Your Parish Newsletter for Sunday 2nd May 2021:
SUNDAY 2 MAY 2021 – FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
GOSPEL: ST JOHN 15:1-8 THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES
As the weeks of the celebration of the Paschal Mystery progress, the Scriptures draw us towards discipleship in the context of the Ascension of Jesus to His Father in heaven and the sending of the Holy Spirit to dwell within God’s people. Today’s Gospel passage is taken from St John’s account of Jesus’ discourse with the apostles on the night of the Last Supper: Jesus is preparing His apostles for the day He will no longer be physically present amongst them. Jesus uses the connection of branches to the vine to illustrate the two-way relationship with Him: the Vine provides the life-giving bond that enables the branches, in turn, to bear fruit and serve the God of love. Baptised into the Holy Trinity, we, the branches of God’s love, are given the opportunity to bear fruit. We cannot do so on our own but, with the Holy Spirit to guide us, the Scriptures to enlighten us and the Eucharist to nourish us, we can stay close to the Vine, spread the gift and joy of faith and draw others back to the Vine, thereby bearing the fruit of God’s love.
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 First 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 8 May, 6.30pm: Danny McLaughlin, Letterkenny Road; Danny Boy McLaughlin, Coolatee.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We remember in prayer the souls of those whose anniversaries occur at this time….
Marie Kelly, Porthall; Margaret Kennedy Post Office Lane; Pat O Donnell, Lifford; Annie Clarke, Coolatee.
May they rest in peace.
COLLECTION:
THANK YOU for your generosity to the collection last week, which amounted to €1,806. I continue to be available in the church each day after the Rosary for those who wish to bring along their envelope. You can of course drop your envelope through the letter box of the Parochial House at any time. Thank you so much for going out of your way each week to make your contributions. 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.
CHARITABLE DONATIONS (GIFT AID) SCHEME:
Parishioners who are eligible to join in the scheme are those who:
1) contribute €250 or more in a tax year to the parish and,
2) pay income tax / capital gains tax on €250 or more in the tax year.
If you are eligible, then we appeal to you to consider joining, thereby increasing the parish income substantially, over and above your already very generous donations. Remember, there is no extra cost to you! The parish requires to have a CHY3 Certificate completed by you to enable a claim to be made to the Revenue Commissioners. Sincere thanks for considering this appeal.
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.
MAY – MONTH OF MARY:
May is a 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 have a May Altar and I invite you, please, to bring along some flowers or plants to adorn the statue of Our Lady. There is 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 are not 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).
Please email me a photo of your May Altar to be posted on our parish Facebook page. Thank you!
ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY – DIOCESE OF DERRY:
Invitation to Respond: The Derry Diocesan Laudato Si Group has launched a consultative plan about climate change and the environment and is inviting everyone within the diocese to read, engage and respond to it. The plan identifies actions and behaviours that support rather than destroy the environment. The suggestions cover such areas as land, buildings, energy, food, travel and waste. A draft of the Environmental Strategy has been posted on https://www.derrydiocese.org/diocese/environmental-strategy to view or download. You are asked to: 1) read the draft Strategy document and give feedback on aspects that you feel could be supplemented/improved and 2) begin to implement any aspect(s) of it that you feel can be put into practice quickly and easily. Submission deadline is 31 May. Submit your comments, questions and suggestions to Patricia McCormack by: Email: laudatosiderry@gmail.com Telephone/text: 077 1190 0420 Facebook: Laudatosiderry
MARY’S MEALS – PRAY IN MAY:
In this month of devotion to Our Lady, Mary’s Meals invites us to join in their prayer campaign for their work. Mary’s Meals provides chronically hungry children with a daily meal in their place of education, currently reaching more than 1.8 million children with a nutritious meal, in 19 countries, every school day. This meets their immediate need for food but also gives them hope of a brighter future. Those who are directly involved with the charity work of Mary’s Meals pray in thanksgiving for each little act of love that makes this work possible and also pray for God’s continued blessing on their mission so that, through His providence, it will always flourish enabling us them to reach more hungry children. Prayer resources and further information can be found at www.marysmeals.org.uk/prayinmay
Finally:
As you have probably heard in the last few days, our churches are scheduled to re-open next Monday, 10 May. This is magnificent news and I very much look forward to having a congregation back in the church for our liturgies. I know too that many of you have been looking forward to this day. While the webcam has been a great facility over the past year (and will continue to be so for those who are housebound or shielding), it will be great to gather together in person once again. As we have heard, the numbers for Masses, Weddings and Funerals will be limited, for the time being, to 50. I do hope that this will be changed in time to “safe capacity of the church”. Hand sanitiser stations will be available for your use and, in the best interests of everyone’s safety, those attending must wear a mask. It is very important that everyone attending feels safe. To assist in this, a new fogging machine has been purchased, which will be used daily to sanitise the church after every public service.
I very much look forward to welcoming you back and we thank God for this day! Full details in relation to the re-opening will be published next weekend.
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.
