Sunday, 4th July, 2010

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

First Reading: Isaiah 33:10-14
Written after the return from the Babylonian exile, this poem paints a
glowing picture of the blessings God will bestow on Jerusalem and its inhabitants.

Second Reading: Galatians 6:14-18
Paul insists that the Christian life means becoming like Christ.
He himself bears the marks of Christ’s passion on his body.

Gospel: Luke 10:1-12.17-20
The sending out of seventy-two disciples.

Cross Purpose

Parents can be pushy, a study has found. Not satisfied with their kids’ long school day, many parents muscle their munchkins into an assortment of after-school activities. Counting the hours of a regular school day, of heaped homework, of club commitments and of pursing hobbies, shows that children can average up to 53 hours of work a week. And all in the name of achievement! Well, for Paul in today’s Second Reading (Gal 6:14-18) nothing short of becoming a new creation fits the bill for achievement. As he says, ‘a new creation is everything’ (v 15). However, his formula for success is not the No 1 of most people. His is an attitude of boasting of nothing other than the cross of Jesus Christ. Does he mean that physical, cross-beamed implement of torture used to kill him? Let’s hope not. The cross as a piece of wood has no special significance. What is significant is Jesus’ loving faithfulness to his Father, and his integrity in witnessing to what he believed in, that enabled him to face the horror of the cross. This same love of God and uncompromising commitment to his mission is what fastens Paul to the world and the world to him. Far from being a catalyst for depression, or the trigger for a spirituality of gloom, the cross – though stark and uncompromising – nevertheless reveals a heart warm with love for God and his creation. Our ‘cross’ will weigh us down if borne with gripe, but will raise us up if borne with grace.

Fr Tom Cahill SVD, Divine Word Missionaries, Donamon, Co Roscommon

Email tomcee@eircom.net

Announcements

Visitation of Sick and Housebound

The sick and housebound will be visited on Thursday 8 July as follows:

Thursday Morning: The Trust, Knockavoe Area.

Dates for Baptism

The following are the dates for the Sacrament of Baptism during the months of July and August:

July: Sunday 11; Saturday 17; Sunday 25.

August: Sunday 8; Saturday 21; Sunday 29.

Times for Baptism: Sunday 1.15pm; Saturday 4.00pm

We welcome into God’s Family through the Sacrament of Baptism:

Harvey Christopher Devine Maria Lily Tourish Kaydi Anne Devine

Shurie Nicholl Katherine Bernadette McKeague Ellie Denise McGarrigle

We congratulate the following couples who were recently united in the Sacrament of Marriage:

Emmet Harvey and Ciara McIntyre

Jonathan Preston and Brenda Foley

Parish Draw Returns for July and August

Promoters should make their returns for July and August to the Parish Office on Tuesday 13 July, for both July and August (£10.00 for each person), from 2.00pm - 4.30pm and from 7.30pm - 8.30pm. The double Draw for July and August will take place on Thursday 15 July at 10.30am in the Parish Office.

Accord Derry will hold Marriage Preparation Workshops

(Pre-Marriage courses) on 24/25 September and 22/23 October in the Thornhill Centre, Culmore Road, Derry. The course will run from 6.45pm to 10.00pm on Friday and from 10.00am to 4.00pm on Saturday. To book a place contact Rosemary on 71362475 (Monday - Thursday 9.30am - 1.30pm).

Carmelite Pilgrimage to Knock Sunday 18 July. Coach leaves Termonbacca at 7.30am with pick up point at the Melmount Centre at 8.00am returning to Derry at approx 11.00pm. Return coach, snack on the way and four course evening meal. Fare £35.00 or 40 Euro. For further information telephone Termonbacca on 71262512 during office hours only.

May they Rest in Peace - Deaths

Denis Devine, Letterkenny

Patricia Monaghan, Glen Road

Anniversaries

Michael McShane, Florence Murray, Mary Kerr

Michael Coyle, Joe McGeehan, Kitty McCrossan,

Patsy Early, James Campbell, Peter Houston,

Tom Devine, Bill Daly, Robert Campbell,

Annie McConnell, Thomas Finlay, Dominic McElwee,

William Devine, Sean Sharkey, Eddie Connolly,

Dorothy McShane, Billy McShane.

The monthly devotions, in honour of Our Lady, will take place in the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca, Derry on Tuesday 6 July starting with Confessions at 7.30pm followed by Rosary and Mass, finishing around 10.00pm. All are welcome to attend.

Parish Census

Parish Census Forms have now been delivered to most areas in the Parish. Many thanks to all who have returned theirs as it is of great help in updating the Parish Records. We would ask anyone who has not yet returned their Census Form to do so as soon as possible.

Collection Counters

The following are asked to count the collection for the month of July: Bill Doherty, Sally Drumm, Dessie Drumm, Helen Foster, Brian Foster, Maureen Hegarty, Cecilia McDaid, Patricia McDaid and Teddy Quigley.

Church Cleaners

The team for cleaning the church during the month of July is Mary McGuigan’s team. Many thanks to Patricia McDaid’s team for cleaning the church during the month of June.

Melmount Centre - Parish Bingo Sunday 4th July.

Holistic & Arts & Crafts Fair

We are running a holistic and arts and crafts fair for Halo, who provide holistic therapies for people who are depressed and/or suicidal. This Fair will take place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 July from 11.00am - 5.00pm in the Radisson Blue Hotel, Letterkenny. Admission is 5 Euro (children under 12 free). Come and mingle, learn, win prizes, sample holistic therapies, laugh and shop!

Support the valuable work of Children in Crossfire every Saturday and Sunday at the Car Boot Sale, Elagh Business Park, Buncrana Road. Children in Crossfire support local organisations in communities in the developing world to improve the lives of young children through improved education, healthcare and the promotion and protection of their rights. For more information telephone Mickey McGinty on 07840183293.

Mount Melleray Grotto: A bus will leave Barrack Street Car Park at 1.00pm on Saturday 14 August for an all night vigil at the grotto. Mass at 10.00am. Breakfast will be served afterwards in Flynn's Guest House. Please bring a packed lunch. For more information contact Jonathon McGhee on 07707916327.

Taster Evening: Craft Training, Mopack Business Complex, Ballycolman Road, will hold an open evening on Monday 5 July from 6.00pm - 9.00pm. You are invited to come and have a look around our custom built workshops and offices and you will have the opportunity to try out some practical skills e.g. joinery, bricklaying etc and to talk to some of our current trainees, Please feel free to bring a parent, guardian or friends with you.

Parish Draw 2010

The Parish Draw took place on Thursday 24 June 2010.

The winners are as follows: June Draw

£500: 1210 Frank Turbett – Elizabeth O’Hare

£250: 1350 Mrs M. Devine – Maureen Hegarty

£250: 1299 Mary McGuigan – Carol-ann Stewart

£250: 1345 Eva Stevenson – Elizabeth Devenney

£150: 1572 Dympna Harley – Sheila McGonagle

£150: 1501 Eamon MacIntyre – Sheila McGonagle

£150: 1102 Josephine McGinn – Margaret McLaughlin

£100: 1641 Marie McNulty – Sheila McGonagle

£100: 1031 Nicola McGuigan – Maureen Hegarty

£100: 1260 Carmel McDaid – Ann Donaghey