Sunday 8th March 2009

2nd Sunday in Lent

This Is My Son, The Beloved

"It is wonderful for us to be here." Peter made this enthusiastic statement in the story of the Transfiguration, which is given to us this Sunday for our inspiration in faith. Each of us has a right to be able to make this same statement in our following of Christ. It is also one of the most important responsibilities we have to each other to make that possible. We do this by working together to build our parish into a real community of faith and hope. It means everyone being willing to take their full part in the life of the parish. We do it by making our homes into places of joy and happiness. Again, each person, no matter how young, has a part to play in bringing this about. Married couples do it for each other by working on the quality of their relationship of love in terms of tenderness and affection. This takes dedicating time for each other and using that time well.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

An Irishman moves into a tiny hamlet in County Kerry, walks into the pub and promptly orders three beers. The bartender raises his eyebrows, but serves the man three beers, which he drinks quietly at a table, alone. An hour later, the man has finished the three beers and orders three more. This happens yet again. The next evening the man again orders and drinks three beers at a time, several times. Soon the entire town is whispering about the Man Who Orders Three Beers.

Finally, a week later, the bartender broaches the subject on behalf of the town. “I don’t mean to pry, but folks around here are wondering why you always order three beers.” ‘Tis odd, isn’t it?” the man replies, “You see, I have two brothers, and one went to America, and the other to Australia. We promised each other that we would always order an extra two beers whenever we drank as a way of keeping up the family bond.” The bartender and soon the whole town was pleased with this answer, and soon the Man Who Orders Three Beers became a local celebrity and source of pride to the hamlet, even to the extent that out-of-towners would come to watch him drink.

Then, one day, the man comes in and orders only two beers. The bartender pours them with a heavy heart. This continues for the rest of the evening - he orders only two beers. The word flies around town. Prayers are offered for the soul of one of the brothers.

The next day, the bartender says to the man, “Folks around here, me first of all, want to offer condolences to you for the death of your brother. You know-the two beers and all…” The man ponders this for a moment, then replies, “You’ll be happy to hear that my two brothers are alive and well… It’s just that I, myself, have decided to give up drinking for Lent.”

Week beginning Sunday 8th March

This Week’s Saints

Monday 9 – St Frances of Rome, religious
Wednesday 11 – St Aengus, bishop and abbot

Recent Deaths

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

Mary Mullin

May she rest in peace.

Mass Intentions

Sacred Heart Church 7.30 pm

Monday Thomas Clarke – Month’s Mind
Wednesday Margaret Gormley – Month’s Mind
Thursday Moya O’Reilly – 1st Anniversary
Friday Eamon Robinson – Month’s Mind

Baptisms

Fionnuala Rose Barrett, 16 Laurel Road, Cavanacaw

St. Joseph’s Prayer Group, Christian Brothers Oratory,

Invites you to spend
1 hour in Community, Friendship & Prayer

Wednesday nights from 8.10pm

Pray Rosary with Meditations,
Scripture, Exposition,
Music, Prayers / Intentions

(March Prayer Focus: ‘Renewed Devotion to St. Joseph, Protector of the Church’)

~ Everybody welcome ~ Contact: John 07751874422

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
There will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Sacred Heart Church every Friday during Lent.

Meeting of Coeliacs

A meeting will take place in the Pastoral Centre on Friday 20th March at 8 pm for all coeliacs. The meeting will review arrangements for Communion for coeliacs at our Masses.

IHCPT – The Irish Pilgrimage Trust

Church Gate Collection

Saturday 7th & Sun 8th March
All proceeds will go towards taking a group of local young people with special needs to Lourdes on Easter Sunday. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Reflections on the Creed

Why not spend approximately 50 minutes each Tuesday morning of Lent exploring the treasures of our faith, as expressed in the Nicene Creed? This is a six part DVD series which features several interviews with prominent men and women of faith. The Third Session, “The Almighty Father”, is on Tuesday 10th March in the Pastoral Centre at 10.30 am. All welcome. Tea and refreshments will be served.

Questions people ask

Q. What is Padre Pio’s Bread? Somebody offered it to me, saying that it would bring me good luck, but refusing it would bring bad luck.

A. This crazy nonsense is the latest form of chain letters, playing on peoples’ fears and gullibility. Instead of a letter, a dough mixture is passed on to three people, with detailed instructions about how to nurture the dough for nine days as it rises and expands. Then on the tenth day it is cut into four pieces, one to be cooked and eaten, and three parts to be passed on to others. The instructions say that it came from the Vatican! More likely it was started by somebody who wanted to discredit true religion!

Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap, Courtesy of Intercom Magazine

Email silvesteroflynn@gmail.com

Drumragh Sarsfields - Adult/Youth Registration

There will be an opportunity for adults, and any parents whose children have not already registered with the club for 2009 to do so at Clanabogan Pitch on Tuesday 10th March at 8pm. Committee Members can register after the monthly meeting on Wednesday 11th March. Closing Date for registration is Wednesday 18th March.

Tattyreagh Camogie

Training for Seniors is every Wednesday at 7.30 pm at Tattyreagh GAA Pitch. For further details please contact Sinead on 028 8284 1198. All new members welcome.

C.C.E. Omagh Branch

Traditional Irish Concert

Strule Arts Centre

Momday 16th March @ 8 pm
Admission £10
Bridge Harper (Fiddle); Marty Meehan (Flute & Bodhrán) & PJ McDonald (Whistle, guitar, singer)
Compere: Declan Forde

Tickets from Strule Arts Centre

Pioneer Meeting
There will be a meeting of the Pioneer Association in St Joseph’s Hall at 8 pm on Thursday 12th March.

SVdP would be grateful to receive any clothing, shoes, belts etc for re-sale in their SVdP Thrift Shop, Castle Street, Omagh. Any donated goods that are not suitable for resale can then be recycled by our organization to obtain much needed funds.

Derry Diocesan Development Plan for Charismatic Renewal

Omagh Charismatic Prayer Group will host

Teachings on the Creed – The Basis of Our Faith

Date Teaching

12.03.09 The Development of the Creed 30 – 325 AD

19.03.09 God the Father, Creator, Provider, Lawgiver, God of Justice, Mercy,
Forgiveness, Compassion and Love

Further talks will be given on 26th March and 2nd April

Venue: St Columba’s Pastoral Centre, Brook Street, Omagh
Time: 8 pm – 9.30 pm

All of these teachings will be given by Ms Julie Zeoli, RE Teacher from Maghera.

Course Fee - £12 or £5 per session - Refreshments afterwards

Drumragh Parish Draw Winners - March 2009

£2,000 – Sally Baxter, 17 Johnston Park. Promoter – Raymond McNally
£1,000 – Lorraine McSorley, 29 Lambrook Heights. Promoter – Claire Grugan
£500 – Malachy Starrs, 100 Clanabogan Road. Promoter – Gerry Starrs
£250 – Jean Quinn, Brookmount Road. Promoter – Tommy Sharkey
£100 – Mairead Keyes, Tattysallagh Road. Promoter – Mairead Keyes
£100 – Lucy & Ryan Baxter, 65 Edergole Road. Promoter – Margaret Sheridan
£100 – Estelle Finlay, Culmore Mews. Promoter – Clodagh Murphy
£100 – Matthew McKeown, Mountfield. Promoter – Margaret Sheridan
£100 – Veronica Muldoon, Hillbank Fold. Promoter – Gladys Martin
£100 – Jean White, 51 Strule Park.
Promoter – Catherine McNamee
£100 – Mary McWilliams, 1 Clontarf Heights. Promoter – Joe Mulryan
£100 – Colette Reynolds, 41 Sperrin Park. Promoter – Catherine McNamee
£100 – Anne Sheridan, 39 Edergole Road. Promoter – Dessie Sheridan
£100 – Hugh Colton, 194 Clanabogan Road. Promoter – Joanne Colton

Promoter’s £100 Prize: Kathleen Brogan.

Please Note: The next Parish Draw will take place on Tuesday 7th April 2009.

Novena of Hope

The Novena of Hope at the Graan, Enniskillen, this year is form Sunday 22nd March (Saturday night Vigil 21st March @ 6.30 pm) to Monday 30th March. Sunday services are 9 am, 10.30 am, 12 noon and 4 pm. Weekdays are 12.30 pm and 8 pm. In addition there are services for the sick on Wednesday 25th and Saturday 28th at 2.30 pm. Call the Graan on 028 6632 2272.

St Joseph’s Hall Timetable of Events

Mon 10.30am - Coffee Morning
6.00pm - Iyengar Yoga

Tues 3.00pm - Colmcille Club
9.00pm - Bingo - Jackpot £1000

Wed 10.00-12.30pm - Weightwatchers
6.00pm - Baxter School of Dancing
8.00pm - Ladies Club

Thur 7.30pm - Bowls
8.30pm - Line Dancing

Sat 1.45pm - Groogan O’Doherty Class

Readers for March
6 pm – Lysette Maguinness; 8.30 am – Pauline Breen; 9.45 am – Maeve Campbell; 11 am – Áine Hackett; 12.30 pm – Caroline McKinney.

