THE LESSON OF ANGER
Anger is a natural emotion, which, in its natural
state, should only take a few seconds to a few minutes
to externalise. For example, if someone cuts in front
of us in line at the movies, it's only natural for
us to be angry at him or her for a minute. If we naturally
felt our anger by expressing it - if we let it live
for a minute in order to move through it - we would
be fine. But problems arise when we either express
anger inappropriately by blowing up or suppress it
so that it accumulates. We end up either giving a
situation more of out anger than it deserves, or none
of it.
Suppressed anger does not simply evaporate, it becomes
unfinished business. If we don't deal with that little
bit of anger, it gets bigger and bigger until it has
to go someplace, usually the wrong place.
The other problem with accumulating anger is that
even if the people who hurt us are willing to take
responsibility for their actions, it isn't enough.
If they apologise and we believe the apology was sincere
yet continue to be angry, that is old anger. And it
can rise to the surface over and over again, in different
and unexpected ways.
Many people were raised in families where showing
any anger was wrong. Others came from families where
even the slightest problem escalated to rage. It is
no wonder we have no good role models for expressing
this natural emotion. Instead of understanding what
to do with anger, we question it, wonder if it is
valid, misplace it, and do just about everything we
can - except feel it. But anger is a normal reaction,
useful at the right time and place, and in the proper
portions. For example, studies have shown over and
over again that angry parents live longer. Whether
that's because they externalise their feelings or
because they demand better care, we don't know. We
do know that anger creates action and helps us control
the world around us. It also helps us set appropriate
boundaries in our lives. As long as it's not inappropriate,
violent or abusive, anger can be a helpful and healthy
response.
As one of the body's important warning systems, anger
should not automatically be stifled. It warns us that
we are being hurt or our needs are not being heard;
it can be a normal and healthy reaction to many situations.
On the other hand it may, like guilt, br a signal
that something is out of line with our belief systems.
Occasional anger, registered in proportion to harmful
events, is healthy - it's what we sometimes do or
do not do with the feeling that causes problems. Often
we are so afraid of our own anger and deny it so deeply,
we are no longer aware of it.
Anger doesn't have to be a horrible beast that consumes
our lives. It's just a feeling. It isn't productive
to overanalyse it or ask if it is valid, appropriate,
or warranted. To do so is to wonder if we should even
have feelings. Anger is just that - a feeling. It's
a feeling to be experienced, not judged. Like all
our feelings, anger is a form of communication, it
brings us a message.
Unfortunately, many of us no longer hear it's message.
We often don't know how to feel it. When people in
anger are asked "What are you feeling?'' they
will begin to answer by saying,''I think ..."
That is an intellectual answer to an emotional question.
It comes from our minds, not from our guts.
We must get in touch with feelings in our bellies.
Sometimes people find this so difficult that it's
helpful for them to close their eyes and put one hand
on their stomach. This simple motion helps them get
in touch with what they are feeling, probably because
it uses the body, not just the brain. Getting in touch
with our feelings is almost a foreign notion in our
society: we forget that we feel with our bodies. We
tend to split our minds from our emotions. We are
so used to letting our minds dominate that we forget
our feelings and our bodies. Notice how Anger tells
us that we haven't dealt with our hurt.
COLLECTION
We acknowledge last Sunday’s
collection of £1752.00 Many thanks.
ANNIVERSARIES
Katie McCrossan, Ernie Hoynes, Betty
Wilson(Madden), George Madden,
Eileen Donaghey, Eddie Hegarty, Michael Bannigan,
Dermot Dunne, Danny McMackin.
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. Eugene Hasson PP,
Greencastle, 6th July.
Most Rev. Seamus Hegarty, Bishop
of Derry, 7th July.
Fr. John Irwin, Waterside, 8th July.
Fr. Charles Keaney PP, Coleraine,
9th July.
Fr. Stephen Kearney, Limavady, 10th
July.
Fr. Lawrence Keaveny, Deceased, 11th
July.
Fr. Michael Keaveny CC, Faughanvale,
12th July.
PARISH DRAW
We will be holding 2 Draws in July for the months
of July and August. We therefore ask promoters to
bring £10.00 per member when making their returns
in July to cover both Draws. Please make your returns
to the parish office on Tuesday 15th July. Both Draws
will take place on Thursday 17th July at 2.30pm in
the parish office.
DERRY DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES
Anyone who has not booked their place on the bus
for Belfast Airport needs to do so before Wednesday
9th July 2008. Tel: 02871260293.
CLONMACNOIS YOUTH FESTIVAL
Youth 2000 Summer Festival, Clonmacnois,
Co. Offaly, Thursday 14th - Sunday 17th August 2008.
