RESURRECTION
LOVE
On Easter Sunday, Jesus offers us
the gift of presence and the gift of peace.
We are to know him in the breaking of the bread.
Jesus does not want to be insubstantial; he does not
want to be a ghost. Instead he comes to us and invites
us to touch him. He offers himself to us in ways that
are intended to nourish and nurture us. He promises
companionship.
So where are we to touch him in today's world? Where
are we to walk with him? Where are we to find his
hands and feet? Where are we to offer him a piece
of broiled fish and eat and drink in his presence?
Christianity is an embodied religion. It does not
live between the pages of a book. Rather, it invites
us to engage with our world. So we are to recognise
the presence of Jesus whenever there are many wounded
hands and feet that turn to us for healing and wherever
there is a road that we can walk down in his company.
The gift lies in recognising him even when he presents
himself to us in hidden and unexpected ways. We need
to believe that we can touch him in our everyday lives.
We need to understand that we can walk with him. Our
task is to seek out people who are needy and to turn
our faces towards them rather than away from them.
This is not difficult to do, for there are many wounded
hands and feet that clamour for our attention. There
are many hungry people who would love a bowl of fish,
let alone a loaf of bread.
If Jesus is risen from the dead then we need proof,
we need evidence. How can we secure this in today's
world? The Gospel seems to suggest that the way forward
is to open our hearts in love. No one is to be excluded,
no situation is beyond the reach of grace. By believing
this and by putting it into practice, we can become
witnesses and carry the echo of his saving mission
forwards into our world. Christian faith is not a
personal possession. It is always for sharing. So
everything comes full circle We can be his witnesses.
We can provide the evidence that he is risen.
COLLECTION
We acknowledge last Sunday’s collection of
£1617.00 and £510.00 for the Nazareth
Sisters Collection. 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:
Bob Devereux, Woodend,
formerly Rugby.
May he rest in peace.
ANNIVERSARIES
Tony Gallagher, Fintan Doherty,
Fionnula Gallagher, James Mullen,
Mary Curran, Danny McCrossan,
Josephine Melaugh, Rose Hoynes,
Arthur Friel, Sheila Gallagher,
John Kerr, Mary Roulston,
Denis Devlin.
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE
The new building Holy Cross College will be open
for viewing by the community from 12.00 noon - 3.00pm
on Monday 22nd September.
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. Francis Bradley, Pastoral Centre,
21st Sept.
Fr. Manus Bradley, Canada, 22nd Sept.
Fr. Brian Brady PP, Glenullin, 24th Sept.
Fr. Bernard Bryson, Retired, 25th Sept.
Fr. Thomas Canning CC, Omagh, 26th Sept.
Fr. Michael Canny ADM, Templemore, 27th Sept.
PARISH DRAW
The winners of the Parish Draw for
the month of September are:
£50.00 Noreen Dunnion
£50.00 Jim & Mary Logue
£50.00 William McKane
£100.00 Geraldine & Terry Simpson
£100.00 Mary Hegarty
£100.00 Paddy Jack
£100.00 Joe Gallagher
£100.00 Jim Boyle
£200.00 Kaitlyn Gallagher
£1000.00 Orla Stewart
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.
LEGION OF MARY
There will be a pilgrimage to Knock on Sunday 28th
September. Bus leaving Bowling Green at 8.15am sharp.
Please bring a packed lunch. For further details contact
Frances Conwell, telephone 02871882048.
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.
DERRY WELL WOMAN
Derry Well Woman in conjunction with the Chest Heart
& Stroke Association will offer Cholesterol Testing
on Wednesday 24th September. Cost £5.00 for
pensioners and unemployed, £7.00 full rate.
For appointment contact Derry Well Woman at 02871360777.
POPE JOHN PAUL 11 AWARD
If you are aged 16-18 years old you are invited to
take part in the Pope John Paul 11 Award. This award
is for all young people who would like to get involved
in their local parish and community. There are 3 levels
to the award: gold, silver and bronze and successful
applicants are awarded with a medal and certificate.
This is a wonderful opportunity to get involved in
something new and worthwhile. Check out www.thepopejohnpauliiaward.com
or 71264087 for full details or to apply.
