Eighteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time    4^th August 2024

 

I believe the readings for today have meaningful things to say. And St Paul in the second reading couldn’t have put it more direct: ‘I want to urge you in the name of the Lord, not to go on living the aimless kind of life that pagans live…you must give up your old way of life; you must put aside your old self, which gets corrupted by following illusory desires’. He urges that our ‘minds must be renewed by a spiritual revolution so that we can put on the new self’! It’s a hard hitting message that is so relevant for the times we live in. What is in my life that I need to put aside, to give up? What am I reading? Am I reading things that will renew my mind spiritually, or do I prefer my mind to be fed with what only corrupts?

 

So many of us are just hungry and thirsty for intimacy and happiness. We are so often promised that our needs for all these things will be met by people and in many different ways. We will struggle and we may fall. But our hearts will always be restless until they rest in God. Jesus, in the Mass is offering a different food; the Food of His very Self that He promises will endure to eternal life. If we come to Jesus and truly believe in His teachings like He invites us to, we won’t have to have our hungers satisfied in the different foods that cannot last! And that Bread from Heaven is right here, before our eyes as truly as Jesus was present to the people. Today we say with the people who crowded around Jesus: ‘Give us that bread always’! Fr Gerard Mongan

 

 

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.

    

Monday 5^th August 7.30pm          John Francis & Mary Page

Tuesday 6^th August 7.30pm         Molly & Patrick Carlin

Wednesday 7^th August 7.30pm   Gerard O’Kane

Thursday 8^th August 7.30pm       Vera Clarke

Saturday 9^th August 6.00pm       Rita O’Donnell

                        

Rest In Peace: We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of; Christopher McLaughlin- Rossville Street, Teena-Marie Court- Brewster’s Close & Daniel Kievit- Formerly Bealchmor.

 

 

Baptisms: We Welcome into the family of God; Amber Martin. To book a Baptism please contact the Parish office on 028-71262301 during office hours.

 

Parish Baptismal Dates: Please note Saturday Baptisms are at 3.30pm.

September 2024: Saturday 7^th, 14^th & 21^st

October 2024: Saturday 5^th, 12^th & 19^th

November 2024: Saturday 9^th, 16^th & 23^rd

December 2024: Saturday 7^th, 14^th & 21^st

 

 

LAST WEEK’S ENVELOPE COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO               £2136.00

LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO            £606.00

 

 

The Parish Office: You can contact the Parish Office by phone on 028-71262301 (during office hours) or via email longtower@derrydiocese.org.

 

 

 

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Thursday 15^th August

The Immaculate Virgin preserved free from all stain of original sin, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, when her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, that She might be the more fully conformed to Her Son, the Lord of Lords and the conqueror of sin and death. (Vatican Council II, “The Church”, 59)

The Assumption of Mary honours the fullness of blessedness that was her destiny, the glorification of her immaculate soul and virginal body that completely conformed her to the risen Christ. This is a celebration that offers to the Church and all humanity an exemplar and a consoling message, teaching us the fulfilment of our highest hopes.

It is a Holy Day of Obligation- Holyday Masses: Thursday 15^th August:10.00am in St Columba’s Church, Long Tower & 5.30pm at Our Lady’s Grotto, Lecky Road, Brandywell – (Please note there will be NO 7.30pm Evening Mass in Long Tower).  Everyone is invited to join the local community at the Mass at Our Lady’s Grotto. A collection will be taken up after Mass for the upkeep of the Grotto.

 

 

 

Visitation of the Sick at Home & in Hospital. For urgent sick calls to those at home please contact the parish office on 028-71262301 or 02871262894. For urgent sick calls for those in hospital, please ask the duty nurse on the ward to call the Hospital Chaplain. Please note- Home visits to the sick will resume again in September. Thank you.

