Feast of the Holy Family - Year A

30th December 2007

The Deep End

Focus on Family
Albert Einstein once said that there are only two ways to live one's life: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is. Better play safe and take the second option especially when it comes to family.

Family is where we most readily experience the miracle that life is. It's where we fashion ourselves, and are fashioned, as human beings. It's where we learn the art of living, the beauty of words such as please and thank you. It's where we learn to brush teeth, wash hands, and of course to flush. It's where we learn to be on time for meals we haven't had to prepare ourselves, and to help with wash-up instead of running off to play. In short, it's where we learn to think of others and not just of ourselves. It's where we learn eventually what Okakura Kakuzo notes in, The Book of Tea, that those who cannot feel the littleness of great things in themselves are apt to overlook the greatness of little things in others (p.6).

Most of these important lessons come courtesy of parents. No wonder then the word of God speaks so highly of them today in Ben Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14.
Where would we be without them?


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

Confession Times:
Thursday Morning after 10.00 am Mass
Saturday Evening after Vigil Mass

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

Mass Intentions for this week:
[Tuesday 10.00am - Anv. Mass - Sheila Gillespie
Saturday 8.00pm - Charlie Lunney R.I.P

Masses during the coming week
Monday to Friday 10.00 am each day
First Friday Evening Mass 8.00pm

Church Door & Car Park Attendants - January 2008
Sat Night: Killian Arkinson, Barney Byrne & John James Kelly
Sunday 9 am Michael Healey & Eamon Dolan
Sunday 11 am Jim Falls, Kevin McHugh & Aaron McGuire

Altar Society for January 2008
Anna Logue, Rosemary McSorley & Carmel Dolan

Church Readers for the month of January 2008
Vigil Mass 8.00 pm Sat. Barney Byrne
Sunday 9.00 am Geraldine Byrne
Sunday 11.00 am Anne Brannigan
If you are unable to attend do try and get another reader to cover for you.

Shanaghey and Ballymongan Mummers.
DANCE in Aghyaran Centre on Tuesday 1st January 2008.
Proceeds to Local Charities
Music by LARRY & CO.
Dancing 10 - 1.30.
Admission: £3.00 / £5.00

DANCE in Garvagh Hall on Friday 4th January 2008 Music by Country Legends.

First Friday Sick.
The sick of the parish will be attended this incoming week:
Thursday: Tullycar, Ballymongan, Killeter ,Shanaghy & Scraghey.
Friday: The CorgaryÕs, Carn, Carndreen, Dreenan, The Garvagh's, Laught & Aghyaran
Can neighbours inform the housebound that I will be calling

This Week's Calendar
Monday 31
Day 7 in the Octave of Christmas. Also St Sylvester, Pope (died 355.) He was pope for 21 years and being elected after the Edict of Milan was free to build many churches in Rome.

Tuesday, January 1
SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD. We honour Mary, Mother of Jesus, during this Christmas season, and especially as the New Year begins. Today is also World Day of Peace.

Wednesday 2 Weekday.
Before Epiphany. Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory Nanzianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church.

Thursday 3 Weekday.
Before Epiphany. Optional memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus. Also St Munchin, patron saint of the diocese of Limerick.

Friday 4 Weekday. Before Epiphany.

Saturday 5 Weekday. Before Epiphany.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you A Happy and Peaceful New Year. A year when hopefully we will all be given many graces and blessings to live out our Christian Vocation as part of the Family of God
Fr. Gilmore

Legion of Mary meetings continue every Thursday at 8pm in the parish hall. New members welcome.

Questions people ask
Q. Was there any particular reason why the Holy Family settled in Nazareth?
A. Nazareth was an insignificant town, never even mentioned in the Old Testament. It had become a centre for migrant workers engaged by Herod for a massive building project at nearby Sepphoris. Joseph, a carpenter, would have had a good job there. Nazareth had no great religious traditions, only a dubious reputation. ÔCan anything good come from Nazareth?Õ ThereÕs a great lesson here. If Jesus made a dubious place like Nazareth his hometown, then we can expect to find him anywhere É even where we live!

Marriage Preparation 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