16th Sunday in Ordinary Time-Year C

22nd July 2007

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 am

Confession Times: Saturday Evening after Vigil Mass

Mass Intentions for this week:
Friday 10.00am - Anv. Mass Mary Mc Elhill
Saturday 8.00pm - Anv. Mass Brian Penrose

Parish Website www.parishofaghyaran.com - Let your overseas friends know.

This Week’s Calendar
Monday 23 - St Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373), Patron of Europe. A mother who brought up eight children and, on the death of her husband, dedicated herself to the ascetical life and founded the Bridgettine Order. She is known as a writer and spiritual guide.

Tuesday 24 - St Declan of Ardmore, a pre-Patrician saint who was educated in mainland Europe before returning to preach the gospel in the Decies region. Also St Charbel Mahhluf (d. 1898), a monk of St Maron, much sought after for wise advice and blessing.

Wednesday 25 - St James, son of Zebedee and brother of John, called James the Greater. He was put to death by Herod Agrippa about the year 44, being the first of the apostles to die for the faith. Patron saint of Spain and honoured widely through pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

Thursday 26 - Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St Anne is patron of Canada.

Friday 27 - Weekday (16th week in Ordinary Time).

Saturday 28 - Weekday.

Foyle Hospice - The Foyle Hospice Shop at 5A Church Street, Strabane is now open Monday to Friday 10.00a.m. to 4.00p.m. Volunteers are required to assist in the running of the shop. Anyone interested should contact Liz or Alban at 02871886241 as your help would be greatly appreciated.

Ards Friary
A retreat will be held in Ards Friary on Saturday 28th July. This retreat is ‘Marian’ in theme and focuses on the place of Our Lady in the Scriptures and the life of the Church with emphasis on the spirituality of St. Louis de Montfort’s ‘True Devotion to Mary’ This spirituality guided John Paul II’s devotion to the Mother of God. The retreat commences at 10.00a.m. and finishes at 4.00p.m. Cost 30 Euro.

Questions people ask

Q. I made a deliberate choice to leave my paid job to be a mother and homemaker, two unpaid jobs, and I feel hurt in the way Martha was made feel inferior to her sister, Mary. Have you any helpful insight?
A. I’m sure you’d agree that the busier you are the more you need moments to chill-out. I’d prefer to say warm up. This gospel story encourages us to find the quiet moment to sit with God and warm up our relationship. And remember, Martha is honoured with a saint’s feast day on July 29th, whereas we do not have such a celebration for her sister, Mary of Bethany.

Another Angle - The right attitude

It’s strange, but people who tell you that ‘who you are’ is more important than ‘what you do’ - are usually themselves great achievers. Achieving indeed, or getting things done seems to be the focus in the early part of life. In later years we consider what was done and how. During the second half of life, success loses its importance. Being fulfilled is more important than being successful in later years. The reason for all this is that if you need something external like success and acclaim to feel good about yourself- it becomes ultimately a prison. So, what one thing do you need in life? After all, that was exactly what Jesus told Martha ‘one thing is needed’. So, name it in your life. Are your needs really wants? Is that one thing ‘living in the presence of the Lord’ (Psalm)? Most of us know what we need to do, but lack will or won’t power. We make bad choices, or let them be made for us and the Lord gets short shrift. We feel bad about it, make occasional stirrings to do better but it’s a case of the same repeat offender syndrome. It can often be among those who do ‘the work of the Lord’ that there can be a seething resentment that they are under-paid (if at all), over-worked and unappreciated. What gets lost in all this is our attitude. The ‘why’ and ‘who’ of what we are at. Who is it for? After all as Martha learned, God is as much interested in attitude as service.

HEAVEN’S VERY SPECIAL CHILD

A meeting was held quite far from earth
’It’s time again for another birth’
Said the angels to the Lord above
This special child will need much love.
His progress may be very slow
Accomplishments he may not show
And he’ll require extra care
From the folks he meets down there.
He may not run, or laugh or play.
His thoughts may seem quite far away.
In many ways he won’t adapt
And he’ll be known as handicapped.
So let’s be careful where he’s sent,
We want his life to be content.
Please Lord find the person who
Will do this special job for you
They may not realise straight away
The learning role they’re asked to play,
But with this child sent from above
Comes stronger faith and richer love,
And soon they’ll know the privilege given
Their precious child so meek and mild
is HEAVEN’S VERY SPECIAL CHILD.

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