CONFESSIONS
Saturdays: 10.30am - 12.30pm; 5.45pm
- 6.20pm
Thursday before First Friday after
morning Mass
BAPTISMS
Friday: 6.30pm Sunday 12.45pm
CONTACTS
Parish Administrator: Mrs Amanda Cairns
Parish Office: 02871 882215
Email: info@strabaneparish.com
Website: www.strabaneparish.com
Parish Hall: 02871 882483
CONFLICT AS A NORMAL REALITY IN THE LIFE OF
EVERY FAMILY OR COMMUNITY
Conflict is a predictable stage in the life of every
family and community. It is universal, inevitable
- and as old as humankind. The issue is not the existence
of conflict, but the way in which it is addressed.
Often there is a powerful, at times unconscious, collusion
among family or community members to ignore conflict.
When this occurs, it precipitates either apathy or
intense tension and the eventual erosion or demise
of the community.
Conflict is a normal aspect of genuine relationships.
It begins when our needs, wants, values, and ideas
clash with the needs, wants, values and ideas of others.
Each individual has a need to be loved and affirmed,
to be understood and to belong. In attempting to have
these needs met in families and community, members
experience tension and conflict.
Conflict will arise, but it can be addressed in such
a way that members experience respect, compassion,
and understanding - qualities which draw them into
the group rather than alienate them.
A community cannot become a cohesive, supportive,
nurturing community until it is able to deal directly
and effectively with conflict. Unresolved conflict
hangs like a dark cloud over the group, boding disaster.
The specter of disaster often results in the group's
grasping at any reasonable rationale to run from the
conflict and avoid it. To deny its existence is to
condemn the community to stagnation and death. Growth
takes place when people are free to look at a situation
from different angles and acknowledge the value of
each angle. In dialogue, different points of view
emerge and the potential for growth escalates for
all concerned parties.
When conflict is faced, it can reduce the natural
tension and frustration people experience as they
work together. Unfortunately, many communities feel
they are incapable of handling conflict and seek ways
to avoid it. To the extent that a community is willing
to acknowledge and address conflict, the level of
alienation experienced by the members will decrease
significantly.
(See back page)
COLLECTION
We acknowledge last Sunday’s
collection of £1818.00. Many thanks.
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.
DEATHS
We offer our deepest sympathy
to the family and friends of:
Glenn Wilson, Newtown
Street
Annie Boyle, Inchany
Bridie Neeson, Sion Mills
May they rest in peace.
ANNIVERSARIES
Margaret Conway, Eamon Hannigan,
Frances Kearney, Emma Sweeney,
Eamon Sweeney, Nan McMackin,
Jimmy Quinn, Ita McGlynn,
Eileen Canavan, William Canavan,
Patsy Patton, Maureen McColgan,
Charlie Stewart, Bernard Houston.
PRAY FOR PRIESTS
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. Michael Collins PP, Limavady,
18 Jan
Fr. Oliver Crilly PP, Greenlough, 19 Jan
Fr. Patrick Crilly PP, Desertmartin, 20 Jan
Fr. Brendan Crowley CC, Malin, 21 Jan
Most Rev. Edward Daly, Retired, 22 Jan
Fr. Robert Devine, Killygordon, 24 Jan
PARISH DRAW
The first Draw of 2009 will take place in the parish
office on Thursday 29 January 2.30pm. We would ask
all promoters who have not yet collected their lists
and cards for this year's Draw to call to the parish
office no later than Tuesday 20 January. All subscriptions
can be brought to the office as soon as possible.
CONFIRMATION AND FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2009
Confirmation will take place on Saturday
21 February 2009 at 11.00am for all Primary 7 pupils.
First Holy Communion for all Primary 4 pupils will
take place on Saturday 30 May 2009 at 11.00am.
SICK AND HOUSEBOUND TO BE ATTENDED
Fr. Boland will visit the sick and housebound in
the following areas on Wednesday 21 January starting
at 2.00pm: Bearney Road, Camus Road, Conthem Road,
Upper Townsend Street, Townsend Terrace, Marian Park,
Fountain Street and Innisfree Gardens.
