Your Parish Newsletter for Sunday 25th April 2021:
SUNDAY 25 APRIL 2021 – FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
GOSPEL: ST JOHN 10:11-18: ‘I am the Good Shepherd; I know my own sheep my own know me’
This Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday, is a worldwide Day of Prayer for Vocations.
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
Saturday Vigil: 6.30pm
This Sunday: Mass at 11.00am
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: Mass at 9.30am Saturday, Vigil Mass: 6.30pm Sunday: 11.00am
The Angelus and Rosary will be recited Monday – Saturday at 12.00noon.
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK:
Saturday 1 May, 6.30pm: Annie Clarke, Coolatee.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We remember in prayer the souls of those whose anniversaries occur at this time….
Danny Diver, Liskey; Joe Maguire, Hollybush Park; John Mc Gill, Cavan; Celly Melaugh, Gallows Lane
Natasha Melaugh, Letterkenny; Julia Mc Closkey, Dungiven; Vera Mc Ginley, Coneyburrow
Hugh James Doherty, Ballyduff Park; Eddie Gallagher, St Judes; Paddy Mc Cullagh, Ballinabreen.
May they rest in peace.
COLLECTION:
THANK YOU for your generosity to the collection last week, which amounted to €2,084. I continue to be available in the church each day after the Rosary for those who wish to bring along their envelope. Your ongoing financial support of the parish is very much appreciated. Thank you also 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.
TROCAIRE COLLECTION:
Thank you for your generosity so far in the Trocaire collection. For those returning their Trocaire box to the church or Parochial House, you are asked to include notes or cheques only, in so far as possible, for ease of counting in general and, in particular, to reduce the level of risk for the counters. Please note: cheques should be made payable to Trocaire (not the parish). Thank you very much for your co-operation.
CHARITABLE DONATIONS (GIFT AID) SCHEME:
I am hoping that, in this coming month, with your support and co-operation, we will make good inroads into building up this scheme to its full potential in the parish, so that, together, we can maximise in claiming from the Revenue Commissioners on all eligible donations. With the upcoming graveyard project and the proposed new toilet facilities in the church, Gift Aid will be a most useful source of additional income. So, if you are a tax-payer and pay €250 or more per annum to the weekly collection, then I appeal to you, please, to consider joining the scheme. Remember, it is at no extra cost to you! Please contact Lorna in the parish office for an application form or contact me at the Parochial House. Thank you to those who have signed up already.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS:
Focussing on St Joseph as an example of faithful service, below are the three aspects of Joseph’s journey in life that Pope Francis reflects on in his Message, for Vocations Sunday, in this Year of St Joseph.
Dreams Service Fidelity
Dreams: Joseph’s own plans in life were far from the plans that God had for him, but Pope Francis tells us that, “through the dreams that God inspired in him, he made of his life a gift.”
Joseph’s vocation in life was a positive response to God’s will for him. We ask ourselves today, how do we respond to God’s plans for us, especially when they differ from the dreams and plans that we have in place for ourselves?
Service: Pope Francis tells us that, “The Gospels show how Joseph lived entirely for others and never for himself” and, in the service of God, “he welcomed life’s frequent and often unexpected journeys.”
We ask St Joseph to intercede for us today so that, with God’s help, we will live out our vocation in life to the best of our ability, ready to accept with open heart the challenges that a life of service to a vocation presents on our journey.
Fidelity: The first words that Joseph heard in a dream were an invitation not to be afraid, because God remains ever faithful to his promises: Pope Francis tells us that, “a vocation – like life itself – matures only through daily fidelity”. We pray today for the courage not to be afraid to remain faithful to our vocation in life and we thank God for the people in our lives who nurture fidelity and inspire us in remaining faithful to our vocation in life.
The Pope’s Message for World day of Prayer for Vocations can be accessed on www.vatican.va. The link to it is also on our parish Facebook page. You are invited to take time to read it in these coming days.
FEAST DAY OF ST JOSEPH, THE WORKER:
Celebrated next Saturday, 1 May. The Feast Day was instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955 to increase devotion to the saint as a model worker and patron of workers. On this date many countries celebrate the dignity of human labour.
There are no words of Joseph quoted in the bible, but we know that he was an ordinary, humble, hard-working carpenter, entrusted by God with an extraordinary vocation in the ordinariness of his life.
St Joseph, patron of all workers, intercede for us, that God, who is Love,
will always be at the centre of the work of our hearts, hands and minds.
MAY – MONTH OF MARY:
On Saturday of this week we enter into the month of May, month of special devotion to Our Lady. It is a tradition of our faith that we express in some way the importance of Mary, model in faith, in our homes during May. We can honour Mary in a variety of ways in our homes, for example:
By making special effort to pray the Family Rosary each evening
Praying short Marian prayers or Aspirations with children at some stage each day, eg :
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee
Joining with me by webcam each day at 12noon, if you can, for the Angelus and the Rosary
Creating a May Altar in a sacred space in your home
The May Altar is a great way for children to become actively involved in honouring Our Lady at home. Children can help with choosing the sacred space, picking flowers, creating the altar. May Altars can be created very simply, with a clean white cloth, a statue of Our Lady, Rosary beads, holy water and some flowers. Family members can place written prayer petitions in a bowl on the May Altar and, again, parents are encouraged to involve their children in this practice.
In our church, we will have a May Altar and I invite you, please, to bring along some flowers or plants to adorn the statue of Our Lady. There will also be a petitions box in the church and, each day during May, when I am celebrating Mass, your prayer intentions (those in the church and those placed at your May Altar in your home) will be remembered. (Please note: In keeping with Covid-19 precautions, pen and paper will not be available in the church, so please write your prayer intention at home and then drop it in the box that will be placed at the May Altar).
In due course, please send me a photo of your May Altar to be posted on our parish Facebook page. Thank you very much.
DERRY DIOCESAN VOCATION PRAYER:
Lord Jesus Christ, gentle Shepherd, You know Your sheep and You know how to reach their hearts.
Give to the people of the parishes of the Diocese of Derry hearts that are open to the call of the Holy Spirit.
Speak to the hearts of the young men of our diocese that they may hear Your call to follow You
and serve Your people as priests. Awaken in them the courage to answer: ‘Here I am, Lord, Send me.’
St Eugene, pray for us. St Columba, pray for us.
St John Vianney, pray for us. St Patrick, pray for us.
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.
ONLINE CONTRIBUTIONS:
Donate to the Church in the following ways:
1. Parish Envelopes
2. 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
3. Online donation via our website. Click the Donate button below.
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
Follow us on Twitter: @clonleighparish
Find us on Facebook: Clonleigh Parish
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.