Collectors for March

6.00 pm – James Devlin, Cathal Cullen, Aidan Lilly, Thomas McElroy, Colm McLaughlin, Pat McCanny; 8.30 am – Peter Haughey, Gerard Broderick, Fursey Mullan, Billy Henry; 9.45 am – John O’Neill, Eugene Lynam, Sean Mullan, A.K. Kelly, Patrick Devlin, Raymond McGoldrick, John Rafferty, Eugene Turbett; 11 am - Robert Colton, James Murray, Aidan Quinn, Kevin McCrory, Pat McGartland; 12.30 pm – Sean McNamee, John Lagan, Anthony Bradley, Patrick Conway, Dermot O’Kane, Francis Laird.

Counters for March

Tommy Bradley, Michael Donnelly, John Doyle, Hubert Logue, Kevin McCrory, John McNally, John Meyler, Seamus Sheridan, Leo Turbitt.

Cleaners for Drumragh

The cleaners for St Mary’s Church, Drumragh for the month of March are Betty Baxter and Christine McLaughlin.

Eucharistic Ministers for March

Vigil Mass – Gerry Harte, Geraldine Colton, Brigid McGarvey, Anne McCaffrey, Marie Gallagher; 8.30 am – Sean Rodgers, Conrad Darcy, Sinead Slevin; 9.45 am –Peter McCormick, Seamus Sheridan, Shirley Norris, Maureen Miley; 11 am – Gerald McCarney, Regina Gormley, Kathleen McMahon, Geralyn McCusker, Siobhan Taggart; 12.30 pm – Kathleen Winters, Mary Donaghy, Gerard Sharkey, Chrissie Kelly; 10 am Drumragh – Niall Colgan, Anita Hackett.

ACCORD, Omagh

The only pre-marriage courses still available at the moment are taking place in May (limited places) and June 2009. Call 8224 2439 for further information or for course bookings.

Alcoholics Anonymous

Public Information Meeting
Owenkillew Credit Union Office, Greencastle
Thursday 26th February 2009
All Welcome

Who me? Join the SVdP?

Yes - YOU!

To work for those in need.

To use your skills, your experience, your time.

To make a difference.

Find out more at an information evening on Tuesday 24th February 2009 at 8pm in Vincent’s, Castle Street, Omagh

Derry Diocesan Society

The following names have been added to the list of

Deceased Members of the Derry Diocesan Society:

Breda Bradley, Florida
Pat Doherty, 18 Gortrush Park
Gerry Donnelly, 11 Bracken Close
Rebecca McCaffrey, 24 Hunter Crescent
Michael Breen, 35 Kevlin Gardens
John Maguire, Essex, England
Richard Hackett, 4 Starrs Crescent
Alice Daly, London
Dessie Corrigan, 75 Culmore Park
Sally Turner
Jimmy Coyle, 1B Cannondale
Rose Ellen Kirk, 31 Strule Park
Mary McGrath, Hillbank Fold (formerly 28 Lammy Crescent)

That these and all who sleep in Christ find in your presence, light, happiness and peace.

Drumragh Parish Draw Winners

February 2009

£2,000 – Mike Sweetman, 9 Thornville Park. Promoter – Raymond McNally; £1,000 – Caroline Connolly, 12 Brookmount Crescent. Promoter – Fr Thomas Canning. £500 – E McElhill, 6 Coolnagard Grove. Promoter – K McElhill. £250 – Daniel McCrossan, 63 O’Kane Park. Promoter – Daniel McCrossan. £100 – Deano McNamee, 3 Coolnagard Lane. Promoter – Catherine McNamee. £100 – Phil McGuigan, 15 Ardmore Avenue. Promoter – Phil McGuigan. £100 – Mary Conlon, 3 Clontarf Drive. Promoter – Claire McKeown. £100 – Damian Goligy, Sunningdale. Promoter – Maggie Quinn. £100 – Mary Maguire, 33 Centenary Park. Promoter – A J Turnbull. £100 – Aidan Campbell, 33 Tattykeel Road. Promoter – Marie Campbell. £100 – Collette McCrossan, 51 O’Kane Park. Promoter – Daniel McCrossan. £100 – A Devlin, 16 Kevlin Heights. Promoter – Philomena McNamee. £100 – Eamon Baxter, 17 Johnston Park. Promoter – Margaret Sheridan. £100 – Majella Clarke, c/o Promoter. Promoter – Attracta Kelly. Promoter’s £100 Prize – Barry Mathers.

Please Note: The next draw will take place on Tuesday 3rd March

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

Could all promoters please return any tickets sold to St Joseph’s Hall on Tuesday 13th January from 7 pm to 9 pm.
These tickets will be entered into a Free £50 Draw after the Bingo.