COLLECTION
We acknowledge last Sunday’s collection of £1800.00.
Many thanks.
ANNIVERSARIES
Patrick O'Kane, Kathleen Deans, Joe Doherty, Teresa
Murray, Harry McNulty,
Kevin McIntyre, Villa Doherty, Mary Kerrigan, Mary
McGillion
DEATHS
We offer our deepest sympathy to the family and friends
of:
Patrick McDermott, Dunamanagh
who died during the week. 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:
Most Rev. Edward Daly, Retired Bishop,
7th Oct.
Fr. Peter Deeney CC, further studies
, 8th Oct.
Fr. Robert Devine PP, Killygordon,
9th Oct.
Fr. Brendan Devlin, Maynooth, 10th
Oct.
Fr. Kieran Devlin PP, Gortin, 11th
Oct.
Fr. Peter Devlin CC, Clonmany, 12th
Oct.
Fr. Fintan Diggan PP, Clonmany,13th
Oct.
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.
THANK YOU FROM SISTER CARMEL
In my less humble moments I felt I had a lot of good
friends in heaven ---- but I never realised how many
I had on earth until I was struck with illness! Having
recovered from the initial shock I would like to thank
each and every one for all the Masses, prayers, love
and concern. I have certainly experienced God's healing
love in a special way. Mass will be offered for all.
PARISH DRAW
The next Parish Draw will be held on Thursday 25th
October at 2.30pm in the parish office.
Promoters are asked to make their returns to the parish
office on Monday 22nd October.
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.
CURSILLO WEEKEND
The next Cursillo Weekends are in Termonbacca Retreat
Centre, Derry starting at 7.30pm. Thursday 1st November
- Sunday 4th November 2007 for men and Thursday 8th
November - Sunday 11th November 2007 for women. For
further information and bookings contact: 028 71885006.
NATIONAL ROSARY WEEK
National Rosary Week is from 7th - 13th October.
Please do all you can to support the Rosary.
NEW RELIGIOUS ORDER IN DERRY
The Sisters of St. John have a temporary convent at
10 Belvoir Park, Derry (Tel. 02871353414 from 2.00pm
- 4.30pm and from 7.30pm - 9.00pm). The Sisters are
contemplative - their lives are dedicated to prayer,
rather than pastoral ministry. Their intention is
to build a new convent in the diocese.
The Sisters may be phoned at the above times and they
welcome visitors, who wish to speak with a Sister,
from Monday to Friday, 2.00pm until 5.00pm.
Mass is celebrated in the convent on Tuesdays and
Wednesdays at 8.30am and on Sundays at 4.00pm.
Evening Prayer is from Monday to Friday at 5.45pm.
Eucharistic Adoration is on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
and Friday from 6.15pm until 7.15pm, Thursday 7.00pm
until 9.00pm and Saturday 9.00am until 3.30pm. All
are welcome to Mass, Evening Prayer and Eucharistic
Adoration.
IHCPT
YOUNG PEOPLE'S PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES EASTER 2008
Around five hundred young people from all over Ireland
spend a week in Lourdes with the IHCPT (The Irish
Pilgrimage Trust) every Easter. Experienced adult
carers visit the young people prior to the pilgrimage
and accompany them throughout the week in Lourdes.
The Irish Pilgrimage Trust welcomes applications from
young people of any religious denomination with:
A physical disability or illness (aged 9-18)
A learning disability (aged 11-21)
Very seriously ill children under the age of 9 (accompanied
by a parent or close relative)
Young adults between the age of 20 and 25 with a disability
or illness.
The IHCPT covers the cost of those young people selected
to travel. If there is a young person that you feel
would be eligible and would benefit form a trip to
Lourdes please contact the IHCPT office at 0035391796622
for contact details of your local group or an application
form. The closing date for applications is 31st October
2007.
DERRY DIOCESAN DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
Day of Renewal - Growing to the fullness of our Christian
vocation.
Speaker : Fr. Pascal McDonnell
Date & Time: Saturday 20th October 9am
- 5pm
Venue: The Mellon Country Inn, Omagh
Cost: £20 includes morning coffee &
buffet lunch
Booking is essential. Telephone 02882242092 (office
hours only). Email info@drumraghparish.com
When booking please inform us of any special dietary
requirements.
NAZARETH SISTERS
The Nazareth Sisters would like to thank all who donated
to the church collection on 16th September. The Sisters
are most grateful and ask that God will bless and
reward everyone for their great generosity. Their
project this year is to replace water tanks and thanks
to the generosity of the parish they can now begin
this work.
