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.
HEART OR MIND
Jesus never spoke about the mind - at least not in
the way we understand it. In most ancient cultures
the heart rather than the brain was considered the
source of thoughts as well as human emotions. For
example, when embalming bodies, the Egyptian mummy-maker
priests carefully removed the deceased's heart, liver
and various other organs, which were separately embalmed.
After removing the brain from the skull, however,
unaware of its function, they threw it away because
they thought it was unessential for the afterlife.
In Biblical language the chief human organ is the
heart. Its functions of pumping blood and circulating
oxygen throughout the body were unknown to the authors
of the Scripture. For Jesus and the prophets the heart
was the internal pumping station not for blood but
for emotions, desires and beliefs. Moreover, the functions
normally attributed to the mind were commonly associated
with the heart. Scripture speaks of "discerning
the thoughts and intentions of the heart" and
describes the heart as cheerful, sad, firm and courageous
as well as calling it the fountain of all thoughts,
desires and deeds. "Change your hearts,"
cried Israel's prophets. "Let the finger of God
write upon them a new covenant." The early disciples
of the Risen One reflected this common belief when
they proclaimed that the Holy Spirit is sent into
our hearts, affirming that God pours love into our
hearts.
The common Scriptural idiom, "to say in the
heart," particularly as it was used by St. Paul,
essentially means to think. And Jesus gave us some
striking images about thoughts that come from the
heart. He surprised his listeners by proposing a revolutionary
law when commenting on the Jewish dietary laws that
forbade eating certain unclean foods. He said, "It's
not what goes into your mouth that makes you unclean;
rather, it is what comes out of your hearts: evil
thoughts, unchaste acts, theft, murder, adultery,
greed. . . " He concluded by saying, "All
these evils come from within, and they, not certain
foods, defile a person." It was truly a novel
teaching that one's thoughts make one unclean, unfit
for worship and prayer. Jesus may not have broken
with tradition regarding the heart being the centre
of human thought, yet he was certainly revolutionary
regarding the relationship of thought to holiness.
DEATHS
We offer our deepest sympathy
to the family and friends of:
Mary Gormley, Dunamanagh
Joe Lynch, Innisfree
Gardens
May they rest in peace.
ANNIVERSARIES
Charlie Elliott, Eva Mullen,
Bobbie Hyndman, Frank Stewart,
Ned Connolly, Josie Gallagher.
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 Canny Adm, St. Eugene's
Cathedral, 27 Sept
Fr. John Cargan PP, Steelstown, 28 Sept
Fr. Neal Carlin, Director, Columba Community, 29 Sept
Fr. Walter Carolan, Retired, 30 Sept
Fr. Colum Clerkin PP, Ballinascreen, 1 Oct
Fr. Roland Colhoun Adm, Long Tower, 2 Oct
Fr. Michael Collins PP, Limavady, 3 October
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.
CHURCH ROOF
We gratefully acknowledge
the following donations towards the repair of the
church roof. £100.00, £50.00, £50.00.
Many thanks.
DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES
July 16 - 21 2010. Cost of the pilgrimage is £629.00
payable in instalments. Forms available from parish
office or pilgrimage office. Forms for those in need
of care or those aged 80+ available only from the
pilgrimage office, telephone 02871260293.
Young People’s Pilgrimage
to Lourdes Easter 2010
Around five hundred young people from
all over Ireland spend a week in Lourdes with the
IHCPT (The Irish Pilgrimage Trust) every Easter. Experienced
adult carers visit the young people prior to the pilgrimage
and accompany them throughout the week in Lourdes.
The Irish Pilgrimage Trust welcomes applications from
young people of any religious denomination with:
A physical disability or illness (aged 9-18)
A learning disability (aged 11-21)
Very seriously ill children under the age of 9 (accompanied
by a parent or close relative)
Young adults between the age of 20 and 25 with a disability
or illness.
The IHCPT covers the cost of young people selected
to travel. If there is a young person that you feel
would be eligible and would benefit from this trip
please contact the IHCPT office at 0035391796622.
Closing date for applications is 31 October.
