SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YEAR C)
GOSPEL: ST LUKE 3:1-6 ‘PREPARE A WAY FOR THE LORD’
On the second Sunday of Advent each year, the focus of the Gospel is St John the Baptist. John the Baptist stands at the threshold of the New Testament, embodying the prophets of the past and pointing ahead to the coming of Jesus. He is sometimes described as a ‘bridge’ linking the Old Testament and the New Testament. John was son of Zechariah and Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth; his great privilege in life was to be sent as the messenger of God to announce the coming of the Messiah, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah.
Mass Schedule for the Parish this Week:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 10.00am. Friday: 7.00pm – Month’s Mind, Joan McElchar Tuesday, 9.30am
The Rosary will commence 20 minutes before Mass on each weekday
Saturday, Vigil Mass: 6.30pm Sunday: Masses at 9.00am and 11.00am
For those who are unable to come out to church, all our Masses continue to be available on our parish webcam:
and our 11.00am Mass is also broadcast live each Sunday on Finn Valley Radio, FM95.8.
PLEASE MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING AT ALL TIMES IN THE CHURCH AND ENSURE THAT SEATS ARE NOT OVER-CROWDED. PLEASE ALSO WEAR A FACE COVERING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.
CONFESSIONS each Saturday from 11.00am – 12.00noon, from now until Christmas. In this penitential Season of Advent, please consider making the Sacrament of Reconciliation part of your spiritual preparation for the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child.
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK:
Tuesday 7 December, 9.30am: Denis and Frances Ward, Springhill
Wednesday 8 December, 10.00am: Daniel Donnelly and First Anniversary of Annie Donnelly, Ballylennon
Friday 10 December, 7.00pm: Joan Mc Elchar, Ballylast – Month’s Mind
Sunday 12 December, 11.00am: Seamus McBrearty, Tamnawood, Richard McBrearty, Chestnut Grove.
ANNIVERSARIES:
Jimmy Diver, Argery; Joseph and Kathleen Quinn, Feddyglass; Susan O’Brien, The Roughan
Bernadette Simpson, Moy Ita; Bridget Coll, St Johnston; Mary Clarke, Croaghan Heights
Molly Colhoun, Coneyburrow; Daniel and Annie Donnelly, Ballylennon
John McMenamin, Croaghan Heights; Betty McCrory, Porthall; Denis and Frances Ward, Springhill.
May they rest in peace.
COLLECTION:
THANK YOU as always for your generosity to the weekly collection which, last week, amounted to €1,774. Thank you also to those who contribute by Standing Order/online: for the month of October these contributions amounted to €470.00
SINCERE THANKS for a donation to the parish this week of €1,000 towards the Graveyard project. Your generosity is very much appreciated. Thank you! Donations received will be acknowledged anonymously in the newsletter.
GIFT AID (Charitable Donations Scheme):
I am delighted to report that a further £502 has been received from the Revenue.. As you know the full claim was made some months ago but, after the initial pay-out of €7,019, additional payments are coming in bits and pieces – all very welcome! This leaves the total amount received (to date) at €8,390, which is fantastic. Thank you so much to all who have signed up to the scheme. It is your commitment to our parish that has enabled this great achievement. Thank you so much.
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.
FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION:
WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER: On this Feast Day, we celebrate the Conception of Mary who was, from the first instance of Her existence in the womb of Her mother Anne, by a singular grace, privilege and gift from God, preserved from all stain of original sin. The Son of God would come into the world in an immaculate vessel. Mass for the Feast Day is at 10.00am.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL:
The annual Christmas Collection will be taken up outside the church next weekend. We ask that you would be as generous as you can. If you prefer to pay online, please visit www.svp.ie. If making a contribution online, please allocate your payment to St Parick’s Conference, Murlog. Thank you.
The SVP helpline number, 087 4647 991, is available at all times to take calls. Please know that all calls are in the strictest confidence. St Vincent de Paul, pray for us.
VISITATION OF THE SICK AND HOUSEBOUND:
Preliminary Notice: God willing, Visitation will take place on Monday to Friday of next week (13 – 17 December). Full details will be published next week.
DIGITAL ADVENT CALENDAR:
Is available on www.catholicbishops.ie. Behind each ‘door’ there is content aimed at assisting us to pray and to reflect on how best we can keep Christ at the centre of our Christmas preparations during this special liturgical season. The theme of the Calendar this year is Hope.
CARMELITE RETREAT CENTRE, TERMONBACCA, DERRY:
Novena to the Divine Child, 8 – 16 December. The Novena Mass and prayers will be at 7:30pm each evening. This will be live-streamed via Facebook. Novena prayer leaflets containing the public prayers after Mass and the private prayers to be said at home are available on the Termonbacca Facebook page or by emailing termonbaccaderry@gmail.com. Advent Day Retreat, Monday 13 Decr, 10am–3pm. Cost, including meals £25. Booking essential. Tel 028 71 262 512.
A SYNODAL CHURCH:
The word “Synodal” comes from a Greek word meaning “walking together”. In this Season of Advent, when the liturgy in an invitation to journey in hope, we prepare to embark on our synodal journey, for which Pope Francis has called. We are hope-filled that, even when things seem very challenging, great things can happen when we journey together as a pilgrim people, guided by the Holy Spirit and open to God’s surprising agenda for His People. The synodal process will start in our diocese and parishes (in Jan / Feb) with ‘conversations’ at local parish level – listening to each other. As and when I receive further information, I will share it with you. The more diverse the company on this synodal journey, the richer that conversation will be! As food for our synodal journey, we are invited to pray:
Prayer for the Synod
We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go, and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path, nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together
to eternal life, and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time,
in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.
CATECHESIS CORNER:
THE JESSE TREE
Most of us are familiar with the tradition of Family Trees and with the research and efforts that go in to tracing back family roots. Indeed, in our parish, we often receive ancestry enquiries – people trying to trace baptism / marriage / death / grave records, to assist in patching ancestry together.
In addition to the families into which we are born, we belong of course to God’s family. During the four weeks of Advent, the Family Tree of Jesus – the Jesse Tree – is a tradition of our faith. The Jesse tree is named from the words of the prophet Isaiah, 11:1: “A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Jesse was the father of King David and, as we know from Scripture, Jesus is of the line of David.
On the Jesse tree we can place symbols that represent the people, prophecies and events leading up to the birth of Jesus – the symbols effectively tell the story of God in the Old Testament, connecting the Advent season with the faithfulness of God through thousands of years of history and His promise of sending a Saviour to redeem His people. The final symbol for the Jesse Tree is of course the Birth of Jesus, in Bethlehem.
Families are encouraged to create a Jesse Tree in their homes (using the Christmas tree)! For ideas on creating it, visit https://www.catholicinspired.site/jesse-tree.html
SACRAMENTAL DATES – 2022:
The proposed Confirmation and First Holy Communion dates for the coming year are:
Sacrament of Confirmation – Saturday 26 March 2022
Sacrament of First Holy Communion – Saturday 21 May 2022
God willing, we will be able to adhere to the proposed dates in 2022. I will be working closely with our three schools in the coming weeks and months as the children prepare for these important steps in their faith. Please keep the children, their teachers and their families in your prayer.
You can access the Readings on our parish website:
https://clonleighparish.com/next-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.
CHURCH 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
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.