Second Sunday Of Advent 10th December 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 10th December10.00am Bridie McGill
Sunday 10th December 12Noon Joseph (Joe) McLaughlin
Monday 11th December 10.00am McConomy, Brown & Harkin Families
Monday 11th December 7.30pm Jack & Aggie Downey
Tuesday 12th December 10.00am Liam McSwine
Tuesday 12th December 7.30pm Joe McLaughlin
Wednesday 13th December 10.00am Sadie Campbell
Wednesday 13th December 7.30pm Daniel McCafferty
Thursday 14th December 7.30pm Michael (Cha) O’Hagan
Friday 15th December 10.00am Toal Toland
Friday 15th December 7.30pm Mary O’Kane
Saturday 16th December 10.00am Joseph Eugene McLoone
Saturday 16th December 6.00pm Brian & Eileen Starrett
Rest In Peace: We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of; Manus McDaid- St Francis Terrace
Baptisms: We Welcome into the family of God; Charlie Sellers & Caoimhín Brown.To book a Baptism, please contact the parish office on 028-71262301 for available dates.
LAST WEEK’S ENVELOPE COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £2596.00
LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £665.00
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.
Fr. Gerard kindly acknowledges with thanks a recent donation of £1000.00.
Christmas Mass Bouquets are available to purchase from the Parish Office, Sacristy & the Novena Shop, cost £2.00. Long Tower Christmas Cards are also available cost £5 for packet 12 cards & Long Tower 2024 Calendars cost £3 each or 2 for £5. All proceeds from the calendars will go towards cost of refurbishing ‘The Calvary’ in grounds of the Long Tower Church. Thank you for your support.
St Vincent De Paul Annual Christmas Collection will be taken up this coming weekend after Masses (Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th December). Your support is much appreciated and will help those in need in our local community this Christmas.
Annual Solemn Novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Mother of Priests.
Nine Sundays before Christmas in Long Tower Church at 6.00pm, continues this Sunday 3rd December. The theme of our Novena this year “Take the Risk for Christ”- Year of Vocations to the Diocesan Priesthood. Each night comprises Rosary, Novena prayer and petitions with a short talk given by guest speakers and Eucharistic Healing Ceremony with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Our guest speaker this week is Fr. Stephen Ward, who is our very own Curate here in the Long Tower Parish. Fr. Stephen will speak about his own journey to priesthood which will be a fitting end to our reflections on ‘Take the Risk for Christ’ theme of our Novena in this year of Vocations to the Diocesan Priesthood. We wish him and our Parish every blessing. Next Sunday the 17th December we will conclude our Novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, with the Annual Carol Service, followed by refreshments and traditional music in the Long Tower Primary School within the grounds of the Church. Everyone is welcome.
PRAYER OF SAINT COLUMBA
(Prayer of St. Columba in the Dubh Regles of Derry)
May the fire of God’s love burn brightly and steadfastly in our hearts like the golden light within the sanctuary lamp. This month of December the Sanctuary lamp beside the Tabernacle in Long Tower Church will be lit for Peace in the World and a resolution to end the conflict in The Holy Lands and for all who are suffering.
There will no Adoration in St Columba’s Church, Long Tower this coming Wednesday 13th December. Adoration will resume on Wednesday 20th December.
Christmas Toy Appeal: The last day to donate toys, vouchers, etc to the local charity ‘Free Uniform Scheme’ will be next Thursday 14th December 2023. Items can be left at Parish office Monday to Thursday between 2pm and 4pm.
Sunday 17th December- The Blessing of the Bambinelli (Baby Jesus) is a tradition which began in Rome. Each year on the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday), the Holy Father invites children to bring the figurine of the Baby Jesus (Bambinelli) from their family Nativity scene to Mass for a blessing. We would like to encourage parents and grandparents to join with their grandchildren in this simple but beautiful tradition. The blessing of the figurines will take place at the 12 Noon Mass on Sunday 17th December. Don’t forget to bring the Bambinelli! After the blessing the children are invited to wrap up their baby Jesus at home and to place him under their Christmas Tree. On Christmas morning the Bambinelli is the first Christmas gift to be unwrapped and placed in the family crib with a prayer.
Accord Derry Marriage Preparation Courses January – March 2024: January 19th/20th 2024, February 23rd/24th 2024 & March 22nd/23rd 2024. Venue: Everglades Hotel, Prehen Road, Derry. Please note that these courses are NOT Virtual but are in person. Courses can be booked online now at www.accordni.com.
