Easter Sunday 9th April 2023
“Do not be afraid; He has risen from the dead”
These are the sacred words that the Angel of Light declared to the women at the sepulchre where Jesus had been buried three days before. He had defied death’s power and all human means to hold him in the tomb with the ‘great stone’ sealed with mortar. As Saint Paul remarks, Jesus was beyond human flesh, his former self destroyed and glorified by his Father, never to die again, “his life now with God”. Insightfully, he also reveals how we are connected to the death and resurrection of Jesus through our baptism, which helps reassure and soothe any fears we have of dying. Because in baptism, “we went into the tomb with him and joined him in death” so that we would be given a second chance to live a new life through his resurrection. In other words, a lifetime of wrong thoughts, words and actions will be crucified and wiped out to allow us to rise and unite with His glorified body. Therefore, do not be afraid, for Jesus is waiting to greet us all on our return to ‘Galilee’. Matthew 28:1-10, St Paul to the Romans 6:3-11
Fr. Gerard, Fr. John & Fr. Peter and the Carmelite Fathers would like to wish everyone a very Happy & Holy Easter Season.
EASTER WEEK
Mass Times: Morning Mass at 10.00am, Monday 10th to Friday 14th April.
Please note there will be NO Evening Mass from Monday 10th to Friday 14th April inclusive. Normal Masses resume on Saturday 15th April.
Confessions resume on Saturday 15th April after 10.00am Mass (subject to change)
There will be NO Adoration in Long Tower Church on Wednesday 12th April.
Support Trocaire This Lent: Please return your donations as soon as possible.
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 9th April 10.00am Raymond Kelly
Sunday 9th April 12.00Noon Sally Hegarty
Monday 10th April 10.00am Jimmy Jackson
Tuesday 11th April 10.00am Rose Roarty
Wednesday 12th April 10.00am Agnes Box
Thursday 13th April 10.00am Kitty McKeever
Saturday 15th April 6.00pm George Deane
Sunday 16th April 10.00am Billy Friel
Sunday 16th April 12Noon Danny & Richard Quigley
Monday 17th April 10.00am Julia O’Reilly
Saturday 22nd April 6.00pm Betty, Matt, Ka & Martin Thornton
Rest In Peace: We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of; Sean Moore- Bromley, England & Monica Magee- formerly Fortwilliam Terrace.
Baptisms: We welcome into the family of God; Jude Cavanagh & Daithi Walsh. To book a Baptism, please contact the parish office for dates.
There will be Divine Mercy Devotions in St Columba’s Church, Long Tower on Sunday 16th April at 3pm, preceded by Confessions from 1.30pm – 2.30pm.
The Parish Office will be closed from 1.30pm on Good Friday and will re-open at 9.00am on Monday 17th April. There will be no bulletin on Sunday 16th April.
Adoration Chapel in Pump Street will be closed from 6.00pm on Holy Thursday. The Adoration Chapel will re-open on Monday 17th April at 11.00am.
Visitation of the Sick. For urgent sick calls please contact the parish office on 028- 71262301/02871261946 or 02871262894.
LAST WEEK’S ENVELOPE COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £2352.00
LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £705.00
Sister Clare Retreat 
The Sister Clare will take place in St Columba’s Church, Long Tower, Derry, 17th – 23rd April. There will be Mass at 7.00am & 10.00am (Monday to Friday). Each evening at 7.30pm there will be Benediction, with a guest Speaker (Monday-Friday). On Saturday 22nd there will be Benediction at 3.00pm, with a guest speaker. The retreat will conclude on Sunday 23rd April at 3.00pm with Mass celebrated by Most Reverend Bishop Donal McKeown.
Diocesan Vocations: The next monthly Holy Hour for Vocations will take place in St Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry, at 8pm on Friday 14 April, and will be led by Fr. Patrick Lagan, CC, Waterside. Everyone is welcome to attend, or to join in the prayers via the Cathedral webcam.
