Palm Sunday 2nd April 2023
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 2nd April 12.00Noon Eddie Ryan
Monday 3rd April 7.30pm John Paul Moore & Tracy Montgomery
Tuesday 4th April 10.00am Joe Meehan & Tim Meehan
Tuesday 4th April 7.30pm Deceased Members of Doherty Family
Wednesday 5th April 7.30pm Kevin Deehan
Rest In Peace: We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of; Sheila Wygers- The Metropole.
To book a Baptism, please contact the parish office for dates.
LAST WEEK’S ENVELOPE COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £2223.00
LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £670.00
Parish Office: You can contact the Parish Office by Phone on 028-71262301 or via email longtower@derrydiocese.org.
Visitation of the Sick. For urgent sick calls please contact the parish office on 028-71262301 or 02871262894.
Easter Mass Bouquets are available from the Parish Office & Sacristy, Cost £2. All intentions will be included in the liturgies celebrated during Holy Week.
HOLY WEEK
Confessions
On Sunday 2nd April, Palm Sunday at 6.00pm in Long Tower Church there will be a short Penitential Service with Exposition of Blessed Sacrament & an opportunity for Confessions with visiting priests available. Benediction will follow.
Schedule for Holy Week– All dates and times of Services throughout Holy Week are detailed on a leaflet, please take a copy as you leave the Church. Please see details below;
Ceremonies:
Holy Thursday
10.00am Mass of Chrism in St Eugene’s Cathedral
Bishop McKeown will celebrate the Mass of Chrism, on Holy Thursday morning (6th April) at 10.00am.
During Mass the Holy Oils for Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick and Ordination are blessed. Also, the priests renew their Ordination promises.
7.30pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Followed by Adoration at the Altar of Repose until Midnight.
Good Friday
(Day of Fast and Abstinence)
10.00am Morning Prayer, followed by Confessions for 1 hr
3.00pm Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion
7.30pm Stations of the Cross
Holy Saturday
10.00am Morning Prayer
9.00pm Easter Vigil (No 6.00pm Vigil Mass)
Easter Sunday Masses
8.00am, 10.00am & 12Noon
Divine Mercy Novena starts on Good Friday and finishes on Divine Mercy Sunday 16th April.
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.
Fr. Gerard, Fr. John & Fr. Peter and the Carmelite Fathers would like to wish everyone a very Happy & Holy Easter Season.
Victory, Peace and the Kiss
If we listen to the story surrounding its magnificence, Psalm Sunday is hugely symbolic. Firstly, the Judean palm tree was highly esteemed in ancient times for its fruitful presence, symbolising grace, kinship, shelter and victory. Secondly, these sacred branches were laid along the path to welcome Jesus as he entered Jerusalem on a humble Donkey, symbolising peace and goodwill. Soon, this joyful celebration would fall into sadness as the human condition of those surrounding Jesus would decay into the depths of dis-grace through betrayal. As the friends of Jesus would leave him alone and afraid in the garden of Gethsemane after he asked them to “remain here and stay awake with me”. Thirdly, the ultimate betrayal came as a ‘kiss’ from another friend, Judas Iscariot, for receiving the thirty pieces of silver: the symbolism of which remains innate within us today. We, too, can and have fallen to the brilliant attraction of worldly things, never counting the cost until later when we see the pain we have inflicted on those we proclaim to love. As we journey through this next week, let us declare a new beginning. Let the Prince of Peace enter our hearts to keep us from falling. To stay connected to each other through fruitful presence and kinship, to give shelter and not leave anyone alone – and only ‘kiss’ when it is to share a loyal message of love, not betrayal. Mathew 26:14-27:66
There will be No Padre Pio Mass on Monday 3rd April. The Padre Pio Mass will resume on Monday 1st May at 7.30pm.
The New Parish Collection Envelopes are now available from Parish Office. If you still have not received your envelopes please telephone or call at the parish office, during office hours 9.00am -2.30pm Monday-Friday, or Tel: 028-71262301. We would also ask that anyone who lives outside the parish and who receives collection envelopes to contact the parish secretary to make suitable arrangements for collection. Gift Aid:-We would like to ask you to consider Gift Aiding the donations you make to the Long Tower Church. This means we reclaim the tax on your donation from the Inland Revenue – it doesn’t cost you anything extra but is an invaluable additional source of income for the Parish. Please contact the Parish Office on 02871 262301 or email longtower@derrydiocese.org. Thank you.
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 Safe-Guarding Representatives are Mrs Rita Moore and Ms Josephine Brown. If you have any concerns with regard to Safeguarding children or adults in need of protection within the Church please contact Marie Gormley, the 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).
Cemetery Sunday: The Annual Service of Intercession for the Dead will take place in the City Cemetery on Sunday, 25th June 2023 at 3.00 pm.
The Sister Clare Retreat 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.
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.
The Sorrowful Mysteries: A dramatic presentation for Holy Week: St Mary’s Church, Creggan, on Monday 3rd April at 8.30pm; Holy Family Church, Ballymagroarty on Wednesday 5th April at 8.30pm.
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
Rosary on the Coast: 3pm Sunday 2nd April at Lisfannon Strand, Buncrana. We will pray for Ireland, world peace and the lives of our unborn children, amongst others. Bring along family and friends and make this something special for Our Lady. For details, ring 00 44 77 303 30028.
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 13 May, 2.00-4.00pm: Bethany Community Hall, Limavady. To register, email info@fostering.hscni.net or call 0800 0720 137.
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
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.
The Rally for Life 2023, the biggest pro-life event of the year, is just months away now – and we need YOU to start helping to make this an even bigger and better pro-life demonstration with a special focus on young people and RETAINING the 3-day wait before abortion. Saturday, JULY 1st, Parnell Square in Dublin city centre. SAVE the DATE!! We are always looking for volunteers to help out with the Rally for Life. Can YOU help with promoting the Rally and/or on the day itself. Please get in contact to help – info@thelifeinstitute.net or 01 8730465
