No.1861 ~ FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
SUNDAY MASSES
VIGIL MASSES
St Eugene’s Moneyneena 5.00 pm
Holy Rosary: 6.15 pm
St Patrick’s Keenaught 7.30 pm
SUNDAY
St Columba’s Straw 9.00 am
St Mary’s Coolcalm 10.00 am (NB Townland Rota still applies)
St Patrick’s Sixtowns 11.00 am (NB Townland Rota still applies)
Holy Rosary: 12 noon
DAILY MASS TIMES
Holy Rosary Church
Monday and Wednesday ~ 11.00 am
Friday ~ 7.30 pm
St Mary’s Coolcalm
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday ~ 11.00 am
All Masses in the Holy Rosary Church are transmitted live on the Ballinascreen parish webcam:
All Masses in St Mary’s Coolcalm are transmitted live on the Desertmartin parish webcam:
PARISH CONTACT DETAILS
Fr. Peter Madden PP VF
31 Sixtowns Road
Telephone: 79628376
Fr Dermot McGirr CC
50 Tobermore Road, Desertmartin
Telephone: 79632196
Fr John Downey Priest In Residence
36 Moneyneena Rd
Telephone: 79628375
Email: j.downey75@btinternet.com
PARISH OFFICE
9 High Street Phone: (028)79628248
Please note that due to restrictions imposed by the Coronavirus Pandemic the Parish Office may only be contacted by email or phone (message may be left)
NOTICES FOR THE BULLETIN
Notices for the Bulletin should be received by 1.00 pm on Wednesday ballinascreenparish@gmail.com
Bulletins are presently only available:
Online at www.parishofballinascreen.com
On the noticeboard inside the front porch of Holy Rosary Church.
SVP HELPLINE
Helpline telephone number: 07710838050
BALLINASCREEN COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP
Please click the link https://www.parishofballinascreen.com/ballinascreen-community-support-gro for full details of Ballinascreen Community Support Group.
FEASTS OF THE WEEK
Monday 3: St Philip and St James, apostles.
Wednesday 5: Blessed Edmund Rice.
Saturday 8: Blessed John Sullivan.
DAILY MASS TIMES THIS WEEK - MONDAY 3 - FRIDAY 7 MAY
Monday 3 May
11.00 am in Holy Rosary Draperstown
Tuesday 4 May
11.00 am in St Mary’s Coolcalm
Wednesday 5 May
11.00 am in Holy Rosary Draperstown
Thursday 6 May
11.00am in St Mary’s Coolcalm
Friday 7 May
Parish Anniversary Mass at 11.00 am in St Mary’s Coolcalm
Parish Anniversary Mass at 7.30 pm in Holy Rosary.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2021
In the light of some easing of Covid 19 restrictions, Bishop McKeown has now decided that parishes may arrange First Holy Communion and Confirmation Ceremonies to be celebrated in the coming weeks. Following a meeting with all primary school principals in Ballinascreen, First Holy Communion Masses will take place on the following dates in Holy Rosary Church at 3.00 pm:
June 5: Gaelscoil na Speiríní,
June 12: St Columba's P.S., Straw,
June 19: St Eoghan's P.S., Moneyneena,
June 26: St Mary's P.S., Draperstown.
BAPTISMS
We welcome into God’s family through the Sacrament of Baptism:
Jamie Anthony McKee; Drumard Lane;
Tadhg Oisin Parick Graham, Magherafelt.
WEDDING
Congratulations and best wishes for the future to Rachel Ward and Steven Stokes who were married recently in Holy Rosary Church.
DEATHS
We extend our prayerful sympathy to the family and relatives of:
Bridget Gordon, Draperstown;
Billy McLaughlin, Limavady.
ANNIVERSARIES
Mary Cleary,
Marie Henry,
James McNamee,
Monica Kelly,
Pat Armour,
Mary Frances McWilliams,
Conor Donnelly,
John Joe Trainor,
Peggy McGlade.
PARISH COLLECTIONS
Sincere thanks to all who have returned parish envelopes, established standing orders, made online payments or used the ‘Donate’ button on Parish Website. Envelopes may be returned at any parish Mass, to Parish Office or any Parochial House.
Thank you for your generous support which is greatly appreciated.
SVP DONATIONS
Many thanks for many generous donations. To make a donation please place it in an envelope and mark it SVP. All donations appreciated
PARISH ANNIVERSARY AND MONTH’S MIND MASSES
If parishioners wish to have their loved one prayed for at any Anniversary Friday Mass, you MUST please email their name to Ballinascreen Parish Office by 12 noon on Thursday of the relevant week.
