Fifth Sunday of Easter 3rd May 2026
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 3rd May 10.00am Gerard Clifton
Sunday 3rd May 12Noon Hugh Campbell
Monday 4th May 7.30pm Patricia McDaid
Tuesday 5th May 10.00am Josie Healy
Tuesday 5th May 7.30pm Paddy McGurk
Wednesday 6th May 7.30pm Kathleen, Patrick, Joseph & John Ferguson
Friday 8th May 7.30pm Henry Gilmour
Saturday 9th May 6.00pm Martha & Patrick Cassidy
Rest In Peace: We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of; Margaret Carton- Greenhaw & Bridie Bales- Foyle Road.
Baptisms: We Welcome into the family of God: Arabella Fitzgerald, Jovan Dass, Maya McGuigan-O’Hagan & Rian Harley
Parish Baptismal Dates: Please note Saturday Baptisms are at 3.30pm
The next available Baptism dates are 11th & 25th July 2026
To book a Baptism please contact the Parish office on 028-71262301 during office hours or email longtower@derrydiocese.org.
Visitation of the Sick at Home & in Hospital. For urgent sick calls to those at home please contact the parish office 02871262301. For urgent sick calls for those in hospital, please ask duty nurse on the ward to call hospital chaplain. Thank you.
LAST WEEK’S ENVELOPE COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £3051.00
LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £785.00
The Parish Office: Please contact the parish office during office hours to arrange all Anniversary and Months Mind Masses, as well as to book Baptisms & Weddings. Please call the parish office by 12Noon on Thursdays with names for weekend Anniversary list. The Parish Office is open Monday- Friday from 9am to 2.30pm, Tel: 028-71262301 or via email at longtower@derrydiocese.org. For urgent sick calls, please use the office telephone number at all times. The Parish office will be closed on Monday 4th May and re-open on Tuesday 5th May at 9am.
Fr. Gerard kindly invites all Sacristans, Altar Server Leaders, Secretaries, Eucharistic Minsters, Collectors, Readers, Children’s Liturgy Facilitators, Pope John Paul II Award Leaders & Parents (who are involved in programmes) Parish Council members, SVDP members, Choir members, Cleaners, Ground workers and all those interested in safeguarding to a safeguarding children information meeting in Aras Cholmcille on Monday 1st June, 6pm- 7pm, facilitated by Briege O’Neill, Diocesan Safeguarding office. Please contact the parish office on 028-71262301 if you are able to attend.
Diocesan Vocations Intercession: Our first reading tells the story of the selection of the first seven deacons. We pray for those recently, or soon to be, ordained to the Diaconate. Here in the Diocese of Derry we pray God’s blessing on Deacon Stephen Baxter who will be ordained to the priesthood on 14 June, that the Lord will bless him in his future ministry.
St Columba’s Church, Long Tower, Annual Parish Draw 2026: 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 £2600, 2nd prize £1000, 3rd prize £500, 4th prize £300, 5th prize £200. Promoters prize of £100. Anyone wishing to purchase tickets or to be a promoter can call at or contact the Parish office on 02871262301, Monday to Friday 9am – 2.30pm or via email longtower@derrydiocese.org. We would also ask promoters to make their ticket returns during office hours 9am-2.30pm Monday- Friday. Thank you for your support.
First Holy Communion dates 2026 – St Columba’s Church, Long Tower
First Holy Communion for P.4 pupils of Gaelscoil Eadain Mhoir will take place on Friday 15th May 2026 at 1.30pm.
First Holy Communion for P.4 pupils of Long Tower Primary School & Ballougry Primary School will take place on Thursday 21st May 2026 at 1.30pm.
First Holy Communion for P.4 pupils of Nazareth House Primary School will take place on Friday 22nd May 2026 at 1.30pm.
The Long Tower Parish recognises and upholds the dignity and rights of all children and is committed to ensuring their safety and wellbeing. We are committed to safeguarding as an integral part of the life and ministry of the Church and recognise that we also have a special responsibility towards all vulnerable people who are members of our faith community. Our parish safeguarding representatives are Ms Josephine Brown and Ms Jennifer Kearney. If you have any concerns with regard to safeguarding children or adults in need of protection within the Church please contact Marie Gormley, Diocesan Designated Liaison Person (DLP) Tel: NI 075 96500 793 / ROI (0044) 75 96500 793 or at mariegormley@derrydiocese.org. Additional contact numbers: N Ireland PSNI: 101 or Social Services WHSCT Tel +442871314090 (Ask for Duty Social Worker).
Job Opportunity- Derry Diocesan Trust:Temporary Administrative & Financial Officer (15 Hours per week), Parish of Urney & Castlefin, Co Donegal, based in the Parochial House in Doneyloop. Working Days & Times to be negotiated. Job Role: Reporting to the Parish Priest, the role entails provision of administrative and financial support. For application packs please contact: Bishop’s House, St Eugene’s Cathedral, Francis Street, Derry, BT48 9AP, telephone 028 7126 2302 or email: recruitment@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 recruitment@derrydiocese.org no later than 12 noon Thursday 7th May 2026. Derry Diocesan Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We welcome applications from all men and women and from members of all communities.
