Fr Patrick Doherty, PP 816 71393

Fr Colm O’Doherty, CC 816 61475

Sunday 2nd March 2008 - Fourth Sunday of Lent

REFLECTION

In the Gospel story today Jesus gives the gift of sight to a blind man. But since we are not blind, we might think that the Gospel story has no relevance for us. It is precisely because we can see that it has relevance for us. The question is: how well do we see? There are many forms of blindness besides physical blindness. In some way these are just as crippling. Some examples: Selfishness blinds us to the needs of others. Insensitivity blinds us to the hurt we’re causing to others. Snobbery blinds us to the equal dignity of others

Bingo and Whist - We would appreciate your support for the Bingo
Bingo on Tuesday night @ 9 pm – Snowball– IN ST PATRICK’S HALL
Whist on Thursday night @ 8.30 pm – Snowball rolling

Legion of Mary meets every Monday at 6.30 pm in the meeting room in church. New members welcome

Eucharistic Ministers for March
Vigil : Margaret Cassidy and Seamus Duffy
9.00: Vera Catterson and Jean Coyle
11.00: Rosie Loughrey and Anthony Harkin

Offertory Procession for March
Vigil: Harper Family
9 am: Paddy Carlin and Peter McCullagh
11 am: John McCallion and Jimmy Duffy

Readers for March:
Vigil: Maureen Lynch 11.00: Ann Marie Anderson

Church Cleaners this week
Kathleen Lynch, May Sharkey, Nora McAnea,
MB McGrath

ALTAR SERVERS–Group 6
Emma McHugh, Grace Kealey, Julie Harkin,
Lauren McHugh, Rian Duffy, Matthew McHugh, Rebecca Campbell

MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSES 07-08 - ACCORD -
Email : accordomagh@btopenworld.com : April 4th & 5th - April 25th &26th May 23rd & 24th -
June 13th & 14th. Application Forms from your Priest or apply to 028 82242439 or Mount Saint Columba Pastoral Centre 48 Brook Street, Omagh

MEDJUGORJE - Pilgrim Tours - Group Leader : Hilary Lynch, Accompanied by a Spiritual Director. 17th May 2008 - 7 nights - Half Board £419. Includes full religious programme. For information contact : 81671046

CAISLEAN NA DEIRGE G.A.C.

Last week the club and community of Castlederg were shocked and saddened by the sudden death of club member Paula Gallen - RIP. Sincere sympathy is extended to her husband Pat, and sons Hugh, Conor, Niall and Steafaín and the entire family circle
G.A.A. Lotto: (4, 1, 6) 7, 5, 2, 3 Colm Harper - Aiden Lynch, Orchard Road, Strabane £50 each Next Weeks Jackpot £1,850
Training Continues - Wednesdays 7 pm and Saturday mornings 10 am at St Eugene’s HS for all senior/reserve/minor players
Under 14s: Training commences at St Eugene’s HS - Saturdays at 12.00
Up to date information can be found on www.caisleannadeirgegac.org
Cairde Na Deirge is a major fundraising initiative which the club is embarking on. This will be vital in assisting in the provision of changing facilities to meet the needs of the club and compliment the facilities that are already in place.
Registration and information session for all Under 12s and Primary school children and parents/guardians coming up on Saturday 8th March at 10.30 - 11.00 am in St Patrick’s Hall

ULSTER PROJECT - will take place in July to New Orleans. Anyone born between 1st July 1992 and 31st December 1993 may apply for an application form after Mass. Forms must be returned before Sunday, 2nd March 2008

THE DRUMQUIN PLAYERS - Present “The Passing Stranger” - A comedy in 3 Acts - Written and directed by Pat McDonnell in St Patrick’s Hall, Castlederg - Friday 7th March at 8.30 pm

SPAMOUNT SWIFTS F.C. - MINI LOTTO - JACKPOT STANDS AT £3500
Saturday 16/02/08 5, 9, 14, 23 NO JACKPOT WINNER - £50 winner - Brian Devenney

SPAMOUNT CROSS COMMUNITY HALL - Jiving Lessons continue Thursday nights at 9.00 pm. New members all welcome

BARROWFIELD F.C. LOTTO – JACKPOT £400 - Numbers 5 - 19 - 14 - 23
Winners : Carmel Haughey, Mickey McLaughlin and Gerard Doherty - £10 each

MNÁ NA DEIRGE - Training continues on Tuesdays in St Eugene’s High School at 7.00 pm - 8.30 pm for anyone wishing to play senior football - New players welcome

THE LITTLE THEATRE, ST COLUMB’S HALL
Contact : Box Office – 028 71268027

CASTLEDERG FRIENDS OF MARIE CURIE CANCER CARE - Would like to invite you to their next meeting in the Leisure Centre on Wednesday 27th February at 8.00 pm

SPECIAL DIOCESAN MASS - for those with special needs, and their families and friends, will take place in St Joseph’s Church, Galliagh Derry on Saturday 12th April. Bishop Lagan will celebrate the Mass. If you have a child who wishes to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation or First Communion at this Mass please contact the Catechetical Centre on 71264087

A ONE DAY RETREAT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS - and their friends from Derry and surrounding areas will take place at the Carmelite Centre on Wednesday 5th March. Registration from 10.30 am and finishing around 5.00 pm. Cost £12 or €18 includes a four course lunch. Payment on the day. To book Tel: 71262512

C.B.S. (Omagh)

BOLIVIAN IMMERSION PROJECT

During October last year, two members from our Parish, Luke McMenamin and Joseph McCrory, As students at Omagh CBS., travelled to Bolivia, South America to work along with the Religious Orders in the Bolivian Immersion Project.

Luke gives us a brief account:
South America is a land full of diversity and beauty from its beginning in Mexico to its South Shore of Argentina. Bolivia, our destination, is in the heart of South America. Bolivia, like every country in South America, has its areas of natural beauty as well as eye - opening poverty. One of the worst areas is Cochabamba, where we stayed. The ethos of the Project throughout the Christian Brothers Community is:

‘Being with and not seeing and passing through’ and
‘Come and be rather than come and see’

With this idea firmly in our minds, we began to immerse ourselves in the lives of the Bolivian people. With determination and our Spanish, we did our best to fit into Bolivian Culture. We were ‘average Joes’ of pale complexion exceeding the average height of the locals by six inches - Luke became ‘Lucas’ for the rest of our stay.

One story remains in my mind. One night we travelled with a brother to the south side of the City to give food and comfort to the street children. A good majority of them were younger than us, and they live on whatever they could find and stayed wherever they could find shelter. All the children were addicted to glue. They did this not to be rebellious but to numb the pain of hunger, loneliness and desperation. I met one fifteen year old girl, Teresa. She was a drug addict and sold herself for money to feed herself. She became pregnant; was on her own on the streets and had no support of any kind. The sad fact is that if I went back to Cochabamba in three years time; she probably would be dead and her child would be taking her place on the street.

Amidst all this poverty, there were rays of hope down to the hard work of the Religious Orders there. With the continued support of the Christian Church, hopefully future Immersion Projects will be able to paint a brighter picture.

On behalf of Joseph, myself, the entire project and the children of Bolivia, I would like to thank you, the people of the Parish of Ardstraw West and Castlederg, for your kind donations and all who got involved to help. Gracias.