SUNDAY 21st May 2023:
ASCENSION SUNDAY
Gospel: St Matthew 28:16-20
On this Feast of the Ascension the Church celebrates the completion of Christ’s earthly mission and His glorification with God the Father. “Know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time” (28:20): this is the promise of Jesus to his disciples and to us, the disciples of our time. Jesus remains with us, among us and in us, through the gift of the Holy Spirit and in the Sacraments. In particular, He is with us in the sacrament of the Eucharist, which is central to all that we believe in our Catholic faith.
Today is World Communications Day. We pray that, fortified and guided by the Spirit of God, we will actively communicate the message of the Gospel, through all that we do and say.
MASS SCHEDULE THIS WEEK:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 10.00am; Tuesday: 9.30am
Rosary: Each morning, twenty minutes before Mass.
Rosary at Our Lady’s Grotto, Porthall, this Monday, 21 May, 7.30pm. Everyone welcome.
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
†
Catherine Hepburn (nee Kennedy), late of Mill Street, Ballindrait
As a parish faith community, we offer our sympathy and our prayerful support to all who mourn the death of Catherine: to Andrew, to Stephen and Raymond, to Lisa, Lauren, Gemma, Aaron and Andrew, to the great-grandchildren and wider family circle of Catherine, whose Funeral Mass took place in St Patrick’s on Wednesday. May she rest in peace.
MASS INTENTIONS:
Saturday 27 May, 6.30pm: Month’s Mind Mass for Patsy Quinn, Cavan Hill.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rest in peace:
Packie Lindsay, Croaghan Heights; Rose McGowan, The Diamond; Lettie Crotty, Coneyburrow
Jerry & Kathleen Drumm, Drumbuoy; Frances Woods, Ballymonaster; Elizabeth McBrearty, The Common
David Colhoun, Beechwood; Paddy Joe McGrath, Strabane; Mark McGrath, Braide; Pat Lafferty, Shannon
Joe Brennan, Strabane (formerly Ballindrait); Annie Doherty, Ardnasool; Leila Crawford, The Common.
We pray for the souls of those recently enrolled in the Derry Diocesan Society:
Kathleen Sharkey, Carrickmore; Frances Devenney, Tober; Gertie McDaid, Letterkenny Road
Seamus Behan, Butcher Street; Gary McGinley, Moneen
THANK YOU for your generosity in last week’s collection, which amounted to €2,700. Sincere thanks also for your generosity to the Trocaire Lenten Campaign, which totalled at a fantastic €5,558. Diocesan Purposes collection amounted to €741. Many thanks!
ROSARY AT OUR LADY’S GROTTO, PORTHALL:
Tomorrow evening, Monday 22 May, at 7.30pm. The Rosary will be recited for the protection of Our Lady on our parish families and for peace. Everyone is welcome.
PARENTS OF OUR 6TH CLASS CHILDREN, PLEASE NOTE:
The children of our three schools who received the Sacrament of Confirmation this year are invited to attend 11.00am Mass next Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, 28 May. On Pentecost Sunday, as you know, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. In thanking God for the coming of the Holy Spirit on these children in the Sacrament of Confirmation, we will have a special blessing of the children on the day.
PARENTS OF FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CHILDREN, PLEASE NOTE:
The final Sunday of the Do This In Memory programme is on the Feast of Corpus Christi (the Body and Blood of Christ), Sunday 11 June. On that day, the children will be invited to participate in a Corpus Christi procession. They are asked to wear their First Holy Communion outfit for this special occasion. Weather permitting, we will have an outside procession, which I will lead, carrying the Blessed Sacrament, at our 11.00am Mass.
LEAVERS MASS for the 6th Class children will be celebrated in our church on Thursday 15 June, at 1.30pm, in St Patrick’s Church. Parents, grandparents, and family members are invited to attend this Mass, offering our prayerful support to our 6th Class children, who will embark in a new chapter in their young lives in the new school year. Everyone in the parish community is welcome to attend.
AGM of Friends of Lifford Community Hospital will take place this Tuesday, 23 May, at 7.00pm in the Old Courthouse, Lifford. Everyone is welcome.
BLESSING OF THE GRAVES will take place on Monday 12 June, at 7.00pm. Please let others know!
Laudato Si’ Week 2023 will be celebrated globally from today, 21 – 28 May, with the film “‘The Letter’ – A Message for Our Earth”, marking the eighth anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical, Laudato Si’, addressed to all of us, on Care for Creation. This year’s theme, “Hope for the Earth. Hope for Humanity,” focuses on the connectedness of all things and the need for a renewed commitment to environmental justice. The film aims to highlight the power of humanity united in action to stop the ecological crisis and its devastating effects on all creation; it shows Laudato Si’ in action.
A showing of “The Letter” will take place this Tuesday, 23 May, at 7.00pm, in St Eugene’s Cathedral Hall, Derry. Please pre-book by calling the Parish Office on (+4428) 71262894, as spaces are limited. The film is also being shown in St Mary’s Hall, Buncrana, on Tuesday (23 May) at 12:30pm, and in The Exchange, Buncrana, on Friday (26 May) at 7:45pm.
PARISH VOLUNTEERS – Come to the Water:
Derry Diocesan Youth Ministry is hosting a four-week programme in June 2023, for parish volunteers, of all ages. The programme is aimed at building inter-generational collaboration and faith community amongst parish volunteers involved in parish ministry in the parishes of the Diocese of Derry. During three online and one in-person session we will come together in prayer, learning and support, sharing best practice. The programme will explore: Different ways to pray; Themed talks: ‘Where have the young people gone?‘; ‘How well do we welcome?’; and practical ideas on what help and programmes are on offer in the diocese, including an in-depth look at best safeguarding practices for both online and in-person gatherings in our parishes. The first three sessions will be via Zoom; for the last session, we will come together in-person for an intergenerational gathering of prayer and food. Come to the Water will begin on Monday 5 June , 7:30pm-9:00pm and continue each Monday over four weeks. It will be delivered via Zoom. The last session will be held in person. To participate, please contact Lizzie Rea at lizzie.rea@derrydiocese.org. Closing date for registration is Thursday 25 May.
WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY – 21 May 2023:
World Communications Day was established by Pope Paul VI in 1967, in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, as an annual celebration encouraging us to reflect on the opportunities and challenges that modern means of social communication afford the Church to communicate the Gospel message.
Pope Francis published his Message for World Communications Day four months ago, on 24 January, Feast of St Francis de Sales – patron saint of Catholic writers and journalists. The theme of his Message this year is “Heart speaks to heart”. In his Message, Pope Francis hails St Francis de Sales’ commitment to patient, heartfelt dialogue with everyone – even those who opposed him. The Pope says in his Message, “Francis de Sales was Bishop of Geneva at the beginning of the XVII century during difficult years marked by heated disputes with Calvinists. His meek attitude, humanity and willingness to dialogue patiently with everyone, especially with those who disagreed with him, made him an extraordinary witness of God’s merciful love……One of his convictions was, ‘In order to speak well, it is enough to love well’. “
We are asked on this World Communications Day to pray for all who work in the field of communications, with particular prayer intention for all who hold leadership roles in communicating and handing on the faith on behalf of the Catholic Church.
The full text of Pope Francis’ Message can be accessed via our parish Facebook.
UPCOMING DATES OF NOTE FOR OUR PARISH:
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.
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