First Sunday of Advent 1st December 2024
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 1st December 10.00am Clare & Charlie (Jnr) McDaid
Sunday 1st December 12Noon Charles Colton
Monday 2nd December 7.30pm Manus McDaid
Tuesday 3rd December 10.00am Maureen Breslin
Tuesday 3rd December 7.30pm Christopher Hegarty
Wednesday 4th December 7.30pm Paddy McCallion
Thursday 5th December 7.30pm Bridie Brinkley
Friday 6th December 7.30pm RMA Mass
Saturday 7th December 6.00pm Bridie McGill
Rest In Peace: We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of; Fr. John Bradley- Formerly Ewing Street, Siobhan McKinney- Bishop Street & Eamonn Friel- Glenabbey Road
Baptisms: We Welcome into the family of God: Caéda Doherty, Aoife O’Neill, Rían Page & Bonnie Whitehouse. 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.
January 2025- 11th, 18th & 25th
February 2025- 8th & 15th
LAST WEEK’S PRIESTS COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £2752.00
LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £762.00
The Parish Office: You can contact the Parish Office by phone on 028-71262301 (during office hours) or via 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 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.
Monthly Mass for Mental Health & Mini Vigil to Midnight – We invite you to our 7.30pm Mass on Thursday 5th December. At this Mass we give thanks to God for positive mental health, and to pray for those who are struggling with mental health issues, and to pray for those who care for them. After Mass, Adoration will follow until midnight.
Christmas Toy Appeal: Long Tower Parish will be a drop off point for anyone who would like to donate toys etc.., on Christmas wish list of local charity ‘Free Uniform Scheme’ run by Jemimah Armstrong. If anyone needs support in the Long Tower area you can leave info with Fr Mongan or contact Jemimah directly: on 07873882301/Jemimah198630@hotmail.com. Items can be left at Parochial House, Monday to Thursday between 2pm and 4pm. Thank you for your support.
Annual Solemn Novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Nine Sundays before Christmas in Long Tower Church at 6.00pm, continues this Sunday 1st December. The theme of our Novena this year is ‘The Power of Prayer’- Reflecting on the prayer Jesus taught us in this Year of Prayer.. Our guest speaker this Sunday is Fr Pat McHugh of Raphoe Diocese who was ordained by Bishop McFeely at St Peter’s Church, Milford in 1980. He served as a curate in Glenties and chaplain/catechist at St Columba’s Comprehensive School. He spent two years studying at Boston College from 1983-85. After coming back to Donegal, he worked as a curate in Glenvar and Oughterlin before being appointed as a curate to Dungloe in 1988. In 1993, Fr McHugh became a curate in the Cathedral Parish, Letterkenny, where he also taught in Errigal College. During his time in Letterkenny, Fr McHugh was appointed as the Director of the Raphoe Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes, a post he held for 23 years. He was appointed PP of Gartan and Termon parish in 2000 and retired in 2022. He will lead us in reflecting on the line from the Lord’s Prayer: ‘as we forgive those who trespass against us’. We assure Fr McHugh of a warm welcome & wish him and our Parish every blessing as we continue our Novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. We encourage everybody, including those in particular need of healing in their lives to join us.
Praying with the Scriptures – Lectio Divina: As we prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas, there will be an opportunity to pray with the Scriptures using the method of Lectio Divina for the Sunday Gospels of Advent. This will take place in Aras Cholmcille, from 8pm-9pm on Tuesday 3rd, 10th & 17th December & also from 11am-12Noon on Thursday 5th ,12th & 19th December. Leaflets will be provided!
Christmas Mass Bouquets are now available to purchase from the Parish Office, Sacristy or each Sunday of Novena in Síopa Cholmcille cost £2.00. Long Tower Christmas Cards cost is £5.00 for a packet of 12 cards & Long Tower 2025 Calendars are also available cost £3 each or 2 for £5. Thank you for your support.
This weekend Children in Crossfire is launching their 2024 Advent Appeal, which focuses on children growing up in deep poverty in inner-city Dar es Salaam. Packs will be available over the next few weekends at the chapel doors. The support you give will help provide access to education, nutrition, and vital healthcare, for highly vulnerable children in Tanzania.
Digital Advent 2024 Calendar with the theme of ‘Hope’ is available daily throughout Advent on the Irish Bishops’ Conference website; www.catholicbishops.ie. Appropriately, the theme of ‘Hope’ is based on the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025, announced by Pope Francis, with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” Each day of Advent, open a digital door of the calendar to uncover the short, inspiring reflections, prayers, and messages of hope aimed at guiding us through this sacred season. The Digital Calendar is a convenient, but special way to reflect, pray, and prepare with hope for Christmas and for the upcoming Jubilee 2025. The Advent journey begins today, Sunday 1st December, so open the door of hope!
Memories of The Long Tower and Brandywell: A collection of old cine film transferred to DVD, taken from1950’s onward. The pack contains a double DVD with many clips of Derry in the 50’s up to 1980’s. Much of the footage was filmed in the Brandywell area and the Long Tower School. Cost £10.00, available from Parish office and Aras Cholmcille.
Derry Diocesan Trust- Diocesan Youth Coordinator- 35 hours per week (including evening & weekend work). 1 Year Fixed Term Contract with possible extension. For Job Description & Application Pack please contact the Diocesan Office on 71262302 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 4.30pm on 11th December 2024. Derry Diocesan Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We welcome applications from all men and women and from members of all communities.