Email address: ballinascreenparish@gmail.com
Health and Safety Notice re Friday Anniversary Masses
We ask that ONLY members of a family, whose loved one is being prayed for, attend the Friday Anniversary Mass in Holy Rosary Church at 7.30 pm.
This should ensure that there is sufficient space for those who are remembering a Month’s Mind or any other anniversary, as seating is limited and cannot be exceeded. The Anniversary Mass will be available on the parish webcam.
Holy Communion will be distributed at the door of the Church once the congregation has left.
Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.
PRIVATE PRAYER
Churches open for Private Prayer, however we ask you to please observe the following advice when visiting any of our Churches.
Please sanitise your hands on arrival
Prior to leaving the Church please use the materials provided to sanitise the seat where you sat. Thank you
CELEBRATING MARY IN MAY
May is a very special month for the Church as we remember Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother. A full month is given over to Mary and during this month we are encouraged to honour Mary in different ways. To help parishes, families and schools to do this, the Diocesan Catechetical Centre has created a number of resources including prayers, Gospel reflections, colouring and craft activities, examples of May Altars and ideas on how to pray the Rosary. These resources are available online at catecheticalcentre.org/category/celebrating-mary-in-the-month-of-may-2021/
POPE FRANCIS ~ MAY 2021
In response to the Holy Father's wish, May will be dedicated to a "marathon" of prayer, to ask for an end to the Covid pandemic, and to ask for the resumption of social and work activities. Pope Francis wishes to involve Shrines around the world in this initiative so 30 representative Shrines, have been chosen to lead the Marian prayer during one day of the month.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Knock has been selected and will lead the prayers on Vatican News on Monday May 10 at 5.00 pm.
Together with the Rosary, each day there will be a prayer intention for the various categories of people most affected by the pandemic:
for those who have not been able to say goodbye to their loved ones,
for all health care personnel,
for the poor, the homeless and those in economic difficulty and
for all the deceased.
The initiative is being conducted in the light of the biblical expression: "Prayer by the Church was fervently being made to God" (Acts 12:5).
The Holy Father will open and close this prayer marathon, along with the faithful around the world, from two locations within the Vatican City State. On May 1, he will pray at an icon of Our Lady of Succour, venerated in a fresco above the altar of Saint Leo in the Basilica. On May 31 he will conclude this prayer marathon from the Vatican Gardens and will bless special Rosaries which will be sent to the 30 Shrines that were directly involved.
YEAR OF ST JOSEPH
We invite you to come to the Shrine of St Joseph in Holy Rosary Church and to place written petitions to St Joseph in the box provided. Please do not put money in your petition envelopes as all petitions will be burned unopened.
MARY'S MEALS - PRAY IN MAY
Mary’s Meals is now reaching more than 1.8 million children with a nutritious meal in 19 countries every school day. This May we are invited to join in their prayer campaign in thanksgiving for each little act of love that makes this work possible and also for God’s continued blessing on their mission, that through His providence it will always flourish enabling them to reach more hungry children.
Prayer resources and more details at at: www.marysmeals.org.uk/prayinmay
LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINARS
Seminars continue for 6 more Thursdays in conjunction with the 7.30 pm Mass in Sacred Heart Church Omagh. All are welcome to join via Drumragh Parish webcam at 7.30pm.
6 May: The New Life – BishopMcKeown
13 May: Receiving God’s Gift – Fr Christopher McDermott;
20 May: Baptism in the Spirit – Fr Eddie Magee;
27 May: Growth - Fr Colum Curry;
3 June: Transformation – Fr Kevin McElhennon.
DRAPERSTOWN LIBRARY
Books may be ordered by phone and collected from the foyer. Books may also be returned to the foyer. Phone 79628249
New junior and teenage fiction books in.
Computers available for public use, printing facilities also available.
Opening hours:
Tuesday: 10.00 am - 1.00 pm & 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm. (No late opening)
Friday: 10.00 am - 1.00 pm & 1.30 pm - 5.00 pm
Saturday: 10.00 am - 1.00 pm & 1.30 pm - 4.00 pm.
Free Scamwise booklets in foyer.
RADIO MARIA IRELAND
This Catholic Radio Station directed by Fr Eamonn McCarthy offers commercial-free broadcasting of prayer, music and talks. To tune in please use one of the following:
Digital TV - Freeview TV
Download free App Radio Maria Ireland
Streaming on website www.radiomarie.ie
Listen Live Radio link on Facebook
Receive live radio feed by calling 003531 437 3277 (no extra charges apply).
