Sunday 21st October 2007

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mission Sunday

EXTRACT FROM THE MESSAGE OF POPE BENEDICT XV1 FOR MISSION SUNDAY 2007

Mission Sunday
On the occasion of world Mission Sunday I ask the whole people of God - bishops, priests, men and women religious and lay men and women - to reflect together on the urgency and the importance of the Church's missionary activity in our day.

Prayer
The primary contribution we are called to offer for the Church's missionary activity is prayer. Pray that His Kingdom may come on earth. I appeal especially to children and young people who are ever ready for generous missionary activity. I address the sick and the suffering, mindful of the value of their mysterious and indispensable collaboration with the work of redemption.

I ask consecrated persons, especially enclosed orders, to intensify their prayers for the missions. I ask for a spiritual network of prayer to sustain evangelisation.

Mary
May the Blessed Virgin Mary help us realise that we are all missionaries, all sent by the Lord to be His witnesses in every moment of our life.

Pope Benedict XV1

All Night Vigil

This year’s Solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (40hrs) will take place in the Parish on the weekend of 3 and 4 November. We plan to do something different this year. The Exposition will begin after the Evening Mass on Saturday 3 November and will continue all through the night until a Special Mass at 6.30am on Sunday morning. The Parish has been divided into areas and each area has been drawn by lot and asked to come at a specific time. During the hour’s devotion there will be an opportunity for private prayer, community prayer and also for confessions. The other Masses on Sunday morning will be at the usual times and the Solemn Adoration will continue after 12.30pm Mass and will conclude with Devotions at 5.30pm. The times for the areas of the Parish are as follows:
8.00pm-9.00pm: Beechmount Avenue, Delaney Crescent, Olympic Drive, Oakland Park, Gartan Ave, Iona Villas, Columban Terrace, Mount Sion, Mount Carmel View, St. Colman’s Drive, Pearse Gardens, Sigersons Place.
9.00pm-10.00pm: Carricklynn Ave, Castlegrange Park, Castletown Court, Jefferson Court, Summerhill Court.
10.00pm-11.00pm: Knockavoe Crescent, Melmount Villas, Mourne Place, Mourne Ave, St. Mary’s Drive, St. Mary’s Place, Croaghan View.
11.00pm - 12.00midnight: Urney Road, Cherryvale Drive, Finn View, Glennfin Park, Last’s Lane, Carrickstrand.
12.00midnight- 1.00am: Ashbrook, Brookvale, Castletown Road, Ferndale, Knockroe Road, Orchard Road, Prospect Road, Somerville Road, Carricklee Road, Castlemurray.
1.00am-2.00am: Lisnafin Park, Ardnalee Park, Cedar Park, Lampton Court.
2.00am-3.00am: Derg Villas, Drumman Court, Dublin Road, Meenashesk Place, Owenreagh Drive, Owenreagh Pass, Koram Square.
3.00am-4.00am: Carlton Drive, Carlton Crescent, College Grove, Collins Walk, Fleming Way, Gormley Crescent, Greeves Park, Melmount Mews, Melmount Park, Melmount Road, O’Kane Terrace, Patterson Park, The Orchard, Turnberry Manor, Whinn View, Gallany Court.
4.00am-5.00am: Belldoo, Laurel Drive, Five Acres, Ashgrove Park, Melmount Gardens.
5.00am-6.00am: Ballycolman Estate, Ballycolman Avenue, Ballycolman Road, Landsdowne Park, Linkside Close, Linkside Park, Melvin View.
6.00am-7.00am: Bradley Way, Bridge Street, Chestnut Grove, Chestnut Park, Magirr Park, Mulvey House, O’Nolan Park, Waterside Street. Mass will be at 6.30am

Announcements

Last week’s collection amounted to £3501.00. Thank you.

Mission Sunday
Today is Mission Sunday and the Annual Mission Sunday Collection will be taken up at all Masses today. There is a special envelope in your box.

Dates for Baptism
The following are the dates for the Sacrament of Baptism during the months of October, November and December:
October: Sunday 21; Friday 26.
November: Friday 2; Sunday 11; Sunday 18; Friday 23.
December: Friday 7; Sunday 9; Sunday 16; Friday 28.
Times for Baptism: Sunday 1.15pm; Friday 7.20pm.

