (Mass at 2.40 pm).

Mass in Polish: The monthly Mass for the Polish community will take place
in St Eugene’s Cathedral on Friday at 9.00 pm.

Fr Canny acknowledges with thanks donations for:
LASCO: £10, £40. Niger: £30. Moshi: £50. Trócaire: £5.

Last Week’s Collection amounted to £3,320.

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

St Eugene’s Parish Draw: Winners Week 37
£1,000 (2537) H. Hegarty, 18 Laburnum Terrace.
£100 (1860) Fiona Hillen, 1 Beechwood Street.
£50
(2236) Mr McKenna, 32 Marlborough Road.
(1130) William Moore, 35 Ashfield Terrace.
(1432) Pat Condren, 68 Woodbrook.
(1369) Veronica Mullan, c/o 7 Osborne Street.
Promoter’s Prize: Jacqueline Gallagher, 4 Hampstead Park.

Hospital Visitation: If you would like a priest to visit a relative in hospital or in a nursing home, please fill in the card at the back of the Cathedral and leave it at the Parochial House. It is the only way we will have of knowing who is in hospital and who would like a visit.

New Parishioners: We welcome you to the parish and invite you to leave your name and address at the Parochial House and one of the priests will arrange to visit your new home for a chat and to bless the house.

Lost: Lady’s silver bangle, between Foyle Road and Iceland last Sunday, 15th July. Sentimental value. Please contact Parochial House.

Telephone numbers if you feel you cannot cope

Samaritans - 0845 790 9090

Zest - a counselling service offering free support to those who feel suicidal, friends and loved ones who have been affected by suicide and those who self harm. Telephone 7126 6999 or e-mail. zestni@yahoo.co.uk

Prayer for the Suicidal

O Eternal Father, we pray for all those who are suicidal.
May Your loving hand guide and protect them
so they receive the help they need,
preventing them from dying from suicide.
Let them know that we need them and love them,
show them Your love Lord Jesus.
Remind them that they are very special people,
filling their minds with beautiful memories.
Give them everything they need so as to ease their pain,
grant that they may find hope, comfort, guidance
and healing in every way possible.
Let them feel our love, and Your love,
carry them when they are weary.
Embrace them and let Your love
shine down upon them always. Amen.