WHOSE
VOICE IS IT?
We have within us a lifeguard far more effective
than any you might find at the beach or pool, and
its name is conscience. Our silent inner voice of
the spirit is responsible for guarding our precious
gift of life. That voice is formed by many influences,
including our parents, society and religious beliefs.
But for the voice of our inner lifeguard to ring true,
it must come from deep within. And that's where the
practice of daily meditation or the prayer of centring
comes in. As we find the centre of our being, we begin
to see clearly those things that are harmful to the
quality of life. Such an insight comes to being close
to the divine ground of our being. The Kingdom of
God is within and when we approach the very core of
our being, we can experience not only the presence
of God but the wisdom of God as well.
But the voice of the lifeguard that dwells in the
shrine of the heart needs to be distinguished from
the voice of our inner critic. The inner critic is
not the same as our conscience. Instead of originating
from our centre it is merely a combination of parental
figures and social pressures. The inner critic judges
our behaviour as good or bad not to guard life but
rather to protect reputation. Such a voice warns,
"Don't wear that dress, it looks too young for
you. If you don't go to the gathering people will
talk. If you fail once more, no one will like you."
The intent of the lifeguard, on the other hand, is
not to box in behaviour according to what is "proper",
but rather to keep us free to response to Life. It
warns us when our deeds begin to close us off from
the possibility of loving God or others with a full
heart. The inner circle has its office in our head
while the lifeguard resides in our heart. We should
attempt to tune out the inner critic while attending
to the lifeguard. For the lifeguard is so finely tuned
to the Spirit that it is alert to those things that
outwardly appear as good but inwardly are only destructive
to a true enjoyment of life.
When we are attuned to our inner lifeguard, we can
swim safely and freely in the waters of life. Perhaps
the best way to keep one ear open and sensitive to
the inner lifeguard is through regular prayer. If
we pray daily, we can truly play in the world. It
is not "saying prayers" but the quiet prayer
of stillness that provides this freedom to playfully
enjoy life. And this freedom comes because in stillness
we can let go of fear. As St. John told us, "Perfect
love casts out fear" (1 Jn. 5:18). By daily spending
time sitting with Perfect Love, we will find that
we are able to approach life with trust rather than
out of fear. And trusting in the ever-vigilant watchfulness
of our inner lifeguard, we once again become children
of our Heavenly Father.
PRAYER GROUP
The contemplative prayer group will meet on Monday
evening 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.
COLLECTION
We acknowledge last Sunday’s collection of
£1639.00. Many thanks.
DEATHS
We offer our deepest sympathy to the family and friends
of:
Chris Patterson, Carlton Drive.
Sadie Donaghey, St. Colmans Drive.
Thomas Diver, Mount Carmel Heights.
May they rest in peace.
ANNIVERSARIES
Katie Quinn, Mary Caulfield, Joe Morris, Paddy Kelly,
Clare Boyle, Tommy Connolly, Ruby Casey, Mary McGinley,
Patrick McGinley, Tommy Brennan, Eddie Devlin, Rebecca
Doherty.
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:
Fr. Joseph Morris, Retired,13th April.
Fr. Aiden Mullan PP, Waterside, 14th April.
Fr. Kevin Mullan PP, Drumquin, 15th April.
Fr. Michael F Mullan CC, Dungiven, 16th April.
Fr. Patrick J Mullan PP, Faughanvale, 17th April.
Fr. Francis Murray CC, Cappagh, 18th April.
Fr. Seamus O'Connell PP, Maghera, 19th April.
PARISH DRAW
The Draw for the month of April will take place in
the parish office on Thursday 24th April at 2.30pm.
There will be an Extra Draw for fully paid members.
Promoters are asked to make their returns to the parish
office on Monday 21st April.
SICK AND HOUSEBOUND TO BE
ATTENDED
Fr. Boland will visit the sick and housebound in
the following areas on Wednesday 16th April starting
at 10.00am : 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 Thursday 17th April starting
at 2.00pm: Bearney Road, Camus Road, Conthem Road,
Upper Townsend Street, Townsend Terrace, Marian Park,
Fountain Street and Innisfree Gardens.
GALA CONCERT
St. Joseph's Brass Band will be hosting a Gala Concert
on our Church on Sunday 4th May 2008. This will be
a showcase of the various aspects of the band's work
and the concert will close the Band's 60th Anniversary
celebrations. Also playing at the concert will be
members of Confraternity Brass, Wexford, City of Waterford
Brass, Strabane Concert Brass and from Yorkshire,
the Grange Moor Colliery Brass Band. There will also
be violin and vocal soloists. All proceeds and donations
from the concert will be donated to the Church Restoration
Fund.
SHRINES OF FRANCE - 24th
April - 2nd May 2008
All persons travelling on this pilgrimage are asked
to attend a meeting in The Den on Wednesday 16th April
at 7.45pm to allow final travel arrangements to be
made.
