Your Parish Newsletter for Sunday 19th September 2021:
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)
GOSPEL: ST MARK 9:30-37
‘Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me;
anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me’
Today’s is one of a number of stories in the Gospels where Jesus chooses little children to teach the apostles on the meaning of service, discipleship and the kingdom of God. In a society where children were without rights or power, it is significant that Jesus chose children, rather than the influential or those with power, to illustrate His teachings. We know too that the sick, the weak, the poor, the marginalised, were disregarded, so Jesus’ teachings can be understood to include those.
Today, as the disciples of our time, and as servants to one another, let us place the basic needs of all those in our society who are vulnerable, in the hands of the Child Jesus, who chose the medium of little children to gear us towards the kingdom of heaven. We pray:
‘Suffer little children who come unto Me, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven’
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.
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK:
Monday 20 September, 10.00am: Peggy O’Doherty, Coneyburrow Road
Wednesday 22 September, 10.00am: Denis Brown, The Diamond – Month’s Mind Mass.
ANNIVERSARIES:
Elizabeth Crawford, Brickfield; James McGowan, The Diamond; George McGowan, The Diamond
James Hegarty, Coolatee; Peggy O’Doherty, Coneyburrow Road; Margaret Buchanan, Mullinaveigh
Anton Matthewson, Lurganshannagh; Danny Cassidy, Lurganshannagh; Danielle Melaugh, Liskey
Tommy Maguire, Tober; William Hegarty, Cloughfin; Roisin McNulty, Porthall; Margaret Dooher, Carricknaslate.
May they rest in peace.
COLLECTION:
THANK YOU for your ongoing generosity to the weekly collection which, last week, amounted to €1,975. Thank you also to those who faithfully contribute by Standing Order and Online. 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.
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.
SCALP WALK 2021 for Concern:
– will take place on Sunday 26 September. The starting point is signposted from Burnfoot. It is a 5km walk, uphill, from Henry McLaughlin’s farm. Participants are asked to start at any time between 12noon and 2pm and to maintain safe distancing throughout. Please be prepared for changeable weather. All proceeds will go to Concern Worldwide’s Afghanistan Appeal.
We keep in our prayers the priests of the diocese who are taking up new appointments as part of the clerical changes announced by Bishop McKeown this week. St John Vianney, pray for them.
ENVELOPE BOXES: for the coming year (starting Sunday 3 October) will be distributed to your homes during the last week of September. I am very grateful to those who undertake this task. If there is anyone who has not had an envelope before and is now in a financial position to start contributing to the weekly collection, please let Lorna or myself know and we will be glad to provide you with an envelope box.
Returns for some envelope boxes have not been made for some time and, in such cases, no envelope box will be delivered this year. However, if you would like to receive one, with a view to recommencing contributions, please let Lorna or myself know and we will be more than happy to provide you with a box. I very much appreciate that, with all the Covid disruption and the church having been closed for public worship for so much time, it has been very inconvenient for many of you to make contributions.
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: I am most grateful to those who contributed to the €7,319 that we have received to date, in recent weeks, under the scheme. It is a great boost to our parish funds. If anyone else who is eligible to participate and has not yet signed up, but would like to, please contact Lorna at the parish office and she will be happy to facilitate you. Eligible donors are those who:
1) contribute €250 or more in a tax year and
2) pay income tax / capital gains tax on €250 or more in the tax year.
Under the current rate set by the Revenue, €250 in contributions in the year ends up being €362 for the parish!
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM:
As we know, the Sacrament of Baptism is the beginning of the most important relationship of our lives, our sacramental relationship with Jesus. It is also an important day in the lives of the parents presenting children for the Sacrament, for their families, the Godparents and, indeed, for the parish.
As part of a couple of initiatives I hope to start in our parish in relation to the Sacrament, it is my intention, from now on, to visit the homes (in advance) of the parents of babies / children who are to be presented for Baptism. The purpose of the visit is simply to meet you, to congratulate you, to chat through and familiarise you with the elements of the Sacrament and to answer any questions you may have so that, together, we might be adequately and spiritually prepared for your child’s first Sacrament of Initiation and the start of his / her journey as part of the family of God. Very importantly, on my visit, I would like to meet the little person who is soon to become part of our parish faith community.
Baptisms should continue to be booked through Lorna in the parish office but I would ask that you book the date well in advance of the proposed date for the sacrament (if possible) and that you leave your name, address and contact number with Lorna when you ring. I will then contact you to arrange a mutually suitable time/date to call with you. Thank you very much.
SEASON OF CREATION: 1 SEPTEMBER – 4 OCTOBER (FEAST OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI)
THEME FOR 2021: RESTORING OUR COMMON HOME:
The Season of Creation is one where it is very appropriate to pray (or to sing, that is, to pray twice!) the words of the Hymn by Cecil Alexander: ALL THINGS BRING AND BEAUTIFUL:
All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colours, He made their tiny wings
The purple-headed mountain, the river running by, The sunset and the morning, that brightens up the sky.
The cold wind in the winter, the pleasant summer sun, The ripe fruits in the garden, He made them every one.
The tall trees in the greenwood, the meadows for our play, The rushes by the water, to gather every day.
He gave us eyes to see them, and lips that we might tell How great is God Almighty, who has made all things well.
All things bright and beautiful…………………the Lord God made them all!
Catholics are urged to sign the “Healthy Planet Healthy People” petition as a key action for this year’s Season of Creation: https://thecatholicpetition.org/
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, 26 September, is the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time ). 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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