Sunday 12th July 2009

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

“So they set off to preach repentance.” There are many strange contradictions in our world today. One of them is that so many of us have lost a sense of sin and yet the power of evil was never so obvious. Maybe this is a reaction to the past where sin seemed to be in everything. One of the major sins for most of us is in settling for so little when so much is on offer. This happens when a couple settles for mediocrity rather than a sense of adventure in their marriage; when a family settles for coexistence rather than love; when a parish settles for duty rather than building a real faith community. We may not be able to do a lot about the general evil that is in the world. We can do a lot about our own setting of limits and this in turn will affect the world we live in.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Prayer is Good for Your Health!

Since the mid 1990’s the amount of research in the US on the effects of prayer on health has doubled. The results of the research are very interesting. In May 1999 the findings were published of studies about the effects of prayer. The study was carried out on 22,000 people over nine years. Those who attend church weekly live 10% longer than those who do not. People doubted the results of the findings because they said regular church goers live healthier lives, but the study had already taken that into account, and had already made adjustments for lower rates of alcohol and tobacco use among church-goers. So the researchers stood over their results. Recently Duke University released the results of a study on 4,000 people over the age of 65. Those who prayed regularly had significantly lower blood pressure than those who did not. Those who attended religious services had healthier immune systems. More findings from Duke University and from Dartmouth and Yale Universities show that people in hospital who never attend church regularly have an average stay in hospital three times longer than those who do attend church regularly. Elderly people who never or rarely attend church have a stroke rate almost double that of those who do go to church. Studies in Israel show that religious people have a 40% lower death rate from cardiovascular disease and cancer. So the data is there, the secret is out of the bag, prayer works.

Saints of the Week

Week Beginning Sunday 12th July 2009

Monday 13 – St Henry

Tuesday 14 – St Camillus de Lellis, priest

Wednesday 15 – St Bonaventure, priest and doctor of the Church

Thursday 16 – Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Sacred Heart Church

Mass Intentions 7.30 pm

Tuesday Tommy Curran – Month’s Mind

Friday Mass for Deceased Members of Derry Diocesan Society

Baptisms

Aoibhé-Grace Gallagher, 22 Creevanmore Meadows

Prayer for Priests

We ask for your prayers for the following priests this week:

Sunday 12th July – Fr Michael Keaveny
Monday 13th July – Fr Seamus Kelly
Tuesday 14th July – Fr Edward Kilpatrick
Wednesday 15th July – Bishop Francis Lagan
Thursday 16th July – Fr Charles Logue
Friday 17th July – Fr Paul McCafferty
Saturday 18th July – Monsignor Bryan McCanny

Organist Wanted

Organist required to play in the Sacred Heart Church for Saturday night Mass at 6 pm. Please contact Finola on 8225 0537 or 0773 154 0414 or Anita on 079 2286 8732.

Holy Communion to Sick & Housebound

The Eucharistic Ministers will bring Holy Communion to the sick and housebound who have requested it, next Sunday 19th July after 9.45am Mass and 11am Mass and after 10 am Mass in St Mary’s Church, Drumragh.

Visitation of the Sick & Housebound

Fr Canning will visit the sick in the country areas on Monday 13th July.

Legion of Mary

On Thursday 16th July, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, there will be an opportunity for enrolment in the Brown Scapular during 7.30 pm Mass.

Newsletter Articles

Anyone wishing to submit an article for the newsletters dated 19th July and 26th July, can they please send in their material by Wednesday 15th July at 12 pm. Articles can be posted to 48 Brook Street, Omagh BT78 5HD or email info@drumraghparish.com.

Omagh Charismatic Prayer Group

The Omagh Charismatic Prayer Group meets every Thursday in the Pastoral Centre, Brook Street at 8.15 pm. There is praise music and song and prayers of thanksgiving and intercession. All welcome to come and pray.

Questions People Ask

Q. I am puzzled by the words of Jesus that no one is lost except the one who was destined to be lost (John 17:12). Does this refer to Judas and does it mean that God predestined him to be lost?

A. This difficult text probably refers to Satan, a fallen angel, who became the evil spirit of perdition. The notion that God predestined any person to be lost is totally contrary to the mission of Jesus who showed so much concern for the salvation of all sinners that he shocked the pious people with the extent of his mercy. Scripture assures us that the Lord wants nobody to be lost and everybody to be brought to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

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

Email silvesteroflynn@gmail.com

Knock Summer Youth Festival

This year’s festival will take place from July 23rd to July 26th and is for those aged 18-35. The festival will include inspiring talks, workshops, a reconciliation and healing service, mime, drama, dancing, music and lots of free time. The theme is 'You are the Light of the World' and the weekend will have a variety of guest speakers. The weekend costs 70 euro and this includes meals and accommodation. There is some transport available from the diocese. If you would like more information contact the Catechetical Centre on 028 7126 4087 or book online at www.knock-shrine.ie/youthfestival.

‘Reeling Back the Years - the Kerrigan Way’

Thank you to all who helped in any way for making this night so special. An amount of £220 was raised for the SMA Fathers. A special word of thanks to Broderick’s Bar for their kind donation and to Top News for selling tickets. A CD of the PowerPoint presentation shown on the night is currently being edited and will be available soon.

