PALM SUNDAY 2nd April 2023:
Today, the Church recalls the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem to accomplish the Paschal Mystery, the timeless and central mystery of our faith. The Paschal Mystery includes the sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension of Jesus into glory and the sending of the Holy Spirit on the disciples to continue the work Jesus began. Although these events are spread over a period of seven weeks in the Church liturgy, we should look on them as an indivisible single accomplishment of Jesus for us.
We pray that the sacred events of the Easter Triduum will be a blessed time for all.
MASS SCHEDULE, CONFESSIONS AND LITURGIES FOR HOLY WEEK AND EASTER:
Monday (3 April): Mass at 10.00am: Confessions available after Mass
Tuesday (4 April): Mass at 9.30am
Wednesday (5 April): Mass at 10.00am: Confessions available after Mass
Rosary, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, twenty minutes before Mass.
HOLY THURSDAY (6 April):
Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7.00pm, followed by
Quiet Prayer and Reflection before the Altar of Repose, until 10.00pm
Confessions available (in the sacristy) after Mass.
GOOD FRIDAY (7 April):
The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ and Veneration of the Cross at 3.00pm.
Stations of the Cross at 7.00pm
Confessions available after the 3.00pm ceremony & from 6.15 – 6.50pm (before the 7.00pm Stations)
HOLY SATURDAY (8 April):
Confessions from 11.00am – 1.00pm
Easter Vigil: 8.00pm
EASTER SUNDAY (9 April):
Mass at 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 8 April, 8.00pm: Peter Kane, St Jude’s Court.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rest in peace:
John Bogle, Porthall; Margaret Mary McHugh, Drumnahaw; Daniel McGaivgan, Coneyburrow
Maggie Grogan, Coneyburrow; Vera & Seamus Lyons, Wigan; Flora Patton, Carrigans
Emmanuel & Grace Boyle, Guystown; Humprey Foley, Scotland / Tober;
Hugh & Margaret Crossan, Glenfad; Tessie & Celly Melaugh, Gallows Lane;
Natasha Melaugh, Letterkenny; Paul Friel, Braide; Billy Harte, Ballyduff Terrace.
THANK YOU as always for your generosity in last week’s collection, which amounted to €1,643. Sincere thanks also to those who contribute to the weekly collection by Standing Order.
MASS OF CHRISM:
Bishop McKeown will celebrate the Mass of Chrism with the priests of the diocese in St Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry, on Holy Thursday morning (6 April) at 10 o’clock. During Mass the holy Oils for Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick and Ordination are blessed. Also, the priests renew their Ordination promises. It is the only Mass celebrated in the diocese on Holy Thursday morning. Everyone is welcome to attend the Chrism Mass, or you can join in it via the St Eugene’s parish webcam: http://www.steugenescathedral.com/webcam.html
GOOD FRIDAY is a day of Fast and Abstinence, as a sharing in Christ’s suffering and as a reminder that we are called to penance and to conversion of life.
HOLY LAND (Pro Terra Sancta) COLLECTION will be taken up at our 7.00pm Mass on Holy Thursday and our 3.00pm Service on Good Friday (you are asked to contribute to it on one of these days). There is no envelope for it. This is an annual collection for the Holy Land and 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.
DO THIS IN MEMORY PROGRAMME:
Welcome to the boys and girls to our Do This in Memory Mass today, Palm Sunday. First Holy Communion in now just six weeks’ away, (Saturday 13 May). Receiving the Sacrament of Eucharist is central to all that we believe as Catholics, and it is important that, together, as teachers in the faith for our children, we provide them 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 announced immediately after Easter.
SINCERE THANKS for your very generous response to the Donegal Mary’s Meals appeal for old coins and notes. Last chance to donate is today and then, this week, I will deliver all that has been collected to Fr Eamon Kelly, PP Raphoe, who is co-ordinating the appeal on behalf of Donegal Mary’s Meals. Thank you!
TROCAIRE COLLECTION:
The Trocaire Lenten Boxes should be returned to the church on Holy Thursday evening, if possible. There will be a basket at the front of the church (during our ceremonies) from Holy Thursday evening until Easter Sunday. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated.
Somalia is the focus of this year’s Trócaire campaign. The story being highlighted in this year’s campaign is that of Nasteha, an eight-year-old girl who, with her family, had to leave their home village in search of help and a better life after the last of their goats died, leaving them with no food or income. Nasteha’s mother, Ambiyo, was six months pregnant at the time, but travelled with Mahet, her husband, their two-year old twins and their four other children. We are told that the family had a three-day walk to the Gedo region, where they had to build a new shelter made from scraps of wood and plastic gathered by the children of their new neighbours.
DIVINE MERCY NOVENA:
Many people like to pray the Divine Mercy Novena for the nine days from Good Friday (7 April) until the first Saturday of Easter (15 April), leading into Divine Mercy Sunday (16 April). For those who would like to join in the Novena but do not have a copy of it, you can access it on: https://divinemercy.life/the-divine-mercy-novena/
HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE:
15 October 2023 (9 nights) Direct ex Dublin – Tel Aviv. Part I: Galilee/Nazareth. Part II: Bethlehem/Jerusalem. Cost £1,795 stg includes taxes, transfers, tips, half-board. For further details please contact Erin/Sr Perpetua at thornhillministries@derrydiocese.org
Opening Hours:
With the brighter evenings now here, our church will remain open each evening until 6.00pm. You are invited to call in to the church when you can, during the day, for private prayer.
PARISH FINANCES 2022:
A summary of the Income & Expenditure Account for 2022 for our parish is now available to see on the notice board at the back of our church. You are invited to take the time, when convenient, to read it.
Our main source of income continues to be our weekly collection (including Standing Orders), greatly enhanced by Gift Aid. In the ‘day-to-day’ financial activities of the parish in 2022, our energy costs (heating / lighting) soared. Energy costs, as we all know, increased substantially in 2022, but we are looking at effective ways of reducing our energy costs going forward. We do our best to monitor costs at all times and to make the best possible use of the money which you so faithfully contribute each week.
In 2022 we paid the remaining costs of our graveyard extension project. Please note that, while our indoor-toilet project had started in 2022, the full payment for this will be in 2023.
If you have any queries in relation to any of the entries on the Income & Expenditure Account, please let me know, and we will be happy to provide clarification / further information.
Sincere thanks to everyone who contributes to the financial life of our parish. Your generosity is always greatly appreciated. I am very grateful also to our Parish Finance Committee for their advice and support, and to Lorna for her financial administrative work in the parish office.
Kath and Qumen are taking a break now for Holy Week and Easter and, like yourselves, boys and girls, they are making their final preparations to receive the sacraments of Confessions and First Holy Communion in the coming weeks. Let’s hope we remember everything they have told us so far about the Mass!
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