Your Parish Newsletter for Sunday 5th September 2021:
TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)
GOSPEL: ST MARK 7:31-37 ‘EPHPHATHA’, THAT IS, ‘BE OPENED’
‘The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May He soon touch your ears to hear His word and your mouth to proclaim His faith to the praise and glory of God the Father.’’ These are the words of the ‘Ephphetha’ (Prayer over the ears and mouth) that the priest prays during the Sacrament of Baptism, while (normally) touching with his thumb the ears and lips of the child. These words are indeed the perfect start to our sacramental relationship with Jesus, capturing the very essence of our baptismal vocation and the mission of Jesus.
Called today to reflect on the healing nature of Jesus and on our responsibility to be true instruments of our baptismal calling, let us ‘be opened’ anew to hearing and proclaiming the Word of God through the example of our lives.
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
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 10.00am. Tuesday: 9.30am
The Rosary will be recited on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 9.40am (before Mass)
and, on Tuesday, at 9.10am
Saturday, Vigil Mass: 6.30pm Sunday: Masses at 9.00am and 11.00am
Everyone attending church is asked to wear a face covering, use the hand sanitiser that is available and maintain social distancing. Please enter the church by one of the back doors and leave by the side door that is closest to you. It is important that everyone attending feels safe and welcome in our church. The church continues to be ‘fogged’ and cleaned each day, after use. Thank you very much for your co-operation.
†
Ann Henderson, late of 14 Holly Bush Park, Porthall.
As a parish faith community, we offer our sympathy and our prayerful support to Claire, to Liam, Dessie, Jim, Christy, Benny, Celia, Theresa and Loretta, and to the wider family circle and friends of Ann whose Funeral Mass took place in St Patrick’s on Thursday. May she rest in peace.
MASS INTENTION THIS WEEK:
Wednesday 8 September, 10.00am: Rose Brennan, Coneyburrow
Sunday 12 September, 11.00am: Maggie Doherty, Gortgrannagh.
ANNIVERSARIES:
Mary Martin, Carricknaslate; Mick Millar; Harry Patton, Coneyburrow; Arthur Spears, The Diamond; Robert Porter, Coolatee
Kathleen White, The Diamond; Mary Quinn, Scotland; James Lannon, Ballina; Rose Brennan, Coneyburrow.
COLLECTION:
THANK YOU for your ongoing generosity to the weekly collection which, last week, amounted to €1,502. Thank you also to those who faithfully contribute by Standing Order and Online which, for the month of August, amounted to €495. Please note: 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.
THANK YOU – I am delighted to report that the Revenue have paid us a further €300 this week in Gift Aid (Charitable Donations Scheme). This brings the total received to date to a fantastic €7,319. Well done and thank you so much to all who are part of the scheme. It is a great source of income for our parish.
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.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION:
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION: I very much look forward to the Sacrament of First Holy Communion in our parish next Saturday, 11 September, at: 10.30am for the children of Cloughfin NS and Lifford NS and at 1.30pm for the children of Murlog NS. The maximum number for each family will be 8, which includes the child receiving the Sacrament. Please keep the children and their families in your prayers this week.
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION:
CONGRATULATIONS and Well Done to the boys and girls of our three schools who received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday. It was a lovely and very prayerful day in our parish. Thank you to the teachers, parents and all who contributed in any way to this very important occasion in the faith journey of the children. Confirmation, of course, like the other sacraments, is more than a one-off occasion; we pray that, graced with the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, these children will be strong and authentic witnesses to the faith throughout their lives, living well the teachings of the Gospel and the mission of the Church through the example of their everyday lives. Please continue to support the children in this by keeping them and their families in your prayers.
