Sunday 2nd December 2007

First Sunday of Advent

OUR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS

Our Catholic teachers do an outstanding job in teaching religion.

Our Catholic teaches have done more for the faith in Ireland than any other group of lay men and women. We do not perhaps fully realise the way in which the Church in Ireland, through the work of Catholic teachers, pioneered the practice of the lay apostolate. There is no more important apostolate than catechesis, the teaching of the faith. There is no greater and closer involvement of laity in the life and mission of the Church, than the involvement of Catholic teachers. They are, by vocation and conviction, by training, skill and commitment, in the very front rank of the lay apostolate.

The whole Church in Ireland, the Bishops, the clergy, the parents, the whole Christian community, owes an immense debt of gratitude to those dedicated men and women, who are the Catholic teachers of Ireland. We Bishops gladly take this opportunity of expressing to them our appreciation, our admiration and our gratitude.

Our Catholic schools do such an excellent job that some parents might decide that the school alone can make good Catholics of their children. Sad experience the whole world over shows that Catholic schools on their own, just cannot and will not make children good young Catholics. Unless there is religion in the home, even the most perfect school religion programme will be a total failure. Unless there is prayer in the home even the most beautiful forms of school prayer will be dropped when school days are over.

There are countries in which it is almost taken for granted that religious practice for children ends on the day they leave the primary school.

Dear parents, we beg you to make no mistake about it: no school, excellent though our schools are, no teacher, dedicated and gifted though our teachers are, will ever have the influence on your children's religion that you yourself have. On yourselves more than on anyone else, the religious life and future of your children depend.

It is not enough, therefore, for parents to make sure that their children faithfully attend school. Parents must also take a real interest in the way their children in school are being taught religion, and in what they are being taught. They must let the children see that they are interested. Children, particularly small children, just love to talk at home about what they learned that day at school. Children are hurt and may lose interest in religion classes, unless parents make the time to listen to their little Gospel stories, to admire their work-books and listen to their children explaining what these mean.

Children need the encouragement of parents admiring their work, enjoy their religious songs and mimes, and join in their simple prayers. Just to take an interest in what the children are doing in religion at school is one of the best ways of supporting the religion teaching of the school. It is also the best way of coming to understand the new religion programme. Indeed, it is also true to say that this can be one excellent way for parents to improve their own religious knowledge.

***

COLLECTION
We acknowledge last Sunday’s collection of £1899.00. Collection for Retired Priests amounted to £680.00. Many thanks.

ANNIVERSARIES
Kathleen King, Edward Curran, Joe Loughrey, Catherine Hannigan, Sheila Tourish,
Charlie McCunnie.

DEATHS
We offer our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of:
Marcel Griffin, Owenreagh Drive,
Dan Doherty, Calhame,
Joan McGettigan, Sion Mills,
Stan O'Connor, England, formerly of Townsend Street who died during the week.
May they 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. Michael McEldowney PP, Claudy, 2nd Dec
Fr. Kevin McElhennon CC, Cappagh, 3rd Dec
Fr. Brendan McGinn, Deceased, 4th Dec
Fr. Dermott McGirr CC, Three Patrons, 5th Dec
Fr. James McGlinchey, Retired, 6th Dec
Fr. Brian McGoldrick PP, Doneyloop, 7th Dec
Fr. Neil McGoldrick PP, Fahan, 8th Dec

PRAYER GROUP
The contemplative prayer group will meet on Monday night at 8.15pm in the Parochial House. Newcomers very welcome.

EUCHARISTIC HEALING SERVICE
There will be a Eucharistic Healing Service in the Church this Sunday 2nd December at 6.00pm.
Everyone welcome.

PADRE PIO MASS
The Padre Pio Mass will take place in the Church on Wednesday 5th December at 7.00pm. Rosary at 6.45pm.

PARISH DRAW
The Draw for the month of December will take place in the parish office on Thursday 13th December at 2.30pm. Promoters are asked to make their returns together with next year's list of names to the parish office on Monday 10th December.

PARISH SAVINGS SCHEME
Last Thursday we saw the completion of a very successful year for the Parish Savings Scheme. Once again a huge sum of money was collected over the year and our deepest thanks goes to a magnificent team who oversee the scheme, Eamon, Eunan, Kevin and Amanda our Parish Administrator. We have a loyal and committed group of collectors who come hail, rain or shine every Monday afternoon and evening with their returns and we are very indebted to all our savers who make the scheme possible in the first place. This scheme offsets any interest that accrues from our overdraft and that makes the scheme so important as well as providing our people with their savings at a very important time of the year.
WELL DONE EVERYONE!

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Saturday 8th December is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and is a Holy Day of Obligation. There will be a vigil Mass on Friday evening at 6.30pm and Mass on Saturday will be at 10.00am and 6.30pm.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL COLLECTION
The annual St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Collection will be taken up at all Masses next weekend, 8th & 9th December, after Communion. We take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continuing support.

