Sunday 30th August 2009

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

‘This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me.’ Jesus quoted this passage from the prophet Isaiah to the Pharisees and Scribes. We need to listen to it today also. We get so used to doing particular things that we can forget why we are doing them and then our hearts are not in them. This is true of the practice of our faith, which can easily be reduced by us to rituals and duties. It is true also in our love for one another. Husbands and wives need to constantly renew their love for one another and put their hearts into that love again. Parents need to renew their love for their children because parenting can easily become a burden that is carried with little heart. And we need to put new heart into our prayer so that God may come more and more alive to us.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Sunday, August 30th 2009

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

First Reading Deuteronomy 4:1-2.6-8
Moses presents the Law to the people of Israel.

Second Reading James 1:17-18.21-22.27
You must do what the word tells you, and not deceive yourselves.

Gospel Mark 7:1-8.14-15.21-23
Jesus teaches that the Commandment of God is more important than human traditions.

Give and Take

To paraphrase Benjamin Disraeli: There are rules, damned rules and commandments. Whatever about the rules, damned or otherwise, the commandments must be observed diligently according to today’s First Reading (Deut 4:1-2, 6-8). Doing so shows wisdom and discernment (v 6). What a pleasant and peaceful way of looking at someone else’s orders to you! Not characteristic of today’s ethos. I wonder what goes wrong to give the impression that God’s commandments are burdens to be borne, better yet ignored, rather than gifts to be cherished.

Why do some people worship money, power and sex instead of the one true God? Why can’t they see the tyranny that servitude to these produces? Why can’t they see the freedom that having only the one true God in one’s life endows? And why can't they see God’s commandments as guiding lights to help them travel life’s convoluted course in safety? There are so many ‘whys’.

God created us to live in community. At family level community living calls for give-and-take. If members make demands regardless of how it affects others, then the quality of life degrades. If all are equally demanding, then you have a dysfunctional family.

At world level, community living also calls for give-and-take: individually, collectively and nationally. God’s commandments wise us up to the need for justice, generosity, and respect for all people. They help us to adapt to life out there in the real world. They prevent us from expecting that life has to adapt to us. That’s why many don’t like them. But, if we didn’t have them, would we not have to invent them.

Fr. Tom Cahill

Announcements

The Annual Diocesan Clerical Changes take place this weekend. Priests from the local area are involved in these changes. Fr. Peter Madden has been appointed Parish Priest Desertmartin and Fr. Peter O’Kane is going to Rome for further studies. Fr. Paddy Doherty, Parish Priest Castlederg, has been transferred to Waterside. Fr. Gerry Sweeney, a former curate here in Melmount, has also gone to Waterside. We wish all of those involved in the changes every blessing in their new roles.

First Friday

Friday of this week is the First Friday. Confessions will be on Thursday after 10.00am Mass and on Friday from 6.15pm - 6.45pm.

Dates for Baptism

The following are the dates for the Sacrament of Baptism during the months of September and October:

September: Sunday 6; Friday 11; Friday 18; Sunday 27.

October: Sunday 4; Friday 9; Friday 16; Sunday 25.

Times for Baptism: Sunday 1.15pm; Friday 7.20pm.

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

Ryan Mark McClay
Charles Ewan Wiley

Holy Cross College New School Year

The dates for students returning to Holy Cross College in year groups are as follows:

Monday 31 August - Years 12, 13 and 14.
Tuesday 1 September - Years 8, 13 and 14.
Wednesday 2 September - All year groups
Registration each day at 8.40am.

Evish Primary School

The new school year commences for Primary 2 - 7 pupils on Tuesday 1 September.

Parish Draw 2009

Promoters should make their returns for September to the Parish Office on Monday 21 September from 2.00pm - 4.30pm and from 7.30pm - 8.30pm. The Draw for September will take place on Thursday 24 September at 10.30am in the Parish Office.

Prayer Group

There will be Eucharistic Adoration in St. Colman’s Chapel on Monday 7th September at 8.00pm. Everyone welcome.

The Thornhill Centre

Beginning Monday 5 October from 8.00pm - 9.30pm for eight weeks a course in passing on Core Aspects of the Catholic Faith designed to help parents, grandparents and anyone involved in helping form young people into the ways of faith. Cost £50.00 (payable in installments).

Also starting this autumn courses in Liturgy (1 year night course - October), ‘So what should we teach them?’ (1 term night course - October/November), Working with your Dreams (1 term night course - October/November), Pastoral Ministry Course (8 Saturday Seminars - Monthly), Scripture - The Year of Luke (4 week night course - November). For information contact the Thornhill Centre on 71351233.

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

Paul Diver and Martina McCay

May they Rest in Peac - Deaths

Peggy Hannigan, Clady

Anniversaries

Liam Magee, Peggy Canavan, Hugh Devine, Rose Graham, Ann McGillion, Arthur O’Kane, Margaret Tighe, Elizabeth McNulty, Rose McDaid, Mary Devine, Bill Gillespie, Mark McGrath, Kathleen Christy, Chris Doherty, Anthony Kelly.

Accord will hold Marriage Preparation Workshops (Pre-Marriage Courses) on September 18/19 and October 23/24 2009 from 7.00pm - 10.00pm on Friday and from 10.00am - 4.00pm on Saturday at the Thornhill Centre, Culmore Road, Derry. Booking forms are available from the Pastoral Centre, 164 Bishop Street, Derry, telephone 028 71362475.

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

Children in Crossfire holds a car boot sale and market at Elagh Business Park on the Buncrana Road every Saturday from 9.00am - 3.00pm. The admission is 50p and all proceeds are used to help children in Ethiopia and Tanzania get access to clean water, medicine and an education.

Melmount Centre - Parish Bingo Sunday 30 August.

St. Vincent de Paul Lucky Lotto

The Draw for August took place on Sunday 2 August. The numbers drawn were: 6, 8, 11, and 23. There was one jackpot winner - Mrs Margaret McBride. The Jackpot for September is £1,000.00. Promoters are asked to have September draw envelopes returned on or before 31 August. The next draw will take place at 9.00pm on Sunday 6 September at Melmount Parish Bingo.

N.W. Regional College, Derry, Limavady and Strabane is offering an exciting range of full-time and part-time courses commencing this September. To find out more come visit www.nwrc.ac.uk for full details or telephone 71276000.

Veritas Derry

Mega Sale 20% off all stock in shop with 40% - 50% off selected items. Why not visit our new premises at 20 Shipquay St. We have an extensive range of Books, CDs, Music and Gifts.

Liam Bradley Tours - Killarney 5 October. 4 Days, 3 Dinners, 3 B/B plus tours. Depart Abercorn Square at 8.20am. £189pps. For more information and booking telephone 71269109 anytime.