DONATIONS TOWARDS STORM
GLAZING AND PA SYSTEM
We very gratefully
acknowledge the recent donations we have received
towards the storm glazing of the stained glass windows
in the church and the PA system:-
£150.00,
£100.00. We also wish to acknowledge the proceeds
of the recent ceili held in St. Patrick's Hall. Many
thanks.
Total amount donated £12596.00.
GIFT AID
Gift Aid is a very simple method of helping the parish
financially. If you are using a parish envelope and
pay tax, for every £1 you pay to the Church,
if you are in the scheme, the Church recoups 28p.
There are no hidden snags and it doesn't interfere
whatsoever with any other financial arrangements you
may have. Forms are available at the back of the Church
this week.
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
BLESSING OF GRAVES
The Annual Ceremony of the Blessing of the Graves
will take place in this parish on Sunday 15th June
at 3.00pm.
LEGION OF MARY
Legion of Mary meets each Thursday morning after
Mass at 10.30am in the Church Conference Room. Work
consists of Rosary promotion in the parish, also visitation
of residential nursing homes in town and Lifford hospital.
New members welcome. Contact Margaret Harte 02871883159.
TAIZE PRAYER AND CHANT
Join us for an hour of meditative Taize Prayer and
Chant on Wednesday 16th April in the Day Chapel, St.
Mary's Church, Melmount from 7.30pm - 8.30pm. Everyone
welcome.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL LUCKY LOTTO DRAW
The numbers drawn were 6, 8, 11, 14.
There was no Jackpot winner: There were 14 match
3 winners who shared £300.00:
Angela Nicholl, Sally McColgan, Eileen Casey, John
Strong, Margaret Beattie, Bernadette Brolly, Caroline
Devine, May McCrory, Rose McGeehan, Tommy Bonner,
Mary McGill, Conall Murray, Martha McColgan, Stella
McGinley. Jackpot for April is £1200.00. Next
Draw will take place on Sunday 4th May at 9.00pm at
Melmount parish bingo.
A PLACE APART - International
Flower Festival
As Seen on RTE, Nationwide, hosted at Loreto House,
Linsfort, Buncrana. Open Friday 2nd May - Monday 5th
May 10.00am - 7.00pm (Fri. - Sun.), 10.00am - 5.00pm
(Mon.). Admission €10. For booking and information,
Tel: 00353749362204.
ST. PATRICK’S HALL
Bingo and Lucky 4 Draw as usual this
Thursday.
All our patrons are very welcome.
LUCKY 4 DRAW
There was 1 match 3 winner in last
week's Lucky 4 Draw
Annie Porter
The numbers drawn were:
2, 3, 20, 23.
Next Week's Lucky 4 Jackpot is £1950.00
BARRETT SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCING
Classes each Tuesday and Friday at 4.00pm in St.
Patrick's Hall. Age - from 3 years upwards. New pupils
welcome.
PRAYER CORNER
PSALM FOR A STALLED HEART
My heart is cold today, O God,
I feel no burning desire,
no zeal to pray or be with you.
My heart is frozen by the chill of emptiness -
sluggish and stalled.
Send forth your Spirit
to revive my heart.
Spark it with a relish for service,
with a longing to pray.
Take me beyond the need to feel
the reassurance of a lover's heart.
May I seek to love and serve you,
even when my wintry heart
declines to dance
with springtime grace.
Remind me of the ageless truth
that we become what we pretend to be.
And as this long day passes,
may I begin to glimpse a growing warmth
beyond my words and deeds,
the marriage of what I would be
and what I am.
And may my desire
to be your flame of warmth and love
spark other stalled souls
to come alive, aflame in you.
May this be so, O God, may this be
so.
A LOVE POEM TO GOD
I am, you anxious one.
Don't you sense me, ready to break
into being at your torch?
My murmurings surround you like shadowy wings.
Can't you see me standing before you
cloaked in stillness?
Hasn't my longing ripened in you
from the beginning
as fruit ripens on a branch?
I am the dream you are dreaming.
When you want to awaken, I am that wanting:
I grow strong in the beauty you behold.
And with the silence of stars I enfold
your cities made by time.
A PET PARROT IS GREAT FOR
SELF-CONFIDENCE
The renowned French impressionist
painter Paul Cezanne once acquired a bright green
parrot. He taught his pet to repeat one phrase over
and over again: "Cezanne is a great painter...
Cezanne is a great painter"!
As the classic cartoon character
Pogo once said, "We have met the enemy and he
is us." Everyone has a pet parrot. We have inner
parrots that repeat again and again the voices we
heard as children. Let Cezanne be an example of how
you should train your parrot to only speak messages
that affirm your value.
Like Cezanne, select a single sentence
today and repeat it over and over to your pet parrot.
Then, like the famous pirate in Treasure Island, Long
John Silver, let your pet parrot ride on your shoulder
wherever you go - whether to work, play or prayer.
THE GREAT ART CRITIC
Huang Erh-nan, a distinguished Chinese
artist of the 1920's, is known for his ink masterpieces
of butterflies and lotus flowers. His unique technique
for creating beautiful works of art didn't even require
a traditional brush. Huang would fill his mouth with
black ink and then paint delicate strokes with his
tongue!
