SUNDAY 30th April 2023:
GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY
This Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday, is the worldwide day of Prayer for Vocations, especially vocations to priesthood and Religious life. By virtue of our Baptism, all of us share the responsibility of the mission of the Church: individually and together, we are called to make Jesus, the Good Shepherd, known, loved and followed. A National Year for Vocation to the Diocesan Priesthood is being launched today, with the theme: “Take the Risk for Christ.” We pray:
PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS:
God our Father, thank you for your Son, Jesus, our Good Shepherd,
who leads us to fullness of life.
By our baptism we are called by name to continue the mission of Jesus.
Give us the grace to listen with an open heart to His voice and to respond with joyful spirit.
Strengthen the men and women you called to serve through marriage, single life,
priesthood and Religious life. Guide all who are discerning their Christian vocation.
We offer this prayer through Jesus and the Holy Spirit united with You forever and ever. Amen.
MASS SCHEDULE THIS WEEK:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 10.00; Friday: 7.00pm, Month’s Mind for Anne McCay
Tuesday: 9.30am.
Rosary: Each morning, twenty minutes before Mass.
Saturday: Vigil Mass, 6.30pm. Sunday morning: 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
†
Josephine Clarke, late of Moneen, Ballindrait
As a parish faith community, we offer our sympathy and our prayerful support to all who mourn the death of Josephine: to Colm, John, Mary, Sally, Patsy, Monica, Oliver, Teresa, Liam, Geraldine, Noeleen, Clement and Majella, and to the wider family circle and friends of Josephine, whose Funeral Mass took place in St Patrick’s on Tuesday. May she rest in peace.
MASS INTENTIONS:
Friday 5 May 7.00pm: Month’s Mind Mass for Anne McCay, Cloughfin
Saturday 6 May, 6.30pm: Month’s Mind Mass for Billy Doherty, Porthall
Sunday 7 April, 11.00am: Benny Gallagher,Porthall, Bridie Kiernan (nee Gallagher), Porthall.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rest in peace:
Annie Clarke, Coolatee; Margaret Kennedy, Post Office Lane; Julia McCloskey, Derryware
Danny McLaughlin, Croaghan Heights; Danny Boy McLaughlin, Coolatee.
THANK YOU for your generosity in last week’s collection, which amounted to €1,834. Thank you also to those who contribute by Standing Order. Sincere thanks also for your contributions to the Diocesan Purposes collection and to further contributions for Trocaire. Totals for these will be published in due course.
THANK YOU very much to those who recently signed up for Gift Aid (Charitable Donations Scheme). I appeal to anyone else who is eligible (ie, those who, a) contribute €250 or more in a tax year and, b) pay income tax / capital gains tax of €250 or more in the tax year) to join in the scheme. The current rate payable by the Revenue is 31%, so a €250 contribution to the parish results in the parish getting an additional €112 (€362 in total). Last year, we received almost €10,000 in Gift Aid. Thank you again so much to all who made this possible. Please remember, most importantly, it is at no extra cost to you! You can join in the scheme by contacting Lorna in the parish office, who will be happy to provide you with the relevant Mandate. Thank you!
MAY – MONTH OF MARY:
Tomorrow, we enter the month of May, a month of special devotion to Our Lady. It is a tradition of our faith that we express, in some special form, the importance of Mary, model in faith, in our homes during this month. In our homes, we can make special effort to pray the Family Rosary each evening or a decade of the Rosary or perhaps pray the Angelus or some other short Marian prayers. The May Altar is a great way for children to become actively involved in honouring Our Lady at home. May Altars can be created very simply, with a clean white cloth, a statue of Our Lady, Rosary beads, holy water and some flowers. Parents are encouraged to pray with their children each day at the May Altar.
In our church, we will have a May Altar, with a Prayer Intentions box, into which you are invited to place your prayer intentions. Each time Mass is celebrated during the month of May, your prayer intentions will be remembered, through the intercession of Mary our Mother. During the month, you are invited, as always, to honour Our Lady by bringing along some flowers or plants to adorn the May Altar. Again, parents are invited to involve their children in this practice. (Any vases/containers that you leave will be kept for you).
Our Rosary Group continues to pray the Rosary every week-day, starting twenty minutes before morning Mass. During this month, perhaps you might like to make special effort to come along and join in this special time of prayer in our parish. You would be very welcome. As always, sincere thanks to our Rosary Group for your great witness and the blessings that your prayer brings upon our parish.
ROSARY AT OUR LADY’S GROTTO, PORTHALL will take place this year again. The date and time will be published as soon as they are confirmed.
UPCOMING DATES OF NOTE FOR OUR PARISH:
Monday 8 May: Retreat for the Confirmation children (Community Centre Lifford)
Saturday 13 May: First Holy Communion, at 11.00am
Sunday 11 June: Corpus Christi Procession with the First Holy Communion children, 11.00am Mass
Monday 12 June: Blessing of the Graves, at 7.00pm. Please let your relatives and friends know.
Saturday 12 August: Second Annual Parish Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine. Full details will follow.
Do This In Memory Mass:
Well done last Sunday, boys and girls. As always, it was lovely to see you all at our Do This In Memory Mass.
‘LEARNING ABOUT THE MASS’ CORNER:
Kath seems to be concerned this week that Jesus might not love her as much as He loves Qumen, because Kath’s family don’t go regularly to Mass. Qumen, of course, knows that Jesus loves us all equally, but also knows the importance of getting to know Jesus better, through going to Mass. We can only hope that Kath’s family will start taking her to Mass every Sunday and that First Holy Communion won’t be a one-off event for her.
‘LEARNING ABOUT THE MASS’ CORNER
KATH: Why does Holy Communion sometimes get called Eucharist? Which name should we be calling it?
QUMEN: Both are right, Kath. When we receive Holy Communion, we are receiving the Eucharist. The word Eucharist means Thanksgiving. At Mass, which is sometimes called Celebration of the Eucharist, we give thanks to God in a special way for all that He has given us and, especially, for the gift of Jesus, in Holy Communion.
KATH: Does Jesus like families who go to Mass every Sunday better than he likes families like us who don’t go, only when we have to?
QUMEN: Jesus loves us all, Kath; He has no favourites, but my mum always reminds me, especially when I’m too tired to get up on Sunday mornings, that going to Sunday Mass is very important, because we get the chance to gather with the other people in the parish to pray and to thank God together, just like Jesus asked us to.
KATH & QUMEN: Jesus loves us so much. Let’s hope that First Holy Communion will be the first of many times that will receive the Eucharist.
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