Vol. 47 No 18 - Sunday, 3rd May 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

Gospel Encounter - 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

Gospel Encounter - 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 10: 1-10

I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.

At the heart of today’s Gospel is the unequivocal truth that we can only achieve eternal life through Jesus:

“I am the gate of the sheepfold.”

Jesus is the Good Shepherd promised by God. He loves his sheep. He knows each one by name. He will never oppress, maltreat, or lead his sheep astray, but he will lead them out of darkness and danger into the light, into safety and green pastures. The Good Shepherd is the only door into the sheepfold, and the sheep know this; they trust the Good Shepherd and follow wherever he leads them.

Jesus cannot tolerate hypocrisy. He sees into the hearts of people, into the self-centredness and cruelty which can often lie hidden behind an outward show of morality. This was exemplified for him by the Pharisees and the Scribes: proud, self-interested, cruel and contemptuous of those less privileged than themselves. Jesus lead by example: by healing, by forgiving, by loving. Jesus threw open the door to eternal life for all humanity by sacrificing himself; the Pharisees would deny eternal life to all but themselves.

Lord Jesus, may we learn to discern the bad shepherd from the Good and may we never be distracted by the false and the worldly. May we unerringly follow your truth knowing that you alone are the door through which we shall enter eternal life.

May we ourselves be a door through which others enter a world of kindness and generosity, compassion and love.

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.

The Annual Thérèse Novena was due to begin on Saturday, 9th May. Unfortunately, due to the present circumstances, the Novena as we know cannot happen this year. However, we can pray through the intercession of St Thérèse. We will have the Novena by praying the Novena Prayer at all Masses beginning at the Vigil Masses on Saturday, 9th May until Sunday, 17th May. Each evening at Night Prayer we will have the Intercessory Prayer and Benediction

Novena Prayer

God our Father, you have promised your kingdom

to those who are willing to become

your little children.

Help us, like Thérèse our sister,

to know our poverty of spirit

so that we might be dependent on you.

Transform us

through the holiness of your Spirit

into flames of love, burning with compassion

for those who are sick, those who are unfree,

those who feel unloved, those in any kind of need.

May we, your missionaries of the third millennium,

be your fire of love setting this world

ablaze with your presence,

so that all people will know and love

Jesus Christ your Son,

our Saviour and brother. Amen.

St Thérèse of Lisieux pray for us.

Sympathy

We offer our sympathy to the family and friends of:

Mary O’ Hagan

May she rest in peace.

Anniversaries

Robert (Bobby) McAnaney, Patrick and Roseann McVeigh

May they rest in peace.

Thank you

Fr Farren acknowledges with thanks donations for Trócaire: £60, £280, £160, £40. Sightsavers: £5. Smile Train: £5. Medical Missionaries of Mary: £5. Cathedral Maintenance: £1,000. Yemen: £10. St Vincent de Paul: £100, £40, £20. Cathedral Funds: £100.

Parish Envelopes: The new boxes of envelopes will not be delivered until after the COVID 19 restrictions are lifted. We have received phone calls from parishioners asking for the bank details of St Eugene’s Cathedral. For those who requested this information, please find the details below:

Account Name: St Eugenes Church No 1 A/C

Account Number: 55192935

Sorting Code Number: 90-49-74

IBAN: GB45 BOFI 9049 7455 1929 35

Branch: Bank of Ireland, 15 Strand Road, Derry, BT48 7BT

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 Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre, working in Partnership with Saint Mary’s University, Twickenham, offers the Masters in Catholic School Leadership. This is a post graduate degree dedicated to the professional development and spiritual formation of Catholic school leaders. It is a great opportunity for those currently in leadership roles and those who aspire to, or have an interest in, leadership roles within the Catholic School system. The next intake will be Autumn 2020. If you require any further information, please contact the Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre on 004428 71264087 or email tferry@derrydiocese.org.

Holy Family Padre Pio Prayer Group will be live streamed from the Holy Family Parish on Tuesday, 5th May directly after Mass at 7.15 pm. You are invited to take part from home and join in the prayers for all those affected during this pandemic. The Prayer Group will be live streamed on the first Tuesday of every month while social distancing remains in place.

St Patrick’s Church St Pio Monthly Mass will be streamed live via webcam St Patrick’s Church, Pennyburn on Monday, 4th May at 7.00 pm (www.threepatrons.org/webcam or www.mcnmedia.tv).

Children in Crossfire have launched a new home-based fundraising challenge which will take place on Saturday, 16th May. Participants in the Climb Errigal at Home Challenge will be expected to climb up and down their stairs at home no fewer than 150 times. Money raised will support vulnerable people and communities in Ethiopia and Tanzania being adversely affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Anyone wishing to sign up should: join their Facebook or call Shauna O’Neill on 028 7127 8947 or 07597 747940 or Email shauna.oneill@childrenincrossfire.org

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.

The Messenger: Messenger Publications are offering a free online copy of the May edition (and possibly further editions) of The Messenger, given that it is impossible to distribute the paper copy in the usual manner. To access the May edition, visit: https://issuu.com/messengerpublications/docs/05_messenger_may_2020. Even if you do not normally receive The Messenger, you are welcome to access this link. If you have any difficulty accessing the link or if you have any further queries please email c.henry@messenger.ie.

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.