ALZHEIMER'S SUPPORT GROUP
The Group will meet on Wednesday 17th October
at 7.30pm in Melmount Manor Care Home, Orchard Road,
Strabane. Guest Speaker, Judith Gormley, Western Trust,
speaking on Falls - Awareness and Prevention. Everyone
welcome.
ST PATRICK’S HALL
Bingo and Lucky 4 Draw as
usual this Thursday - all our patrons are very welcome
WEST END PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS.....
ABBA the Show, featuring Europe's Top Musical Group,
SMACKEE, in St. Patrick's Hall on Friday 19th October
. Tickets £12.50.
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.
BRIDGE CLASSES
Bridge classes will be held in St. Patrick's Hall
every Wednesday at 1.30pm. Everyone welcome.
LIAM BRADLEY TOURS
1st Jan 2008. Galway, 4 days 4 dinners 3 B/B. £199pps.
Departs Strabane 9am. Tel. 71269109.
PARISH WEBSITE
Visit our website at www.strabaneparish.com
PRAYER CORNER
AUTUMN PSALM OF FEARLESSNESS
I am surrounded by a peaceful ebbing
as creation bows to the mystery of life;
all that grows and lives must give up life,
yet it does not really die.
as plants surrender their life,
bending, brown and wrinkled,
and yellow leaves of trees
float to my lawn like parachute troops, they do so
in a sea of serenity.
I hear no fearful cries from creation,
no screams of terror,
as death daily devours
once-green and growing life.
Peaceful and calm is autumn's swan song,
for she understands
that hidden in winter's death-grip
is spring's open-handed
full-brim breath of life.
It is not a death rattle that sounds
over fields and backyard fences;
rather I hear a lullaby
softly swaying upon the autumn wind.
Sleep in peace, all that lives;
slumber secure, all that is dying,
for in every fall there is the rise
whose sister's name is spring.
GIVING THANKS
O Divine Gift-giver,
I stand beneath the endless waterfall
of your abundant gifts to me.
I thank you especially for the blessing of life,
the most precious of all your gifts to me.
I thank you, Ever-generous One,
for clothing to wear,
for food and drink to nourish my body,
for all the talents and skills that you have bestowed
upon me.
I thank you for the many joys of my life,
for family and friends,
for work that gives to me a sense of purpose
and invests my life with meaning.
I thank you as well
for the suffering and trials of my life
which are also gifts
and which together with my mistakes are among my most
important teachers.
Grant that I may never greet a new
day
without the awareness of some gift
for which to give you thanks.
And may constant thanksgiving
be my song of perpetual praise to you.
PRAYER OF GUIDANCE
Spirit of Guidance, I see before me numerous choices
and a decision to be made.
There is division in my heart. Sometimes I want none
of what I find. Sometimes I want it all. Sometimes
I want to give up making decisions and wish that the
future would go away.
I entrust my decision-making into your hands, ready
to do my part but also knowing that I cannot do this
without your help.
Lead me through all the unsure, unclear, doubtful,
hesitant, and questioning moments that are mine as
I search to find the right way in which to go.
Grant me the grace to choose freely, without being
attached to the outcome. I trust that you will be
with me as I make my decision prayerfully and with
faith.
Assure me that your peace will rest deep within me
as I make the decision that seems best for me at this
time. I may continue to experience feelings of turmoil
and confusion, but deep within I know that I can return
to that settled place in me where you always dwell.
Guide and Director of my life, I place my life in
your hands. Lead me to the path that will best deepen
and strengthen my relationship with you.
BEWARE!
Following are the names of the Seven
Mischievous Misses who are responsible for most of
our troubles:
Miss Information,
Miss Quotation,
Miss Representation,
Miss Interpretation,
Miss Construction,
Miss Conception,
Miss Understanding.
Beware!
LORD, MAY YOUR SPIRIT BURN WITHIN ME
Lord, you burn like a flame within us,
Flame of energy and inspiration,
Living flame of love.
Yet like a flame you can be quenched by our pride,
Smothered by our selfish ways, by our sins.
There are times we prefer other things,
When we prefer to live without
The glow of your love within,
The flame of your goodness shining on us,
The light of your presence,
Times when we prefer
The ways of darkness.
Yet how can we live without your love, Lord?
Help me to hold on to what is good.
Help me not to quench your Spirit.
May your Spirit burn within me.
SPIRIT OF LIGHT
Spirit of Light,
Come in the depths of my Winter,
Come illumine my soul,
Cast your warm glow
Over snow, when chill mist
Hangs in the air
and I am cold within,
When faith's worn thin
And my spirit's bare and weary.
Come, illumine my soul;
Shine upon my dreariness
Glow warm on my frozen spirit,
Revive me, Spirit of Light!
