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

Sunday, 30th May 2010

Trinity Sunday

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth”. The most profound truth of all is about the nature of the true God, a Trinity of Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This truth is far beyond our understanding but is implanted close into our hearts by God’s Spirit. The second profound truth is that we are made in God’s image. This truth is also far beyond our understanding but is capable of being lived out by us through the power of the same Spirit living in us. It is in the intimate relationships of marriage and family that we especially share in the intimate life of the true God. But we need to learn to live there with an ever-greater reverence and love. We also live in God through our community with one another as Christians. This needs to be characterised by energy and enthusiasm for the world as the kingdom of God.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Sunday, 30th May 2010

The Most Holy Trinity

First Reading: Proverbs 8: 22-31
This reading in praise of the wisdom of God can be seen as a groping towards the revelation of the mystery of the Trinity.

Second Reading: Romans 5: 1-5
Christ made possible for us a relationship of love with God. This gives us the hope and sustains us in time of suffering. The Holy Spirit helps us to recognise God’s love for us.

Gospel: John 16: 12-15
The Holy Spirit helps the Church to grasp the full meaning of all Jesus said, especially what he said about the Father.

Opening up the Mystery

Perhaps the mystery of the Holy Trinity is too much of a mystery for us. We are taught that God is one nature and three persons; that the Father is neither begotten nor proceeds from anyone; that the Son is begotten by the Father; and that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. But the language and perhaps the ideas leave most of us unmoved. We nod our heads in agreement; we believe. But our belief in the mystery of the Holy Trinity has little impact on how we live our lives at home or work or school.

And yet to the Lord, the Father and the one he sent after his Ascension were his whole life. They were not just an intellectual exercise; they were real to him – so real that Jesus spent whole nights praying to the Father. And he consoled his friends when he was about to leave them by promising them someone who would be as important to them as he had been. And that promise was fulfilled. The Holy Spirit came and swept them off their feet in the upper room.

So, Lord, our problem is that we don’t know the Father the way you knew him. We don’t experience the Spirit the way the apostles and Mary experienced him. But without that kind of knowledge and experience the Holy Trinity does remain too much of a mystery for us.

On this feast of the Holy Trinity, Lord, help us to allow God our Father really to be a Father for us and to us; and help us to open our hearts to the Spirit of light and love. And help us to know you, too, because you opened the way to the Father and together sent us your Holy Spirit to be with us forever.

Last week’s Collection was £1,150.00.

Many thanks.

End of Year School Masses

An end of year School Mass will take place in St. Joseph’s Church, Glenmornan on Tuesday 22nd June at 10.00am. Parents and family members of the children will be welcome.

A similar Mass will be celebrated in St. Mary’s Church, Cloughcor on Wednesday 23rd June, also at 10.00am.

Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca

The monthly devotions, in honour of Our Lady, will take place on Tuesday 1st June starting with confessions at 7.30pm followed by Rosary and Mass, finishing around 10.00pm. All are welcome.

Termonbacca Community 16th Annual Fun Day will be held on Sunday 6th June. We would be grateful for any items you may wish to donate, e.g., clothes, toys, bric-a-brac, books etc. for our stalls. Please bring them along to the Retreat Centre. If you are willing to help in any way please telephone [028] 71262512.

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

SACRED HEART CHURCH:

Collectors:

Saturday 7.00pm:-
Brian Edwards and Declan Carlin.

Sunday 11.30am:-
Stephen Barrett. Noel Carlin and
Terry McCallion.

Cleaners: Team A

ST. MARY’S CHURCH, CLOUGHCOR:

Collectors:

John Devine.

Altar Society & Cleaners:
Winifred McGonigle, Catherine McGonigle and Aiden McGonigle.

ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH, GLENMORNAN

Collectors:

Altar Society: Brigid Casey and Geraldine Devine.

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

Age NI Consultative Forum

We are looking for up to 50 older people to volunteer. Do you have an interest in older people’s issues, a desire to make things better for older people and confidence in expressing your opinion? If so, please call Maura McClean on [028] 9089 2632 or email maura.mcclean@ageni.org

Foyle Hospice’s Strabane Midnight Walk

This is a ladies only 3.5mile sponsored walk on Friday 25th June starting/finishing at Heaton’s Car Park, Railway Road, Strabane and will commence at midnight. For further information and entry forms please contact Foyle Hospice Fundraising Centre [028] 71359888 or call into the shop.

God is watching over us

Nowadays, thanks to the security camera,
we are often being watched,
watched by a cold, dispassionate eye,
intent only on catching us in wrong-doing.
The feeling that someone is watching us
is not a pleasant feeling.
But the feeling that someone is watching over us
is a good feeling.
God is not watching us.
God is watching over us.
The conviction that God is watching over us gives us comfort in times of sadness,
strength in times of weakness,
and hope in times of despair.

Reflection

It can happen that we lose interest in people,
and even become blind to their strengths,
when we discover their limitations.
During his passion Jesus discovered the limitations of Peter.
Yet he didn’t write him off.
He continued to believe in him,
and in time he came good.
Like Peter, we are weak human beings,
who are inconstant in our beliefs.
We need someone who understands our weaknesses,
who realises that it may take time for us to overcome them,
and who doesn’t write us off because
we don’t produce the goods at once.