Sunday 19th October, 2008

Give to God what belongs to God.

Jesus said: "Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar - and to God what belongs to God." One of the biggest mistakes we make as human beings is to think that what we have belongs to us! The more wonderful truth is that all we have is a gift from God who loves us and who wants us to live in the freedom of that love. The best way of human living is to treasure everything in life rather than try to possess it; to count our blessings rather than moan about what we don't have. And the greatest treasure of all is each other. The quality of our love for one another in marriage and family life is a measure and major part of our worship of God. That love needs to be such that it will radiate out and include those with whom we worship at the Eucharist and so we build a parish to the glory of God.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Hope and Love

The Gospel is a life changing communication that gives hope. Without Christ, humanity is without hope because it is without God. God is the great hope that sustains the whole of life. Paul experienced and understood that redemption and mission are the work of God and his love. The love of God for us prods us to missionary activity. Evangelisers must drink from the original source, which is Jesus Christ. It is from his pierced heart that the love of God flows. Only from this source can care, tenderness, compassion, hospitality, availability and interest in people’s problems be drawn.

(Pope Benedict XVI for Mission Sunday 2008)

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mission Sunday – Go and Tell

First Reading Isaiah 45: 1, 4-6
Knowledge of the one true God is for all nations.

Second Reading Thessalonians 1: 1-5
God loves us and has chosen us, and wishes us to share this Good News with others.

Gospel Matthew 28: 16-20
All Christians are commanded to go and tell the Good News.

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 Fr E Graham 816 61445

Sunday 19th October 2008

29th Sunday Ordinary Time

Mission Sunday - Go and Tell

Mission Sunday is an important day in the Church year. It reminds us of our responsibility to keep the faith alive. Our faith is strengthened when we share it with others. All of us, by virtue of our Baptism, are called to be missionaries in our everyday lives - in our homes, our families, our schools, places or work and in our parish community. Mission Sunday is about a very special mission to which each of us is called. It is about reaching beyond our home boundaries to those in foreign lands who have not yet heard the Good News. We are asked today to bear witness in two ways - prayer and financial support. We pray especially for our Irish missionaries who dedicate their lives to missionary work in third world countries.

There is a second collection at all Masses today, the Propagation of the Faith, annual collection. There is an envelope for it. This collection is managed by the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith, and all donations go towards the spread of the Gospel in third world countries. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated.

WEEKDAY MASSES
St Francis of Assisi, Drumnabey: Monday 10.00am, Thursday 7.30pm
St Mary’s, Dregish: Wednesday 10.00am, Friday 10.00am

THANK YOU for last week’s collection: Dregish £310, Drumnabey £380.

WEEKLY EXPOSITION of the Blessed Sacrament every Thursday in St Francis of Assisi, from 6.30 to 7.20pm. The prayer intention for October is Prayer for the Missions. I ask you to ensure that people are present at all times when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the church.

STATION MASS will be held in the home of James and Therese McCrossan this Friday night, 24th, for the Glassmullagh area. The Station Mass will start at 7.30pm. Confessions will be heard beforehand.

FORTY HOURS ADORATION will take place in St Mary’s, Dregish, next Sunday, 26th October, commencing after 10.00am Mass and finishing with a Holy Hour and Benediction from 7.00 to 8.00pm. The Forty Hours is an opportunity for all of us to spend some time of prayer and reflection in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. To ensure that the Blessed Sacrament is attended at all times during Exposition, a sheet will be placed at the back of the church for you to assign yourself a time for adoration.

In preparation for the Forty Hours, we will have a ‘spring clean’ of the church this Saturday, 25th October, at 4.00pm. I would ask that as many people as possible come along on Saturday to help. Cleaning materials will be provided.

ST JOSEPH’S PRAYER GROUP, OMAGH: If you would like to spend one hour in Community, Friendship and Prayer, then come along to the Christian Brothers Oratory, Kevlin Road, Omagh, on Wednesday evenings, at 8.10pm: Rosary with Meditations, Sunday Gospel of the coming week, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Intercessory Prayers and Intentions, Music and Hymns.

Peter Lennon RIP
We offer the sympathy of the parish community to Jude, Adrian, Eleanor, Peter and Brendan, and to the Lennon family circle, on the death of Peter this week. May he rest in peace.

CHILD PROTECTION INFORMATION EVENING: PLEASE NOTE – The Information Evening scheduled for this Thursday evening (23rd October), in Castlederg, has had to be postponed. It will take place in a few weeks’ time, date still to be set.

DUBLIN MARATHON Louise Quinn, Niall Gallen and Gloria Donaghey are running the Dublin Marathon for Breast Cancer Research. They ask for our support. Online donations can be made via www.justgiving.com/paulasrun,
Pat O’Loughlin is running the Dublin Marathon for Multiple Sclerosis Research at Walton Research Unit, Liverpool. Pat also asks for our support.

DREGISH GFC Lotto: Numbers last week: 1, 5, 2, 6, 3, 7, 4. £50 went to Ching. Jackpot £300.

25 CARD PLAY in the clubrooms every Monday night, commencing at 8.30pm sharp! Everyone welcome.

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.