VOL. 24 NO. 13 21ST FEBRUARY 2016
Father Ciaran Feeney Adm. 191 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3JB.
Phone – 9065 4157. Website: www.st-colmcilles.net
E-mail: stcolmcilles@downandconnor.org
St. Joseph’s Primary School – www.stjosephsps.co.uk Phone – 9065 0039
St Colmcille’s Pre School – www.stcolmcilles-preschool.co.uk. Phone – 9047 2724
2ND SUNDAY OF LENT – (Page 167, 452 & 121)
2nd Week of Lent
Readings : Sunday Cycle C, Weekday Cycle 2, Psalter Week 2
| Entrance Antiphon | Of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face from me. |
| 1st Reading | (Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18) God enters into a Covenant with Abraham, the man of faith. |
| Psalm | The Lord is my light and my help. |
| 2nd Reading | (Philippians 3:17-4:1) Christ will transfigure our bodies into copies of his glorious body. |
| Acclamation | Glory and praise to you, O Christ! From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard: “This is my Son, the Beloved, Listen to him!” Glory and Praise to you, O Christ! |
| Gospel | (Luke 9:28-36) As Jesus prayed, the aspect of his face was changed. |
| Children | Jesus went up a hill with three disciples. Jesus looked different and his clothes were shiny white. Suddenly he was talking to Moses and Elijah, prophets who had lived long ago, about how he would have to die. Then a cloud covered them and a voice was heard. The voice said that Jesus was God’s Son and that we should listen to him. |
| Communion Antiphon | This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him. |
Would those who are last to leave the Parish grounds in the evening please close the car park gates.
MASS TIMES FOR COMING WEEK
| Sat. | Sun. | Mon. | Tues. | Wed. | Thurs. | Fri. |
| 6.30pm | 9.30am | 7.15am | 7.15am | 7.15am | 7.15am | 7.15am |
| Ted O’Neill, Teresa Barclay & Moya Dalton | Hugh Close | Brendan Woodcock | Frank Donnelly | |||
| 11.30am | 9.30am | 9.30am | 9.30am | 9.30am | 9.30am | |
| John Feenan, Maureen McGonnell, Isabella Quigley & Gerry Keane | Peter Turley | Kathleen Davey | Anointing of the Sick |
PARISH PROGRAMME FOR LENT
MORNING MASS – will be celebrated Monday to Friday mornings at 7.15am and 9.30am.
EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT – each Thursday evening from 7.00pm to 9.00pm. You are invited to make a Lenten commitment to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on one or more occasion, by adding your name to the Adoration timetable on the clipboard at the back of the Church.
MARY – A Biblical Walk Through the Bible, presented on Friday mornings in Lent, continues this Friday, at 10.00am with refreshments in the Iona Room. You will experience an extraordinary pilgrimage through Mary’s life and see why she is an essential part of our faith. The DVD presentation, by Dr Edward Sri, will guide us through The Wedding at Cana this week.
WALK WITH ME BOOKS – A Lenten Journey of Prayer for 2016, are available at the back of the Church. Price £1. Please put money in the box beside Confessional.
DO SOMETHING SPECIAL THIS LENT! – many people choose to abstain from alcohol during Lent. Why not take this opportunity to help someone you love with an alcohol or drug problem by offering up your sacrifice as a prayer for their freedom from addiction. Take the Short-Term pledge and make a difference to someone’s life! Register your pledge with local Pioneers or the Down and Connor Pioneer office- Tel: 9089 4070 or email dandcpioneers@gmail.com. Please give your name, address and phone number and you will be send a Pledge Certificate which includes the daily prayer.
TROCAIRE FAST BOXES – are available in the foyer of the Church. “Learn to do good, search for justice, discipline the violent, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow.” Isaiah 1:10-17. Trócaire’s Lenten campaign 2016 is asking people here at home to join the fight for justice by supporting Trócaire’s work. The injustices faced by the world’s poorest people are many and can only be tackled with your help. To find out more visit trocaire.org/lent
YEAR OF MERCY – COMFORT THE AFFLICTED
“How much I desire that the year to come will be steeped in mercy, so that we can go out to every man and woman, bringing the goodness and tenderness of God!” Pope Francis, Misericordia Vultus 5
Simply being with another during a time of difficuly can bring much comfort. Have you heard of a friend or relative who received bad news? Perhaps you know someone whose loved one has died and the person is struggling to come to terms with the loss. Could you spend time with them and offer support?
A PILGRIMAGE COMPANION FOR THE YEAR OF MERCY – is a book of prayers and reflection, and is available at the back of the Church. Price £1. Please put money in the box beside Confessional.
