Sunday 4th November 2007

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

A HOLY HEART

You own a wondrous little pump the size of your fist whose work you probably take for granted. It weighs a little more than half a pound yet does enough work in twelve hours to lift a sixty-five ton tank-car on foot off the ground. Your heart pumps blood through about 100,000 miles of blood vessels, a distance equal to five round trips between New York and Sydney, Australia.

This hardworking organ starts to form as soon as the embryo starts to develop. It begins as a simple tube that soon doubles back on itself. In the early stages of its development, the human heart resembles the hearts of various animals! In the first stage it resembles the heart of a fish. The next stage, when the centre wall is not fully developed, looks like a frog's heart. Then the heart resembles that of a snake, evolving later into a shape much like a bird's heart. At the final stage of development the human heart has right and left chambers that are separated by a wall. But is this the end of its evolution?
When Jesus told us to learn a lesson from his heart, he did not have in mind the knowledge you have just read. Jesus told us that his heart was the textbook. His heart, like ours, beat 4,200 times an hour as it pumped five quarts of blood through his body in about sixty seconds. What made his heart unique was that it was a fully evolved heart, a Sacred Heart. Jesus called his followers to take upon themselves the hard work of pushing their hearts to develop beyond their present stage. We all possess retarded hearts, since at some point our hearts have stopped growing before reaching the final stage of evolution.

St. Clement of Alexandria instructed us in how to continue that evolutionary work: "A real Christian practises being God!" Now, being like God is a pretty tall order - it's hard enough just trying to be good. So St. Clement told us to practise.

When we practise something - whether it be a musical instrument, a sport or a trade - we repeat certain exercises over and over until they become second nature. And what should you practise if you want your heart to be fully developed? First, practise daily being unconditional in your love of others. Practise making your heart completely empty of all discrimination, bias and prejudice. Practise twice a day being good to both the just and the unjust, since Jesus said that God didn't let the gifts of sun or rain come only to those who merited them.

If you daily practise being like God in as many creative ways as possible, I promise you that your heart will continue to grow and mature regardless of your age. Moreover, as you practise, your heart will become so lightweight that the Wind will be able to carry it freely. And you will find that your evolved heart will be able to do even more wondrous things than it presently can as a simple human-animal heart.

***

COLLECTION
We acknowledge last Sunday’s collection of £1748.00. Many thanks.

MARRIAGES
We congratulate the following couple who were married in our parish recently:
Elizabeth Hoynes and Darren Hendron

ANNIVERSARIES
Jill Plumridge, Margaret Dunne, Johnny McLaughlin, Kathleen McDaid,
Hugh Moss, Jeannie Browne, Hannah Stewart, Hugh McDaid, Julie Gallagher, Gerry Taggart

DEATHS
We offer our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of
Theresa Browne, Sion Mills
Catherine McDaid, Magirr Park who died recently. 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. John P Forbes PP, Banagher, 4th Nov.
Fr. Edward Gallagher CC, Limavady, 5th Nov.
Fr. John Gallagher, Florida, 6th Nov.
Fr. John Gilmore PP,Aghyaran, 7th Nov.
Fr. Joseph Gormley CC, Carnhill, 8th Nov.
Fr. Eamon Graham PP, Newtownstewart, 9th Nov.
Fr. Patrick Grant, Deceased, 10th Nov.

PRAYER GROUP
The contemplative prayer group will meet on Monday night at 8.15pm in the Parochial House. Newcomers very welcome. This is an opportunity to experiment with a new form of prayer, especially if you find that your present methods are unsatisfactory.

PARISH DRAW
The Parish Draw for the month of November will take place in the parish office on Thursday 22nd November at 2.30pm. All promoters are asked to make their returns to the parish office on Monday 19th November.

PAYMENTS BY CHEQUE
The Bank have reminded us that all payments made to the parish by cheque (for Parish Savings, Parish Draw, Sunday and Special Collections etc.) must be made payable to Church of the Immaculate Conception.

NOTICES FOR PARISH BULLETIN
In order to facilitate printing we ask that all notices and anniversaries for the parish bulletin are either given to the sacristan or left at the parish office by Wednesday morning at the latest.

ANNUAL MASS FOR THE DEAD
Fr. Boland will celebrate the annual Mass for the dead in the Church on Friday 16th November at 7.30pm.

ANNUAL MASS FOR DECEASED TEACHERS
The annual Mass for deceased teachers of the Derry Diocese will take place in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strabane on Monday 12th November at 7.30pm. Everyone welcome.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2008
First Holy Communion for all Primary 4 pupils in the parish of Camus will take place on Saturday 31st May 2008 at 11.00am.

