SUNDAY 26th March 2023:
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
The Gospel story of the raising of Lazarus that we hear today foreshadows the Good News of Jesus’ own Resurrection. In raising Lazarus, Jesus shows His power over death so that, when He dies, those who believe in Him might remember and take hope. Just as Jesus calls for the stone to be rolled away from Lazarus’ tomb, so too will the disciples find the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb. Today’s Gospel invites us to reflect on the Sacrament of Baptism as a dying and rising with Jesus: in the sacrament, we die to sin’s power over us, rising as children of God.
Just two weekends ago, in the Sacrament of Confirmation, the children of our three National Schools were sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and strengthened in the promises of faith and witness already taken on their behalf in the Sacrament of Baptism. We pray that the many graces of their Confirmation Day, nourished regularly by the Eucharist and enriched by the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, will be central to a deepening relationship with Jesus for them.
MASS AND CONFESSIONS SCHEDULE THIS WEEK:
Mass:
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10.00am
Tuesday, 9.30am. Friday, 6.30pm
Confessions:
Friday, 6.00 – 6.25pm (before Mass)
Saturday, 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:
Thursday 30 March, 10.00am: Deceased Members of the Derry Diocesan Society
Saturday 1 April, 6.30pm: Hugh & Margaret Crossan, Glenfad
Sunday 2 April, 9.00am: Tessie & Celly Melaugh, Gallows Lane and Natasha Melaugh, Letterkenny
Sunday 2 April, 11.00am: Paul Friel, Braide.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rest in peace:
Foncie Quinn, Letterkenny Road; Hugo Hannigan, Letterkenny Road; James Vincent McPartland, Gortgrannagh; Mary McGinley, Germany
John & Kathleen McGettigan, Ardnasool; Desmond McDermott, Rossgier; Dominic McCloskey, Dungiven Kathleen Carlin, The Common; Agnes Lynch, Mullaghanny; Kathleen & Anton Gallagher, Tironeill.
THANK YOU as always for your generosity in last week’s collection, which amounted to €1,928. Sincere thanks also for your generosity to the Clerical Education & Ongoing Formation collection, which amounted to €1,156.
DO THIS IN MEMORY PROGRAMME:
Our next Do This in Memory Mass will be in one weeks’ time, on Palm Sunday (2nd April). Parents, as always, I encourage you to spend time with your child on Grapevine and on Thumb. With First Holy Communion just seven weeks’ away, (Saturday 13 May), it is important that, together, we provide the children with every opportunity to be fully prepared to receive the Sacrament, complementing the great work being done in our three schools. The children are, of course, also preparing to receive God’s forgiveness and love in the Sacrament of Confessions; a date for First Confessions will be set immediately after Easter, so please keep a check on that. All the children will take part in the Palm Sunday Procession at the beginning of mass.
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 this week. Thank you for your support. “We can provide a meal for 11cents and a meal each day in school for a year for €22.”
CLEANER required for Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál, Lifford: five days per week, for ten hours per week. Please leave in a letter of application, along with CV, addressed to The Chairperson, Board of Management, Lifford NS, Lifford. Closing date Monday 27 March 2023, 3.00pm.
STRABANE HISTORICAL SOCIETY will meet on Thursday 30 March at 7.00pm, in Strabane Community Library, Abercorn Square. This month’s talk will be “Grays Printers”. Speaker: Pat McGuigan. Everyone welcome.
LOUGH DERG One-Day Retreats start in May:
1, 7, 9, 14, 20, 27, 29 May. Booking essential. Cost €45 (includes boat, tea/coffee & scones, light lunch). Boat times: Available from 9.15am and return from 4.30pm. (crossing approximately 10 mins). The Retreat programme runs from 10.30am – 4.30pm: these are days of guided prayer and reflection, with Prayers of Intercession, reflection on life with Scripture and celebration of Eucharist in St Patrick’s Basilica. The afternoon also offers an opportunity for quiet time and for Eucharistic Adoration. Hospitality on the day includes tea/coffee & scones on arrival and a light lunch.
Opening Hours:
With the ‘change of time’ and the brighter evenings now with us, our church will remain open each evening, starting this week, until 6.00pm. You are invited to call in to the church as often as you can, during the day, for private prayer, particularly in these coming days, as we prepare to celebrate the holiest of weeks in the Church calendar. You are invited to light a candle for your prayer intentions.
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.
Do This In Memory:
Boys and girls, it is just one week until our next Do This In Memory Mass and I look forward to meeting you all on that day again. Palm Sunday is a very special day in the life of the Church: we will celebrate Jesus arriving in Jerusalem, on a donkey, just days before He would die on the Cross for us. On Palm Sunday, you are asked to bring some palm or green branches / leaves along, and I will bless them during Mass. You will then bring them home and display them in your home.
‘LEARNING ABOUT THE MASS’ CORNER:
QUMEN: When I’m up for my blessing every Sunday, I hear what the priest says to the people receiving Holy Communion., so at least I’ll know what he will say to me when I put my hands out to receive Communion, and I’ll know how to respond.
KATH: You’d better tell me, Qumen. What does the priest say?
QUMEN: Ok, when it is your turn to receive Holy Communion, put your right hand out, with the palm of your hand facing up, and cross your left hand on top of it, with the palm of your hand facing up. The priest will say, “Body of Christ” to you and you reply, “Amen.”
KATH: And then the priest places the Communion in your hand?
QUMEN: Yes, he places the host very carefully in your hand and then you remove your right hand from underneath your left hand, lift the host carefully and place it on our tongue. Then bless yourself, just before you start moving back to your seat.
KATH & QUMEN: Maybe we’ll practise with each other, to make sure we’re both getting it right.
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