LENT - TIME FOR A CHANGE OF HEART

Next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and we begin forty days of preparation for Easter. It is above all an opportunity to look at the way we live and a time to turn back to God with all our hearts. As we get our ashes we hear these words, 'Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.'

As you read this make a resolution that the days of Lent will be very meaningful for you. The choice is yours. We need special times and special occasions to focus on what is really important in life and to lift us out of the rut we can so easily get caught in. Lent provides us with this challenge. Traditionally the Church puts before us three areas where we can examine our lives:-

1. PRAYER 2. FASTING 3. ALMSGIVING

Why not consider coming out to one of the morning Masses? Morning and evening prayer, family prayers, using a prayer book, the Rosary, special intentions, novenas, Divine Mercy, reading the bible, opening a spiritual book, lighting a candle, any of these can be the means whereby we contact God particularly during the Lenten season. Simply ask the Holy Spirit to teach you to pray, or use some form of quiet prayer like silent meditation or using a word or sentence from the bible to focus on. Without prayer our religion just dries up and we go through the motions. Properly understood it is the most important journey we will ever undertake.

As well as staying off certain foods that we like and chocolates and sweets why not fast from the critical tongue, the angry comment, the put down remark, the negative thoughts. During Lent turn off the voice in your head that criticises you and makes you feel unworthy, bad or unlovable and listen to God's voice praising you and letting you know how important and beautiful you really are. Many people suffer from a sense of being unworthy and have low self esteem and no matter what they do they do not feel good enough. These thoughts and voices are not from God so this Lent replace them with positive thoughts like, I am good and lovable and worthy and so on because God made me and God does not make junk!

Then we have the area of almsgiving. Every house should have the Trocaire box in full view in a prominent position and during Lent the family contribute a little every so often so that when Lent is over the box will represent generosity towards those who are less well off. Maybe this Lent you will become more sensitive to some other charity and you might want to help that in some way. We should do our almsgiving quietly and discreetly without any big fuss.

Why not make up with someone this Lent? Maybe there has been a fall out or some coolness in the relationship so this time of the year is a time to start restoring the lines of communication. You can lift the phone and renew an old friendship or send a letter or an email.

Every Sunday evening at 6.00pm there is a Eucharistic Healing Service in the church. Many people find this very rewarding. Come along and bring a friend who might be depressed, or someone in a broken relationship, or coming through a bereavement.

At the back of the church there is an Adoration Chapel (Oasis of Peace) where you can sit quietly in front of the Lord and unburden your worries and cares. Maybe you would like to get into the habit of writing your petitions in the special book beside the Padre Pio statue at the front of the church. These petitions are remembered at the daily Masses and many people find this particularly helpful especially during difficult times.

LENTEN PROGRAMME 2010

Masses:- Monday 7.00am 10.00am
Tuesday 7.00am 10.00am
Wednesday 7.00am 7.00pm
Thursday 7.00am 10.00am
Friday 7.00am 10.00am
Saturday 10.00am 6.30pm
Sunday 10.00am 12.00 noon

Stations of the Cross:- Wednesday 6.30pm and Friday 6.00pm

Eucharistic Healing Service:- Every Sunday during Lent at 6.00pm. This takes place before the Blessed Sacrament and we pray for the healing of hurts, wounds, depressions, traumas and difficulties of every kind, emotional or physical.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament:- This takes place all day in the Adoration Chapel (Oasis of Peace). The Adoration Chapel is situated at the back of the church.

Book of Petitions:- This book is situated near the Padre Pio statue and you are invited to write all your prayers and special requests in the book. These requests are remembered at all Masses in the church.

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

ANNIVERSARIES

George Devenney, Elizabeth Harte,

Denis McElroy, Mary Elliott,

Maggie Farrell, Tom Melaugh,

Geraldine Magill, Baby Geraldine Magill,

Billy Harte, Kathleen McFarland,

Andrew Burns, Nellie Duffy,

Bernadette Wright, John Cairns, Elizabeth Cairns

PARISH DRAW

All updated Draw lists are now ready for collection. Any promoter who has not yet received their new lists is asked to call at the parish office this week. The Draw for the month of February will take place in the parish office on Thursday 25 February at 2.30pm. Promoters are asked to bring their returns to the parish office on Monday 22 February.

