Sunday 29th March 2009

5th Sunday in Lent

Our forgiving God

“Anyone who loves her/his life loses it; anyone who hates her/his life in this world will keep it for the eternal life.” At first glance that statement from Christ in this Sunday’s Gospel is hard to take. But it is God’s wisdom and we must listen to it. It’s really about our priorities. If our priorities are all just about the here and now and our own gratification we will lose everything. If we set our sights on what God wants for us we will gain far more than we ever imagined possible. And what God wants for us is love, peace, joy, freedom, full life - all of which can only be gained by giving ourselves fully to one another. Marriage and family life are the two great schools for learning self-giving. In marriage each person has to deliberately choose what is good and best for their life together. In family life parents especially have to constantly give of themselves. That is how people grow to maturity.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

St Joseph’s Hall Grand Refurbishment Draw

This draw was launched in December 2008. The Prizes are:

1. New Model Ford Fiesta - 5 door
2. Holiday Vouchers worth £3000 with £500 spending money
3. £2000
4. £500
5. 900 Litres heating oil
6. 42" Plasma Television 7. Family Season Swimming Ticket

We thank those people who have already volunteered to be promoters and have bought tickets. We are now three months into the draw and to date we have approximately £24,000. As the target is £100,000 we need further promoters. All promoters will be entered into a free £500 draw and the promoter who sells the winning ticket for the car will receive £500.

Next weekend, after all the Masses, members of the Refurbishment Draw Committee will be available in St. Joseph Hall and in St. Mary’s Church Drumragh for people to purchase tickets or to become a promoter. Why not become a promoter and support the Refurbishment Draw?

Any present promoters wishing to return tickets and monies can do this on Tues 7th April and Tues 21st April at the usual times. All tickets returned will be entered into a free monthly draw for £50, so please return tickets as soon as possible.

Week beginning Sunday 29th March
This Week’s Saints

Wednesday 1 – St Ceallach (Celsus), bishop
Thursday 2 – St Francis of Paola, hermit
Saturday 4 – St Isidore, bishop and doctor of the Church

Mass Intentions
Sacred Heart Church 7.30 pm

Wednesday Ellen Kelly – 1st Anniversary

Recent Deaths

We pray for the families of the following who died recently:
Mary Mullan
Maureen McCauley
Kathleen Pancott
May they rest in peace.

Baptisms

Eva Catherine McGale, 9 Crocknageeragh Road
Vanessa Olivia Chojak, 36 Shandon Park
Ann-Marie McCann, 22 Lambrook Heights
Matthew Martin Barrett, 147 Clanabogan Road

Reflections on the Creed

This is a DVD series which features several interviews with prominent men and women of faith. The Fifth Session, “The Holy Spirit and the Church”, will be on Tuesday 31st March in the Pastoral Centre at 10.30 am. All welcome. Tea and refreshments will be served.

Service of Light

There will be a Service of Light for the Year 7 children who due to make their Confirmation next month. All pupils and their parents are invited to the Sacred Heart Church on Monday 30th March for the service, which begins at 7.00 pm.

Visitation of the Sick & Housebound

Monsignor Donnelly will visit the sick on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of this week. Fr Canning will visit the sick in the Brookmount Road area on Friday 3rd April. He will visit the country areas and Hunter Crescent on Monday 6th April. Fr McDevitt will visit the sick on Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st March.

Attention All Parish Representatives

Parish envelopes for 2009/2010 are now available for collection. Representatives may collect them from the Parish Office from Monday 30th March until Friday 3rd April between 10 am and 2 pm, and from St.Vincent’s Hall on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th April after all Masses.

Penitential Service

The Lenten Penitential Service will take place on Monday 6th April in the Sacred Heart Church. Confessions will be immediately after the 7.30 pm Mass. There will be several priests hearing confessions and we ask as many parishioners as possible to attend.

Notice for Coeliacs

As from this weekend, 28th/29th March 2009, a Eucharistic Minister will offer the chalice to coeliacs at all weekend Masses. This service will also be available on request at weekday Masses. The Eucharistic Minister will stand outside the sanctuary to the left as you come up the Church.

It is not possible to provide communion under both species for all the congregation, except in special circumstances.

