Your Parish Newsletter for Sunday 23rd May 2021:
SUNDAY 23 MAY 2021 – PENTECOST SUNDAY
Gospel: St John 20:19-23
Pentecost, known as the Birthday of the Church, celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the conclusion of our celebration of the Easter season. The gift of the Spirit of God is ours today, as it was to the disciples of Jesus’ time on earth. We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Baptism – God’s everlasting and loving presence within us. Our hearts and minds are opened to the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Fortified by God’s gifts, we pray today for the grace to be Christ-like in using and sharing them in our daily lives so that the fruits of the Holy Spirit will be evident in the lives that we lead and in the example we give.
‘Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me’
Mass Schedule for the Parish this Week:
For those who are unable to come out to church, all our Masses will continue to be available on our parish webcam, and our 11.00am Mass is also broadcast live each Sunday on Finn Valley Radio: 95.8FM
PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF MASS TIMES FOR WEEKDAY MASSES, STARTING THIS WEEK:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: Mass at 10.00am
Tuesday: Mass at 9.30am
Saturday, Vigil Mass: 6.30pm Sunday: Masses at 9.00am and 11.00am
The Rosary will be recited Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.40am, before Mass.
The Rosary will be recited on Tuesday at 9.10am, before Mass.
FOR ATTENTION OF PARISHIONERS ATTENDING THE CHURCH FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP:
It is most important that everyone attending Mass feels safe in our church and, to this end, I ask that you comply with the following necessary precautions:
Please enter the church by one of the two back doors.
Please use the hand sanitiser that is available inside the door.
Please maintain social distancing at all times in the church.
Please wear a mask / face covering while in the church.
Please place your envelope / cash contribution in one of the baskets inside the door.
Please leave the church by one of the two side doors (the one that is closest to you).
Communion will be distributed at the end of Mass. You are asked to leave the church afterwards.
Please do not congregate outside in the church grounds.
The church is being ‘fogged’ after every public service, when the congregation leaves the church. Thank you to Hugh for this. Please note that, if you are not confident about returning to Sunday Mass, you may choose to attend Mass on a weekday. It is important, however, that anyone who is vulnerable or unwell and, especially, anyone with any symptoms that might suggest Covid-19 infection, should stay at home and, if possible, participate, via the parish webcam (or Finn Valley Radio on Sunday at 11.00am).
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK:
Saturday 29 May, 6.30pm: John Mallon, Belfast.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We remember in prayer the souls of those whose anniversaries occur at this time….
David Colhoun, Beechwood; Paddy Joe McGrath, Strabane; Mark McGrath, Braide
Leila Crawford, The Common; Richie & Sarah Porter, Main St; Joe Brennan, Ballindrait;
Peggy Peoples, St Johnston; Frances Woods, Ballymonaster.
May they rest in peace.
COLLECTION:
THANK YOU for your generosity to the collection last week, which amounted to €2,380. Envelopes / weekly contributions can be left in the baskets inside the doors any morning of the week at Mass time. For those unable to attend Mass you can drop your envelope into the Parochial House letter box at any time. Thank you for your ongoing generosity to the parish. It is very much appreciated.
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.
PARISH NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART – 3 – JUNE 2021:
With June being a month of special devotion to the Sacred Heart, it is my intention that, this year again, for the nine days leading in to the Feast of the Sacred Heart (11 June), we will pray a Parish Novena to the Sacred Heart, from 3 – 11 June. Last year, your participation had to be ‘online’ but, with our church now being open for public worship, I very much look forward to having you join me in the church for our Novena this year. It will, of course, be ‘live’ on our webcam, for those who are unable to come along to the church. Everyone is most welcome to join in. As we begin to emerge from the pandemic that has changed our world, including our traditional faith practices, in a way that we could never have imagined, I know that many people have very special hopes, prayer intentions and petitions at this time. During our Novena, our united prayer will be placed in the hands of the Sacred Heart each day. Full details of the schedule for the Novena will be published next week. I very much look forward to sharing these special days of grace and prayer in our parish with you.
CATHOLIC READING:
I would like to introduce the availability of some Catholic reading material in our church for parishioners and, to this end, am considering the Irish Catholic and / or the Sacred Heart Messenger. The Irish Catholic, with which many of you will be familiar, is published weekly, and provides a mix of Catholic and Church news, analyses and informed commentary about the Church and social issues that affect Ireland and the wider Church and world. The Sacred Heart Messenger is a monthly publication of Irish Jesuit spirituality. Easy to read, it contains a great variety of insightful interviews, prayerful reflections, popular regular features, including gardening, recipes and puzzles for children and, recently, has expanded to include Re-Link, a supplement with interviews and articles aimed at young people, especially Junior Cert exam students.
To introduce one or either of these publications, I would need volunteers (promoters) who are willing to be available at Sunday Mass times (monthly, in the case of the Messenger and, weekly, in the case of the Irish Catholic) to manage the sales. In the first instance, I would appreciate feedback from parishioners, with a view to finding out how much uptake there might be for either publication. Please let me know your thoughts.
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION:
After speaking with the schools this week, it is now intended that Confirmations in the parish will be celebrated on the weekend of 4 & 5 September. The schools will (will have) contact(ed) the parents on their school message board. Full details later. Apologies for all the confusion and uncertainties regarding dates, brought about by ever-changing guidelines and restrictions being issued. We fully appreciate, however, that these have been issued in the best interests of everyone’s safety and protection, and the situation continues to be monitored. Thank you for your patience.
CHARITABLE DONATIONS (GIFT AID) SCHEME:
Sincere thanks again to those who returned CHY3 forms to me during the past week. It is very much appreciated. The response has been fantastic so far and, again, to anyone who may be eligible but has not yet signed up, then I invite you to consider doing so. It will be great if we can maximise on our Gift Aid claims. Remember, there is no extra cost to you! Thank you also to those who are helping with the registration process, with Revenue, to enable our Gift Aid claims to be made.
MASTER OF ARTS IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE:
St Angela’s College, Sligo, is offering this online part-time MA, starting in September. Closing date for applications is 16 June. Please visit www.stangelas.nuigalway.ie or tel Mary Kearns on 071 9195550. Email: mkearns@stangelas.nuigalway.ie
MAY – MONTH OF MARY:
Thank you to all who continue to adorn our May Altar in the church, in honour of Our Lady. Each day during May, your prayer intentions (those in the church and those placed at your May Altar in your home) are being remembered during Mass. Thank you very much also to those who have sent in a photo of the May Altar in their home. Lovely to see them. Keep them coming! You can view them on our parish Facebook.
NOTICES for the parish newsletter, including anniversaries, are most welcome, but they need to be with Lorna in the parish office by 12.00noon on Thursdays. Thank you very much for your co-operation in this.
PLEASE NOTE:
A chain was found at the church this week. If you are the owner, please contact Lorna at the parish office or, if you know of someone who lost a chain, please let them know that one has been found.
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. 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
3. Online donation via our website.
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.
SAFEGUARDING:
The Derry Diocesan Liaison Person, to whom any safeguarding concerns or allegations should be
communicated is: Ms Marie Gormley, Email: marie.gormley@derrydiocese.org Tel: 07596 500 793