SUNDAY 19th FEBRUARY 2023
SUNDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2023
SEVENTH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME
‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy.
But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ (Mt 5:43-44).
MASS SCHEDULE & LITURGIES THIS WEEK:
Monday, Mass: 10.00am
Tuesday, Mass: 9.30am
Ash Wednesday, Masses: 7.00am and 10.00am: Ashes will be distributed at both Masses
Thursday, Mass: 10.00am
Friday (and every Friday of Lent): Confessions, 6.00pm; Mass, 6.30pm (please note, no 10.00am Mass)
Saturday: Confessions, 11.00am – 12.00noon and 5.30pm – 6.15pm (before Vigil Mass)
Rosary commences 20 minutes before morning 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:
Friday 24 February, 6.30pm: Liam Arthur, Townparks
Saturday 25 February, 6.30pm: Hugh Francis & Noreen O’Donnell, Coneyburrow Road
Sunday 26 February, 9.00am: Seamus Devenney, Porthall – First Anniversary
Sunday 26 February, 11.00am: Billy Brown, Coolatee – First Anniversary.
We pray for the souls of those who were recently enrolled in the Derry Diocesan Society:
Rosemary Martin, Gwen Crawford, Danny Coyle, Jimmy Lawrence, Christopher Lawrence, Kevin Martin, Billy McGavigan, Seamus Gallen, Kitty Kelly, John Devine, Conleth Tourish, Bobby Porter, Charlie Dolan.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rest in peace:
Edward Crawford, Brickfield; John McGettigan, Tamnawood / Strabane; Bella Porter, Edenmore
Gerry O’Doherty, Derry; Sally McDonald, Coneyburrow; Kathleen Friel, Lancaster
John and Mary Rose Colhoun, Ballindrait.
THANK YOU as always for your generosity in last week’s collection, which amounted to €1,652.
TODAY IS A DAY FOR PRAYER FOR TEMPERANCE:
We pray for the virtue of temperance for ourselves, our families and in our world. We ask God that we will have the desire to be people of temperance at all times, in the various aspects of our lives. We pray for the grace to be a good example to others in ways of temperance, especially to children and young people. We pray for all who struggle from any form of addiction, that they will be blessed with the strength and courage to overcome their dependency and that they will seek and receive the support they need to help them. We pray for all families affected by addiction.
Mary, Comforter of the afflicted: pray for us.
CONFIRMATION PREPARATION – FOR ATTENTION OF PARENTS:
We will have our Mass with Ceremony of Light on Monday 27 February, at 7.00pm: please note this date, as full attendance – parents and children – will be required. Godparents and other family members are also invited, and the general parish community is very welcome. As part of the short Ceremony of Light, the children’s names will be read out and they will make a commitment to prepare to receive the sacrament, supported by their teacher, their parents and family, and the parish community.
Parents, you are invited to bring your child’s Baptismal Candle to the Service of Light (if you still have it). If you don’t have it, don’t worry about it – you can bring along any blessed candle if you have one or, if not, we can provide you with a candle on the night. It is very important that you continue to support your child in preparation for the Sacrament by bringing him/her to one of our Masses each weekend. All of the children should have the opportunity to be familiar with our church and with the Mass. We look forward to welcoming Bishop McKeown, who will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation in St Patrick’s on Saturday 11 March, at 11.00am.
PASTORAL LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF THE DIOCESE – BISHOP McKEOWN:
“The model of Church that seemed so confident 50 years ago is no longer marked by large numbers at Mass. Where smaller numbers attend Mass, there is a lesser chance of bringing people to know and love Jesus, of numerous vocations to priesthood and religious life…..To a large extent, we have failed to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus to young people. We face a secular culture which has little time for faith communities. Along with other Christian churches, we know that the problem in the future will not be religious difference so much as religious indifference.” Excerpt from Bishop McKeown’s Pastoral Letter. Visit www.derrydiocese.org or find the link on our parish Facebook page to read the Pastoral.
ASH WEDNESDAY is on Wednesday of this week, 22 March. It is a day of fast and abstinence.
Mass in St Patrick’s at 7.00am and 10.00am, with distribution of Ashes.
The three traditional pillars of Lenten observance are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
PRAYER: I encourage as many as possible to come out to our weekday Masses during Lent, and to come along for the Rosary, which starts each morning twenty minutes before Mass. To facilitate and encourage those who are not available to attend morning Masses, our Friday Mass during Lent will be in the evening, at 6.30pm, with the Sacrament of Confessions available beforehand, from 6.00pm – 6.25pm.
In your homes, you are encouraged to create a Sacred Prayer Space for family prayer. Parents, in particular, are encouraged to help their children in creating a Sacred Space and to pray with them at this space each morning or night. (Your Trocaire Lenten Box could form part of your Sacred Space, along with a crucifix and some holy water).
The lighting of candles in our church for special prayer intentions remains a very important part of our prayer tradition and it is always very encouraging to see lighted candles in our church. I encourage you to keep up this prayerful practice and, in particular, to hand on the practice to our young people and children.
FAST: We are asked to abstain from some favourite food or drink during Lent. Again, parents are asked to encourage children to participate in some form of penance. Fasting does not just apply to food and drink – it could apply to other things, eg, ‘fasting’ from / reducing the time we spend on social media platforms.
ALMSGIVING: The main focus of our almsgiving during Lent is Trocaire’s Lenten Campaign. This year, the focus is on Somalia in East Africa, highlighting how climate change, drought and conflict are severely affecting families and communities there. An unprecedented humanitarian crisis is unfolding, and almost 8.3million people are facing unbearable hunger. Trocaire Boxes are available at the back of the Church.
During Lent, Confessions will be available in our church each Friday evening, 6.00 – 6.25pm (before Mass),
each Saturday morning, 11.00am – 12.00noon and each Saturday evening, 5.30 – 6.15pm (before Vigil Mass).
You are encouraged to avail of the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Lent.
Do This In Memory:
Well done, boys and girls, on your Peace and Joy creations last Sunday, which were full of brilliant ideas, as expected. They look lovely on the display in our sanctuary and I encourage you to bring your family members and friends along to view them.
This week we will be starting Lent and, when I am in your school, I will look forward to hearing what you are all ‘going off’ for Lent, or what little sacrifices you have planned.
Kath and Qumen haven’t told us yet what they are planning to do for Lent, but they are doing a great job of explaining all the parts of the Mass to us and helping us to understand it much better.
‘LEARNING ABOUT THE MASS’ CORNER:
KATH: It felt good at Do This In Memory Mass last Sunday, Qumen, being able to follow what was happening at the Consecration, after you had explained the Last Supper. It all tied in! So now tell me about the fourth part of the Eucharistic Prayer.
QUMEN: Well, Kath, the third part is still to finish, with another important prayer! Just after the Consecration, the priest says, “Let us proclaim the mystery of faith,” and we all pray the response – there are a few different responses, and the priest lets us know which one we are praying. You can see the responses in Thumb.
KATH: Oh right – the end of the third part of the Eucharistic Prayer doesn’t sound all that important, compared to the Consecration.
QUMEN: But it is important, Kath: it is a prayer in which we all proclaim, together, our faith in what has just happened – the Consecration of the bread and wine. It is really us proclaiming our faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
KATH: You’re right, Qumen, that does sound important alright! I’ll know next time to listen out for that prayer after the Consecration, and I’ll join in!
KATH & QUMEN: If we ever think that Mass is too long or boring, that’s when we have to remember that all the parts of the Mass are important. And, if we think of Jesus’ famous words at the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me”, before He died on the Cross for us, then we’ll remember how important and special it is to go to 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