Fifth Sunday of Easter 18th May 2025
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 18th May 10.00am Edgar McCormick
Sunday 18th May 12Noon The Barr Family
Monday 19th May 7.30pm Tony Logue
Tuesday 20th May 7.30pm Rosaleen Doherty
Wednesday 21st May 7.30pm Peter Donnell
Thursday 22nd May 7.30pm Margaret Stewart
Friday 23rd May 7.30pm John Doherty
Saturday 24th May 6.00pm Kathleen, Denis & Denis (Jnr)Williams
Baptisms: We Welcome into the family of God: Sean Óg Healy, Ella-Louise Devine-Meenan & Éala Gallagher- Hoyles. 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.
July 2025– 12th & 19th
August 2025– 2nd, 9th, 16th & 23rd
LAST WEEK’S ENVELOPE COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £2439.00
LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £761.00
The Parish Office: You can contact the Parish Office by phone on 028-71262301 (during office hours) or via email.
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. Thank you.
Fr. Gerard will visit the sick in his care in the following areas, the week beginning Monday 19th May; Meenan Drive, Dove Gardens, Lecky Road, Deanery Street, Bluebell Hill Gardens, Kerrigan’s Close, Quarry Street, Drumcliffe Avenue, Lone Moor Road, Nualamount, Old City Court, Old City Close, Mullenan Road & Burnside Manor.
Fr. Stephen will visit the sick in his care in the following areas beginning Wednesday 21st May; Mountjoy Street, Long Tower Court, Abercorn Road, Bishop Street, Corporation Street, Belview Avenue, Maureen Avenue, Ivy Terrace, Foyle Road, Foyle Park, Ardfoyle, Lower Bennett St, Jack Allen Court, The Metropole, Bridge Street & Alexander House.
Accord Derry – Marriage Preparation Courses: We still have a few places left on our June 20th/21st Marriage Preparation Course being held in the Everglades Hotel Derry. Bookings can be made online at www.accordni.com. We will NOT be facilitating course in July and August, therefore the next course will be September 2025.
We congratulate P.4 pupils from Long Tower & Ballougry Primary Schools who celebrated the Sacrament of First Holy Communion in Long Tower on Friday 16th May. Thanks to all who made the occasion so special. We hope everyone had a lovely day!
St Columba’s Church, Long Tower, Annual Parish Draw: Tickets are NOW ON SALE & SELLING FAST!!! Price £5/per ticket. The draw will take place 9th June, St Columba’s Feast Day. 1st prize £2500, 2nd prize £1000, 3rd prize £500, 4th prize £300, 5th prize £200. Promoters prize of £100. Anyone interested in becoming a promoter or wishing to purchase tickets please call/contact the Parish office on 02871-262301, Monday to Friday 9am – 2.30pm or via email longtower@derrydiocese.org.
Síopa Cholmcille- St Columba’s Gift Shop in Aras Cholmcille: New stock recently arrived including Jubilee 2025 Rosary Beads. We stock a variety of First Holy Communion gifts & cards, candles, rosary beads, books, occasion cards and many other gifts & mementos. The shop is open after 10am morning Mass during the week. For enquiries please contact Sheila Doyle/ Jim Doherty via (parish office 028-7126230 or Sacristy 028-71261946) who will be happy to help. Thank you for your support
‘Cloisters Café’ in Aras Cholmcille in the grounds of Long Tower Church, a cosy place to relax and have a bite to eat or a cuppa and a cake! The café is open Tuesday – Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Spread the word! ‘Meet & Bite’ is housed in Cloisters Café on a Tuesday between 4pm-6pm and is available to those in need at no cost. We aim to provide a listening ear, as well as a warm meal and some goodies to take away where we can. Have a look at Cloisters social media Meet & Bite for more information.
Long Tower Parish, together with Children in Crossfire are organising a ‘Columban Camino’ in Derry and Donegal between 5th – 7th June. Participants will walk from Derry to Buncrana, from Rathmullan to Milford and from there on to Gartan, overnight stay’s will be in the Inishowen Gateway and Mulroy Woods. All sponsorship raised will go to Children in Crossfire. For more info., contact aishling.cunningham@childrenincrossfire.org or call Aishling on 028 7127 8955.
