|
Parish News for
Sunday 7th March 2010
Vol.37
No.10
Third
Sunday of Lent
PRIESTS
OF THE PARISH
Very Rev Michael Canny Adm
Fr Peter Raftery CSSp
Rev Daniel McFaul CC
Fr Joseph Varghese

Third Sunday of Lent
When we hear
about a natural disaster such as an earthquake, volcanic
eruption, a devastating flood or a forest fire, we sometimes
think that it is some kind of punishment visited by
a vengeful and unforgiving God on his unfaithful creatures.
This tendency becomes even stronger when the disaster
occurs thousands of miles away from we are, preferably
an ocean or two away and on another continent.
This view sits
rather uncomfortably with the words of today’s
psalm, “He pardons all your iniquities, heals
all your ills, he redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion”. Our
God does not reveal himself through pain, destruction
or disaster but through kindness and compassion, as
the psalm puts it, and through patience. This patience
of God is made clear in the parable in today’s
Gospel – the fig tree, hitherto barren and unfruitful,
is given another chance to bear fruit, helped by careful
attention from the gardener. This is how we see Lent
– through prayer, alms-giving and fasting, we
are helped to become more fruitful in our living of
the Gospel and in our fidelity to Christ.

‘Youth
2000’ Youth Retreat for 16-35 year olds
in St Patrick’s College, Ballymena from Friday
to Sunday, 12th to 14th March. The programme includes
dramas, music, workshops, inspiring talks, games, etc.
Donation only. Residential - bring a sleeping bag! For
more information contact Carla 07514820572 or check
out www.youth2000.ie. Booking essential.
Monthly
Mass For The Beatification Of Matt Talbot on Monday
at 7.30 pm in Termonbacca.

Voluntary
Parish Youth Ministry Leaders
The Parish is
looking for volunteers to create, promote and deliver
youth ministry initiatives. Would you like to engage
with young people in the parish community and provide
opportunities for them to grow in their relationship
with Christ ie youth participation at Mass, Children’s
liturgies or by facilitating and providing for the needs
of the Pope John Paul II Award and its participants?
Applicants should be mature and willing to undergo training.
The Administrator, Priests, Diocesan Catechetical Centre
and Youth Commission will provide support. Contact the
Parish Office, email steugenes@btconnect.com or telephone
71262894 or 71365782.

Sympathy
We offer
our sympathy to the family and friends of:
Pauline
Davison,
21 Limewood Street.
Grace
Lynn,
66A Westland Street.
Sadie
Feeney,
5 Creggan Street.
May
they rest in peace.
Anniversaries
We remember the
anniversaries of: Patrick O’Connor, Annette Kerr,
Mary McGeehan,
Johnny and Kathleen Sheerin.
May
they rest in peace.

Baptism
We welcome
as members of the Christian community:
Grace Holly McConnell,
11 Osborne Street.
Saoirse Eireann Keeney-Edgar,
5C Columbcille Court.
Kate Doherty,
53 Woodside Heights.
Harry Anthony Ballard,
5 Glenside Gardens.
Evan Sean Patrick McDonagh,
99 Marianus Park.

Readers - Weekdays
10.00 am Neil McMahon
07.30 pm Charlie McDermott
Readers on duty next Weekend
06.15 pm Roísín Bonar
07.30 pm Anne Griffin
09.30 am Michael Roddy
11.00 am Vanessa McGeehan/
Peter Lynch
12.30 pm Charlie McDermott
Eucharistic Ministers
Team *A* begins its rota
at the 6.15 pm Vigil Mass
next weekend.

Sick Visitation
Fr Peter Raftery
will visit the sick as follows:
Mon am:
Forest Pk, Helen St, Kerrs Tce, Oakfield Rd, Marlborough
Ave, Marlborough Rd,
Oakfield Ave, Beechwood Ave, West End Tce, Marlborough
Tce.
Mon pm:
Creggan St, Queen St, Princes St, Great James St, Clarendon
Manor.
Wed pm: 2.00 pm Confessions and Mass in Lavery Fold.

Fr
Canny acknowledges with thanks donations for
Trócaire:
£50. St Pio: £10. St Thérèse
Statue: £5, £5. Haiti: £150, £50,
£20, £30.
Altar
Flowers: £5 Flowers for Forty Hours: £10.
Sisters of St John: £5. St Vincent de Paul: £5.
Fr
Canny will forward a donation of £20 to LASCO.
Last
Week’s Collection amounted to £3,551.

THE FOLLY OF GOD
The other set
of Stations of the Cross in the Cathedral during Lent
are the work of Siweger Koder who is a Catholic priest
in Germany. Before becoming a priest he fought in the
Second World War and was a prisoner of war from 1944-45.
Then he studied engineering and silversmithing. He was
ordained in 1971. Koder uses his paintings in the way
Jesus uses the parables. He shows a certain reserve
in representing the figure of Jesus, who most of the
time is outside the scene - in the position of the viewer
- to convey the idea that Jesus is alive today in the
person of the viewer.
Some of the fourteen
pictures may not be immediately beautiful but they all
lead us into a deeper awareness of the journey that
our Saviour made to Calvary to save us and the world.
Hopefully during Lent, we will take time to meditate
on these pictures and read the reflection provided.

The Holy
Family Padre Pio Prayer Group will hold their
monthly meeting in the Holy Family Church, Ballymagroarty
on Monday night starting with 7.30 pm Mass. There will
be two 1st class relics of St Pio available at the meeting.
CLICK
HERE FOR BULLETIN NEWS
|