Second Sunday Of Lent 16th March 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 16th March 10.00am Charlotte Mullan
Sunday 16th March 12Noon Rita Hegarty & Patsy Vescovi
Monday 17th March 10.00am Margaret & Patsy McCallion
Monday 17th March 12Noon Bernadette Roberts
Tuesday 18th March 7.30pm Malcolm Adams
Wednesday 19th March 7.30pm James (Jim) Murphy
Thursday 20th March 7.30pm Joseph Earley & Nellie Doherty
Friday 21st March 10.00am Martin McGuinness
Friday 21st March 7.30pm Robert McGilloway
Saturday 22nd March 6.00pm Helen Given
Rest In Peace: We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of; Darren Pickett- Abercorn Court & Suzanne Kelly- Formerly Miller Street
Baptisms: We Welcome into the family of God: Daniel Shen, Cassian Jones & Luka Meli. 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.
May 2025 – Saturday 17th
June 2025– 14th, 21st & 28th
LAST WEEK’S ENVELOPE COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £2440.00
LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £855.00
The Parish Office: You can contact the Parish Office by phone on 028-71262301 (during office hours) or via email longtower@derrydiocese.org. Please note the Parish Office will be closed on Monday 17th March and re-open at 9.00am Tuesday 18th March.
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.
Diocesan Vocations Intercession: We ask God’s blessing on those being called to serve as priests of the diocese of Derry, that they will have the faith and trust of Abraham and St Patrick, and that they will listen to Jesus, the Son of God, the Chosen One.
Síopa Cholmcille- St Columba’s Gift Shop in Aras Cholmcille: We have a variety of Confirmation/ First Holy Communion gifts & cards as well as candles, rosary beads, books, occasion cards and many other gifts & mementos available. The shop is open after 6pm Mass on Saturday’s and after 10am morning Mass during the week. For enquiries please contact Sheila Doyle/ Jim Doherty (parish office 028-7126230 or Sacristy 028-71261946) who will be happy to help.
SAINT PATRICK’S DAY
Monday 17th March is the Feast Day of St. Patrick
Masses: 8.00am, 10.00am & 12 Noon
The collection for Clerical Education will be taken up at all Masses. Please note there will be NO 7am Morning Mass and NO 7.30pm Evening Mass on St Patrick’s Day.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.
St Patrick’s Breastplate
PARISH PROGRAMME FOR LENT 2025
There will be a 7.00am Mass in Long Tower Church, Monday- Friday during Lent, ending on Wednesday 16th April of Holy Week.
Friday Penance during Lent: (i) make a special effort at family prayer (ii) make the Stations of the Cross (iii) to help the poor, sick or lonely (iv) make a special effort to avail of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (v) abstain from meat or some other food.
Lectio Divina will take place on Tuesdays (after evening mass) and Thursdays (after morning mass) upstairs in Aras Cholmcille (excluding Holy Week). All welcome.
Stations of the Cross will be prayed each Monday & Friday before evening Mass at 7.00pm. Confessions on those days will be at 6.30pm (except during Sr. Clare Retreat).
Lenten Healing Service/ Vespers (Evening Prayer) continues this Sunday 16th March at 5.00pm.
Trocaire Lenten Campaign 2025; This year’s campaign focuses on Guatemala.We tell the story of Ilma & Julio and how climate change is having life-changing consequences on their livelihood, wellbeing and future.
This Lent, may we, empowered to stand in solidarity with them. Trocaire boxes are available at back of Church, please take one. Find out more at trocaire.org.
The Annual Sister Clare Crockett Retreat will take place in St Columba’s Church, Long Tower
Monday 31st March – Sunday 6th April.
The theme of this year’s retreat is ‘Reflecting on the Eucharist with Sr Clare’. There will be Mass at 7am & 10am (Monday to Friday). Evening prayer service with Benediction and guest speaker each evening at 7pm (Monday-Friday). A healing service with anointing of the sick will take place on Thursday 3rd April at 7pm. On Saturday 5th April, Service with Benediction led by Archbishop Eamon Martin at 3pm. The retreat will conclude on Sunday 6th April at 3pm with Mass celebrated by Bishop Donal McKeown. Everyone is welcome to attend in person or you can also stream the services online at www.longtowerchurch.org.
SSPX Resistance Ireland – note from Bishop McKeown. SSPX Resistance is a group holding Masses within the territory of the Diocese of Derry. Given their presence here in the Diocese of Derry, I find it necessary to stress the following:-
- The priests associated with SSPX Resistance Ireland are not in full communion with the Catholic Church and they do not accept the full teaching authority of the Church.
- The priests of SSPX Resistance Ireland administer sacraments, but do so illicitly—that is, without the necessary faculties and approval of the Church.
- The Catholic Church has no supervision whatsoever of the priests or ministers of SSPX Resistance Ireland, who have no connection with the Diocese of Derry in terms of Safeguarding practices and policies and are not overseen by the Bishop of Derry.
Considering this information, I urge all the faithful to remain steadfast in communion with the Church, united with the Holy Father and the bishops who share in full communion with him. Let us continue to pray for the unity of the Church and for those who have distanced themselves from full communion, that they may one day be reconciled. Bishop Donal McKeown
Theology of the Body- Friday 21st March- Sunday 23rd March 2025, in Aras Cholmcille and St Columba’s Church, Long Tower. The retreat which is based on St John Paul II’s teachings will be led by Fr David Marsden SCJ and Dr. Christine Ward from the TOB Network UK,. Friday 21st March: 7pm- 9.30pm, Saturday 22nd March: 10am-4pm and 6pm- 9.30pm & Sunday 23rd March: 12Noon Mass with 1hr Q&A to end the retreat. Limited Availability, £30 per person including TOB workshops, light lunch and refreshments throughout. For further information/ to book, please contact Charlene on 07596534641 or email tobderry@outlook.com
March is Foyle Hospice Make a Will Month. During the month of March local solicitors very kindly agree to waive their usual Will writing fee in return for a suggested £100* donation to Foyle Hospice. A list of participating solicitors can be found at www.foylehospice.com or by calling Kathleen at the Foyle Hospice on 02871 359888. The purpose of Make a Will Month is to encourage people to write their Wills, whilst also raising much-needed funds for Foyle Hospice. Money raised will ensure Foyle Hospice can continue to deliver high quality specialist palliative care and end of life care to those in our community with life-limiting illness.
Mary’s Meals -Emergency in Southern Africa: Southern Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 100 years, with an estimated 21 million children in the region suffering from malnutrition. Mary’s Meals works in four of the worst effected countries (Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe) providing vital daily school meals to 1.5 million hungry children. To help Mary’s Meals keep providing these life-changing meals please keep our work in your prayers and consider donating to this appeal. 10p provides a school meal. Find out more at www.marysmeals.org.uk or freephone 0800 698 1212. Thank you for your support of Mary’s Meals.
GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS: Is Gambling affecting your life? Perhaps we can help. Tel 028 7135 1329.
