Your Parish Newsletter for Sunday 21st March 2021:
SUNDAY 21 MARCH 2021 – FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
GOSPEL: ST JOHN 12:20-30 JESUS, OUR VISION, OUR WAY TO GOD’S GLORY
Most of us are familiar with the saying, ‘Seeing is believing’. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) told us that it is, “Only with the ‘heart’ can we see Jesus. Only love purifies us and gives us the ability to see. Only love enables us to recognise the God who is love itself.” As our Lenten journey now draws us closer to the holiest of weeks in the Church calendar, when we celebrate the timeless and central mystery of our faith − Christ’s passion, death and resurrection – these words of Cardinal Ratzinger help to draw our focus and our vision to the One who gave up everything out of love for us. In the opening lines of St John’s Gospel today, we hear the Greeks telling the Apostles they “would like to see Jesus”. Acknowledging the challenging response of Jesus, we ask God for the grace to see Jesus with our hearts and to see our lives through the lens of the Gospel. We know that Jesus wants to be at the centre of everything we do and say. It is only when we allow Him to be our vision that we will see His loving presence in our daily lives and come to a greater understanding of the words of Cardinal Ratzinger.
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 and First Friday: Mass at 9.30am
The Angelus and Rosary will be recited Monday – Saturday at 12.00noon.
Walking the Via Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross) with Jesus: Sundays of Lent at 12.00noon.
Our church remains open for private prayer (other than when public liturgies are being celebrated). Two things Scripture tells us of Jesus’ prayer life are that, He sometimes went off to pray alone, and He prayed regularly. In this Sacred Season of Lent, with our churches closed for public worship, you are invited and encouraged to come along to the church, regularly if you can, at a time that suits you, for private prayer, and to light a candle.
†
Mary Sarah Doherty (nee French), late of Porthall
As a parish faith community, we offer our sympathy and our prayerful support to Willie, to Liam, Kieran and Marie, to Shelli, Connor, Hayley and Callum, and to the wider family circle and friends of Mary Sarah, whose Funeral Mass took place on Thursday. May she rest in peace.
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK:
Thursday 25 March, 9.30am: Hugh & Margaret Crossan, Glenfad Saturday. 27 March, 6.30pm: Tony McGinley, Drumbuoy. Sunday 28 March, 11.00am: Billy Harte, Ballyduff.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We remember in prayer the souls of those whose anniversaries occur at this time….
Fonsie Quinn, Letterkenny Road; Neily Doherty, Gortgrannagh; Pat Gibbons, Tironeill; Ethna Duffy, Liskey; Daniel Mc Gavigan, Coneyburrow; Ellen Mc Dermott, Drumbuoy; Margaret French, Gortgrannagh; Sarah O Donnell, The Diamond; John Friel, Coolatee; Sarah Ann Hegarty, Coolatee; James Vincent McPartland, Gortgrannagh.
May they rest in peace.
COLLECTION:
THANK YOU for your generosity to the collection last week, which amounted to €2,644. 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 to those who contribute by Standing Order and online.
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.
DON’T FORGET: to check in on our Thought for the Day each day of Lent, on our parish Facebook. The Thoughts are based on the Stations of the Cross.
PLEASE JOIN ME each Sunday at 12noon via the parish webcam for our Lenten journey with Jesus – Walking the Via Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross). This short liturgy starts shortly after 11am Sunday Mass. The theme today is: “The trial before Pilate”.
SCHOOLS ASSEMBLY:
Parents, grandparents, siblings and the parish community are invited to join me on Tuesday morning (23 March), at 11.15am, for a short Lenten Assembly for our three National Schools. It will be an opportunity for us to join together to support our children and school communities in their Lenten journey.
PROVISIONAL SACRAMENTAL DATES:
The following provisional dates have been agreed with the schools:
First Holy Communion:
Saturday 5 June: 11.00am, Murlog NS (Scoil Naomh Padraig);
Saturday 5 June: 2.00pm, Lifford NS ( Scoil Mhuire gan Smal) and Cloughfin NS (Scoil Naomh Colmcille)
Confirmation:
Saturday 12 June: 11.00am, Lifford NS ( Scoil Mhuire gan Smal) and Cloughfin NS (Scoil Naomh Colmcille); Saturday 12 June: 14.00pm, Murlog NS (Scoil Naomh Padraig).
