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

Sunday, 25th October 2009

30th Sunday of the Year

Jesus asked: 'What do you want me to do for you?' This question, asked in the Gospel of a blind man, is addressed to each one of us by Jesus. The man who was born blind had no hesitation in asking for his sight to be given him. That was the single most important thing for him in his life. We should ask ourselves what our single most important need and desire is for our own lives. In what ways are we blind and need our sight restored? Maybe it is in relation to what our real priorities are. Or maybe it is in our close relationships of marriage and family life where we can easily fail to see the hurt or distress or loneliness of one another. Or we may be blind to our responsibility to care for those around us in our parish or wider community who are in need. This week is a call to look into our hearts and open ourselves up to the power of Christ to heal us and set us free.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R

Sunday 25th October 2009

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading Jeremiah 31: 7-9
The Lord has saved his people.

Second Reading Hebrews 5: 1-6
Christ is the compassionate high priest, sent to take away our sins.

Gospel Mark 10: 46-52
A blind man is cured and becomes a follower of Jesus.

Discovering Our Blind Spots

Physical blindness has at least one advantage: it is recognisable. A person without sight knows he is blind and learns to compensate as best he can. Other people know he is blind and offer help.

But there is a form of blindness that is not so evident. We use the expression “blind spot” to describe it. A blind spot is an inability to judge accurately the reality of a situation. A person whose lack of organisational skills makes him a poor manager can be blind to the real creative abilities he possesses. A blind spot about blacks can lead a person to see every report about black crime as an indictment of an entire race, and every black advantage as a concession to “those people.” A husband and wife develop a blind spot to the necessity of expressing their love on special occasions.

Blind spots are, in their way, as dangerous as physical blindness. Perhaps even more so, for those who suffer them are unaware of their own blindness, and never ask for help. But if we have a blind spot, we are indeed in need of healing. We see only part of the human landscape, and what we do not see we judge according to deeply imbedded patterns that are hard to change.
Lord, help us to discover our blind spots. Let us see them as dangerous stumbling blocks in our commitment to love and justice. Help us to recognise our prejudices. Lord, that we may see!

Last week’s Collection amounted to £1,190.00.

Many thanks.

Feast of All Saints

Sunday next, 1st November, is the Feast of All Saints, a holyday of obligation.

Masses are as follows:

Sacred Heart Church: Vigil [Saturday] at 7.00pm and Sunday at 11.30am

St. Mary’s, Cloughcor: Sunday at 9.15am

St. Joseph’s, Glenmornan: Sunday at 10.15am

Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed

Monday week [2nd November] is the Feast of All Souls. Masses as follows:

Sacred Heart Church: 10.00am and 7.30pm

St. Mary’s, Cloughcor: 7.00pm

St. Joseph’s, Glenmornan: 8.00pm

Services for the Dead

Services for the Dead will take place as follows:

Sunday 1st November:
St. Joseph’s Church, Glenmornan at 3.00pm

Sunday 1st November:
St. Mary’s Church, Cloughcor at 4.00pm

Sunday 1st November:
Sacred Heart Church at 5.00pm

Strabane History Society

Strabane History Society Meeting on Thursday night, 29th October in the Library at 8.00pm. Ken McCormack of Radio Foyle fame will give an illustrated talk on the Foyle and the Mourne, with stories from past and present. Starting time is 8.00pm and new members are welcome.

First Anniversary Mass

The 7.00pm vigil Mass in the Sacred Heart Church on Saturday 31st October will be offered for Annie McSheffrey on the occasion of the first anniversary of her death.

Omagh Charismatic Prayer Group

A Day of Renewal in the Mellon Country Hotel, Beltany Road, Omagh on
21st November. Registration at 9.00am, Celebration of the Eucharist at 4.30pm. Cost £20 includes lunch and tea/coffee. Telephone [028] 8224 2092 [office hours].

NI Blood Transfusion Service

A team from the NI Blood Transfusion Service will be collecting blood donations in St. Patrick’s Hall, Strabane on Wednesday 4th November from 1.30pm until 4.00pm and again from 5.15pm until 8.00pm. In order to maintain the vital supply of blood to our hospitals, we need the support not only of existing donors, but also of new donors. Please come along – you could save a life!

Lord, that I might see!

A man and his young son went on a camping trip to the mountains. They hired an experienced guide, who brought them into the heart of the great forest, and the beauty spots in the mountains that they themselves would never have found. The old guide was constantly pointing out beauty and wonders that the passer-by would never notice. The young lad was fascinated at the ability of the guide to see so much in all his surroundings. One day the lad was so impressed that he exclaimed ‘I’ll bet you can even see God out here.’ The old guide smiled, and replied ‘Son, as life goes on it’s getting more and more difficult for me to see anything but God out here.’

Lord, that I might see …