Parish News for Sunday 14th Oct 2007

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

The Attitude of Gratitude

Along with ‘take your bath’ – ‘say thanks’ must be in every mother’s relentless repertoire. We do need reminders to be grateful and yet while gratitude is beautiful – it is so rarely done. Why? Because the act of gratitude implies dependency and belonging. Still the 1 in 10 response that Jesus got would disappoint anyone. Why did the other nine not return and give thanks? Maybe they were like this:

• The first leper always followed the letter of the law. Jesus said he should go to the priest. So he would do just that and nothing more.

• Going through an identity crisis. He’d been a leper so long. What would he do now? How would he cope? He was so preoccupied with the change he forgot.

• This one believed that you are supposed to work for what you get, yet he hadn’t worked for this and so couldn’t handle the situation.

• One became delirious with happiness.

• May have become bitter in the past because he was driven to become a beggar. He vowed he would never say thank you to anyone.

• He was a family man. Anxious and eager to get back to his family, to hold his wife and hug his children.

• Sceptic – doubted Jesus really has anything to do with it. After all, he hadn’t been healed in Jesus’ presence. Maybe it was something in the air that day.

• So excited and just had to let everybody see that he was normal.

• Said – I’ll give thanks tomorrow.

• This one went back to Jesus and said, “Thank you for healing me.”

Which leper are you? Which leper am I?


Last week’s Collection was £2,051.00. Many thanks.

Mission Sunday
Next Sunday is Mission Sunday. There will be a second collection for the Propagation of the Faith. Please use the appropriate envelope in your box of envelopes.

Taizé
Join us for an hour of meditative prayer and Taizé chant on Wednesday 17th October at 7.30pm in the Daychapel, Melmount.

Alzheimer’s Support Group
There will be a meeting on Wednesday
17th October at 7.30pm in Melmount Manor Care Home, 1 Orchard Road, Strabane. Guest speaker will be
Judith Gormley [Western Trust] speaking on ‘Falls – Awareness & Prevention’. Everyone welcome.

Catholic Charismatic Renewal
Derry Diocese
A Day of Renewal will take place on Saturday 20th October 2007 from 9.00am until 5.00pm in the Mellon Country Hotel, Beltany Road, Omagh. The theme will be ‘Growing to the fullness of our Christian Vocation.’ Booking is essential – telephone [028] 8224 2092. Email – info@drumraghparish.com.

Questions People Ask
Q. What do you think of those prayers which are supposed to guarantee a favour if said so many times and the leaflet passed on to a certain number of people?
A. Usually the words of the prayer are alright but tying it up with numbers of leaflets is superstitious nonsense. It gives religion a bad name by turning God into a slot machine who pays out when you hit the required number. Some people feel blackmailed to spread these leaflets for fear of offending God. People who leave them in churches should be charged with a litter offence!

Owen Roe O’Neill’s GAC, Leckpatrick
A child’s jacket has been found in the Clubrooms, possibly left behind after coaching – please contact Joe Hegarty [0771 266 8329] for details. A necklace/chain has also been found – please contact Sarah Jane Kelly. There is a lot of clothing left behind in the Clubrooms. If anyone owns it they can claim it by checking the football store. If not claimed within 2 weeks it will be forwarded to charity.

Any club member under the age of 17yrs interested in representing the Club in Scor na n-Og in November should contact Joe Hegarty. The sections are Ballad Group, Solo Singing, Ceili Dancing, set Dancing, Instrumental Group, Novelty Act, Recitation/Storytelling and Quiz Team.

The Irish news is offering 5 primary schools the chance to win a Coaching Session by a top GAA Coach and current county footballer. To enter all you have to do is collect the tokens in the Irish News and take them into the collection points in school. Tokens will appear daily in the Irish News until Saturday 1st December.

Saturday 21st October – Club Members Pool Competition starts at 8.30pm and continues every Saturday night until Christmas. £5 entry fee. Contact Gerry Casey for more details. Contact Joe Hegarty for a limited number of spare Cul Camp [Hurling] and Tyrone football Camp Kits.

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.

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.