No. 1842 ~ FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
SUNDAY MASSES (WEBCAM ONLY)
VIGIL MASS
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
St Patrick’s, Sixtowns: 11.00 am
Holy Rosary: 12 noon
DAILY MASS TIMES
Holy Rosary Church:
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday ~ 10.00 am NO Morning Mass on Thursday 24 December
St Mary’s Church Coolcalm:
Tuesday ~ 7.30 pm
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 via 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)
SVP HELPLINE
Helpline telephone number: 07710838050
BULLETIN NOTES
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.
FEASTS OF THE WEEK
Monday 21: St Peter Canisius, lived 1521 – 1597.
Wednesday 23: St John of Kanty, lived 1390 - 1473.
Thursday 24: Christmas Eve
Friday 25: The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Saturday 26: St Stephen, first martyr.
SVP CHRISTMAS APPEAL 2020
Many thanks for the many generous donations already made to the SVP Annual Christmas Collection, you may still contribute to this collection and may make your contribution by putting it in an ordinary envelope, marking it SVP, and placing it in the collection box on a Saturday or Sunday in any of the churches, or through the Parish Office, or giving it to any of the priests of the parish or members of St Vincent de Paul Society.
Thank you for your generosity.
SVP CHRISTMAS APPEAL 2020
The Annual Christmas Collection will be taken up this year over the next fortnight. You are invited to make your contribution by putting it in an ordinary envelope, marking it SVP, and placing it in the collection box on a Saturday or Sunday in any of the churches, or through the Parish Office, or giving it to any of the priests of the parish or members of St Vincent de Paul Society.
CHRISTMAS MASSES
To allow as many parishioners as possible attend Christmas Mass, in the present circumstances, 22 Masses have been arranged in Ballinascreen and Desertmartin from 24 December to 27 December. To maintain social distancing there must be a limit on how many can attend each Mass. It is therefore ESSENTIAL that you BOOK ONLINE and follow all the booking instructions. There is still some availability for some of these Christmas Masses particularly on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27
DESERTMARTIN PARISH - TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS DRAW
Tickets costing £20 each are now available to buy in Heron’s Gift Shop, Devlin’s Shop Moneyneena or from Fr McGirr, Parochial House Desertmartin (Phone 79632196).
Each ticket will be entered in all 33 draws! Total prize fund is £5,000.
A ticket would make an ideal Christmas gift to send inside your Christmas cards to family and friends, especially this Christmas.
ANNIVERSARIES
Susan Potter,
Bridget Kelly,
Nellie McWilliams,
Pat J Molloy,
Susanna Groogan,
Mary Gallagher,
Michael McGuigan,
Carmel McCartan,
Alice Hughes.
DEATHS
We extend our prayerful sympathy to the family and relatives of
Robb Seymour, Arlington, Virginia,
Sean Devlin, Toomebridge,
Peg Kelly, Belfast.
BAPTISMS
We welcome into God’s family through the Sacrament of Baptism:
Fiadh Maria Flanagan Mulnavoo Road,
Ezra John Dunlop Derrynoyd Lane.
WEDDING
Congratulations and best wishes for the future to:
Denise Gray and Cormac McGarvey who were married recently in St Columba’s Church Straw.
PRIVATE PRAYER TIMES
Holy Rosary Church will open this week for Private Prayer as follows:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 11.00 am – 4.00 pm
Sunday: 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm.
Upon entering the church for Private Prayer, parishioners are asked to first please sanitise their hands and then lift one of the yellow cards and leave it on the seat where you have been seated. Thank you
FRIDAY MASSES - PARISH ANNIVERSARY AND MONTH'S MIND MASSES
Parish Anniversary Masses will be held every Friday at 10.00 am in St Mary's Coolcalm and at 7.30 pm in Holy Rosary Church.
If parishioners wish to have their loved one prayed for at these Anniversary Friday Masses, please email their name to Ballinascreen Parish Office by 12 noon on Thursday of the relevant week.
Email address: ballinascreenparish@gmail.com
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 will ensure that there is sufficient space for those who are remembering a Month’s Mind, First Anniversary and other anniversaries. This Mass will be available on the parish webcam.
PARISH COLLECTIONS
Sincere thanks to all who have returned parish envelopes, established standing orders, have made online payments or used the ‘Donate’ button on the Parish Website. You can also access the Parish Donation web page by clicking here: DONATE
Envelopes may be returned to the Parish Office or Parochial Houses or when attending any Parish Mass
Thanks also for several donations received for St Vincent de Paul.
Thank you very much for your generous support which is greatly appreciated.
BUILDING SUPERVISOR VACANCY
St Columba’s Primary School are currently recruiting a Building Supervisor (with supervision). Please view Education Authority (EA) website www.eani.org.uk (Job Reference: 20002092) for more details and an application form.
Status : Full-time, 20 hours per week. Closing date has been extended for a further 2 weeks until 23 December.
THE NET
December edition of The Net is now online, on www.derrydiocese.org
As always, it features a wide variety of news, interesting and inspiring interviews, articles and photos from parishes across the diocese.
You are invited to read The Net, on the diocesan website, at your convenience.
WOMEN’S AID
Annual food collection will be held in Centra over the next two weeks. Your support would be greatly appreciated.
DIOCESAN PRAYER RESOURCES FOR ADVENT
These resources have been been created by the diocese, in conjunction with the Northern Pastoral Network , for family prayer during Advent. A family prayer booklet with the Gospel for each Sunday of Advent with a family activity, prayers and a reflection, can be downloaded at: https://www.derrydiocese.org/news/advent-prayer-service-for-use-at-home
SIXTOWNS CROSS COMMUNITY
Outdoor Christmas Crib and Children’s Nativity Trail at Sixtowns Hall from Monday 7 December. Everyone very welcome to visit.
BALLINASCREEN COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP
Please click the link https://www.parishofballinascreen.com/ballinascreen-community-support-gro for full details of Ballinascreen Community Support Group.
POPE FRANCIS@PONTIFEX
I encourage you to dedicate time to prayer, meditating in the light of the Word of God, so that the Holy Spirit who inhabits it might illuminate the path to follow and transform our hearts, as we await the birth of Our Lord Jesus.
PRAYER OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that you desire to make your home within me and that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you in my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. I embrace your love as if you were already there, and I unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
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
