MARTIN MC GINN - Sunday, 23rd February 2020 - Castlederg Parish Newsletter

L E N T

THREE PILLARS OF LENTEN OBSERVANCE:

P R A Y E R

F A S T

A L M S G I V I N G

ASH WEDNESDAY is on Wednesday of this week (26 February). It is a day of fast and abstinence and the start of Lent. Masses: Castlederg at 7.00am and 7.30pm. There will also be Mass in Aghyaran at 10.00am and 7.30pm. Ashes will be distributed at all Masses.

MASSES DURING LENT: We will have an additional weekday Mass in Castlederg on the Tuesdays of Lent: Tuesdays at 7.00am. (There will also be a 7.00am Mass in Aghyaran on the Fridays of Lent).

LENTEN PROGRAMME IN OUR PARISH: Our five-week Programme, ‘No Greater Love’ starts next week. You are invited to travel a biblical journey with Jesus as He enters into His passion and death. The Programme aims to draw us, in heart and mind, to a place that will help us to fully embrace Holy Week and Easter in our parish this year. Everyone is welcome. You can attend it on:

Monday nights at 8.00pm in St Patrick’s Hall, Castlederg (starting Mon 2 March)

Wednesday nights at 7.30pm in Dregish Hall (starting Wednesday 4 March)

(A shorter day-time version of the Programme will be offered in Aghyaran Parish Hall

on the Tuesdays of Lent, after 10.00am Mass)

TRÓCAIRE: The main focus of our almsgiving during Lent is the Trócaire Lenten Campaign. The theme this year is, ‘Hold fast to love and justice’ (Hosea 12:6). The Trócaire box highlights the stories of two families, living in Honduras and Kenya, where women strive to overcome great obstacles to protect their families. Trócaire boxes are available at the back of our churches for collection. You are asked to pick one up.

LENTEN PLEDGE: You may wish to take the Lenten Pledge as a way of doing something uplifting or challenging for yourself or for others for the six weeks of Lent. Visit www.pioneerassociation.ie and follow the links to join.

LENTEN PRAYER: Our forty-day Lenten journey reflects the time spent by Jesus in prayer and fasting, in the wilderness, just before He began His public ministry. During His forty days of fasting and prayer, Jesus overcame temptation, sustained and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. We are asked to unite in prayer this Lent, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit on our Lenten journey, by reciting the following prayer each day:

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.

LENTEN RESOURCES, aimed at helping us as a diocesan family on our Lenten journey, will be published throughout Lent on the Derry Diocesan website and its social media channels. You are encouraged to follow and share these resources: Web: www.derrydiocese.org Instagram: @DioceseOfDerry Twitter: @DioceseOfDerry Facebook: @derrydiocese

We Pray for Tony Harper RIP, late of 14 Kilcurragh Park, Castlederg

As a parish faith community, we offer our sympathy and our prayerful support to Bernie, Joe, Shane, grandchildren, mother (Catherine), brothers, wider family circle and friends of Tony, whose Funeral Mass and burial took place in Castlederg on Friday.

The Funeral Mass for the late Finola Brooke (nee Keenan), who died in England, will take place in Castlederg tomorrow, Monday (24th), at 11.00am. We offer our sympathy and prayerful support to Finola’s children Ciara and Aidan, parents Eamon and Elizabeth, brother Adrian and sister Denise.

May they rest in peace.

ST MATTHEW’S GOSPEL 5:38-48 THE LORD OF COMPASSION AND LOVE

We ask God today for the grace and strength to be people of reconciliation, especially in situations where we find it challenging, so that we will bring peace and harmony to situations as they arise, and draw others to see God’s goodness, love and mercy.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY – ST PATRICK’S, CASTLEDERG

Children’s Liturgy during our Sunday Morning Mass will commence in St Patrick’s Church, Castlederg on Sunday 8 March, and will continue on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month during school term-time.

Children from P1 – P4 are invited to attend a separate Liturgy of the Word, suitably adapted to make it relevant to their lives and experiences. The Children’s Liturgy will give them an opportunity to engage with the Gospel message at their own level.

