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.
LISTEN TO HURT WITHIN:
NAMING THE PAIN
Pictured across the cover page of a recent Newsweek
was the word "STRESS." The lead article
claimed that much of the anxiety, depression, and
dysfunction in our climate is bottled-up rage. This
rage might be related to the past; disappointment
or abuse in family of origin. It may be related to
the present: a current loss or disappointment, hurt
at the workplace, or in a relationship. Perhaps someone
or something demeaned us, crushed our expectations,
or robbed us of something precious. Whatever the casual
event or events may be, anger, rage, stress, and violence
characterise the mood of our age. All of these work
against real-life reconciliation. Anger is a push-button
technique that we all engage in at times to resolve
problems quickly, or to relieve hurt.
In the experience of seeking to forgive someone who
has hurt us, the emotion of anger (and its variations)
has the starring role, just as shame and guilt took
centre stage in seeking to be forgiven. Anger is not
a bad emotion but a neutral one, appropriate under
certain circumstances. However, anger is one of those
emotions that is not good to stay with for long periods
of time.
Expressing itself in various forms - low-lying, seething,
or explosive - anger can also go underground, and
hold its breath. It can take the form of the desire
for revenge. It can become calcified in the form of
resentment. Revenge and resentment, if left unchecked,
are unhealthy, affecting our bio-psycho-social-spititual-makeup.
When anger goes underground, and is further buried
by repression, the original hurt can be no longer
conscious in a person's memory bank. Suppression can
be a healthy defense mechanism when used to temporarily
set aside issues too painful to deal with in the present.
But chronic denial of anger in repression is dangerous.
Hurt is then transformed into more complex emotions
of anxiety, stress, or one of the many different forms
of depression.
Many of us have innumerable examples of these dynamics
within us. We act them out in a variety of destructive
ways. Many engage in self-medication for difficulties,
resulting in drug or alcohol dependency or abuse.
While not engaging in destructive habits, others may
require extensive therapy, psycho-pharmacology, or
both.
Forgiving others is of great relevance to our culture
and time in history. If we do not forgive those who
have hurt us, we are allowing ourselves to be possessed
by an inner tyrant of rage. Failure to say, "I
forgive you" holds us frozen in the past. An
old Chinese proverb says if a person cannot forgive,
and opts for revenge, he or she should dig two graves
- one for the offender and one for the self. To the
degree that we cannot engage in forgiveness, a new
future waiting to be born cannot happen. If we do
not release anger, we are like the demoniac of Mark
5, living among tombs and in mountains, disconnected
from other people.
DEATHS
We offer our deepest sympathy
to the family and friends of:
Mary Du Preez, South
Africa
May she rest in peace.
ANNIVERSARIES
Cis O'Kane, Tommy Porter, Tommy Sharkey,
Margaret Kavanagh,
Billy Canavan, Tom P Mullen, Pat Milligan, Johnny
Loughrey,
Charles Bannigan, Frances Hannigan, Rebecca Duffy,
James Duffy,
Packie McAnneny, Maurice McColgan, Josephine McCrory.
PRAYER GROUP
The contemplative prayer group will
meet on Monday at 8.15pm in the Parochial House. Everyone
welcome.
PRAY FOR PRIESTS
The diocese published a prayer card with the names
of all the Derry diocesan priests.
This week we ask you to pray for:
Fr. Charles Logue CC, Kilrea, 22
November
Fr. Paul McCafferty, Diocesan Office, 23 November
Fr. Bryan McCanny PP VF, The Three Patrons, 24 November
Fr. Michael McCaughey CC, Waterside, 25 November
Fr. Andrew McCloskey, 26 November
Fr. James McCrory, Retired, 27 November
Fr. John McCullagh, 28 November
SICK AND HOUSEBOUND TO BE
ATTENDED
Fr. Boland will visit the sick and
housebound in the following areas on Monday 23 November
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, Patrick Street
and Tristan Road.
Fr. Boland will visit the sick and
housebound in the following areas on Thursday 26 November
after 10.00am Mass: Bearney Road, Camus Road, Conthem
Road, Upper Townsend Street, Townsend Terrace, Marian
Park, Fountain Street and Innisfree Gardens.
PARISH DRAW
The winners of the Draw for the
month of November are:
£1000.00 Lorna Devine 318
Promoter E McNulty & M Cooke
£300.00 Eileen Kelly 336
Promoter E McNulty & M Cooke
£200.00 Bridie McGillion 216
Promoter Patricia McCrossan
£100.00 John & Maria Gallagher 151
Promoter Siobhan McDevitt
£100.00 Kieran McShane 964
Promoter Eileen Canning
£100.00 Kathleen Doherty 967
Promoter Eileen Canning
£100.00 Aishling Quigley 943
Promoter Eileen Canning
£100.00 Cathy Adams 289
Promoter Mary & Danny O'Hagan
PARISH CHRISTMAS CARDS
Our Novena of Masses Christmas Cards
are now on sale at £1.00 each. Cards can be
purchased after all Masses at the back of the Church.
CHURCH ROOF
We gratefully acknowledge the following donations
towards the repair of the church roof.
£60.00. £40.00. £55.00. Many thanks.