Parish Draw 2007
Promoters should make their returns for October to the Parish Office tomorrow Monday 22 October from 2.00pm - 4.30pm and from 7.30pm - 8.30pm. The Draw for October will take place on Thursday 26 October at 10.30am in the Parish Office.

Baptism
We welcome into God's Family through the Sacrament of Baptism:
Josh Crawford Doherty
Evie Frances Patterson-McLaughlin
Madison Carmel Herron
Liam Tyson McDonagh

Marriages
We congratulate the following couples who were recently united in the Sacrament of Marriage:
Gary Williamson and Margaret Barkley

May they Rest in Peace - Deaths
Fr. Joseph McGeady, SSCC, Ballybofey
John Goan, Castlederg
Christopher Gallagher, Derry

Anniversaries
Brendan O’Hare, Ryan McGonigle, Patrick Kearney,
Sean Elliott, Mark Collins, Bernard Lynch, Tom Devlin, Sarah McDermott,
Donald Banham, Jean Banham, John Banham, Albert McCool,
Michael Hogan, Kathleen Hogan, Thomas Hugh McCool,
Josephine Monaghan, Michael McCool, Gerald McCool,
Edward Joseph McCay, George Tams, Packie Hoynes, Charlie Flanagan,
Cedric Edwards, Joseph McNulty, Paul Patton, Rosaleen Coyle,
Christina O’Reilly, Mickey Cassidy, Packie Gallagher, Bridie Goldrick

Holy Cross College
The Annual Mass for Holy Cross College East Junior School (Years 8-10) will be held on Monday 22 October at 11.15am in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strabane. Mass for Holy Cross College West Senior School (Years 11-14) will be held on Tuesday 23 October at 11.15am in St. Mary’s Church, Melmount. Everyone is welcome especially parents and family members.

Confirmation Meeting
There will be a meeting in St. Mary’s Boys P.S. on Monday 22 October at 7.30pm for all parents of children in P7, in preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation. We would like to encourage all the parents to attend. The meeting should be of great benefit to parents as they prepare with their children for the sacrament. The meeting will be conducted by Fr. Paul Farren and Therese Ferry, Diocesan Advisers in Religious Education.

Annual Service for the Dead
The annual service in remembrance of deceased members of our families and parish will take place in the Church on Sunday 25 November at 5.00pm. Families who have suffered a bereavement since November 1, 2006 are asked to nominate a representative to carry a candle to the altar in commemoration of their dead. (Candles will be provided).

Our New Cardinal
Congratulations to Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh who was elevated to the College of Cardinals at the Consistory held by Pope Benedict XVI this week. Archbishop Sean, a native of Co. Cavan, was ordained a priest in 1964, served as Rector (President) of the Irish College in Rome for some years and was installed as Archbishop of Armagh in November 1996. He joins two other Irish men, Cardinals Cathal Daly and Desmond Connell, in the College of Cardinals.

Melmount Centre - Parish Bingo Sunday 21 October 2007. St. Vincent de Paul

Lucky Lotto
The Draw for October took place on Sunday 7 October. The numbers drawn were: 1, 4, 11 and 24. There were 7 match 3 winners who shared £300.00, Kathleen Gillespie, Catherine McDaid, Paul McDonald, Andrew MacIntyre, Mary Barrett, Elizabeth Devine and Rose McGeehan. Jackpot for November is £1,500.00. Promoters are asked to have November draw envelopes returned on or before 27 October. The next draw will take place at 9.00pm on Sunday 4 November at Melmount Parish Bingo.

Bosnia Christmas School Box Appeal
If you would like to make up a shoe box for refugees and poor families or donate new or used clothes, household items, furniture, buggies and non-perishable foods etc. Or if you would like to purchase items a list is available in all Essentials Shops or Pound Choice in Strabane. Please contact Ann Duffy on 077 36005396 or 71 880372. Many thanks to everyone who donated items for the last truck.

Divert Project
Drug & Alcohol Awareness for Parents/Carers Are you concerned or interested in young people’s drug or alcohol use? If so the Divert Project are facilitating a six week programme that will equip individuals to deal with this situation. Programmes will be held on Wednesdays at 1.30pm at Strabane & Lifford Women Centre. To secure a free place contact Patricia on 028 71886253.