Fr. Boland will visit the sick and housebound in
the following areas on Thursday 22 January after 10.00am
Mass: 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.
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.
CARMELITE RETREAT CENTRE
A Mass for the sick with Eucharistic Blessing will
take place in the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca,
Derry, on Tuesday 20 January at 8.00 pm. All are welcome
to attend.
TAIZE PRAYER AND CHANT
Join us for an hour of meditative Taize Prayer and
Chant on Wednesday 21 January in St. Colman's Chapel
(formerly the Day Chapel), St. Mary's Church, Melmount
from 7.30pm - 8.30pm. Everyone welcome.
ST ANNE'S PRIMARY SCHOOL
The pupils of St. Anne's Primary School are appealing
to everyone to bring their old Christmas cards and
old copies of the Yellow Pages to the school for recycling.
These can be left at the school up until the end of
January. Thank you for your support.
ST VINCENT DE PAUL
CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
St Vincent de Paul gratefully acknowledge the generous
collection of £2063.00 which was taken up at
all Masses on 13 and 14 December. This money will
go a long way in helping many people in our community.
Thank you for your continuing support.
LIAM BRADLEY TOURS
Galway 16 March 2008. Two dinners, two B/B, cost
€135.00 includes entertainment. Telephone 71269109.
ALZHEIMER'S SUPPORT GROUP
There will be a meeting of the Alzheimer’s
Support Group on Wednesday 21 January at 7.30pm in
Melmount Manor Care Home, 1 Orchard Road, Strabane.
The guest speaker will be Dr Gillian Mullan, Consultant
Clinical Psychologist, Western Trust, speaking on
''When Behaviour is Challenging''.
Everyone welcome.
Club Membership Fees for 2009 are now due for renewal.
These can be paid to Aidan McGrath, Cha Stewart or
left at the Social Club. There will be a big Tyrone
Night in Sigersons Social Club on Saturday 31 January
with the Dublin v Tyrone game being shown live on
the big screen.
ST. PATRICK’S HALL
Bingo and Lucky 4 Draw as usual this
Thursday.
All our patrons are very welcome.
LUCKY 4 DRAW
There were 2 match 3 winners in last
week's Draw
Stifon Hoynes
Wendy Tourish
The numbers drawn were:
2, 8, 10, 16
Next Week's Lucky 4 Jackpot is £825.00
***************
PRAYER CORNER
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.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR DEALING WITH CONFLICT
1. Acknowledge the presence of the conflict. The persons
involved must realise and indicate to themselves and
to each other that a conflict is taking place. As
simple and logical as this sounds, it does not occur
often enough.
2. Help everyone become aware of his
or her role in the conflict. Everyone involved in
the conflict must be brought to see objectively the
nature, character, and implications of his or her
own position.
3. Assist everyone to understand the
position of
the other. Every member must be helped to see
objectively the nature and implications of the
other person's position.
4. Seek a resolution that does not
leave anyone
feeling victimised. It would be wonderful if
this were always possible, but it is not. To the
degree that it is possible, attempt to arrive at a
resolution that is reasonable, advantageous, or
at least acceptable to the parties involved.
5. Clarify what is ambiguous. Ambiguity
breeds
conflict. Attempt to clarify whatever causes
ambiguity: language, meanings, expectations, beliefs,
points of view, etc. Employ whatever means are necessary
to improve the level of
communication and comprehension.
6. Be sensitive to the capacity of
the members to tolerate conflict. The duration and
intensity of
the conflict must be matched to the capability
of the involved parties.
7. Help people be realistic. Not all
conflicts can be resolved. Tension and conflict are
a normal part of Christian community. Sometimes the
best we can hope for is conflict management.
8. Encourage the participants to be
forgiving.
Forgiveness is at the heart of the caring community.
We are all wounded persons, and,
consciously or unconsciously, we can and do
hurt each other. It is not the absence of
forgiveness that must characterise the Christian community,
but the presence of forgiveness.
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.
