20th Sunday in Ordinary Time-Year C

19th August 2007

THE LOVE OF THREE

Little boy at a baptism asks the priest: O'What is God for? A good question that niggles and remains after the uneasy laughter subsides. What are we at? What is God at? What is God actually for? Militant atheists will always in the end insist that the worshipful like you who are reading this or listening to this, are at best deluded and at worst passive vessels into which frothing fanatics may pour their deadly fuel any time. But faith and belief are wider and wilder than that.

Each person needs to ask for themselves; O'what is God for me today?’ More than a name or title? Do I relate to God? Or am I the kind of person who passionately asks others to pray for this or that, but doesn’t connect in prayer myself?

Trinity Sunday reminds us that we are only glimpsing part of a larger picture. The ‘spirit of truth’ [Gospel] will lead us to the complete truth. We know instinctively that we are made for community. We exist because our birth parents came together and loved us into existence. No infant survives without touching and feeding. No adult lives humanely without human friendship. In all our grafting and acquiring, we ultimately build not for ourselves, but for each other. So, if the love of two human beings created us. The love of the divine three-Father, Son and Spirit will bring us ultimately home. Celebrate that love today.

Mass Intentions for this week:
Monday 10.00 am - Anv. Mass Mickey & Maggie McLaughlin
Wednesday 10.00 am - Anv. Mass Bridget Harvey
Friday 10.00 am - Anv. Mass Paddy Joe, Barney & Margaret Logue
Friday 8.00 pm - Anv. Mass John & Edward McHugh
Saturday 8.00 pm - Anv. Mass Susan Kate Harpur

Derry Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 16-21 July 2007. For an application for and details please contact the Pilgrimage Office on 7126 0293.

First Communion.
Sunday June 3rd we welcome the Primary 4 children from the parish schools who will make their First Holy Communion at the 11.00 am Mass. It is a very special day in the Spiritual Life of these children as they continue their journey in the church.

This Week’s Calendar
Monday 4 : St Charles Lwanga and Companions. These were part of a group of Christians who suffered martyrdom for the faith in Uganda more than 100 years ago.
Tuesday 5 : St Boniface : An English missionary who ministered in Germany where he is venerated as a patron saint.
Wednesday 6 : St Jarlath. He founded a monastery in Tuam, Co Galway and is patron of the diocese of Tuam.
Thursday 7 : St Colman of Dromore. He seems to have spent most of his life in the area of Dromore, Co Down, where he was invited to settle in 514 AD by St MacNissi.
Friday 8 : 9th Week in Ordinary Time.
Saturday 9 : St Columba (Columcille), one of the three major patrons of Ireland. He founded monasteries in Derry, Durrow and Kells, before leaving for Iona, where he spent 34 years.

St. Davog’s G.A.A Centre Seniors & Reserves Sunday 3rd June
Div 1A Errigal Ciaran v Aghyaran. Reserve 1.30pm & Senior 3pm. Saturday 9th June: Senior Reserve Knockout - Moy v Aghyaran Sunday 10th June: Div 1A Aghyaran v An Charraig Mh—r U-18 Girls Tuesday 5th June: Aghyaran v Coalisland @7.30pm Minor girls had a good victory away to Edendork last Saturday on score of 3-2 to 4-6. U-12s Monday 4th June: U-12 FL Aghyaran v Glenelly @7pm.Ê Players to be at the pitch at 6.30pm. Monday 11th June: U-12 FL Aghyaran v Gortin @7pm. U-12, U-10 & U-8 Training Coaching for U-12, U-10s and U-8s continues every Monday and Wednesday from 6.30pm to 8pm. U-8 Blitz There is an U-8 Blitz on Saturday 9th June. More details at training.

Silver Jubilee to the Priesthood.
A Mass to celebrate the Silver Jubilee Anniversary of Father Patsy Arkinson’s Ordination to the Priesthood will take place in St. Mary’s Sessiaghoneill, Ballybofey on Wednesday 6th June at 8.00 pm. And afterwards a Dance and Light Supper will be hosted in Jackson’s Hotel, Ballybofey. Everyone is welcome

Another Angle - The love of three
Little boy at a baptism asks the priest: O'what is God for?’ A good question that niggles and remains after the uneasy laughter subsides. What are we at? What is God at? What is God actually for? Militant atheists will always in the end insist that the worshipful like you who are reading this or listening to this, are at best deluded and at worst passive vessels into which frothing fanatics may pour their deadly fuel any time. But faith and belief are wider and wilder than that.

Each person needs to ask for themselves; O'what is God for me today?’ More than a name or title? Do I relate to God? Or am I the kind of person who passionately asks others to pray for this or that, but doesn’t connect in prayer myself?

Trinity Sunday reminds us that we are only glimpsing part of a larger picture. The ‘spirit of truth’ [Gospel] will lead us to the complete truth. We know instinctively that we are made for community. We exist because our birth parents came together and loved us into existence. No infant survives without touching and feeding. No adult lives humanely without human friendship. In all our grafting and acquiring, we ultimately build not for ourselves, but for each other. So, if the love of two human beings created us. The love of the divine three-Father, Son and Spirit will bring us ultimately home. Celebrate that love today.

Weddings in Aghyaran.
We pray for and congratulate Paul McGlinchey and Catherine Gallagher who were married in St. Patrick’s Church recently. We wish them many happy days and Gods’ blessing on their marriage as they all begin a new life as Mr. & Mrs.

Questions people ask
Q. I find it hard to think of the Blessed Trinity. Have you any helpful suggestions?
A. We have a cluster of small words, prepositions, which indicate the positions or relationships between people or objects, e.g., to, from, by, with, under, over, through, etc. The Trinity is about a God of relationships. At Mass we go though Jesus, with him and in him, to give glory to the Father, in the unifying love of the Holy Spirit. An ancient prayer says: Glory be to the Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit. Pay attention to these little prepositions which express aspects of our relationship with God. Allow yourself to be caught up in the movements of heaven.

Website of the Week www.loughderg.org A place of pilgrimage near Pettigo in Co Donegal for more than 1000 years

Prayer for Those Who Suffer
For those who suffer,
and those who cry this night,
give them repose,
Lord; a pause in their burdens.

Let there be minutes where they experience peace,
not of man but of angels.
Love them, Lord, when others cannot.
Hold them, Lord, when we fail with human arms.
Hear their prayers and give them the ability to hear
You back in whatever language they best understand.

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