SUNDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2022
EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR C)
GOSPEL: ST LUKE 6:39-45: LET OUR WORDS FLOW FROM THE DESIRE OF OUR HEARTS
Today’s Gospel completes St Luke’s account of the ‘sermon on the plain’, a series of three short teachings in which Jesus communicates the right attitude to His teachings to live a Christian life. The invitation in today’s Gospel is to inner transformation and, in turn, for our outward living to be consistent with our inward convictions. We pray today that the Holy Spirit will guide us in the ways of righteousness:
Creator God, Enrich our hearts with the goodness of Your wisdom and renew us from within,
so that all our actions and all our words may bear the fruit of Your transforming grace.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Link to last weeks newsletter:
https://clonleighparish.com/2022/02/19/parish-newsletter-for-sunday-20th-february-2022/
MASS SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEK:
Monday: Mass at 10.00am and 7.00pm (with Service of Light for Confirmation Children)
Tuesday: Mass at 9.30am
Ash Wednesday: Mass at 10.00am & 7.00pm: individual distribution of Ashes at both Masses
Ash Wednesday: Lenten Assembly, at 11.15am, for our three schools (via webcam)
Thursday: Mass at 10.00am
Friday: Mass at 10.00am and 7.00pm (Month’s Mind for Mary McIntyre)
The Rosary will commence 20 minutes before weekday Masses.
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 28 Feb, 10.00am: Noel Gallagher, Croaghan Heights
Friday 4 March, 7.00pm: Month’s Mind Mass for Mary McIntyre, Diamond
Saturday 5 March, 6.30pm: Martin Tourish, The Roughan
Sunday 6 March, 9.00am: John and Martha Mitchell, St Johnston
Sunday 6 March, 11.00am: John and Mary Rose Colhoun, Ballindrait.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We pray for the following, whose anniversaries occur at this time:
Jimmy Crawford Snr, Block Five; John and Margaret Crawford, Raphoe; Liam Arthur, Townparks
Patrick & Jean Galbraith, Curraghalane; Sarah Gibson, Letterkenny Road; Edward Crawford, Brickfield
Solly McGhee, Castlefin; Martin McBrearty, Croaghan Heights; Gabrielle Sharpe, Ispwich
Noel Gallagher, Croaghan Heights; John O’Brien, The Roughan.
May they rest in peace.
COLLECTION:
THANK YOU as always for your generosity to the collection which, last week, amounted to €1,825. 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.
TODAY IS A DAY FOR PRAYER FOR TEMPERANCE:
We pray for the virtue of temperance for ourselves, our families and in our world. We ask God that we will have the desire to be people of temperance at all times, in the various aspects of our lives. We pray for the grace to be a good example to others in ways of temperance, especially to children and young people.
We pray for all who struggle from any form of addiction, that they will be blessed with the strength and courage to overcome their dependency and that they will seek and receive the support they need to help them. We pray for all families affected by addiction. Mary, Comforter of the afflicted: pray for us.
PARENTS OF CONFIRMATION CHILDREN, please note:
You are asked to bring your child’s Baptism Candle along to the Mass and Service of Light Ceremony tomorrow night (Monday), if you still have it. If you don’t have the Baptism Candle, don’t worry about it – you can bring along any blessed candle if you have one or, if not, we can provide you with a candle on the night.
CONFESSIONS will be heard (in the Sacristy of the church) each Saturday of Lent (starting next Saturday) from 11.00am – 12.00noon.
ASH WEDNESDAY:
The first day of Lent, is on Wednesday of this week, 2 March.
It is a day of fast and abstinence.
Mass in St Patrick’s at 10.00am and 7.00pm, with individual distribution of Ashes.
The three traditional pillars of Lenten observance are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The main focus of our almsgiving during Lent is Trocaire’s Lenten Campaign. This year, Trocaire highlights how Covid-19 has impacted communities in Zimbabwe who were already facing significant challenges due to climate change and food insecurity. We hear the story of Thandekile and her two children, and how Covid has had a devastating impact on their family. Trocaire calls on us to join in the campaign for justice on behalf of the world’s most vulnerable people – the oppressed, the outcast and those forced to flee from their homes. The Trocaire Box this year reflects this call, displaying ordinary people who do extraordinary things in the pursuit of justice. Trocaire Boxes will be available in the porch of our church from Ash Wednesday onwards.
