Sunday 18th July 2010

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Genesis 18: 1-10
Lord, do not pass your servant by.

Second Reading: Colossians 1: 24-28
I became the servant of the Church when God made
me responsible for delivering God’s message to you.

Gospel: Luke 10: 38-42
It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.

Clutter

Laptops are turning lecture halls into private cinemas and even online casinos. Once considered valuable aids to learning, they’re no longer the apple of the teacher’s eye. An increasing number of lecturers just don’t want them in the classroom anymore. The reason? Students use them less for learning and more for entertaining. Themselves, that is. Not only are those who use them distracted, but so too are those nearby them. Not surprising when laptop use in the class becomes networking in Facebook, watching movies, waging World War III virtually and playing poker actually, online. Instead of focusing on teacher talking, students focus on their laptop calling. So, the teacher strikes back, banning them from the classroom. This is a clear example of how something good: the amazing laptop, can get in the way of something better: the desired education.

Today’s Gospel reading (Luke 10:38-42) gives another example of the same thing. Jesus visits Martha and Mary. The good here - Martha’s attention to guests - gets in the way of something better: her attention to God’s word. Mary, on the other hand, just sits absorbed by what Jesus is saying. She’s free of clutter in her life and so can focus on what’s important. Activity is fine, but it shouldn’t push contemplation from our lives.

A Buddhist monk once told Thomas Merton, a famous American Trappist, that you can’t contemplate properly until you can close doors quietly. Closing doors quietly on clutter - mental, emotional and social - is what today’s Gospel is about. You may lap that up, but you won’t top it.

Fr. Tom Cahill

Announcements

Visitation of Sick and Housebound

The sick and housebound will be visited on Monday 19 July as follows:

Monday Morning: Ashgrove Park, Olympic Drive, Ballycolman Estate, Laurel Drive

Dates for Baptism

The following are the dates for the Sacrament of Baptism during the months of

July, August, September and October:

July: Sunday 25.

August: Sunday 8; Saturday 21; Sunday 29.

September: Sunday 12; Sunday 19; Saturday 25.

October: Sunday 10; Sunday 24; Saturday 30.

Times for Baptism: Sunday 1.15pm; Saturday 4.00pm.

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

Callie Anne Duffy & Ethan Martin McCay

Parish Envelopes and Census

Many of you who have returned your census forms have requested weekly collection envelopes. These will be delivered to you when the new envelope year begins. Many thanks to all who have returned their Census Forms as it is of great help in updating the Parish Records. We would ask anyone who has not yet returned theirs to do so as soon as possible.

Accord Derry

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).

A Mass for the Sick with Eucharistic Blessing will take place in the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca, Derry on Tuesday 20 July at 8.00pm. All are welcome to attend.

Melmount Manor Nursing Home

Melmount Manor Nursing Home is holding a Fair Day on Saturday 24 July at 2.00pm.

Many different stalls available. Everyone welcome.

The BIG KNIT 2010 is a fundraiser organised by Innocent Drinks partnering AGE NI (new charity combining Age Concern NI and Help the Aged). The organisation needs people from across NI to knit small woolly hats to place on top of Innocent Smoothie bottles. These will be sold to Sainsbury’s and Boots stores during winter 2010. For every hat knitted 5p will go to Age NI. Simple patterns and instructions are available from Dorothy McConkey on 90245729 or email Dorothy.mcconkey@ageni.org.

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

Mark Devine and Michelle McDaid

May they Rest in Peace - Anniversaries

Mary Kate Mullen, Packie Duncan, Mary Doherty, Packie Kelly, Frankie Diver, Noel Logue,

Maureen Devine, Hugh O’Donnell, Tommy Edwards, Frankie Donaghey, John McGranaghan, Joe Millar,

Tom Skehan, Kathleen Boyle, Charlie Boyle, Aidan McGrath, Damien McGrath, Joe Roulston, Tom Tinneny,

Martin Doherty, Jennie Lynch, Cassie O’Kane, Edmund McGuinness, Joseph Doherty, Margaret Doherty,

John Kirk, Mary Kirk, Kathleen McGeady, Vonnie Duffy, Elizabeth Cooke, Brendan Devenney,

Paddy Doherty, Kathleen Curley, Joe O’Kane, Francis O’Kane, Hugh Dunne.

Blood Transfusion Service

A team from the N.I. Blood Transfusion Service will be in St. Patrick’s Hall on Wednesday 28 July from 1.30pm - 4.00pm and from 5.15pm - 8.00pm. In order to maintain the vital supply of blood to our hospitals, the Blood Transfusion Service needs the support not only of existing members, but also of new donors.

Melmount Centre - Parish Bingo Sunday 18 July.

Children in Crossfire are recruiting participants for the Barcelona Half Marathon in February 2011 and the Derry Waterside Half Marathon in September 2010. For more information on either event please contact Sarah on 71269898 or email events@childrenincrossfire.org.

Liam Bradley Tours:

Galway 14 September, Dublin 27 September. Four days for £225 pps.

Telephone 71269109 anytime. Departs Abercorn Square at 9.20am.

Parish Draw 2010

The Parish Draws for July and August took place on Thursday 15 July 2009.

The winners are as follows:

July Draw

£500: 1263 Eddie McKelvey – Sheelagh McKelvey

£250: 1108 Laish Boyle – Bosco McCready

£250: 1584 Terence Graham – Frances McLaughlin

£250: 1149 Ronnie Dillon – Mar Hagan

£150: 1105 Seamus Bradley – Bosco McCready

£150: 1258 Pat McGonigle – Ann Donaghey

£150: 1005 Charles McLaughlin – Elizabeth O’Hare

£100: 1058 Noeleen Kelly – Pauline Wilson

£100: 1487 Mary Murphy – Michael McGrath

£100: 1535 Christopher Diver – Sheila McGonagle

August Draw

£500: 1617 David McGoldrick – Frances McLaughlin

£250: 1194 Patricia Devlin – Ann Bell

£250: 1169 Susie O’Reilly – Juliana Murray

£250: 1316 Peter Goldrick – Elizabeth Devenney

£150: 1739 Ciara Ferguson – Dympna McNamee

£150: 1138 The Hagan Family – Mar Hagan

£150: 1457 Keelin Devenney – Michael McGrath

£100: 1263 Eddie McKelvey – Sheelagh McKelvey

£100: 1559 Catherine McNulty – Sheila McGonagle

£100: 1521 Susie Roarty – Sheila McGonagle