Sunday, 13th September 2009

24th Sunday of the Year

The Triumph of the Cross.

Jesus said, "If you want to be a follower of mine, renounce yourself, take up your cross, and follow me." In this one sentence from Jesus there are two things that most of us don't want to do. Our world teaches us to 'be yourself'. Jesus teaches us to renounce yourself. This doesn't mean to put yourself down but to let go of your own self-importance and find your true self in being loved and in loving. And then he tells us to take up our cross. Immediately we think of suffering. Many of us have suffering in our lives and certainly this can be our cross. But more importantly the cross we need to take up is that of the consequences of putting others first in love. It is the cross of moving out of our own small world of self-preoccupation and living for others in our family and our community.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Sunday 13th September 2009.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading Isaiah 50: 5-9
The Servant of God faces suffering and persecution.

Second Reading James 2: 14-18
If good works do not go with faith, it is quite dead.

Gospel Mark 8: 27-35
Jesus, the Son of Man, was to endure rejection, suffering and death.

REV PATRICK DOHERTY
Tel 028 816 71393
patrick.doherty@derrydiocese.org

REV COLM O’DOHERTY
Tel 028 816 61475
07786115471 (emergencies only)
c.odoherty@btinternet.com

NEIGHBOURING PRIESTS:
Fr K Mullan 82 831225 Fr J Gilmore 816 70728

Parish website: www.castledergparish.com
Derry Diocesan website: www.derrydiocese.org
Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre: www.catecheticalcentre.org
Irish Bishops’ Conference: www.catholicbishops.ie

Living the Sunday Liturgy

PRAYER FOCUS

May we serve you with all our hearts.
How can you serve God in others this coming week?

For Married Couples: Share with each other your hopes and dreams for your marriage.

For Others: Pray for someone whom you know to be suffering at this time.
Visit him/her if possible this week

W E E K D A Y M A S S E S

Dregish: Wednesday: 10.00am, Friday 10.00am

Drumnabey: Monday: 10.00am, Thursday 7.30pm

I encourage as many people as possible to attend our Weekday Masses.

St Francis of Assisi PS, Drumnabey: Opening of School Year Mass this Wednesday morning, 16th, in the school, at 11.15am. All are welcome.

Sunday 13th September 2009

Twenty-Fourth Sunday Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel, Jesus encourages his disciples to understand him as “the Christ,” whose way to life was through suffering and death. He told them that, if anyone wanted to be a follower of his, “let him renounce himself, take up his cross and follow me.”

To follow the way of Jesus in our daily lives is not always the easy option. To do so requires strength, courage and determination. To stay close to Jesus, we need prayer and we need to be open to making Him part of our lives and the decisions that we make.

CHOIR – ST MARY’S DREGISH

We are delighted to welcome the choir back today, after their summer break.

THANK YOU for your generosity in last week’s collection:
Dregish £360, Drumnabey £350.

ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI PRIMARY SCHOOL,

DRUMNABEY

Bishop Hegarty will visit the school on Thursday 8th October, at 12.00 noon, to conduct a service, officially re-naming and dedicating the school to the patronage of St Francis of Assisi. Further details in the coming weeks.

ST MARY’S DREGISH

During the week we had ‘touch-up’ painting work done to the interior and exterior of the church. We are grateful to Eugene McLaughlin and his team for the great job that they did.

2009 NATIONAL GRANDPARENTS’ PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK SHRINE today. We pray today, through the intercession of St Joachim and St Anne, parents of Mary our Mother, for those who are participating in the pilgrimage and for all grandparents. We pray in thanksgiving for generations of grandparents who have handed on the Catholic faith in families and in parish communities.

THORNHILL CENTRE, DERRY: Courses, aimed at people interested in developing their faith a little more, will start in the Thornhill Centre in October and November, covering Pastoral Ministry, Foundations in Liturgy, Scripture, Aspects of Faith. For further information, telephone 7135 1233.

IHCPT (THE IRISH PILGRIMAGE TRUST) – Young People’s Pilgrimage to Lourdes, Easter 2010: the Irish Pilgrimage Trust welcomes applications from young people, aged 11 – 18, with a physical or learning disability or suffering caused by illness / trauma / bereavement. The organisation also accepts applications from family Groups for very seriously ill children under the age of 9. the IHCPT covers the cost of the young people selected to travel. Contact Damian on 07968 312770 or 0035391 796622 for further information or for an application form. Closing date for applications is 31 October 2009. Check website www.irishpilgrimage.com

DERRY DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES next year, 2010, from 16 – 21 July. Cost £629, can be paid in instalments. Application forms available at the Parochial House or from the Pilgrimage Office in Derry, Tel 7126 0293. Application forms for those in need of care or for those aged 80+ available only from the Pilgrimage Office.

BODYFIT CLASSES in St Patrick’s Hall, Castlederg, starting this Thursday, 17th September, at 7pm sharp. Suitable for male and female, beginners, intermediate or advanced. Everyone welcome.

DREGISH GFC Lotto: Numbers last week: 3, 4, 2, 1, 7, 5, 6. £50 shared between Paula McAleer and Jo Sweeney. Jackpot £1,450.

PLEASE NOTE: Notices for the parish bulletin are welcome; however, they need to be with Fr O’Doherty by Thursday afternoon at the latest, for inclusion.