Eucharistic Ministers for April

Vigil Mass – Tony McBride, Brid McCavert, Louise Kirwan, Maura Cox, Catherine Mimnagh, Mary Ellen McSorley; 8.30 am – Kay Clarke, Geraldine Quinn, Peggy Tierney; 9.45 am – Joe McElholm, Susan McCanney, Mary Tierney, Kevin Miley; 11 am – Willie Galbraith, Johanna Gallagher, Marie Conway, John McGread, Jeanette Fox; 12.30 pm – Sonya McDermott, Mary Campbell, Liz Doran, Michelle Lagan, Charles Colton; 10 am Drumragh – Bridie McElroy, Dymnpa McKay.

Cleaners for Drumragh

The cleaners for St Mary’s Church, Drumragh for the month of April will be Brian McKenna, Susan MacNally and Louise Kirwan.

Readers for April

6 pm – Fiona Garrity;
8.30 am – Bernie Mulryan;
9.45 am – John Rafferty;
11 am –Mary Haughey;
12.30 pm – Emmet Murray.

Collectors for April

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

Counters for April

Peter Davies, Gerard Haughey, Dermott McCann, J McDonnell, Patrick McMahon

St Joseph’s Ladies’ Club
Come to a Floral Demonstration of ‘Easter Flowers’ by Ann McCann in St Joseph’s Hall, Omagh on Wednesday 1st April at 8.15 pm. Admission is £3, including supper. Everyone welcome!

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

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

Time for a New Challenge

Accord is a voluntary agency of the Catholic Church providing services to couples preparing for, or seeking a deeper commitment within the sacrament of marriage. The Omagh Centre is seeking new members to train as counsellors and facilitators. An Information Evening will be held in Mount St. Columba Pastoral Centre, 48 Brook Street, Omagh on Wednesday 1st April at 8.30 pm. Please come along and learn more about what ACCORD can offer you. For more information, telephone 028 8224 2439.

C.C.E. Omagh Branch

Omagh Comhaltas Ceolteoiri Eireann would like to say thank you to everyone who supported them by attending their fundraising St Patrick’s Concert in the Strule Arts Centre recently. A great night’s entertainment was enjoyed by all. It was great to see our young local talent of musicians, singers and dancers being showcased on the night.

St Joseph’s Bookshop
Holy Week Opening Times

Monday 6th – Thursday 9th April
10.30 am – 4.00 pm
Friday 10th – Saturday 11th April
10.30 am – 1.00 pm

Wide variety of Books, Holy Ornaments, Medals, Rosaries & Cards available.

Drumragh GFC

We are organising a Club Draw to help with running costs of the new clubrooms which are due to open in the next few months. It is hoped that parents who have children registered with the club will join, and if they, in turn, think they could persuade one more person to take part in the draw, they will be contributing towards helping their club move forward and being part of this new venture at Clanabogan.

There will be 3 payment options:

1. Standing Order
2. One off payment £120 Yearly Subscription
3. Monthly payment option (cash or cheque)

There will be one monthly prize of £500, which will be made at the monthly committee meeting, which takes place on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at Clanabogan. All monies go directly to the Club with no expenses associated with the Draw. For parents or even non-club members who are interested, sign up forms will be available at the coaching sessions on Saturday mornings from 10 – 12 noon, or contact Jim McGread on 028 8224 9231. See website for more details www.drumraghgfc.net

Omagh Independent Advice Centre
Omagh Independent Advice Centre offers a free and confidential advice service to anyone in financial difficulty. If you would like to speak to someone about your financial difficulties, please call Michele in the Advice Centre on 028 8224 3252.

The following are the dates of the upcoming events for the young people of Drumragh Parish:

25th April: Confirmation for all Year 7 pupils in Sacred Heart Church @ 11 am
26th April: First Communion for St Colmcille’s P.S. in Sacred Heart Church @ 12.30 pm
10th May: First Communion for St Conor’s P.S. in Sacred Heart Church @ 12.30 pm
17th May: First Communion for Loreto P.S. in Sacred Heart Church @ 12.30 pm
17th May: First Communion for All Saint’s P.S. and Sacred Heart P.S. in St Mary’s Church, Drumragh @ 10 am
31st May: First Communion for Omagh Integrated P.S. in the Sacred Heart Church @ 12.30 pm

St Vincent de Paul
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.