SUNDAY 30 JANUARY 2022
FOURTH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C)
GOSPEL: ST LUKE 4:21-30 ‘NO PROPHET IS EVER ACCEPTED IN HIS OWN COUNTRY’
St Luke’s Gospel today follows on from last week’s Gospel passage. Jesus continues to preach with authority, but the awe and astonishment of the people soon turns to despise and anger, as they find Him challenging them on faith matters; He is no longer sticking to the script but teaching in His own words. Judging Jesus on His family background – a local boy, son of Joseph the carpenter – their aversion leads to abruptly moving Him out of town. Confident in His message, however, and filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus is not deterred by them, and responds to their anger by moving on through the crowd, with determination, bringing His message to those who have faith in it.
Today’s Gospel prompts us to ask ourselves:
How do we respond to those parts of Jesus’ teaching that we find particularly challenging in our lives?
Are we judgmental of others – do we damage the reputation of others by our tendency to ‘label’ people? Do we belittle others if their actions or words happen to be contradictory to the ‘label’ we have placed on them?
We pray today for the courage to always see the face of Christ in others.
MASS SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK:
The Rosary will commence 20 minutes before Mass each weekday.
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 10.00am.
Tuesday: 9.30am.
Sunday Masses: Vigil, 6.30pm, Morning, 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.
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK:
Monday 31 January, 10.00am: Patrick and Mary Deery, Pettigo
Sunday 6 February, 11.00am: Olive McCullagh, Ballinabreen.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We pray for the following, whose anniversaries occur at this time:
Noel Gillespie Porthall; Pat Doherty, Cloughfin; William Doherty, Cloughfin; Josephine Byrne, Clady
Robbie White, Drumbuoy; Kieran Crawford, Lifford Common.
May they rest in peace.
COLLECTION:
THANK YOU as always for your generosity to the collection which, last week, amounted to €2,039. 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.
FOLK CHOIR:
We look forward to the new Folk Choir providing the music at our Vigil Mass, next Saturday evening.
CLOUGHFIN NATIONAL SCHOOL:
Will be accepting applications for admission from 1 February until 28 February. Application forms are available online at www.cloughfinns.com or by phoning the school on 074 9145705
LIFFORD NATIONAL SCHOOL:
Junior Infant enrolment from 1 February until 28 February. Applications can be made by telephone:074 914 1269 or by email: liffordns@gmail.com
ST PATRICK’S NATIONAL SCHOOL, MURLOG:
Applications for enrolment to Junior Infants for September 2022 will be accepted from 1 February until 28 February. Enrolment forms are available through Enrolments Section of the school website, http://murlogns.scoilnet.ie/blog/ or by contacting the school office on 074 9141450.
CHARITABLE DONATIONS SCHEME (GIFT AID):
I am absolutely delighted to report that, with further monies having been received in recent weeks from the Revenue Commissioners in relation to our 2021 claim, the total amount now received to date (for 2020 contributions) is £9,315. Thank you to all who contributed to this fantastic achievement – our total claim was for just over €10k so we are hopeful that the remaining amount claimed will be received in due course.
Those eligible to sign up for the Scheme are those who:
a) contribute €250 or more in a tax year and
b) pay income tax / capital gains tax on €250 or more in the tax year.
The current rate payable by the Revenue is 31%, so your €250 contribution to the parish results in the parish getting an additional €112 (€362 in total).
If you are a tax-payer, pay €250 or more per annum to the weekly collection, and have not yet signed up for the Scheme, then I appeal to you, please, to consider joining. Please remember, it is at no extra cost to you! You can join by contacting Lorna in the parish office, who will be happy to provide you with the relevant Mandate. Thank you!
1 February – Feast of St Brigid, Patroness of Ireland:
PRAYER TO ST BRIGID:
St Brigid, you were a woman of peace.
You brought harmony where there was conflict.
You brought light to the darkness.
You brought hope to the downcast.
May the mantle of your peace cover those who are troubled and anxious,
and may peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world.
Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made.
You were a voice for the wounded and weary.
Strengthen what is weak within us. Calm us into a quietness that heals and listens.
May we grow each day into greater wholeness in mind, body and spirit. Amen.
St Brigid’s crosses will be blessed at our 9.30am Mass on Tuesday.
2 February – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas Day)
The Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas Day) is celebrated forty days after the celebration of the Birth of Jesus. Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, are at the centre of the Gospel on this day. They prayed in their advanced years that they would live to see God revealed to the nations, the promised Light of the world. Their prayer was answered when Mary and Joseph came to the Temple to present the Child Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, both Anna and Simeon were blessed with recognising the Infant Jesus as Son of God and the Saviour of the world.
On Candlemas Day, when candles are blessed, symbolising Christ, the Light who has entered the world, we thank God for the people in our lives who have been beacons of light for us in our faith journey – those who, through their witness, encouragement and example, have helped us to recognise the Light of Christ in our lives. May we do the same for others on this Day.
Candles will be blessed at our 10.00am Mass on Wednesday.
2 February – World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life
World Day of Consecrated Life, instituted by Pope St John Paul II in 1997, is celebrated in the Church on 2 February. On this Day, we pray in thanksgiving for the gift of those who have responded generously to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to the call to consecrated life. We pray for more vocations to consecrated life. May the Light of Christ guide the hearts and minds of those who feel God’s call to this vocation.
3 February – Feast of St Blaise
Throat Blessing of St Blaise:
Through the intercession of St Blaise, bishop and martyr,
may God deliver you from ailments of the throat and from every other evil.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
There will be a general blessing of throats at our 10.00am Mass on Thursday.
PARISH PRAYER:
Please continue to pray our 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.
UPCOMING DATES IN THE CHURCH CALENDAR:
Tuesday 1 February is the Feast of St Brigid, Patroness of Ireland. For those who make St Brigid’s crosses, you should bring them along to the 9.30am Mass on that morning, to be blessed.
Wednesday, 2 February is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple – Candlemas Day: At our 10.00am Mass on that day, candles will be blessed.
World Day of Prayer for Consecrate Life is also celebrated on 2 February. This Day of Prayer for women and men in Consecrated Life was instituted by Pope St John Paul II in 1997.
Thursday 3 February is the Feast of St Blaise, Patron Saint of throat ailments. While blessing of throats can not take place in the usual manner, there will be a general blessing ceremony at our 10.00am Mass on that day.
Friday 11 February is the Feast of our Lady of Lourdes and World Day of Prayer for the Sick. As always, the Friday morning Mass will be offered for the sick of the parish and there will be special prayers during that Mass for the sick and those who care for them.
Please continue to pray our 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.
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:
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: 0044 7596 500 793