For young people aged 16-35 years, an opportunity
not to be missed to experience the Catholic faith
and meet many new friends. Donations only. Free buses
available from around the country. For more information,
contact
00353 1 675 3690 or check our websites:
www.youth2000.ie, or xx-youth2000-xx.bebo.com
LOUGH DERG ONE DAY RETREATS
August: 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,
31 September: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 17,
20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Cost: 27 Euro includes boat fare and lunch.
If you would like to find out more information please
contact 071 9861518 (ROI) 028 68632391 (N.I.) or e-mail
info@loughderg.org
SPIRITUALITY COURSE
A one-year Practical Theology course, "Points
of Intersection" will be held in the Thornhill
Centre each Monday from 7.30pm - 9.30pm beginning
6th October 2008. This course is an opportunity to
search out who we are, who we are called to be and
how we relate to God and one another. For more details
please telephone 71351233.
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.
ST. PATRICK’S
HALL
Bingo and Lucky 4 Draw as usual this
Thursday.
All our patrons are very welcome.
Next Week's Lucky 4 Jackpot is £2225.00
N.I. BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE
A team from the N.I. Blood Transfusion Service will
be in St. Patrick's Hall on Wednesday 23rd 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.
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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. |
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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.
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| STRABANE
SIGERSONS GAA
The next games
for the Clubs Senior and Reserve teams will
be at home to Fintona on Saturday 5th July.
All support welcome. The Tyrone Grade 1 Juvenile
League will continue next Wednesday night with
Sigersons at home to Dromore at 7.30pm. Best
wishes to Tyrone minors who play Cavan in the
Ulster MFC semi-final this Sunday at Clones.
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PRAYER CORNER
A PRAYER
Jesus calls us to journey with him,
to journey with him to a woman pouring perfume in
a house at Bethany,
to journey with him to a man pouring water, cleaning
up after the devastation of war,
to a journey with him to a woman pouring lotion on
the bruises of a husband's violence.
Jesus call us to speak out with him,
to speak out for the beauty of a woman's extravagance,
to speak out or the unveiling of rules that deny people's
existence,
to speak out for justice for the poorest of the poor.
And Jesus calls us to celebrate in
the dance of liberation.
Jesus calls us to celebrate life wherever it is found.
Jesus calls us to celebrate the many gifts offered
by women and men.
Jesus calls us to celebrate the dignity and worth
of all people.
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A PRAYER
O loving Father, make me like Jesus:
the Jesus who could spend nights in prayer,
the Jesus who went about doing good,
the Jesus who made time to talk to Nicodemeus,
the Jesus who could not bear to see the mother cry
at Nain,
the Jesus who took a towel and knelt and washed the
feet of the men who were going to deny, betray and
forsake him,
the Jesus who could give a patient word when smitten
on the face,
the Jesus who could pray for the men who nailed him
to the cross,
the Jesus who was strong enough not to answer back
when accused unjustly,
the Jesus who could sleep peacefully in a gale and
a storm,
the Jesus who would not let the marriage at Cana be
spoiled by lack of wine,
the Jesus who would not condemn the woman taken in
an act of sin,
the Jesus who could shrink from the cup of suffering
yet drink it to the last dregs.
O loving Father, make me like the Jesus who came to
the world to show what you were like.
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DON'T TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY
A flea decided to move with his family
into the ear of an elephant. So he shouted, ''Mr Elephant,
sir, my family and I plan to move into your ear. I
think it only fair to give you a week to think the
matter over and let me know if you have any objection.''
The elephant, who was not even aware
of the existence of the flea, went his placid way,
so after conscientiously waiting for a week, the flea
assumed the elephant's consent and moved in.
A month later Mrs Flea decided the
elephant's ear was not a healthy place to live and
begged her husband to move out. Mr Flea begged her
to stay on for another month at least so as not to
hurt the elephant's feelings.
Finally he put it as tactfully as
he could: ''Mr Elephant, sir, we plan to move to other
quarters. This has nothing at all to do with you,
of course, because your ear is spacious and warm.
It is just that my wife would rather live next door
to her friends at the buffalo's foot. If you have
any objection to our moving, do let me know in the
course of the next week.''
The elephant said nothing, so the
flea changed residence with a clear conscience.
The universe is not aware of your
existence! Relax!
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THE SELF
A worried-looking fellow walks into
the psychiatrist's office smoking pot and wearing
love beads, frayed bellbottom trousers, and shoulder-length
hair.
The psychiatrist says, ''You claim you are not a hippie.
Then how do you explain the clothes, the hair, the
pot?''
''That's what I'm here to find out, doctor,''
To know things is to be learned. To
know others is to be wise. To know the self is to
be enlightened.
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NO CLOCKS
There were no clocks in the monastery.
When a businessman complained about the lack of punctuality,
the Master said, ''Ours is a cosmic punctuality, not
a business punctuality.
This made no sense to the businessman,
so he added, ''Everything depends on your point of
view. From the view point of the forest, what is the
loss of a leaf? From the view point of the Cosmos,
what is the loss of your business schedule?"