PRAYER FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL
May the Love of the Spirit
Enfold you;
May the Strength of the Spirit
Uphold you;
May the Peace of the Spirit
Refresh you;
May the Joy of the Spirit
Uplift you;
May the Light of the Spirit
Shine on you;
May the Mercy of the Spirit
Rekindle you;
May the Spirit renew your innermost being.
HOLY SPIRIT, RENEW US!
Come, Holy Spirit,
Renew us with your gifts!
Heal our brokenness
Wash our guilt away;
Pour down your wisdom,
Guide us when we stray.
Instill your peace within us,
Watch over us in need,
Move our hearts to goodness,
Inspire our every deed. Amen.
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.
ENCOUNTERING DEPRESSION
Giver of life,
I am in the wasteland of depression.
I cry out to you, Source of Solace,
as I meet this empty void within me.
Sustain me as I try to exist
in this day-to-day dying
of my energy and vitality.
Wrap your arms around me.
Carry me through this bleak journey.
Help me to stay open to your love.
I rely on you. I lean on you.
I trust you to hold me close
as I stumble on this joyless path.
EXPERIENCING LOSS
All-Embracing Love,
your circle of strength is around me.
I ask for grace to yield to the reality of this loss.
I pray to surrender to what cannot be changed.
I beg for deliverance from the emotional drain
and the unyielding sadness that this loss has brought me.
Let peace return.
Let hope begin.
Let comfort be mine.
PAIN IS A TREASURE
Pain is a treasure, for it contains mercies;
The kernel is soft when the rind is scraped off.
O brother, the place of darkness and cold
Is the fountain of Life and the cup of ecstasy.
So also is the endurance of pain and sickness and disease,
For from abasement proceeds exaltation.
The spring seasons are hidden in the autumns,
And the autumns are charged with springs.
PEACE
Peace demands a mentality and a spirit which, before turning to others, must first permeate him who wishes to bring peace. Peace is first and foremost personal, before it is social. And it is precisely this spirit of peace which is the duty of every true follower of Christ to cultivate.
(John Paul 11)
If we wish to have true peace, we must give it a soul. The soul of peace is love. It is love that gives life to peace, more than victory or defeat, more than self-interest or fear or weariness or need. The soul of peace is love, which for us believers comes from the love of God and exercises itself in love for men.
(John Paul 11)
Keep your heart in peace; let nothing in this world disturb it; all things have an end.
In all circumstances, however hard they may be, we should rejoice rather than be cast down, that we may not lose the greatest good, the peace and tranquility of our soul.
If the whole world and all that is in it were thrown into confusion, disquietude on that account would be vanity; because that disquietude would do more harm than good.
To endure all things with an equable and peaceful mind, not only brings with it many blessings to the soul, but also enables us, in the midst of our difficulties, to have a clear judgement about them, and to minister the fitting remedy for them.
(St John of the Cross)
A very powerful and efficacious medicament, and the means to purify ourselves from every imperfection, to overcome all temptations and to preserve in our heart imperturbable peace, is conformity to the will of God.
(St Vincent de Paul)
Order and the beauty of peace go together. The fair flower of peace does not grow among the weeds of an ill-regulated life. The radiance of a deeper serenity is the product of disciplining both in the heart and in outward affairs.
(G.H. Norling)
POETIC PRAYER
Take me to the lair of your loveliness
To the place that is no place
Where there is song without singing
And love without word.
Take me where I want to be.
Take me into your boundless Being
Where no thought limits.
Take me into my deepest heart
That opens into You.
There at the centre of all loveliness
Will I be lovely.
Of all the holiness will I be holy.
Of all the peace will I be peaceful.
There will I be your begotten.
There will I be we!
MEDITATION
Gift, all gift, your giving.
Let me open to receive:
Stretch me to infinity,
That I hold the all of You.
No time pass, so no thing change,
Eternal and infinite in your nothingness,
That in the stillness, all motion,
And in the silence, every sound.
Let no thought despoil.
For how can You be in thought?
Let no word ruin, word is my making.
Only silence, stillness - open to love.
Beloved, make a forced entry if You must
But gift me with your Presence.
GIVE YOURSELF THE RIGHT TO
SUFFER
Being unhappy in today's society is not popular.
In fact, judging by the ads on television, finding
happiness should be our main goal.
We want to be happy no matter what the cost. This
is why we put our elders in institutions and our sick
in hospitals so we don't have to face our suffering.
We ask funeral homes to make our deceased look good
so we don't have to see the face of death.
We abhor suffering and fear. We are ashamed of our
pain and our sadness.
Give yourself permission to mourn, to weep and to
be depressed for a while, even if, as a child, your
parents forbade you to cry or be sad. If you find
it hard to let yourself cry, try watching a sad movie
to release your tears and your pain. Share your feelings
with people who are wise, people who can accept your
situation because they have been through it and know
what you are experiencing, people who know they can't
make it better except by listening.
