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

Sunday, 14th February 2010

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fixing his eyes on his disciples Jesus said: “How happy are you who are poor; yours is the kingdom of God. Alas for you who are rich; you are having your consolation now”. Isn’t this a very difficult teaching to accept, even when we know that it comes from Jesus? And because it is difficult, we can tend to ignore it and go on our way. Obviously Jesus is not promoting poverty. Rather he is saying that when we are poor we know that we depend on God. When we have riches we put our trust in them even though in reality we still depend totally on God for everything including our next breath. The task of every human person is to let go of our self-importance and enter into the wonderful love relationship God wants to have with us. We will then use our resources, material and spiritual, for the well-being of each other.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Sunday 14th February 2010

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Day of Prayer for Temperance

First Reading : Jeremiah 17: 5-8
The prophet contrasts the life of the wicked with the life of the righteous.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12: 16-20
St Paul stresses the reality of Jesus’ bodily resurrection, and the meaning of that resurrection for Christians.

Gospel: Luke 6: 17, 20-26
The Gospel passage assures us there is only one set of guidelines worth heeding.

Someone once described the beatitudes of today’s Gospel as the ‘Be-Attitudes’, attitudes that should underpin our approach to life. The following pearls of wisdom come from many people of varying ages, some over time and experience, others as spontaneous revelations. But in each case the person has learned that:

• Lending to friends and relatives can cause them to get amnesia.

• It’s hard to lie when you are looking into your mother’s eyes.

• Taking a break in the middle of the job isn’t half as relaxing as taking a break after the job is finished.

• A minute of extra thinking beforehand can save hours of worry later.

• No situation is so bad that losing your temper won’t make it worse.

• If you are still talking today about what you did yesterday, you haven’t done much today.

• A mother is only as happy as her child.

• When you’re too busy for friends, you’re too busy.

• A kindness done is never lost. It will return again.

• At the end of every day it gives me great pleasure to ask ‘What’s the best thing that happened to me today?’

• When you parents say, ‘It doesn’t matter what we think – you’re the one going out with him,’ they hate the guy.

• Be open-minded, but not so open-minded that your brains fall out.

• Keep your words soft and tender because tomorrow you may have to eat them.

Last Sunday’s collection was £1,959.00. Many Thanks!

Ash Wednesday

This Wednesday 17th February is Ash Wednesday – a day of fast and abstinence. Ashes will be distributed during all Masses. Trócaire boxes are available at the back of the church. Mass times for Ash Wednesday are as follows:

Sacred Heart Church: 10.00am and 7.30pm

St. Mary’s, Cloughcor: 7.00pm

St. Joseph’s, Glenmornan: 8.00pm

Lent – a special time in Trócaire’s Calendar

Lent is a time of preparation: of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. It is a time for pausing as we prepare together as a people of faith for Easter. Lent is a sacred time within the Church calendar for us all as baptised Christians to consider how we might best live out our faith as we journey towards the great Pascal mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection. In living Lent as fully as we can, we show ourselves, our communities of faith and our wider community that to be a Christian is to be a person whose faith can make a radical difference to our own lives and to the lives of others. Perhaps then it is not surprising that Lent has been and continues to be a special time in Trócaire’s calendar. It is the time when we focus on how we might work together as Church towards the building up of God’s Kingdom of justice and love in our world.

Haiti Earthquake Collection
The total amount of the above collection for Leckpatrick has risen to £12,450.00. Once again, on behalf of the people of Haiti, many thanks for your very generous contributions.

Alzheimer’s Support Group
There will be a meeting on Wednesday
17th February at 7.30pm in Melmount Manor Care Home, 1 Orchard Road, Strabane.

Solemn Annual Exposition

Solemn Annual Exposition will begin in the Sacred Heart Church next Sunday 21st February directly after the 11.30am Mass, and will end with a Eucharistic Service at 5.00pm.

Kindly write your name in the appropriate space on the sheet at the back of the church to show when you can be present on Sunday afternoon. It is important there are people present in the church all during the period of Exposition.

Q. What is the connection of Saint Valentine with romance?

A. St. Valentine was a priest in Rome who was martyred in 269. His feast falls on 14th February, about the time when birds choose their mates, all very romantic! In the Middle Ages a legend grew that Valentine, before he was led out to his execution, gave a letter to a jailer for his daughter, who had been kind to him in prison. He signed the letter: ‘From your Valentine’. Little could he have suspected what business he was generating for many centuries later.

Lenten Thursdays: Beginning 25th February – a series of ‘Reflection Mornings’ beginning at 10.30am and concluding with a light lunch at 1.00pm. A donation of £5 per morning is suggested. Telephone [028] 71351233.

Vocations Information Day

A Day of Reflection on the theme Vocation on Saturday 20th February from 11.30am until 4.00pm in the Thornhill Retreat Centre, Derry. For further information please contact your local priests or your RE Teachers.

To Parents of a New Born Child

• Baptisms are normally celebrated in Leckpatrick on Saturday at 7.45pm or on Sunday at 12.15pm.

• Each sponsor must not be less than sixteen years of age and must be a practising Catholic.

• Please bring a baptismal garment to the ceremony. The infant should not be wearing it coming to the church, but will be clothed in it by the priest at the appropriate point in the ceremony.

• Please bring a reasonably substantial candle to the ceremony. It is preferable that each child in the family should have his or her own baptismal candle.

• Note that Canon Law states that ‘parents, sponsors and parish priests are to take care that a name is not given which is foreign to Christian sentiment.’

• Please make arrangements with the priest in good time, and see that the baptismal card is completed three or four days before the ceremony at the latest.

• Kindly remember that the church is a sacred space, and is worthy of reverence and respect at all times, including the period when photographs are being taken after the ceremony.

• Finally, congratulations on the birth of your child! Your child’s baptism will be a special occasion for you and your family. It will also be a special occasion for our parish as we welcome your new born baby into the Christian community.