THORNHILL CENTRE
John Michael Talbot - An evening of Music and Reflection
led by the world's foremost Christian recording artist.
Live in the Playhouse, St. Columb's Theatre, Orchard
Street, Derry on Sunday 12th October at 8.30pm. Tickets
£10.00. Available from Veritas Bookshop, Butcher
Street, Derry (02871266888) or Thornhill Centre, Culmore
Road, Derry (02871351233). Admission by ticket only.
HARVEST THANKSGIVING SERVICES
Harvest Thanksgiving Services will be held in Strabane
Methodist Church on Sunday 28th September at 11.30am
and 8.00pm. Guest Speaker is Rev. David Mullan (Former
Minister in Strabane). Special Harvest Music. Supper
after the Evening Service. Everyone is warmly invited
to attend.
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
The next meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council will
take place on Wednesday 28th May at 8.00pm in the
parochial house.
VACANCY FOR PARISH ORGANIST
Due to heavy working commitments Ronan is unable
to continue playing the organ and leading the senior
choir. It is with deep regret that we have to let
him go but we are very aware of the hugh workload
he is carrying. The news is not all bad though, because
he will play on Sundays alternating at the 10.00am
and 12.00 noon Masses. We thank him sincerely for
his work done and his continuous commitment to the
parish.
This now means that we are looking for someone to
play the organ at the 6.30pm Mass and to lead the
choir. Those interested please contact Fr. Boland
at the parochial house or Amanda at the parish office.
STRABANE COMMUNITY PROJECT
President McAleese visited St. Patrick's Hall on
Wednesday to mark the 21 years of service to the community
by the Strabane Community Project. It was a wonderful
occasion. The Hall was packed with invited guests,
service users, committee members, representatives
from Glenside Adult Training Centre and other associated
groups. President McAleese gave an inspiring address
congratulating all involved and wished the Project
every success for the future. A hearty congratulations
to Mr Danny O'Hagan, our chief executive, whose vision,
drive and determination has been pivotal in the success
of the Project.
STRABANE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Strabane Multiple Sclerosis presents An Evening with
Strabane Concert Brass in St. Patrick's Hall on Friday
26th September starting at 8.00pm. Tickets £8.00
or pay at door.
CHALLENGING ARTHRITIS COURSE
Venue: Fir Trees Hotel, Strabane
Commencing: Tuesday 30th September
Dates: 30th September - 4th November
Time: 7.00pm - 9.30pm
For people with arthritis who want to learn self-management
skills and techniques to better manage their arthritis.
Learn techniques on every aspect of life with arthritis
- including pain management, relaxation, diet and
relationships with your doctor.
Helps improve your communication skills, encourages
people to exercise and improves support and understanding
from being with other people with arthritis.
One session a week for 6 weeks led by fully trained
people with arthritis.
Thanks to funding this course is free to all participants
over 18 years. To book contact training team on 02890782940
Arthritis Care Northern Ireland.
STRABANE SIGERSONS GAA
Good Luck to the Tyrone Senior and
Minor footballers as they bid for All Ireland titles
this Sunday in Croke Park, we wish them well in their
endeavours. Thanks to all the people of the town for
their wholehearted backing of the Tyrone teams, the
colour and atmosphere around the town is excellent
and everyone is to be applauded for their effort and
support. Congratulations to the Strabane Sigersons
Senior footballers who won the O'Neill's Sportswear
Tyrone All County League Division Three last weekend
to add to the Reserve League title already won by
the Club.
ST. PATRICK’S
HALL
Bingo and Lucky 4 Draw as usual this
Thursday.
All our patrons are very welcome.
LUCKY 4 DRAW
There were no winners in last week's
Lucky 4 Draw
Next Week's Lucky 4 Jackpot is £2500.00
BIG BINGO
There will be Big Bingo in St. Patrick's Hall on
Sunday 28th September at 3.30pm. Prizes amounting
to £3500.00. All proceeds in aid of Foyle Hospice.
BALLROOM DANCING CLASSES
There will be Ballroom Dancing Classes in St. Patrick's
Hall on Thursday evenings from 7.30pm - 9.00pm. Everyone
welcome.
