SUNDAY 28th January 2024:
FOURTH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME
In today’s Gospel we hear St Mark’s account of Jesus’ first reported day in public life. The account could be described as a fairly stark example, containing all the main characteristics of Jesus’ ministry – joining in public worship, teaching, healing, driving out evil spirits. Jesus’ mission to build the kingdom of God was revealed through His authoritative preaching, teaching, healing and praying. However, one of the first things Jesus did was to engage disciples who would serve the mission. In effect, He was empowering people to build God’s kingdom. Authority, therefore, is not about having power but about empowering. We ask God today for the grace to be authoritative in witness, example and faith practices, beacons of light to others in their faith journey, and thereby build the kingdom of God on earth.
MASS SCHEDULE THIS WEEK:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, 10.00am
Tuesday, 9.30am
(The Rosary is normally recited by the congregation 20 minutes prior to the midweek morning Mass). As always, you are invited to come along to this special time of parish prayer
and blessing in our church.
Saturday: Vigil Mass, 6.30pm.
Sunday: Requiem Mass for Willie Doherty at 10.00am
All Masses are livestreamed on our webcam; 10.00am Mass on Sunday is broadcast by Finn Valley Radio, 95.8FM
†
Willie Doherty, Porthall, Lifford and formerly of Carrickmore.
As a parish faith community, we offer our sympathy and our prayerful support to all who mourn the death of Willie Doherty, Porthall, Lifford and formerly of Carrickmore.
Beloved husband of the late Mary Sarah, much loved father of Liam, Kieran and Marie, dearly loved grandfather of Shelli, Connor, Hayley and Callum, loving great grandfather of Kyran, Jake, Connla and Cahey and brother of the late Bridie and Gerry.
Funeral leaving his home (today), Sunday January 28th at 9.15a.m. for Mass in St Patrick’s Church, Murlog at 10a.m.
Interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rest in peace:
Seamus Gallagher, Coneyburrow; Teresa Lynch, Ballinabreen; Joe Colhoun, Coneyburrow
Kieran Crawford, Letterkenny Road; Pat Doherty, Cloughfin; Noel Gillespie, Porthall; Paddy McElroy, Strabane.
MASS INTENTIONS:
Thursday 1 February, 10.00am: Robbie White, Drumbuoy
Sunday 4 February, 10.00am: Olive McCullagh, Ballinabreen.
THANK YOU for your generosity in last week’s collection, which amounted to € 1876.00 Thank you, as always, to those who contribute by Standing Order. If you do not contribute to the weekly collection but are now in a financial position to contribute something each week, please contact Lorna in the parish office for an envelope box / SO Mandate.
THE FEAST OF ST BRIGID, PATRONESS OF IRELAND is celebrated on 1 February (Thursday).
For those who make / bring along St Brigid’s Crosses, they will be blessed at our 10.00am Mass on Thursday morning. St Brigid, pray for us.
THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD (CANDLEMAS DAY) is celebrated on 2 February (this Friday), forty days after the celebration of the Birth of Jesus. Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, are at the centre of the Gospel on this day. They prayed in their advanced years that they would live to see God revealed to the nations, the promised Light of the world. Their prayer was answered when Mary and Joseph came to the Temple to present the Child Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, both Anna and Simeon were blessed with recognising the Infant Jesus as Son of God and the Saviour of the world. On Candlemas Day, candles are blessed, symbolising Christ, the Light who entered the world, bringing hope to all.
Candles will be blessed at our 10.00am Mass on Friday. If you are bringing along candles to be blessed, please put your name on the bag / container in which they are placed.
THE FEAST OF ST BLAISE is celebrated on 3 February, Saturday of this week. St Blaise is venerated as patron of those who suffer from diseases of the throat.
At the end of our 6.30pm Vigil Mass next Saturday evening, there will be a short ceremony, with individual Blessing of Throats for all who wish to avail of this blessing.
