SUNDAY 12th March 2023:
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
Gospel: The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:5-42)
The season of Lent is, essentially, a period of hope and expectation, fulfilled in the victory of Jesus on the cross for us. The story of the ‘nameless’ Samaritan woman at the well (recorded only in the Gospel of St John) that we hear today, is very much a story of hope for all of us in our faith journey. The Samaritan woman witnessed God’s grace in her encounter with Jesus, and experienced what it was to be wanted by Him, to be cared for when no-one, not even herself, could see value in her. There are times in our lives when we fail to see the value in ourselves – perhaps when we feel we have failed God, let family or friends down, or feel ashamed about something in our behaviour. In the knowledge that God’s grace and welcome is always there for us, we turn to Him in hope and with confidence in His merciful and enduring love.
MASS AND CONFESSIONS SCHEDULE THIS WEEK:
Masses: Monday, 10.00am, Tuesday, 9.30am, Wednesday, 10.00am
Please note: No Mass on Thursday morning due to an ESB power-cut, from 10am – 4pm
St Patrick’s Day Masses: Vigil, Thursday, 6.30pm; Friday, 10.00am
(no Friday evening Mass this week)
Rosary commences 20 minutes before morning Masses.
Saturday: Confessions, 11.00am – 12.00noon and 5.30pm – 6.15pm (before Vigil Mass)
Sunday Masses: Vigil, 6.30pm; Sunday, 9.00am and 11.00am.
All Masses are livestreamed on our webcam; 11.00am Mass on Sunday is broadcast by Finn Valley Radio, 95.8FM
MASS INTENTIONS:
Saturday 18 March, 6.30pm: Mary Sarah Doherty, Porthall
Sunday 19 March: 9.00am: Pat Gibbons, Tironeill; 11.00am: Kathleen Keeney, Legandara.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rest in peace:
John Tourish, Albert Terrace; Annie McGranaghan, Tober; Willie Lynch, Ballinabreen; Alice Howard, Glenfad
Hughie McCormack, Coneyburrow; Kathleen & George McBrearty, Gallows Lane; James Oates, Glasgow
Maise Matthewson, Lurganshannagh; Neily Doherty, Gortgrannagh; John Friel, Lancaster / Coolatee
Martha & John Mitchell, St Johnston.
DO THIS IN MEMORY PROGRAMME:
We welcome our First Holy Communion children and their families to our 11.00am Mass today. Parents are asked to encourage and support their children in using Grapevine and Thumb. The children will receive a prayer-card today. Again, parents are asked to pray the prayers on the prayer-card with their children. Many thanks, as always, to the co-ordinators and to the parents who help.
THANK YOU as always for your generosity in last week’s collection, which amounted to €1,894.
CLERICAL EDUCATION & ONGOING FORMATION annual collection will be taken up at our St Patrick’s Day Masses. There is a special envelope for it in your envelope box. This collection goes towards the costs of educating student priests for the Diocese of Derry and ongoing formation costs of clergy of the diocese.
CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE to all the boys and girls who received the Sacrament of Confirmation yesterday (Saturday). It was a lovely occasion in the life of our parish. Thank you to Bishop McKeown for helping to make it such a special occasion for everyone. Sincere thanks to our parish choir for the lovely singing and music. Thank you, as always, to the groundsmen who had the church grounds looking so lovely and welcoming and thanks also to Hugh, for his work in keeping our church so well inside and making sure everything is in order.
INDOOR TOILET FACILITY:
I am delighted to report that our indoor toilet project at our church has been completed this week and the facilities are ready for use. Thank you for your patience while this project has been carried out. Thank you to MCS Civil Engineering who carried out the work and to Mr John Masterson, Architect, for overseeing the project.
On St Patrick’s Day, when we honour our Patron Saint, we thank God for the gift of faith in our lives and for the witness of generations of people who handed on the gift of faith. As the disciples of our time, we pray that we will be strong in proclaiming the faith, and drawing others to Jesus, by our way of living.
