Sunday 21st March 2010

Fifth Sunday of Lent

First Reading : Isaiah 43: 16-21
God will rescue his people from slavery and they will sing his praises.

Second Reading: Philippians 3: 8-14
All I want is to know Christ and share in the power of his resurrection.

Gospel: John 8: 1-11
The mercy of Jesus reveals the compassionate love and forgiveness of God.

Uprising

Somebody once said that just because he had 99 per cent of the DNA that Beethoven had that didn’t make him a musician. Luckily, there’s more to being a human being than DNA. Otherwise, we might be embarrassed by the fact that a worm, whose pet name is C. Elegans, shares up to 80 per cent of our genetic material. Next time you call someone a worm you might be more accurate than you think!

Some 4,000 of these low-life wigglers left their usual haunts of rubbish dumps and compost heaps last November for higher things - 322 kilometres higher to be exact. They became wormonauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis. Not in the least interested in being upwardly mobile, they went nevertheless on a seven-million kilometre journey so that scientists could study the effects of space travel on muscle-wastage.

Being upwardly mobile is what Paul yearns for in today's second reading (Phil 3:8-14) but in a special way: the resurrection way. Paul yearns for something above and beyond his lot in life. And so he should. Genesis tells us imaginatively that we have come from the dust of the earth, not that we’ve been created to live in it. Our calling is to rise. Paul describes this as knowing the power of Christ’s resurrection (3:10).

When evil tries to put us, and keep us, in the dirt we must not forget that we are called to higher things - not just 322 kilometres out in space, but throughout the vastness of eternity once we’re transformed through dying. Want to worm your way out of that one?

Announcements

Mass Times during Lent

Monday - Friday: 7.00am; 10.00am & 7.00pm.

Saturday: No Morning Mass; 7.00pm.

Sunday: 10.30am & 12.30pm.

Palm Sunday

Palms will be blessed at all Masses next weekend.

Please bring your own palm branches for blessing. Some small palm crosses will be available.

5.00pm - 6.30pm - Penitential Service and Confessions

in the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Eight priests will be available.

Visitation of Sick and Housebound

The sick and housebound will be visited on Monday 22 March and Tuesday 23 March as follows:

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

Tuesday Morning: Carlton Drive, Melmount Park, Urney Road, Lisnafin Park, Castletown, Country Area

Dates for Baptism

The following are the dates for the Sacrament of Baptism during the months of March April and May:

March: Sunday 21.

April: Sunday 4; Saturday 17; Sunday 25.

May: Saturday 8; Sunday 16; Sunday 30.

Times for Baptism: Sunday 1.15pm; Saturday 4.00pm

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

Michael Patrick Patton

Paige Frances Bridget McCartney

Caodhin Patrick O’Brien

May they Rest in Peace - Deaths

Mickey Joe Doherty, 7 Lansdowne Park

Nancy O’Connell, Melmount Manor

Denis O’Connor, Glenmornan

Anniversaries

Monica McLaughlin, Patrick Conwell, Francey Gormley, Ciaran Connolly,

Joseph McLaughlin Mae Logue, Paddy O’Kane, Mary Chatwin,

Elizabeth Brown, Thomas McCrory, Bridget Rouse, Margaret Gallagher,

David Devine, Robert McKenna, Willie Doherty, Nuala McElwee,

Barry Creggan, Patsy McGillian, Rosaleen Martin, Hugh O’Donnell,

Phyllis McMenamin, Nancy Fields, Lily McCready, John McLaughlin,

Billy Gallagher, Elizabeth Boyle, Tommy McGillicuddy.

Parish Draw 2010

Promoters should make their returns for March to the Parish Office tomorrow Monday 22 March from 2.00pm - 4.30pm and from 7.30pm - 8.30pm. The Draw for March will take place on Thursday 25 March at 10.30am in the Parish Office.

Collection Envelopes

We thank those who contributed to the Parish during the year. Those who made their contributions using the collection envelope will receive a new box to begin on Sunday 11 April. Anyone who has not been using envelopes and who would like to receive a box should leave their name in the sacristy. Anyone who pays income tax, even those who are retired but who receive a taxable pension, and who would like to consider being part of the Gift Aid Scheme by using an envelope, which is of a tremendous benefit to the Parish, should contact the Parish Office on 71383777 for more information.

Blessing of Graves

The Annual Ceremony of the Blessing of Graves will take place on Sunday 23 May at 5.00pm.

Taize Prayer

Join us for an hour of meditative prayer and Taize chant on

Wednesday 24 March in St. Colman's Chapel from 7.30pm - 8.30pm. Everyone welcome.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade:

Congratulations to all who took part in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

It was a well organised and very enjoyable day.

An Easter Weekend Retreat

from 8.00pm on Friday 26 to Sunday 28 March

A quiet residential weekend, which will be a spiritual preparation for the feast of Easter, will be conducted by the Carmelite Fathers in Termonbacca, Carmelite Retreat Centre, Derry. All are welcome to attend. For further details and bookings tel. 71262512.

Alzheimer’s Support Group will meet on Wednesday 24 March at 7.30pm in Melmount Manor Care Home, 1 Orchard Road. The guest speaker will be Angel Carson from Northern Ireland Energy Agency speaking on ‘Energy Efficiency & Fuel Poverty’. Everyone welcome.

Our Lady of Kerry Town: A bus will leave Barrack Street car park on Sunday 11 April at 11.00am. Cost £12.00. Please bring a packed lunch. Contact Jonathon McGhee on 07563987919 for details. Everyone is welcome.

Our Lady of Knock: A bus will leave Barrack Street car park on Sunday 23 May at 11.00am and travel to Knock. Cost £12.00. Please bring a packed lunch. Contact Jonathon McGhee on 07563987919 for details. Everyone is welcome.

Melmount Centre

Parish Bingo Sunday 21 March.

Strabane and District Caring Services Luncheon Club offers a four course meal for £3.00 daily. A free bus is available to those eligible. Bingo after lunch. For more information contact Geraldine on 71884986.

A Team from the NI Blood Transfusion Service

will be in St. Patrick’s Hall, Barrack Street on Wednesday 24 March 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 need the support not only of existing donors but also new donors.

St. Vincent de Paul, Strabane and District Members Lucky Lotto Monthly Draw took place on Sunday 7 March. There were 6 people who matched three numbers and received £50.00 each. Mary McElwee, Gue Logue, Elma Murray, Mary Patton, Joe Lafferty, Mary C. McGettigan. The numbers drawn were 18, 21, 22 and 23. The jackpot for April is £1,100.

Acrylic Painting Lessons in St. Patrick’s Hall beginning Wednesday 24 March from 7.30pm-9.30pm. Instruction by trained artist Martin McGrinder. To book telephone 028 81648924.