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No. 2001 ~ THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
PARISH CONTACT DETAILS
Fr. Peter Madden PP VF
31 Sixtowns Road
Telephone: 79628376
Fr Dermot McGirr CC
50 Tobermore Road, Desertmartin
Telephone: 79632196
PARISH OFFICE
OPENING HOURS: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm.
9 High Street
Phone: (028)79628248
NOTICES FOR THE BULLETIN
Notices for the Bulletin should be received by 1.00 pm on Wednesday, preferably by email.
SAFEGUARDING
The Diocesan Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is Marie Gormley. To contact Marie Tel: 07596500793, or Email: mariegormley@derrydiocese.org
SVP HELPLINE
Helpline telephone number: 07710838050
SPERRIN FOODBANK
Tel: 07543420639
BALLINASCREEN COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP
Please click the link https://www.parishofballinascreen.com/ballinascreen-community-support-gro for full details of Ballinascreen Community Support Group.
SUNDAY VIGIL MASSES
Holy Rosary: 6.00 pm
St Patrick’s, Kenaught: 7.30 pm
SUNDAY MASSES
St Columba’s, Straw: 9.00 am
St Mary’s, Coolcalm: 10.00 am
St Patrick’s, Sixtowns: 11.00 am
St Eugene’s, Moneyneena: 12 noon
DAILY MASS TIMES
Monday January 8:
St Mary’s Coolcalm ~ 10.00 am
Holy Rosary Church ~ 7.30 pm (Padre Pio Mass)
Tuesday January 9:
St Mary’s Coolcalm ~ 10.00 am
Wednesday January 10:
Holy Rosary Church ~ 10.00 am
Thursday January 11:
St Mary’s Coolcalm ~ 10.00 am
Friday January 12:
St Mary’s Coolcalm ~ 10.00 am
Holy Rosary Church ~ 7.30 pm
PADRE PIO MASS
Monthly Mass in honour of St Pio of Pietrelcina, will be celebrated on Monday January 8 at 7.30 pm in Holy Rosary Church. Novena prayers and Rosary will commence at 7.10 pm.
LIVE CRIB ~ THANK YOU
A heartfelt thanks to all involved in the success of the Live Crib. A special thank you to Bishop McKeown who celebrated Mass, those who organised the event and gave so generously of their time and skills, to all who helped on the day, provided baked goods and refreshments, participated in the crib, the prayer programme, adoration or took part in the Masses. The beautiful singing by the Moneyneena Choir and the Sixtowns Choir was much appreciated. A notable thanks to those who donated the animals. Thanks also to the many businesses and parishioners who supported the event with donations. The Live Crib was a success and a great day for the Parish, but only possible through the help of the many volunteers for which the Parish is very grateful.
A total of £5282 was raised for the restoration fund of St. Eugene’s Church, a very generous amount and again thanks to all who donated.
DEATHS
We extend our prayerful sympathy to the family and relatives of:
Eileen Ryan, Tirgan;
Joseph Larkin, Glengormley.
FIRST ANNIVERSARY MASS
Sr Mary Kelly, formerly from Dysart, in Holy Rosary Church on Friday 12 January at 7.30 pm.
Padraic O'Kane, St Patrick's Street, in Holy Rosary Church on Friday 12 January at 7.30 pm.
ANNIVERSARIES
Michael McCullagh;
Kevin Kelly;
Patrick McEldowney;
Patrick Toner;
Karen Carlin;
Sean Kelly.
DATES FOR BAPTISMS 2024
Baptisms in Ballinascreen will be held on the dates listed below. All baptisms will take place on Sundays at 3.00 pm and bookings are to be made via the Parish Office, by phone 028 79628248 or email ballinascreenparish@gmail.com
If you email a request please leave a telephone number for contact.
Jan 21 ~ St Eugene’s Moneyneena
February 4 ~ St Columba’s Straw
February 18 ~ St Patrick’s Sixtowns
March 3 ~ Holy Rosary Church
March 10 ~ St Eugene’s Moneyneena
March 24 ~ St Columba’s Straw
April 7 ~ St Columba’s Straw
April 14 ~ St Patrick’s Sixtowns
April 21 ~ Holy Rosary Church
May 5 ~ St Eugene’s Moneyneena
May 19 ~ St Columba’s Straw
June 2 ~ St Patrick’s Sixtowns.