CARMELITE RETREAT CENTRE
Mass and Blessing of Roses in honour of St. Therese
of Lisieux will take place in the Carmelite Retreat
Centre, Derry on Thursday 1 October at 8.00pm. Please
bring a rose with you. All are welcome.
Trocaire's annual Global Gifts offers the chance to
purchase real Christmas gifts for the poor in developing
countries which are also items vital to simple survival
- such as, food, water, shelter, farm animals and
many more. In 2009 Trocaire is looking for volunteers
in the Derry diocese to help promote these life-changing
gifts in your parish or community. If you or a friend
can give a day or two to this rewarding opportunity,
please contact Trocaire's new North West representative
Lawrence McBride on 0287135788 or email lmcbride@trocaire.ie
FOYLE HOSPICE
There will be a sponsored walk/run
in aid of the Foyle Hospice on Sunday 4 October. Start/Finish
Fir Trees Hotel, Melmount Road, Strabane. Time 1.30pm.
Entry forms available from Foyle Hospice Shop 5A Church
Street Strabane. Telephone 02871886241.
FREE SENIOR CITIZENS INFORMATION DAY
There will be a Free Senior Information
Day on Friday 2 October 2009 at 11.00am in St. Patrick's
Hall, Strabane. Advice and information on health issues,
controlling energy costs, help with local transport,
volunteering and how to get free benefit entitlement
check-ups. This event is part of Age Awareness Week
Activities and has been arranged by a partnership
of organisations including Strabane Community Project,
VSB, NWVC, Access 2 Benefits and Age Concern/Help
the Aged NI. There will also be a free lunch, refreshments
and live entertainment from Dance Unlimited. Contact
Sarah Jane Goldring at NW Volunteer centre on 02871271017
for more details.
ST. PATRICK’S
HALL
Bingo and Lucky 4 Draw as usual this
Thursday.
All our patrons are very welcome.
Bingo Snowball £2500.00
LUCKY 4 DRAW
There was 1 match 3 winner in last
week's Draw
Aine Jenkinson
The numbers drawn were:
2, 5, 13, 20
Next Week's Lucky 4 Jackpot is £1750.00
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
St. Patrick's Hall Theatre Group,
Strabane, are delighted to announce that due to the
success of our previous productions "The Wizard
of Oz" and last year's "West Side Story",
we will be staging "Beauty and the Beast".
We would therefore like to take this opportunity to
invite all those interested in auditioning for both
chorus and principal roles to come along to St. Patrick's
Hall on Saturday 10 October at the following times:
2.00pm for children aged 10 - 13 years
3.00pm for the 14 - 18 year group
4.00pm for all the adults (for principal
roles, chorus and smaller parts)
The show opens on Saturday 16 January
2010 so put it in your diary now as well as the audition
date and look forward to the best ever panto in Strabane.
PRAYER CORNER
MEETING MY OWN PAIN
Tender and loving God,
I know that you are with me.
Take my hand and stretch it
toward that which brings me hurt.
Lead me into my sufferings
and help me to be healed.
Together let us touch my woundedness.
Together let us meet my pain.
Teach me how to enter my suffering
in a way
that brings me greater wisdom and growth.
Gift me with determination not to turn away.
Help me to meet myself with kindness and mercy.
Tender and loving God,
together let us walk the road to my healing.
COMPASSION FOR SELF
Unwavering Love,
when I am going through troubled times,
help me to attend to my own spirit.
I need to believe that my heartaches
are also worthy of a compassionate gaze.
Teach me how to offer kindness
to the part of me that hurts.
With your grace I can overcome
any obstacles that keep me
from being attentive to my own needs.
Remembering your great love for me,
I turn toward myself with understanding
and reach out with tenderness
as I lovingly embrace my hurting self.
ENCOUNTERING DEPRESSION
Giver of Life,
I am in the wasteland of depression.
I cry out to you, Source of Solace,
as I meet this empty void within me.
Sustain me as I try to exist
in this day-to-day dying
of my energy and vitality.
Wrap your arms around me.
Carry me through this bleak journey.
Help me to stay open to your love.
I rely on you. I lean on you.
I trust you to hold me close
as I stumble on this joyless path.
