Vol. 47 No 16 - Sunday, 19th April 2020

Please join us via the Webcam for:

We invite you to join us via webcam in St Eugene’s Cathedral by watching our live streaming which can be viewed online at www.churchservices.tv, www.mcnmedia.tv or the parish website at www.steugenescathedral.com.

SUNDAY:

Mass - 7.00 am, 9.30 am, 11.00 am, 12.30 pm and 7.00 pm

Please note: Local Radio Station Drive 105 will broadcast the 12.30 pm Sunday Mass live.

Divine Mercy Chaplet - 3.00 pm

Evening Prayer - 5.00 pm

Rosary and Benediction – 6.00 pm

Eucharistic Adoration – 7.45 pm

Night Prayer - 9.00 pm

MONDAY TO FRIDAY:

Morning Prayer - 7.45 am

Mass - 8.00 am, 10.00 am and 7.30 pm

Angelus and Rosary - 12.00 noon

Divine Mercy Chaplet - 3.00 pm

Gospel Encounter - 5.00 pm

Rosary and Eucharistic Adoration - 8.00 pm

Night Prayer - 9.00 pm

SATURDAY:

Mass - 10.00 am

Angelus and Rosary - 12.00 noon

Divine Mercy Chaplet - 3.00 pm

Evening Prayer - 5.00 pm

Vigil Mass - 6.15 pm and 7.30 pm

Eucharistic Adoration - 8.15 pm

Night Prayer - 9.00 pm

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.

Reflection on today’s Gospel - John 20:19-31

 “Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

After the terrible anguish of the Passion and death of Jesus, followed by the glory and awe of his resurrection, today’s Gospel radiates a beautiful sense of the peace, love and forgiveness which are at the heart of Jesus’ teachings. The disciples are gathered together, fearful, as follower of Jesus, of what might happen to them at the hands of the Romans; undoubtedly also feeling the guilt of their desertion of their Lord in his hour of need, when the risen Jesus appears in their midst. It has often been noted that instead of doing what most of us would do in similar circumstances, that is, tell those who have betrayed us exactly what we think of them, Jesus, ever the Good Teacher, withholds all condemnation, all censure, and offers instead a blessing of peace to his guilt-ridden friends. What an extraordinary act of spiritual generosity! What a complete absence of a smarting ego thirsting for revenge! The word ‘peace’ connotes stillness, freedom from agitation and anxiety, a harmonious connection with God and humanity. This is what Jesus wishes for his disciples and his wish has unlimited love, unlimited forgiveness, at its core. Instead of staying with their frailty, he breathes on them his trust in their ability to carry out their mission to come.

When Thomas, having been absent from Jesus’ previous appearances, expresses doubts about his Master’s resurrection, and then finds himself being offered incontrovertible proof by the Man of Sorrows himself, Jesus uses the opportunity to reach down lovingly through the ages to all of us who have not seen the physical evidence of his resurrection, but who believe in its glorious truth: “Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

Today’s Gospel is a quiet miracle of peace, love and forgiveness offered to us as an unearned gift, redolent of God’s unlimited love for humanity, his presence closer to us than our breath in all that we do and in all that we suffer. Thanks be to God.

Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe you are present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I long to be united with you in my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally I request you to come spiritually into my heart. I adore you now in the Sacrament of your Love, the wonderful gift of the Eucharist.

I believe now that you have come to me body, blood, soul and divinity. I believe I have received your flesh to eat and your blood to drink in the Holy Communion.

I thank you for this gift of yourself to me and now I pledge myself to you. I promise you all my thoughts this day and ask that these be thoughts which put the will of God my Father and the need of my neighbour before my own selfish interests.

I promise you every word I’ll speak today and ask that these words which help and heal, rather than words which tear down and destroy.

I promise you all my actions this day and ask they be worthy of the name “Christian” which you have given me to share so that I can happily say it was not me who thought, spoke and acted this day but you, here present within me now who thought, spoke and acted through me.

Bless and protect my family and all in our community; keep us safe, keep us holy and keep us always yours. Be with anyone who is worried or anxious about any private matter-give them your gift of peace. In these difficult days of illness which have come upon us, give us all your healing grace and hope.

Finally, give me the grace never to be a source of sin to any other human being. Rather with your help I wish and want to be a force for good in this world.

Sacrament of Confession

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, it is not possible to celebrate the Sacrament of Confession in the usual way, while respecting social distancing.

Due to these circumstances, the Pope has allowed a special Plenary Indulgence.

A person may receive this Plenary Indulgence if, in a spirit of seeking the forgiveness of God, he or she fulfils the following conditions:

1. he or she has a will to celebrate the Sacrament of Confession, receive the Eucharist and pray for the Pope's intentions as soon as this become possible;

2. reads the Holy Scriptures for at least half an hour OR recites the Rosary OR prays the Stations of the Cross OR recites the Divine Mercy Chaplet, while imploring from Almighty God the end of the epidemic, relief for those who are afflicted and eternal salvation for those whom the Lord has called to himself.

A Prayer in the time of the Corona Virus

By Fr Brian Grogan S.J

Dear God, in 1879 the Apparition at Knock

gave hope and courage to the people of Ireland in difficult times.

We ask that Our Lady may now protect

your beloved people from the Coronavirus.

May its victims be strengthened by the spiritual support

of the Christian community and restored soon to full health.

We also pray for the medical personnel who deal with the virus.

This we ask in confidence through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Our Lady of Knock pray for us.

St Joseph pray for us.

St John the Evangelist pray for us. Amen.

Sympathy

We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of:

Patrick (Paddy) Harrigan

Mary Holden

Rosemary Morrin

Noel Hegarty

Kathleen (Kitty) McKeever

Patrick (Packie) Green

May they rest in peace.

Anniversaries

Mary Ann Hegarty and Frank Rowe.

May they rest in peace.

Thank you

Fr Farren acknowledges with thanks donations of £100 for Trócaire and £80 for Cathedral Funds.

St Vincent de Paul (St Eugene’s Conference) acknowledge with thanks a donation of £100.

Trócaire Lenten Campaign: Please keep your Trócaire Boxes at home until Masses can be celebrated with a congregation. If you wish you can donate to Trócaire in the following ways: Online banking directly to Trócaire. Bank details: Sorting Code: 93.80.92 Account No: 8822 7020 or by cheque to Trócaire, 50 - 52 King Street, Belfast, BT1 6AD.

The April edition of The Net will only be available on the Diocesan website -www.derrydiocese.org.

St Eugene’s Cathedral is monitored by CCTV cameras and by a live streaming cameras. Live streaming can be viewed online at www.churchservices.tv or www.mcnmedia or the parish website at www.steugenescathedral.com.

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.