 

 

 

An Audio-Visual tour of the Long Tower Church is available. The guide which is narrated by Bishop Donal McKeown, offers a great insight into the history and sacredness of our beautiful Church. If you’re hosting visitors or you simply want to deepen your own appreciation, why not try the audio guide, priced at just £2.00. For further details, call into Aras Cholmcille in the grounds of The Long Tower Church or email darinaghboyle15@gmail.com. 

 

 

 

The Holy Family Padre Pio Prayer Group will meet on Tuesday 6th August at Holy Family Chapel, Ballymagroarty, Derry. Starting with the Holy Rosary at 6.45pm, Mass at 7.15pm, and Novena to St. Pio directly afterwards. The priest will bless each person, directly after Mass, with a first-class relic of St. Pio.  All welcome.

 

 

 

Vocations Day in Buncrana, Sunday 8^th September. Anyone interested in attending should contact the diocesan Vocations Director, Fr Pat O’Hagan, by email at pgoh2111@gmail.com or by calling (+4428) 79386259.

We pray, that those the Lord is calling to serve the Church as priests of the diocese of Derry will be renewed in the ways of God – in goodness, holiness, and truth – and nourished every day in the Eucharist, in Jesus who is “the bread of life.”

 

 

 

Accord Derry – Marriage Preparation Courses September – October 2024: September 20^th/21^st 2024 & October 18^th/19^th 2024. These courses can now be booked online at www.accordni.com.  Please note that all courses are now in person & NOT Virtual.

Marriage and Relationship Counselling with Accord NI:  Help us help you support your marriage and relationship.  If you feel your relationship is in crisis or you need a little guidance and help, either face to face or online, contact your local ACCORD centre.  Every year Accord help thousands of couples rebuild and sustain healthy relationships. For support, call 028 9023 3002 or visit accordni.com.

 

 

 

Mary’s Meals Charity feeds over 2.4 million children every day in some of the world’s poorest countries.  Mary’s Meals are organising a ‘Two Bridges Walk’ on Sunday 11^th August over the Foyle Bridge and Peace Bridge in Derry. We will meet in Sainsburys car park at 11.45am to begin the walk. The distance is approx. 5 miles. The walk is part of a series of walks taking place across Ireland in early August to raise awareness of Mary’s Meals and the work they do. You can register for the walk at Bit.ly/stepbystepwalk. If you have any questions please contact Helen Quinn, telephone 07814441701. You can find out more about Mary’s Meals at https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/

 

 

 

 

Lough Derg – Sanctuary of St Patrick- 2024 Pilgrimage Season- Three Day Pilgrimage available to Thursday 15^th August. Admission €80.00. Booking Advised, concessions available for students, seniors & groups. Quiet Day- Friday 13^th September- cost €35/per person. Lakeshore Pilgrimage- Sunday 1^st September – cost €25.00 per person. One Day Retreat dates available during August & September- cost €45.00 per person, concessions available for groups, booking is essential. For further details to book, Tel: (00353) 719861518 or email info@loughderg.org.

 

 

 

 

Group Pilgrimage to Medjugorje 4th-11th September, total cost in Euro €835. Full religious programme operated by Marian Pilgrimages. Includes daily breakfast and evening meal. For more information contact Group Leader Luke McCann on 07955386288. To book contact Marian Pilgrimages on 02895680005.

 

 

 

Pilgrimage (limited availability) to Fatima EX Dublin Easter 2025, Flying with TAP airlines, Also 13^th June 2025 for Feast of Saint Anthony, 13^th October 2025 for Miracle of Sun Contact James Treacy 00353 61921470 jamestreacyphotography@gmail.com Payments by instalments acceptable.

 

 

 

Glenshane pilgrimage to Rome, San Giovanni and Montecassino, Nov 6-10. €895 euro all in.  Afternoon flights with Aer Lingus.  Excellent accommodation and dinners. All coaching and tours included. Phone Kieran and Laura, 00353 57 93 55050.

 

 

 

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).

 

 

 

GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS:  Is Gambling affecting your life?  Perhaps we can help.  Tel 028 7135 1329.