PARISH BULLETIN – The Feast of Christ the King – 22nd November 2020
SUNDAY MASSES
VIGIL MASS
St. Eugene’s, Moneyneena: 5 pm
Holy Rosary, Draperstown: 6.15 pm [webcam]
St. Patrick’s, Keenaught: 7.30 pm
SUNDAY
St. Columba’s, Straw: 9 am
St. Mary’s, Coolcalm: 10 am [webcam]
St. Patrick’s, Sixtowns: 11 am
Holy Rosary, Draperstown: 12 noon [webcam]
DAILY MASS TIMES FOR THIS WEEK (Limited Seating)
Holy Rosary Church: Monday and Wednesday ~ 10 am; Friday ~ 7.30 pm.
St. Mary’s Church, Coolcalm: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday ~ 10 am.
All Masses in St. Mary’s, Coolcalm are transmitted live via the Desertmartin parish webcam:
https://www.churchservices.tv/Desertmartin
All Masses in the Holy Rosary Church are transmitted live on the Ballinascreen parish webcam:
https://www.churchservices.tv/Draperstown
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DEATHS AND ANNIVERSARIES
Please remember in your prayers:
Mary Gunning, Swatragh, who was buried during the week.
Brian Coll, Jackie O’Connor, Penny Morgan, James McPeake and Terence McKay who died recently.
Aiden Quinn whose Month’s Mind occurs at this time.
Maggie Donnelly whose First Anniversary occurs at this time.
Mary O’Hagan, Gerard Moran, Paddy Joe McGuigan, Bernard McGuigan, Johnny McDaid and James O’Connor whose anniversaries occur at this time.
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THANK YOU for your generous contributions to the Parish.
Last Week:
Sunday Collection/Priests’ Collection envelopes: £1,290.00.
Restoration Fund envelopes: £170.00.
Mission Sunday Collection envelopes: £15.00 (Total so far: £780.00)
Many thanks to all who have returned parish envelopes, established standing orders, have made online payments or used the ‘Donate’ button on the Parish Website. Your generosity is vital to the parish and is appreciated very, very much.
ST. VINCENT de PAUL
If you would like to make a donation, please put it in an envelope marked ‘St. Vincent de Paul’ and place it in the collection box at Sunday Mass or put the envelope through the letterbox at the Parochial House. Thank you.
The Parish is having a CHRISTMAS DRAW this year. There will be draws every day of the 12 days between Christmas Day and Tuesday 5th January 2021. Everyone’s ticket will be in for all the draws, which means you have 33 chances to win prizes. Total prize fund is £5,000. TICKETS are £20 each, available from:
- the Churches before and after Mass,
- Desertmartin Parish Office on a Wednesday, 10.30 am to 3 pm,
- and from Fr. McGirr at the Parochial House, 50 Tobermore Road.
A ticket would make a nice Christmas gift to send inside your Christmas cards to members of your family and friends this Christmastime.
PRIZES ~ on the first 10 days there are 3 prizes each day of £100. On 11th Day the draw will be for 2 prizes of £500 and on the 12th and last Day of Christmas there is one final prize of £1,000. Please let your family and friends know about our special Christmas Draw.
Last year’s Christmas Draw went a long way in funding the lining of the car park and other works at St. Patrick’s Church, Keenaught and the re-dressing of the entrance at St. Mary’s Church, Coolcalm. Thank you for all your generous support last Christmas. This year’s Draw will be essential to helping with the basic running of the parish during these times into 2021.
~ ~ ~ ~ CLOSURE OF CHURCHES ~ ~ ~ ~
Following the Northern Ireland Executive’s latest Covid 19 announcement that all churches must close for public worship from next Friday, 27th November to Friday, 11th December inclusive (with the exception of weddings and funerals with 25 people present), ALL MASSES from Friday 27th November in Desertmartin and Ballinascreen will be celebrated behind closed doors and available only on parish webcams.
