THE TASTE OF JOY
The student said, "Teacher, you
are always so joyful; it's a delight to be near you."
The teacher smiled. "Thank you. Are you joyful
too?"
Grinning, the student replied, "Yes, I think
so."
The teacher replied, "You think so. Why do you
think you are?"
"I have a nice comfortable home which is air-conditioned,"
the student replied, "with no mortgage, and it's
in a good neighbourhood."
"And. . .?" asked the teacher."
"Let's see, my health is good," the student
answered after a moment. "My job is secure with
a good company and has a great health care plan."
"And. . . ?" asked the teacher.
"Let's see," said the student. "I also
have a nice car, closets full of fashionable clothing,
and enough money to take one or two vacation trips
a year. So, yes, I think I'm joyful."
And beyond your good fortune, have you ever tasted
joy?" asked the teacher, blindsiding the student.
At the Last Supper, the dying wish of Jesus to his
disciples was, "that my joy may be yours and
your joy may be complete, full to overflowing."
Moreover we are called to a perpetual vocation, (
John 15:11) "to rejoice always," ( 1 Thessalonians
5:16). While good fortune, or any of the other circumstances
listed above by the student, can cause happiness,
are they expressions of joy? What is the source of
joy in life, and what creates a lifestyle of rejoicing
in all things and at all times?
COLLECTION
We acknowledge last Sunday’s collection of £1785.00.
Many thanks.
ANOINTING OF THE SICK
There will be a special Mass of the anointing of the
sick in the parish on Sunday 8th July at 4.00pm.
ANNIVERSARIES
Sammy Kearney, Sean McNamee,
Kathleen Rushe, Nellie Quinn,
Sally Browne O'Doherty, Mary Hill,
Katie McCrossan, Michael Bannigan.
DEATHS
We offer our deepest sympathy to the family and friends
of:
Attie Forbes, Colman Fold.
May he rest in peace.
PRAY FOR PRIESTS
Last year the diocese published a prayer card with
the names of all the Derry diocesan priests. Many
of you have these cards and every day a specific priest
is named. This week we ask you to pray for the following
priests:
Fr. John Gilmore PP Aghyaran, 1st
July
Fr. Joseph Gormley CC, Carnhill 2nd
July
Fr. Eamon Graham Adm, Steelstown
3rd July
Fr. Patrick Grant PP, Retired 4th
July
Fr. Karl Haan CC, Garvagh 5th July
Fr. Eugene Hasson Adm, Claudy 6th
July
Most Rev. Seamus Hegarty, Derry 7th
July
SICK AND HOUSEBOUND TO BE ATTENDED
Fr. Boland will visit the sick and housebound in the
following areas on Monday 2nd July after 10.00am Mass:
Courtrai Park, Barrack Street, Lower Townsend Terrace,
Mount Carmel Heights, Springhill Park, Mill Street,
Newtownkennedy Street, Lower Main Street, Glenview
Park, Church View, Tristan Road.
Fr. Boland will visit the sick and housebound in the
following areas on Wednesday 4th July starting at
3.00pm: Bearney Road, Camus Road, Conthem Road, Upper
Townsend Street, Townsend Terrace, Marian Park, Fountain
Street and Innisfree Gardens.
PADRE PIO MASS
The Padre Pio Mass will take place in the Church on
Wednesday 4th July at 7.00pm. The Rosary will be at
6.45pm.
PARISH DRAW
The winners of the Draw for the month of June were:
£50.00 Billy & Margaret Kelly 460
£50.00 Peggy McManus 843
£50.00 Ursula Melaugh 405
£100.00 Mickey Mullen 361
£100.00 Peggy McManus 843
£100.00 Bridie Melaugh 410
£100.00 Sadie McGurn 608
£100.00 Ingrid & Mary Madden 450
£200.00 Raymond McGowan 199
£1000.00 Liam McQuillan 435
Please Note: We will be
holding 2 Draws in July for the months of July and
August. We therefore ask promoters to bring £10.00
per member when making their returns in July to cover
both Draws. Please make your returns to the parish
office on Monday 23rd July. Both Draws will take place
on Thursday 26th July.