Please express interest on behalf of your child(ren) by signing the form at the back of the church, to enable us to provide sufficient resources for all who will attend.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION in St Patrick’s, Castlederg, Fridays, 10.30am – 3.00pm.

CASTLEDERG: Church cleaners: Group 1 is on duty this week. Thank you to all who help in this ministry.

PARISH PRAYER GROUP will meet in St Patrick’s Hall this Friday, 28 February, (held on 2nd & 4th Fri monthly), at 8.00pm. Everyone welcome. Refreshments provided.

THANK YOU for your generosity in last week’s collection, which amounted to £1,595 – Dregish £300, Drumnabey £430, Castlederg £865.

SACRAMENTAL DATES FOR CHILDREN OF

ST PATRICK’S PRIMARY SCHOOL, CASTLEDERG

P4 First Confession – Monday 9 March 2020 at 6.00pm

P7 Retreat – Thursday 19 March 2020, 10:00am – 2.00pm (in St Patrick’s Hall)

P7 Sacrament of Confirmation – Sunday 22 March 2020 at 3.00pm.

P4 Sacrament of First Holy Communion – Saturday 30 May 2020 at 11.00am

In these coming weeks, please remember in prayer all the children from our parish who will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation and First Holy Communion this year.

ST EUGENE’S HALL, DREGISH: Tomorrow night, Monday 24 February, at 7.30pm: CAFRE will present a workshop on 'Coping with the Pressures of Farming'. This course is specifically tailored for members of farming families and covers a range of wellbeing issues. It aims to create an awareness of what causes stress and mental wellbeing issues within the farm family, how to listen and engage supportively with one experiencing difficulty; sources of help will also be signposted.

Tuesday 25 February, Pilates at 8.45pm

Wed 26 February, Circuits at 8.00pm.

Thursdays: Dancing Classes at 8.30pm

Starting Wednesday 4 March (for five Wednesdays) at 7.30pm: ‘No Greater Love’: A DVD-based biblical walk with Jesus through the events of Holy Week.

Mindfulness Course will take place on Friday 6 and Friday 13 March, 7.30pm All welcome. No charge.

THE NEWTOWNSTEWART ANNUAL DRAMA FESTIVAL continues this week, until Saturday 29 February (except Wed night), in St Eugene’s Hall. 8.00pm nightly (7.30pm on final night). See full line-up on Facebook page. For bookings, tel 07706106216 or email: newtownstewartdrama@gmail.com

Your support for the Drama Festival will be greatly appreciated.

DANCE in aid of Castlederg MS Group: next Saturday, 29 February, in the Sportsman’s Inn, Castlederg. Music by Rian Murphy. Adm £5. All support greatly appreciated.

ST PATRICK’S FC: Lotto Nrs: 13, 21, 22, 25. No £50 winner. Jackpot next week £1,370.

CAISLEAN NA DEIRGE: February meeting tomorrow, Monday 24th, at 7.30pm, preceded by the 300 Club draw. Would all 300 Club subscribers please ensure they are paid up before the main draw takes place in March. Thank you to all who subscribed to the National Draw ticket sales. That draw will also take place in March.

The club will host Club Tyrone Summer Camps this year on the first week in July and follow this up with the Multi-Sport Cúl Camp the second last week in August - parents take note, please.

NAOMH EOGHAN GAC: Lotto Nrs: 4, 10, 14, 20 & 25. Two people matched three numbers, Pat Dooris and Nancy Gallagher, winning £50 each. Next week’s jackpot £2,100. Contact Liam Bradley or Thomas O’Kane to join.

Night at the Races will be held in Dregish on Saturday 7h March. Contact Denise McGillion or Brian O’Kane to buy a horse or sponsor a race.

NEXT SUNDAY is the First Sunday of Lent (Year A). We will listen to the Temptations of Jesus in the Wilderness, in St Matthew’s Gospel, 4:1-11. Familiarising ourselves with the Word of God before we hear it at Sunday Mass is a good way of giving ourselves an opportunity to better understand what God is saying to us in the Sunday Scriptures. If you would like to commit to looking at the Readings during Lent, in advance of each Sunday, you can see them on www.catholicbishops.ie/readings

P: P r a i s e

R: R e p e n t

A: A s k

Y: Y i e l d