Sunday 22nd February 2009

7th Sunday of the Year

Lord,
take my small offering of self-denial this Lent,
as a sign of my great longing for you.
I hunger for your presence in my life,
and I thirst for your love.
I hunger for justice for those who are wronged and oppressed,
and I thirst for your peace.
I hunger for a glimpse of your glory,
and I thirst for your stillness in my heart.
God of giving, God of longing, God of pain,
I hunger for you. - (A.A.)

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

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

Sunday Masses:
St Mary’s, Dregish 10.00am, St Francis of Assisi, Drumnabey 11.30am

Sunday 22nd February 2009
7th Sunday Ordinary Time
Called to Forgive

Wednesday of this week (25th) is Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. Ashes will be distributed at our Masses.

In his Pastoral Letter for Lent, Pope Benedict says, “May every family and Christian community use well this time of Lent, in order to cast aside all that distracts the spirit and grow in whatever nourishes the soul, moving it to love of God and neighbour. I am thinking especially of a greater commitment to prayer, recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and active participation in the Eucharist, especially the Holy Sunday Mass. With this interior disposition, let us enter the penitential spirit of Lent. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, ‘Causa nostrae laetitiae’ (cause of our joy) accompany and support us in the effort to free our heart from slavery to sin, making it evermore a ‘living tabernacle of God’.”

The theme for the Trocaire Lenten Campaign this year is Forced to Flee from Conflict. Trocaire boxes will be delivered to your homes during the coming week.

WE WELCOME Bishop Hegarty to our parish today to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation, in St Patrick’s Church, Castlederg. We congratulate the boys and girls who are taking this Sacrament today and we pray that they will be guided by the Holy Spirit throughout their lives.

Sincere thanks to the donor of £50 this week towards the cost of the new window in St Francis of Assisi.

WEEKDAY MASSES

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

EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT resumes this Thursday evening (26th) in St Francis of Assisi, from 6.30pm to 7.20pm. I encourage as many as possible to come along to the church during this period, to spend some time of prayer and reflection in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

HOLY COMMUNION in Dregish and Drumnabey will be distributed under both species at every Sunday Mass from now onwards, commencing next Sunday. Up until now, for pastoral reasons, Communion under the species of Bread alone has been legitimately established as the most common form of Communion under the Latin rite. However, the sign of Communion is more complete when given under both species, since, in that form, the Eucharistic meal appears more clearly. In next Sunday’s homily I will talk on the Eucharist as the source and summit of our faith.

His Eminence Keith Cardinal O’Brien, Cardinal and Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St Andrew’s and Edinburgh, will be Principal Celebrant at Mass in St Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry, on Tuesday morning (24th), at 10.00am. Everyone welcome. He will also be present for the Pope John Paul II Awards Ceremony tomorrow night. Congratulatins to the young people from Dregish and Drumnabey who will be recipients of the Award.

STATION MASSES

Anyone who wishes to host a Station Mass in their home during Lent, please contact Fr O’Doherty.

A MEETING OF OUR PARISH COUNCIL took place on Monday night last. The proposed projects in our parish for this year are: Castlederg – renovation of the church car park and lighting for the graveyard; Drumnabey – install an inside toilet at St Francis of Assisi; Dregish – erect a handrail on the pathway leading to the new graveyard / carpark. A further meeting will take place on Monday 30th March, after which I will update you on developments.

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS Day of Prayer and Reflection will be held in the Thornhill Centre, Derry, on Saturday 7th March, commencing at 11.00am and finishing at 4.00pm. Lunch will be provided. Please confirm attendance.

DREGISH GFC Lotto: Numbers last week: 4, 2, 7, 6, 5, 3, 1. £50 went to Brigid Gallagher. Jackpot £750. 25 CARD PLAY tomorrow night at 8.30pm.

SPAMOUNT SWIFTS LOTTO Numbers last week: 11, 16, 23, 25. No winners. Jackpot £3,500.

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.