ST. PATRICK'S HALL THEATRE
GROUP
The production for 2008 is West Side Story. One of
the greatest musicals ever with songs including Maria,
Tonight, Somewhere, I Feel Pretty and America. The
modern day version of Romeo and Juliet set in New
York's West Side involving two gangs, the native Jets
and the Sharks from Puerto Rico. The story has very
relevant racial tensions contemporary to all cities
and towns throughout the world today.
ST. PATRICK'S LUNCHEON CLUB
St. Patrick's Luncheon Club are having a Social/Dance
on Monday 22nd September in St. Patrick's Hall. Music
is by The Cannon & Ramsay Band. Doors open at
9.00pm. Admission £5.00 or €7.00 (includes
a light supper). Everyone is welcome.
N.I. BLOOD TRANSFUSION
SERVICE
A team from the N.I. Blood Transfusion Service will
be in St. Patrick's Hall on Wednesday 24th September
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
ACCEPTANCE
'' How can I change myself?"
''You are yourself - so you can no
more change yourself that you can walk away from your
feet.''
''Is there nothing I can do then?"
"You can understand and accept
this."
"How will I change if I accept
myself?"
"How will you change if you don't?
What you don't accept you do not change, you merely
manage to repress."
*************************
REACHING OUT AND REACHING IN
With every creature, Meister Eckhart
says,
according to the nobility of it nature,
the more it indwells in itself, the more it gives
itself out. A metaphor may clarify his meaning.
Imagine some object, a book,
leaning out over the edge of a table.
There comes a moment when it will overbalance
if it leans any further.
Its reaching out must be balanced by its reaching
in.
If I have only a shallow inreach -
interiority - in my life, then my outreach to others
will be full of hazards.
The way to reach further out is to reach further in.
If I am reluctant to live from the full interiority
of my spirit, then I will have little to bring to
others,
no matter how much I involve myself in their lives.
While, on the other hand, there are people who can
enter another's life for half-an-hour and leave it
transformed.
I think of these people as having
some of the depth and power that Jesus had.
This human experience of inreach and outreach is a
chink through which we can glimpse the mystery of
God's life.
It is because God has fathomless inner life
that God can reach so far out in creation.
All creatures, then, have a double
depth.
Their being shows God's outreach to us,
and we feel the fascination of this.
But creatures also manifest God's inner life,
and this should fascinate us no less.
*************************
DON'T BE CLEVER!
Here is a tale the Master told a philosopher
who demanded to know why cleverness was an obstacle
to enlightenment.
There were only three passengers
in the plane - Big Brain, a Boy Scout
and a Bishop. The plane developed
engine trouble and the pilot
announced he was bailing out;
there were only three parachutes
and he was taking one. The others
would have to decide which of them
was going to be saved. The Big Brain
said, ''Since I am necessary
to the country I take it for granted
that I should have a parachute.''
So he grabbed one and jumped out.
The Bishop looked at the Boy Scout
and said, ''Son, I have lived a long time
so I think it fitting that you should have
the remaining parachute. I am ready to die.''
''That won't be necessary, Bishop,''
said the Boy Scout. ''There are two
parachutes here. Big Brain just jumped
with my haversack.''
Added the Master, ''Cleverness ordinarily
leaves no room for awareness.''
*************************
THE DIFFICULTY OF HAVING POWER
Jesus, by washing the disciples feet,
is saying something about the distinction so common
in humanity and throughout the history of humanity
between master and slave,
between those in power and the powerless,
between superiors and inferiors.
In many cultures, slaves did all the really difficult,
strenuous, hard manual labour,
and were forced to work horribly long hours.
They were the ones who built the pyramids
and the palaces of the emperors.
They were the ones on whose shoulders
industrial societies depended, as they worked in inhuman
conditions and for a pittance.
Then, as now, immigrants in Europe did the work that
others refused, just as factory workers in the South
provide designer-label products for consumers in the
North.
Jesus came to make things new.
For Jesus, each person is precious,
each one is loved by God,
each is called to become the 'home' of God;
each has a gift to bring to others,
each one should be deeply respected.