On Saturday and Sunday (28th/29th Nov. and 5th/6th Dec.), Masses will be at the following times on webcam only:
SATURDAY VIGIL
Holy Rosary Church ~ 6.15 pm.
SUNDAY
St. Mary’s, Coolcalm ~ 10 am.
Holy Rosary Church ~ 12 noon.
Daily Masses will continue at the usual times and places, but only on webcam.
Next Weekend, on Saturday 28th November at the 6.15 pm Vigil Mass from Holy Rosary and on Sunday 29th November at the 10 am Mass from St. Mary’s, Coolcalm, Fr. Madden and Fr. McGirr will enrol by name all those children who are preparing to receive their First Holy Communion in 2021. We had hoped to invite a teacher from each school to participate at these Masses, but that is not now possible under the new guidelines. We encourage all First Communion Families to celebrate via webcam either on Saturday evening or Sunday morning their Mass of Enrolment.
ST. MARY’S, COOLCALM
St. Mary’s, Coolcalm, will be open for private prayer this week on Monday and Wednesday from 11 am to 1 pm.
Please wear a face covering while entering and leaving the church. When you call into the church please pick up a coloured card at the door on the way to your seat. When you have finished praying please leave the card behind on your seat. That seat will be cleaned later in the day. Thank you.
ONLINE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE
Parishioners from Ballinascreen and Desertmartin who wish to have the name(s) of their departed loved one(s) included in an online Book of Remembrance are invited to send the name(s) by email to ballinascreenparish@gmail.com before Wednesday 25th November. All enrolled in this online Book of Remembrance will be remembered at a special Mass which will be broadcast from Holy Rosary Church on Monday 30th November at 7.30 pm. The online Book of Remembrance is available to view on the Ballinascreen Parish website: https://www.parishofballinascreen.com
PLENARY INDULGENCE IN NOVEMBER
This year, due to present circumstances arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, the period during which Plenary Indulgences can be gained for the Faithful Departed is extended to the entire month of November. The Plenary Indulgence is gained by reverently visiting a church or oratory and recite there the Our Father and Creed.
PARISH ANNIVERSARY MASS
If parishioners in Desertmartin and Ballinascreen wish to have their loved one prayed for at the 10 am Mass in Coolcalm or the 7.30 pm Mass in Holy Rosary on a Friday, phone the Desertmartin Parish Office answering machine on 028 7939 7047 or email desertmartinparish@gmail.com by 12 noon on Thursday of the relevant week.
Due to new regulations these Masses will currently be only available on the parish webcams.
For Coolcalm go to www.desertmartinparish.com and click on the blue webcam button.
For Holy Rosary, go to www.parishofballinascreen.com and click on the word ‘webcams’ in yellow.
VOLUNTEERS WELCOME
Thank you to those volunteering to help with stewarding and implementing the new Covid guidelines at our Masses. We would greatly appreciate more help with our weekend Masses and especially at our funerals. More volunteers are necessary to us having our churches open for our public Masses and they would be very welcome. You’re welcome to assist with the cleaning of seats after a Mass you attend. Thank you.
READERS AND EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
Mindful that some Readers of the Word of God and Eucharistic Ministers may not be available to offer their services at this time, those who can are asked to please email the Parish Office as soon as possible giving name, address, and telephone number and the church they usually attend. Thank you very much. Email Address: desertmartinparish@gmail.com
LOUGH DERG NOVEMBER MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR DECEASED PILGRIMS AND BENEFACTORS
A Lough Derg November Memorial Service for Deceased Pilgrims and Benefactors will be celebrated live via webcam from St. Mary’s Church, Pettigo, on Sunday 22nd November at 7 pm on www.churchservices.tv/pettigo . To Enrol a Departed Loved One, please contact Lough Derg by email: info@loughderg.org or Tel. 00353 71 9861518. Write to: Fr. La Flynn, Prior, Lough Derg, Pettigo, Co. Donegal F94 YC60.