Job Opportunities – Derry Diocesan Trust
Part Time Housekeeper – Donegal 9 hours per week – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 11.00am – 2.00pm.
Financial and Administrative Secretary – Diocesan Catechetical Centre – 21 hours per week (temporary fixed term contract until August 2023 with possibility of extension of hours and/or term of contract). For job description and application pack please contact: Bishop’s House, St Eugene’s Cathedral, Francis Street, Derry, telephone (028) 7126 2302 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 4.30pm on 17.04.23.
Derry Diocesan Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We welcome applications from all men and women and from members of all communities.
In life, many hear God’s call to priesthood. Is your heart open to the Lord? Have you ever considered taking the risk to follow in the footsteps of Jesus? If so, you are invited to the national seminary of Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, on 25th April, to attend a special conference on evangelisation and vocations in Ireland today. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelisation, will be the keynote speaker. Please register directly on www.vocations.ie, or contact the National Vocations director Father Willie Purcell at willie.purcell@iecon.ie or Rev Eric Cooney secretary of the National Vocations Office at eric.cooney@iecon.ie
Invitation to opening of new Memorial Garden at St Columb’s College, Derry: On Wednesday 26th April, at 4.00pm, Bishop McKeown will bless and dedicate a new Memorial Garden at St Columb’s College, Buncrana Road, Derry which has been created in memory of all deceased members of the College Community. As well as honouring all of the deceased colleagues, pupils, parents and friends, two young men, Reuven Simon and Joseph Sebastian, who tragically lost their lives on 29 August 2022, will be particularly remembered. If you would like to attend, please email rsvp@stcolumbscollege.org by 3.30pm on Wednesday 19 April.
The Catechism of The Catholic Church: Our Lady’s Shrine, Knock: Saturday 22nd April 2023, 9.30am – 5pm. Spiritual Director: Fr. Vincent Twomey Svd. The Catechism / Youcat Workshop will be of interest to those who plan to start / join a study group. Information / Booking contact; Mairin Ni Shuilleabhain B.A. Div. Coordinator Adult Studies Catechism of the Catholic Church. Email: mairin991@gmail.com, Mobile: 087 7950325. Website www.catechism.ie
Foster Carers needed in the Western Trust area – a range of opportunities available that can work in with different lifestyles, including respite, emergency and long-term: Upcoming Information Events – Thursday 20 April, 6.30pm-7.30pm: Guildhall, Derry; Saturday 22 April, 2.00-4.00pm: Westville Hotel, Enniskillen; Saturday 27 April, 6.00-8.00pm: Bethany Community Hall, Limavady. To register, email info@fostering.hscni.net or call 0800 0720 137.
Anam Cara Donegal, the organisation that supports bereaved parents, is holding it’s monthly Parent Evening for bereaved parents on Thursday 13th April at 7:15pm in the Raddison Blu Hotel, Letterkenny Co.Donegal. This event is free and open to all bereaved parents regardless of the age your child died, the circumstances of their death, or whether their death was recent or not. We also offer an online service. For more info call 01 4045378.
Derry Well Women. Queen Street, Derry programmes beginning April 2023 include: Mental Health & Wellbeing, Cancer, Menopause, mother and baby programmes, older women programmes. To request a copy of programmes dates and times please email: patricia@derrywellwoman.org
Joe Walsh Tours are organizing three fantastic pilgrimage tours to Lourdes departing from City of Derry Airport this May and July.
Raphoe Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 23rd May – To book contact Spiritual Director Stephen Gorman at: frstephengorman@gmail.com
Derry Diocesan Pilgrimage 3rd July – To book and for more details, contact the Derry Pilgrimage Office on (028) 71 260293 or by email: derrypilgrim@outlook.com.
Lourdes Pilgrimage from Derry 7th July – contact Margaret Wade Mobile 07732468511 or mwade12@outlook.com.
For more details visit the Joe Walsh Tours website at joewalshtours.ie, contact Joe Walsh Tours – info@joewalshtours.ie or 00 353 1 241 0800.
