Excerpt from the Pastoral Statement from Bishop McKeown

The Coronavirus has created a lot of worry for many people. The obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days is removed until further notice. Those who are unable to attend weekend Masses in their parish are encouraged to mark Sunday as well as they can by participating in Masses which are transmitted by radio, television or webcams.

Every Catholic is entitled to a dignified Christian burial. Attendance at Funeral services and Masses should be limited to close relatives and must not exceed 100 attendees within the church building.

Similarly, Church weddings and baptisms may be celebrated on condition that the attendance in church does not exceed 100 people.

St Eugene’s Cathedral

The celebration of weekday Masses and Saint Patrick’s Day will be as normal. Mass times will be subject to review in the current circumstances. We ask that Holy Communion be received in the hand as a sign of responsibility and humility until the current crisis has passed. While in church and as far as possible people are asked to keep a safe distance from one another, in keeping with current advice. However, those with underlying conditions and those who are considered vulnerable are dispensed from their Sunday obligation to attend.

As a parish community we should be acutely aware of the responsibility to care for those who are most at risk. For example, even where it may not be appropriate to visit the elderly, a simple telephone call to enquire about their needs could mean so much to them.

All Masses celebrated here in St Eugene’s Cathedral are available to watch on our live streaming camera and can be viewed online at www.churchservices.tv or the parish website at www.steugenescathedral.com. If you are aware of a friend or neighbour who would like to view the celebration Mass on our live streaming but would need assistance, maybe you could assist them.

It is very important at this time that we pray asking God for protection.

Perhaps individuals or families could commit to praying the Rosary each day for relief of this crisis.

Our Lenten Programme 2020

Morning Prayer of the Church at 7.45 am Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

1.00 pm Lunch-time Mass (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)

Late Opening on Mondays – To celebrate the sacrament of Confession and spend some quiet time in the presence of the Eucharist from 8.00 to 10.00 pm.

Pray the Stations of the Cross: On Friday evenings after 7.30 pm Mass.

Prayer/Fasting/Almsgiving (PFA): commit to a daily prayer, eating three meals per day, and donating to Trócaire.

The Feast of St Patrick (Tuesday, 17th March)

Monday: Vigil Masses at 6.15 pm and 7.30 pm

Tuesday: Masses at 7.00, 9.30, 11.00 am, 12.30 and 7.30 pm

The Collection on St Patrick’s Day will be for Clerical Education and Ongoing Formation.

Eucharistic Ministers from St Eugene’s Cathedral will not be distributing Holy Communion to the sick and housebound until further notice.

Diocese of Derry Prayer for Lent 2020

Loving Father, to prepare for His mission of proclaiming

Your kingdom to the world

Your Son Jesus was guided by

Your Holy Spirit to the quiet of the desert.

In these Lenten days, I pray that

I will be guided by that same Spirit,

to a place of renewal in my heart and mind,

so that I will seek opportunities for

daily personal prayer, personal sacrifices and acts of kindness.

With Your help, may I too be truly prepared

to share in the story of the passion,

death and resurrection of Jesus Your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Sympathy

We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of:

Edward (Eddie) Given, 25 Marlborough Street

Rhona Toland, 11 Joseph Place

John McDaid, Park Avenue.

May they rest in peace.

Anniversaries

Patrick O’Connor, John Millar, Declan Brennan, Kathleen Ferry, 

John Bradley, Frank McMahon, Catherine (Cassie) Donaghy, 

Maureen Armstrong, Jack McIntyre, William McIntyre, Neil McGowan, 

Aideen Sutton, Julia Finan, Peggy Quigley, Nora and Peter Toland.

May they rest in peace.

Baptisms

We welcome as a member of God’s family Caolan John Moran, 4 Friel Close

St Dymphna’s Committee of St Eugene’s Parish warmly invite you to the 7.30 pm Mass on Tuesday, 17th March. This Mass is to give thanks to God for positive mental health. During Mass the Sacrament of the sick will be celebrated.

Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life in the Diocese of Derry on Thursday, 19th March at 8.00 pm here in St Eugene’s Cathedral.

Eucharistic Ministers

Team *C* begins its rota at the 6.15 pm Vigil Mass next weekend.

Readers for St Patrick’s Day

6.15 pm Anna Begley

7.30 pm Leah Morrison

09.30 am Marian Boyle

11.00 am Piaras O Meallain

12.30 pm Charlie McDermott

7.00 pm Barry McDaid

Readers for next weekend

6.15 pm Nicole Simpson/Jackson Gallagher

7.30 pm Stephen Orr/Caolan Orr

09.30 am Barry McDaid/Rachel Doherty

11.00 am Children’s Liturgy

12.30 pm Anna Begley/Marian Boyle

7.00 pm Sean Hickey/Maria Hickey

Reflection on today’s Gospel: John 4: 5-15, 19-26, 39-42

“I who am speaking to you,” said Jesus, “I am he.”

She is a woman and will inevitably have suffered as a woman slings from a patriarchy not always benign; she is a woman who has already had five husbands and is embarking on marriage to a sixth, which will have shrouded her in an aura of scandal; furthermore, she is a Samaritan and the Samaritans were hated by the Jews. Jesus’ own disciples would undoubtedly have warned their master against any encounter with this woman.

And yet, she is the person chosen by Jesus to whom he openly reveals his true identity: “I who am speaking to you,” said Jesus, “I am he.” (The Christ)

If we didn’t fully realise it before, we realise it in today’s Gospel: Jesus ignores cultural mores, prejudices, religious enmities and divisions, when they get in the way of his revelation of the truth. Jesus sees here, as he has seen with others, beyond the woman’s surface appearance to the truth which resides in her heart. He sees into her restless yearning which the world can neither answer nor heal. He sees into her readiness to embrace spiritual growth. He leads her beyond her initial literal understanding of his words to a deep spiritual understanding of their meaning. Jesus takes her on a journey of enlightenment to the well-springs deep within her waiting to gush up into eternal life. Jesus leads her to the place where she, and we, learn that Love is our true self.

Today’s Gospel is a miracle of revelation. Our response depends on where we are on our spiritual journey; it is well to remember that all spiritual growth is a matter of becoming who we already are.

Thanks be to God.

Do This In Memory’ - First Communion Programme

The Altar: Another word for altar is table. the altar is in the centre of the part of God’s house that we call the Sanctuary. Sanctuary means ‘Holy’ and this is indeed a holy place. The Sacristan prepares the altar by putting on the Altar:

The Corporal: a square shaped white cloth on which the paten and chalice are placed.

The Roman Missal: the book from which the priest reads the prayers

The Purificators: small white towels which are used to clean the chalice and paten later in the Mass

Excerpt from ‘Learning About the Mass with Kath and Qumen’

Thank you

Fr Farren acknowledges with thanks donations for: Trócaire: £20. Charity of Administrator’s Choice: £20.

Last Week’s Collection amounted to £4,003.

Parish Development Collection amounted to £963.

The Diocese of Derry Privacy Notice is displayed on the parish website and Cathedral notice board or you may obtain a copy from the Parish Office.

If you have any concerns with regard to Safeguarding children or adults in need of protection within the Church please contact: Noel O’Donnell, Diocesan Pastoral Centre, 164 Bishop Street, 71362475, mobile 07596500793 or Celine McKenna, Diocesan Pastoral Centre, 164 Bishop Street, 71362475, mobile 07707311358 or PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) 101 or Social Services: Gateway Services, Western HSC Trust, 71314090 and ask for the Duty Social Worker.