SACRED HEART MESSENGER
A digital edition of ‘The Messenger’ is available to subscribers. A digital subscription costs just €15 per year and we hope you will decide to subscribe if you are not currently a subscriber. Contact Coordinator, Elizabeth Foley, on 00353 87 230 9219 or email: e.foley@messenger.ie.
‘TOTUS TUUS’ MAGAZINE
Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the ‘Totus Tuus’ magazine is now being delivered straight to your door. If you would like to start receiving ‘Totus Tuus’ to your home, then please phone Fiona on 00353 86 876 0058.
BALLINASCREEN PADRE PIO COMMITTEE
The Padre Pio Mass continues every Monday at 7.30 pm from St. Columba’s Church, Longtower, Derry at http://longtowerchurch.org/webcam/
ONLINE YOUTH PROGRAMMES
To access a wide variety of initiatives and activities by Derry Diocesan Youth, visit: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DerryDiocesanYouth/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derryyouth/
DIOCESAN PRAYER RESOURCES FOR ADVENT
These resources have been created by the Derry 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 . Other family activities for Advent, including prayers and how to create an Advent Wreath, are available on the Catechetical Centre website.
THE NET – NOVEMBER 2020
WITH the Covid-19 restrictions still in place, the November edition of ‘The Net’ will only be available on the Diocesan website – https://www.derrydiocese.org/news/the-net-november-2020
However, the publication will be available again in parishes when the restrictions are lifted. Email enquiries to editorthenet15@gmail.com
Coverage in this month’s edition includes:
- Derry Youth Online – Youth Alpha.
- Derry teenager, Gemma Gallagher shares how faith and art helped during lockdown.
- St. Cecilia’s shining lights by Bernadette O’Mianain.
- Thornhill recognises pupils’ Mercy Moments during lockdown by Ciara Collins.
- Carndonagh school chaplain, Serena Doherty, offers encouragement following stressful first term.
- These days won’t last forever – Covid-19 poem by Anna Alice Nugent.
- Clonleigh schools create beautiful Mission Month display.
- St. Columba’s, Sixtowns’ pupils love exploring and caring for creation by Nicole Kelly.
- JPII Reflections.
- Thoughts on beatification of Carlo Acutis by Oisin Mulhern, Hollie Frystal, Gemma Gallagher, Zara Schlindwein and Charlotte Gormley.
- Hollie Frystal writes about ‘Exploring Christus Vivit’.
- Class on and off pitch from Liverpool Club legend by Peter Grant.
- Focus on Mary’s Meals by Hollie Frystal, Zara Schlindwein and Shaciara McCallion.
- Bishop Donal sees youth as shining light of hope.
- Children’s Catechism Club – C3 by Veronica Harley.
- Greencastle shepherd happy to minister to Badoney Lower faithful.
- Icon blessing a special occasion for Omagh Polish community.
- Beautiful stained glass windows complete Lavey Chapel works.
- Lockdown led to amazing cemetery and chapel works in Magilligan.
- Newtownstewart pilgrims conquer Binevenagh for Church spire fund.
- Parish Feature Part 4.
- Ministry in Derry best years of my religious life so far – Fr. Columba Jordan, C.F.R.
- Living Disciples and St. Brigid’s College pay tribute to Fr. Columba.
- Former ‘wee blue shop’ owner, P. T. McKeever, enjoys some sweet treats on 100th birthday.
- Codetta Chorister, Rebecca O’Doherty, shares Derry Choir Festival experience.
- Keeping the music alive, Allegri prepares for Christmas extravaganza.
- My faith journey by Fr. Neil Farren.
- Ceiliuradh na bhFirean – Irish section by Fr. Oliver Crilly.
- Reflection on the progress of Artificial Intelligence by Roisin Rice.
- Life behind the cloister door by Fr. Stephen Quinn, O.C.D.
- A Word of God for your family life by Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.
- Prayers and Reflection by Vera McFadden.
- Quiz Time with Lawrence.