STRABANE & LECKPATRICK SENIOR CITIZENS
ANNUAL OUTING
This year's annual outing will be held on
Wednesday 18th July going to Donegal Town and Bundoran.
Any senior citizens interested in going should leave
their name and address at Vincent's shop, Barrack
Street or telephone 02871384488 before 10th July.
Tickets will be issued from 11th July onwards for
those who have given their names.
HOUSE OF PRAYER, ACHIL
Bus leaving Strabane on 28th July for House of Prayer,
Achil. £10.00 deposit. Contact 07762363834 for
details.
N.I. BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE
A team from the N.I. Blood Transfusion Service will
be in St. Patrick's Hall on Wednesday 18th July from
1.30pm - 4.00pm and 5.15pm - 8.00pm. The Blood Transfusion
Service would appeal for the support of all existing
blood donors and welcome new donors.
STRABANE SIGERSONS G.A.A.
The Cubs Senior and Reserve footballers are away to
Greencastle this Sunday (1st July) in the O'Neill's
Sportswear Tyrone ACL Division 2 & Reserve. The
Senior Ladies are away to Kildress in the Tyrone Division
3 league next Tuesday night 3rd July. The Ulster Final
on Sunday 15th July will be all ticket and only fully
paid up club members will be eligible to apply for
tickets. Up to date information on all the Clubs activities
can be found on the website at www.strabanegaa.org
CEILI
Ceili in St. Patrick's Hall on Sunday 8th July. Dancing
8.00pm - 11.00pm. Music by Gallagher and Logue. Admission
£5.00, includes supper.
STRABANE YOUTH ASSOCIATION
Summer Programme at Melvin Hall.
Monday 2nd July - Thursday 26th July.
10.00am - 12.00 noon 5 - 9 year olds.
12.30pm - 2.30pm 10 - 14 year olds.
Registration Monday 2nd July at 10.00am £15.00
per child £20.00 per family.
14 years+ Summer Programme 7.30pm - 9.30pm. Registration
Monday 2nd July at 7.30pm.
ST PATRICK’S
HALL
Bingo & Lucky 4
Draw Every Thursday
There were no winners
in last week's Lucky 4 Draw
2, 5, 15, 16
Nora McLaughlin won
the draw
Next Week's Lucky 4 Jackpot is £1000.00
GOOD EXAMPLE
Young people in their teens are very sensitive to
the contradiction between the way adults go to church
and pray, and want young people to behave, and the
way they live themselves.
Nothing is said more often by teenagers than that
they are "turned off" religion by what they
see as the the "hypocrisy" in the religion
of many adults.
Admittedly, some young people can be too critical
of adults and not critical enough of themselves, but
then, some adults are also too critical of young people
and not critical enough of themselves.
It is noteworthy that the only people who made Our
Lord angry were those, like the Pharisee, who saw
the faults of everybody else but never saw their own.
The reactions of teenagers should make us all conscious
of the need to close the gaps between our devotions
and our lives, between our prayers and our behaviour,
between our Sunday Christianity and our Monday to
Saturday living.
In an age of unending radio and television chatter,
people, especially young people, have become cynical
about words. They are impressed only by deeds. The
biggest obstacle to Christian faith today is not intellectual
doubt, It is, quite simply, the un-Christian life-style
of so many of us who think we are good Christians.
PRAYER CORNER
LOVE POEM TO GOD
God speaks to each of us as he
makes us,
then walks with us silently out of the night.
These are the words we dimly hear:
You, sent out beyond your recall,
go to the limits of your longing.
Embody me.
Flare up like flame
and make big shadows I can move in.
Let everything happen to you:
beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is
final.
Don't let yourself lose me.
Nearby is the country they call
life.
You will know it by its seriousness.
Give me your hand.
HOLY SPIRIT, TAKE AWAY MY FEAR
Lord, I am fearful of so many things,
I'm fearful of other people,
And the way they can hurt me,
And what they can say about me,
Fearful of crime and mugging,
Sickness, disease,
Fearful of life itself.
I'm afraid of myself too.
Afraid of my own reactions to things,
My own emotions, my future.