PARISH COLLECTIONS
Weekly Collection: £2590
Renovation Collection: £1950.
Thank you for your generous support which is greatly appreciated.
FREE PRE -SCHOOL PLACES
EA Connect Portal opens on Tuesday 9 January at 12 noon. If your child was born between 2 July 2019 and 1 July 2020 they will be eligible for a funded preschool place from September 2024 - June 2025.
NAÍSCOIL NA SPEIRÍNÍ
Naíscoil na Speiríní's Pre-Pre Program has now started, for more details you are welcome to please Email: naiscoilnaspeirini@gmail.com
THE NET
The current edition of The Net is now available in the Holy Rosary porch and on the Derry diocesan website. This paper has many interesting faith stories and news clips from around our diocese.
BLOOD DONATION SESSIONS
Blood donation sessions in Workspace Recreation Centre on Tuesday 9 January from 12.30 pm to 4.00 pm and from 5.00 pm to 7.30 pm. To book an appointment please either phone 08085534653 or visit www.nibts.org
BALLINASCREEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Meeting on Tuesday 9 January, which will commence at 8.00 pm in the Community Hub, will be an open forum on: ‘Bygone Ballinascreen Businesses’. Everyone welcome.
LOCAL HISTORY BOOK
Old Houses of Sixtowns and their People, is now on sale in Heron’s Gift Shop and the Credit Union.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS’ WEEK
The Mass to launch Catholic Schools Week will be celebrated on Tuesday January 16 at 10.00 am in St Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry.
STRESS CONTROL CLASSSES
Free online stress control classes, with Jim White, Consultant Clinical Psychologist as the key presenter, will be available at https://ni.stresscontrol.org
Next round of classes will commence on Monday 8 January, with session two on Thursday 11th January. Each class will begin at 9am and will be available to watch online for around 2 ½ days (62 hours) after the start time.
For more details please Email: stress.control@northerntrust.hscni.net.
SPERRIN FOODBANK
Foodbank operates Monday – Friday from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. If you or someone you know requires assistance please call 07543420639. No questions asked or criteria to meet. Facebook page is Sperrinfoodbank, Email:
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 noon on Thursday of the relevant week.
Notices for First Anniversary and Month's Mind Masses should be received before the Wednesday of the previous week so that they may be printed in the Bulletin the weekend before the Anniversary Mass.
FOSTER CARERS NEEDED
Foster carers are ordinary people who make an extraordinary difference to the lives of those children and young people who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to live with their birth families. There are many challenges and reasons leading to children and young people requiring foster care: sometimes material poverty and hardship; sometimes parental struggles due to relationship difficulties or addictions.
We pray for foster carers, and that more people will consider fostering as an option, to generously opening their hearts and their homes to provide care, support and love to children in need.
Unfortunately, there are times when there are no available spaces for foster care placements. The HSC NI Foster Team is urgently seeking more people to think seriously about fostering.
Do you think you can make that extraordinary difference to a child’s life? If you think you can help or if you have any questions at all in relation to fostering, please make contact with the Team: Tel 0800 0720 137 or email info@fostering.hscni.net
KNOCKNAGIN HALL
Yoga classes start Monday 8 January at 10.00 am. Numbers limited (registration is necessary) £36 for 6 weeks. Contact Olive 07887614094, Angela 07746895949 or Anne 02879642711 to register.
Social Dance Friday 12 January from 9.00 pm to Midnight. Music by Kenny Paul.
SPRED Group meeting on Monday 8 January at 7.00 pm.
Margaret, a Complementary Practitioner and Lecturer in Holistic Health Studies, will deliver a talk on Food and Medicine to help beat the winter blues on Monday 15 January at 7.30 pm.
Chair Exercises recommence on Tuesday 9 January at 10.00 am followed by a short walk. Admission £4.00
Knit & Natter recommences on Tuesday 9 January at 7.30 pm. Bring your own project or you can help with knitting for local charities.
Line Dancing recommences on Wednesday 10 January at 7:30 pm. Admission £4.00
Sarsfield’s Accordion Band & Div. 30 Band extend their deepest sympathy to the McGuckin and McElwee families on the death of Hugh McGuckin and to the Ryan and Donnelly families on the death of Eileen Ryan.