You personally have at your disposal
a similar "brush" with which to paint works
of art - or make ugly graffiti. Fill your mouth each
morning with love and your tongue will create beautiful
works of art. Fill your mouth each morning with thanksgiving,
and by day's end you will have made your world an
art museum.
Perhaps at the final judgement, the
only thing God will ask to see is your paintings!
A PSALM OF PARDON
Pardon is your name,
Forgiveness your eternal title,
by "Mercy as vast as the universe" are you
known.
Grant me, O Gracious One,
your great gift of pardon.
I have searched for it
in every pocket and hiding place;
I cannot find it, your gift of Self.
I know it is here,
buried beneath my pain,
somewhere in a back corner of my heart:
but for now it is lost.
Make me your messenger
of the good news I cannot now speak.
Give to me words of forgiveness,
the healing touch of pardon,
the one that weds two as one.
I know that to forgive is divine,
but I am no deity,
and I fear I will be a demon,
who, by failing to forgive,
will spread the kingdom of darkness.
Remind me ten times and more
of all that you have forgiven me-
without even waiting for my sorrow,
the very instant that I slipped and smiled and sinned.
Remind me ten thousand times and more
of your endless absolution,
not even sorrow required on my part,
so broad the bounty of your love.
Yes, I can - I will - forgive
as you have forgiven me.
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.
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, 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.
PRAYER OF ST. PATRICK
May the strength of God pilot us,
May the power of God preserve us,
May the wisdom 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.
PSALM FOR PRAYING
You take delight , O Radiant One,
in gracing me with new life!
O Beloved, come and renew me!
Let me face my weaknesses and all
that confuses me, that keeps me from joy!
I seek forgiveness for my wrong doings,
I desire only You!
Let me begin anew, a as child
at its mother's breast, who basks in love.
May all who seek You rejoice and be glad!
May all who surrender to You say evermore,
"My joy is in the Beloved!"
Yet I am lowly and fear-filled;
hasten to me, Beloved!"
You are my strength and my joy;
O Beloved, come and renew me!
THE NEW YEAR
Ever Faithful God
in this new year I pray:
to live deeply with purpose,
to live freely, with detachment,
to live wisely, with humility,
to live justly with compassion,
to live lovingly with fidelity,
to live mindfully with awareness,
to live gratefully with generosity,
to live fully, with enthusiasm.
Help me to hold this vision
and to daily renew it in my heart,
becoming ever more one with you,
my truest Self.
I ARISE IN THE NEW YEAR
I arise with amazement at the presence
of the Holy One.
I arise with gratitude for life.
I arise with hope that all shall be well.
I arise with courage to meet what will be difficult.
I arise with conviction to do what is life-giving.
I arise with eyes ever alert for beauty.
I arise with openness to greater truth.
I arise with desire for continued transformation.
I arise with compassion for the hurting ones in the
cosmos.
I arise with grief still settled in my spirit.
I arise with a sense of kinship with all whom I love.
I arise with determination to make good choices in
using my time.
I arise with willingness to help those who will need
my care.
I arise with hesitation as I think about the pain
that may come.
I arise with longing for ever greater inner freedom.
I arise with happiness, knowing that I am invited
to live life more fully.
I arise with love for the Holy One, my Intimate Companion.
Compassionate God and faithful Friend,
thank you for the opportunity to walk into another
year of life. Help me to be faithful, to be generous,
to be yours.
PSALM 71
In You, O my Beloved, do I take refuge;
Let me never feel separated from You!
In your compassion come and refresh me;
listen to my cry,
answer my plea!
Be to me a rock, a tower of strength,
a strong arm to uphold me,
as I abandon myself into your hands.
Be a very Presence to me as fear grips
me.
For You, O Friend, are my hope,
my strength, since I was but a child.
Upon you have I trusted from my birth,
You, whom I knew before my mother's womb.
I continually sing praises to you.
I have been a burden to many;
In you alone will I trust.
I am filled with gratitude and
sing your praises all the day.
Do not abandon me in my old age;
desert me not when my strength is
spent, or
when my mind plays tricks with me.
For fears rise up to confuse me,
doubts and forgetfulness
band together,
And say,"the Beloved no longer dwells with you;
there is no one to stand by you."
O Friend be not far from me;
O Beloved come and enfold me
in your Presence!
Help me to release my fears.
Hear my prayer that they may be transformed,
O You, who are my Counsellor.
As I surrender myself into your hands,
I praise you more and more.
I tell others of your goodness
of your compassion and grace
all the day;
for your glory is beyond my understanding.
As I grow in inner peace and serenity,
I sing songs of praise,
to You my Friend!
You who have done wondrous things.
O Beloved, who is like You?
You who have seen me through many fears,
strengthen me again:
From the depth of despair
You renew my spirit,
You increase my trust, and You comfort me.
Blessed be the Beloved, who dwells
in all hearts!
