Sunday, 30th May 2010

The Most Holy Trinity

First Reading: Proverbs 8: 22-31
This reading in praise of the wisdom of God can be seen as a groping towards the
revelation of the mystery of the Trinity.

Second Reading: Romans 5: 1-5
Christ made possible for us a relationship of love with God.
This gives us the hope and sustains us in time of suffering.
The Holy Spirit helps us to recognise God’s love for us.

Gospel: John 16: 12-15
The Holy Spirit helps the Church to grasp the full meaning of all Jesus said,
especially what he said about the Father.

The Most Holy Trinity

Clue: Mexican salamander. Seven letters. What is it? Haven’t a clue? Starts with a and ends in l. No? Middle letter is l. So it has to be ....axolotl. Ah! The stuff of addictions. The first newspaper crossword puzzle appeared in the New York World, 1913. Englishman, Arthur Wynne, its creator, called it a word-cross. Ten years on it had soared to the status of a national craze. Even then some media people decried it as a national threat because of the hours ‘squandered’ on it by all and sundry alike.

Today, Trinity Sunday, we don’t celebrate a puzzle, but we do pay homage to a mystery. Puzzles get solved, mysteries don’t. They’re not for solving. The more you delve into a mystery the more you realise there is to delve into. Thus it is with that mystery we so abstractedly call: the Most Holy Trinity.

God is not an abstraction. God is person. Three in fact. Though no less mysterious for it, God is more accessible to our minds and hearts by being seen as Father, Son and the Spirit of love between them. God is not a cold, unfeeling, unit of isolated magnificence. He is the father running out to welcome home a repentant brat of a son. He is the Son who couldn’t resist becoming one of us even though he would have to pay the ultimate price for doing so. And, unlike pagan gods to be feared, God is Spirit inspiring love in the hearts of all people of good will.

Clue: God. Four letters. Solution?

Fr. Tom Cahill

Announcements

Trocaire

The total amount raised for Trocaire by Melmount Parish amounted to £17,665.64 and 758.52 Euro. Our sincere thanks to all who contributed so generously and to our three schools who between them contributed £4071.64.

First Friday

Friday of this week is the First Friday. Masses will be at 10.00am and 7.00pm. Confessions will be on Thursday after 10.00am Mass and on Friday at 6.15pm.

Dates for Baptism

The following are the dates for the Sacrament of Baptism during the months of May, June and July:

May: Sunday 30.

June: Saturday 5; Sunday 13; Saturday 26.

July: Sunday 11; Saturday 17; Sunday 25.

Times for Baptism: Sunday 1.15pm; Saturday 4.00pm

Pledge Mass

Children who received the Sacrament of Confirmation this year are invited to the 10.30am Mass next Sunday 6 June when they can take a pledge about the use of alcohol and drugs. Older children and indeed adults who wish to renew pledges might also like to attend this Mass.

Cemetery Sunday

A word of thanks to all our parishioners for their work on the graves leading up to Cemetery Sunday. Thanks to James Creggan, groundsman, Strabane Concert Brass, Michael Kielty, John McElroy, Cathal Blee and the Order of Malta.

The Annual Diocesan Lourdes Hospitalite Collection takes place this weekend 29/30 May. This fund is used solely for the purpose of providing medical care and support to people of the Diocese who are sick and wish to go to Lourdes.

National Collection for the 2012 Eucharistic Congress will take place next weekend of Corpus Christi (5/6 June). This collection is to help with the costs of planning and hosting the 50th International Eucharistic Congress which is to be held in Dublin in 2012. Anyone wishing to make a contribution to this collection can do so by putting it in the containers at the back of the church.

Concert

A celebration of the music of Holy Cross College will be held on

Thursday 3 June at 7.30pm in the College Assembly Hall. Admission is free.

May they Rest in Peace - Deaths

Delores Forbes, Birmingham

Anniversaries

Fr. George Faulkner, Hugh Vaughan, Alex Curry,

Lala McAteer, Teresa Simpson, Kevleen White,

John Walsh, Dessie Maguire, Eddie McGarrigle,

Charles McGeady, Anne Diver, Peggy Snodgrass,

Gerald McGavigan, James Norry, Mary Ponsonby,

Susan McBride, John McMahon.

Church Cleaners

The team for cleaning the church during the month of June is Patricia McDaid’s team. Many thanks to the Women’s Cursillo team for cleaning the church during the month of May.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes July 16 - 21: The pilgrimage welcomes general pilgrims but also provides particular support to those who might need care/assistance while in Lourdes. For further details please contact the Pilgrimage Office 71260293.

There will be a meeting of the Strabane Branch of the Diabetic Association on Wednesday 2 June at 8.00pm in Mulvey house. The guest speaker is Rhonda Brown, podiatrist. Everyone is welcome.

The monthly devotions in honour of Our Lady will take place in the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca on Tuesday 1 June starting with confessions at 7.30pm, followed by Rosary and Mass finishing around 10.00pm. All are welcome to attend.

‘Bottled Up’ support group for young people affected by someone else’s addiction. The YARD project will hold an information evening for anyone interested in joining the group on Tuesday 1 June at Columba House, 11 Queen Street, Derry from 6.30pm - 8.30pm. This is a chance for you to meet other young people who know what you are going through. For more information contact Claire on 028 71269113 email: the yardproject@btinternet.com or find us on facebook.

Melmount Centre - Parish Bingo Sunday 30 May.

Sponsored Walk: Staff and relatives of the residents of Greenfield Home will take part in a sponsored walk on Sunday 13 June beginning at 10.00am to raise funds for the residents’ comfort fund. Any volunteers who would like to take part in the walk are more than welcome and sponsor forms are available at Greenfield Office.

Chernobyl Children's Appeal U-14 Disco in The Fir Trees Hotel, Strabane on Saturday 5 June from 4.00pm - 7.00pm plus puppet show. Admission £2.00.

The Play ‘See No Evil’, which examines the issue of elder abuse, will take place in St. Patrick’s Hall on Wednesday 9 June at 8.00pm. This showing is sponsored by Strabane Community Safety Partnership and Strabane Community Project. Admission is free. To book telephone 71883102.

Parish Draw 2010

The Parish Draw took place on Thursday 27 May 2010. The winners are as follows: May Draw

£500: 1003 Donna Tracey - Margaret McLaughlin

£250: 1082 Maureen Doherty - Margaret McLaughlin

£250: 1486 Kay Bond - Francis Henderson

£250: 1187 Fran Ward - Juliana Murray

£150: 1120 Marion Mullen - Bosco McCready

£150: 1084 Michael Taggart - Margaret McLaughlin

£150: 1481 Ryan Farrell - Brenda Brolly

£100: 1420 Catherine Mallon - Helen Foster

£100: 1371 Margaret McColgan - Elizabeth O’Hare

£100: 1175 John McDaid - Juliana Murray