This week, the Carmelites Fathers of Termonbacca hold their annual novena to the Divine Child. The image of the Child Jesus will leave Termonbacca on Friday 8th and make the journey around various parishes of the city- staying overnight before journeying onwards. This is a beautiful time of contemplation and preparation for Christmas. Everyone is invited to join in the journey. The child will be carried on a prayer walk between each place and anyone who wishes can come along. This Friday evening, 15th December, the Christ Child statue will arrive at Long Tower around 7pm for Mass at 7.30pm celebrated by one of the Carmelite Fathers. All are welcome.
Concern Worldwide – after declining for a decade world hunger is on the rise again due to a combination of factors. Currently 3.1 million children under 5 are dying annually from hunger related causes. Concern Worldwide continues to address this through both emergency and long-term development aid in desperately poor countries such as Niger. If you wish to help, Concern Derry is opening a pop-up donations office in the Millenium Forum on Saturday 16th December from 10am until 5pm. Donations may also be made at the Concern Bookshop, Ferryquay Street, Derry, during normal opening hours.
St. Cecilia’s College Open Day– Thursday 11th January 2023, 5pm-8pm. Principal’s address, 5pm- 6.15pm. Pupils transferring from primary to post-primary school in September 2024 and their parents are welcome to attend. Prospective year 13 students and their parents are also welcome.
Foyle Hospice Christmas Tree Recycling Scheme is now open. The scheme helps Foyle Hospice secure much needed funds whilst offering people the opportunity to have their tree disposed of in an environmentally friendly way, for a suggested donation of £10. Shredded trees are then used in our gardens throughout the year. Trees can be registered for collection through the website – foylehospice.com – or by calling Foyle Hospice fundraising office on 02871 359888. Registration closes on 7th January 2024.
Children in Crossfire’s 2023 Advent Appeal packs are now available at the entrance(s) to the church. This year, they are raising funds to support a new programme in inner-city Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Their goal is to provide education, nutrition, and healthcare for thousands of children growing up in extreme poverty. With your support this Christmas, Children in Crossfire will make life better for many. If you would like to support their appeal online, please visit their website: www.childrenincrossfire.org/donate-advent.
Candlelight Rosary for Life – Please join us for a Rosary Vigil for the protection of Ireland’s unborn babies at Castle Street Junction (opposite Primark), Belfast at 7.00pm on Tuesday 12th December, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. For more information contact Rosary Crusade for Life on 028 9027 8484 or info@preciouslife.com
Online Lough Derg Christmas Shop is now open at www.loughderg.live/shop : Mass Bouquets, Christmas Cards, the limited edition Lough Derg Christmas Candle, a large range of Nativity Sets and other gifts are available. The Christmas shop provides much needed financial income to support the mission and ministry of Lough Derg outside of the Pilgrimage Season. Thank you for your support.
Invitation To Fahan Carol Service- Sunday 10th December at 7.30pm. You will be very welcome at our annual Carol service in Fahan Presbyterian Church, Tooban, Burnfoot F93 XY65. Minister: Rev. Philip Poots (Inishowen4). Please stay for tea and a chat afterwards. Collection for ‘Manse Fund’.
Mary’s Meals – Double the Love: Mary’s Meals is keeping the promise of a daily school meal to over 2.4 million children in 18 countries. Our Double the Love Campaign has launched, and all donations made to Mary’s Meals until 22nd January 2024 will be doubled by a group of generous supporters, up to £1million. Find out more and browse our Christmas gift cards at marysmeals.org.uk or freephone 0800 698 1212.
Adoptive Parents NEEDED URGENTLY: Family Care Adoption Services is an Adoption Agency and a core part of our work is to place children with new adoptive families. These children are aged from babyhood to approximately 5 years old. There are currently more children waiting to be adopted in Northern Ireland than families approved to adopt and there is an urgent need for new families to come forward. So, wherever you live in Northern Ireland if you think you could offer a child/ren a new life in a family of their own and would like an informal chat to discuss this and to find out more about adoption, please call 02890-691133 or Email:email@familycareadoption.org. Website: www.familycareadoption.com.
Anam Cara Donegal, the organisation that supports bereaved parents, is holding its monthly Parent Evening for bereaved parents on Thursday 14th December at 7:15pm in the Raddison Blu Hotel, Letterkenny Co.Donegal. This event is free and open to all bereaved parents. We also offer an online service. For more info call 01 4045378
Sean Davis “3 day Indoor Christmas Fun Soccer Academy” takes place at Templemore Sports Complex from Wednesday 27th to Friday 29th December 2023. For boys and girls aged 5 to 18 years, 10:00am to 3.00pm daily. For further details Tel. Sean Davis FAI, IFA, FA European A Licence Coach on 028 71263044.
