First Sunday Of Lent 21st February 2021
Anniversary & Month’s Mind Masses
Mass will be offered for the following people on the occasion of an Anniversary or Month’s Mind. We remember them, their families and loved ones in our prayers.
Sunday 21st February 12Noon Bridget Duffy
Monday 22nd February 7.30pm Del Prince
Tuesday 23rd February 7.30pm Rose Harkin
Wednesday 24th February 7.30pm Tony Cassidy
Rest In Peace: We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of; Richard Gillespie- Formerly Lone Moor Road, Daniel Campbell- Lone Moor Road, Hugh Gillespie- Lone Moor Road
Baptisms: We welcome into the family of God; Conán Doherty
Baptisms: Please contact the Parish Office for dates.
Parish Office: You can contact the Parish Office by Phone on 028-71262301 or via email longtower@derrydiocese.org
Visitation of the Sick. For urgent sick calls please contact the parish office on 028-71262301 or 02871262894.
Adoration Chapel Pump Street: Will be closed until further notice.
Padre Pio Intercede for Us
Weekly Mass for Healing in Mind & Body continues this Monday 22nd February at 7.30pm Via Webcam.
We shall share in a spiritual network of prayer, love and support in these difficult times. While we may still be apart in person, we remain heartfully present with everyone and wish to further connect with all who are ill, unwell, feeling isolated and struggling with the pressures of life. Through the gift of this Mass we will unite in prayer for all. We pray to be surrounded by the light and warmth of God’s love to heal our brokenness at this time of isolation, suffering and loss. We hope at the end of each Mass to give a Spiritual Blessing using a 1st class relic of Padre Pio. We ask everyone’s assistance to help others connect with this Mass through our webcam – especially the elderly, frail and vulnerable. Please share as best you can knowledge of this Mass with your family & friends. You can access the Mass via our parish website: www.longtowerchurch.org then click on the link for the webcam or alternatively by logging on to www.churchmedia.tv
PARISH PROGRAMME FOR LENT 2021
‘When we entrust ourselves to the Lord, We can overcome all obstacles that we encounter on the way.’ Pope Francis
Friday Penance during Lent: (i) make a special effort at family prayer (ii) make the Stations of the Cross (iii) do something to help the poor, sick or lonely (iv) make a special effort to avail of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (v) abstain from meat or some other food.
Schedule for Stations of the Cross During Lent
Stations of the Cross will be said each Monday-Friday before Evening Mass at 7.00pm & on Sundays at 6.00pm during the season of Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday 17th February.
Divine Mercy & Rosary
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy & Rosary will be said each day at 3.00pm during the season of Lent.
Short Term Alcohol Free Promise for Lent
During Lent we always try to engage in extra PRAYER, FASTING and ALMSGIVING. Last year quite a number of parishioners promised to stay off alcohol as an act of FASTING and we hope that this will happen again in 2021. If you choose to give up alcohol we ask you to sign up to this FAST in the Sacristy or in the Parish Office and to wear the special badge we have made to signify our commitment to forego alcohol for the 40 days of LENT. The suggested offering to pay for the badge is £2.00.
Lent 2021 in the parishes of the Diocese of Derry
Throughout Lent resources & parish events will be published on the diocesan website & its social media channels. You are encouraged to follow and share these resources; Web: www.derrydiocese.org, Instagram:DioceseOfDerry, Twitter@DioceseOfDerry, Facebook:@derrydiocese. You are also asked to recite daily the Diocesan Lenten Prayer
Diocesan Lenten Prayer 2021
Loving Father,
To prepare for His mission of proclaiming Your
kingdom to the world
Your Son Jesus was guided by Your Holy Spirit to the
quiet of the desert.
In these Lenten days, I pray that I will be guided by
that same Spirit,
to a place of renewal in my heart and mind, so that I
will seek opportunities for
daily personal prayer, personal sacrifices and acts of
kindness.
With Your help, may I too be truly prepared to share in the story of the passion,
death and resurrection of Jesus Your Son, our Lord. Amen.
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR LENT 2021
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem” (Mt 20:18)
Lent: A Time for Renewing Faith, Hope and Love
In our Lenten journey towards Easter, let us remember the One who “humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). During this season of conversion, let us renew our faith, draw from the “living water” of hope, and receive with open hearts the love of God, who makes us brothers and sisters in Christ.
Dear brothers and sisters, every moment of our lives is a time for believing, hoping and loving. The call to experience Lent as a journey of conversion, prayer and sharing of our goods, helps us – as communities and as individuals – to revive the faith that comes from the living Christ, the hope inspired by the breath of the Holy Spirit and the love flowing from the merciful heart of the Father. May Mary, Mother of the Saviour, ever faithful at the foot of the cross and in the heart of the Church, sustain us with her loving presence. May the blessing of the risen Lord accompany all of us on our journey towards the light of Easter.
The full text of Pope Francis Lenten message can be found on https://www.catholicbishops.ie.
Trocaire Lent 2021: This Lent, we learn more about the suffering of people who have lost their homes and loved ones to war in South Sudan, and how they are rebuilding their lives through love, friendship and solidarity. To survive and thrive – to conquer fear- they need your help and your love this Lent. Trocaire boxes are available from Parish Office and St Columba’s Church, Long Tower. Donations can also be made online at www.trocaire.org/donate.
