Sunday 26th July 2009

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus said to Philip: ‘Where can we buy some food for these people to eat?’ In spite of all the riches of our world, countless people die each year of starvation. We can feel totally helpless in the face of this and as a result we ignore it. Generosity is one of the great virtues of our people over the generations and is one that we need to practice in a special way today. But there are other hungers that we can do even more about and Jesus is calling on us to attend to these also. One of the greatest human hungers is for love and affection. This may be in our own close relationships of marriage and family life. There is also the hunger in so many people in our community today for someone to look out for them. That is a must if we are to be a true community of faith in the parish.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Sunday 26th July 2009

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading Kings 4: 42-44
The prophet Elisha feeds the people.

Second Reading Ephesians 4: 1-6
We are one Body in the one Lord.

Gospel John 6: 1-15
Jesus feeds the people with the loaves and fishes.

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

Today’s Gospel presents Jesus as

The Bread of Life,

in the well known miracle of

the five loaves and two fish.

WEEKDAY MASSES

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.

THANK YOU for your generosity in last week’s collection:
Dregish £265, Drumnabey £295.

15TH ANNUAL PARISH GOLF CLASSIC this Friday, 31st July, at Newtownstewart Golf Club. Timesheet in operation. Teams of four, any combination. £100 per team, which includes energy bag and drinks. To book, contact the Golf Shop on 816 61466 (Ext 3) or 816 62242. All sponsorship and contributions towards the prizes will be greatly appreciated and will be publicly acknowledged on the day at the Golf Club. For anyone who sponsors a hole at £100, there is a 25% discount for your team of four.

YOUTH 2000 SUMMER FESTIVAL IN CLONMACNOIS Youth 2000 is hosting a Summer Festival in Clonmacnois, Co Offaly, from 13th – 16th August. This four day annual event is for 16 – 35 year olds and over a thousand young people are expected to attended. The festival will be packed with music, inspiring talks, workshops, concert, drama, celebration of the Eucharist, Adoration and a Reconciliation and Healing Service. The weekend is donation only, with food and basic accommodation provided. Nine free buses running from around the country. For further details, go to www.youth2000.ie or telephone Ronan Quinn on 077897 10299.

ACCORD MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSES 2009/10 in the Pastoral Centre, Brookmount Road, Omagh, on the following dates:
2009: 16 & 17 October, 13 & 14 November, 4 & 5 December
2010: 15 & 16 January, 5 & 6 February, 5 & 6 March, 16 & 17 April, 14 & 15 May, 11 & 12 June. Application Forms available from Fr O’Doherty or phone the Pastoral Centre on 8224 2439. Email: accordomagh@btopenworld.com Early booking advisable.

DREGISH GFC Lotto: Numbers last week: 6, 5, 7, 2, 4, 3. 1. £50 shared between M O’Reilly, S Taggart, P O’Kane, M McCawille. Jackpot £1,250.

SPAMOUNT SWIFTS Lotto: Numbers last week: . No winners. Jackpot £3,500.

Today is the Feast Day of St Joachim and St Anne, parents of Mary and the grandparents of Jesus. The National Grandparents Pilgrimage Trust (NGPI) is a relatively new group whose aims are to support grandparents in their vocation as evangelisers within the family, to support them in their mission to pass on their faith to their grandchildren and to honour St Joachim and St Anne. The NGPI has asked that the special Grandparents’ Prayer (below), written by Pope Benedict XVI be promoted within parishes. The prayer is on the Notice Board at the back of our churches. Please take time to read it, at your convenience.

It is the NGPI that is organising the National Grandparents’ Pilgrimage to Knock on Sunday 13th September, Details of the Knock Pilgrimage are on a poster at the back of our churches.

Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us.

PRAYER FOR GRANDPARENTS

Lord Jesus, you were born of the Virgin Mary,
the daughter of Saints Joachim and Anne.
Look with love on grandparents the world over.
Protect them! They are a source of enrichment
for families, for the Church and for all of society.
Support them! As they grow older,
may they continue to be for their families
strong pillars of Gospel faith,
guardian of noble domestic ideals,
living treasuries of sound religious traditions.
Make them teachers of wisdom and courage,
that they may pass on to future generations the fruits
of their mature human and spiritual experience.

Lord Jesus, help families and society
to value the presence and roles of grandparents.
May they never be ignored or excluded,
but always encounter respect and love.
Help them to live serenely and to feel welcomed
in all the years of life which you give them.
Mary, Mother of all the living,
keep grandparents constantly in your care,
accompany them on their earthly pilgrimage,
and by your prayers, grant that all families
may one day be reunited in our heavenly homeland,
where you await all humanity
for the great embrace of life without end. Amen!

This Universal Prayer For Grandparents was composed by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in 2008

YEAR FOR PRIESTS

Pope Benedict XVI has established a special Year for Priests, from June 2009 to June 2010, to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the death of St John Vianney, the Curé of Ars. St John Vianney is the Patron Saint of priests, and the Holy Father has asked that all priests, this year, renew themselves in their commitment to bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world, through their personal lifestyle and commitment to their priestly vows. We ask all parishioners to pray every day for all priests, especially the priests of our own parish and diocese.

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.