A Marian Evening of Prayer will be held in St Mary’s Church, Creggan, on Wednesday 13th May (Feast of Our Lady of Fatima). The event is hosted by Derry Youth Ministry, who are preparing for their diocesan pilgrimage to Fatima in August of this year. The night will begin at 7.00pm with a rosary procession (outdoors, weather permitting), followed by a short talk on Our Lady and the Eucharist, Adoration, and Benediction. Music will be provided by the Diocesan Youth music group, with refreshments following in the community room. All ages welcome! Contact Bethany at bethany.doherty@derrydiocese.org for more details.
The Little Way Novena in St Eugene’s Cathedral – 9th May to 17th May: The theme is ‘My peace consists in remaining little”. The Novena will begin at the 7.30pm Mass with the Sacrament of the Sick on Saturday 9th May. Devotions and talk on Sunday, 10th May at 6pm. Monday to Friday (11th to 15th May) Novena Masses at 6.30am and 10am each morning and an evening service with a guest speaker at 7.30pm. Saturday 16th May 10am Mass for those who have died. The Novena will close on Sunday 17th May at 3pm with blessing of the roses. Everyone is welcome to join us for this time of prayer and petition.
Accord Derry Marriage Preparation Workshops: May to June 2026: May 15th/16th & June 19th/20th. All courses are now online for booking at www.accordni.com. Please note all courses are in person. Accord Derry will NOT be facilitating courses in July or August.
Cemetery Sunday: The Annual Service of Intercession for the Dead will take place in the City Cemetery on Sunday, 7 June 2026 at 3.00 pm.
Derry Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine will take place on Saturday 6th June 2026. In conjunction with the All Ireland Rosary Rally, we will join those gathered to celebrate at our National Eucharistic and Marian Shrine. For those for whom it is convenient, buses will leave St Eugene’s Cathedral, at 8am: cost £50, which includes dinner in Knock House Hotel following the conclusion of the Mass in the Basilica. For further information, please contact Karen in the parish office at St Eugene’s on 028 7126 2894 or by email at cathedral@derrydiocese.org. Full schedule to follow.
Catholic School Leadership Development Opportunities: The Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre, working in Partnership with Saint Mary’s University, Twickenham, offers a number of avenues for the professional development and spiritual formation of Catholic school leaders. The Full Masters in Catholic School Leadership is a post graduate degree dedicated to the professional development and spiritual formation of Catholic school leaders. A Post Graduate Certificate and Diploma are also offered. These avenues are a great opportunity for those currently in leadership roles and those who aspire to, or have an interest in, leadership roles within the Catholic School system. If you are interested in registering for any of the options in September 2026, attending an online information session on Monday 8th June @4pm, or require any further information, please contact the Derry Diocesan Catechetical Centre on 004428 71264087 or email tferry@derrydiocese.org
Pray in May with Mary’s Meals: Mary’s Meals is currently feeding over 3 million children daily around the world. During May, Mary’s Meals invites you to pray for children worldwide who rely on a daily meal to access education and for those still waiting. A range of free prayer resources including themed prayers, rosary reflections and a prayer calendar for May have been created to support parishes, prayer groups, schools, families and individuals to take part. They are available at www.marysmeals.org.uk/prayinmay or contact Caoimhe on 07394564065.
Monsignor Barney McAleer, retired SMA priest, will give a Talk on ‘Our Lady, our Mother’ on Thursday 7th May in the Pastoral centre, Brook Street, Omagh at 8.00pm. All are welcome.
Sincere thanks from Sister Ann to all who contributed in any way to our Easter Missions Appeal, in aid of the poor in Kenya, India, Nigeria and Haiti. The total amount raised was £11,006 and €935. Thank you so much. May God reward and bless for all your generosity.
Knock Pilgrimage to Pray for Peace in the Holy Land: People from all over Ireland are invited to Knock Shrine on Saturday May 16, for a special pilgrimage to pray for peace in the Holy Land. The pilgrimage – organised by the papal charity Aid to the Church in Need will be led by Bishop William Shomali from Bethlehem. Bishop Shomali will offer a message of hope at 11am and celebrate Mass at 3pm. Information at www.acnireland.org
DEEDS – Supporting the Carer Talk Series. The third talk in our Carers Information Sessions, funded by the Western Health and Social Care Trust, will focus on future planning / advanced care planning. This information session will take place at the Old Library Trust Healthy Living Centre, Central Drive, Creggan, on Thursday 7th May 2026 at 7pm. For further information or to register, please contact Eilish on 02871 373870 or email eilish@olt.ie.
Medjugorje Pilgrimages 2026 (45th Anniversary): 7 nights June 24th – July 1st. Depart Dublin – Mostar. Return Split – Dublin. €855 p.p. sharing. Single room supplement €170. For more info. contact Ursula O Faodhagain, Castlefin 0872960562
The next ‘Rosary on the Coast’ will be this Sunday 3rd May at 3pm on Lisfannon Strand, Buncrana. Everyone welcome.
GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS: Is gambling affecting your life? We would like to help. Pick up the phone and ring 028 7135 1329.
Rachel’s Vineyard: Have you been affected or hurt by abortion? If so, please contact Michelle on 07871765181.