Parish of Templemore Health Promotion Talks: 4 courses will take place during Lent. Anyone in the Parish who is interested in signing up has to email emmet.thompson@derrydiocese.org. The courses will be delivered by the Western Health and Social Care Trust. Details of each of the four courses (which should be approx. 30minutes each) are as follows;
1. Recognising and strengthening your resilience (Thursday 4th March) at 3.30pm
2. Top tips for Anxiety (Thursday 11th March) at 3.30pm
3. Managing Setbacks (Thursday 18th March) at 3.30pm
4. Getting A Good night’s sleep (Thursday 25th March) at 3.30pm
Foyle Foodbank, Springtown, Industrial Estate, is open from 11am until 4pm Monday to Friday to help those in food crisis. Telephone 71263699.
Derry Diocesan TrustSafeguarding Coordinator (2-year fixed term contract) Diocesan Pastoral Centre, 164 Bishop Street, Derry 14 hours per week – Monday and Tuesday, £27, 905 – £29,636 per annum pro rata. For application packs please contact: Bishop’s House, St Eugene’s Cathedral, Francis Street, Derry, BT48 9AP, telephone 02871262302 or email: payroll@derrydiocese.org. Completed applications must be returned to Personnel, Bishop’s House, St Eugene’s Cathedral, Francis Street, Derry, BT48 9AP or via email to payroll@derrydiocese.org no later than 5.00pm on 05.03.2021. Derry Diocesan Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We welcome applications from all men and women and from members of all communities.
The February edition of ‘The Net’, the monthly publication sharing the fruits of faith in the Derry Diocese, is now available on the Diocesan website and Facebook Page – https://www.derrydiocese.org/news/the-net-february-2021. With Covid-19 restrictions still in place, the February edition will only be available on the Diocesan website. However, the publication will be available again in parishes when the restrictions are lifted. Enquiries to – editorthenet15@gmail.com.
Greater Shantallow Area Partnership and local Churches have come together, to appeal for new or used ipads/tablets, to be given to older members of our communities. Donations towards the campaign would also be greatly appreciated. All ipads/tablets or donations can be left at the Long Tower Sacristy or at Parish Office.
Strive is a good relations programme for young people aged 14 to 24 led by Include Youth. It is a youth led programme, Strive is a cross community, cross cultural and cross border programme that engages young people in transformative good relations, citizenship and personal development work. Youth Initiatives run the Strive programme in Derry and are presently recruiting for the final year of the Peace IV programme. If you are interested, contact us on 07510931490 or find us on Instagram youthinitiativesderry or our YIderry facebook page.
Knock Shrine to host special online faith discussions during Lent. Ash Wednesday falls on 17th February and heralds the beginning of Lent 2021. This year Knock Shrine will host a new series of online discussions to help engage Christians during Lent, under the title ‘Living Christian Faith – Lenten Conversations’. What nurtures our faith and what challenges it today? Where do we find hope and joy in our lives? How can our faith build mental strength, wellbeing and resilience?How has the Covid pandemic impacted upon our faith? These are just some of the questions that will be explored over the 6 weeks of Lent during a new series of online discussions on the topic of ‘Living Christian Faith’. The conversations will explore a different theme each week and guest speakers will discuss some of the important questions we all face in living out our faith. The talks will be streamed at 8.30pm every Thursday during Lent. Please join us at www.knockshrine.ie/watch-live or on Facebook @knockshrine.
St Angela’s College, Sligo is inviting applications for the following course beginning Autumn 2021: Part-Time Certificate in Religious Education (Primary) with Online Delivery. The course is open to: Qualified primary school teachers; Qualified post-primary school teachers who wish to transfer to primary school teaching. Parents, sacramental preparation teams and parish catechists who have a specific interest in the area of primary religious education may also apply. Closing date for Applications is Friday 14th May 2021. This date may be extended. For further information and application forms contact Mary Kearns, Senior Administrator, School of Education, St. Angela’s College, Lough Gill, Sligo. Email: mkearns@stangelas.nuigalway.ie or visit Website: www.stangelas.nuigalway.ie.
Right To Life UK: Ask your MLAs to vote to stop abortion up to birth for disabilities including Down’s syndrome, cleft lip and club foot; You have likely heard of the new Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill which has been launched in Northern Ireland to stop abortion up to birth for babies with disabilities including Down’s syndrome, cleft lip and club foot. In response to the announcement of this bill, Right To Life UK has launched the Equally Human campaign to help build public support for this important law change. They are encouraging people in Northern Ireland to email their MLAs asking them to speak in support of and vote for the Bill at its Second Reading. Right To Life UK has set up an easy-to-use tool that will enable members of the public to easily contact their MLAs. If you would like to contact your MLAs on this important issue, you can do so by following the link below. It only takes 30 seconds!
equallyhuman.org
Preparing for Marriage? Catholic Engaged Encounter: A ‘Zoom’ online Marriage Preparation course is planned for 27-28 March 2021. This 2-day course is a positive way of preparing for Marriage where you will discover how you can enrich your future relationship. Information/Booking: marriageencounter.ie or 028276 38512.
Webcams Around the country, some parish churches and cathedrals have installed webcams for the broadcast of Mass and these can accessed on the following websites; https://www.churchservices.tv/churches/
https://www.mcnmedia.tv/cameras
https://www.parishwebsites.ie/
Radio Maria Ireland is an Irish-run Catholic Talk-Radio Station. Prayer, Catechesis, Uplifting music, Talks, Interviews and Testimonies – Listen via TV on Saorview – Channel 210 and Freeview – Channel 826; Download our FREE APP – “Radio Maria Ireland”, streaming on www.radiomaria.ie or via PHONE – get live radio feed by telephoning +353 (0) 1 437 3277 (no extra charges apply). Please join our growing faith family.