DERRY DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES 2024:
Monday 1 July to Friday 5 July, from City of Derry Airport. Led by Bishop Donal McKeown. Full board £799, single room supplement £150. The pilgrimage office will open 11am to 1pm on Thursdays and Saturdays, starting Saturday 10 February. Tel 048 71260293, email derrypilgrim@outlook.com
As part of our Parish Jubilee celebrations 2024, it is hoped that a number of people from our parish will participate in the Diocesan Pilgrimage and, as part of that, we will hold our own parish celebrations while participating in the diocesan pilgrimage in Lourdes. I will be honoured to guide and lead parishioners in making it a very special time for us as a parish in our Jubilee year. If you have any queries at all (over and above booking arrangements above), please contact me.
SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD – THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME:
The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (today) was established by Pope Francis in 2019 as Sunday of the Word of God, to ‘reawaken’ our awareness of the centrality of God’s Word to our lives, and to remind us of our need to get to know Jesus better through deepening our understanding, knowledge and love of the Bible. The pope chose the memorial of St Jerome (30 September), to institute Sunday of the Word of God, through his Apostolic Letter, “Aperuit illis”. The timing of the document was significant, given St Jerome’s famous quotations on Scripture, amongst them: “Not to know the Scriptures is not to know Christ.”
“Without the Lord who opens our minds to them, it is impossible to understand the Scriptures in depth. Yet the contrary is equally true: without the Scriptures, the events of the mission of Jesus and of his Church in this world would remain incomprehensible.” Excerpt from Pope Francis’ ‘Aperuit Illis.’
Familiarising ourselves with the Word of God before we hear it at Sunday Mass is a great way of gaining a better understanding of what God is saying to us in the Scriptures. I encourage you to commit to devoting some sacred time and space each week to taking a look through the Readings each week this coming year, in advance of Sunday Mass. The Readings for the following Sunday (and, indeed, the weekday Readings) can be found on www.catholihbishops.ie or on www.catholicireland.net
CLOUGHFIN NS will be accepting applications for admission for the 2024/2025 school year from 1 February to 28 February. Please contact the school on 074 9145705 for more information or to organise a visit. Online application forms will be available on www.cloughfinns.com.
SCOIL MHUIRE GAN SMÁL / LIFFORD NS: Enrolment is now open for September 2024. We will be holding an Open Day on Friday 9 February, at 2.00pm, where you will get an opportunity to see our infant classroom and meet our teachers. For Applications and further information, tel 074 9141269 or Email: liffordns@gmail.com.
MURLOG NS – ENROLMENT: Applications for enrolment to Junior Infants for September 2024 are being accepted from Thursday 1 February to 29 February. Enrolment forms are available through the school office or by visiting www.murlogns.scoilnet.ie Please include a copy of your child’s birth certificate. Tel 074 9141450 for further information.
NAOMH PADRAIG LEIFEAR:
Reserve Team Manager needed. If interested, please contact Gary Bogle (Chairperson) on 0868625358. Closing date 31 January.
JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS 2024:
The key moments for our celebrations this Jubilee year in our parish are as follows:
St Patrick’s Day, Sunday 17 March: This is the official launch of our Year of Jubilee;
Sunday 5 May: To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the Church, Bishop McKeown will celebrate Mass,
and will join us for refreshments in the school afterwards;
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes, 1 – 5 July: Hopefully a number of parishioners will join with me on for the Lourdes pilgrimage, during which we can have our own parish times of prayer andcelebration;
Saturday 3 August: Parish Jubilee Pilgrimage to Knock;
Sunday 11th August: Parish Family Jubilee Picnic and Barbecue;
Sunday 25 August: Mass to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of our parish. Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland; refreshments afterwards;
Saturday 2 November, All Souls Day – 12.00noon Mass for all the deceased our parish, with special remembrance throughout the month of those who died in the sixty years since our church was opened;
Sunday 15 December: Jubilee Nativity Celebrations, with Carol Service;
Dates to be confirmed:
School celebrations
Mass for Defence Forces to mark their service in Lifford and Overseas.
SACRAMENTAL DATES – CONFIRMATION AND FIRST HOLY COMMUNION:
Confirmation: Lifford N S and Murlog N S: Saturday 20 April 2024, at 11.00am
First Holy Communion: Cloughfin N S and Lifford N S: Saturday 11 May 2024, at 11.00am
Murlog N S: Saturday 18 May 2024, at 11.00am
Please keep the children and their families in your prayer as they prepare
to receive the sacraments.
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 X: @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