Parents are asked to support their children in whatever ways they can in their preparation for the sacraments and, as a parish faith community, we pray for the children as they prepare for these important days in their faith journey.
PARISH FINANCES:
A Summary Income & Expenditure Account for 2020 is displayed on the noticeboard of our church. You are invited to take the time to view it at your convenience, when you visit the church. If anybody has any queries or anything they would like clarified, please do contact me.
We very much seek your support in building up the Charitable Donations Scheme (Gift Aid) to its full potential, so that we can maximise in claiming from the Revenue Commissioners on all eligible donations. If you are a tax-payer and pay €250 or more per annum to the weekly collection, then please consider joining the scheme. It can generate a lot of income for the parish, at no extra cost to you! You can contact Lorna in the parish office for an application form or contact me at the Parochial House. Thank you very much for your support and co-operation.
‘DEFENDING THE FAITH WITHOUT RAISING YOUR VOICE’:
Michael Kelly, Editor of The Irish Catholic newspaper will be speaking at this online event organised by the student Knights of Columbanus at Queen’s University, Belfast, to take place this Tuesday, 23 March, at 6.30pm. For details, please email council19.qub@gmail.com or message on social media (@KSCQueens). ‘Defending the Faith Without Raising Your Voice was the subject of a book which was co-authored by Michael in 2012 and is aimed at giving us an insight into how we can respond to Catholic hot-button issues when they arise in our lives.
MINI-LENTEN RETREAT IN PREPARATION FOR HOLY WEEK:
In preparation for the Easter Triduum, ‘The Hook of Faith’ is happy to offer a ‘Mini-Lenten Retreat’, by Zoom, on Tue 23, Wed 24 and Thurs 25 March, at 8pm. The Retreat will be led by Fr Billy Swan. The three evenings will anticipate the Triduum, focusing on the Eucharist (Tue 23); the Cross and the Mystery of Suffering (Wed 24); the Resurrection, Joy and Hope (Thurs 25). To take part, email: thehookoffaith@gmail.com. All are welcome.
NOTICE FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
As you may be aware, the Northern Bishops have announced this week that public worship may resume in churches in Northern Ireland from Friday 26 March. The bishops emphasise in their statement the need for continued caution and the application of all existing health safeguards. Indeed they are encouraging families to stay at home and participate in the Holy Week ceremonies via-live streaming. They state that parishes may decide, in their own particular circumstances, that it is not possible to return to public worship until a later date. The local clergy of the area, from the parishes of Melmount, Sion Mills, Camus, Leckpatrick and Murlog met this week to discuss the new directive from the bishops. One very significant factor in the discussions was the absence, due to illness, of Fr Michael Doherty, PP Melmount and Sion Mills, and the availability and co-operation of the local clergy to cover the liturgies in Melmount at this time, particularly with Holy Week and Easter coming up. The conclusion reached was that it would be unwise, due to the ongoing risk of Covid-19, to re-open the churches at this time and that churches in the area would re-open on Monday 5 April – except for our own church, of course, as we are under Governmental decision to remain closed at this time.
Fr Michael Doherty, PP Melmount and Sion Mills, is making slow but steady progress in Altnagelvin Hospital. We ask for continued prayers and intercession for Fr Michael’s full recovery. In the interim period, Fr Declan Boland, PP Camus, has been delegated by Bishop Donal Mc Keown to act as Administrator of the parishes of Melmount and Sion.
FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION:
‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me’ On Thursday of this week, 25 March, we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. On this day, we celebrate the Annunciation or Announcement to Mary by the Angel Gabriel that she will be the mother of a son, who must be named Jesus. The announcement by the angel was the start of many mysteries with which Mary would be ask to deal in her life. Although there is not a lot of focus on our Blessed Mother in Scripture, the one thing we do know that Mary’s reaction was to ‘ponder these mysteries within her heart’ and to ‘praise God’. We ask God, through the intercession of Mary, our role model in faith, for the grace to accept the will of God in our lives and trust in His plan for us. We pray: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee…….
Today, Sunday, 21 March, is the Fifth Sunday of Lent. The Gospel we will listen to is St John 12:20-30,Jesus, our Vision, our Way to God’s glory. Check out the 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,” check out the Readings in your bible!
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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