Twenty- Eighth Sunday In Ordinary Time 12th October 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 12th October 10.00am Annie & James Duddy
Sunday 12th October 12Noon Laura Sowden
Monday 13th October 10.00am Joseph Coll
Monday 13th October 7.30pm Kathleen McDaid
Tuesday 14th October 10.00am Hugh McLaughlin
Tuesday 14th October 7.30pm Jim & Martha Kennedy
Wednesday 15th October 7.30pm Sheila Bradley
Thursday 16th October 7.30pm Frank McConway
Friday 17th October 7.30pm Jim Murray
Saturday 18th October 6.00pm George Cave
Rest In Peace: We extend our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of; Kathleen Devine- Southend Park, Fr. Frank McLaughlin- Clarendon Manor, Hugo Sheils-Ashcroft & Bernadette Healy- Greenhaw Road
Baptisms: We Welcome into the family of God: Cian Harrigan, Danny McLaughlin & Noah McBrearty
Parish Baptismal Dates: Please note Saturday Baptisms are at 3.30pm.
8th November & 6th & 20th December
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 £2701.00
LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION COLLECTION AMOUNTED TO £796.00
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. The Parish Office is open Monday- Friday from 9am to 2.30pm, Telephone 028-71262301 or via email at longtower@derrydiocese.org. For urgent sick calls, please use the office telephone number at all times.
Long Tower 2026 Calendars are now available cost £3 each or 2 for £5. They would make an ideal Christmas gift especially for those living away from home. Calendars can be purchased from the Parish Office, Siopa Cholmcille or Sacristy.
Síopa Cholmcille- St Columba’s Gift Shop in Aras Cholmcille: We stock a variety of gifts & cards, candles, rosary beads, books, occasion cards and many other gifts & mementos. The shop is open after 10am morning Mass. For enquiries please contact Sheila Doyle/ Jim Doherty via (parish office 028-71262301 or Sacristy 028-71261946) who will be happy to help. Christmas gifts, including cribs, nativity’s, angels, books & diaries and much more arriving soon!!
Annual Solemn Novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Nine Sundays before Christmas in Long Tower Church at 6.00pm, beginning Sunday 26th October. The theme of our Novena this Jubilee Year 2025 is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’- Finding Hope and Healing In a Hurting World. Each night will comprise of the Rosary, Novena prayer and petitions with a short talk given by various guest speakers and Eucharistic Healing Ceremony with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. We encourage everybody, including those in particular need of healing to join us.
Long Tower’s 40 Hours: A continuous 40 Hours of Adoration will begin with 8am Mass on Sunday 26th October 2025, continuing right through Sunday night and all day Monday 27th October, concluding at midnight.‘O Come Let Us Adore Him’.
Apostolate of Eucharistic Adoration- On the last weekend of October, we will have our annual 40 hours of Eucharistic Adoration. It will be an appropriate time to welcome members of the National Apostolate of Eucharistic Adoration to speak at the 6pm Vigil, 10am and 12 noon Masses, who will invite us to renew our commitment to spending time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. An opportunity will be given during their brief presentation at Mass to commit to one hour of adoration on a Wednesday (or any other day and length of time that suits you, either in the church or in Pump Street Oratory) by filling in a card with attached pen which will be distributed before Mass and collected afterwards. It’s a call to renewal of Eucharistic Adoration in the parish, responding to the call of the Lord himself to his disciples in Gethsemane: to ‘watch and pray one hour with me’. In Eucharistic adoration, we also share in the legacy of faithful adorers through the ages, following the faithful example of St Columba’s devotion to the Blessed Sacrament in the Dubh Regles of this monastic site of Long Tower centuries before us and indeed Sr Clare Crockett of our own time!
Diocesan Vocations Intercession: In our second reading this weekend St Paul asks the young Timothy to keep in mind the Good News of the life, death and, most importantly, the resurrection of Jesus as Paul had handed it on to him. We
pray for the future priests of our diocese that, like Timothy, their ministry will bring the people they serve to salvation.
Calling pilgrims to Walk in the Light, 7pm Saturday 1st November: to mark the Christian feast of All Hallows with prayers for peace, the city centre churches are inviting you to join our annual inter-denominational Walk in the Light. We are gathering in a spirit of friendship at Salvation Army Church on Carlisle Road, proceeding to St Columb’s Cathedral, London Street, on to First Derry Presbyterian Church and ending at St Columba’s Church, Long Tower – followed by tea and light refreshments in Long Tower Primary School. The walk will take no more than one hour. As we approach the final quarter of this Jubilee Year, we urge you to honour the Christian call to unity, fellowship and peace, by joining us as Pilgrims of Hope for Walk in the Light, 2025. Everyone is welcome!
