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BALLINASCREEN PARISH - 7 JANUARY 2024

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

 

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