Diocesan Vocations Intercession: We pray for the men called to serve as priests in our diocese, that they will live and preach Jesus’ “new commandment” of love for all God’s people and, in this way, be known as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Derry Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock: Derry Diocesan Pilgrimage 2025 to Knock Shrine, led by Bishop McKeown, will take place on Sunday 15th June, commencing with Rosary at 2.00pm, followed by Anointing of the Sick at 2.30 and concluding with Mass and Eucharistic Procession at 3.00pm. Confessions available throughout the day. Bus transport avail from St Eugene’s Cathedral. For further information on this, please contact Karen on 028 71262 894 or by email on cathedral@derrydiocese.org. In conjunction with the pilgrimage, St Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry, is running a two-night pilgrimage to Knock from 15 -17 June. Cost £280 per person sharing. For more information and full itinerary, contact Anne Marie on amhickey@derrydiocese.org, telephone 028 71262894 or call into the Cathedral Parish Office.
Cemetery Sunday: The Annual Service of Intercession for the Dead will take place in the City Cemetery on Sunday, 22nd June 2025 at 3.00 pm.
Diocese of Derry 3-Day Pilgrimage to Lough Derg; Friday 25th July to Sunday 27th July. For those wishing to avail of transport, a bus will depart after 10am Mass in St Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry, on the Friday; it will travel via Lifford and Ballybofey. Cost: £95/€110 (including transport). Pre-booking is required. Please contact Tony Brennan on tony.brennan@derrydiocese.org or phone the Diocese Office on (+44) 028 7126 2302 for a booking form.
Three Patrons Parish- Summer Life Camp-The Parish of Three Patrons is delighted to announce our upcoming Summer LIFE Camp 2025, a vibrant and faith-filled experience for children in our parish. The camp will take place over two separate weeks: 14th–18th July 2025 and 21st–25th July 2025, running from 9am to 3pm daily at St Columb’s College. Each week, we will welcome 150 children who have completed Primary 4 to Primary 7, offering them an enriching programme filled with fun activities, games, and a daily faith component. To register: : https://hub.klubfunder.com/TheThreePatronsParish/payit/eventregistration/life-camp—the-parish-of-three-patrons/detail.
The Department of Education seeks to appoint members to the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) along with appointments to the Diocesan Education Committee. For those who are interested, Information on this opportunity and an application pack is available by contacting DE as follows:
Website: Public Appointment Opportunities | Department of Education
Email: egt1@education-ni.gov.uk. Telephone: (028) 9127 9461 or 9127 7684
The closing date for receipt of applications is 4pm on Thursday 22 May 2025.
Pray for Life Novena: The Pray for Life Novena is an invitation to join thousands of people across Ireland to pray for the protection of human life, from Friday 23rd May to the Feast of the Visitation on Saturday 31st May. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life in Ireland. Visit www.prayforlife.ie for the daily novena prayers & to sign up for daily reminders.
All Ireland Rosary Rally | Knock Shrine | Saturday, 7th June; Events begin at 9:30am with a Marian Conference and conclude with a Pentecost Vigil and Healing Service from 8–10pm. Highlights include a Rosary making workshop, a 250-person Rosary formation for filming. Keynote at 1 PM by Msgr Steve Rossetti, USA.Rosary Procession led by children follows the Stations of the Cross at 2:30pm, with Holy Mass at 3pm celebrated by Bishop Donal McKeown. Music by Dana. A youth conference runs 6–7:30 PM. Rosary Rally ends with a Croagh Patrick climb and Mass on Sunday at noon. Full schedule and bus info: www.allirelandrosaryrally.com.
‘Vulnerable to delight’ – Seamus Heaney: Poet of Childhood. A lecture presented by Dr, Gary Wade (Adjunct Lecturer, University of Notre Dame, Sydney, Australia) will take place at St. Columb’s College, Buncrana Road, Derry on Wednesday 18th June 2025 at 4:15 pm. To book places please email: info@stcolumbs.derry.ni.sch.uk or telephone 02871 285000. Light refreshments served afterwards. All Welcome!
The next ‘Rosary on the Coast’ will be this Sunday 18th May at 3pm on Benone Strand, Magilligan. Everyone welcome.