YEAR OF MERCY DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES – application forms are now available from the Parish Office. Fare, inclusive of all charges, return flight from Belfast to Lourdes and full board in hotels in Lourdes, is: 5 nights (July 11-16th) – £550 in hotel or £430 in hospital; 7 nights (10-17th) – £600; Youth Team age 16-25 (8-17th) – £500. For more information contact the Pilgrimage Office on 9064 6040 or email Lourdes@downandconnor.org
CTS BOOKLETS – for the Year of Mercy, are now available to purchase from the stand in the Church porch.
BAPTISM
The Sacrament of Baptism is one of the most joyful occasions both for the family and the Parish and everyone is welcome. The next Baptismal Course takes place on Tuesday 15th March in the Iona Room from 8.00pm to 9.30pm, where parents will receive their Baptismal pack and can arrange the date for their child’s Baptism. Baptisms in the Parish take place on the first and last Sunday of each month and attendance at the course is arranged through Philomena in the Parish Office.
PARISH DRAW
If you wish to find out more information about the Parish Draw or sign up for this please contact Roisin McMullan on 078 5414 0019, Lucy Traynor on 079 0080 7589 or Mary Walsh on 078 1549 3463.
PARISH FAMILY
LIVING YOUTH – Come and join us for our next Monthly Diocesan Youth Mass this Sunday at 5.00pm (Confessions and Music Practice from 4.30pm) in Holy Family Church. Refreshments afterwards in the Church Gathering Space. All welcome.
GIFT – Growing in Faith Together is a fun-filled parish based faith programme for post Confirmation young people. It offers young people in Year 8 (1st year) and Year 9 (2nd Year) the opportunity to connect more fully with parish and to develop their Catholic faith. Gift continues this Monday evening, 6.00pm – 7.30pm.
DOWN & CONNOR DIOCESAN DIRECTORY – copies of the Down & Connor Diocesan Directory, price £3.00, are on sale at the back of the Church. Please put money in
either of the Candelabra boxes. The Directory gives information about every parish in the Diocese, listing the names and addresses of the Priests and Religious, the times of Masses, Parish Schools, Pastoral and Spiritual organisations and useful contact numbers.
MONEY MATTERS
Many thanks to all who contributed so generously to the collections.
Sick and Retired Priests collection – will be taken up at all Masses this weekend. This collection is required for the ongoing needs in respect of the Sick & Retired Priests of the Diocese.
DECEASED
We pray for the repose of the souls of Brendan Woodcock, Fr. Hugh O’Reilly and Peter Turley who died recently. We also remember all those whose anniversaries occur at this time of year especially:
Ted O’Neill, Teresa Barclay, Moya Dalton, Hugh Close, John Feenan,
Maureen McGonnell, Isabella Quigley, Gerry Keane, Kathleen Davey,
Olga Hughes, Frank Donelly, Eileen McQuaid, Patricia Anne O’Keeffe,
Gabriel Mullaly, Rosanna O’Keeffe and John Noel Jude O’Keeffe.
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT – we can be contacted on 074 5698 9458. Our members are Regiena Babu, Eithne Daly, Brenda McMeekin, David McMeekin, Celine Molloy, Joan Rogan and Lucy Traynor.
THIS WEEK
Texas hold ’em night – being organised by St Colmcille’s Guide Unit this Friday evening in the Parochial Hall . Doors open at 7:30pm with an 8pm start. 500 extra chips for those arriving before 8pm. Entry £10 and Buy ins £5. B.Y.O and a light supper will be provided. Any money raised will be going towards the units summer camp to France.
REPORTS
Apostolic Work Lenten Lunch – thanks to all those who supported the Lenten Lunch last Sunday and to those contributing after Mass on Saturday, we raised about £1300. Thank you also to all our willing helpers who make work on the day so much easier.
OTHER NOTICES
Reverend Marcus Walker – Deputy Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome will give a talk in St Malachy’s Seminary, this Friday evening at 8.00pm. Both Anglican and Catholic clergy are invited to this talk and anyone else who may be interested.
“Mary In The Gospel” – is a course being facilitated by Elizabeth Lavery beginning on Wednesday 2nd March at 7:30 pm in the Kilmegan Centre in Castlewellan. The course will run for 8 weeks. Cost for 8 weeks is £20. For further information please contact Fr Fleck on 4375 1212 or 078 4110 1853.
