Sunday, 15th February 2009

6th Sunday of the Year

First Reading Leviticus 13: 1-2.44-46
The leper must live apart: he must live outside the camp.

Second Reading 1 Corinthians 10: 31-11:1
Whatever you do at all, do it for the glory of God.

Gospel Mark 1: 40-45
A leper is healed through the compassion of Jesus.

 

 

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

Confession Times:
Saturday Evening after Vigil Mass

Masses during the coming week
Monday & Tuesday 10.00 am
Thursday & Friday 10.00am

Mass Intentions for this week:

Monday 10.00am - Anv. Mass - Johnny Logue

Tuesday 10.00am - Anv. Mass - John McHugh

Thursday 10.00am - Eileen McCalmont

Friday 10.00am - Anv. Mass - Josie Connolly

Saturday 8.00 pm - Anv. Mass - Paddy Byrne

This Week’s Calendar

Monday 2 - 6th Week in Ordinary Time
Tuesday 3 - 6th Week in Ordinary Time.
Wednesday 4 - 6th Week in Ordinary Time
Thursday 5 - 6th eek in Ordinary Time
Friday 6 - 6th Week in Ordinary Time
Saturday 7 - 6th Week in Ordinary Time.

 

Each day in the Derry Diocese we are asked to pray for our priests named on that particular day.

THIS WEEK WE PRAY FOR:

Fr. John Farren
Fr. Neil Farren
Fr. Paul Farren
Fr. Christopher Ferguson
Fr. John P. Forbes
Fr. Edward Gallagher
Fr. John Gallagher

Derry Youth Retreat

Iona Retreat Centre, Termonbacca (20th - 22nd February 2009) Invitation is extended to those in 16* - 35 age range, Inspiring talks, music, workshops and prayer. Contact Natasha 07791420037 (NI) Aisling 0872282376 (ROI), or visit www.youth2000.ie (parental consent essential for all under 18) Booking essential.

A one day retreat for Senior Citizens and their friends from Derry and surrounding areas will take place at the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca, Derry on Thursday 26th February Registration from 10.30 a.m. finishing around 5.00 p.m. Cost £15stg or 18euro includes a four course lunch. Payment at the Centre on the day. To book Tel: Termonbacca Derry 71262512 during office hours only

 

Visit of His Eminence Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien

His Eminence Cardinal O’Brien, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh will be making an official visit to the Diocese on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th of February 2009. On Monday 23rd he will be presenting the Pope John Paul II awards.

He will be Principal Celebrant at Mass in St. Eugene’s Cathedral Derry on Tuesday 24th February at 10.00am, to which you are all welcome. Cardinal O’Brien will be available after Mass to meet and greet those who come along

Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers)

On behalf on the White Fathers, Fr. Ian Buckmaster who has worked as a missionary in Sudan and Tanzania will be giving a talk at all Masses next weekend.(21st/22nd February) A voluntary collection will be taken up after Holy Communion.

Questions people ask

Q. Why did Jesus tell the man he had cured to tell nobody about it? Surely we are called to give public witness to the works of God.

A. This is usually called 'the messianic secret’. Jesus was well aware that many people at that time expected the Messiah to be a political power inspiring the nation to freedom from Roman domination, but this was not his mission. Secondly, too much excitement about miracles would generate mass hysteria and a celebrity cult which would obscure the teaching he wished to impart: especially his mission to die on our behalf and his message to take up our crosses and follow him.

The Deep End

Compassion Through Anger

There are two possible images of Jesus in today’s Gospel reading (Mark 1:40-45). The obvious one is the compassionate Jesus who pities a leper (v. 41) and cures him. But then, why the ‘stern warning’ (v. 43)? It’s not a warning to keep quiet, because that order comes after the stern warning. There’s no information on what Jesus warns him about. Hence, the excuse to speculate.

The NRSV Catholic Edition has a footnote to v. 41 stating that Ôother ancient authorities read anger’. That’s anger instead of pity. This makes more sense in terms of the ‘stern warning’. The NRSV also notes that the terms leper and leprosy can refer to several diseases. Could the leper’s disease be caused by a particular lifestyle? Jesus recognising this perhaps is angry with him. Yet, he cures him. Curing a leper who through no fault of his own contracts the disease warrants compassion. But Jesus’ compassion could be even greater than that because he shows compassion to someone who possibly contracted a disease through his own fault. This is an even greater challenge for us today for it clearly shows that anger and compassion are not mutually exclusive. And that giving a stern warning about risky lifestyles is not out of order.

Could those who fashioned the final form of the Gospel of Mark have opted for the softer Jesus? If they did what criteria did they use for their preference? And if they did, were they correct? Could they have had difficulty with compassion flowing through anger? It’s an issue we too may have to face.

Parish Bingo

The parish bingo continues as usual on Friday night at 9.00pm in the parish hall.

Legion of Mary

Usual weekly meeting in the parish hall on Thursday at 8pm.

Fatima Pilgrimage

A Pilgrimage to Fatima with Meehan Travel, Agency (Ballybofey & Donegal Town) will take place for 7 nights from 4th-11th June 2009. Cost £699. For details contact 074 9132345.

Lough Derg

Day of Welcome & Reflection For All will be held in St. Patrick’s Purgatory on Ash Wednesday (25th February) with guest speaker Rev. Dr. Ken Newell, Bishop Joseph Duffy, Monsignor Mohan and other clergy will be in attendance. The day begins at 11.30am (Boats from 10.30am) Lunch will be served. (Departure from 1.30pm) To register call 071 98 61518(N.I.02868632391)email, manager@loughderg.org.RSVP by Friday 20th February.

ENGAGED? Getting married within the next year?
An Engaged Encounter Weekend is a recognised form of marriage preparation. It is a communication enrichment workshop designed for couples preparing for marriage. The weekend is non-residential and will take place in the Thornhill Centre, Derry on 21st-22nd February. Early booking is advised. For information contact 02879300340 or 02827638512. (after 4.30 pm)

Workshop on Marriage:

Renew Your Wedding Vows: Marriage Encounter is a weekend away (Friday 8pm to Sunday 5pm) for married couples of all ages with a stable relationship. Couples explore, in complete privacy, how to come to a deeper mutual understanding of each other. The dates for the next Marriage Encounter weekends are 27th-29th March, Dromantine Conference Centre, Newry 626503 Emailengagedencounter@marriageencounter.ie Website www.marriageencounter.ielink to Engaged Encounter

Open Night at North West Regional College

Leaving school this year? North West Regional College invites you to attend its Open Night on Thursday 26th February 5.30pm-8.30pm, running at its 3 main campuses in Strand Road Derry, Main Street Limavady and Derry Road Strabane. Guidance, information and talks from college staff will be available for its Full-Time courses commencing in September. To register please provide your name, address, subject interest and choice of college to email opennight@nwrc.ac.uk - text NWOPEN to 86122 or Telephone. 028 7127 6022.

 

Church Door & Car Park Attendants February 2009

Sat. Night Charlie Dolan, Danny O’Donnell & Eamon Moss
Sunday 9.00 am Alie McSorley & John McGlynn
Sunday 11.00 am Patsy Connolly, Charlie McGuire & Kevin Mackey

Church Readers for the month of February 2009

Vigil Mass 8.00 pm Saturday Eugene McMenamin
Sunday 9.00 am Martina Dolan
Sunday 11.00 am Michelle Slevin If you are unable to attend do try and get another reader to cover for you.

Altar Society for February 2009

Kathleen Dolan, Marian McGrath