Lenten Assembly: Ash Wednesday, 11.15am, via webcam, for our three schools. This short time of prayer is aimed at drawing focus to ways in we can become better friends with Jesus and help others who are less fortunate than ourselves. Everyone is welcome to join us, either in the church or via our parish webcam.
Lenten Programme – neighbouring parishes:
The neighbouring parishes of Camus (Strabane), Leckpatrick, Melmount, Sion Mills and ourselves, Clonleigh, are joining together to provide a Lenten programme of Masses, Lenten Devotions and Confessions with Penitential Services:
Masses: 7.00am Mass will be celebrated in St Mary’s, Melmount, and in the Immaculate Conception, Strabane, each morning of Lent (Monday – Friday) for those who wish to attend an early morning Mass as part of their Lenten observances.
Next Sunday (6 March), the first Sunday of Lent, at 5.00pm, special Devotions will take place in each of the five parish churches on the theme of Reconciliation, with a priest from one of the other parishes leading the reflection and prayers in each church.
The first of the Penitential Services will be held here in St Patrick’s on Sunday, 13 March, at 5.00pm, with the neighbouring priests available to hear Confessions.
Confessions will also be heard each Saturday of Lent in our church, from 11.00am – 12.00noon.
We encourage and pray for each other as we enter our Lenten journey.
May it be a grace-filled time for all of us.
HOLY LAND (Pro Terra Sancta) COLLECTION will be taken up at our Masses on Ash Wednesday. There is no envelope for it, but contributions can be dropped in the box at the back of the church on your way in or out of Mass. This annual collection is taken up in churches throughout the world. Christians of the Holy Land heavily rely on it to meet the costs of the preservation of the sacred sites and shrines where Jesus was present while on earth.
EXPLORING DIOCESAN PRIESTHOOD:
Zoom Meeting for those interested in finding out more about diocesan priesthood / becoming a seminarian for the diocese: Tuesday 1 March, at 8.00pm. For further information and registration, email info@vocations.ie or visit vocations.ie/zoom
ANNUAL ‘WORLD DAY OF PRAYER’ SERVICE will take place in St Patrick’s, Clonleigh, this Friday, 4 March, at 8.30pm. World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement, led by Christian women throughout the world,
who welcome you to join in prayer and action for peace and justice. Prayer and support for peace and justice in our world at this time is particularly relevant. Everyone is welcome to attend.
ORGAN RECITAL & HYMN-SINGING MARATHON:
Clonleigh Church of Ireland, with Canon David Crooks: Sunday 6 March, 2.30 – 5.30pm. Feel free to drop in at any time and request a hymn, sing or play the organ. Donations in aid of the Church Repair Fund.
COVID-19 – GUIDANCE FOR CHURCHES:
I am most grateful to all who provided feedback to me this week, following last week’s newsletter notice on the fresh guidance in relation to removal of restrictions in church, issued by Bishop McKeown. The feedback received from you unanimously concurs with the bishop’s suggested cautious and gradual approach to easing of restrictions in our Church. In particular, you indicated a desire for face coverings still to be worn in church and for the alternate rows to remain ‘marked off’ to facilitate some social distancing.
And so, we will not make any changes to our existing practices for the time being; in due course, we can review matters again and look at reintroducing some of the suggested roles and rituals – altar servers, collection basket, Offertory gifts, holy water font.
Thank you again for taking the time to provide me with your feedback – it is important that any removal of restrictions is carried out with your approval and support. The safety of everyone in church remains paramount.
UPCOMING DATES OF NOTE:
Monday 28 February, at 7.00pm: Mass with Service of Light for Confirmation children & parents
Wednesday 2 March: Ash Wednesday – first day of Lent
Thursday 17 March – Feast Day of our Patron Saint, St Patrick
Saturday 26 March: Sacrament of Confirmation in our parish
Saturday 21 May: First Holy Communion in our parish
Monday 13 June, at 7.00pm: Blessing of Graves in our parish
Sunday 19 June, Feast of Corpus Christi:
Corpus Christi Procession for the First Holy Communion Children of our parish.
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.
St Patrick, pray for us.
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