Dance

St Joseph’s Hall, Omagh
Friday 17th July
Music by Country Traditions
10 pm – 12.30 am
No Dance in August

ACCORD Marriage Preparation Courses

2009

October 16th & 17th
November 13th & 14th
December 4th & 5th

2010

January 15th & 16th
February 5th & 6th
March 5th & 6th
April 16th & 17th
May 14th & 15th
June 11th & 12th

Application forms available from The Secretary, ACCORD, Mount St. Columba Pastoral Centre, 48 Brook Street, Omagh. BT78 5HD or telephone 028 8224 2439 or email accordomagh@btopenworld.com

Courses are limited to 15 couples. It is advisable to take part in the course 6 months before your wedding.

Drumragh Parish Draw Winners – July 2009

£2,000 Agnes Kelly, 5 Ardmore Avenue. Promoter – Jean McCrystal

£1,000 Mrs P Kerr, c/o Promoter. Promoter – Monica Baxter

£500 Oliver O’Kane, Tattysallagh. Promoter – Babs Barrett

£250 Frank Kirk, c/o Promoter. Promoter – Bernadette Smyth

£100 Mrs S Gallagher, c/o Promoter. Promoter – Clare McKeown

£100 Malachy McCarney, Trillick. Promoter – Geraldine McCarney

£100 John McGoldrick, 36 Brackenvale. Promoter- Kathleen Quinn

£100 Niall McNamee, 162 Kevlin Road. Promoter – Geraldine Gallagher

£100 Phyllis Alexander, c/o Promoter. Promoter – Fr Thomas Canning

£100 Marie Campbell, 28 Tattykeel Road. Promoter – Marie Campbell

£100 Kathleen Doherty, Drumquin. Promoter – Terry McGread

£100 D Goligy, c/o Promoter. Promoter – Gerry Quinn

£100 Teresa Hutchinson, 5 Randal Drive. Promoter – Fr Thomas Canning

£100 Mr & Mrs T Campbell, Thornville Park. Promoter – Mary Quinn

Promoter’s £100 Prize: Fr John McDevitt

Please Note: The next Parish Draw will take place on Tuesday 4th August 2009.

Summer Safety Tips

1. Never leave children unattended in or near the water. Use approved life vests, also known as personal flotation devices (PFDs), on boats, docks, and around deep or swift water.
2. Make sure children always wear a helmet and protective elbow and knee pads when riding a bicycle or scooter, Heeley’s, rollerblading or skateboarding.
3. Protect children from excessive exposure to sun -- especially from 12 noon. to 4 p.m. Use a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
4. Supervise children whenever they use play equipment such as making sure children stay clear of the front and back of swings while in use.
5. Keep children away from areas where any lawn mowers are being used. Never allow children to ride on mowers.

Omagh St Enda’s GAC

Well done to the Minor ladies who won the Championship last week and the Minor boys who qualified for the Championship final for the second year in a row, with a victory over An Charraig Mhór. Bingo continues at Healy Park every Thursday at 9 pm with thousands of pounds in prize money.

Words of Wisdom

"The most important moment in your life is this one - right now. Truly it's the only moment that you have. All other moments are either over and are now just a memory or they are yet to be - a mere speculative thought about some future moment."
Richard Carlson & Joseph Bailey (1997)

St Joseph’s Hall

Timetable of Events

Tue 9.00pm - Bingo - Jackpot £1000
Wed 10.00-12.30pm - Weightwatchers

All other classes and weekly events have now finished for the summer period.

Collectors for July
6.00 pm – Seamus Kelly, Liam Donaghy, Malachy Treanor, Thomas Logue, John Rafferty; 8.30 am – Linus Nugent, Patrick Cleary, Phil McGovern, Sean McKenna; 9.45 am – Tony Brogan, Eamon Prunty, Liam McGrath, Dr Pat O’Neill, Paddy McGowan, Seamus Sheridan; 11 am – James Murray, Thomas Bradley, James Montague; 12.30 pm – Eugene McGrade, Tony McGarvey, Patrick Gallagher, Anthony Higgins, Kevin Gallagher.

Counters for July
Peter Davies, Gerard Haughey, Dermott McCann, J McDonnell, Patrick McMahon, John McGale.

Eucharistic Ministers for July
Vigil Mass – Gerry Harte, Geraldine Colton, Brigid McGarvey, Anne McCaffrey, Marie Gallagher; 8.30 am –John O’Neill, Fionnuala Quinn, Joan Conaghan; 9.45 am – Seamus Maguire, Aidan Quinn, Jean McGowan, Anne Mullan; 11 am – Gerald McCarney, Regina Gormley, Kathleen McMahon, Geralyn McCusker, Siobhan Taggart; 12.30 pm – Sonya McDermott, Mary Campbell, Liz Doran, Michelle Lagan, Charles Colton; 10 am Drumragh – Aidan Campbell, Ann Doherty.

Readers for July
6 pm – Maureen Bonner; 8.30 am – Gerard Haughey; 9.45 am – Mary Prunty; 11 am – John Magennis; 12.30 pm – Cathal Lynch

St Vincent de Paul Senior Citizen Annual Summer Outing to Bundoran
Thursday 23rd July 2009
Bus Departs: Loreto Convent Gates @ 9.30 am & Omagh Bus Depot @ 10.00 am. A deposit of £5 secures seat. This will be refunded on the day.

Omagh Independent Advice Centre
Omagh Independent Advice Centre offers a free and confidential advice service to anyone in financial difficulty on all aspects of debt or any associated financial problem. If you would like to speak to someone about your financial difficulties, please contact Michele on 028 8224 3252.