Band Practice recommence on Thursday at 7.30 pm. New and past members welcome. Tickets for 2024 monthly draw now on sale, £1 a month, £12 for the year, £50 prize every month.
POPE FRANCIS@PONTIFEX
We all have shortcomings, loneliness, and voids that ask to be filled.
When we are tempted to retreat into ourselves, let us go to Mary, Mother of fullness.
When we cannot untangle the knots of our life, let us seek refuge in her.
SYNTHESIS REPORT FROM FIRST SESSION OF THE XVI ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023
The Participants in the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops have approved a Letter to the People of God. The text offers reflections and proposals on topics such as the role of women and the laity, the ministry of bishops, priesthood and the diaconate, the importance of the poor and migrants, digital mission, ecumenism, and abuse.
It is not a final document, but an “instrument at the service of ongoing discernment“.
The Synthesis Report is structured in three parts:
The first outlines “the face of the synodal Church”, presenting the practice and understanding of synodality and its theological underpinning.
The second part, entitled “All disciples, all missionaries”, deals with all those involved in the life and mission of the Church and their relationships with one another.
The third part bears the title “Weaving bonds, building community”.
Episcopal Conferences are now called to focus on the questions and proposals that are considered most urgent, all this sustained by a climate of mutual listening and sincere dialogue.
To read the report, please click link below:
NATIONAL SYNTHESIS OF THE SYNODAL PROCESS
The Irish Bishops' Conference has published the National Synthesis of the Synodal Process conducted across the Church in Ireland from Autumn 2021. The National Synthesis is the fruit of a wide-ranging process of listening and consultation and is based on the syntheses produced by the 26 dioceses in Ireland, as well as those submitted by religious congregations and other interested groups. The National Synthesis will be forwarded to Rome as part of the worldwide synodal process of listening and discernment launched by Pope Francis in October 2021 and which will culminate in the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome in 2023.
To view this document click HERE
SYNODALITY
Synodality is about seeking together to discover God’s way forward in a new time and place.
This is not just a time of change but a change of time.
It is about learning to journey in hope from the great figures of the Advent liturgy: Isaiah, John the Baptist, Mary and Joseph.
We are a pilgrim people, following the voice of God who calls us one step at a time.
We are moving beyond a Church where everything depends on ‘Father’.
Pope Francis has asked us to rediscover the Advent spirit of leaving our secure base and trusting that the Lord will guide our feet into the way of peace.
We aim to have a time of local listening to one another in January/February, building towards a diocesan submission to an Irish national response.
All national responses will be considered by the Vatican and a Working Document sent back for local reflection and comment in late 2022 – building towards the Synod of Bishops’ meeting in October 2023, and beyond.
This is the beginning of a new way of being Church. It is not just a passing initiative. It is facing the future together, open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Advent is not just a season of the year. It is a permanent part of our identity as Church.
PRAYER FOR THE SYNOD
We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.
THE SYNOD PRAYER ~ IRISH TRANSLATION (Paidir an tSionaid)
Seasaimid i Do láthairse, a Spioraid Naoimh,
agus muid ag teacht le chéile i D’ainm
Agus Tusa amháin mar threoraí againn
socraigh Tú féin síos inár gcroíthe;
Múin dúinn an tslí a chaithfimid dul
agus conas is féidir linn leanúint di.
Táimid lag agus claonta chun peaca;
ná lig dúinn ainriail a chur chun cinn.
Ná lig don aineolas sinn a chur amú,
ná don chlaonpháirtíocht ár ngníomhartha a mhúnlú.
Lig dúinn teacht Ort inár n-aontacht
chun go dtriallfaimid le chéile chun na beatha síoraí
gan dul ar strae ó bhealach na fírinne ná ón cheart.
Iarraimid é seo uile Ort,
Tusa a bhíonn ag obair de shíor agus i ngach uile áit,
i gcomaoin an Athar agus an Mhic,
trí shaol na saol.
Amen.
To learn more about the Synodal Pathway for the Catholic Church in Ireland please visit:
To learn more about the worldwide Synod please visit: https://www.synod.va/en.html
Please say each day in your prayers the following prayer for the success of the Synodal Process which is both old and new.
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
