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
SUNDAY 26th FEBRUARY 2023
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
TEMPTATIONS OF JESUS IN THE DESERT (ST MATTHEW 4:1-11)
Temptation comes our way every day, in many forms. Sometimes we make self-centred choices, ones that suit our own desires. Distractions sometimes cause us not to make the best decisions. Today’s Gospel calls us to adopt the same trust and confidence in God that Jesus had in the face of temptation.
MASS AND CONFESSIONS SCHEDULE THIS WEEK:
Monday, Masses: 10.00am and 7.00pm
(with Ceremony of Light at 7.00 pm for the children receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation)
Tuesday, Mass: 9.30am
Wednesday, Mass 10.00am
Thursday, Mass: 10.00am
Friday (and every Friday of Lent): Confessions, 6.00pm; Mass, 6.30pm (please note, no 10.00am 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:
Monday 27 February, 10.00am: Noel Gallagher, Croaghan Heights
Tuesday 28 February, 9.30am: Terry ‘O Doherty, Coneyburrow
Saturday 4 March, 6.30pm: Martin McBrearty, Croaghan Heights
Sunday 5 March: 11.00am: Martin Tourish, The Roughan.
ANNIVERSARIES:
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rest in peace:
John Francis McDermott, Drumbuoy; Sarah Gibson, Letterkenny Road; Patrick Gallagher, Liskey Patrick and Jean Galbraith, Curraghalane; Jimmy Crawford Snr, Block Five; Billy Brown, Coolatee
Mollie McElhinney, Coneyburrow; Hugh Francis and Noreen O’Donnell, Coneyburrow; Seamus Devenney, Porthall; Liam Arthur, Townparks; Noel Gallagher, Croaghan Heights; Terry O’Doherty, Coneyburrow.
THANK YOU as always for your generosity in last week’s collection, which amounted to €2,599.00
CONFIRMATION PREPARATION – FOR ATTENTION OF PARENTS:
We will have our Mass with Ceremony of Light tomorrow night, Monday 27 February, at 7.00pm: 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.
VISITATION OF THE SICK AND HOUSEBOUND will take place this week, starting each day at 11.00am:
Monday – Ballindrait, Tober & Cloughfin;
Wednesday – Rossgier, Coolatee, Porthall & Cavan Hill;
Thursday – Murlog, Lifford & Coneyburrow;
Friday – Letterkenny Road, Croaghan Heights & Drumboy.
Please let your family member or neighbour know. If there is anyone who is not normally visited but would like me to call, please do let me know, and I will be more than happy to bring you the Eucharist.
PASTORAL LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF THE DIOCESE – BISHOP McKEOWN:
“In our time of listening and sharing during our parish synodal conversations, there was a recognition of change in our faith community….But the key question is not merely how we change so that we can maintain the current model and structures. With that model we have been failing in our mission of bringing people to know and love Jesus. If we ask the right question, we discover that renewal is not only a question of managing changed structures and rescheduling parish Masses. This is a time where we need to make space for grace so that God’s plans – and not our limited imagination – can renew the mission of the Church. Merely tinkering with the current system is not the divine solution.”
Excerpt from Bishop McKeown’s Pastoral Letter. Visit www.derrydiocese.org or find the link on our parish Facebook page to read the Pastoral.
THE ANNUAL INTER-CHURCH WORLD DAY OF PRAYER will take place this year in St Eunan’s Cathedral, Raphoe, on Friday 3 March, at 8.15pm. This is a global, ecumenical movement. The service this year has been prepared by the Christian women of Taiwan. All churches are represented at the service and everyone is welcome.
CHURCH OF IRELAND – CLONLEIGH PARISH CHURCH FESTIVAL:
An afternoon of music, exploring the history and meaning of popular hymns, will be held in Church of Ireland, The Diamond, Lifford, on Sunday 5 March, at 3.00pm. Light refreshments will be served and everyone is welcome. Proceeds in aid of Church Repair Fund.
SACRAMENT OF CONFESSIONS:
During Lent, Confessions are 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:
Do This In Memory: Hello, boys and girls. It’s only two weeks till our next Do This In Memory Mass, on Sunday, 12 March. I am looking forward to it already. We are now in the Season of Lent of course, and we are all being very good, I hope, making little sacrifices that help us to remember what our friend, Jesus, did for us. I see Kath and Qumen have agreed that they will pray the Our Father every day of Lent. What a nice idea, and they can remind each other about their promise. We know, of course, that prayer is a very important part of Lent.
‘LEARNING ABOUT THE MASS’ CORNER:
QUMEN: So, Kath, the fourth and final part of the Eucharistic Prayer is said by the priest and it finishes with the Through Him and With Him and In Him prayer. You might remember hearing it? We all answer Amen. Then, we all stand and the priest invites us to pray the prayer that you know well!
KATH: That has to be the Our Father! When we go to Mass, I love being able to join with everybody else in praying the Our Father – it kind of makes me feel like I’m a grown-up. But, Qumen, just to let you know that I really do listen to you, I still remember two special things that you told me about the Our Father the last time we chatted about it.
QUMEN: What were they, Kath?
KATH: Well, you told me that the Our Father is called the Lord’s Prayer, and you said it is called the Lord’s Prayer because it is the prayer that Jesus taught to His disciples. Bet you never thought I’d remember that!
QUMEN: Glad to know that you do sometimes listen to me, Kath, and that I’m not just talking to myself!
KATH & QUMEN: For Lent, how about we promise that we’ll pray Jesus’ special prayer, the Our Father, every day of Lent. That’ll be our way of telling Jesus we love him.
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