This state is temporary. With support and encouragement
to express yourself, you will begin to feel better.
GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO HEAL AT YOUR OWN
PACE
You will find that very few people around you can
tolerate your suffering. They want you to feel better,
to forget, to accept, to distract yourself.
They will try to prevent you from hurting. Yet, you
must understand that you have every right to go through
this painful experience.
Consequently you should avoid hiding your feelings
behind a composed front, a pretend smile, a false
attitude.
Avoid mixing with people who have
denied their own pain, or who display the physical
and mental signs of repressed grief, such as stiffness,
rigidity, depression, fatigue, psychosomatic pain
or illness.
Regardless of the theories on the stages and the length
of the grieving process, remember that your experience
is unique. Performance and speed are not to be judged.
You have the right to deal with your grief in your
own way and at your own pace.
HEALING OF HURTFUL MEMORIES
Return to some unpleasant event of the recent
past, no matter how trifling. Relive the experience.
Now place yourself before Christ Crucified. Do not
speak . . . Only look and contemplate . . . If you
must communicate, do so without words . . .
Keep communicating between the unpleasant event and
the scene of Jesus on the Cross for a few minutes
. . . Then end the exercise.
PRAYER
The purpose of all prayer is to uplift the
words,
to return them to their source above.
The world was created
by the downward flow of letters:
The task of man is to form those letters into words
and take them back to God.
If you come to know this duel process,
your prayer may be joined
to the constant flow of Creation -
word to word, voice to voice,
breath to breath, thought to thought.
The words fly upward and come to Him.
As God turns to look at the ascending word,
life flows through all the worlds
and prayer receives its answer.
All this happens in an instant
and all this happens continually;
Time has no meaning in the sight of God.
The divine spring is ever-flowing;
one who is ready can make himself into a channel
to receive the waters from above.
LOVE POEM TO GOD
I love you, gentlest of Ways,
who ripened us as we wrestled with you.
You, the great 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,
You began yourself so greatly
on that day when you began us -
and we have so ripened in your sunlight,
spreading far and firmly planted -
that now in all people, angels, madonnas,
you can decide: the work is done.
Let your hand rest on the rim of Heaven
now
and mutely bear the darkness we bring over you.
HOLY SPIRIT, MAKE ME HOLY
Holy Spirit, reveal yourself to me
In the depths of my being,
In the working of my mind,
In the feelings in my heart.
Purge my inner self
That I may be filled
With the wonder of your love;
Sanctify my every thought,
That I may be enfolded
In the splendour of your goodness;
Purify my every feeling,
That I may be worthy to behold your glory.
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
HEAVY BURDENS
Jesus, Rest for the Weary,
the heaviness of my burden overwhelms me.
the immensity of this situation
presses down upon me.
The weight of the pain I carry
crushes my hopeful vision of life.
I long for an easing of my distress.
Let me hear again
your promising words of comfort.
Speak them to my heart:
"Come to me all of you who are weary,
and carrying heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest"(Matt.11:28).
I lean my burdened life
of the bosom of your love
and wait to be consoled.
GOD'S EMBRACE
Guardian of the Wounded,
wrap me in your embrace.
Hold me close to your heart
and assure me of your love.
Protect my sore spirit.
Ease the pain that it holds.
You are always ready
to embrace me,
no matter how hurt or desolate
my heart may be.
I will trust you with my pain.
I will rest in your solace.
I will take refuge in your love.
TEACH US TO LIVE
God of love - Forgive! Forgive!
Teach us how to truly live,
Ask us not our race or creed,
Just take us in our hour of need ,
And let us know You love us, too,
And that we are a part of You...
And someday may man realise
That all the earth, the seas and skies
Belong to God who made us all,
The rich , the poor, the great, the small.
And in the Father's Holy Sight
No man is yellow, black or white,
And peace on earth cannot be found
Until we meet on common ground
And every man becomes a brother
Who worships God and loves each other.
GOOD EXAMPLE
Parents cannot be content just to tell our
children the right way to live; they must set the
example themselves. It's no use parents warning teenagers
about the dangers of drink if parents cannot control
the use of drink themselves. It's no use expecting
children to be responsible about food, money or clothes
if parents are self-indulgent and spendthrift themselves.
Instead of just telling children what the Christian
way is, parents must live the Christian way with them.
Dear parents, you are the parents over your children.
You are also Christians with them. Children will get
their ideas about what it means to be a Christian
much more from how they see their parents living than
from what their parents tell them, or from what they
are taught in school, or even what they hear in church.
