Sunday 4th January 2009

Second Sunday after Christmas

Christ, the Wisdom of God.

“The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory.” It is the beginning of a new calendar year and I am thinking of all the wonderful married couples that I have met over many years of my priesthood. Thank you for being the hope of the Church and the world simply through your love for one another. It is said that the ‘the glory of God is humanity fully alive’. That is found in a very special way in your committed love in marriage and this new year is a really good time to renew your love and set out to make this year 2009 a time of joy and gladness for one another and for all of us. At this time of New Year’s resolutions it would be to the glory of God and the good of all if we were to make the health and well-being of marriage and family life our main concern this year, as couples, as families, and as a parish community. What could you put in place that would help this?

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Openess

For years, a mother duck led her new family of ducklings to the same pond. It was a place of safety and beauty. However, one year she found it dry and empty. Nothing remained but dried mud.

Yet she persisted in bringing her babies down to the pond, where she would walk about with flapping wings, anxiously quacking and trying to get her brood to enter.

The ducklings, however, with their fresh instincts, heard the far-off rippling of the water in a new dam being built farther upstream. The little ducklings refused to enter the dried mudhole. Instead, they left their mother quacking beside her empty pond and set out to find new water.

The mother duck had a closed mind. She could not accept the reality that the water was gone. She chose not to live in the real world so she remained in her little world because it was familiar.

Like the little ducklings, we must remain open to a new future, open to new ideas, open to others, open to learning new things - no matter what our age and experience. To do so is to maintain a childlike faith in God.

Author unknown

Scór na nÓg Ulster Final

Drumragh Sarsfields’ GAA Club representatives will proudly carry the hopes of the club members, parishioners and fellow Gaels alike when they take to the stage representing Tyrone in next week’s Ulster final of the GAA’s Scór na nÓg competition. The local club’s ballad group will be hoping to capture the Ulster title in what is certain to be a very highly contested competition with representatives from the other counties of Ulster also participating. Everyone at Drumragh Sarsfields wishes group members Rosa and Beth Bradley, Tammy McCann and Ronan & Connor McCann good luck in their attempt to secure the Scór na nÓg Ulster title for Tyrone and reach the All-Ireland final.

The group would welcome your support at the final which takes place in Silverbridge, Co. Armagh next Saturday 10th January at 7 pm. A fantastic programme of the best in Irish culture is guaranteed!

Church Unity Service

The Annual Church Unity Service will take place this year in the Sacred Heart Church at 6 pm on Sunday 18th January. More details in next week’s newsletter.

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”

~ Oprah Winfrey

Mass & Confession Times

Sacred Heart Church

Sunday Mass Times

Vigil : Saturday 6.00 pm
Sunday : 8.30 am, 9.45 am, 11 am, 12.30 pm
St Mary’s Drumragh: Sunday at 10 am

Weekday Mass Times
for this Week

Mon -10am & 7.30 pm (Vigil Mass)

Tues 6th : 8am, 10am, 1pm & 7.30pm (Sacred Heart Church)
11 am (Drumragh)

Wed- Fri : 10am & 7.30 pm

Saturday : 10 am

Confessions Times

Sacred Heart Church

Monday 5th: 10.30 - 12.30pm & 6.30pm
Friday: 6.30 pm - 7.15 pm
Saturday : 10.30 - 12.30pm & 6.45pm

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Irish Singing Sensation

Tommy Fleming

St Joseph’s Hall, Omagh

Sunday 18th January 2009

Tickets now available from Top News, George Street, Omagh or from St Joseph’s Hall, telephone 07753 936 701.

Week beginning Sunday 4th January
This Week’s Saints

Monday 5 – Blessed Charles of St Andrew, priest
Tuesday 6 – The Epiphany of the Lord
Wednesday 7 – St Raymond of Penyafort, priest

Questions people ask

Q. ‘In the beginning was the word.’ How may I understand the poetic prologue of John’s gospel?

A. The focus of John is on the divine origin of Jesus. He develops the coming of Jesus in five stages. Jesus is identified as the eternal Word, truly divine, before any creation. Then in the act of creation the Word of God calls things into being. The Word was the source of light in the revelation of God through the prophets. When Jesus was born of Mary, the Word was made flesh. In his mission, Jesus is the inviting Word: ‘To all who accepted him he gave the power to become children of God.’

Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap
Email silvesteroflynn@gmail.com

Mass Intentions

Sacred Heart Church 7.30 pm

Wed Noelle McCausland – Month’s Mind

Fri Minnie McGrath – Month’s Mind

Baptisms

Andrew Eoin O’Boyle, c/o 26 Townview Avenue South

Recent Deaths

We sympathise with the families of the following who died recently:

Elizabeth (Lily) McCrory

Margaret McCrory

May they rest in peace.

The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord

Tuesday 6th January is the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. It is a holy day of obligation. Confessions will be heard in the Sacred Heart Church on Monday 5th January at 10.30 am – 12.30 pm and at 6.30 – 7.15 pm. Masses will be in the Sacred Heart Church at 7.30 pm (Vigil) on Monday evening and 8am, 10 am, 1 pm and 7.30 pm on Tuesday. Mass will be at 11 am in Drumragh on Tuesday.

Visitation of the Sick

Fr Canning will visit the country areas on Monday. Fr McDevitt will visit the sick on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

The Baptism of Our Lord

Service for Children Baptised in 2008

The Parish of Drumragh is hosting a liturgical celebration for all babies baptised in our parish during the year 2008. The celebration will take place in the Sacred Heart Church at 3 pm on Sunday 11th January – the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. It is hoped that all of these babies will be able to attend with their parents, godparents, grandparents and all family members. It is our prayer that this ceremony will bring great blessings upon the families concerned.

Items Found

There have been a set of car keys and a couple of pairs of glasses found in the vicinity of the Sacred Heart Church over the Christmas period. Please call to the sacristy to claim any of these lost items.

Parish Draw 2009

Our thanks again to all the promoters who have helped with the running of our Parish Draw in 2008. As you may now be aware the draw will run again in 2009 to continue to pay for the cost of the redevelopment of the Drumragh Graveyard. The registration day will take place on Saturday 10th January in the Pastoral Centre, Brook Street between 3 pm and 5 pm. All promoters are asked to come along to register their draw cards. If you are still interested in becoming part of the draw please contact Fr Canning at the Parochial House or the Parish Office on 8224 2092. The first draw will be held on Tuesday 13th January, following the Parish Bingo in St Joseph’s Hall. All successive monthly returns will be made at St Joseph’s Hall at the usual times on the first Tuesday of each calendar month.

St Enda’s Ladies

The above club will be holding a meeting in the Club Rooms on Sunday 4th January at 4pm. All players from U16 to Senior are asked to please attend. Could the parents of players of all ages please make the effort to attend? Thank you all, Vinnie McCullagh.

St Joseph’s Hall Grand Refurbishment Draw

Prizes: 1st Prize – New Model Ford Fiesta 5-door Car

2nd Prize – Holiday Voucher worth £3000 with £500 spending money

3rd Prize - £2000

4th Prize - £500

Tickets will cost £20 (€25) or a book of 3 Tickets for £50 (€65)
Draw will take place in June 2009

Contact: 07753 936 701 for further details.

Al-Anon Family Group

Christmas and New Year is a time when problems with alcohol become highlighted. Some families dread the festive season. Will he or she be more drunk and aggressive than usual? The children will be upset and confused listening to all the arguing and shouting.

Al-Anon Family Groups, which has been established over 50 years, is a worldwide fellowship for families and friends of problem drinkers. Everything is confidential. For details of local groups where you will find the support you need, call Belfast 9068 2368.

Book Rack

Have a look at the books at the back of the Church. They cover a variety of topics. To celebrate the Year of St Paul we have a selection on the life and work of this saint, who played an important role in our faith story.