Prayer and song requests welcome
MASTERS IN CATHOLIC SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre, in partnership with Saint Mary’s University, Twickenham, offers the Masters in Catholic School Leadership. This post graduate degree is dedicated to the professional development and spiritual formation of Catholic school leaders. It is a great opportunity for those currently in leadership roles and those who aspire to, or have an interest in, leadership roles within the Catholic School system. The next intake will be Autumn 2021. An information session via ZOOM will be held on Monday 7 June at 3.30 pm. If interested in attending this session or require any further information, please contact the Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre on 004428 71264087 or email tferry@derrydiocese.org
YOUTUBE VIDEOS ON VOCATIONS
Popular American priest, Fr Mike Schmitz asks the question:’ What should I do with my life?’ https://youtu.be/vJz9PbakIzY
Sisters who have entered religious life. .https://youtu.be/eTw5xg37QF0 I Will Follow, vocation story of two priests. https://youtu.be/Cbj-b49hyJ4
STRESS CONTROL ONLINE
If you are feeling a bit more stressed than usual and would like to learn some ways to deal with stress related problems then ‘Stress Control’ may be for you. The next six cognitive-behavioural therapy sessions, start on Monday 3 May at 9.00 am are free and more details may be found at: https://ni.stresscontrol.org/
Each session which is 90 minutes long will be available on the YouTube channel from 9am and will be 62 hours after the start time. Sessions will be led by Dr Jim White, consultant clinical psychologist.
You can also follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdCfzKgmXbB30baWLv6L5-g
REGULATIONS FOR ATTENDANCE AT RELIGIOUS SERVICES
Since Monday 12 April, regulations on the number of people attending weddings, funerals and baptisms have been relaxed, so the following arrangements are now in place in Ballinascreen and Desertmartin parishes. All churches have been risked assessed and the number of places determined for each church is as follows:
Holy Rosary: 100
St Columbna’s Straw: 100
St Eugene’s Moneyneena: 100
St Patrick’s Sixtowns: 50
St Mary’s Coolcalm: 60
St Patrick’s Keenaught: 100
These numbers do not include priests, sacristans, or musicians as they have already designated places.
While extra places are now available, we ask that families be mindful of those who are vulnerable, even if they have been vaccinated. Social distancing and hand sanitising are necessary requirements inside the church but a lack of social distancing outside the church and elsewhere is a potential danger that should not be lightly ignored. Many outbreaks of Covid 19 have occurred when large numbers have gathered in homes and other places where the protocols have not been followed.
Track and trace is obligatory at all weddings, funerals and baptisms. Families will be provided with a template on which all names and contact details of those attending a wedding, funeral or baptism must be recorded and once completed returned to the relevant Parish Office.
WEDDINGS
As well as providing a Track and Trace contact sheet, couples will receive a plan of the church where their wedding will take place so that they can prepare their own church seating plan. This plan will then assist the church stewards to direct guests to their designated seats as they arrive. The plan must be received by the Parish Office three days before the date of the wedding. For the distribution of Holy Communion, guests will be asked to stand in their place and the priest or Eucharistic Minister will distribute Holy Communion to them. Masks must be worn by all attending the wedding. The bridal party, with the exception of the bride and groom, must wear masks when they are in their place.
FUNERALS
Unlike a wedding where there is plenty of time to prepare a church seating plan, families will receive specially printed admittance cards and families may distribute these cards as they wish. These cards MUST be shown at the door of the church to one of the stewards. Please do not ask to be admitted into the church if you have not been given one of these cards. Families are requested to adhere to social distancing inside the church, and so sit in their ‘bubbles’ of two, three or more. Occasionally, stewards may have to respectfully request mourners to move to another seat to ensure proper social distancing is maintained. For the distribution of Holy Communion, mourners will be asked to stand in their place and the priest or Eucharistic Minister will distribute Holy Communion to them.
Face masks must be worn by everyone. A track and trace contact sheet must be completed the day before the funeral.
PRAYERS FOR OUR PROTECTION
The Irish Catholic Bishops have asked for prayers for those affected by the Coronavirus. Placing all our trust in the Lord, and asking Our Lady to intercede for us, the bishops invite everyone to pray these prayers:
EXTRACT FROM SAINT PATRICK’S BREASTPLATE
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.
MEMORARE
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to you,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer. Amen
