Parish News for Sunday 27th June 2010

Vol.37 No.25

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Are You A Disciple Of Jesus?

Today’s readings deal with discipleship. Jesus is at pains to illustrate that the life choice for discipleship is very demanding and radical. ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ This truly startling statement really does place Jesus at the very edge of most conventional lifestyles, even nomadic ones! His life is lived completely in trust to God’s providence. Are we able to do that?

Jesus’ response to the would-be disciple who wants to return home to bury his father, in keeping with Jewish law, sounds brutally unkind. Some interpreters understand this to mean ‘let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead’. This Gospel text can make Jesus sound hard and unfeeling and a mistaken, literal interpretation of this text has indeed caused a great deal of pain in families.

Obviously, Jesus never commands us to hurt those we love, or to abandon our families when they need us most. That is counter to the gospel of love that he preaches and the actions he has taken to raise the dead when moved with compassion for those who mourn! It is not intended to be taken literally but rather as an illustration: the unwavering focus demanded from the disciple - is precisely to be present to the living!

The priority in serving the Kingdom of God is through service to God’s children. And that is achieved through love, mercy, compassion and healing. The third calling echoes Elijah’s calling of Elisha. Yet, unlike Elijah, Jesus does not allow the disciple turn back to bid farewell to his family. He uses a metaphor built on elements from the Elisha story, that of the plough and the furrow. The message here is about commitment, about making a commitment from which one cannot be drawn or distracted, no matter what choices life presents before one. The commitment to discipleship is absolute. Again, Jesus’ call is one of radical self-emptying, a profound surrender before the demands of living the Way.

Excerpt from Intercom - June 2010

ACCORD DERRY - Marriage Preparation Workshops
24th/25th September and 22nd/23rd October
Thornhill Centre, Culmore Road
Friday 6.45 pm to 10.00 pm and Saturday 10.00 am to 4.00 pm
To book a place on one of these courses
contact Rosemary at 71362475
(Monday-Thursday 9.30 am to 1.30 pm)

Sympathy

We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of

Mary McMonagle, 8 Tutor Court.

Franco Hickey, 6 Abbey Park.

Andy Sweeney, 43 Aberfoyle Crescent.

May they rest in peace.

Anniversaries

We remember the anniversaries of:

Fiona Brennan, Teresa Edwards,

Thomas Finan, Marie Jones and Tommy Barr.

May they rest in peace.

Baptism

We welcome as members of the Christian community:

Ethan Daniel Casey,
9 Iona Park.

Myia Michelle Porter,
6 Tyrconnell Street.

Readers

Weekdays
10.00 am Thomas Gallagher
07.30 pm Charlie McDermott

Readers on duty next Weekend
06.15 pm Mary McDowell
07.30 pm Majella Coyle
09.30 am Louise Davis
11.00 am Terry Willman-Gallagher
12.30 pm Carita Kerr

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

The most weddings in
religious buildings in 2009
(the third year in succession)
were celebrated here in
St Eugene’s Cathedral
(publication by NI Statistics &
Research Agency)

Sick Visitation

Fr Michael Canny will visit the sick in his care this week:

Mon am: 10.00 Lisfannon Park.

Mon pm: 3.00 - William St, Columbcille Crt, Chamberlain St, Brewster’s Close.

Wed am: 10.00 - Westland Ave, Westland St, Glenfada Pk, Abbey Pk, Fahan St, Joseph Place, Cable St.

Thurs am: 10.00 - Limewood St, Beechwood St, Elmwood Tce.

Thurs am: 11.30 - Fr Mulvey Pk.

Thurs pm: 2.00 - Lisfannon Pk (Upper), Eglinton Tce, Blucher St, Little Diamond.

Mass for the sick with Eucharistic Blessing in Termonbacca on Tuesday at 8.00 pm.

Mass in honour of Blessed Alexandrina Maria Da Costa today (Sunday) at 7.30 pm in Termonbacca.

Fr Canny acknowledges with thanks donations for:

St Pio: £20. Haiti: £40. Parochial House Renovations: £40, £100. Flowers: £10.

Last Week’s Collection amounted to £3,333.

Renovations Collection amounted to £1,080.

Youth 2000 Summer Festival, Clonmacnois, Co Offaly, Thursday, 12th to Sunday, 15th August for young people aged 16 to 35. An opportunity to experience the Catholic faith and meet new friends. Donation only. Free buses available. For more information contact 07514820572 or visit their website www.youth2000.ie.

Carmelite Pilgrimage to Knock on Sunday, 18th July. Coach leaving Termonbacca at 7.30 am with pick up point at Melmount Centre at 8.00 am. Returning to Derry at approximately 11.00 pm. Return coach, snack on the way down and four course evening meal. Fare £35 or €40. For further information telephone Termonbacca at 71262512 during office hours.

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