A CHILD OF THE SNOW
Following upon the success of the Sacred Christmas Concert 'A Child of the Snow' which was performed in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in December 2005, local composer Ronan Doherty has produced an album of original music featuring material first aired in that initial concert. The CD features the talents of soloists and choirs from the Northwest performing extracts from 'A Child in the Snow'; songs, instrumentals and bible texts which celebrate the essential Christian essence of the Christmas message. CDs can be purchased at the parish office, the parochial house, the Foyle Hospice shop in Church Street or from Ronan directly (Tel: 02871884827).
CD's cost £10.00 and all proceeds will go to the Foyle Hospice.

SACRED HEART MESSENGER
Next year's subscription for the Sacred Heart Messenger magazine is now due. All Sacred Heart Messenger promoters should make their returns to the parish office as soon as possible.

PILGRIMAGES 2008
The next meeting of the group for the Shrines of France and Pilgrimage to Lourdes will tale place in 'The Den' on Wednesday 5th December from 7.30pm - 8.30pm. For further information contact Gerard McBrearty on 02871884029.

MEMORY TREE OF LIGHTS FOR THOSE BEREAVED BY SUICIDE
The Northwest Bereaved by Suicide Support Group are organising a Memory Tree of Lights event on Sunday 9th December at 5.30pm at the Foyle Search and Rescue Headquarters, Victoria Road, Derry. The purpose of the event is to remember loved ones lost to suicide and to support family and friends during the holiday season, which can be an especially difficult time.

CHILDREN IN CROSSFIRE
Children in Crossfire have a range of six beautiful gifts for Christmas. You can buy banana plants for a school in Africa, books, bikes. We will send you a lovely card which you can give as a gift and the present will go to Africa. To order phone 02871269898 or log on to www.childrenin crossfire.org

STRABANE SIGERSONS G.A.A.
The Club's Annual General Meeting will take place on Tuesday 4th December in the Sigersons Clubrooms at 7.00pm. Anyone with an interest in the future of the G.A.A. in Strabane is very welcome to attend.

ST PATRICK’S HALL

Bingo and Lucky 4 Draw as usual this
Thursday.
All our patrons are very welcome

ST. PATRICK'S HALL ANNUAL BAZAAR
This year's bazaar will be held on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th December from 8.00pm 'til late.
Star prizes to be won!!
Much sought after Nintendo Wii (including four new games).
Playstation 3's, PSP's and Nintendo DS!!
Electrical Goods: Washing Machines, Dishwashers, Televisions and lots more.
Toys, Bikes, Hampers, Wine and many, many more fantastic prizes for all the family including pick of the stage!!!
Everyone Welcome

PARISH WEBSITE
Visit our website at www.strabaneparish.com

PRAYER CORNER



ADVENT PSALM

With prayerful pleas
and Advent songs of longing,
I await the birth of God's anointed One.
Come, O Gift of heaven's harmony,
and attune my third ear,
the ear of my heart,
so that I may hear,
just as Mary, faithful woman of Israel, heard.

O God, the time is short,
these days are too few
as I prepare for the feast
of the birth of Mary's son.
Busy days, crowded to the brim,
with long lists of gifts to buy
and things that must be done.

Show to me, also your highly favoured child,
how to guard my heart
from noise and hurry's whirl, so that I may hear your voice
calling my heart to create an empty space
that might be pregnant with heaven's fire.

Quiet me within,
clothe my body in peacefulness,
that your Word
once again may take flesh -
this time, within me -
as once it did in holy Mary,
long Advent days ago.

SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

There are some things that can be learned only by sin. The history of sainthood is a history of sin: Teresa of Avila, Ignatius of Loyola, Charles de Foucauld all struggled their way to God as we do. Only when, like them, we discover the depths of our own neediness can we begin to discover our strengths and God's mercy.

REVELATION

The monks of a neighbouring monastery asked the Master's help in a quarrel that had risen among them. They had heard the Master say he had a technique that was guaranteed to bring love and harmony to any group.
On this occasion he revealed it: "Any time you are with anyone or think of anyone you must say to yourself: I am dying and this person too is dying, attempting the while to experience the truth of the words you are saying. If everyone of you agrees to practice this, bitterness will die out, harmony will rise."
Having said that, he was gone.

APPEARANCES

The Master always frowned on anything that seemed sensational. The divine, he claimed, is only found in the ordinary.
To a disciple who was attempting forms of asceticism that bordered on the bizarre the Master was heard to say, "Holiness is a mysterious thing: the greater it is, the less it is noticed."

FANTASY

What is the greatest enemy of enlightenment?
Fear.
And where does it come from?
Delusion.
And what is delusion?
To think that flowers around you are poisonous snakes.
How shall I attain to enlightenment?
Open your eyes and see.
What?
That there isn't a single snake around.