Sunday, 25th July 2010

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Genesis 18: 20-32
God responds to the prayer of Abraham.

Second Reading: Colossians 2: 12-14
Through baptism, we have been raised up with Christ.

Gospel: Luke 11: 1-13
Jesus teaches his disciples about prayer.

Hardwired for God

I don’t know if our genes are, but according to scientists our brains are: hardwired for God. They’re programmed to discover supernatural reasons for life’s mysteries. Our brain organises the information, our senses send it to discover cause and effect. Since babies only 12-months old can do this, it seems to be innate rather than acquired. So, the findings of researchers at Bristol University studying the development and workings of children’s brains are not surprising. They indicate that belief systems offer a possible evolutionary benefit to people.

An itch to ask the question ‘why’ is not the only thing that’s innate to us. There’s the universal hope, expectation even, that good will conquer evil. Just read your novels, watch your films. Don’t you feel more satisfied when the good guy wins?

Even books and films with ambiguous endings aren't as emotionally satisfying as those with a clear-cut victory where the one who is good wins out against all the odds. That feel-good factor when good conquers all comes with the job, so to speak, of being human.

It’s this faith in goodness, more specifically in God, that’s the basis for what today’s Gospel reading (Luke 11:1-13) tells us: Ask, and it will be given you; search and you will find... . Scripture is telling us that God doesn’t take us for a ride. He’s not a messer, if you’ll pardon the slang. He’s consistent and we can trust him.

That’s the God we’re hardwired to believe in, the one who gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.

Fr. Tom Cahill

Announcements

Fr. Doherty would like to thank you for your contributions to last week’s Priest’s Collection.

Parish Bulletin

The next issue of the Parish Bulletin will be on Sunday 22 August.

Visitation of Sick and Housebound

The sick and housebound will be visited on Tuesday 27 July as follows:

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

July, August, September and October:

July: Sunday 25.

August: Sunday 8; Saturday 21; Sunday 29.

September: Sunday 12; Sunday 19; Saturday 25.

October: Sunday 10; Sunday 24; Saturday 30.

Times for Baptism: Sunday 1.15pm; Saturday 4.00pm

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

Caitlin Rosemary Quigley

Madison Leigh Eileen Devenney

Eirinn Emma McElwee

Kayden Barr-McDermott

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

Ronan Johnston and Natasha Clarke

Jason Quinn and Laura Caulfield

May they Rest in Peace - Deaths

Austin Rouse, 125 Lower Main Street

Anniversaries

Beth McLaughlin, Susan Murray, William Kearney,

Elizabeth Martin, James McMenamin, Sarah McGurk,

James McLaughlin, Alice Alexander, Bridget Falconer,

Marie Imesom, Catherine Devine, Thomas McGranaghan,

Mary Harte, Jimmy McGillian, Nellie McGillian, Tommy Devine, Molly Roulston.

Accord Derry will hold Marriage Preparation Workshops (Pre-Marriage courses) on 24/25 September and 22/23 October in the Thornhill Centre, Culmore Road, Derry. The course will run from 6.45pm to 10.00pm on Friday and from 10.00am to 4.00pm on Saturday. To book a place contact Rosemary on 71362475 (Monday - Thursday 9.30am - 1.30pm).

The BIG KNIT 2010 is a fundraiser organised by Innocent Drinks partnering AGE NI (new charity combining Age Concern NI and Help the Aged). The organisation needs people from across NI to knit small woolly hats to place on top of Innocent Smoothie bottles. These will be sold to Sainsbury’s and Boots stores during winter 2010. For every hat knitted 5p will go to Age NI. Simple patterns and instructions are available from Dorothy McConkey on 90245729 or email Dorothy.mcconkey@ageni.org.

Children in Crossfire are recruiting participants for the Barcelona Half Marathon in February 2011 and the Derry Waterside Half Marathon in September 2010. For more information on either event please contact Sarah on 71269898 or email events@childrenincrossfire.org.

The 4th National Grandparents Pilgrimage will take place to the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock on Sunday 12 September. Anointing of the Sick at 2.00pm; Pilgrimage Mass at 3.00pm followed by Eucharistic Adoration. Special guest singers: Michael English, Dana and Chloe Coyle. For more information telephone 003539824877 or visit website www.catholicgrandparentsassociation.com.

Blood Transfusion Service

A team from the N.I. Blood Transfusion Service will be in St. Patrick’s Hall on Wednesday 28 July 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 needs the support not only of existing members, but also of new donors.

Age NI

Can you make things better for older people in Northern Ireland? Join our team of peer facilitators. With over 60 years of shared history to draw on Age Concern NI and Help the Aged in NI joined together in April 2009 to create a powerful new voice for older people - Age NI. We are making and influencing decisions that will affect older people now and in the future and you can be part of it. The role of peer facilitator will be a voluntary and short term role and applicants must be 50+. For more information contact Maura McClean on 90892632 or 90245729 or email maura.mcclean@ageni.org.

Melmount Centre -

Parish Bingo Sunday 25 July, Sunday 1 August,

Sunday 8 August, and Sunday 15 August.

FREE hearing aid support sessions: Do you wear a hearing aid or know someone who does? RNID is running a free monthly hearing aid support session in St. Patrick’s Hall, Barrack Street. It will be held on the last Thursday of every month from 1.00pm - 2.30pm. The next one will be on Thursday 29 July. If you are having trouble with your hearing aid or need new batteries or just some advice come along and talk to a trained RNID volunteer they will be glad to help.

Donegal Historical Society field day in Gartan/Termon area will take place on Sunday 25 July. Meeting at Lagoon Bar, Termon at 3.00pm. Guide for the trip is Christy Gillespie who will bring you in ‘Colmcille’s Footsteps’. For more information telephone 00 353 872261378. All are welcome.

www.obituarynews.co.uk: New, Northern Ireland online obituary services, all death notices, wake and funeral arrangements available at the touch of a button as soon as family request information to be public. Receive free email alerts of new listings from your chosen locations, tell relatives/friends living outside native parish to keep up to date www.obituarynews.co.uk

Liam Bradley Tours: Galway 14 September, Dublin 27 September. Four days for £225 pps. Telephone 71269109 anytime. Departs Abercorn Square at 9.20am.