MASTERS IN CATHOLIC SCHOOL LEADERSHIP:
The Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre, working in Partnership with Saint Mary’s University, Twickenham, offers this post-graduate degree dedicated to the professional development and spiritual formation of Catholic school leaders. It is a great opportunity for those currently in leadership roles and those who aspire to, or have an interest in, leadership roles within the Catholic School system. Applications for the Autumn intake close 30th September 2021. Tel 004428 71264087 or email tferry@derrydiocese.org
GUIDED PILGRIMAGES on the Lough Derg Pilgrim Path will be offered on Sunday 12, Wednesday 15, Saturday 18 & Sunday 26 September, and Sunday 3 October, with Mass outdoors, weather permitting. The full route is a 12km loop, with a shorter 8km option. Advance booking is essential. For further information email info@loughderg.org or telephone 071 9861518. Visit website on: www.loughderg.org
ANAM CARA is hosting an Online Bereavement Information and Support Evening on Thursday (9 September) at 7pm. This event is open to all bereaved parents. This event, open to all bereaved parents, will provide an opportunity to hear a bereavement professional talk about the difficult challenges and the many milestones that grieving a child of any age can have on you and your family. If you would like to join in, please register on: https://bit.ly/3Dzyphc or email info@anamcara.ie or telephone 085 288 8888.
SEASON OF CREATION: 1 SEPTEMBER – 4 OCTOBER (FEAST OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI)
THEME FOR 2021: RESTORING OUR COMMON HOME:
Care for creation is something that is close to the heart of Pope Francis. In 2015 he published his ground-breaking environmental encyclical – Laudato Si’ – addressed to everyone on the planet, on Care for Our Common Home. In it the Pope urges us to listen to both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. He invites us to think more deeply about what is happening at present to the earth, the environmental destruction which now threatens our world and the call to ‘eco-conversion’. Pope Francis reminds us that, individually and collectively, the care of God’s creation should be at the centre of our call as Christians.
This year, while mindful of the fact that our world continues to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, we look towards two UN Conferences in the Autumn, COP15 (on Biodiversity, due to take place in China) and COP24 (on climate change, Glasgow) in the hope that world leaders take the urgent action that is needed to Restore Our Common Home. Catholics are urged to sign the “Healthy Planet Healthy People” petition as a key action for this year’s Season of Creation, in solidarity with the poor and with creation: https://thecatholicpetition.org/ This petition has been endorsed by the Vatican Dicastery for Integral Human Development in the hope that millions of Catholics will raise their voices in the public sphere to help Restore Our Common Home, in the run up to these Conferences, in solidarity with the poor and with creation. Visit www.catholicbishops.ie for information and resources on the Season of Creation.
Please pray for one another and for our parish. Please pray the Parish Prayer.
PARISH PRAYER
God our Father,
pour forth Your Holy Spirit on our parish.
Guide us in Your ways, grant us Your vision. Be our wisdom.
Open our hearts and minds to Your Holy Word,
strengthen us with the Holy Eucharist,
our food for the journey.
Help us to be people of prayer,
trusting in Your constant presence
in the challenges that we face.
With Your help,
may our parish always be a place where
Your love is known, Your light shines
and our parish families grow together in faith and mission.
We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
St Patrick, pray for us.
Next Sunday, 12 September, is the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B). You can access the Readings on our parish website:
https://clonleighparish.com/sundays-mass-readings/
I hope that having the Readings available on our parish website is also helpful to our Scripture readers, for the purpose of checking them out in advance. The Daily Mass Readings are also on our website: https://clonleighparish.com/todays-mass-readings/ . Alternatively, just google Clonleigh Parish readings.
ONLINE CONTRIBUTIONS:
You can donate to the Church via The Parish Envelopes or by Standing Order. Download this easy to fill form: Standing Order Form – & send to or email the Parish Office: clonleighparish@derrydiocese.org
Parish Contact Details:
Parish Priest: Fr Colm O’Doherty Parochial House: 074-9142022
Mobile: 0833665530
Parish Office – Secretary: Lorna Porter @ 074-9142001
Email: clonleighparish@derrydiocese.org
Parish website: www.clonleighparish.com
Follow us on Twitter: @clonleighparish
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