St. Patrick’s Day Charity Dinner Dance and Concert with ‘The Priests’ – St. Patrick’s Parish is delighted to announce a spectacular Dinner and Dance Event to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and raise much-needed funds for the Church’s Stone Restoration Fund. The Parish will host a Dinner Dance in Titanic, Belfast on Thursday, 17th March. The evening will commence at 7.00pm with a drinks reception. This will be followed by a sumptuous three-course meal at 8.00pm. Internationally renowned singing trio’The Priests’ will give an after-dinner concert. Guests can then dance the night away to swing sensation ‘Dave Martin and the Casino Cats’. Tickets are priced at £60 each. Tickets are available from the Church Sacristy after Masses and the Parish Office, Monday to Thursday from 10.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 4.00pm or by contacting the parish by phone on 9032 4597 or by email stpatricks@downandconnor.org00
Matt Talbot Pilgrimage – the Diocesan Pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Venerable Matt Talbot in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Sean McDermott Street, Dublin takes place on Saturday 2nd April. Concelebrated Mass will take place in the Church at 12.30pm. For further details and booking, please contact Josephine O’Hagan on 9061 7116 or Mary Holden on 9442 3956.
HABITAT GALA BALL – for the fourth successive year Living Youth is sponsoring a Habitat team who will travel to Ethiopia in August. To help raise funds a Gala Ball will take place on Friday 22nd April in The Tullyglass House Hotel, Ballymena. Tickets £40 per person; £400 per table. Dancing to The Housem8s. Come enjoy a wonderful evening and help build hope. For more information or to reserve tickets please log on to info@habitatni.co.uk
NI CANCER PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES – from Friday 27th May to Wednesday 1st June. The price of £599 (with price reduction for Cancer Patients) will include: Return flights from Belfast International Airport, operated by JWT License T.O. 052. Full board and accommodation at the Hotel Agena in Lourdes for five nights based on twin/double/treble rooms. Travel insurance cover for persons up to 85 years on date of return. The party will consist of patients, ex-patients, relatives and friends accompanied by medical, nursing and other staff. To enquire or to obtain a booking form please contact:-Mrs Jean Clarke, Hon. Secretary, c/o Drumbo & Carryduff Parish, 6 Knockbracken Drive, Carryduff, Belfast, BT8 8EX, or speak to us on 075 1675 9646, or e-mail mail@nicancerpilgrimage.org.uk Chairman:- Dr Seamus McAleer, Spiritual Directors: Rev. Dermot McCaughan, Fr. Adrian Eastwood, Fr. Andrew Black.
2016 CENTENARY OF THE ANGEL OF FATIMA. – Pilgrimage to Fatima & Santiago de Compostela, from 9th to 18th August 2016. 3 Nights H/B Los Abetos Hotel Santiago, 6 Nights F/B Hotel Avenida Fatima. Visiting Pontevedra, Tuy & Balasar. Spiritual Directors are Fr Gerry McCloskey & Fr Sean Gilmore. Special Group Price £709 inclusive of tax & insurance. Full Religious Programme. For further details contact Joe Catney on 9071 4001 or 077 7642 5631. Early booking is advisable. Deposit secures.
PILGRIMAGE TO POLAND – from 19th to 26th May. Spiritual Director Canon Sean Rogan. Highlights include tour of the old town of Krakow, the shrine of Madonna at Czestochowa, the birth place of St. John Paul 11, Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp and Memorial Museum, Wieliczka Salt Mine & The shrine of Divine Mercy. Cost £849 pp includes return direct flights from Belfast, seven nights accommodation in 4 star hotel, three course meal, four nights in hotel and one night in city centre restaurant, all entrance fees (Wawel Hill, St. Mary’s Basilica Wadowice Museum, Auschwit, Salt Mine), full coach travel for all tours. To book please call Downe Travel 4461 3288
Summer school – The Cultural Dimensions of Christian Spirituality – from Monday 11th to Friday 22nd July in the University Sant’Anselmo, Rome (Italy). Organiser is the Monastic Institute. The Monastic Institute of the Pontifical University of Sant’Anselmo was founded in 1952 and is dedicated to teaching and research in the Theology of Spirituality from a Benedictine point of view. In July 2014 we launched a new short formation programme (60 European transferable credits). It is entitled Cultural Dimensions of Christian Spirituality. The Master programme is aimed at members of monastic communities, clergy (ministers), oblates, professionals in religious or social areas, scholars, etc. Applicants are welcome from those who want to earn European Credits, as well as for personal formation or further education. The courses are run in English in a two-year cycle, requiring presence in Rome for two weeks in each year. New enrolments are possible and welcome in every year. Students will be accommodated (full board) in the Benedictine College of Sant’Anselmo.