Your Parish Newsletter for Sunday 7th February 2021:
SUNDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2021 – FIFTH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME
GOSPEL: MARK 1:29-39 The healing ministry of Jesus
In ‘Ordinary Time’ of the liturgical year, the Sunday Gospels focus our attention on the public ministry of Jesus. A focal point of Jesus’ ministry was the healing of the sick. The Church celebrates World Day of Prayer for the Sick each year on 11 February, which is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes (Thursday of this week). Pope Francis, in his Message for World Day of the Sick, states that a society is truly human when it cares effectively for the sick and suffering in a spirit of communal love, emphasising that we must strive to make sure “no-one will feel alone, excluded or abandoned”.
Prayer was, of course, central to Jesus’s ministry – Scripture tells us that He sometimes prayed alone and sometimes prayed with others. As a parish community, for the most part, we are confined to praying in our own homes at this time, rather than joining together in our churches for prayer. We are, nonetheless, very much united in prayer this week, for the sick, in our Novena: with trust in God’s will, we pray, through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes, for the healing hand of Jesus to bring consolation to all who suffer from any form of sickness.
POPE FRANCIS’ MESSAGE for World Day of Prayer for the Sick can be accessed on www.catholicbishops.ie or on www.vatican.ie/messages. You are encouraged to read it in these coming days.
Mass Schedule for the Parish this Week:
With our church being closed, you are invited to participate in our Masses via our parish webcam: WebCam – WATCH LIVE
Our 11.00am Mass is also broadcast live each Sunday on Finn Valley Radio, 95.8FM
SUNDAY MASSES:
Vigil: Saturday 6.30pm, Sunday Morning: 11.00am
(Note: there will only be one Sunday Morning Mass – 11.00am – while the church remains closed.
WEEKDAY MASSES & LITURGIES:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Mass at 9.30am
Our Parish Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes will be prayed at the 9.30am Mass and, also, each evening
(finishing on Thursday), at 7.30pm, as part of a short liturgy. Adoration from 7.15pm.
The Angelus and Rosary will be recited each day at 12.00noon. Please join in via webcam.
PLEASE NOTE: THE CHURCH WILL BE OPEN EACH DAY FOR PRIVATE PRAYER
(OTHER THAN WHEN MASS IS BEING CELEBRATED OR THE ANGELUS/ROSARY RECITED).
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT THE CHURCH FOR QUIET PRAYER AND TO LIGHT A CANDLE.
†
Robbie White, late of Drumbuoy, Lifford
As a parish faith community, we offer our sympathy and our prayerful support to Gloria, to Salena, Alan and Elaine, to Rachael, James, Mark and Lorcan, and to the wider family circle and friends of Robbie, whose Funeral Mass took place on Wednesday morning. May his soul rest in peace.
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK:
Monday 8 February, 9.30am: Bridie Canney, Galway
Saturday 13 February, 6.30pm Vigil: Months Mind for Ann Marie Brennan, Finnside Close
Sunday 14 February, 11.00am: Months Mind for Katty Gamble, Rossgier
ANNIVERSARIES:
We remember in prayer the souls of those whose anniversaries occur at this time….
Eddie McCrory, Springhill; John Devenney, Manorcunnigham; Olive Mc Cullagh, Ballinabreen;
Brendan Brolly, Cloughfin; Fonsie Brolly, Wales.
May they rest in peace.
COLLECTION:
THANK YOU for your generosity to the collection last week, which amounted to €2188.50. I continue to be available in the church each day after the Rosary for those who wish to bring along their envelope. Envelopes can also be left through the door of the Parochial House. Thank you also to those who contribute by Standing Order.
Download our Standing Order Form here.
You can also request envelopes by simply clicking on this link: ‘Get in Touch‘ and then select Parish Envelopes from the drop-down menu.
UPCOMING PROJECTS IN THE PARISH:
Extension of the graveyard and indoor toilets in the church. Update: Planning Permission from Donegal Co Council has been sought this week. Draft plans will be published on the church noticeboard so that you can be completely familiar with the proposals.
ENROLMENT IN OUR THREE SCHOOLS:
Admissions Notices for enrolment for 2021/22 have now been published. Details available on: www.murlogns.scoilnet.ie, www.cloughfinns.com and Liffordns Townparks Facebook.
NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES 3 – 11 FEBRUARY:
Day 4 – Saturday 6 February: For all who have a terminal illness at this time
Day 5 – Sunday 7 February: For the elderly, especially those who, through poor health, are no longer able to care for themselves
Day 6 – Monday 8 February: For all who struggle with addiction
Day 7 – Tuesday 9 February: For all in the caring profession – doctors, nurses, paramedics and ambulance staff, care assistants, other support workers in our hospitals and care homes, all who care for sick family members at home
Day 8 – Wednesday 10 February: For all who suffer from poor mental health and those who are worried about their own mental health or that of a loved one at this time
Day 9 – 11 February: Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and World Day of Prayer for the Sick:
For sick children, especially children who suffer long term illnesses, for their parents and all who care for them
A facility is available for you to place your own prayer intentions in the church and to pray the Novena privately in the church, if you so wish. Join me each evening at 7.15pm for Eucharistic Adoration, with a short liturgy, including the Novena Prayer, commencing at 7.30pm.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. St Bernadette, pray for us.
The Novena Prayer will be published on our parish Facebook page and the prayer intention will also be published on the Facebook page each day. The Novena Prayer will be prayed each morning at Mass and during a special short liturgy each evening for the nine days of the Novena. You can participate online, and/or you can pray it in your home, perhaps with family members or, if it suits you, you can come along to the church to pray it at a time that suits you.
A facility will also be available for you to place your own prayer intentions in the church and to pray the Novena privately in the church, if you so wish.
Please bring this Novena of Prayer for the Sick to the attention of anyone you may know who is suffering from any form of sickness at this time, to give them the opportunity to participate in this special time of prayer in our parish. Thank you.
NOVENA PRAYER:
Immaculate Mary, who appeared to St Bernadette at the Grotto of Lourdes,
continue in our time to be Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners
and Comforter of those who are suffering.
At Lourdes, you created a sanctuary for people seeking God’s healing touch.
I come before you today, asking you to intercede with Jesus Your Son, for those I care about,
for those who have asked for prayers, for those wanting to be healed. (Pause for silent prayer).
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3).
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. St Bernadette, pray for us.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL:
The Society wish to thank you most sincerely for your support and generosity during the Christmas period and indeed throughout the past year. Your ongoing support is very much appreciated. The Society would also like to say that anyone who is in need of help or is struggling in any way, especially as a result of the pandemic, should call the SVP helpline number, 087 4647 991. Someone is available at all times to take calls. Please know that all calls are in the strictest confidence.
LENT begins on Wednesday of next week, 17 February. I will celebrate Mass on that day as normal but, unfortunately, we will not be able to have the distribution of Ashes this year. This is a diocesan-wide decision, taken in the interests of everyone’s safety and in keeping with the current restrictions. Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence.
The three traditional pillars of Lenten observance are: Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. The main focus of our almsgiving during Lent is the Trócaire Lenten Campaign. Trócaire was established in 1973 as the overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland. Despite all the difficulties we encountered in our lives in 2020, the people of Ireland remained united in their solidarity with people facing poverty and injustice, responding generously, as always, to the Lenten Campaign. The focus of this year’s Campaign is South Sudan: resources will be available in the weeks of Lent giving up to date information on the work of Trócaire and, in particular, its 2021 projects. Trócaire remains conscious of the focus that the Trócaire Box in our homes during Lent draws to the need for our support in helping to alleviate the plight of those desperately in need. So, despite the churches being closed at this time, Trócaire Boxes will be distributed to our churches in the coming days, where they can be picked up at your convenience.
Next Sunday, 14 February, is the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Gospel we will listen to is St Mark 1:40-45: ‘Jesus, friend of outcasts’. You can check out the Sunday Readings on our parish website:
https://clonleighparish.com/sundays-mass-readings/
The Daily Mass Readings can also be accessed on our parish website: https://clonleighparish.com/todays-mass-readings/ . Alternatively, just google Clonleigh Parish readings.
Or, remembering the words of Pope Francis, “The Bible is not just a beautiful book to keep on a shelf,” you can check the Readings out in your bible!
ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION:
This is the version that we recite during each of our Masses – you are encouraged to pray it
and to teach it to children.
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
Covid-19 Protocols: Clonleigh Parish:
The current Clonleigh Parish protocols can be viewed by following the link to this page on our website and we recommend that you regularly check this page for any new updates:
ONLINE CONTRIBUTIONS:
Donate to the Church in the following ways:
1. Parish Envelopes
2. Online donation via our website. Click the Donate button below.
3. Standing Order. Set up a standing order through your online banking portal or – Download this form: Standing Order Form and we can set it up on your behalf. Send to or email to the Parish Office: clonleighparish@derrydiocese.org
Download our Standing Order Form
Parish Contact Details:
Parish Priest: Fr Colm @ 074-9142022
Fr Colm Mobile: 0833665530
Parish Office – Secretary: Lorna Porter @ 074-9142001
Email: clonleighparish@derrydiocese.org
Parish website: www.clonleighparish.com
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Follow us on Twitter: @clonleighparish
Join our free Clonleigh Parish Text Service on WhatsApp. We will text you when we update our website with the Parish Newsletter etc. And you can link in to read the latest updates.