KNIGHTS OF ST. COLUMBANUS
There will be a special Mass for all the deceased
members of the Strabane Council of the Knights of
St. Columbanus on Monday 23 November at 7.00pm in
St. Mary's Church, Melmount. (This is the feast day
of St. Columbanus). All present and past members are
invited to attend.
SACRED HEART MESSENGER
Subscribers please note the price increase of the
Sacred Heart Messenger magazine. From January 2010
the magazine will be £1.00 per edition.
TAIZE PRAYER AND CHANT
Join us for an hour of meditative Taize Prayer and
Chant on Wednesday 25 November in St. Colman's Chapel,
St. Mary's Church, Melmount at 7.30pm.
ADVENT RETREAT
Advent Retreat (open to everyone)
will be held in Ards Friary and Conference Centre,
Creeslough, Co. Donegal on Saturday 28 - Sunday 29
November commencing at 9.30am and finishing after
lunch.
Retreat will be led by Fr. Owen O'Sullivan
OFM Capuchin. Cost €85.00 residential or €60.00
non residential. Contact Ards Friary 0749138909 or
info@adrsfriary.ie www.ardsfriary.ie
THORNHILL CENTRE
Church Flower Arrangers Workshop will take place in
Thornhill Centre on Tuesday 24 November from 7.30pm
to 9.00pm. All welcome.
PICTORIAL DVD
'A Year in the Life
of Camus Parish'
A pictorial DVD entitled 'A Year in
the Life of Camus Parish' is now available to buy.
You can get your DVD at the parochial house, the Church
or from St. Vincent de Paul. Price £10.00.
STRABANE PARISH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS
1000 DRAW
1st Prize £1000.00
2nd Prize 1000 litres of petrol
3rd Prize 1000 litres of oil
4th Prize 1000 20p's
Draw will take place at the Parish
Bazaar on Sunday 6 December. Tickets £10.00
each.
SALE!!!
There will be a sale of toys, household items, clothes,
in Ballycolman Community Hall on Sunday 29 November
from 12.00 noon until 5.00pm.
ST. ANNE'S PRIMARY SCHOOL
Application forms for children starting
P.1 in September 2010 are now available from the office
in St. Anne's Primary School. Closing date for applications
is 20 January 2010.
STRABANE HISTORY SOCIETY
Strabane History Society meeting
in the Library, Railway Road, on Thursday 26 November
at 8.00pm with Eamon O'Ciardha of the Magee campus
talking on Planters and Raparees in West Ulster in
the later 1700s. Visitors welcome.
ST. PETER'S P.S. PLUMBRIDGE
St. Peter's P.S. in Plumbridge have
the opportunity to win £50,000.00 from the Big
Lottery Fund. The project is called "Our School,
Our Community, Our World." To help us win we
need your vote! On Wednesday 25 November the school
will complete another project on the UTV evening news
and whoever secures the most votes will win. Please
telephone the school on 02881648412 to get the number
to vote. The number will also be given on the UTV
news at 6.00pm. You can also email the school info@stpeters.plumbridge.ni.sch.uk
PRESENTATION
Following the successful Parish Sports
Day and Barn Dance there will be a presentation of
cheques to Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons Disease,
Evish Primary School and Camus Parish in Evish Primary
School on Wednesday 25 November at 8.00pm. As well
as proceeds raised at both events we would also like
to gratefully acknowledge donations from Sister Carmel,
Miss McQuillan, Leo Farrell, Pat McCrossan and Paul
Forbes. A special word of thanks to the following:
Paddy & John McMackin, Kevin,
Patsy, Martin & Gerald Farrell, Tom McMackin,
Michelle McMackin, Ann Marie McMackin, Kevin &
Geraldine Boggs, Marie Harper, Pat McCrossan &
Family, Martin & Sean Devlin, Frances Gallagher,
Tom Sinclair, Ann Conway, Gerald McCrossan, Mark &
Majella Devine, Clare McCrossan, Brian McCallion,
James Morris, John Francis Gallagher, Danny O'Hagan,
Sarah & Sadie McCrossan and Martin Kelly.
Acknowledgment and thanks also
to:
McColgan Foods, J McGowan, J McCauley, A Patton, P
Farrell, P McConagle, F Cullen, P Forbes, M Stewart,
J Conway, St. John's Ambulance, Murphys On The Green,
Clay Pigeon Shoot Organisers.
ST. PATRICK’S HALL
Bingo and Lucky 4 Draw as usual this
Thursday.
All our patrons are very welcome.
Bingo Snowball £2500.00
PSALM FOR PRAYING
May the spirit of the Lord rest upon
us,
may the call of God sustain us,
as we seek to be God's people,
transformed by the Gospel,
announcing good news to the poor,
proclaiming freedom for those in prisons
of wealth, poverty, disease and disorder,
committed to making a difference
to the world's kingdoms
for the sake of Christ's Kingdom.
May we deploy our resources as the
Spirit guides,
not shirk difficult decisions about the priority of
mission,
pledge ourselves anew to work with all our fellow
Christians
and use the gifts of all God's people
so that all may be filled
with the Spirit of healing, justice and peace.
Amen.