PADRE PIO MASS
The Padre Pio Mass will take place in the Church on Wednesday 7th November at 7.00pm. Rosary at 6.45pm

MISSIONARIES OF THE SACRED HEART
Used mobile phones can be recycled by Missionaries of the Sacred Heart to support their care programme for AIDS orphans in South Africa. Phones without the charger can be posted to: Mobile Phone Recycling, MSC Mission Support Centre, P.O. Box 23, Western Road, Cork

PILGRIMAGES 2008
A meeting will be held on Wednesday 7th November 2007 at 7.30pm in The Den to discuss the forthcoming trips.
Shrines of France € 955
Pilgrimage to Lourdes € 770
For further information contact Gerard McBrearty, telephone, 02871884029.

STRABANE SIGERSONS G.A.A.
The Club's Annual Awards Dinner Dance will be held in the Fir Trees Hotel on Saturday 10th November with music by Davy Kerrigan. Tickets are now on sale £20.00 each and can be obtained from Ignatius Maguire, Aodhán Harkin, Ciarán McLaughlin, Teresina Bonner, Brendan McLaughlin or at the Social Club.

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.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS - EVISH P.S.
There will be a meeting in the Parochial House on Thursday 8th November for the Board of Governors of Evish Primary School and the recently elected parents group.

PARISH SAVINGS SCHEME
There are now only four weeks left in the Parish Savings Scheme. We would encourage all our savers to continue their contributions and thank our collectors for their hard work. The Savings Scheme is vital for offsetting any interest the parish owes to the bank as well as being a very practical way of saving for events at the end of the year.

ST PATRICK’S HALL

Bingo and Lucky 4 Draw as usual this Thursday - all our patrons are very welcome

THE WIZARD OF OZ
St. Patrick's Hall Theatre Committee Presents..........
"The Wizard of Oz"
From Friday 2nd November - Sunday 11th November. Commencing 7.30pm nightly.
Admission £7.00 per adult, £5.00 per child.
Booking available at St. Patrick's Hall, Tel., 02871882483 from:
Monday 22nd October - Friday 26th October 1.00pm - 4.00pm.
Monday 29th October - Thursday 1st November 1.00pm - 4.00pm.
Book early and avoid disappointment.

N.I. BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE
A team from the N.I. Blood Transfusion Service will be in St. Patrick's Hall on Monday 12th November 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.

BRIDGE CLASSES
Bridge classes are held in St. Patrick's Hall every Wednesday at 1.30pm. All are welcome.

PARISH WEBSITE
Visit our website at www.strabaneparish.com

PRAYER CORNER


PSALM FOR PRAYING

Restore us, O Holy One;
let your face shine upon us,
teach us to love!

You companion us through the wilderness,
through the shadows created by fear.
You plant your Seed into each heart.
You uproot the weeds of our sin,
You cultivate the soil of our goodness.
Truly, in You, we become like a tiny acorn,
holding the secret of a mighty oak.
You nourish us with the food of Love,
with streams of Living Water.
Be our strength as we break down walls
that separate and divide;
let not fear pluck away the gifts
we should share.
Roll way the stones that become obstacles
to growth,
to producing a bountiful harvest.

Receive our gratitude, O Heart of all hearts!
look upon us and see what
Love can do.


DROP YOUR NOTHING

He thought it was of vital importance to be poor and austere. It had never dawned on him that the vitally important thing was to drop his ego; that the ego fattens on holiness just as much as on worldliness, on poverty as on riches, on austerity as on luxury. There is nothing the ego will not seize upon to inflate itself.

Disciple: I have come to you with nothing in my hands.

Master: Then drop it at once!

Disciple: But how can I drop it? It is nothing.

Master: Then carry it around with you!

You can make a possession of your nothing.
And carry your renunciation around you like a trophy.
Don't drop your possessions. Drop your ego.

DETACHMENT

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't mean security,
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open,
And learn to build all you roads
On today because tomorrow's ground
Is too uncertain for plans, and futures have
A way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine
Burns if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate
Your own soul, instead of waiting
For someone to bring you flowers,
And you learn that you really can endure. . .
That you really are strong
And you really do have worth.
And you learn and learn. . .
With every good-bye you learn.

PRAYER OF ST. PATRICK

May the strength of God pilot us,
May the power of God preserve us,
May the wisdon of God instruct us,
May the hand of God protect us,
May the way of God direct us,
May the shield of God defend us,
May the host of God guard us,
against snares of evil
and the temptations of the world.