Second Sunday of Advent - Year A

9th December 2007

Reflection

On the Second Sunday of Advent we hear the voice of the great Advent figure John the Baptist crying in the wilderness “Prepare the way of the Lord”. The call of John the Baptist to repentance is an urgent invitation for all of us to prepare a way for the Lord to come into our hearts. And when we come right down to it, that is what Advent is all about. Prepare to celebrate Christmas means renewing our lives by acknowledging our need for Christ who is constantly calling us to higher things. Each Advent is an opportunity for us to come closer to Christ and to deepen our relationship with him through prayer and repentance. His power is at work in our lives when we make peace with the family member we have rejected, the relations we don’t speak to, the neighbour we have fallen out with. Breaking down barriers will open the way for Christ to come to us and be born in our hearts at Christmas.


Masses during the coming week
Monday to Friday 10.00 am each day

Weekend Masses:
Vigil Mass Saturday evening 8.00 pm
Sunday morning 9.00 am & 11.00

Confession Times: Saturday Evening after Vigil Mass

Mass Intentions for this week:
Monday 10.00am - Anv. Mass Margaret Malone (nee McCay) and daughter Julie
Thursday 10.00am - Anv. Mass Charlie and Margaret Baxter
Friday 10.00am - Anv. Mass Kathleen Dolan
Saturday 8.00pm - Anv. Mass Eddie Connolly

Penitential Service.
On Tuesday 18th December there will be a Penitential Service at 8.00pm here in the church for adults and children wishing to get to Confessions for Christmas. There will be a visiting priest with us to give you a choice of Confessor.

This Week’s Calendar
Monday 10 Advent Weekday.

Tuesday 11 Advent Weekday. St Damasus I, Pope. He insisted in the apostolic foundations of the Holy See and commissioned St Jerome to translate the Greek Bible into Latin.

Wednesday 12 Advent Weekday. St Finnian, bishop. Also Our Lady of Guadeloupe.

Thursday 13 St Lucy, virgin and martyr. She suffered much for her desire to be consecrated to Christ alone and was martyred in Sicily in 304. Her intercession is often sought for eye trouble.

Friday 14 St John of the Cross. A Carmelite who, despite opposition and imprisonment, worked for spreading reform of the Carmelites. He was a man of prayer, an outstanding poet, and a spiritual writer declared doctor of the Church.

Saturday 15 Advent Weekday.

The Parish Bazaar.
A special word of thanks to all who did such great work on Sunday night to make the Parish Bazaar such a huge success. I would like to thank sincerely you the people of the parish who contributed so generously as Sponsors, to the parish collection and those collectors who collected for the bazaar throughout the parish, those who attended on the night in such large numbers. Without your support and backing then the Bazaar would never be the great parish event that it has become. Thanks also to the GAA Centre for the use of the hall and those who helped prepare the hall for the night. There are still some donations coming in, when we get the final total it will be published in the newsletter.

Aghyaran Community Playgroup
Application forms are now available from the playgroup to enrol children in their pre-school year (children born between 2nd July 2004 and 1st July 2005) Forms can be collected between 9.30am and 12 noon until Wednesday 19th December.

Castlederg Ulster Project have organised a cross community Carol Service taking place in St. Patrick's Church, Castlederg on Sunday 16th December at 3pm.Everyone welcome. The church choir should contact Susan Young at 81679657 (after 6pm)

Garvagh Hall Youth Club.
Disco for Primary School Children in Garvagh Hall on Friday 14th December. From 7 - 9 pm. Price £1.50 per child. Remember you do not have to be a youth club member to attend the Disco. A very special man dressed in red will be present.The supervisors at Garvagh thank all the children for their support during the year and wish everyone a Happy Christmas & Peaceful New Year. A special word of thanks to all parents and children who helped raise £50 for Children in Need

Legion of Mary
The weekly meeting of the Legion of Mary takes place in the parish hall every Thursday at 8pm.

Questions people ask
Q. I feel Advent should be a holy season but I always lose the run of myself under the expansion of the commercial and partying side of Christmas. Any helpful advice?
A. Yes, it’s a pity that Advent has been gobbled up by Christmas because the spirituality of Advent is very important. The readings of Advent help us to find Christ in our experience of a spiritual winter, in having to wait on God, or in any terrifying wilderness we have to endure. Maybe less television will give you more time for spiritual reading.

The Moss Family, Lisnacloon Road, present their Christmas Wonderland each evening from 7pm to 10pm. finishing on Friday 4th January Visit Santa - Book now to avoid disappointment Tel. 028 816 71889. £3 including gift. Santa available out of hours for groups by prior arrangement. Voluntary Donations in aid of Castlederg Patient Comfort & Terminally Ill Fund, C.R.Y. , Koram Centre, Strabane.

Naomh Dabhog Achadh Ui Arain
AGM
The AGM takes place this Sunday 9th December at 2pm. Nomination forms are available in the Centre.

Lotto
Last week’s lotto numbers were: 1, 2, 12, 14 & 31. No winner of £10,000 jackpot. £100 consolation prize winner: Daniel McGlinchey, Ballymongan Rd.

Cards
25 Card play every Thursday at 9pm everyone welcome. Seniors Citizens Party Seniors Citizens Party will take place this Sunday 9th December music by Country Legends from 5pm.

Children’s Christmas Party
Children’s Christmas Party on Sunday 16th December.

Votes of Sympathy
At the December monthly meeting votes of sympathy were passed to the following families on their recent bereavements: Lunney (Castlederg), Lunney (Seegronan), Corry (Castlederg), McHugh (Scraghey), Breslin (Carnoughter), Gallagher (Omagh), Goan (Castlederg)

Strabane District Council invite you to their Community Carol Service to be held at 7.30pm on Thursday 13th December in Christchurch, the Bowling Green, Strabane. Refreshments will be served afterwards in the hall. All are welcome.

THE PARISH BINGO
The bingo continues in the Parish Hall @ 9.00 pm on Friday evening.

Castlederg Childcare Services (Lurganbuoy Road) are hosting a Christmas Bonanza on Saturday 15th December from 2pm-4pm. Lots of activities for all the family with Santa arriving at 3pm. Admission is free and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Marriage Preparation Courses.

2007

October 26th & 27th.
November 23rd & 24th.
December 8th & 9th Courses

2008

January 25th & 26th,
February 22nd & 23rd,
April 4th , 5th, and April 25th & 26th,
May 23rd & 24th,
June 13th &14th.
Numbers on courses are limited. The fee of £80 per couple must be included with completed application form and forwarded to the Accord office