Sunday 11th October 2009

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus said to the Pharisees – when talking to them about marriage and divorce: ‘They are no longer two therefore, but one body.’ A phenomenon, and one of the very sad features of our world today, is the number of marriages that break down. And we should have the greatest reverence for and compassion towards those people who are in this situation. However the challenge for us is to keep faith in marriage and to reverence the institution of marriage as a vitally important part of God’s plan for our humanity and as one of the sacraments of the Church. Marriage is under all kinds of pressure. It needs to also have all kinds of support from all of us whether we are married or not so that every couple will be encouraged to aim for and work towards the best possible marriage and not settle for mediocrity in their love.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Sunday, 11th October, 2009

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Day of Prayer for Emigrants

First Reading Wisdom 7: 7-11
This is a passage in praise of wisdom. It is presented as a speech of Solomon.

Second Reading Hebrews 4: 12-13
God’s word is effective and is a source of true wisdom for us.

Gospel Mark 10: 17-30
The case of a good young man who refuses to follow Christ because he is unwilling to part with his wealth.

Bargain Basement Wisdom

A wise man once wrote for his gravestone: ‘As I am now, you soon shall be, so be content to follow me.’ When he died a wiser one taped a note to it that read: ‘To follow you I’m not content, until I know which way you went!’ Ah! That’s wisdom.
Wisdom is applying truth to the art of living. The truth comes free in the word of God but applying it comes at a price. Today’s Second Reading (Heb 4:12-13) marks the price: having our soul and spirit, our joints and marrow separated by something sharper than any two-edged sword. Not everyone wants to endure that. The rich man in today’s Gospel reading (Mark 10:17) doesn’t want to, and he loses out. He abandons Jesus and departs poorer than when he came even though his wealth remains intact. Not only does he leave the poorer, he leaves grieving.

Instinctively he knows that there’s more to his life than wealth. Jesus’ word pierces him like a two-edged sword, but he’s unwilling to allow it to separate him from his wealth. He loses out. He knows it, yet still won’t change. He wants wisdom; is offered it, but thinks the price is too high. He wants a bargain-basement type that just doesn’t exist.

Change wealth to anything else we long for in the secret of our heart - anything that blocks our way to God. That’s the spot God’s word needs to hit, to separate us from it so that we come to possess wisdom because we’ve allowed God to possess us.

Mission Sunday

Mission Sunday is next Sunday 18 October. The Annual Mission Sunday Collection will be taken up at all Masses next Sunday. There is a special envelope in your box.

Church Collections

We would remind those who make their contributions by cheque to any of the church collections e.g. weekly collections, priests’ collections, Mission Sunday collection or any other special collections that cheques should be made payable to ‘Melmount Parish’. This is a requirement of the bank.

The Priests of the Parish would like to thank you for your contributions to last week’s Priests’ Collection.

Visitation of Sick and Housebound

The sick and housebound will be visited this week as follows:

Monday Morning: The Trust, Knockavoe Area.

Tuesday Morning: St. Colman’s Drive, Pearse Gardens, Bridgend.

Dates for Baptism

The following are the dates for the Sacrament of Baptism during the months of October, November and December:

October: Friday 16; Sunday 25.

November: Friday 6; Sunday 15; Sunday 22; Friday 27.

December: Sunday 6; Friday 11; Sunday 20.

Times for Baptism: Sunday 1.15pm; Friday 7.20pm.

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

Ria Josephine Quinn

Solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

The Annual Solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will take place today Sunday 11 October beginning after 12.30pm Mass. There will be conducted prayers at 5.00pm and at 8.00pm after which the Exposition will conclude.

Provisional Dates for Confirmation and First Holy Communion 2010

Bishop Hegarty will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation to the Primary 7 pupils of our schools on Saturday 15 May 2010 at 11.00am.

First Holy Communion for Primary 4 pupils of St. Mary’s Boys P.S. and St. Mary’s Girls P.S. will take place on Saturday 22 May. The date for First Holy Communion for the Gaelscoil will be announced shortly.

Parish Draw 2009

Promoters should make their returns for October to the Parish Office on Monday 19 October from 2.00pm - 4.30pm and from 7.30pm - 8.30pm. The Draw for October will take place on Thursday 22 October at 10.30am in the Parish Office.

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

John Hegarty and Mary Bernadette McCollum
Colm Barry McDermott and Katrina McGavigan

May they Rest in Peace - Deaths

Christine McAnenna, Greeves Park

John Breslin, Lower Main Street

Bridie Connolly, 16 O’Nolan Park

John Brady, Evish Grove

Marian Mallon, Derbyshire

Philip McNulty Snr, Castlefin

Anniversaries

Mary Kerrigan, Kathleen McNulty, Gregory Patton, Hugo Doherty, Harry Doherty, Rose Floyd, Dan McKinney, Kevin MacIntyre, Dilla O’Doherty,
Richard McGavigan, Jim Devine Jnr, Mamie Devenney, Mary Jane McGlynn, Paddy Quinn, John McPhilemy, Bridget McPhilemy, John Brolly, Jeanie Traynor, David Gillespie, Liam Blake, Catherine McGrath, Eva Devenney, Michael Christy.

Annual Service for the Dead

The annual service in remembrance of deceased members of our families and parish will take place on Sunday 8 November at 5.00pm. Families who have suffered bereavement since November 1, 2008 are asked to nominate a representative to carry a candle to the altar in commemoration of their dead. (Candles will be provided).

Melmount Centre - Parish Bingo Sunday 11 October.

Parents & Friends of Glenside will hold a Coffee Morning/Bring & Buy on Saturday 17 October in Christ Church Hall, Bowling Green, Strabane from 10.00am - 12 noon. Cakes, Groceries, Bric-a-Brac. Admission £1.00 Adults, £0.50p children. Pay at the door, includes tea/coffee.

The Holy Family Padre Pio Prayer Group will hold their monthly meeting in the Holy Family Church, Ballymagroarty, Derry on Monday 12 October beginning with 7.30pm Mass. There will be 2 first class relics of St. Pio at the meeting. Everyone is welcome.

The Compassionate Friends is a national charity that provides support and friendship to parents and families after the death of a son or daughter at any age or from any cause. We offer a wide range of support services undertaken by volunteers who are similarly bereaved. Our helpline number is 028 87788016 and is manned each day from 10.00am - 4.00pm and from 7.00pm - 9.30pm or log on to our website: www.tcf.org.uk for more information.

Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre invites applications for the post of Diocesan Coordinator of Youth Ministry. The successful candidate will need to have:

• A recognised qualification in a relevant discipline – Education, Theology, Religious Education or Pastoral Studies.

• A recognised qualification to teach Religious Education.

• Active involvement in the spiritual life of the Catholic Church at parish and/or diocesan level.

Application Form, Job Description and Personnel Specification may be obtained by telephoning 028 71264087 during normal office hours and completed application forms must be returned to: The Director, Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre, Gate Lodge, 2 Francis Street, Derry, BT48 7DS not later than 1.00pm on Thursday 15 October.