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Sunday
25th April 2010
4th Sunday
of Easter
Day of
Prayer for Vocations
First
Reading : Acts of the Apostles 13: 14.43-52
I have made you a light for the nations, so that my
salvation may reach the ends of the earth.
Second
Reading: Apocalypse 7: 9. 14-17
The Lamb will be their shepherd and will lead them to
springs of living water.
Gospel:
John 10: 27-30
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know
them and they follow me.
Disarming
Things change during a recession. People buy less and
bargain-hunt more. They count their change. Supposedly,
they go to church more often. Hard times, it seems,
remind us of a soft God. A new one for me, however,
is an increase in gun sales. American gunmaker Smith
& Wesson is aiming for doubled annual sales for
the next few years. After a 13 per cent hike in 2009,
triggering sales to a whopping $335 million, they were
expected to jump 30 percent in the first quarter of
this financial year - an impressive, or depressive depending
on your viewpoint, $102 million increase.
Throughout the
US demand for firearms is rising. The reason? Fear.
Fear that recession-induced unemployment will lead to
more crime. Fear that terrorism will again strike at
the heartland. Fear that government will slap restrictions
on gun ownership, and more taxes on firearms.
Today’s
Gospel reading opens a fear-free zone. (John 10:27-30)
It radiates confidence. My sheep hear my voice. I know
them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life,
and they will never perish. No one will snatch them
out of my hand. (v.27-28) This is not an arrogant boast
but a sober statement of fact. The Church knows she’s
awash with saints and sinners. Even when lifestyles
and attitudes within the Church betray the sorry fact
of sin’s influence on its members, the community’s
faith holds. The reason? Our God loves: in prosperity
as well as in recession, and sinners as well as saints.
Maybe sinners that little more, because they’re
short on love! Rather disarming, isn’t it?
Announcements
Confessions
Please Note: There
will be no morning confessions on Saturday 1 May.
Dates
for Baptism
The following
are the dates for the Sacrament of Baptism during the
months of April, May and June:
April:
Sunday 25.
May:
Saturday 8; Sunday 16; Sunday 30.
June:
Saturday 5; Sunday 13; Saturday 26.
Times
for Baptism: Sunday 1.15pm; Saturday 4.00pm
We
welcome into God’s Family through the Sacrament
of Baptism:
Cathal Richard
Tinney
Calum Patrick
Mills
Cara McCosker
Grace Elaine Bernadette
Gallagher
Jack John McGonagle
Caleb Ryan Patton
We
congratulate the following couple who were recently
united in the Sacrament of Marriage:
Jude Kelly and
Catherine Henderson
May
they Rest in Peace - Deaths
Charlie
Doherty, England
James Canning, Buncrana
Anniversaries
Margaret Magee,
Gerard Blake, Patsy McLaughlin, James Nelis, Mary Wilson,
Kathleen McCrossan, Michael Hannigan,
Anna Timoney,
Eamon Quigley, Emily McCosker, Rose Conway, Patrick
McCool, Joe McGrath Snr,
Joseph McGrath
Jnr, Dan Doherty, Declan McGinnis, Matthew Campbell,
Thomas O’Hagan,
Seamus Magee,
Dan McAteer.
Visitation
of Sick and Housebound
The sick and housebound
will be visited on Monday 26 April and Tuesday 27 April
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.
Congratulations to Sister Roseanne Mulholland
who celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of her profession
during the week. Sr. Roseanne has been part of the Mercy
Community in Melmount for the past 15 years after a
life of teaching in both primary and second level schools
in Derry. We congratulate her on her life of service
to the church and wish her good health and every blessing
for the future.
Confirmation and
First Holy Communion
Confirmation will
take place in our Parish on Saturday 15 May at 11.00am
and First Holy Communion will take place on Saturday
22 May at 11.30am. A reminder to parishioners whose
children are not at one of the Primary Schools in the
Parish and who have arranged for their children to receive
the Sacraments in Melmount to contact Fr. Doherty as
soon as possible.
Blessing
of Graves
The Annual Ceremony
of the Blessing of Graves will take place on Sunday
23 May at 5.00pm.
Lourdes 2010
The next meeting
of the Lourdes Group will take place in
‘The Den’
on Wednesday 28 April between 7.30pm and 8.30pm.
Accord Derry: Marriage Preparation Workshop
(Pre-Marriage Course) 14/15 May in the Thornhill Centre,
Culmore Road, Derry, on Friday from 6.45pm - 10.00pm
and on Saturday from 10.00am - 4.00pm. To book a place
please contact Rosemary on 71362475, Monday - Thursday
9.30am - 1.30pm.
Melmount
Centre - Parish Bingo Sunday 25 April.
St. Vincent
de Paul, Strabane and District Members Lucky
Lotto Monthly Draw took place on Sunday 15 April. There
was one winner who matched three numbers: Jean Conway.
The numbers drawn were 14, 15, 22 and 24.
Is
someone else’s drinking or drug-taking causing
you problems? Are you aged 15 - 19? Are
you feeling isolated and want to talk about what’s
happening in your life? ‘Bottled-up’ is
a place where you don’t need to bottle it up.
It’s a chance for you to meet other young people
in your position, share your experiences and enjoy fun
activities. ‘Bottled Up’ on Saturday 8 May
from 10.00am - 6.00pm, The YARD Project, Columba House,
11 Queen Street, Derry. For more information and to
book a place tel. 71269113 or email: theyardproject@btinternet.com
Strabane
& District Multiple Sclerosis Society AGM will
take place on Wednesday 28 April at 7.30pm at Unit 3,
Orchard Road Industrial Estate. Everyone welcome.
Fundraising Karaoke Night in Aid of Kenyan Orphanage
on Saturday 1 May in Strabane Golf Club. Fr.
Paul Naikisi, Kenyan priest in attendance. Please give
your support.
Liam Bradley
Tours: 12 July.
Waterford 4 Days for £225.00. Depart Abercorn
Square at 8.20am. To book telephone 71269109 any time.
Parish
Draw 2010
The
Parish Draw took place on Thursday 22 April 2010. The
winners are as follows: April Draw
£500: 1569
Mary O’Neill - Sheila McGonagle
£250: 1600
Betty Kelly - Frances McLaughlin
£250: 1609
Josephine McBride - Frances McLaughlin
£250: 1171
Marie & Jim Duncan - Juliana Murray
£150: 1202
Mary Gillespie - Ann Bell
£150: 1124
Ruari Maguire - Bosco McCready
£150: 1750
Nuala Timoney - Elizabeth O’Hare
£100: 1161
Eileen Cairns - Mar Hagan
£100: 1671
Roisin McDaid - Dympna McNamee
£100: 1710
Nellie Barr - Bosco McCready
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