Sunday 23rd August 2009

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Simon Peter said to Jesus: 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe'. We are conscious today of the many people who give up the practice of their faith. This happens for all kinds of reasons but it is always sad especially when it is people whom we love. This puts more responsibility on the shoulders of those of us who stay with Christ to live our faith ever more fully so that people can see him in us and be attracted to him through us. Christ is the very centre of our faith, as the one who teaches full human living. And his way is the way of love. To love God with our whole heart and to love one another as he loves us is the true practice of our faith. We need the Eucharist in order to live that way. As always the places where we live this faith most urgently are in our homes and our parish.

If I Knew…

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door, I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute or two to stop and say "I love you”, instead of assuming, you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day, well I'm sure you'll have so many more, so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow to make up for an oversight, and we always get a second chance to make everything right. There will always be another day to say our “I love you's", and certainly there's another chance to say our "Anything I can do's?"

But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I get, I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike, and today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today? For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day, that you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss and you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, whisper in their ear. Tell them how much you love them and that you'll always hold them dear.

Author Unknown

Saints of the Week

Week Beginning Sunday 23rd August 2009

Monday 24 – St Bartholomew, Apostle

Tuesday 25 – St Louis of France; St Joseph Calasanz, priest

Thursday 27 – St Monica

Friday 28 – St Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church

Saturday 29 – The Beheading of St John The Baptist, martyr

Sacred Heart Church

Mass Intentions 7.30 pm

Wed Mary Woodhead – Month’s Mind

Weddings

We congratulate the following couple who were married recently:

Marie Girr & Gabriel Keenan

May the grace of the sacrament remain with them all their lives.

Prayer for Priests

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

Sunday 23rd August – Fr Michael F Mullan
Monday 24th August – Fr Patrick J Mullan
Tuesday 25th August – Fr Francis Murray
Wednesday 26th August – Fr Seamus O’Connell
Thursday 27th August – Fr Joseph O’Conor
Friday 28th August – Fr Colm O’Doherty
Saturday 29th August – Fr Kieran O’Doherty

Echoes

Have you ever wanted to share the faith with your children more easily or to know more about our faith to speak with others at work or at home? The Echoes Programme is a Parish Course to help in passing on the faith. It will lead you to appreciate even more the treasures of the faith and will equip you for handing on Christ in his Church to others.

The Echoes Programme consists of a series of eleven sessions on each Wednesday at 8 pm in the Pastoral Centre, Brook Street, Omagh and repeated on each Thursday at 10.30 am. You can choose between the morning and evening session. It will begin on Wednesday 16th September 2009 (or Thursday 17th September). Each session will last for no more than one and a half hours and will focus on a different aspect of passing on the faith. It is sufficient to attend the session and no further study will be required. Light refreshments will also be available. Enrolment forms are available in the Parish Office or at the back of the Church and you are asked to please return them by Wednesday 2nd September 2009.

Baptisms

Pádhraig James Gormley, Castlederg
Oisin Tir-Eoghain Moore, 4 Centenary Park
Ava Maureen Mathers, 59 Kevlin Glen
Cara Louise Murphy, 24 Coolnagard Avenue
Michael Barry McKernan, 23 Tattynure Rd
Natasha Bernadette Gormley, 7 Crocknageeragh Road

Questions people ask

Q. How can anyone today take St Paul seriously when he says that the husband is the head of his wife and wives should submit to their husbands in everything?

A. To be fair to Paul read the full passage in Ephesians 3:21-32. Paul makes even greater demands on the husband. ‘Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy.’ In fact, Paul was a pioneer in advocating the equality of male and female because he recognised how Christ Jesus destroyed the inequalities between Jew and Gentile, between slave and free, between male and female, ‘for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Gal 3:28).

Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap, Courtesy of Intercom Magazine
Email silvesteroflynn@gmail.com

New Experience for Survivors of Trauma. (NEST)

Are you burdened by feelings of guilt or shame? Do you suffer from depression, anxiety and/or low self esteem? If you were able to break free from the pain of what has happened to you, would your life be different? The NEST Programme will enable you to do just that and also give you resources to deal with present and future life tasks. For more details, telephone The Pastoral Centre, Maghera on 028 7964 2983 or Derry 028 7134 7220 for assessment for the Autumn course in September 2009.

Sacred Heart College, Omagh

Thinking About Your Future?

Why not consider a Post 16 course at Sacred Heart College Omagh?
Courses on offer include:

‘A’ LEVEL COURSES
DOUBLE AWARD COURSES IN APPLIED SUBJECTS
SINGLE AWARD COURSES IN APPLIED SUBJECTS
BTEC COURSES
COPE AND ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Further details may be obtained from:
The Principal - Mr. D Clarke; Head of Post 16 - Mrs. J O’Neill or any member of the Senior Management Team. Telephone 028 8224 2717 for further information.

Omagh Comhaltas

We will host the Summer Seisiun in Dun Uladh on Saturday 29th August at 9.30 pm. After supper an informal seisiun will be open to all to come along and join in. The Music Classes will recommence on Monday 7th September in St Colmcille's P.S. with tuition in Fiddle whistle and banjo for all ages. If you wish to register for any of the above classes please call 07864894546 or 07545625525. Registration will take place on Monday 7th Sept at 6.45 pm. The AGM will be held on Sunday 14th September at 4 pm in Dun Uladh.

Tattyreagh Annual
Sports Day

Tattyreagh GAC host their Annual Sports Day on Sunday 30th August. It will be followed that evening by a Steak Barbecue. Tickets are £8 per adult, £5 per child and are on sale from any committee member. There will be loads of activities for a great family day out!

Words of Wisdom

“Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old.”

~ Mary H. Waldrip

St Vincent de Paul
Annual Pilgrimage to Knock
Saturday 12th September 2009
Bookings are now being taken at the Thrift Shop, Castle Street, Omagh. The fee is at time of booking is £10. No refunds allowed. It would be advisable to take a packed lunch. The coach will leave Omagh Bus Depot at 8.30 am sharp.

Order of Malta Annual Pilgrimage to Knock
Sunday 30th August
Bus leaves Omagh Bus Depot at 9 am sharp. First aid and Nursing personnel will be available to provide specialist assistance. For further details, contact Mary McMenamin (Nursing Officer) on 0773 232 8834.

Drumragh Sarsfields GAC
Family Fun weekend
Saturday 29th August - 25 mile Sponsored Cycle, followed by Annual Club Barbeque
Sunday 30th August - Family Fun Day
Anyone interested in taking part in cycle, please register with Frank McGlone on 07768 322436.

Omagh St Enda’s GAC
Bingo continues as usual every Thursday at 9 pm in Healy Park with a massive £4,000 in prize money every week. Good luck to Tír Eoghain and St Enda's players Jason, Justin and Joseph in their All-Ireland Semi-Final against Cork this Sunday.

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.