I feel so insecure at times.
And sometimes I'm fearful of you, Lord.
Because my sins weigh me down,
And I wonder about the consequences
Of my actions in life, their harm,
Their effects on others,
And on my relationship with you.
Lord please send your Spirit
To take my fears away
So I may rest peaceful and calm,
Like a soft Summer's morn.
LOVE POEM TO GOD
I love you, gentlest of Ways,
who ripened us as we wrestled with you.
You, the greatest homesickness
we could never shake off,
you, the forest that always surrounded us,
you, the song we sang in every
silence,
you dark net threading through us,
on the day you made us you created
yourself,
and we grew sturdy in your sunlight. . .
Let your hand rest on the rim
of Heaven now
and mutely bear the darkness we bring over you.
A PRAYER FOR PATIENCE
God, teach me to be patient -
Teach me to go slow -
Teach me how to "wait on You"
When my way I do not know. . .
Teach me forbearance
When things do not go right
So I remain unruffled
When others grow "uptight". . .
Teach me how to quiet
My racing, rising heart
So I may hear the answer
You are trying to impart. . .
Teach me to let go, dear God,
And pray undisturbed until
My heart is filled with inner peace
And I learn to know Your will!
IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS
The old couple had been married for years,
and they were getting a bit forgetful about things
so they decided that the way to meet their responsibilities
was to write important things down. One night they
were reading the paper, the old man got up and started
out to the kitchen. "Want anything while I'm
up?" he asked. "Oh yes, bring me some ice
cream," said the woman. "Don't forget to
write it down before you go." "I can remember
ice cream," he said. "But I want strawberries
too," she said. "You better write this down."
"I'm not that bad off, I can remember ice cream
and strawberries," he replied. "Maybe,"
she answered, but I want whipped cream on it too;
so write it down." "Ridiculous," he
muttered and disappeared into the kitchen. When he
came back twenty minutes later, he was carrying a
platter of bacon and eggs. "Now look what you've
done. You didn't write if down," his wife said.
"I knew you'd forget the toast." So much
for rigid responsibility. In the end it's the thought
that counts.
LOVE POEM TO GOD
You come and go. The doors swing closed
ever more gently, almost without a shudder.
Of all who move through the quiet houses,
you are the quietest.
We become so accustomed to you,
we no longer look up
when your shadow falls over the book we are reading and makes it all glow.
For all things sing you:
at times we just hear them more clearly.
Often when I imagine you
your wholeness cascades into many shapes.
You run like a herd of luminous deer
and I am dark, I am forest.
You are a wheel at which I stand,
whose ark spokes sometimes catch me up,
revolve me nearer to the centre.
Then all the work I put my hand to
widens from turn to turn.
OPEN MY EYES
God open my eyes so I may see
And feel your presence close to me...
Give me strength for my stumbling feet
As I battle the crowd on life's busy street,
And widen the vision of my unseeing eyes
So in passing faces I'll recognise
Not just a stranger, unloved and unknown,
But a friend with a heart
that is much like my own...
Give me perception to make me aware
That scattered profusely on life's thoroughfare
Are the best gifts of God
that we daily pass by
As we look at the world with an unseeing eye.
PRAYING WITH YOUR CHILDREN
Little children love to pray. They pray quite naturally, because God is very real for them and very close for them. But if they are to stay praying as adults, prayer must be a part of their home life from their earliest years and not just of school life.
Parents, the most essential part of teaching religion to your children is to teach them to pray. You will teach them to pray not by telling them to pray, not by scolding them if they don't say their prayers. You will teach them to pray more by praying with them. Don't just tell your children:
"Go off to bed now and don't forget to say your prayers."
Instead say:
"We will say our prayers now."
Pray with your young children. Pray with your older children. Be seen praying by your children. If prayer is important to you it will be seen as important by your children. Parents who pray, homes that pray, prepare a praying generation for the future.
In fact, you parents will learn about praying yourselves by praying with your children. Little children are very close to God. Didn't Our Lord say:
"The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to little children."
Your children will bring you also closer to God. Children often understand God better than grown-ups do. Their ways of praying can teach us all a lot about how to pray.