PRAY FOR PRIESTS

This week we ask you to pray for:

Fr. Seamus Farrelly, Deceased, 14 February
Fr. John Farren PP, Iskaheen, 15 February
Fr. Neil Farren PP, Ardmore, 16 February
Fr. Paul Farren, Diocesan Catechetical Centre, 17 February
Fr. Christopher Ferguson CC, Waterside, 18 February
Fr. John P Forbes PP, Gortin, 19 February
Fr. Edward Gallagher CC, Limavady, 20 February

TROCAIRE BOXES

Trocaire boxes are available for collection this weekend.

Please take one from the back of the church as you leave.

VOCATIONS INFORMATION DAY
Could you be called to serve God and his people as a priest in the Diocese of Derry? A day of reflection on the theme of Vocation will take place on Saturday 20 February in the Thornhill Retreat Centre, Derry from 11.30am – 4.00pm. For further information please contact any of your local priests, RE teachers or
Fr. Paul Farren: tel. 02871264087 e-mail: ddcc@derrydiocese.org or Fr. Colm O’Doherty: tel. 02881661475 e-mail: c.odoherty@btinternet.com

LENTEN THURSDAYS
Beginning 25 February, the Thornhill Centre is hosting a series of ‘Reflection Mornings’ for the Thursdays of Lent. Each morning begins at 10.30am and concludes with a light lunch at 1.00pm, includes a talk, quiet reflection and ritual. A donation of £5.00 per morning is suggested. Please telephone 71351233 to book.

HAITI COLLECTION
We wish to acknowledge the following further donations towards the Haiti Appeal.
£1084.00 and €410.00 in the parish collection
£130.00 from Barrack Street Boys' Primary School and Nursery.
This brings the total amount raised in the parish to
£13557.00 and €1460.00. Many thanks.

ALZHEIMER'S SUPPORT GROUP
There will be a meeting of the Alzheimer’s Support Group on Wednesday 17 February at 7.30pm in Melmount Manor Care Home, 1 Orchard Road, Strabane. Alzheimer's Presentation "What Is Dementia?". Michael McIvor, Alzheimer's Society. Everyone welcome.

LEGION OF MARY
The Regional Body of the Legion of Mary is known as the "Curia", which covers the areas of Tyrone and Donegal. The Curia meet monthly in Strabane. Their work includes sending volunteers to other countries to work as part of a team in a parish. They visit homes presenting the Catholic faith, often instrumental in bring back those whose faith has lapsed. The Legion of Mary has a presence in Lourdes but much of its work is carried out at a local level: visiting homes, schools, hospitals, prisons, promoting the Rosary and enrolment to the Miraculous Medal. Without our members the work could not continue.

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.

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

ST. PATRICK’S HALL
Bingo and Lucky 4 Draw as usual this Thursday.
All our patrons are very welcome.
Next Week's Lucky 4 Jackpot is £2150.00

BALLROOM DANCING
Ballroom Dancing every Thursday in St. Patrick's Hall from 7.30pm - 9.00pm. New members welcome, with or without partner.

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PRAYER CORNER

BLESSING OF ACCEPTANCE

May the grace of acceptance
well up within you;
may it trickle into your pockets of resistance;
may it water desert areas,
and wash away barriers.
May it fill your being
with a wholehearted 'yes' to your illness,
and to whatever the future holds.
May the blessing of acceptance
be yours and yours in abundance.

BLESSING OF FORGIVENESS

May the God of forgiveness bless you
and bless you kindly.
May the forgiveness you offer yourself
be gentle and wholesome.
May the forgiveness you offer another
be generous and wholehearted.
May the forgiveness you offer yourself be lavish.
May the forgiveness you offer another be prodigal,
May all whom you may have harmed
touch you kindly with forgiveness,
and may you know the peace of true forgiveness.

BLESSING OF JOY

May all the sings sing in me.
May all that dances dance in me.
May all that delights delight in me.
May all that laughs laugh in me.