Relics of Venerable Matt Talbot: On Monday 2nd December at 7.30pm at the monthly Matt Talbot Prayer Society Mass in St Eugene’s Cathedral there will be relics of Venerable Matt Talbot present and available for veneration. The relics are coming from the Church in Sean McDermott Street in Dublin where the body of Matt Talbot lies. They are visiting the Cathedral as a preparation for the celebration of the centenary Matt Talbot’s death. Matt Talbot is a powerful intercessor for those suffering from addiction of any kind. This Mass is offered for all those enrolled in the Matt Talbot Prayer Society, all those suffering from addiction, all those recovering from addiction and all those affected by addiction. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or drugs, or just want to stop taking them, after Mass you will have the opportunity to sign up to commit to abstaining from them. You can do this for yourself or offer it for someone else. Everyone is welcome to this Mass.
Derry Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2025: led by Bishop Donal McKeown, Monday 30 June to Friday 4 July, leaving from City of Derry Airport. Price £849 plus insurance and single supplement if required. The pilgrimage office, 164 Bishop Street, will not be open for booking until Saturday 1 February 2025, However, gift vouchers are now available from the Pastoral Centre, 164 Bishop Street. Enquiries via email to derrypilgrim@outlook.com.
The Padre Pio Prayer Goup, Holy Family Chapel, Ballymagrorty will take place on Tuesday 3 December 2024. Starting with Rosary at 6.45pm – before mass, directly after the annual Novena to our Lady of Perpetual Help the priest will bless everyone with a first class relic, while closing prayers are recited. Everyone welcome.
Our Lady of Montligeon Holy Souls Of Purgatory Prayer Group: Meets every Monday in St Joseph’s, Galliagh (Our Lady’s side chapel), after 11.00am Mass, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. All are welcome. The next meeting for the intercession for Priests and Religious vocations takes place in Termonbacca on Tuesday 10 December at 12.30pm. Please note: meetings in Kildare Room, St Brigid’s, Carnhill, no longer take place.
A Christmas Afternoon Tea & Wreath making workshop in Termonbacca Carmelite Retreat Centre on Saturday 7th December from 12-3pm. The price is £30pp which includes all materials. All proceeds will go to our Anam Óg youth group. Sunday 15th December at 3pm Termonbacca Carmelite Retreat Centre will have a family Christmas Bingo bonanza with Santa and friends. Refreshments, raffles and lots more on the day. Bingo books are £5 per adult and £3 per child. All proceeds will go to our Anam Óg Youth group. Pre booking required Contact 02871262152.
Christmas Carols by Candlelight followed by Live Crib at 5pm, at St Patrick’s Church, Crossroads, Killygordon, on Sunday 15th December. Hot Chocolate will be served! Everyone is welcome.
Join Precious Life on Thursday 5th December 5th at Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny at 7:30 PM for the exciting launch of Life Link, a groundbreaking all-Ireland pregnancy care initiative! For more information, please contact, Precious Life on (NI) 028 90278484 / (ROI) 048 2890278484.
ADVENT RETREAT: Emmanuel – He meets you where you are: This Advent season, step away from the busyness of life and enter a sacred space of quiet reflection & prayer. Join the Columba Community for their retreat on Sunday 8 December at 11am in St Anthony’s Retreat Centre, Dundrean, Burnfoot, Co Donegal. Find stillness, experience guided prayer, with Adoration & Eucharist. Booking is essential Tel: (00353)0749384866. A Light lunch is provided, suggested donation £20.
Mary’s Meals – Double The Love: Amongst the many challenges we see in today’s world, your little acts of love can bring hope to desperately hungry children with a daily school meal with Mary’s Meals. At this time, all donations made to Mary’s Meals are being doubled by a group of generous supporters, up to £900,000. Please keep us in your prayers during this Advent season that we can reach even more children around the world with our life-changing school meals this Christmas. There are many ways to give, including our gift cards and online Christmas Trees of Hope. Find out more at marysmeals.org.uk or freephone 0800 698 1212 .
Give Blood-Save Lives: Venue- Carlisle Road Methodist Church, Date & Time: Monday 9th & Tuesday 10th December, 12.30pm – 7.30pm. N. Ireland needs 1200 blood donations every week. Please call-08085 534 653 or visit www.nibts.org
Pilgrimage to Medjugorje direct from Belfast from 5th to 12th September 2025 with Spiritual Director, Fr. Michael McCaul. Flights and half board in 4 star Leone Hotel £849. Special offer of £100 discount if paid in full extended until Friday 6th December. Contact Maria Bradley at 02881648357 or WhatsApp 07768395038.
Pilgrimages To Medjugorje 2025: Bookings are now being taken for two Pilgrimages to Medjugorje. 7th May from City of Derry Airport, £745 per person sharing. 2nd July from Belfast International Airport, £765 per person sharing. Cost includes return flights, accommodation and meals. Additional charge for single room occupancy. For both Pilgrimages there is a £50 discount if deposit paid before 31st January. Pilgrimages are organised through Marian Pilgrimages (Dublin). Early booking strongly recommended. For more details, please contact John Murray on 0780 1105575.
Pilgrimage to Fatima:- Flying direct from Belfast International- 7 nights F/B Hotel Avenida. 30th July/6th August. S/D Fr. Martin Graham Adm. £885. Early booking discount of £100. For further details contact Joe Catney 07776425631.
Sean Davis 3 day Indoor Christmas Fun Soccer Academy – takes place at Templemore Sports Complex from Thursday 2nd to Saturday 4th January 2025. For boys and girls aged 5 to 18 years. Times: 10am to 3pm daily. For further details Tel. Sean Davis FAI, IFA, FA European A Licence Coach on 07787791880.
GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS: Is Gambling affecting your life? Perhaps we can help. Tel 028 7135 1329.
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