We pray is a special way at this time for missionaries from Ireland, including missionaries from our own parish, whose vocation in life led them to foreign lands, especially under-developed countries, to spread the Good News of the Gospel. We thank God for their witness.
It is also a day when we remember in a special way all who have emigrated, especially our own family members, friends and the members of our parish community. We pray, through the intercession of St Patrick, that their experiences will be positive and joyful. We remember especially those for whom emigration is or has been a challenging experience, especially those who may not be in a position to return to their homeland.
P r a y e r F o r E m i g r a n t s:
Loving God, we pray for those whom we love but who are absent from us.
Keep them safe from all harm, evil and danger.
Bless them with peace, friends, laughter, wisdom, love and joy.
Grant that we may be reunited in the fullness of love: in Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
DONEGAL MARY’S MEALS seeks your old coins and notes – punts, euro, sterling, foreign coin & notes. There is a box in place beside the Baptism Tree in our church. If you have old coins or notes and would like to help the work of Mary’s Meals in this way, please drop the money into the box, which will be in place in the church for the next couple of weeks. Thank you “We can provide a meal for 11cents and a meal each day in school for a year for €22.”
ST MARY’S CHURCH, CONVOY:
You are invited to St Mary’s, Convoy, next Sunday, 19 March, at 2.00pm for a special ceremony for the placing in the church of a first-class Relic of St Maria Faustina Kowalska, the saint of Divine Mercy, for permanent honour and veneration. The ceremony includes a Prayer Service, a Talk by Sr Benedetta of the Sisters of Merciful Jesus, and concludes with Benediction (at 4.30pm), with individual blessing with the Relic.
Do This In Memory:
Welcome, boys and girls, to our Do This In Memory Mass today. This weekend, we had the Sacrament of Confirmation in our parish. Confirmation is a very special day in the life of our parish and I would ask you all to say a little prayer for the boys and girls who received the sacrament.
Meanwhile, Qumen continues to do a great job of telling Kath all about what happens at Mass. And the two of them are being exceptionally good for Lent. Best of all, they know that the most important thing for all of us is to be special friends with Jesus, who did so much for us.
‘LEARNING ABOUT THE MASS’ CORNER:
QUMEN: Kath, remember when I told you about the Last Supper, I mentioned that Jesus broke the bread that He had blessed before sharing it with His apostles. Well, just after the Peace prayer at Mass, if you watch the priest very carefully, you will see that he too breaks the consecrated host, before Holy Communion is then shared with the people.
KATH: So I need to be paying attention and watch out for that then, Qumen, cos I could miss it, and it sounds important.
QUMEN: It’s even more important than you think, Kath, because the priest breaking the consecrated host reminds us of Jesus’ broken body on the Cross for us. The priest prays a prayer during the ‘breaking of the bread’ and we pray the Lamb of God prayer. And, before you ask, Kath, Jesus is the Lamb of God.
KATH: That’s a strange thing to call Jesus – a lamb.
QUMEN: Like everything at Mass, Kath, it has meaning. You see, it tells us in the Bible, in the Old Testament, so before Jesus’ time, that lambs were sacrificed in the temple for sins. In Jesus’ case, God offered Him as the Sacrificial Lamb, who would die for our sins. If you listen to the Lamb of God prayer, it says, “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world…”
KATH & QUMEN: Jesus is such a special friend to us. So glad we’re saying thank you to Him by praying the Our Father each day. And now, of course, that we don’t fight with anybody in the playground, we’re being really good friends to Jesus.
Access the Readings on our parish website:
The Daily Mass Readings are also on our website: https://clonleighparish.com/todays-mass-readings/ . Alternatively, just google Clonleigh Parish readings.
The Daily Mass Readings are also on our website: https://clonleighparish.com/todays-mass-readings/ . Alternatively, just google Clonleigh Parish readings.
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
SAFEGUARDING NOTICE:
If you have any concerns about safeguarding children or adults in need of protection within the Church, please contact Marie Gormley, the Diocesan Designated Liaison Person, on 07596 500793 or by email on marie.gormley@derrydiocese.org