SVP in Derry is looking for individuals who could assist for a few hours a week as van drivers. Email: svp.derry@svpni.co.uk if you can help.
‘Cloisters Café’ in Aras Cholmcille in the grounds of Long Tower Church, now open on Sunday from 10am-3pm, with Sunday lunch being served from 12Noon-3pm.
Accord Derry-Marriage Preparation Courses: We still have a few places left on our November 7th and 8th course, in the Everglades Hotel Derry. We are NOT holding a course in December, the next available course will be January 2026. All courses are now online for booking at www.accordni.com. Please note all courses are in person.
Our Lady, Untier of Knots Novena – The Novena to Our Lady, Untier of Knots continues after the 7:30pm Mass each Thursday in St Eugene’s Cathedral for eight Thursdays, concluding on Thursday 27th November. All are welcome to join in prayer and reflection during this special time of grace.
Carmelite Retreat Centre Termonbacca-Silent Retreat: Fr Stephen Quinn will lead a silent retreat for men and women in Carmelite Retreat Centre, Derry, from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th December. This is a great opportunity to take some time this Advent, to grow in contemplative prayer and friendship with Christ. The weekend costs £90. For further info/booking call 02871262512 or email termonbaccaderry@ocd.ie
Our Lady of Montligeon prayer group- praying for all the souls in purgatory meets in Termonbacca Carmelite Retreat Centre, Derry, on last Wednesday each month at 12:30pm. Next meeting is Wednesday 29th October. Everyone is welcome.
Ulster Project Derry – Calling All Past Teens: We are recruiting 3 leaders for Ulster Project 2026. Candidates must have a faith-based background, must be from within the city, 21 years minimum age and available for regular meetings. Safeguarding trust training will be completed and successful candidates will be Access NI checked. Dates of travel: outward 25 June 2026, returning 19 July 2026. Leaders will be expected to fundraise towards their own fares and, although this is a non-salaried position, this should be far outweighed by the experience of Ulster Project. Fact sheet and application form can be obtained by emailing ulsterprojectderrylondonderry@outlook.com. Interviews will be held.
Marriage Encounter Weekend: Focolare Centre, Curryhills, Prosperous, Co Kildare, 7 – 9 November. Open to all married couples. For further information and bookings, visit www.marriageencounter.ie.
The Rise and Shine Trust- Pilgrimage to Lourdes, Easter 2026: The Rise and Shine Trust travels to Lourdes every Easter Sunday with young people and children from all over Ireland. the Derry, Tyrone and Donegal groups are now currently accepting applications from young people of all religious denominations with: A medical condition, physical disability or illness (aged 9-18), A learning disability (aged 11-21), Very seriously ill children under the age of 9, accompanied by a parent or close relative or young adults between the age of 19 and 30 with a disability or illness. The young person travels without their family but accompanied by experienced adult carers in the group. This week is a great experience for the young person as they have the opportunity to make new friends, increase their social skills and confidence and often provides respite for parents/carers. The Rise and Shine Trust cover the cost of those young people selected to travel. If there is a young person that you feel would be eligible and would benefit from a trip to Lourdes, please contact Aileen Henry on 00353872063183 for details. Please note closing date for applications is 15th October.
Prisons Week 12-19th October 2025: Comfort Prayer: Heavenly Father life in prison is very hard, especially for those who have gone there for the very first time. Lord, please comfort them, and give them strength to face one day at a time. See them through these tough times and let them come to know you as the God that comforts them. Lord, even though they have sinned against you I know that you have forgiven them and you’re going to turn their lives around if only then can believe in you. Instead of looking for comfort in other things, please help them to turn to you. Remind them of how much you love them in Jesus’ name, I believe and pray.
Life Chain – Join Precious Life on Saturday 18th October 2025 at Belfast City Hall at 2pm for a Life Chain to mark the 6th Anniversary of Westminster imposing abortion on Northern Ireland. Stand with us in remembrance of the innocent babies lost since then, as we advocate for the protection of life. For more information, please contact Precious Life 028 90278484 or 07592280522.
Concern Worldwide are collecting much-needed funds in Derry on Friday, 17 October. Can you give one or two hours of your time to help with the bucket collection. Please contact Isabel.brennan@concern.net or call the office on 028 9033 1100 if you can help. Thank you.
To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the birth of St Oliver Plunkett 1st November 1625, and the 50th anniversary of his canonisation in 1975, Rev. Dr Thomas O’Connor, former Professor of History, St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, will give a talk on the Saint in St Oliver Plunkett Church, Clady, Ballymena Sunday 26th October at 5pm.
Rachel’s Vineyard: Have you been affected or hurt by abortion? If so, please contact Michelle on 07871765181.
