Two brothers – one a bachelor, the other married owned a farm whose fertile soil yielded an abundance of grain. Half the grain went to one brother and half to the other.

All went well at first. Then, every now and then, the married man began to wake with a start from his sleep at night and think: "This isn't fair. My brother isn't married, he's all alone, and he gets only half the produce of the farm. Here I am with a wife and five kids, so I have all the security I need for my old age. But who will care for my poor brother when he gets old? He needs to save much more for the future than he does at present, so his need is obviously greater than mine."

With that he would get out of bed, steal over to his brother's place, and pour a sackful of grain into his brother's granary.

The bachelor brother too began to get the same attacks. Every once in a while he would wake from his sleep and say to himself: "This simply isn't fair. My brother has a wife and five kids and he only gets half the produce of the land. Now I have no one but myself to support. So is it just that my poor brother, whose need is obviously greater than mine, should receive exactly as much as I do?" Then he would get out of bed and pour a sackful of grain into his brother's granary.

One night they got out of bed at the same time and ran into each other, each with a sack of grain on his back!
Many years later, after their death, the story leaked out. So when the townsfolk wanted to build a church, they chose the spot at which the two brothers met, for they could not think of any place in the town that was holier than that one.

The important religious distinction is not between those who worship and those who do not worship but between those who love and those who don't.

DEATHS

We offer our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of:

Jim Money, Ballindrait. May he rest in peace.

ANNIVERSARIES

Joe Roulston, Robert Myers

Madeleine Coyle, Grainne McCallion

Frankie Diver, Maureen Devine

Hugh O'Donnell, Ambrose Brennan

Paddy McCauley, Elizabeth Cooke

Madeleine Healy, Kathleen Porter, Ann Jane McAteer.

PRAY FOR PRIESTS

This week we ask you to pray for:
Fr. Bryan McCanny PP VG, The Three Patrons, 18 July
Fr. Michael McCaughey CC, Waterside, 19 July
Fr. James McCrory, Retired, 21 July
Fr. Noel McDermott CC, Faughanvale, 23 July
Fr. Eamon McDevitt PP, Dunamanagh, 24 July

PARISH DRAW
Many thanks to all the promoters who have made their returns to the parish office. Your co-operation is very much appreciated. We ask remaining promoters to bring their returns to the parish office on Monday 19 July. Draws for July and August will take place on Thursday 22 July at 2.30pm in the parish office.

PADRE PIO MASS
Please Note: There will be no Padre Pio Mass during the month of August.

CARMELITE RETREAT CENTRE
A Mass for the Sick with Eucharistic Blessing will take place in the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Termonbacca, Derry on Tuesday 20 July at 8.00pm. All are welcome to attend.

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 Strabane. New members welcome.

FAIR DAY
There will be a Fair Day on Saturday 24 July in Melmount Manor starting at 2.00pm. All welcome.

Children in Crossfire are recruiting participants for the Barcelona Half Marathon in February 2011 and the Derry Waterside Half Marathon in September 2010. For more information on either of these events please contact Sarah by telephoning 02871269898 or email events@childrenincrossfire.org

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.

PLEASE NOTE: All payments for St. Patrick's Hall should also be made payable to Church of the Immaculate Conception.

LIAM BRADLEY TOURS
Galway 14 September, Dublin 27 September. Four days for £225.00 pps. Telephone 71269109 anytime. Departs Abercorn Square at 9.20am.

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 Jackpot Winner in last week's Draw

Jacinta McGrath

The numbers drawn were:

1, 8, 13, 16

Next Week's Lucky 4 Jackpot is £500.00

N.I. BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE
A team from the N.I. Blood Transfusion Service will be in St. Patrick's Hall on Wednesday 28 July 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.

PRAYER CORNER

I AM A SEEKER

Father,
I am a seeker,
I am often unsure,
I need your guidance,
I need your presence,
I need your love.

Father,
Give me joy in my journey,
Give me wonder on the way,
Give me your grace to guide,
Give me sureness in seeking,
Lead me to you.

Father,
Let your eye watch over me,
Let your hand guide me,
Let your presence protect me,
Until I come to rest before you,
Until I come at last before your face.

***************

PRAYER OF AN EXPECTANT MOTHER

God our Father, as you are giving me the
blessing of bringing an infant into the
world and knowing that as Creator of all life
it is more truly more yours than mine, I ask you to
help me to fulfil all my maternal duties.

O Lord Jesus Christ, look upon this unborn
little one that lies close to my heart. Grant
that this baby may one day become a member
of the Church through the sacrament of Baptism.

Holy Spirit, sanctify us, father, mother and the baby.
Holy Mary, Mother of God nourish us with your
love and protection always.

Dear St. Joseph, watch over our baby as you
watched over Jesus.
Holy angel of our little child, pray for us.

Amen.

***************
RELIGION

In Belfast, Ireland, a Catholic priest, a Protestant minister, and a Jewish rabbi were engaged in a heated theological discussion. Suddenly an Angel appeared in their midst and said to them, "God sends you His blessings. Make one wish for Peace and your wish will be fulfilled by the Almighty."
The minister said, "Let every Catholic disappear from our lovely island. Then peace will reign supreme.''
The priest said, "Let there not be a single Protestant left on our sacred Irish soil. That will bring peace to this island."
"And what about you, Rabbi?" said the Angel. "Do you have no wish of your own?"
"No,'' said the rabbi. "Just attend to the wishes of these two gentlemen and I shall be well pleased.''

Little boy: "Are you a Presbyterian?"

Little girl: "No. We belong to a different abomination."

***************

MAKING CONCLUSIONS

A little old Jewish lady sits down in a plane next to a big Swede and keeps staring at him. Finally she turns to him and says, "Pardon me, are you Jewish?"
He says, "No."
A few minutes later she turns to him again and says, "You can tell me, you know – you are Jewish, aren't you?"
He says, "Most certainly not."
She keeps studying him for some minutes, then says again,
"I can tell you are Jewish."
In order to get rid of the annoyance, the man says, "Okay, so I'm Jewish!"
She looks at him again, shakes her head, and says, "You certainly don't look it."

We first make our conclusions – then find some way to arrive at them.