Parish News for Sunday 7th Oct 2007

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

PRIESTS OF THE PARISH
Rev John Doherty PP Tel: 028 7188 2274
Rev Paul Farren Tel: 028 7188 3247

Lord, Increase our Faith

Fr. Walter Ciszek spent fifteen years in forced-labour camps in Siberia. Through all those years he belonged to the lowest brigades doing the dirtiest work – digging foundations by hand, carving out with pick and shovel long sewer trenches through the frozen ground, loading and unloading with bare hands the heavy construction materials, crawling in damp, dark mines, where death was only one careless step away.
What kept him going?
He says:
‘Men died in the camp, especially when they gave up hope. But I trusted God,
and so I never felt abandoned or without hope. I owe my survival to my faith in God.’

Lord, increase our faith in you, so that we may trust you more fully in all the happenings of our lives, great and small, bitter and sweet.

Last week’s Collection was £1,516,.00. Many thanks.

Sick and Housebound
The sick and housebound will be attended on Tuesday morning and afternoon.

Sion Mills AA Group
A Public Information Meeting will be held on Wednesday 17th October at 8.30pm in the Community Centre, Main Street,
Sion Mills. Speakers from AA, AL-NON and MEDICAL. Everyone welcome.

Month’s Mind Mass
The Month’s Mind Mass for the late
Paddy McAleer, Newtown Place, will take place in the Sacred Heart Church tomorrow [Monday] evening at 7.30pm.

Note of Thanks
Mrs Mary Ellen McFadden, Legfordrum, Strabane, would like to thank everyone for their cards, gifts and donations on the occasion of her 100th Birthday. She has donated £1,375 to each charity.

The following are asked to assist as collectors and church cleaners during the month of October:

SACRED HEART CHURCH:
Collectors:
Saturday 7.00pm:-
Brian Edwards and Declan Carlin.
Sunday 11.30am:-
Stephen Barrett, Noel Carlin and Terry McCallion.

Cleaners: Team E

ST. MARY’S CHURCH, CLOUGHCOR:
Collectors:
Phonsie Monteith and Aidan McGonagle

Altar Society & Cleaners:
Pauline Monteith and Gabrielle Dooher.

ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH, GLENMORNAN
Collectors:
Hugh Devine.

Altar Society:
Patricia Houston and Anne Marie Kelly.

Our thanks are due to all who served the parish in any way during the month of September.

Saying the Rosary
The month of October has long been associated with the Rosary. However, not everybody finds it easy to handle the Rosary. Some find it monotonous; others find it hard to concentrate.

Haste, or a ‘rattling off’ of the Rosary is not helpful. It is a prayer which calls for a clam, gentle pace. It is not necessary to try to concentrate on every word spoken. It may be better to select one phrase or line and to give thought to it during each decade prayed: for example, ‘Mary, full of grace,’ or ‘Pray for us sinners,’ or ‘Thy will be done.’ Let your mind skip the other words of the Hail Mary and Our Father.

Another approach is to link each Mystery to present-life: Annunciation and some good or bad news you have heard recently; Visitation and a visit you have made or will make soon; Agony in the Garden and the worry or upset of someone known to you – or your own.

Concentration on the words is not ‘the name of the game.’ Too intense an effort to focus on words and meanings can become, itself, a distraction.
When spoken aloud, the rhythm of the repeated Hail Marys form a kind of ‘back-ground music’ which allows an awareness

IHCPT
Young Peoples’ Pilgrimage to Lourdes Easter 2008
Around 500 young people from all over Ireland spend a week in Lourdes with the IHCPT every Easter. Experienced adult carers visit the young people prior to the pilgrimage and accompany them throughout the week in Lourdes.
The Irish Pilgrimage Trust welcomes applications from young people of any religious denomination with:
• A physical disability or illness [aged 9-18]
• A learning disability [aged 11-21]
• Very seriously ill children under the age of 9 [accompanied by a parent of close relative]
• Young adults between the age of 20 and 25 with a disability or illness.

The IHCPT covers the cost of those young people selected to travel. If there is a young person that you feel would be eligible and would benefit from a trip to Lourdes please contact the IHCPT office at 00 353 91 79 6622 for contact details of your local group or an application form. Please note closing date for application is 31st October 2007.

Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca
Bible Study and Prayer – Shared Scripture reading and Prayer on Tuesday 9th October at 8.00pm. All are welcome to attend.

Prayer for Priests

Eucharist: a prayer inspired by the Mass

O Lord!
Look into our hearts this day and read us
Look in our souls this day and hear us
When we thrust out our hands for help - hold us
When we open our arms for love - embrace us
When we bow our heads to thee - bless us
When we give of ourselves - come to us. Amen.
Judith Ann Pounder

Lord Jesus, bless all priests and give them grace to do your great work on earth. Keep them, Lord, close to your heart and under the shadow of your protection. Bless their labours for you and grant that their harvest of souls may be a source of joy and consolation to them during life and may merit an everlasting reward for them in death, that having led many souls to you they may see you to face to face. Amen.

Telephone numbers if you feel you cannot cope

Samaritans - 0845 790 9090

Zest - a counselling service offering free support to those who feel suicidal, friends and loved ones who have been affected by suicide and those who self harm. Telephone 7126 6999 or e-mail. zestni@yahoo.co.uk

Prayer for the Suicidal

O Eternal Father, we pray for all those who are suicidal.
May Your loving hand guide and protect them
so they receive the help they need,
preventing them from dying from suicide.
Let them know that we need them and love them,
show them Your love Lord Jesus.
Remind them that they are very special people,
filling their minds with beautiful memories.
Give them everything they need so as to ease their pain,
grant that they may find hope, comfort, guidance
and healing in every way possible.
Let them feel our love, and Your love,
carry them when they are weary.
Embrace them and let Your love
shine down upon them always. Amen.